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Sourdough Coffee Cake

This sourdough coffee cake, with a cinnamon sugar streusel topping and middle layer, is a delicious use for your leftover sourdough starter. It’s the perfect sweet morning treat.

slice of sourdough coffee ccakke with streusel topping.

Sourdough Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Streusel Topping

This moist and tender sour cream coffee cake will be a family favorite.  Uses all pantry ingredients and is a great way to use your sourdough starter!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Serving Size 12 pieces

Ingredients 

For the Cake:

  • ½ cup butter softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup sourdough starter
  • ½ cup sour cream or greek yogurt

For the Topping

  • ½ cup cold butter diced
  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon

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Instructions 

  • Prep. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the center.   Prepare a 9 x 9 or 8 x 8 square pan with non stick cooking spray.
  • Make the batter. Beat the butter and sugar in an electric stand mixer until combined.  Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until fluffy. Combine the dry ingredients in a separate mixing bowl.  Add to the butter mixture, 1/3 at a time, alternating with the sourdough starter and sour cream.  Mix gently until just combined.
    batter being mixed in bowl.
  • Make the topping. To make the topping, cut the butter into the flour until it is the size of peas.  Stir in the brown sugar and cinnamon.
    mixing bowl with crumbled butter and sugar.
  • Assemble. Layer half of the cake batter into the prepared pan.  Sprinkle half of the topping on the cake batter.  Gently spread the remaining cake batter on top, and top with the rest of the topping.  
    baking dish with layers of batter and cinnamon sugar topping.
  • Bake. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes.  Serve in squares directly out of the pan.
    sourdough coffee cake before and after baking.

Notes

You can use fed or unfed sourdough starter in this recipe.  
If you only have a small amount of starter to discard,  use 1/4 cup of starter and 3/4 cup of sour cream
Calories: 277kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 254mg | Potassium: 72mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 285IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1mg

This is our go-to for lazy Saturday mornings, paired with a strong cup of coffee for me and glasses of cold milk for the kids. They even ask for it on birthdays and special occasions, which, let’s be honest, makes my sourdough-loving heart swell with pride.

close up view of square piece of coffee cake.

It’s the perfect balance of not too sweet, wonderfully moist, and just the right amount of ‘special’ to make our weekend breakfasts feel like a celebration.

Coffee Cake Tips

  • Know Your Sourdough Starter: The flavor of your cake changes with your starter. Use a hungry strarter for a deep flavor or a recently-fed one for a lighter tast.
  • Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure eggs, sour cream (or Greek yogurt), and butter are at room temp. They mix better.
  • Batter Thickness: This batter is thick. Don’t add more liquid. Spread it carefully in the pan to keep your layers neat.
  • Try Add-Ins: Once you’re used to the recipe, try adding nuts or dried fruit to the topping for more texture and flavor.

Key Ingredients and Tools

You’ll need the following for this delicious coffee cake:

ingredients on marble counter.
  • butter, softened
  • granulated sugar
  • eggs
  • vanilla
  • all-purpose flour
  • baking powder
  • baking soda
  • salt
  • sourdough starter
  • sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • cold butter, diced
  • brown sugar
  • teaspoons cinnamon

Serving Suggestions

Serve with freshly brewed coffee, fruit salad, and a breakfast casserole for a big, special breakfast.

Troubleshooting and Help

My sourdough starter is pretty lively. Can I use it even if it’s super active?

Absolutely! An active starter is actually great for this recipe. It means your cake might have a lighter texture and a nice, subtle sourdough tang.

Can this cake be made ahead of time?

Definitely! This cake actually tastes even better the next day, in my opinion. The flavors have time to meld together, and the texture remains moist. Just make sure to cover it well or store it in an airtight container to keep it from drying out. It’s a lifesaver for when you want a hassle-free morning treat.

How can I make this gluten-free?

Substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. Look for a blend that’s designed to be a 1:1 replacement. Gluten-free cakes sometimes require a slightly different baking time. Start checking for doneness a few minutes earlier than the recipe suggests.

What about making it vegan?

Use a plant-based butter substitute. There are many great brands out there that work just like dairy butter in baking. Replace each egg with a flax egg. To make a flax egg, mix 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it becomes gel-like. This not only acts as a binder but adds a little extra fiber too! Opt for a vegan sour cream or a plant-based yogurt. There are coconut, almond, and soy-based versions that would work well in this recipe.

Storage Instructions

Here’s how to store your sourdough coffee cake to keep it tasting fresh:

On the Counter:

  • Cool Completely: First, let the cake cool down completely after baking. Warm cake can create condensation when stored, making it soggy.
  • Cover Well: Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. You can also place it in an airtight container. This helps keep it moist and prevents it from absorbing odors from the air.
  • Room Temperature: Keep the wrapped or contained cake on the counter at room temperature. It’ll stay fresh for about 3 days.

In the Fridge:

  • Cool and Wrap: Make sure the cake is completely cool. Then, wrap it as mentioned above or store it in an airtight container.
  • Refrigerate: Place it in the fridge. This can extend its freshness for up to a week. To serve, you might want to let it sit out for a bit to come to room temperature, or warm it slightly in the microwave for a few seconds.

Freezing:

  • Cool Completely: As always, let the cake cool down entirely before freezing.
  • Wrap Securely: Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap, then again in aluminum foil. Alternatively, cut it into slices and wrap each slice individually. This method makes it easier to thaw only what you need.
  • Freeze: Place the wrapped cake or slices in a freezer-safe bag or container. Label it with the date. It should be good for up to 3 months.
  • Thawing: To thaw, remove the cake from the freezer and let it sit in the fridge overnight or on the counter for a few hours. If you’ve frozen individual slices, you can thaw them briefly in the microwave for a quick treat.

More Quick Breads

I picked these because they are perfect for guests! Everyone will love them, even kids.

I promise you’ll love this recipe!

slice of sourdough coffee cake on plate.
picture of smiling female

By Katie Shaw

Katie lives in Virginia with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens. She loves creating simple tutorials for sourdough, bread, and soap. Her recipes, articles, and YouTube videos reach millions of people per year.

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Recipe Rating




48 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    AMAZING!!!
    I made this a vegan coffee cake by using 2tbs flax seed soaked in 6tbs water. Dairy free butter, and sour cream. I had to make dairy free sour cream for this recipe seeing I didn’t have any on hand. I did double the topping which made it really sweet yet everyone loved it. My dairy eaters loved it!

  2. 4 stars
    I was a little confused about the coffee cake with no coffee, but it appears to be an American thing (in the U.K. coffee cake has coffee in it). I made a slight error with the topping by combining all the ingredients so I put blobs on instead of it being spread out, but it tasted amazing! Def going to make this again with my sour dough leftovers!

  3. 5 stars
    Wow! Great recipe! Since I have recently switched to einkorn flour, I used the cheat sheet found on “A Modern Homestead” and made the recommended adjustments. I also added frozen wild Maine blueberries to the middle layer. I’ve no doubt it would have been just as good without my changes, as the cake itself was just super moist and fluffy. Thank you!

  4. I made this for my family and we loved it. I’m having the church ladies over for coffee and will be serving this hot from the oven! I’m so glad I found this website.

  5. 5 stars
    Made this cake this morning and it is fantastic! I live at high altitude and baked goods tend to rise too quickly and then sink in the middle here. The sourdough really seems to help, but I also made the following adjustments: Made sure the eggs were at room temperature, used a scant cup of sugar, a generous 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and used just a bit less of both the baking powder and baking soda. Will definitely make this again soon!

  6. 5 stars
    Just want to say this is the best coffee cake I have made. Will definitely make it again and again. I doubled the topping ingredients.

  7. 5 stars
    This recipe was so easy and delicious. There’s only 2 of us, so I made 3 mini-loaves. I baked it at 350 for 30 minutes. They turned out perfect.

    1. Just read the recipe. Looks great, but I was curious about the amount of topping. Thanks for the suggestion.

  8. 5 stars
    This was delicious. I have made it a couple of timesavers it turned out great both times. Could this work as cupcakes do you think? It would be a bit more work but make it easier to freeze and then take out just one or two at the time.

  9. 5 stars
    This cake is moist and delicious. The whole family loved it. I added sliced plums and a pinch of nutmeg to the middle layer and cooked it a little longer until the tester came out clean. Winner!

  10. 5 stars
    This was delicious!! Thank you so much for the recipe! I baked it in an 8×8 for 40 minutes and it was perfect. I am curious about the ratio of starter to sour cream, because you mentioned you could sub more sour cream for the starter. Do you think I could go the other way, and do more starter and less sour cream, or even 1 cup of starter and no sour cream? Thanks again for a fantastic recipe!

    1. hi liz! I’m so glad the coffee cake was a hit! you could certainly try increasing the sourdough starter to 3/4 cup, but I think 1 cup would make it too dense and doughy. the sour cream really helps keep the cake tender. 🙂

    2. 5 stars
      This is my second time making this coffee cake and it is just dreamy! Perfect moisture in the crumb, dense enough to feel really indulgent without being heavy, and with just the right amount of cinnamon and sugar!

      The second time around I actually had more excess starter than I needed, so throwing caution to the wind, I put in a full 1 cup rather than ½ cup of active starter, while still using the full ½ cup sour cream as well.

      It still performed beautifully, needing just 5 extra minutes of bake time. Probably the fact that it was active helped a bit, since that meant the starter was loose and well-aerated when it went into the batter.

      I also am baking this in my round springform pan with some parchment pinned in at the bottom – simply because I don’t have any square baking pans – and it makes serving and cutting the full cake a breeze!

      Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!

  11. I agree. Looks and smells awesome, but took me about 50ish minutes to cook. I may try a 9×13 next time as well. Thanks for the recipe!

  12. 5 stars
    This was absolutely delicious and fairly easy to make.
    Because it gets so tall in my 8×8, I think I’ll do it in one layer in a 13×9 and cut back on the baking time. Right now, when I take a piece I eat the bottom half first and then the top half because it’s so thick!
    Otherwise, I wouldn’t change a thing. Moist, wonderful flavor, nice topping without being too much.