Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Chocolate Chips
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 22, 2007
Time
1½ hours, plus 2½ hours cooling
Yield
Serves 12 to 16
Ingredients
Streusel
¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour (3 ¾ ounces/106 grams)¾ cup granulated sugar (5 ¼ ounces/149 grams)½ cup packed dark brown sugar (3 ½ ounces/99 grams)2 tablespoons ground cinnamon 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into 2 pieces1 cup pecans, choppedCake
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), softened but still cool, cut into ½-inch cubes, plus 2 additional tablespoons, softened, for greasing the pan4 large eggs 1 ½ cups sour cream 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 2 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (11 ½ ounces/326 grams)1 ¼ cups granulated sugar (8 ¾ ounces/248 grams)1 tablespoon baking powder ¾ teaspoon baking soda ¾ teaspoon table salt 1 cup chocolate chipsBefore You Begin
Refer to the illustrations below when layering the batter and streusel in the pan. A fixed-bottom, 10-inch tube pan (with 10-cup capacity) is best for this recipe. Note that the streusel is divided into two parts—one for the inner swirls, one for the topping.
Instructions
- In food processor, process flour, granulated sugar, 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, and cinnamon until combined, about 15 seconds. Transfer 1 1/4 cups of flour/sugar mixture to small bowl; stir in remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar and set aside to use for streusel filling. Add butter and pecans to mixture in food processor; pulse until nuts and butter resemble small pebbly pieces, about ten 1-second pulses. Set aside to use as streusel topping.
- Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 10-inch tube pan with the 2 tablespoons softened butter. Whisk eggs, 1 cup sour cream, and vanilla in medium bowl until combined.
- Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in bowl of standing mixer; mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend. Add butter and remaining 1/2 cup sour cream; mix on low speed until dry ingredients are moistened and mixture resembles wet sand, with few large butter pieces remaining, about 1 1/2 minutes. Increase to medium speed and beat until batter comes together, about 10 seconds; scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula. Lower speed to medium-low and gradually add egg mixture in 3 additions, beating for 20 seconds after each and scraping down sides of bowl. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until batter is light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Using rubber spatula, spread 2 cups batter in bottom of prepared pan, smoothing surface, and sprinkle 1/2 cup chocolate chips on top. Sprinkle evenly with 3/4 cup streusel filling (without butter or nuts). Repeat with another 2 cups batter, 1/2 cup chocolate chips, and remaining 3/4 cup streusel filling (without butter or nuts). Spread remaining batter over, then sprinkle with streusel topping (with butter and nuts).
- Bake until cake feels firm to touch and long toothpick or skewer inserted into center comes out clean (bits of sugar from streusel may cling to tester), 50 to 60 minutes. Cool cake in pan on wire rack 30 minutes. Invert cake onto rimmed baking sheet (cake will be streusel-side down); remove tube pan, place wire rack on top of cake, and reinvert cake streusel-side up. Cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Cut into wedges and serve. (Cake can be wrapped in foil and stored at room temperature for up to 5 days.)
for the streusel
for the cake
Time
1½ hours, plus 2½ hours coolingYield
Serves 12 to 16Ingredients
Streusel
¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour (3 ¾ ounces/106 grams)
¾ cup granulated sugar (5 ¼ ounces/149 grams)
½ cup packed dark brown sugar (3 ½ ounces/99 grams)
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into 2 pieces
1 cup pecans, chopped
Cake
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), softened but still cool, cut into ½-inch cubes, plus 2 additional tablespoons, softened, for greasing the pan
4 large eggs
1 ½ cups sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (11 ½ ounces/326 grams)
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar (8 ¾ ounces/248 grams)
1 tablespoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon table salt
1 cup chocolate chips
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Streusel
¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour (3 ¾ ounces/106 grams)
¾ cup granulated sugar (5 ¼ ounces/149 grams)
½ cup packed dark brown sugar (3 ½ ounces/99 grams)
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into 2 pieces
1 cup pecans, chopped
Cake
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), softened but still cool, cut into ½-inch cubes, plus 2 additional tablespoons, softened, for greasing the pan
4 large eggs
1 ½ cups sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (11 ½ ounces/326 grams)
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar (8 ¾ ounces/248 grams)
1 tablespoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon table salt
1 cup chocolate chips
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Streusel
¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour (3 ¾ ounces/106 grams)
¾ cup granulated sugar (5 ¼ ounces/149 grams)
½ cup packed dark brown sugar (3 ½ ounces/99 grams)
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into 2 pieces
1 cup pecans, chopped
Cake
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), softened but still cool, cut into ½-inch cubes, plus 2 additional tablespoons, softened, for greasing the pan
4 large eggs
1 ½ cups sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (11 ½ ounces/326 grams)
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar (8 ¾ ounces/248 grams)
1 tablespoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon table salt
1 cup chocolate chips
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
We had two goals when developing our sour cream coffee cake recipe: We wanted a decadent, ultra-moist cake, pleasantly rich and dense from the addition of sour cream, and we had to have crisp, crunchy, melt-in-your-mouth streusel on the inside and on the top. A batter made with all-purpose flour (for structure), four eggs (for a tight crumb), plus plenty of butter, sour cream, and sugar gave our cake superior flavor and a velvety feel. As for the streusel, we found that a great one is made with nuts, brown sugar, plenty of cinnamon, and cold butter. To ensure that the cake cooked through completely, we baked it for a full hour at 350 degrees.
Before You Begin
Refer to the illustrations below when layering the batter and streusel in the pan. A fixed-bottom, 10-inch tube pan (with 10-cup capacity) is best for this recipe. Note that the streusel is divided into two parts—one for the inner swirls, one for the topping.
Instructions
- In food processor, process flour, granulated sugar, 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, and cinnamon until combined, about 15 seconds. Transfer 1 1/4 cups of flour/sugar mixture to small bowl; stir in remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar and set aside to use for streusel filling. Add butter and pecans to mixture in food processor; pulse until nuts and butter resemble small pebbly pieces, about ten 1-second pulses. Set aside to use as streusel topping.
- Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 10-inch tube pan with the 2 tablespoons softened butter. Whisk eggs, 1 cup sour cream, and vanilla in medium bowl until combined.
- Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in bowl of standing mixer; mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend. Add butter and remaining 1/2 cup sour cream; mix on low speed until dry ingredients are moistened and mixture resembles wet sand, with few large butter pieces remaining, about 1 1/2 minutes. Increase to medium speed and beat until batter comes together, about 10 seconds; scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula. Lower speed to medium-low and gradually add egg mixture in 3 additions, beating for 20 seconds after each and scraping down sides of bowl. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until batter is light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Using rubber spatula, spread 2 cups batter in bottom of prepared pan, smoothing surface, and sprinkle 1/2 cup chocolate chips on top. Sprinkle evenly with 3/4 cup streusel filling (without butter or nuts). Repeat with another 2 cups batter, 1/2 cup chocolate chips, and remaining 3/4 cup streusel filling (without butter or nuts). Spread remaining batter over, then sprinkle with streusel topping (with butter and nuts).
- Bake until cake feels firm to touch and long toothpick or skewer inserted into center comes out clean (bits of sugar from streusel may cling to tester), 50 to 60 minutes. Cool cake in pan on wire rack 30 minutes. Invert cake onto rimmed baking sheet (cake will be streusel-side down); remove tube pan, place wire rack on top of cake, and reinvert cake streusel-side up. Cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Cut into wedges and serve. (Cake can be wrapped in foil and stored at room temperature for up to 5 days.)
for the streusel
for the cake
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