Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake (Print Version)
A moist, tender cake with cinnamon swirls and a buttery crumble topping, perfect for breakfast or an afternoon treat.
# Recipe Ingredients:
→ Cake
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
04 - 1 cup sour cream
05 - 2 large eggs
06 - 1/4 cup milk
07 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Cinnamon Swirl
11 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
12 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
→ Crumble Topping
13 - 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
14 - 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
15 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
16 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
17 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
18 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9 by 9-inch square baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter with granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then mix in sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
04 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing just until combined without overmixing.
05 - Combine light brown sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl, stirring to evenly blend.
06 - Pour half the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon swirl mixture evenly over this layer, then top with the remaining batter and spread gently to cover.
07 - In a bowl, mix flour, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in melted butter until mixture forms coarse crumbs. Sprinkle this evenly over the batter.
08 - Bake for 38 to 42 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
09 - Allow the cake to cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It comes together in under an hour and tastes like you spent the whole morning in the kitchen.
- The texture is impossibly tender, with that perfect balance of richness from sour cream and the slight tang that keeps it from feeling heavy.
- One cake feeds a crowd, but honestly it's small enough that you can justify having a slice with your morning coffee for days.
02 -
- Don't skip the sour cream or try to swap it for plain yogurt straight up—the fat content matters and affects how moist your final cake stays.
- Fresh cinnamon makes an enormous difference; if your cinnamon smells dusty or weak, buy new and notice how much better the swirl tastes.
- Room temperature eggs mix more smoothly into the batter, so take them out of the fridge 20 minutes before baking if you can.
03 -
- Room temperature ingredients mix more evenly into a smooth batter, so take your eggs, sour cream, and milk out of the fridge 15-20 minutes before baking.
- If your crumble topping looks too wet after stirring in the butter, it's okay—it'll bake into perfect clusters that are crispy on the outside and tender inside.