Description
This classic Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake combines a tender, moist cake with melty chocolate chips and a crunchy cinnamon streusel topping. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a cozy afternoon treat with coffee, this easy-to-make cake features a balanced blend of cinnamon and chocolate flavors with a rich texture from sour cream and butter.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet or milk chocolate)
For the Streusel Topping:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round or square baking pan to prevent sticking.
- Make Streusel Topping: In a small bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold, small pieces of butter. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to blend the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
- Mix Dry Cake Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon for the cake base. Set this mixture aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes, which helps develop a tender crumb.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time to ensure even incorporation. Then mix in the vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with sour cream. Start and end with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition until just combined to avoid overmixing.
- Fold in Chocolate Chips: Gently fold the chocolate chips into the batter to distribute them evenly without deflating the mixture.
- Assemble the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle the prepared streusel topping evenly over the surface of the batter.
- Bake the Cake: Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. To prevent over-browning, tent the cake loosely with foil during the last 10 minutes if the top darkens too quickly.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and enjoy warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Use softened butter for easier creaming to achieve a light, fluffy texture.
- Make sure sour cream is at room temperature to avoid curdling when mixing.
- Cover the cake with foil if the top browns too fast to prevent burning.
- Chocolate chips can be semi-sweet or milk chocolate depending on your preference.
- The cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to a week.
