Sour cream coffee cake
Coffee cake is an American butter cake made to enjoy with coffee; the cake itself doesn't taste of coffee. This version uses sour cream for a soft, moist, gently rich crumb, with a ribbon of cinnamon sugar crumb through the middle and a crunchy topping. Every bite brings buttery richness, sweetness, warm cinnamon and nutty pecans.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Rising or chilling
- 30 min
- Total time
- 1 hr 45 min
- Method
- Oven-baked
Ingredients
Cinnamon sugar crumb (streusel)
Cake batter
Instructions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 175°C, butter a 23 cm square pan and line it with parchment paper that hangs over two sides so you can lift the cake out easily. The sugary streusel will stick to the pan if it isn't lined. The pan is ready when the paper sits neatly and flat on the bottom.
Step 2
Mix 70 g all-purpose flour, 100 g brown sugar and 6 g ground cinnamon, pour in 60 g melted unsalted butter and squeeze it together with your hands, then add 60 g chopped pecans. Melted butter helps the crumb clump into crunchy pieces in the oven instead of dissolving into powder. The streusel is ready when it forms uneven clumps of all sizes, like damp soil.
Step 3
Beat 115 g softened unsalted butter with 200 g granulated sugar for about four minutes, then add 100 g eggs one at a time, followed by 6 g vanilla extract. Well-creamed butter gives the cake a soft, fine texture even though the batter is quite thick. The mixture is ready when it's pale, fluffy and silky smooth.
Step 4
Sift 280 g all-purpose flour, 6 g baking powder, 3 g baking soda and 3 g salt into the butter mixture in two additions, alternating with 240 g sour cream, and mix on low speed. Sour cream is acidic, so it activates the baking soda and makes the cake tender. The batter is ready when it's very thick and smooth and holds its shape on a spoon.
Step 5
Spread half of the batter over the bottom of the pan and sprinkle half of the streusel over it, then gently spread the remaining batter on top to cover and sprinkle all the rest of the streusel over the surface. The crumb in the middle creates a cinnamon sugar ribbon when you slice the cake. The pan is ready when the batter is fully covered with streusel and there are no large bare spots.
Step 6
Bake at 175°C for about 40 to 45 minutes, until the streusel is deep golden and crisp. Thick batter needs time to bake through to the center without the top burning. The cake is done when a skewer inserted in the center comes out with only a few crumbs and the edges pull away from the sides of the pan.
Step 7
Let the cake cool in the pan for about 30 minutes, then lift it out by the parchment and cut it into squares, dusting the top with a little powdered sugar if you like. It's best slightly warm, but it needs to cool enough for the streusel to firm up. The cake is just right when each slice shows a clear cinnamon ribbon in the middle and the crisp top doesn't crumble apart.
Equipment
- Oven
- Square pan
- Parchment paper
- Hand mixer
- Spatula
- Sieve
- Mixing bowl
- Kitchen scale
- Wire cooling rack
Tips
- You can use the same weight of Greek yogurt instead of sour cream; the cake will be a little tangier and slightly lighter.
- Walnuts or sliced almonds work just as well in place of the pecans.
- Don't press the streusel into the batter; just sprinkle it lightly so the crumb stays crisp and doesn't sink.
Storage
Covered tightly, the cake keeps at room temperature for three days, though the streusel softens over time. Reheat it in a 160°C oven for about five minutes to crisp the top again.
Common problems and how to fix them
- The middle layer of streusel sank to the bottom.
- The batter was too thin to hold up the crumb. Use thick sour cream and make sure the batter holds its shape when scooped.
- The streusel melted into a shiny sugar layer instead of crisp crumbs.
- There was too much butter or it was too hot when you mixed it in. Let the melted butter cool a bit and squeeze the crumb until it forms separate clumps.
This recipe is based on the common ratios for this bake and is written entirely in our own words.
