Brown Butter, Ginger, and Sour Cream Coffee Cake

A rich and flavorful coffee cake featuring brown butter, crystallized ginger, and warming spices, topped with a crunchy almond streusel. This moist cake combines the richness of sour cream with aromatic spices like cinnamon, ginger, and allspice.

12 servings

2 hr 8 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•2 cups unsalted butter
•1¼ cups all-purpose flour
•1 cup dark brown sugar
•¼ teaspoon kosher salt
•½ cup crystallized ginger
•2 tablespoons unsalted butter
•2 cups all-purpose flour
•¾ cup whole wheat flour
•1 tablespoon baking powder
•1 teaspoon kosher salt
•1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•1 teaspoon ground ginger
•¾ teaspoon baking soda
•½ teaspoon ground allspice
•1¾ cups sugar
•4 large eggs
•1½ cups sour cream
•½ cup whole milk
•1 tablespoon vanilla extract
•¾ cup almonds
•1 piece tube pan

Cooking Instructions

1.
Simmer 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until browned bits form, 6-8 minutes. Pour into a 2-cup measuring cup. If needed, add more butter to measure 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons (added butter will melt).
8 min
2.
Whisk flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown butter (reserve remaining butter for cake); stir until moist clumps form. Stir in ginger. Set aside.
5 min
3.
Preheat oven to 325°. Butter pan generously. Whisk all-purpose flour and next 7 ingredients in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat remaining 1 cup browned butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and thick, 2-3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions. Beat in sour cream, milk, and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture just to blend.
15 min
4.
Spoon half of cake batter into prepared pan; smooth top. Scatter 1 cup of topping over. Spoon remaining batter in dollops over; smooth. Add almonds to remaining topping; squeeze to form 1/2" clumps and scatter evenly over batter in pan.
10 min
5.
Bake until a tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of pan to release cake. Remove pan sides; let cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
90 min

Ingredients

•2 cups unsalted butter

•1¼ cups all-purpose flour

•1 cup dark brown sugar

•¼ teaspoon kosher salt

•½ cup crystallized ginger

•2 tablespoons unsalted butter

•2 cups all-purpose flour

•¾ cup whole wheat flour

•1 tablespoon baking powder

•1 teaspoon kosher salt

•1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

•1 teaspoon ground ginger

•¾ teaspoon baking soda

•½ teaspoon ground allspice

•1¾ cups sugar

•4 large eggs

•1½ cups sour cream

•½ cup whole milk

•1 tablespoon vanilla extract

•¾ cup almonds

•1 piece tube pan

Cooking Instructions

Simmer 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until browned bits form, 6-8 minutes. Pour into a 2-cup measuring cup. If needed, add more butter to measure 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons (added butter will melt).

8 min

Whisk flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown butter (reserve remaining butter for cake); stir until moist clumps form. Stir in ginger. Set aside.

5 min

Preheat oven to 325°. Butter pan generously. Whisk all-purpose flour and next 7 ingredients in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat remaining 1 cup browned butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and thick, 2-3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions. Beat in sour cream, milk, and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture just to blend.

15 min

Spoon half of cake batter into prepared pan; smooth top. Scatter 1 cup of topping over. Spoon remaining batter in dollops over; smooth. Add almonds to remaining topping; squeeze to form 1/2" clumps and scatter evenly over batter in pan.

10 min

Bake until a tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of pan to release cake. Remove pan sides; let cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

90 min