Warm, buttery, Cinnamon Walnut Cake uses a tender sour cream batter and a cinnamon-walnut streusel, for a bakery-style cake at home. Perfect for breakfast or brunch!
I like a big slice in a bowl with milk poured over it, almost like cereal. It's similar to Banana Coffee Cake and is so soft and yummy. The milk soaks into the cake and it's delicious!
This old fashioned coffee cake with walnuts was affectionately known as "Breakfast Cake" in my childhood and is adapted from an old edition of Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. The coffee cake is similar to a yellow cake, but the cinnamon, oat, and nut crumbly topping is what makes it addicting. It has a more open crumb that is perfect for soaking up milk poured on top of it warm from the oven.
This coffee cake is SO EASY to make ahead overnight and bake in the morning. There is quite a bit of vegetable oil in the original recipe my family used, but I replaced it with plain greek yogurt (or sour cream) and it's so much better.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- 🛒 Ingredient Notes
- Main Batter
- Cinnamon Walnut Streusel
- ✏️ Substitutions & Variations
- 🧑🍳 Instructions
- Why Walnuts Make Coffee Cake Better
- ❄️ Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing Tips
- ❓Frequently Asked Questions
- 🍽️ Serving Ideas
- ☀️ More Delicious Breakfast Recipes
- 📝 Printable Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Taste: A soft and buttery cake with a crumbly oat walnut topping. Cinnamon is in the topping but not the cake.
- Ease: Not very complicated. Baking required. Mix the wet and dry ingredients, then the topping before baking.
- Time: 10-15 minutes to make, then 45-50 minutes to bake. Plan for at least an hour total or make the night before.
🛒 Ingredient Notes
Main Batter
- Flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt
- Butter, sugar, eggs
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt (adds moisture-Pro Tip: don't skip this for best texture)
Cinnamon Walnut Streusel
- Chopped walnuts
- Cinnamon, brown sugar, butter
Optional Glaze
- Powdered sugar, milk/cream, vanilla
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
✏️ Substitutions & Variations
- Sour cream and plain greek yogurt are interchangeable in this recipe.
- Milk! Any plant based or dairy based milk will do, just make sure it's unsweetened and unflavored.
🧑🍳 Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350℉ and prepare a 9x9 inch square pan with parchment paper or baking spray.
- Step 1. In medium sized mixing bowl whisk together milk, sour cream (or plain greek yogurt), egg, oil, vanilla, white granulated sugar, and salt. Mix well.
- Step 2. Add flour and baking powder, mix together until fully combined and no flour pockets are left but do not overmix.
- Step 3. Place batter in prepared 9X9 inch pan.
- Step 4. In a small bowl combine all ingredients and mix well, then spread over cake batter evenly to cover.
- Step 5. Bake at 350 F for 40-45 minutes (glass or heavy ceramic pans may take a few minutes longer), until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Pro Tip: Tent with foil halfway through baking if top browns too quickly.
Why Walnuts Make Coffee Cake Better
- Flavor depth from toasted nuts.
- Crunchy texture against soft cake.
- Alternatives: pecans, almonds, or nut-free streusel.
❄️ Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing Tips
Room Temperature: up to 3 days.
Refrigerate: for freshness up to a week.
Freeze: baked and cooled, sliced or whole for up to 3 months wrapped tightly or in a freezer safe container or bag.
❓Frequently Asked Questions
Yes-assemble the batter and streusel, refrigerate overnight, then bake fresh in the morning.
Greek yogurt is the best swap-it keeps the same tang and moisture.
Usually underbaking, or adding too much streusel to the middle is the culprit. Make sure the cake is fully baked in the middle before removing from the oven, especially if the recipe is doubled in a 9x13 pan.
Yes!
1. Make recipe as directed.
2. Place in refrigerator overnight, and when ready to bake increase baking time by 5-10 minutes.
3. Insert toothpick every 5 minutes after 45 minutes to check doneness.
Can be doubled in a 9x13 inch pan. Simply increase baking time to 50-60 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
🍽️ Serving Ideas
- With fruit like sliced strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, peaches, etc.
- With your favorite warm beverage like hot cocoa, tea, coffee, milk, juice, etc.
- As a breakfast spread with things like homemade sourdough biscuits and green chile sausage gravy or a ham and cheese egg casserole.
☀️ More Delicious Breakfast Recipes
Did You Try This Recipe? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Make sure to leave a star rating and a comment below the recipe card. I love hearing from you, and it is so helpful to other readers! Better yet, share it with family and friends. Thank you!!
📝 Printable Recipe
Cinnamon Walnut Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- ½ cup milk (dairy or plant based is fine)
- ½ cup sour cream or plain greek yogurt 115g
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup vegetable oil 56g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla 4g
- ¾ cup granulated white sugar 155g
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour 202g
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
Crumble topping:
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ½ cup brown sugar 107g
- 2 Tablespoons flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 4 Tablespoons melted butter (½ stick) 56g
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9X9 inch pan or line with parchment paper.
- In medium sized mixing bowl whisk together ½ cup milk , ½ cup sour cream or plain greek yogurt, 1 egg, ¼ cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla, ¾ cup granulated white sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt. Mix well.
- Add1½ cups all-purpose flour and 2 teaspoons baking powder, mix together until fully combined and no flour pockets are left but do not overmix.
- Place batter in prepared 9X9 inch pan.
For the oat crumble topping:
- In a small bowl combine 1 cup rolled oats,½ cup brown sugar,2 Tablespoons flour,2 teaspoons cinnamon, 4 Tablespoons melted butter , ½ cup chopped walnuts and mix well, then spread over cake batter evenly to cover.
- Bake at 350 F for 40-45 minutes (glass or heavy ceramic pans may take a few minutes longer), until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Notes
- Make recipe as directed.
- Place in refrigerator overnight, and when ready to bake increase baking time by 5-10 minutes. Make sure to never place a glass pan in a very hot oven or it could shatter. Put it in as the oven is preheating.
- Insert toothpick every 5 minutes after 40 minutes to check doneness.
Nutrition
Hi, I'm Sara!
Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.
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