Cake Mix Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Cake Mix Sour Cream Coffee Cake is the easiest way to make coffee cake at home! Topped with a buttery brown sugar cinnamon crumble, just like the kind you buy at the bakery!

If I could, I would just eat the cinnamon brown sugar topping on this coffee cake by itself, with a spoon. But it’s even better when it’s paired with moist sour cream cake! That combination of super soft cake and slightly crunchy streusel is a match made in heaven.

And let’s not forget the fact that this recipe is made with cake mix! I love gussying up a cake mix to make it taste homemade and I guarantee that no one will guess your shortcut when they taste this coffee cake!

Easy Cake Mix Sour Cream Coffee Cake Recipe

With the holidays coming up—yes, it’s already that time of year!—this Yellow Cake Mix Sour Cream Coffee Cake recipe is a good one to keep in your back pocket for brunches and breakfasts. It’s perfect for Christmas morning, potlucks, or informal get-togethers. Or maybe you just want to brighten a neighbor’s day by bringing over a freshly baked coffee cake! (Random acts of cake are the best acts of kindness, right?)

Ingredients

See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions. 

For the cake:

• Yellow cake mix – Use your favorite!
• Water
• Eggs – Take the eggs out and let them sit on the counter for a bit so they come to room temperature. This will make your cake fluffier!
• Sour cream – Let the sour cream sit for about 30 minutes at room temperature, too.
• Butter
• Vanilla

For the crumble topping:

• Brown sugar
• Sugar
• Cinnamon
• Salt
• Unsalted butter
• All-purpose flour

Optional glaze:

• Powdered sugar
• Milk

How to Make Cake Mix Sour Cream Coffee Cake

1. Prepare

Preheat your oven to 350ºF and grease a 9×9 or 9×11-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Make the Crumble

Whisk together the flour, brown sugar, sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl, then cut in the chilled butter until the mixture is crumbly.

3. Make the Cake Batter

Combine the cake mix, water, egg, sour cream, melted butter, and vanilla in a large bowl and stir until combined.

4. Assemble the Cake

Spread half of the cake batter in the bottom of the greased baking dish, then top with half of the crumble mixture. Top the crumble layer with dollops of the remaining cake batter, then spread with a greased rubber spatula. Sprinkle with remaining crumble.

5. Bake the Cake

Bake the coffee cake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

6. Make the Optional Glaze

While the cake is baking, combine the glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle the glaze over the cake after it’s cooled for about 10 minutes.

Hint: You can make this recipe in cupcake tins for individual cakes if you like!

Variations

• Blueberry Coffee Cake – Fold fresh or frozen blueberries into the cake batter.
• Pecan Crumble Coffee Cake – Add chopped pecans to the crumble mixture.
• Apple Coffee Cake – Fold diced apples into the cake batter.

FAQ

Is there a difference between coffee cake and crumb cake?

The two are very similar, but there’s a key difference: coffee cake is more cake, less crumble; crumb cake is more crumble, less cake.

Does coffee cake actually have coffee?

No! There’s no coffee in coffee cake. But you can definitely have a cup of coffee with it. Or maybe some Pumpkin Spice Cold Brew?

Top Tip

Make sure you use cold butter in the crumble. That’s how you get the crumble texture, instead of it being one thick layer of sugar and cinnamon.

If you’re looking for more…try these recipes next!

• Blueberry Bundt Cake
• Cinnamon Sugar Breakfast Muffins
• Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
• Baked Apple Cider Donuts
• Yellow Cake Mix Cookies