High Altitude Orange Sour Cream Coffee Cake

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If you’re looking for a high altitude orange coffee cake that’s soft and moist, with buttery crumble topping, then look no further. This orange crumb cake is so tender, incredibly soft, and full of bright orange flavor. I’ve topped my cake with streusel crumbs that are lightly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, and finished it with a drizzle of sweet orange icing. And it’s as quick and easy to make as it is delicious!

Looking for more coffee cake recipes? You’ll love this pumpkin crumb coffee cake, banana bread coffee cake, and almond cream cheese coffee cake.

Three pieces of orange sour cream coffee cake, stacked on a white plate with a pink linen napkin.

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Why You’ll Love This Coffee Cake

The Cake for Breakfast Factor. I love an excuse to eat cake for breakfast, and coffee cake is the perfect excuse!

Standard Pantry Ingredients. While the ingredients list may look long – since there’s the cake, the streusel and the icing – this is an uncomplicated recipe with simple ingredients that you most likely have in your pantry already.

A Perfect Combination of Flavors and Textures. The soft cake, the crumbly topping, the sweet orange and hint of spice and vanilla – it all works together perfectly in this delicious coffee cake.

High Altitude Tested. I develop all the recipes on my site for Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet. If you’re at a lower or higher elevation, please see my FAQs for guidance on adjusting recipes for your altitude.

Ingredients

Streusel Topping

Sugar. I used granulated sugar, but you could use brown sugar, too.
Flour. Gives the topping structure and makes it crumbly.
Nutmeg + Cinnamon. The combination of nutmeg and cinnamon is delicious with the orange.
Salt. Balances the sweetness.
Butter. Melted, unsalted butter moistens the topping, binds it together and makes it crisp.

Cake

Butter. Melted, unsalted butter adds moisture to the cake, fat and flavor.
Sugar. Granulated sugar adds sweetness and moisture.
Orange Juice. Orange flavor, of course, but also moisture and acidity for a tender cake crumb.
Milk + Sour Cream. Use full-fat milk and sour cream for flavor and richness in your cake.
Egg. Adds structure.
Orange + Vanilla Extracts. Flavor.
Flour. Gives the cake structure and strength.
Baking Powder + Baking Soda. Leavening agents.
Salt. Balances the sweetness.

Icing

Powdered Sugar. Sweetens and thickens the icing.
Fresh Orange Juice + Orange Zest. Adds fresh orange flavor, and thins the icing to desired consistency.

Orange sour cream coffee cake, on a cutting board with a pink and gold cake server.

Instructions

Getting ready.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Spray an 8 or 9 inch baking pan with non-stick spray, or line the pan with parchment paper.

Make the streusel topping.

In a bowl, combine the sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt.
Drizzle with the melted butter, and toss with a fork until moist and crumbly. Set aside.

Make the cake batter.

In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sugar, orange juice, milk, sour cream, egg, orange extract and vanilla extract.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and whisk for about 10 seconds until combined and mostly smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and sprinkle the batter with the streusel.

Bake.

Bake on the center oven rack for about 28-34 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, or with moist crumbs clinging to it.
Set on a cooling rack to cool slightly while you make the icing.

Drizzle with icing.

In a bowl, stir together the powdered and orange juice until smooth, and a nice drizzling consistency.
Drizzle the icing over the coffee cake.
If you like, grate a little fresh orange zest on top. Or sprinkle with some chopped candied orange peel for a pretty and delicious finish.
Let cool for about 15 minutes, and serve warm.

Closeup of pieces of orange coffee cake.

Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use bottled or freshly squeezed orange juice?

Both fresh and bottled juice work fine in this recipe.

Can I leave off the icing?

You can, but the cake and streusel aren’t overly sweet, so the icing adds a nice sweet finish and more orange flavor.

Why does my cake taste bitter?

If you use too much fresh orange zest, you can end up with a bitter aftertaste. Make sure you use a microplane zester to zest just the outer skin of the orange, and not the bitter white pith. A little orange zest goes a long way, so keep it in check, even though it looks beautiful.

How long does this cake stay fresh?

This coffee cake stays moist and fresh tasting for days. You can even bake it the night before and serve it at room temperature the next morning, and it will be fantastic.

How do I reheat this coffee cake?

You can rewarm individual pieces in the microwave for about 10 seconds at 50% power.

Swirls of orange whipped cream on an orange creamsicle cake. — Orange Creamsicle Cake

Citrus sour cream pie with whipped cream and sliced lemons, limes and oranges. — Orange Creamsicle Cake

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