This gluten-free coffee cake is made extra rich and tender with the addition of sour cream. It is filled and topped with a cinnamon sugar.
Based on a long-time family recipe, this coffee cake is sure to become your new go-to recipe!
You might also like this recipe for gluten-free donuts or gluten-free apple cake.
This is hands-down the best coffee cake I’ve ever had. Bold claim, but it’s true! This recipe is based on my Grandma’s tried-and-true sour cream cinnamon nut cake.
With a good gluten-free flour blend and a few tweaks, I’ve made it to be undetectably gluten-free. It’s moist, delicious, and perfect for a special brunch or holiday breakfast!
Why I love this recipe
- Perfect for special occasions – This gluten-free sour cream coffee cake is one of my favorite things to make as a special occasion breakfast cake (think Christmas morning served with this gluten-free quiche).
- Incredibly moist – Thanks to one secret ingredient (sour cream) this gluten-free coffee cake is amazingly moist and tender.
- Warm, spiced flavor – This coffee cake is bursting with flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. It’s SO comforting and irresistible!
Table of Contents
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on the key ingredients to make this gluten-free coffee cake:
For the Gluten-Free Coffee Cake
- Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour: These muffins turn out best when you use a high-quality 1:1 gluten-free baking flour. Look for a blend that contains xanthan gum so the muffins have the structure they need. This is my favorite brand.
- Sour Cream: This is the secret ingredient to amazing coffee cake! It adds richness and tenderness as well as a delicious flavor.
- Spices: I love the combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom in this coffee cake.
- Nuts: You can use either pecans or walnuts. I usually use pecans!
For the Cinnamon Nut Topping
A cinnamon nut cumble topping makes this gluten-free coffee cake especially delicious. You’ll also layer some of this mixture as a filling for delicious cinnamon sugar flavor in every bite.
You also might like these gluten-free cinnamon rolls or gluten-free monkey bread.
How to Make Gluten-Free Coffee Cake
Mix dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cardamon. In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the streusel topping and set aside.
Mix sour cream and baking soda. In another separate bowl mix together the sour cream and baking soda.
Mix butter and sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer) cream the room temperature butter, white sugar, and brown sugar for 5 to 8 minutes.
Add eggs and vanilla. Add the vanilla extract and eggs and mix until incorporated. Scrape down the side and bottom of the electric mixer bowl and mix again.
Add dry ingredients. With the mixer on low speed, add 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Now add the wet ingredients, including 1/2 the sour cream. Mix, then add another 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Repeat with the remaining sour cream and dry ingredients, mixing after each addition. Stir in nuts.
Layer the batter and crumble. Now it’s time to layer the batter and cinnamon crumble! Spoon half of the cake batter from a large bowl and into the prepared pan. Sprinkle 1/3 of the cinnamon swirl in an even layer over the batter. Spoon the remaining batter over the sand layer and sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar nut sand on the top. (You may not use it all).
Bake. Bake the cake. Let the gluten-free sour cream coffee cake cool for about 30 minutes before serving.
Storage Tips/Make Ahead
To store: This coffee cake is best eaten within a day it’s baked. If you’d like to store it, I recommend putting it in the freezer.
To Freeze: Wrap the crumb cake tightly in several layers of plastic wrap. Then wrap in foil. Store as is, in a cake pan, or in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Let the cake defrost in the refrigerator (the texture is better than thawing it at room temperature) when you’re ready to eat it.
Recipe Tips
- Use parchment paper. Layer your baking pan with parchment paper to easily remove the coffee cake for serving.
- For nut alternatives. You can use either pecans or walnuts for this gluten-free coffee cake. I like to use pecans. But of course, if you have a nut allergy or don’t like nuts, you can skip them!
- Use high-quality butter. Butter helps give this cake a more tender, rich crumb. Try splurging on a European butter like Kerrygold for an even richer flavor!
- For sour cream alternatives. If you don’t have sour cream, you can try substituting with plain whole milk yogurt.
- Measure flour precisely. Adding too much flour with result in a dense, dry cake. For best results remember to use a measuring cup and be precise, using the back of a butter knife to level off your flour.
More Gluten-Free Baking Recipes
- Gluten-Free Banana Bread – The best gluten-free banana bread! EASY to make with perfect texture and delicious flavor! Sure to become your go-to recipe!
- Gluten-Free Muffin Recipe – This gluten-free muffin recipe can produce all sorts of muffin varieties and flavors. It’s a tried-and-true recipe that creates soft, bakery-style muffins every time!
- Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake – The BEST gluten-free vanilla cake you’ll ever make! This cake is fluffy and has a pillowy-soft crumb. Topped with a creamy vanilla buttercream, it’s worthy of any celebration.
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Sheet Cake – This EASY gluten-free chocolate sheet cake turns out moist and delicious every time! It makes a perfect 9×13 cake – plus the chocolate frosting has a SECRET ingredient that makes it extra delicious!
- Gluten-Free Carrot Cake – The best gluten-free carrot cake around! It’s easy to make with everyday ingredients and topped with a blanket of fluffy cream cheese frosting. Nobody will guess this is gluten-free!
Gluten-Free Coffee Cake (with Sour Cream)
Ingredients
For the Sour Cream Coffee Cake:
- 1 1/2 cups gluten-free 1:1 baking flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon cardamon
- 1 cup sour cream blended
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 stick butter softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter or grease a 9x9x2 inch baking pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cardamon. In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the topping and set aside. In another small bowl, mix together the sour cream and baking soda.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer) cream the butter and brown and granulated sugar for 5 to 8 minutes. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix until incorporated. Scrape down the side and bottom of the bowl and mix again.
- With the mixer on low speed, add 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Add 1/2 the sour cream and mix, followed by another 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Repeat with the remaining sour cream and dry ingredients, mixing after each addition. Stir in the nuts.
- Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle 1/3 of the cinnamon sugar nut sand over the batter. Spoon the remaining batter over the sand layer and sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar nut sand on the top (you may not use it all).
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool for 20-30 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
FAQs
Coffee cake can become dry if you add too much flour or not enough butter. Adding sour cream to coffee cake results in an ultra-moist, rich cake.
Coffee cake is an single-layer cake infused with cinnamon and a crumb topping of butter, flour, and sugar on top of the cake. It’s perfect with a cup of coffee, for breakfast, or dessert.
Coffee cake is unique because of its cinnamon flavor and cinnamon streusel topping. It’s a great recipe that can easily be made with pantry staples!
Hi Erin, thanks for sharing this recipe! I’m excited to try it! Does it double well into a 9×13” to feed a crowd? Thanks for all of your hard work!
Can I use this as a birthday cake and ice it??
I think it would be really sweet with actual frosting – but you could add a little glaze! It’s definitely delicious enough for a birthday in my opinion 🙂
I made this coffee cake yesterday and I love the moist texture and it didn’t last too long, I will pin this one to my favorite recipe book, also the amazing cinnamon aroma over my house ❤️ Thanks for sharing your recipe
I’m so glad you enjoyed the coffee cake! Thanks for the comment 🙂
All I can say is WOW! The texture of this cake is/was amazing! – Even as leftovers 2 days later (that was as long as I could make it last before eating it all) it was still tender and not gummy at all. Will definitely put this recipe into my regular rotation. Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the comment 🙂
Hi Erin I would like to make your gluten-free sour cream coffee cake but I have almond flour (Walmart brand) that I would like to use. Are there any other ingredients that I need to add or take out? I’m sure I need to use xanthan gum but I don’t know how much. Hoping you can help! Thanks
-Asia
More than perfect..I really like it..easy too …this is the 3rd time I baked it…everyone eat it the ask me to make it next time..nothing perfect than this recipe..thank you so much .
Thank you for this recipe, I really like it…the cake was just perfect…easy in everything..I reduced the sugar , and when I mix the egg with sugar and butter I add coffee…but some thing happened…I repeat it again with same ingredients and it was good at the end.
The problem that I face when the sugar never melt with the butter…but after adding the rest it was good..but not her the result , the result after baking .
And I wan , my cake was really perfect .. this is was your first recipe ,I will definitely follow you for every new recipe.
Honestly, this woman is a gluten free genius!! It’s a second recipe I tried (also chocolate chip cookies) and you can’t even tell the difference with gluten free flour!! First time i made cake that it soft and fluffy, and tastes amazing!! I love this website!!
I’m so happy to hear you like the recipes! Glad the coffee cake turned out for you 🙂
I made this for Mother’s Day and it was a major hit! It’s so delicious and moist and perfect. Will be making again and again!
Can you make this with butter crisco in place of butter?
This cake was so delicious and moist! Will most definitely make again and again!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the comment!
I love coffee cake, but I am dairy free.
How can make this coffee cake dairy
free?
I’ve made this with Kite Hill dairy-free sour cream and it turns out great! I hope this helps!
Yeeeeees!! Best gf coffee cake and so moist with the sour cream! Works great dairy free too, thank you!
All Erin’s recipes work out every time. Both my kids are Celiacs so always on the hunt for good nutritious recipes. Do you have any recipes that use buckwheat flour? I’m trying to cook with more nutritious flours.
Thanks.
The topping on this MAKES IT! Like I’m not joking. It’s the BEST for a brunch or breakfast cake. Perfectly sweet and I can’t say more good things about it.