Grandma's Sour Cream Coffee Cake Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (2024)

January 2, 2019November 13, 2023

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Grandma’s Sour Cream Coffee Cake recipe is an old fashioned pound cake recipe made in a Bundt pan. This moist coffee cake is perfect for breakfast or as dessert, especially when served with a hot cup of coffee.

We love a good, old-fashioned coffee cake recipe any day of the week, with or without coffee. It can be breakfast as much as dessert, and everyone is happy with this moist and delicious version. Many people wonder why sour cream is in the list of ingredients, and that is because it makes the cake moist. Yum!

Grandma’s Classic Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Grandma used this as her go-to coffee cake recipe. She got the recipe from a friend, and then she passed it down to our generation. The recipe can be found in the list of recipes she helped Barbara record and also in her wooden recipe box that Barbara still uses today. We decided that the flavor was just too good not to share here on our blog too.

We would put this Sour Cream Coffee Cake right up there with Paula Deen’s or Martha Stewart’s! This coffee cake is made in a Bundt pan so be sure to grease and flour the pan generously before adding the batter. Do not skip the flouring step; this can cause the cake to stick to the pan when removing.

Classic Coffee Cake Ingredient List

Sour cream is the key ingredient. It keeps the cake extra moist. The recipe also calls for a half cup of butter AND a half cup of margarine. We never asked Grandma why both butter and margarine but we can’t argue about the results! The cake also includes two layers or cinnamon, sugar, and chopped nuts which take it over the top. There is no need for an icing or a glaze; this recipe is perfect on it’s own.

• Butter
• Margarine
• Sugar
• Large Eggs
• All Purpose Flour
• Baking Soda
• Baking Powder
• Sour Cream
• Vanilla Extract
• Chopped Nuts
• Cinnamon

Why does sour cream make a cake moist?

To get into the science of the matter, sour cream is a naturally acidic ingredient. The acid in the sour cream acts as a tenderizer to the gluten in the flour. Sour cream is also fatty in nature lending to a more dense, moist final texture.

Can I freeze sour cream?

Yes, store-bought sour cream can be frozen for later. It’s best to transfer it to a freezer container. Also note that the texture might be slightly different; therefore, the thawed sour cream would be best in baked dishes such as casseroles or cakes.

How to make Old Fashioned Pound Cake Recipe

Step by Step Instructions

1. Beat the butter, margarine and sugar until creamy using a hand mixer or stand mixer.
2. Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture and mix well, scraping down the sides with a spatula.
3. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
4. Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, mixing after each addition.
5. Add vanilla and mix until incorporated.
6. In a small bowl mix together the cinnamon, sugar and nuts.
7. Grease and flour Bundt pan.
8. Pour one-third of cake batter into prepared pan, sprinkle half of the cinnamon mixture on top. Add another third of the batter and top with cinnamon mixture. Add the remaining batter.
9. Bake for one hour or until done. Let cool in baking dish for at least one hour. This is an important step. Grandma’s orders!

Storage Instructions

Let leftover coffee cake cool. Store in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap on the counter for 1 to 2 days. Store in the fridge to keep it for a longer amount of time. To freeze individual slices, cut cooled cake, and place slices between parchment paper in a freezer bag. Take out as many slices are you want, and let thaw at room temperature.

Full recipe steps and ingredient amounts for Old Fashioned Coffee Cake is at the bottom of the page.

Does Sour Cream Coffee Cake need to be refrigerated?

If you are going to consume the cake within 1 – 2 days, the moist sour cream coffee cake can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature. However, any more than 2 days, go ahead and refrigerate the cake to prevent molding.

Recipe FAQs

• Be sure to soften butter and margarine before creaming with sugar.
• Room temperature eggs work best for baking.
• Grease Bundt pan and flour lightly on the inner and outer edges. Do not skip the flouring step; this is what helps the cake come out of the pan in a clean fashion.
• Let the cake cool in the pan for 1 hour.
• Take a knife and run around the inner and outer edges gently before inverting to remove from the pan.
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Recipe Variations

• Swap almond extract for vanilla extract.
• Instead of using pecans, try walnuts or pistachios.
• Serve it with a simple glaze made from powdered sugar.

Old Fashioned Cake Recipes

• Granny’s Boston Cream Cake
• Old Fashioned Rhubarb Cake
• Fanciful Fudge Cake
• Butterscotch Zucchini Cake
• Granny’s German Chocolate Cake