Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

This week I made I coffee cake as a treat to some of my co-workers.  I was quite pleased with the results and thankfully able to sneak a piece for myself.  Everyone enjoyed it and I will definitely book mark it to make again.

I took a picture after it came out of the pan, but then I forgot to take a picture after I sliced it.  So sorry!  You'll have to try it out for yourself to know what the inside is.

Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake 

Source: Adapted from Baking Illustrated

Serves: 16
Equipment: Tube pan in 1 piece (not an Angel Food cake pan due to the possibility of leakage)
                  Food processor
                  Stand mixer
                  Various spatulas, measuring cups and spoons, and bowls
                  Wire rack for cooling
                  Rimmed baking sheet

Streusel: 
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 T. ground cinnamon
2 T. cold unsalted butter (I recommended cutting it into pieces)
1 cup pecans, chopped

Additional: 1 cup chocolate chips 
                  powdered sugar for dusting top

Cake: 
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 T. vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 T. baking powder
3/4 t. baking soda
3/4 t. salt
12 T. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but still cool, and cut into 1 inch cubs

Directions: 
1.  For the Streusel:  Place the flour, granulated sugar, 1/4 cup of the dark brown sugar, and the cinnamon in a food processor and process to combine.  Transfer 1 1/4 cups of this mixture to a small bowl and add the remaining brown sugar, stir to combine (this will be the streusel for the inside of the cake).  Add the butter and pecans to the food processor bowl and process until the nuts and butter have been broken down into small pebbly pieces, about 10 1-second pulses.  (This will be the streusel for the top of the cake).

2.  For the Cake:  Adjust oven rack to lowest position.  Heat the oven to 350*.  Grease a tube pan. 

3. Combine the eggs, 1 cup of the sour cream, and vanilla in a medium bowl.  (I whisked them together).

4.  In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt at a low speed, about 30 seconds.  Add the butter and the remaining sour cream (1/2 cup) and mix at low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened.  Increase to medium speed and beat for 30 seconds.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

5.  Decrease the mixer speed to medium-low and slowly incorporate the egg mixture in 3 additions, beating for 20 seconds after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Increase the speed to medium - high and beat for 1-2 minutes (the batter should increase in volume and become aerated and pale in color).

6.  Add 2 cups of the batter to the prepared tube pan.  With a spatula, smooth the surface of the batter. (If adding in chocolate chips, sprinkle 1/2 cup onto the batter before the streusel).  Sprinkle with 3/4 cup of the streusel filling (without butter and nuts).  Drop 2 cups of the batter over the streusel, and then add the remaining streusel filling. (Again, if adding chocolate chips add these before the next layer of streusel - your streusel filling should go on top of the chocolate chips).  Top with the remaining batter and then the streusel topping (with butter and nuts).

7.  Bake until the cake feels firm to the touch (about 50-60 minutes) and a toothpick comes out clean from the center (ignoring chocolate chip or streusel residue).  Cool the cake in the pan for 30 minutes on a wire rack.  Place a rimmed baking sheet over top of cake and invert the cake onto the pan (cake should be upside down with streusel filling touching the baking sheet).  Using a wire rack, re-invert the cake so the streusel is facing up.  Cool for 2 hours and serve or cool completely and wrap the cake in aluminum foil.

8.  Since I sliced mine, I topped the slices with sifted powdered sugar. 

Enjoy!

Jessica