A sliceable vanilla sour-cream loaf with a cinnamon-sugar ribbon and a buttery crumb topping.
Coffee cake in a loaf pan
This sour cream coffee cake is baked as a loaf, with a cinnamon-sugar ribbon through the center and a separate crumb topping. Cut it into slices for a small brunch table or an afternoon coffee break. The name describes how it is served: the batter itself contains no coffee.
The loaf shape needs a longer bake than a shallow square cake. Use a 9-by-5-inch pan and check the center carefully. A smaller loaf pan changes the depth and can leave the center underbaked while the outside browns.
Ingredients and useful notes
Full-fat sour cream adds richness and moisture to the batter. Mix it with the small amount of milk before alternating it with the dry ingredients. Room-temperature ingredients combine more smoothly than cold sour cream added to soft butter.
There are three separate mixtures: crumb topping, cinnamon ribbon and cake batter. Keep their measured ingredients in separate bowls so the brown sugar for the ribbon does not end up in the topping. The recipe card groups them for that reason.
The topping uses melted butter to form clumps, while the batter uses softened butter for creaming. They have different jobs. Weighing the flour for each mixture also helps avoid a dry loaf or a dusty topping.
Keeping the cinnamon ribbon in place
Spread the first half of the batter evenly and scatter the cinnamon sugar over it. Leave a thin uncovered border around the edges. Add the second half in small spoonfuls instead of one heavy mound, then connect them gently with a spatula.
Do not swirl the loaf with a knife. A distinct ribbon is the intended result. The chilled topping goes on last and should sit loosely on the batter rather than being pressed down.
Baking a deep cake evenly
Begin checking at 55 minutes. Use a long skewer that reaches the center of the loaf; a short toothpick may test only the upper layer. Moist cinnamon sugar on the skewer differs from streaks of raw cake batter, so test a second spot if unsure.
If the topping darkens early, lay foil loosely over the pan without sealing it. Keep baking until the cake is done. The foil protects the surface but cannot replace checking the middle.
Cooling, slicing and storage
Rest the loaf in its pan for 20 minutes before lifting it. Finish cooling on a rack so steam can escape. A warm slice can be appealing, but cutting too early makes the crumb more likely to compress and the topping more likely to fall away.
Store the cooled loaf airtight at cool room temperature for up to 2 days. Freeze individual slices, wrapped tightly, for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw covered at room temperature. Serve with coffee or tea, and leave any glaze off: this version already has both cinnamon sugar and a sweet crumb topping.
For a square-pan version, see Cinnamon Crumb Coffee Cake.
Sour Cream Coffee Cake Loaf
Equipment
- 9-by-5-inch metal loaf pan
- parchment paper
- electric mixer
- wire rack
- Long wooden skewer
Ingredients
Crumb topping
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 60 g
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar 50 g
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter 42 g; melted
Cinnamon ribbon
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar 67 g
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Cake batter
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 180 g
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 113 g; softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150 g
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream 120 g; room temperature
- 2 tbsp whole milk 30 ml; room temperature
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9-by-5-inch metal loaf pan with parchment, leaving lifting handles along the long sides.
- For the topping, stir its flour, brown sugar and cinnamon together, then add the melted butter. Pinch into loose crumbs and refrigerate while preparing the batter. Separately mix the ribbon brown sugar and cinnamon.1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 3 tbsp unsalted butter, 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar for 2–3 minutes until lighter.1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp fine salt, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Mix the sour cream with the milk. Add the flour mixture in three portions, alternating with the sour-cream mixture in two portions, on low speed. Stop when blended.2 large eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream, 2 tbsp whole milk
- Spread half the batter in the pan. Scatter the cinnamon-ribbon mixture evenly over it, leaving a narrow border at the edges. Spoon the remaining batter over the top in small dollops, then gently join them without dragging through the ribbon. Scatter the chilled crumb topping over the surface.
- Bake on the center rack for 55–65 minutes, checking from 55 minutes. A long skewer inserted through cake rather than only the sugar ribbon should emerge without wet batter. Tent loosely with foil if the topping browns before the middle is done.
- Cool in the pan on a rack for 20 minutes. Lift out carefully using the parchment and cool on the rack for another 40 minutes before slicing. Cut into 10 slices with a serrated knife; the topping is naturally crumbly.
Notes
Store airtight at cool room temperature up to 2 days. Freeze individually wrapped slices up to 2 months for quality; thaw covered at room temperature.