This sour cream coffee cake has a generous amount of cinnamon-swirl that yields a moist and flavorful bundt cake.
Every so often, I get the urge to bake a cinnamon-flavored treat. My famous Overnight Cinnamon Rolls came to mind– but I wanted something now!
Bundt cakes are my arsenal for uncomplicated and quick cake baking. They are less fussy than layer cakes, and I don’t have to make frosting. This cake came together pretty quickly, and it delivered with just the right amount of cinnamon swirl and a tender crumb.
The batter is very basic– unsalted butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and traditional dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt). The cinnamon swirl is simply brown sugar and cinnamon. Easy! I always use Baker’s Joy spray– especially with my Bundt Pans. The cake always releases, and I don’t have to use flour.
I scooped 1/3 of the batter into my prepared Bundt pan, sprinkled half of the cinnamon mixture. Then another 1/3 of the batter went on top, followed by the remaining batter. I used an off-set spatula to gently spread the batter all the way to the edges. I baked this as 315F (yes, that’s right) for 65 minutes. I use a long wooden skewer to make sure that I test deep into the pan- to make sure the cake is done. The skewer came out clean, so I knew it was done.
The cake smelled, wonderfully, of cinnamon and vanilla. It needs to cool for 15 minutes– but no longer. Otherwise the sugary cinnamon swirl might make the cake stick to the pan. No bueno! I set a cooling rack over the cake, then flipped it over. Voila! The cake released!
TASTING NOTES: The sour cream gave the cake a moist and tender crumb. The cinnamon-swirl, I thought, was pretty– and it sure scratched my itch for cinnamon. This cake is perfect for brunch, or any time of day.
Sour Cream Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake
Ingredients
For the Cinnamon Swirl:
- 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
For the cake batter:
- 2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup), room temperature
- 3 large eggs
- 1 container full fat sour cream 8 oz
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 315°F (yes, that is correct!)
- Prepare a 9 or 10-inch Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray and generously dust with flour, tapping excess flour out. NOTE: I prefer to spray my cake pans with a nonstick spray such as Baker's Joy so that I don't need to add flour.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), combine the sugar and butter. Beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until the mixture comes together as creamy.
- On low speed, add the sour cream and vanilla. Continue mixing until the batter is looks creamy, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl. You'll want to make sure all of the ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Gradually add the flour mixture on low speed until the batter is smooth with no lumps or bumps.
- Scoop about 1/3 of the batter into the prepared pan. NOTE: I find that using an ice cream scoop makes this less messy, and helps to evenly distribute the batter.
- Sprinkle half of the cinnamon mixture evenly over the batter.
- Evenly distribute another 1/3 of the remaining batter. (TIP: An off set spatula, helps to gently spread the batter.)
- Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon mixture evenly over the batter and cover with the remaining batter, spreading it evenly over the cinnamon mixture.
- Bake between 65-75 minutes, depending on your oven, until the cake is golden and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes– but no longer than that, lest the cinnamon mixture might stick to the pan.
- Place a wire rack on top of the Bundt pan and then invert the pan to release the cake.
- Let the cake cool completely before serving (though, I admit I cut into it while still warm).
- Store in an air-tight container.
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