Deliciously golden Sour Cream Cake made from scratch. This simple tea cake is so easy to make and produces a super fluffy cake. Topped with a thick sour cream frosting, it’s soft, light and delish! It’s the best way to use up leftover sour cream.
Best ever Sour Cream Cake 💕
Introducing my all-time favourite Sour Cream Cake with a soft and tender crumb. This simple one-layer cake is topped with a luscious sour cream buttercream.
It’s quick, easy and oh-so-tasty!
I’ve been on a classic cake bender recently. Have you noticed? I think it all started with my Apple Cake – that has since become a popular reader fave.
Then there was my Coffee Cake and my Cinnamon Tea Cake. And last week I shared my Butter Cake recipe. I simply can’t get enough of quick and easy cakes that can be served for almost any occasion.
And now you and I can obsess over this sweet and simple Sour Cream Cake.
How to make Sour Cream Cake
If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know it took me 5 tries to get this cake just right. I tried with different amounts and types of sugar, fats, raising agents, sour cream, milk and baking times. I soon landed on the perfect combination that results in a soft and tender Sour Cream Cake.
- This cake is very quick and easy to make. You don’t even need an electric mixer – just a bowl and spoon.
- Start by adding flour, baking powder and sugar into a large mixing bowl. We use caster sugar for this recipe – if you don’t have access to it, you can swap it 1:1 for granulated sugar.
- In a separate bowl, add oil, vanilla and egg. Whisk briefly using a fork just to break up the egg yolk.
- Add to dry ingredients, along with the sour cream. I recommend using a full fat sour cream for this recipe. You can also sub this for full fat Greek yogurt – but use sour cream if you can.
- Stir to combine all ingredients. Cake batter will be super thick as pictured below – this is ok!
- Transfer cake batter to a cake pan lined with baking or parchment paper. Bake for around 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Leave to cool for 15 minutes or so before gently lifting out and placing on a wire rack to cool completely.
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How to make Sour Cream Frosting
- This is a simple buttercream that’s made using sour cream instead of milk. It’s thick and creamy and the perfect pairing to the soft and fluffy cake.
- Start with room temperature butter. Beat using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Then add vanilla and icing sugar.
- Make sure you sift your icing sugar or your frosting will have little lumps in it.
- Start to mix on a low speed until frosting starts to come together. Then add sour cream. Continue to mix on a low speed just until frosting is smooth and creamy.
- Spread over the top of your cooled cake. Cut into big slices and enjoy!
How do I store Sour Cream Cake?
Since there’s fresh sour cream in the frosting, you can store this cake in the fridge. However, I tried to avoid keeping my cakes in the fridge as it can dry them out. So my preference is to store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature and only making the frosting when I’m ready to serve it.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Hungry for more? Join me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter for more amazing recipe ideas.
Let’s Bake
Sour Cream Cake
Soft vanilla Sour Cream Cake made from scratch.
Ingredients
Sour cream cake
- 210 grams (1 and 1/2 cups) plain flour or all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 150 grams (3/4 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) vegetable oil or flavourless oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 240 ml (1 cup) full fat sour cream, room temperature
Sour cream frosting
- 115 grams (1/2 cup or 1 stick) butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 375 grams (3 cups) icing sugar or powdered sugar, sifted
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) full fat sour cream, room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced. Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan with baking or parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. In a separate bowl, add oil, vanilla and egg. Beat briefly with fork just to break up the egg yolk.
- Add to dry ingredients along with the sour cream and stir to combine. The cake batter will be very thick (see photo below) – this is ok.
- Transfer cake batter to your cake pan and gently smooth the top. Bake cake for approximately 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Leave cake to cool slightly before carefully removing from cake pan and leaving on a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the frosting, add butter to a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and sugar and beat slowly until it starts to come together. Add sour cream and continue to beat until smooth.
- Cover top of cake with sour cream frosting and serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Serving Size: 1 slice Calories: 519 Sugar: 52.7 g Sodium: 77.3 mg Fat: 25.8 g Carbohydrates: 70.7 g Protein: 3.5 g Cholesterol: 57.7 mg
Hi, I’m Jess, the creator of Sweetest Menu and the author of Something Sweet. A self-taught baker and published recipe writer who can’t stop making easy and delicious baking recipes.
Ian says
Hi Jess, thank you very much for sharing this recipe. I made this for my wife to take to her weekly afternoon tea with tennis friends. They all loved it.
Soft texture, perfect moist crumb and delicate flavour.
This cake will definitely be repeated over and over again.
Jessica Holmes says
That is so wonderful to hear Ian! So pleased everyone enjoyed this one!
Becca says
Can this bee made with oat flour?
Jessica Holmes says
I haven’t tried it with oat flour Becca, so I can’t say.
Sunitha says
I baked the sour cream cake today. It’s delicious. But sadly it’s crumbling and I cannot slice it. Please advise.
Jessica Holmes says
I’m sorry to hear that Sunitha. Did you make any changes to the recipe? Is that cake fully cooled?
Ross says
I’ve made this cake twice already with the exact recipe written above (although the second time I doubled it).
Making it for the third time now, amazing recipe!!!
Jessica Holmes says
Yes! Love hearing that Ross!
Jacque says
I made this using coconut oil and it has an amazing slight coconut flavor added. I highly recommend using coconut oil!
Great recipe!
Jessica Holmes says
Oh love that, thanks Jacque!
Barbara says
i made this cake recently, using the all in on method , it was so easy and delicious. will make it again
Jessica Holmes says
That’s so wonderful to hear Barbara!
Leanne says
Enjoyed by all 🙂
Jessica Holmes says
Yay!
James says
This is a great tasting cake with a lovely texture and golden brown top, I love that it’s a one bowl mix. I’ve also baked it with some stewed apple (sliced apples cooked in a saucepan with sugar and a little cinnamon until soft) on the bottom, placed some of the cake mix in the cake tin, added the apple, and topped with the rest of the cake mix. It adds an extra dimension to an already delicious cake.
Jessica Holmes says
Oh wow, that sounds incredible James!
Celeste says
Yum! Made this because I had way too much sour cream, and a huge amount of pumpkin buttercream frosting I used on pumpkin snickerdoodles. I doubled the recipe and put it in a 9 x 13 pan, and added some sour cream to the buttercream to give it a tang. Delicious! Fluffy, tender, perfection! Thanks!!
Jessica Holmes says
That makes me so happy Celeste! A pumpkin buttercream frosting sounds incredible.
Stephanie says
Took this out of the oven 20 minutes ago and 1/3 has been eaten already. This was wonderfully easy to make and so tasty. I used vegetable oil, granulated sugar, and an 8×8 glass dish at 325 for 35 minutes as I only had a 7 in or 9 in round metal pan. Came out perfect! Although I have butter coming to room temp for the icing the cake is really yummy as is.. I would be happy to serve this as a birthday cake or just a quick cake for guests. Thank you for this recipe 🙂
Jessica Holmes says
Wow that’s so wonderful to hear Stephanie! Thank you for your lovely feedback.
Chantal Ershadi says
My cake barely rose? what did I do wrong? I followed the directions.
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Chantal, oh no! I’m sorry to hear that. Did you make any changes to the recipe? Do you think your baking powder could be expired? What was the texture like inside?
Chantal Ershadi says
That is the only thing I could think of is that the baking powder was expired although I used it in banana bread with no issues.
The texture was like corn bread, and my kids devoured it just the same! The taste was delicious! I will definitely try it again with new baking powder and see how it turns out 🙂
Ivana Gentile says
This is the best cake I’ve ever done!!! Thanks soo much!! This is just what I was looking for!!!😍😍😍
Jessica Holmes says
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that Ivana!
Jason Haugen says
Used this recipe to make a jello poke cake and turned out amazing! Only change I made was using light olive oil instead and was great, nice and moist and held up to the jello.
Jessica Holmes says
That’s wonderful to hear Jason!