Sourdough Coffee Cake Recipe

This sourdough coffee cake recipe is layered and sprinkled with a warm cinnamon crumb topping and baked to golden perfection. An easy breakfast treat to serve alongside a warm cup of coffee or glass of milk.

Why You’ll Love Sourdough Coffee Cake

• Easy to Make: This is one of those simple, quick cakes you can pull together in about an hour. It uses ingredients you likely already have on hand, so no extra trips to the store. I love pantry-staple recipes like this for easy breakfasts—just like my sourdough blueberry muffins.
• Crowd-Pleasing Treat: This dessert-like sourdough coffee cake recipe would be perfect on Sunday mornings—it’s extra special, super delicious, and always puts a smile on everyone’s face.
• Freezer-Friendly: This is a great recipe to bake ahead and freeze for a convenient last-minute breakfast or sweet treat. My sourdough lemon bread is another favorite for this!

Ingredients

Find the full list of ingredients, amounts, and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.​

• Butter: The best fat for coffee cakes! Butter adds rich flavor and helps create a tender crumb. Be sure it’s at room temperature so it creams easily with the sugars.
• Brown Sugar: A mix of brown and white sugar adds depth and warmth that pairs beautifully with the cinnamon and vanilla.
• Sour Cream: For the best texture and tangy flavor, use full-fat sour cream. Let it come to room temperature—along with the buttermilk and eggs—for a smooth, well-mixed batter.
• Buttermilk: No buttermilk on hand? No problem. Just add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to a measuring cup, then fill to the ½ cup line with milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.
• Sourdough Discard: If you are a sourdough baker, chances are you will have excess discard that you want to use up. Sourdough starter makes everything taste better!
• Eggs: Eggs add richness, structure, and a beautiful golden hue to the cake.

Equipment

• 9×9 Metal Baking Pan
• Offset Spatula (optional)
• Pastry Blender (optional)

How to Make This Sourdough Coffee Cake Recipe

Here are the step-by-step instructions for making this sourdough discard coffee cake.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9×9-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, allowing the sides to overhang slightly for easy removal. Set aside.

Step 2: Make the crumb topping. In a small bowl, use a fork or pastry cutter to combine the cold, cubed butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour until crumbly (Photo 1). Set aside.

Step 3: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (Photo 2).

Step 4: With the mixer on low speed, add the vanilla, sour cream, buttermilk, and sourdough discard and mix. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl as needed. After mixing, whisk briefly by hand to ensure the batter is smooth and lump-free.

Step 5: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients (Photo 3) and gently mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. The batter will be thick—do not overmix (Photo 4).

Step 6: Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan, using an offset spatula to smooth it out (Photo 5). Sprinkle half of the crumb topping evenly over the batter (Photo 6).

Step 7: Add the remaining batter and gently spread it to the edges of the pan (Photo 7). Top with the rest of the crumb mixture (Photo 8).

Step 8: Bake on the center rack for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Start checking around 45 minutes. If the topping is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil.

Step 9: Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack. Let the cake cool for at least 45 minutes before slicing and serving.

How to Store

Cover the coffee cake tightly and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For easy grab-and-serve portions, wrap individual squares in plastic wrap.

The entire cake can also be frozen, or you can freeze individual slices. To freeze individual slices, cut cake into individual squares and wrap tightly in plastic wrap, place in an airtight freezer safe container and store for up to 3 months.

When ready to enjoy, thaw in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature on the counter before serving.

Expert Tips

• This is a sourdough discard recipe, so you don’t need your sourdough starter to be active. If you’re using discard straight from the fridge, let it come to room temperature along with the other wet ingredients before mixing the batter.
• Room temperature ingredients are key to this easy recipe. Butter, sour cream, buttermilk, sourdough discard, and eggs should all sit out before baking. Cold ingredients can cause the batter to curdle or affect the final texture—trust me, I’ve learned this the hard way. It’s worth following the recipe exactly!
• Spreading thick batter can be tricky. I like to spoon the sourdough coffee cake batter into the pan in several spots—one in each corner and a few in the center—then use an offset spatula to gently spread it out. It doesn’t have to be perfect—just do your best to evenly cover the crumb layer. It gets easier with practice!