Image of the Sour Cream Coffee Cake Recipe

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

on May 25 2026
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45-50 minutes
Total Time about 1 hour 10 minutes
Serving Size one 10-cup Bundt (about 12 servings)

Ingredients

Filling

  • 1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped to medium pieces
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup currants or raisins, soaked in a cup of hot water to plump, then drained (optional)

Cake

Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons butter, softened
  • ¾ teaspoon vanilla
  • pinch of salt
  • zest of 1 orange or lemon
  • 2 tablespoons orange or lemon juice
  • 2–3 tablespoons water, plus more as needed for a pourable consistency

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 10-cup Bundt or 9-inch springform pan.
  2. Make the filling: mix all the filling ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
  3. Make the batter: in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and sugar until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. On low speed, alternately add the baking mix and sour cream until just incorporated.
  4. Layer and marble: spoon half the batter into the pan, covering the bottom. Sprinkle half the filling evenly over it, then repeat with the remaining batter and remaining filling. Insert a knife straight down into the batter and move it up and down around the pan in a zigzag motion to marble the cake. Don't smooth the batter.
  5. Bake: 45–50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. While warm, run a knife around the edges; when cool, remove from the pan.
  6. Glaze: mix the glaze ingredients until smooth, adding more water if needed for a pourable consistency. Pour in a thin stream back and forth over the cooled cake.
  7. A note on measuring: Everyone measures flour a little differently, so if your results vary from ours, adjust the mix. If the cake falls in the middle, add a bit more baking mix next time; if it comes out too dense, reduce the mix by ½ cup.
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    This is the coffee cake that earns its place at every brunch - a tender, buttery sour cream cake swirled with cinnamon, brown sugar, and toasted nuts, finished with a citrus glaze. It's a fan favorite for good reason, and it's made with our Baking & Pancake Mix, so it's gluten-free without anyone being the wiser. Bake it for a holiday morning, a weekend with family, or anytime you want the house to smell like cinnamon - just the way Pamela's has been doing it since 1988.

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    Variations

    • Nuts: walnuts or pecans both work — or leave them out for a nut-free cake.
    • Dried fruit: add the plumped currants or raisins for extra texture, or skip them.
    • Glaze: flavor with orange or lemon, or keep it simple with a plain vanilla glaze.

    Make ahead & storage

    • Store covered at room temperature up to 3 days — the flavor deepens by the next day.
    • Freeze (glazed or unglazed) up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature before serving.

    Also try

    We've Got Answers

    A 10-cup Bundt or a 9-inch springform pan both work well. You can also make the muffin version (linked above).

    Flour measuring varies cup to cup. If the cake falls, add a little more baking mix next time; if it's too dense, reduce the mix by about ½ cup.

    Yes, leave the nuts out of the filling.

    Can I make it ahead or freeze it?

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