Sour Cream Streusel Coffee Cake

Tis the season for glorious dairy foods, before the holiday of Shavuot when we celebrate receiving the Torah. I won’t go into the reason for dairy foods, Rabbi Google is out there with the info, but suffice it to say that pretty much everyone I know goes crazy for not merely dairy foods but especially dairy desserts. I too, I confess, use this as an opportunity to make ridiculously delicious things with much butter and other fun ingredients.

I already have posted a cheesecake, so I share with you another truly wonderful cake which I found on the website of King Arthur Flour and I made with almost no changes.

Mind you, I’ve tried myriad such recipes but often, the crumb topping is swallowed up alive by the rising cake batter (you’d be justified thinking the crumb topping sinks but actually, the batter rises around it). I’ve tried famous recipes that didn’t work well and less so and this one really really pleases me since the cake part is absolutely light and tender, redolent of sour cream and butter and you will swoon over the combo with the crumb topping which is crunchy, not soft. I changed up a few little details but kudos to KAF, they posted an awesome recipe. *

This cake has the cake batter, the filling and the topping but is less of a pain than you might be forgiven for thinking and since, let’s face it, we won’t make this on a daily basis, go on and splurge. If you’re gonna switch out the sour cream and butter for non dairy alternatives, just don’t. It will completely change the taste and texture and while it will be okay, it won’t be fab and for the holiday, don’t you deserve a little fabulousness?

So, I start with the crumb topping and the filling since they are easy to prepare and will sit patiently in bowls waiting for you to make the cake batter.

In a medium bowl, mix the melted butter (not softened, melted, it make the difference in how nicely you just stir up the crumbs) sugar, salt, flour and cinnamon. And don’t stint on the cinnamon, your really need that much!

You can mix this with a fork or spoon till crumbly and it’ll be thick crumbs which you can use your fingers to break into medium size.

Set aside. Fair warning, you will already be in drool mode, the scent is mind boggling.

Next the filling. Easy enough just stir together brown sugar, cinnamon and the surprise ingredient, a small amount of cocoa powder. And yeah, it adds a wonderful undernote but tastes like cinnamon. Do it, do it, trust me!

K. Done. Set aside, preheat oven to 350 F and on to cake batter.

Now I wouldn’t normally advocate this, but I left my butter, sour cream and milk out overnight (obviously not if your kitchen is 100 degrees in the shade) but this really works to make sure your batter stirs up properly. If you can’t cope with this, at least 2 hours, really. It’s critical to the batter turning out properly.

Beat together the butter, sugars, baking powder, salt and vanilla till nicely combined.

Then add the eggs one at a time till incorporated, scraping down the bowl and mixers and beat again to make sure it’s smooth.

Take your flour on one side of the bowl and add the milk and a third or so of the flour then the sour cream and the rest of the flour and beat till smooth but just till smooth. Overbeating toughens your cake.

This is quite a thick batter. That’s the way it should be. This way the cake structure can support the crumb topping.

Now I used 3 8 inch pie pans on purpose since I wanted one cake for right away (hey, just cuz I can) and froze (after cooling thoroughly) the other two cakes. I confess, it was a little tight for the amount of cake and one oozed a bit but since I always bake with a baking sheet to catch the drips, me and DH got to snorf down the cake batter that dripped (and was cake). Really, these should be baked in 2 9 inch round pans or in a 9 X 13 inch pan. Up to you and the number of cake indulgers you will have. But I digress. Take your baking pans and oil spray them lightly (or butter them with the butter left on the foil wrapper) and divvy the batter up into 3, 2 or 1 pan depending on how you are baking this.

Now this is a bit of a cheat. What happens when you put the filling on half the batter is that often you find the two halves of cake separating which is a huge pain and annoyance. So, I divvy up MOST of the batter, not half, and saving about a cup of batter to cover in the bowl and divvy up the filling evenly on top of the batter and using a knife or a toothpick, swirl the filling into the batter like so:

As you see, you aren’t mixing it in, you’re sorta marbelizing it. This gives great flavor with no danger of separation, and it’s fun to do.

Last but not least, cover the swirl with the last bit of batter so you will have a sticky base for the crumb topping.

Now take your crumb topping and merrily crumble over the batter, lightly pressing crumbs down (LIGHTLY, really) to stick.

Okay, place on baking tray (although 9 x 13 doesn’t need this) and pop into your preheated oven.

For my 3 pie pan cakes it needed about 45 minutes, check only after about 38-40 minutes. If you check too early you might “sink” your crumbs. A toothpick should come out clean. For 9 x 13 pans, bake 55-60 minutes (check after 50 minutes) and for the 2 9 inch pans, bake for 50-55 minutes (check after 45). You get the picture.

Your house will smell like a wicked bakery and if you can prevent yourself from trying a piece of this cake you’re a better person than I.

What can I say? This is a cake for a celebration. It’s so delish you will make it again and again with a tender golden cake and crunchy cinnamon topping, you won’t be sorry you indulged in the butter and sour cream, really 🙂 .

Sour Cream Streusel Coffee Cake

Streusel topping:

1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon (no skimping)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour (I used white spelt flour but all purpose is fine)
6 tablespoons butter, melted not just softened, melted

Filling
1/3 cup packed brown sugar (I used light brown, you can use light or dark brown sugar)
1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon (no skimping)
1 teaspoon cocoa

Cake
12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature, I leave it out overnight or at least 2 hours
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups milk, at room temperature
3 3/4 cups flour

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Lightly oil spray or butter a 9″ x 13″ pan, or two 9″ round cake pans or as I did 3 8 inch pie plates (although it’s a little tight, I warn you).

Make topping by mixing in a medium bowl the sugar, salt, flour, and cinnamon. Add the melted butter last, mixing with a spoon or a fork until crumbs form, if need be you can break into medium size with your fingers. Set aside.

Make filling in a separate bowl, mixing together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa powder. Set aside.

Now for the cake batter, in the mixer, beat together the butter, salt, sugars, baking powder, and vanilla until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating till each is incorporated.

Add the milk and half the flour and beat briefly and then add the sour cream and the other half of the flour beating just till combined, don’t overbeat the mixture.

Divvy up the batter evenly (saving about a cup of batter to top the filling) into your allotted pans (see explanation above) and divvy up the filling evenly on top of the batter. Using a knife or a toothpick, swirl the filling into the batter almost like marbelizing (see pic above). DO NOT mix completely, just swirl.
Top each pan with the remaining batter to coat the filling.

Divvy up the crumb topping evenly and sprinkle over the top of the cake batter in the pans.

Placing a rimmed baking tray (preferably lined with parchment paper) under the 2 9 inch or 3 8 inch pans (don’t need this for the 9 x 13 inch pan) bake the cake(s) till golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, about 55 to 60 minutes for the 9″ x 13″ pan, 50 to 55 minutes for the 9″ round pans, and 40-45 minutes for the 3 8″ pie pans.

Let cool in pans on wire racks.

Now, when really cooled, I was able to remove the cakes from the pan but if you use disposable tin pans, I share a nice little trick with you. When really fully cooled, gently pull at the edges of the pan to release the crumb topping and you can literally tear away the cake pan’s sides and leave the bottom part in place to be able to serve on a cake plate. Enjoy every wicked bite!

*https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/cinnamon-streusel-coffeecake-recipe