Best Cinnamon Coffee Cake Without Sour Cream

No sour cream, no problem! This Cinnamon Coffee Cake recipe is moist, buttery, and full of cinnamon flavor. It’s perfect as an afternoon snack, a breakfast pastry, or an after-dinner dessert!

Best Cinnamon Coffee Cake Without Sour Cream

Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 40-45 Minutes Total Time: 50-55 Minutes Servings: 1 Cake

If there’s a quintessential breakfast/brunch recipe, it’s the ever-so-deliciously moist coffee cake. A light cake, layered with cinnamon streusel. 

If you’ve never had coffee cake before and this is your first time, you may be looking through the list of ingredients and wondering why no coffee is listed.  Contrary to its name, coffee cake doesn’t traditionally have coffee in it!  It gets its name because it’s delicious served alongside a hot cup of coffee.

Most coffee cakes are made with sour cream, which helps keep the cake moist, but… a time or two I have wanted to make this cake, and lo and behold, we are out of sour cream. What I did have on hand was milk and vinegar, so I made my buttermilk. Nifty, huh?

Why You Will Love This Coffee Cake Recipe

Rich and Moist Texture: You won’t believe how moist this cake is, even without sour cream! It’s a comforting treat that feels indulgent yet light.

Easy to Make: The simplicity of the recipe means I can whip up this delicious cake in no time, perfect for those busy mornings or spontaneous gatherings.

Ingredients Needed

Please scroll down for a printable recipe card. It will contain a full listing of ingredients and step-by-step instructions.

• Unsalted butter – Will need to be softened at room temperature.
• Granulated sugar – To add sweetness.
• Eggs – Using three large eggs at room temperature.
• Vanilla extract – Added flavor. A coffee cake can’t be complete without a little vanilla.
• All-purpose flour – We want a dense cake; do not use cake flour.
• Baking powder and baking soda – To give this cake a lift.
• Buttermilk – This is our substitute for sour cream. It will need to be full-fat. The fat is what will keep this coffee cake together. See note below on how to make homemade buttermilk.
• Salt – To balance out the flavors.

To Make Buttermilk

Take 1 cup of milk (whole milk) at room temperature, plus 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Whisk the ingredients together until incorporated. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes. You’ll begin to see small curdled bits in the mixture; this means it’s ready to add to the recipe.

Take note that homemade buttermilk is not cultured and thick like store-bought. Even if you don’t see much change in the appearance of the mixture, the acid has been added to your milk, and it will work just like real buttermilk.

How to Make This Coffee Cake Recipe 

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then grease and flour a bundt pan or a 9×13-inch pan.

STEP TWO: Next, using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, on medium-high speed, beat together the softened butter and sugar until nice and fluffy. Add in vanilla and eggs. Mix until well combined.

STEP THREE: Now you are ready to mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Next, add half of the flour mixture and half of the buttermilk to the butter-sugar mixture and combine well. When ready, add the remaining flour mixture and buttermilk to the batter and stir well.

STEP FOUR: Next, mix the streusel topping ingredients. Combine in a small bowl – walnuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

If using a bundt pan, pour the batter into the prepared pan. Then sprinkle the streusel on top of the batter and swirl the topping through the batter with a knife. Bake for 45 – 60 minutes or until the cake tester comes out clean from the center of the cake.

If using a 9×13-inch pan, pour half the batter into the pan, making an even layer, and sprinkle half of the streusel on top of the batter. Add the remaining batter, sprinkling the rest of the streusel on top. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the cake tester comes out clean from the center of the cake.

STEP FIVE: Cool on a wire rack. Once at room temperature, enjoy!

How To Store Your Coffee Cake

STORE it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. It can go stale fast.

STORE it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

FREEZE. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. By the way, it freezes well.

More Breakfast Baking Recipes

Best Blueberry Scones Recipe With Delicious Lemon Zest

The Best Apple Crumb Cake Recipe For Breakfast

Cranberry Almond Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies – Gluten Free

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