In this Coffee Cake, a soft sour cream-based coffee cake and a walnut streusel topping come together to make this delightful dessert. It’s moist, not overly sweet, and perfect for brunch, showers, and holiday gifting.
This Coffee Cake is exactly what you want from coffee cake. Moist, sweet, crunchy, cinnamony, and perfect with a fresh cup of coffee (which is a very nice way to start the day if you ask me).
I decided to make this coffee cake from Midwest Living because it is the best and easiest coffee cake ever. I love it and can see myself making about a thousand different variations of it.
Blue Ribbon Coffee Cake is a great gift. In the last few weeks, I’ve made TWELVE of these cakes because I gift them to my children’s teachers on the first day of school. I think that is such a thoughtful way to tell teachers we appreciate them.
Why I like to Call This a Blue Ribbon Cake?
Believe it or not, it’s NOT a cake made out of blue ribbon 😉. In short, state fairs give out blue ribbons for award-winning recipes. That said if a recipe is labeled “blue ribbon,” you know you’re making the best of the best.
Ingredients //
- Flour – is the most important ingredient in any cake. It’s literally what makes the cake.
- Baking Powder AND Baking Soda – are leavening agents that cause the cake batter to rise when baked.
- Salt – enhances the sweetness.
- Eggs – add moisture, color, and flavor.
- Sugar – adds sweetness.
- Butter (room temperature) – adds moisture and helps the cake develop a perfectly baked, firm outer layer.
- Vanilla – adds sweetness and caramel-y flavor.
- Sour Cream – The extra fat in sour cream helps create the richest and moistest cakes.
For the streusel:
- Walnuts – crate that classic crumbly streusel topping and nutty crunch.
- Brown Sugar – adds sweetness, texture, and color.
- Sugar – more sweetness!
- Cinnamon – adds cozy coffee cake flavor.
- Vanilla – adds sugary-sweet flavor.
How to Make // The Steps
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, add eggs, sugar, butter, and vanilla.
- Beat until it begins to come together. It is okay if it looks curdled, it comes together.
- Add the dry ingredients. Mix until just moist.
- Add sour cream.
- Mix until smooth.
- In a bowl, mix together walnuts, both sugars, cinnamon, and vanilla.
- Spray the pan with baking spray. Spoon half of the batter into the bottom of the pan, spread around. Sprinkle with streusel. Add another layer of batter and another layer of streusel.
- Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 40 to 50 minutes.
- Cool completely. I wrapped mine in a thick layer of plastic wrap, then another layer of tissue paper. Wrap with a bow and attach a card.
- Brew a pot of coffee, slice, and enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
- This recipe will yield enough batter to make a bundt cake in a 10-inch tube pan. Use disposable tube pans for easy clean-up.
- If you bake the batter into a different shape (loaves, cupcakes, squares, etc)., adjust the cooking time accordingly and keep a careful eye to avoid burning.
- Blue ribbon coffee cake is amazing served fresh from the oven and served cold. As long as you have that warm cup of coffee, you’re good to go.
- A reader mentioned adding sunflower and pumpkin seeds to the streusel and that sounds incredible!
Why is This Coffee Cake So Good?
- This recipe will yield enough batter to make a bundt cake in a 10-inch tube pan. Use disposable tube pans for easy clean-up.
- If you bake the batter into a different shape (loaves, cupcakes, squares, etc)., adjust the cooking time accordingly and keep a careful eye to avoid burning.
- Blue ribbon coffee cake is amazing served fresh from the oven and served cold. As long as you have that warm cup of coffee, you’re good to go.
- A reader mentioned adding sunflower and pumpkin seeds to the streusel and that sounds incredible!
Serving Suggestions //
It’s not a “coffee” cake without coffee. Try blue ribbon coffee cake:
- with a hot mug of Vanilla Spice Latte.
- a la mode with a scoop of Coffee Toffee Ice Cream.
- or with a glass of Irish cream cold brew.
FAQ
Coffee cake describes a specific tender cake with a streusel-style topping meant to be enjoyed with a cup of coffee. There’s no coffee in the actual cake, so no need to worry about caffeine or anything.
Simply put, the streusel to cake ratio. Coffee cake is light on the streusel and heavy on the cake while crumb cake is heavy on the streusel, lighter on the cake.
Cake flour is ideal, but if you have all-purpose that’s totally fine.
How to Store and Reheat //
Storing Leftover Coffee Cake: Leftover coffee cake can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for 2 days or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Leftovers can be reheated gently in the microwave or served cold.
Make-Ahead and Freezer Options
Freezing Coffee Ccoffe cake recipeake: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in a sealed container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Delicious Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 8-ounce container sour cream
Streusel:
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- blue ribbon coffee cake recipe
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add eggs, sugar, butter, and vanilla. Beat until it begins to come together. It is okay if it looks curdled, it comes together. Add the dry ingredients. Mix until just moist. Add sour cream. Mix until smooth. In a bowl, mix together walnuts, both sugars, cinnamon, and vanilla.
- Spray the pan with baking spray. Spoon half of the batter into the bottom of the pan, spread around. Sprinkle with streusel. Add another layer of batter and another layer of streusel.
- Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 40 to 50 minutes. Cool completely.
