Have you ever cut into a coffee cake that looked great in the pan and tasted dry by your second bite? This Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake isn't that one. The sour cream keeps it soft under a cinnamon crumble top for days, not just the morning you bake it, and it's what I the coffee cake that makes a regular appearance when I have out of town guests.
What makes this different
This coffee cake stays soft for days instead of drying out by the next afternoon, and that is the sour cream talking under all that cinnamon streusel. Most coffee cakes turn dense once they've cooled, but the sour cream keeps this one from doing that. It's the one I bake anytime I know I'll have people staying over, sliced and ready before anyone's fully awake. You can make it a day ahead, and it holds up fine on the counter overnight.
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Ingredients & Substitutions
Ingredient Notes:
- Sour cream is the ingredient doing the real work here. I use full fat sour cream at room temperature, because cold sour cream doesn't blend into the batter the same way and you lose some of that tenderness.
- Butter is unsalted in this recipe. If salted butter is what you have on hand, use it. Just leave the added salt out of the batter so the cake doesn't end up too salty.
- Chocolate chips get tossed in a little flour before they go into the batter. That's not optional if you want them scattered through the cake instead of sunk to the bottom of the pan.
Instructions
- Mix the cinnamon crumble topping and refrigerate it while you make the batter.
- Cream the butter and sugar, then mix in the eggs, sour cram and vanilla.
- Step 3: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together.
- Step 4: Toss the chocolate chips in flour before stirring into the batter to keep them from falling to the bottom of the cake.
- Remove the crumble mixture from the refrigerator and crumble over the top of the coffee cake batter in the pan.
My best Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. Room temperature butter, egg and sour cream blend into a smoother batter and that's what gives you a lighter, fluffier cake. Cold ingredients don't combine the same way and you'll feel it in the texture.
- Coat the chocolate chips in flour before you fold them in. Skip this step and most of them end up at the bottom of the pan instead of scattered through the cake.
- Check that your baking powder is still fresh. Baking powder loses power over time, and old baking powder means a flatter cake. If you can't remember when you bought it, it's probably time for a new box.
- Let the drizzle set it for 15 minutes before you slice. It needs that time to firm up. Slice too soon and it smears instead of holding its shape.
What I serve it with
When I'm hosting overnight guests, I put this out next to my overnight egg bake. The egg bake is savory and mostly hands off, so between the two, breakfast is done before anyone's up asking what's for breakfast.
Faqs
Yes, this one is built to make ahead. Wrap it tightly, whole or in slices, onces it's fully cooled and before you add the drizzle. It will keep in the freezer for up to three months.
This happens when they go into the batter uncoated. Toss them in 2 teaspoons flour before you fold them in and they'll stay distributed through the cake instead of sinking to the bottom.
Several things can cause your cake to sink: you added too much baking powder to the recipe, the coffee cake is underbaked, or your batter is over mixed.
Make ahead, freezing and storage
Room temperature, covered: good for about 2 to 3 days. Refrigerated: good for about 5 days, though the crumble loses some of its crunch. Frozen, wrapped tightly before the drizzle goes on: good for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, then make the drizzle fresh.
More Great Breakfast Favorites
Baked goods are near and dear to our hearts. Check out these other breakfast sweets.
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Recipe
Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Crumble Topping:
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
Coffee Cake:
- 1½ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 egg room temperature
- ¾ cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 2 teaspoons flour
Drizzle
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
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Instructions
Crumble Topping
- Mix melted butter, sugars and cinnamon in bowl and set in refiregerator while you make the batter.1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ cup sugar, ⅓ cup brown sugar, 4 tablespoons melted butter
Coffee Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 inch round baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.1½ cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- Cream butter and sugar together until smooth.8 tablespoons unsalted butter, ¾ cup sugar
- Add egg and mix until fully incorporated1 egg
- Add sour cream and vanilla, and combine.¾ cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Toss chocolate chips with a 2 teaspoons of flour in a small bowl to coat the chips and reserve.1 cup chocolate chips, 2 teaspoons flour
- Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture and stir well to combine.
- Add the chocolate chips and stir until just combined.
- Spread batter in prepared pan (batter will be thick). Sprinkle evenly with crumble mixture.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
Drizzle
- Mix powdered sugar with milk to get to desired consistency. Drizzle over the top of the cooled cake and let sit for 15 minutes before slicing.1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk
Notes
- Use room temperature butter, egg, and sour cream for a smoother batter.
- Coat the chocolate chips in the 2 teaspoons of flour before folding in, or they'll sink to the bottom.
- Let the drizzle set for 15 minutes before slicing, or it will smear.
- Make ahead: bake up to a day in advance without the drizzle, then finish with the drizzle before serving. (
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Nutrition
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
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