Sourdough Coffee Cake

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This Sourdough Coffee Cake has to be one of my favorite cozy bakes. It’s reminds me of the nostalgic coffee cake from your favorite coffee shop, the kind you reach for when you want something simple and comforting. It’s soft and tender with a cinnamon brown sugar layer and that buttery crumble topping that makes coffee cake irresistible. Drizzled with vanilla glaze as the finishing touch, this is one of those recipes you’ll find yourself making on repeat!

Tools You’ll Need:

1. Mixing bowls- for the cake batter, crumble, ripple, and glaze. I love this set of glass mixing bowls with lids for fermenting my cake batters!
2. Whisk- for mixing the batter and glaze.
3. Digital kitchen scale (optional)– for accurate measuring, especially helpful with sourdough baking. I linked the one I like here.
4. Measuring cups and spoons– for measuring ingredients.
5. Fork or pastry blender- for mixing the crumble.
6. Spatula- to spread the batter in the cake pan.
7. 9×13-inch or 9×9 inch baking pan- for baking the coffee cake. For a thinner coffee cake, use a 9×13 baking pan. If you want a taller cake, you can use a 9×9 cake pan. I love these USA 9×9 baking pans that have a nice tall edge for this type of cake and aluminized steel that gives the most perfectly even bake!
8. Parchment paper- to line the cake pan to avoid sticking.

Gather Your Ingredients:

1. Sourdough Starter- (flat or past peak, can be cold or room temperature). Adds depth of flavor and moisture without making this cake “sour”. Key for fermentation if you choose to ferment the batter.
2. All-purpose Flour- Gives cake structure and keeps the crumb tender. You can also substitute for cake flour.
3. Buttermilk or milk- Lightens the batter and keeps the crumb soft. I personally highly recommend using buttermilk, the texture and tenderness is so lovely. If you don’t have it though, you can substitute with whole milk.
4. Avocado Oil- Adds moisture and keeps the cake soft and tender. You can substitute for any neutral cooking oil.
5. Sour Cream- this is key to a moist cake! You can also substitute this for full-fat Greek yogurt.
6. White Sugar– Sweetens the cake, ripple, and crumble.
7. Brown Sugar- for that classic coffee cake flavor; you’ll need this for the cake, ripple, and crumble.
8. Vanilla extract– Enhances the flavor and brings warmth. Used in the cake and glaze.
9. Eggs (room temperature)– provide structure and lift with moisture, works as a binder for ingredients.
10. Baking powder + Baking soda– Ensures the right rise and tenderness.
11. Salt- Balances sweetness and enhances all the other flavors. You’ll need this for the cake, ripple, and crumble.
12. Ground Cinnamon- the warm spice that brings this coffee cake together!
13. Salted Butter- Binds the crumble together for the perfect texture.
14. Powdered Sugar- Sweetens and stabilizes the vanilla glaze. Do not use granulated sugar or your icing will be grainy.

Instructions

Step 1: Mix The Cake Batter

In a mixing bowl, add the white sugar, brown sugar, sourdough starter or discard, sour cream, milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla, Whisk the wet ingredients until smooth.

Add your flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Whisk in the dry ingredients until just combined, and no flour streaks remain. It’s important once you add the flour to avoid overmixing!

Optional Overnight Fermentation: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid, and refrigerate overnight. This step is key in your fermentation process. If you want to shorten your fermentation time, you can allow the batter to rest for 4 hours at room temperature for a same day bake. I don’t advise leaving this batter at room temperature overnight, its too hydrated and will overproof.

Step 2: Mix The Ripple and Crumble

To make the crumble topping, add the butter to a microwave safe bowl and melt it.

Add the white sugar, brown sugar, flour, ground cinnamon and salt to the melted butter. Using a fork or a spoon, combine the crumble mixture until it’s clumpy and crumbly. Set aside for later.

In another bowl, add the white sugar, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and flour. Gently mix to combine all of the ingredients for the ripple and set aside for later.

Step 3: Assemble and Bake the Cake

Fermentation Note: If you fermented the batter overnight in the refrigerator, allow the bowl of batter to rest on the counter for roughly 1 hour. This is a key step to achieving a tender crumb, don’t skip this step! If you like temperature cues, the temperature of the batter should read roughly 70 F before proceeding.

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line your 9×13 or 9×9 cake pan with parchment paper (this helps to remove the cake easily), and spray lightly with cooking oil.

Scoop half of the cake batter into the cake pan, and gently use a spatula spread the batter to the edges to make sure the bottom of the cake pan is covered with the batter.

Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar ripple layer evenly over the top of the cake batter. Make sure the layer meets the edges of the pan for an even cake.

Scoop the rest of the cake batter on top of the cinnamon sugar ripple layer, and use a spatula to spread the batter to meet the edges of the pan.

Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the top of the cake, making sure to cover the edges.

Transfer the cake to the preheated oven. If you’re cake is in a 9×13 cake pan, you’ll bake this cake for about 45-50 minutes. You’ll want to check then center with a toothpick around 40 minutes, and bake the cake until a toothpick comes out clean with just a few loose crumbs.

9×9 pan baking note: If you used a 9×9 cake pan, this cake typically needs 60-75 minutes of bake time to fully cook the center as the cake is taller and more dense.

Remove the cake from the oven as soon as it’s finished baking, and allow it to cool completely before glazing.

Step 4: Glaze the Coffee Cake

In a small bowl, add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 1 Tablespoon of milk or half and half.

Start to whisk the glaze and bring it together, and add the milk or half and half one teaspoon at a time while you’re whisking until the glaze has reached you’re desired consistency.

You want the glaze to still be thick, but able to slowly run off the spoon.

Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cooled coffee cake. Allow the glaze to set up for about 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving!

Yields 9-12 slices of cake (depending on cake pan size)

How to Store:

Room temperature: Store on the counter in an airtight container up to 4 days.

Freezer: Store in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks. Gently thaw on the counter and reheat gently in the microwave at 15 second intervals or in the oven at 350 F until cake is warmed.

FAQ’S

Drop a comment and leave a star review if you loved this recipe, and don’t forget to try more of my sourdough cake recipes!

Sourdough Cake Recipes:

• Sourdough Vanilla Cake (moist and fluffy!)
• Sourdough Brown Butter Carrot Cake
• Sourdough Chocolate Cake

Sourdough Coffee Cake

This soft Sourdough Coffee Cake has the softest crumb, a thick layer of cinnamon sugar through the cake, and a buttery crumble topping finished with vanilla glaze. Made with sourdough discard and an optional overnight fermentation, this cozy nostalgic coffee cake will be on repeat.

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Servings 9

Equipment

• Mixing bowls – for the cake batter, crumble, ripple, and glaze. I love this set of glass mixing bowls with lids for fermenting my cake batters!
• Whisk – for mixing the batter and glaze.
• Digital kitchen scale (optional) – for accurate measuring, especially helpful with sourdough baking. I linked the one I like here.
• Measuring cups and spoons – for measuring ingredients.
• Fork or pastry blender – for mixing the crumble.
• Spatula – to spread the batter in the cake pan.
• 9×13-inch or 9×9 inch baking pan – for baking the coffee cake. For a thinner coffee cake, use a 9×13 baking pan. If you want a taller cake, you can use a 9×9 cake pan. I love these USA 9×9 baking pans that have a nice tall edge for this type of cake and aluminized steel that gives the most perfectly even bake!
• Parchment paper – to line the cake pan to avoid sticking.

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Coffee Cake:

• 1 (200g) cup granulated white sugar
• 1/4 (50g) cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 (120g) cup sourdough discard (100% hydration)
• 2/3 (160g) cup sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt
• 2/3 (150g) cup whole milk or buttermilk
• 1/4 (60g) cup avocado oil or neutral cooking oil
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 (400g) cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt

Cinnamon Sugar Ripple:

• 1/4 (50g) cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 (50g) cup granulated white sugar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 (12g) Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt

Crumble Topping:

• 1 1/2 (180g) cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 (100g) cup granulated white sugar
• 1 (180g) cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1/2 (113g) cup salted butter melted

Vanilla Glaze:

• 1/2 (60g) cup powdered sugar
• 1-2 Tbsp milk or half and half
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

 

Step 1: Mix The Cake Batter

• In a mixing bowl, add the white sugar, brown sugar, sourdough starter or discard, sour cream, milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla, Whisk the wet ingredients until smooth.
  1 (200g) cup granulated white sugar, 1/4 (50g) cup packed brown sugar, 1/2 (120g) cup sourdough discard (100% hydration), 2/3 (160g) cup sour cream , 2/3 (150g) cup whole milk, 1/4 (60g) cup avocado oil, 2 large eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract
• Add your flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Whisk in the dry ingredients until just combined, and no flour streaks remain. It’s important once you add the flour to avoid overmixing!
  3 (400g) cups all-purpose flour, 2 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 3/4 tsp salt
• Optional Overnight Fermentation: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid, and refrigerate overnight. This step is key in your fermentation process. If you want to shorten your fermentation time, you can allow the batter to rest for 4 hours at room temperature for a same day bake. I don't advise leaving this batter at room temperature overnight, its too hydrated and will overproof.

Step 2: Mix The Ripple and Crumble

• To make the crumble topping, add the butter to a microwave safe bowl and melt it.
  1/2 (113g) cup salted butter
• Add the white sugar, brown sugar, flour, ground cinnamon and salt to the melted butter. Using a fork or a spoon, combine the crumble mixture until it’s clumpy and crumbly. Set aside for later.
  1 1/2 (180g) cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 (100g) cup granulated white sugar, 1 (180g) cup packed brown sugar, 1 tbsp cinnamon
• In another bowl, add the white sugar, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and flour. Gently mix to combine all of the ingredients for the ripple and set aside for later.
  1/4 (50g) cup packed brown sugar, 1/4 (50g) cup granulated white sugar, 1 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon, 1 1/2 (12g) Tbsp all-purpose flour, 1/4 tsp salt

Step 3: Assemble and Bake the Cake

• Fermentation Note: If you fermented the batter overnight in the refrigerator, allow the bowl of batter to rest on the counter for roughly 1 hour. This is a key step to achieving a tender crumb, don't skip this step! If you like temperature cues, the temperature of the batter should read roughly 70 F before proceeding.
• Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line your 9×13 or 9×9 cake pan with parchment paper (this helps to remove the cake easily), and spray lightly with cooking oil.
• Scoop half of the cake batter into the cake pan, and gently use a spatula spread the batter to the edges to make sure the bottom of the cake pan is covered with the batter.
• Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar ripple layer evenly over the top of the cake batter. Make sure the layer meets the edges of the pan for an even cake.
• Scoop the rest of the cake batter on top of the cinnamon sugar ripple layer, and use a spatula to spread the batter to meet the edges of the pan.
• Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the top of the cake, making sure to cover the edges.
• Transfer the cake to the preheated oven. If you’re cake is in a 9×13 cake pan, you’ll bake this cake for about 45-50 minutes. You’ll want to check then center with a toothpick around 40 minutes, and bake the cake until a toothpick comes out clean with just a few loose crumbs.
• 9×9 pan baking note: If you used a 9×9 cake pan, this cake typically needs 60-75 minutes of bake time to fully cook the center as the cake is taller and more dense.
• Remove the cake from the oven as soon as it’s finished baking, and allow it to cool completely before glazing.

Step 4: Glaze the Coffee Cake

• In a small bowl, add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 1 Tablespoon of milk or half and half.
  1/2 (60g) cup powdered sugar, 1-2 Tbsp milk, 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• Start to whisk the glaze and bring it together, and add the milk or half and half one teaspoon at a time while you’re whisking until the glaze has reached you’re desired consistency.
• You want the glaze to still be thick, but able to slowly run off the spoon.
• Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cooled coffee cake. Allow the glaze to set up for about 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving!
• Yields 9-12 slices of cake (depending on cake pan size)

Notes

How to Store:

Room temperature: Store on the counter in an airtight container up to 4 days.

Freezer: Store in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks. Gently thaw on the counter and reheat gently in the microwave at 15 second intervals or in the oven at 350 F until cake is warmed.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!