Mixed Berry Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Slice into this delicious Mixed Berry Sour Cream Coffee Cake, perfect for a weekend brunch or a mid-day treat. Includes a printable recipe card for easy preparation, and sharing with friends, .

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This Mixed Berry Sour Cream Coffee Cake is going to be one of those recipes that you never want to lose track of. You know, the recipes that you come back to over and over again. Like my favorite coconut cake and buttermilk muffins, these are recipes you want to keep track of, make for special occasions, and share with everyone.

A version of this Mixed Berry Sour Cream Coffee Cake was always on the weekend menu at the bakery, and we sold out every time! Similar to my New Jersey crumb cake, but layered with ripe berries, it's light and fluffy and so delicious that you're going to want to print the recipe so you always have it nearby when you want something special to make for breakfast and brunch!

Ingredients & Substitutions

Pictured below are the ingredients you need to make this delicious coffee cake recipe. At first glance, it might look like a lot, but most of them are common ingredients you probably already have. Let's go over the major players and where you can make any changes if you need to:

• All-purpose flour - All purpose flour has just the right amount of protein to build good structure to hold up all of those delicious berries. If you have leftover self-rising flour from making my two ingredient biscuits or my quick and easy bagels, you can use that and leave out the baking powder and salt from the recipe.
• Sour cream - At the bakery we actually used fancy French crème fraîche to make our cakes, but sour cream is affordable and accessible to more people. You could also use Greek yogurt if you like and still make a delicious coffee cake.
• Butter - I always use unsalted butter because there is no standard for the amount of salt between brands of salted butter. If you only have salted butter at home, use it and just leave out the added salt from the recipe.
• Berries - I prefer to use fresh berries for this coffee cake, but sometimes they're not in season and I use the berries that I froze last summer. If you use frozen berries, do not thaw them,. Just add them to the batter frozen. See more about working with frozen berries in the next section.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Using Frozen Berries in baking

Berries are typically frozen at peak ripeness and work wonderfully in baking things like my raspberry muffins and my blueberry muffin tops, but they need a little extra attention. Here's what you need to know:

• Keep frozen: Don't thaw your berries before adding them to the batter. This will prevent them from bleeding too much color and turning the batter streaky.
• Add flour: Toss the frozen berries in a little flour before adding them to the cake. This helps them stay evenly distributed, prevents them from sinking to the bottom, and absorbs extra liquid that may be released as they thaw.
• Watch your time: Frozen berries can reduce the temperature of the cake batter, so baking time may need a slight adjustment—up to 5 to 10 minutes more, so keep an eye on your cake and test with a toothpick for doneness.

How to Line a Cake Pan

If you want to serve your sour cream coffee cake straight out of the pan, you absolutely can. For those of us who like to remove the cake from the pan, this is how to make sure it releases easily without losing any of the delightful streusel.

Lining a round cake pan

Step 1: Lightly spray the inside of your pan with nonstick spray, or coat with oil or butter. Take a square sheet of parchment paper and crumple it up in your hands. Flatten it out on the counter, and then crumple it again. Flatten it out one more time. 

Step 2: Press the parchment paper into the bottom of the pan and press it into corners and the sides. Fold the corners over the edge of the pan to use as handles to remove your cake after baking. The weight of the batter will hold it in place against the walls of the pan.

Lining a square cake pan

Step 1: Lightly spray the inside of your pan with nonstick spray, or coat with oil or butter. Fold and cut a large sheet of parchment paper to fit your pan or cut two pieces of parchment paper about 8 inches x 16 inches.

Step 2: Fit one sheet in the pan, spray or oil the bottom lightly, then place the other sheet in the opposite direction, so that all four walls of your pan are covered. Fold the overhanging paper down to use as handles to remove your cake after baking. Secure with all metal binder clips, if desired.

Step-Instructions

Any recipe can seem a little overwhelming before you start. As always, I recommend that you read through all the instructions, look at the helpful pictures, and then gather your ingredients. You've got this! 👍

• Preheat oven to 350°F and if you want to fully remove your cake from the pan after baking, line with parchment paper (see note above for instructions)

Making the streusel

Step 1: Combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl; add 6 tablespoons softened butter.

Step 2: Mix together with your fingers until mixture is crumbly. Set aside in the refrigerator until needed.

Making cake batter

Step 1: Place mixed berries in a medium bowl. In another medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Step 2: Add one tablespoon to the berries and toss. Set the remaining flour mixture aside.

Step 3: Beat sugar and butter together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Step 4: Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in sour cream and vanilla extract. 

Step 5: Add dry ingredients and switch to a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.

Step 6: Gently stir the flour mixture in by hand until just combined and there are no more visible dry ingredients.

Assembling the cake

Step 1: Place half of the batter into the bottom of your prepared pan and use a spatula to spread in an even layer to the edges. Top with half of your mixed berries.

Step 2: Dollop the rest of the batter over the top of the berries and use an offset spatula to spread it out gently over the top. 

Step 3: Sprinkle the rest of the berries on top of this, including any loose flour from the bottom of the bowl (this will help absorb excess liquid from the fruit). Gently press the berries into the batter with the spatula.

Step 4: Cover the top with your streusel. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until a skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes back clean.

Step 5: Let the cake cool for 15 to 20 minutes on a wire rack, then remove from the pan, if desired.  To make the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, a couple of tablespoons of milk, and the tiniest pinch of salt. Drizzle over your still warm cake. Slice and enjoy!

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