Coffee Cake Recipe
One of life’s unique little pleasures is when you are leisurely sitting in the morning facing the sunrise with a delectable slice of coffee cake paired with hot aromatic cup of coffee.
Coffee cake is one of the informal everyday cakes. Many may think that this cake contains coffee because of its name, but actually its name is referred to how its is actually eaten that is with a cup of coffee. While some coffee cakes contain yeast as its leavening agent, most are leavened by baking powder or baking soda like butter cakes and quick breads. But what makes it different from quick breads though is coffee cakes are not baked in a loaf pan and it is neither filled with frosting nor covered with icing which makes it different from regular cakes. The batter though is similar to the butter cake. It is richer in taste and texture because of the sour cream added instead of the regular fresh milk. Sour cream may be substituted with yogurt for a lighter texture.
What makes coffee cakes distinct from other regular cakes is the streusel topping made from a mixture of sugar, flour and ground cinnamon, with added nuts and chocolate chips. In other varations, rolled oats or even fruits are added to the streusel mixture. The streusel when baked, becomes slightly crunchy with a grainy texture contrasting the soft texture of the cake.
Coffee cakes are best eaten a day after it is made and best served warm from microwave oven.
- 1 cup walnuts or pecans – 100 grams
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar – 50 grams
- 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips – 50 grams
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour – 15 grams
- 2 cups sifted cake flour – 200 grams
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature – 140 grams
- 3/4 cup granulated white sugar – 150 grams
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup sour cream or plain yogurt – 160 grams
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place rack in the center of oven.
- Roast the nuts in the oven for 8 minutes or until fragrant and lightly brown. Cool and set aside.
- In a small bowl s mix in together sugar, chopped nuts, chocolate chips, ground cinnamon and flour. Set aside
- Prepare the 9-inch spring form pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper and sprinkle with flour.
- In a dry bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Using the KitchenAid stand mixer, using speed 2, beat the butter until soft and fluffy. Add in the sugar and continue beating until mixture is soft and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time at 30 second interval. Beat in the vanilla extract. Kitchenaid mixing technique.
- Reduce the speed to 1, and add the flour mixture and sour cream alternately, starting and ending with the flour. Do not over mix.
- Spoon half of the batter into the pan, smoothing the top with an offset spatula.
- Sprinkle about half of the nut topping on top of the batter. Cover with the remaining batter and then sprinkle with the remaining nut topping.
- Bake for about an hour or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for about 10 minutes before releasing the sides of the pan.
- Keep the cake in the refrigerator overnight before serving.