Cake Mix Sour Cream Coffee Cake
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Sour cream makes this Coffee Cake super moist and the best part is that it starts with a cake mix. It’s so easy to make, and loaded with lots of cinnamon crumbly goodness. This breakfast cake is an instant crowd pleaser!
If you enjoyed this cake, then you’re sure to enjoy my Cinnamon Coffee Cake, Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake, and Good Morning Crumb Cake recipes as well!
I love eating cake for breakfast. And I know you know I’m serious because yesterday we chatted about my lack of shame for eating all sorts of debatably inappropriate foods first thing in the morning, such as these Best Baked Apples Recipe (don’t knock it ’til you try it.)
But really, cake is on the less-weird list of breakfast foods because while admittedly I have eaten frosted chocolate birthday cake with sprinkles within 17 minutes of waking up, it’s really not that far of a stretch from the towering shortstacks that we all like to down at the local IHOP. Really? Pancakes? We didn’t even try to disguise the name on that one.
At least this coffee cake isn’t smothered in syrup, right?
Instead it’s loaded down with a cinnamon crumble topping. Oh oh oh, and that same crumble topping is rippled right throughout the center of the cake too. Raise your hand if the streusel is your favorite part?? Good. So you all know exactly what I’m talking about when I say there can never be enough streusel.
I developed this recipe as an easy-to-make totally delicious option for feeding a crowd. When family and friends are coming over, the last thing you want to do is fuss over a labor-intensive breakfast. This cake is just the thing because it starts with a cake mix and just four other ingredients. Easy peasy. And the crumble topping is a cinch to make so the prep takes only 10-15 minutes tops then it’s into the oven. Super moist and loaded with cinnamon crumble, this is an instant favorite!
More Recipes to Try
- Cinnamon Roll Pound Cake – all the cozy cinnamon roll flavor without the extra work.
- BEST Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodles – soft baked cookies that will melt in your mouth!
- Cinnamon Muffins – make your mornings better with these cozy muffins.
When you make this recipe, snap a photo and tag me on social – I love connecting with you and seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!
Cake Mix Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Ingredients
- 1 package yellow cake mix, (mix only, not prepared)
- 1 egg
- 1 cup sour cream , (may sub plain greek yogurt)
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Crumble Topping
- 1 ¼ cups flour
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup butter (8 tablespoons), chilled and cut into cubes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- First prepare the crumble. Whisk together flour, brown sugar, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Cut in chilled butter until crumbly. Set aside.
- Next prepare the cake. Combine cake mix, egg, sour cream, melted butter, and vanilla and mix until combined. It’s okay if the batter still has some lumps.
- Spread half the cake batter in the bottom of the greased baking dish (see note.) Sprinkle with half of the crumble mixture. Grease a rubber spatula and gently spread the remaining batter over the crumble (this takes a little finessing but it's worth it if you just work with it.) Top with remaining crumble.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I am writing to amend my earlier comment. I got voice mails, emails, text messages and multiple people telling me in person that this was the best coffee cake they ever had. I am hanging onto this recipe for everything it’s worth. This may be the first recipe I’ve ever had that I will be unwilling to share! Next time though I will make in a 9 x 9 dish.
I made this following the directions exactly and the batter didn’t even fill 1/2 of the 9 x 13 dish. I ended up using an 8 x 8 pan which was too small but did fit. It was delicious but I would use a 9 x 9 and it would be perfect.
This cake was delicious, however, the pan suggested for cooking was nearly twice as big as what was actually needed. The recipe was not complete either. It says to pour half the batter, then the sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar and cook. Where does the rest of the batter go? I just made two layers, dough and cinnamon suger. Worked.
The instructions for the Cake Mix Sour Cream Coffee Cake say to spread half the cake batter in the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle with crumb mixture. The next step says bake for 3-35 minutes….
BUT the instructions do not say anything about the other half of the cake batter or a topping? I didn’t notice this until I had spread half the cake batter, then ALL the topping, then had globs of batter to put on top but no topping? It was good anyway.
I love this easy tasty recipe. I have found with the ever-shrinking cake mix, now only about 15-16 ounces, that I have better luck baking this in a slightly smaller 7×11 pan. I often add chopped nuts, coconut, rolled oats, and espresso powder to the crumble. And I don’t sorry about measuring. A couple handfuls flour, brown sugar, some butter smooshed in. And one layer or two. Thank you for my favorite go-to coffee cake!
1. use just a little extra sour cream in the mix 2.spread half of mix in greased pan 3.spread half of crumble over mix 4. Put half of the cake mixture in a piping bag, pipe the mixture all over as evenly as possible 5. Put the rest of the crumble on top.
The following is copied from the recipe. As others have mentioned, it isn’t stated what to do with the other 1/2 of the batter. Yes. Most of us do know. Since the batter is so hard to work with, I spread it all in the bottom of the pan, put the crumble on top, and then I made a powdered sugar glaze and drizzled over it. DELICIOUS!
“Spread half the cake batter in the bottom of the greased baking dish. Sprinkle with crumble mixture.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm.”
This cake is SO moist and yummy! Thanks for sharing this recipe! The recipe is incomplete, though – please add a step about what to do with the other half of the batter. One thing I did that helped the cake look like the pictures: after it was done, I turned the oven to broil and broiled the cake, towards the top of the oven, for about 30-45 seconds. It browned the top and made the crumb layer really brown and crunchy. Turned out fantastic and everyone loved it!
Thought I’d let u know that part of the recipe is missing. Where it says to put 1/2 the cake mix on bottom of pan…..
it forgets to say “add the rest of cake mix, then top with other 1/2 of crumbs. Those of us who have made a coffee cake before will know that, but a newbee may not. Also, I forgot to put in the egg and when I realized there was no way that mix was going to spread. So I added about 1/4 cup of applesauce right on top of it all & it still turned out very good! Thank u for sharing that recipe!
So, my son is Gluten Free, so I made this recipe with Cherrybrook Kitchen’s yellow cake mix. After reading the comments, I added a splash of milk and a splash of oil to the batter, and just spread it out in a single layer in a long casserole pan, with the crumble on top. Baked it for 29 mins and it is wonderful! Instead of flour, I used Pam’s gluten free “pamcakes” mix in the topping. It’s great.