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.
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
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 240 ml (1 cup) full fat sour cream
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
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.
Chris says
Absolutely delicious. I used Gluten free flour and it turned our perfectly. It’s easy to make and so yummy. Thoroughly recommend. Thank you for this cake.
Jessica Holmes says
Oh love that Chris! So glad it worked well gf too.
HM says
I made this today and my family loved it! Super simple and great for when you need a quick cake before a gathering!
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed it!!
Lucy says
Just made this today. So easy and SO DELICIOUS! My 3 year old loved the butter cream frosting and I’m looking forward to trying the cinnamon tea cake next. So many great recipes on your site. Thank you Jess!!
Jessica Holmes says
Yay! Love hearing that Lucy! Hope you love the Cinnamon Teacake too!
Josephine says
For the apple tea cake can l use sour cream instead of yogurt
Jessica Holmes says
Yes!
Sarah says
This is divine and oh so easy to make. We didn’t even bother icing it, it was so delish as is! I recommend doubling the recipe for this one or it disappears too quickly😂
Jessica Holmes says
Love that Sarah! I also love it sans frosting!
Karen Sheila says
Soooooo yummy and so easy to make. I did use two small eggs as I didn’t have one large egg and I put too much soured cream in – luckily that didn’t spoil this great cake. I have saved the recipe and will be baking it again and again and again.
Jessica Holmes says
Brilliant! Love hearing that Karen!
Donna says
I was going to ask the same question because we have an anaphylaxis to egg situation in our house. I might try a flax egg & a little more baking powder. I’ve also used 1/4 cup soda water before in other cakes. Depends on what egg is for in recipe (binding &/or lift). Its tricky as we dont know what original texture is like with egg. It would be very helpful if the author could give an egg alternative a try as we aren’t trying to be difficult, just trying to keep people alive & fed in our house. Its very tough cooking for a child with multuple anaphylaxis.
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Donna, that would be very tough! I do have some egg free recipes you might like to try. I also have an egg free vanilla sponge that’s lovely too.
Lucy says
Hello Donna,
You can replace an egg by a mashed banana or Flaxmeal.
A great recipe book BAKING WITHOUT EGGS by Rosemarie Emro
whose daughter was allergic to eggs.
Dor Dee says
Easiest cake I have ever made and it came out perfect. Mind boggling that it used only one egg. I used self rising flour. I did half the frosting amount as other reviews said it was too much, and it was the right amount for the size so cake got generous amount.
Delicious, especially next day. Will be my go to recipe for quick cake. Great recipe.
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the lovely feedback!
Izati says
Can I use melted butter instead of vegetable oil?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Izati, you can but I found oil worked the best.
Mitz says
Hi Jessica, this recipe looks awesome, could you suggest an egg substitute for this cake please?
Jessica Holmes says
I haven’t tested this cake without eggs I’m sorry!
Walaa says
Best sponge cake ever!!
My family and I love it
All people who tasted it loved it many thanks
Jessica Holmes says
Soo happy to hear that!!
Raymond says
Will the cake be more moist if I use cake flour?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Raymond, I haven’t tested this recipe using cake flour, but it should be plenty moist thanks to the sour cream.
Esther Lorusso-Campese says
Easy to make simply ingredients So moist I doubled the recipe made 8×10 pan on each piece I served with blueberry sauce ontop was hit!
Jessica Holmes says
Brilliant! Love hearing that Esther!
Susanne says
Easy and delicious! Thank you!
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Mirjam Brady says
Wish I could share a picture on here; I dropped some blackcurrants in the batter and it looks very beautiful. The house smells amazing!
Jessica Holmes says
Oh that sounds amazing! I’d love to see, you can share a pic with me on Instagram!
Susan says
I, too, had a 1/2 container of sour cream that I needed to use up before it expired and found your recipe. I routinely reduce the amount of sweetener and fat in new recipes that I’m trying out. Here I reduced the sugar from 3/4 cup to 1/2 cup and I reduced the oil from 1/2 cup to 1/3 cup. I think that unless you’re trying to gain weight you really don’t need extra sugar and fat! I know it can be risky changing up a recipe, especially when baking, but I find that it usually works and in this case, it worked beautifully. The cake is moist, tender and delicious. I added the juice and zest of one lemon to the batter. And I iced it with lemon juice/powdered sugar which more than made up for the reduced sugar in the cake. Success!
Jessica Holmes says
Wonderful! Thanks for the kind feedback Susan.