Sour Cream Coffee Cake
What follows are the Top 10 Reasons Why Should You Make This Cake -
Most of you don’t know my sweet father-in-law but according to him, this is one of the best things I have ever baked. And yes, he tastes everything I bake. And no, he wasn’t just being nice and polite when he said that. I can’t tell when he’s being “nice” and to his dismay, call him out on it. God bless his tender heart.
I consider myself a pretty good baker but I can’t take the credit for this recipe. It is from the folks at America’s Test Kitchen and if you don’t already know, they are home cooking geniuses.
Becuase the folks at America’s Test Kitchen created this recipe, it’s been tested and retested and restested to make sure you end up with an amazing result.
Forget scented candles – when this baby is in the oven, your home will smell super, uber delicious.
This cake is really easy to make.
This cake is really easy to make.
This cake is really easy to make. (I know I said it three times but wanted to make sure you got it. So did you get it?)
This is a perfectly fugly, messy cake that doesn’t not skimp on the melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness.
It’s a cake that you don’t have to frost. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some frosting. But frosting a cake, especially a layered one, can be a real pain in the hoo haa.
This cake is so delicious that when I brought it to work, a bunch of us dug into it and ate it standing up in our kitchen without utensils in silence. Well, not so silent. There was a symphony of hmmm, ahhh, ugh, dang, geez and a few other things I shouldn’t type out here.
So – are you convinced?
Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Ingredients:
For the Streusel
3/4 cup (3 3/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed (3 1/2 ounces) dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1 cup pecans, choppedFor the Cake
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups (11 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups (8 3/4 ounces) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened but still cool, cut into 1-inch cubesDirections:
Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the inside of a 10 inch springform pan.
For the Steusel - Place the flour, granulated sugar, 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, and the cinnamon in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Transfer 1 1/4 cups of the mixture to small bowl and stir in remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar; set aside (this will be the streusel for the inside of the cake). Add the butter and pecans to the remaining dry ingredients in the food processor bowl. Pulse the mixture about 3-4 times until the nuts and butter have been broken down into small pebbly pieces. Set aside. (The streusel with the butter and nuts will be for the top of the cake). If you do not have a food process, you could also do this with a pastry cutter but note it will take a bit more time.
For the Cake - In a small bowl, combine the eggs, 1 cup of the sour cream and vanilla and set aside. In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt at low speed, about 30 seconds. Add the butter and remaining 1/2 cup of sour cream and mix at low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium speed and beat 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Decrease the mixer speed to low and slowly incorporate the egg mixture in 3 additions, beating for 20 seconds after each and scraping the sides of bowl as necessary. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 1 minute (the batter should increase in volume and become aerated and pale in color).
Add 2 cups of the batter to the prepared pan. With an offset metal spatula or rubber spatula, smooth the surface of the batter. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup streusel filling (without butter or nuts). Drop 2 more cups of the batter over the streusel and spread evenly. Then add the remaining streusel filling. Top with remaining batter and then the streusel topping (with the butter and nuts).
Bakes until the cake feels firm to the touch and a toothpick comes inserted into the center comes out clean, about 60 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan for about 30 minutes. Then release the clasps of the springform pan and cool completely and serve.
Share
Rosa — October 7, 2011 @ 1:08 pm
That cake looks amazing! I’d love a slice right now before supper…
Cheers,
Rosa
Megan — October 7, 2011 @ 1:30 pm
Say no more. And I have the book, so I’ll have to check this one out!
Bianca @ Confessions of a Chocoholic — October 7, 2011 @ 3:16 pm
I am convinced!! I love sour cream in anything, especially desserts. Yum!
Amy — October 7, 2011 @ 5:27 pm
I’m convinced! Printing…
Barbara @ Barbara Bakes — October 7, 2011 @ 10:23 pm
I love Test Kitchen recipes, but some times they’re a bit fussy. Glad to hear this one is so easy. I’ve been looking for a great recipe to take to an upcoming party. This may just be the one!
Gloria — October 8, 2011 @ 1:05 am
Mmmmm…I love me a sour cream cake. And streusel topping to boot! Good stuff. Flagging this one for certain.
Softa123 — October 8, 2011 @ 7:39 am
The picture convinced me! I am a long-time sour cream cake lover and I will add this one to my collection and will make it!!! If you or anyone is interested, I have a series of articles on my blog called “A Yom Kippur Countdown,” and I posted different sour cream recipes each day except yesterday and today’s post will not go up until tomorrow in respect for Yom Kippur.
Kerstin — October 8, 2011 @ 11:56 am
Sour cream should be required in coffee cakes
Looks perfect!
Cynthia Angulo — October 8, 2011 @ 1:12 pm
Looks delish!!! Maybe when I decide to have a cheat day I will ask you to give me a piece (bc it will be dangerous if I make it myself).
maria @ a platter of figs — October 8, 2011 @ 1:28 pm
This looks ridiculously good. I love the crumbly top.
vanillasugarblog — October 8, 2011 @ 3:47 pm
i am so glad i did NOT see this cake this morning. LOL
i know that sounds awful but girl I was hungry and ready to eat a whole cake.
sour cream coffee cakes are my weakness.
Emme @Food Samba — October 8, 2011 @ 6:47 pm
It looks amazing- moist and fluffy!
Brian @ A Thought For Food — October 9, 2011 @ 7:54 am
I love a good coffee cake and this one looks incredible. And it doesn’t hurt that it’s super easy to make!
Emily — October 9, 2011 @ 2:18 pm
This looked so good that I immediately printed out the recipe and the cake is in the oven right now. Very easy to make. Can’t wait to eat it!
Denise — October 9, 2011 @ 7:48 pm
I only have a 9 inch springform. I wonder how it would do in that?
food librarian — October 10, 2011 @ 1:11 am
I’m sold.
Can’t wait to make this!! – mary
Emily — October 10, 2011 @ 3:21 am
I love coffee cake! This one looks great. I will have to try it, for sure.
Ana Sofia — October 10, 2011 @ 10:51 am
No reasons really required. The picture’s enough
Vianney Rodriguez (@sweetlifebake) — October 10, 2011 @ 12:41 pm
A great coffee cake, with sour cream yummy!! Oh man wish I had a piece right now with my coffee..lol
vianney rodriguez — October 10, 2011 @ 12:44 pm
I love coffee cake..wish I had a huge piece right now with my coffee..yummy!!
Amy (Sing For Your Supper) — October 10, 2011 @ 3:10 pm
I need this cake. Now.
CookiePie — October 10, 2011 @ 8:36 pm
Yum. Yum. YUM! There, I said it three times
Galexi Cupcakes — October 11, 2011 @ 11:58 am
I love coffee cake! A piece of this cake would go a long way to cementing our relationship!! LOL…
Chef and Steward — October 11, 2011 @ 6:44 pm
You had me with coffee. Why do I think that dear father-in-law is right on the money with this one? Definitely bookmarking this for a later bake
Really nice to have met you!
A Plum By Any Other Name — October 12, 2011 @ 7:38 am
Wait … is this cake easy to make?!
It sounds delicious. And I love the no-frosting needed approach. Consider me convinced.
Alexis @ There She Goes — October 12, 2011 @ 9:25 am
i need no reason to make this other then the picture! this is one of my favorite desserts!!
Ed — October 12, 2011 @ 2:19 pm
This is my favorite description of a coffee cake
“This is a perfectly fugly, messy cake that doesn’t not skimp on the melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness.”
Great job!
Coco Cooks — October 12, 2011 @ 3:14 pm
I love a good coffee cake and the sour cream just gives it that extra kick.
Umm Mymoonah — October 12, 2011 @ 4:30 pm
Lovely looking cake, would love to have a slice.
Natalie @ Perry's Plate — October 12, 2011 @ 7:06 pm
Thanks so much for your comments!! You have such a fun blog and this cake looks fantastic. Hope your week is great!
Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction — October 12, 2011 @ 8:17 pm
Ooh, yum! I am convinced. Need to make this ASAP
KarmaFreeCooking — October 14, 2011 @ 10:16 am
I must try this easy recipe using egg replacer… I am sure it will turn out as wonderful as yours.
lisbet diemer — October 14, 2011 @ 12:05 pm
how come it’s called a coffee cake?
is a banana bread a coffee cake ? I’ll have that for breakfast, but then again I live in Denmark and we don’t even really do banana breads if not reading blogs from the “big” world, could you tell me, and what makes a cake a coffee cake ?
just found your blog and this beautiful cake that’ll make for a beautiful Sunday breakfast.. thank you, looking forward to following your blog, best regards lisbet diemer
Lori — October 15, 2011 @ 8:01 am
Next to scones, sour cream coffee cake is my favorite breakfast treat. This one sounds so good. I need no convincing to make it.
Corner Bakery Cinnamon Creme Coffee Cake Recipe | Barbara Bakes — October 17, 2011 @ 8:33 am
[...] Coffee Cake, Barbara Bakes Sweet Petals Coffee Cake, Barbara Bakes Sour Cream Coffee Cake, A Chica Bakes Lemon-Scented Pull-Apart Coffee Cake, Leite’s Culinaria Pumpkin Coffee Cake, [...]
Maria — October 28, 2011 @ 12:36 pm
Hi there! yes, you convinced me! I’m only able to bake ‘really easy to make’ treats plus I looove coffee!
Anna — October 30, 2011 @ 1:24 pm
That looks so amazing. I definitely want to try the recipe now.
Amanda Ramos — January 1, 2012 @ 2:23 pm
Sooo, I made this a few days ago, and this coffee cake beats any other I’ve ever had, did not last more than 30 mins on the counter before everyone ate it all up..
Flory — February 4, 2012 @ 8:42 pm
It was indeed a tasty cake, and the kids ate it eagerly. I don’t know that I would call it an easy-to-make cake, though. It generated lots of dishes and had quite a few steps. But, maybe I’m a little bit lazier than your average cook. The verdict here is that this would only be a treat for special occasions, and not added into any regular rotation for feeding my hungry crew.
Olga — July 30, 2012 @ 7:39 am
Oh, yes, I’ve made that Baking Illustrated sour cream coffee cake a couple of times, and it is, indeed, deeeeeelicious.