When it comes to comfort baking, nothing beats the classic moist coffee cake. This coffee cake is a staple in home kitchens and cafes alike, known for its tender crumb and rich, cinnamon-infused flavour.
What is a coffee cake?
A moist coffee cake is essentially a soft, buttery cake characterized by its texture and typically topped with a crunchy, cinnamon streusel. The key to its texture is the perfect balance of ingredients like sour cream, which adds moisture and a slight tang, complementing the sweet, spicy notes of the cinnamon.
The key to the texture of this moist coffee cake lies in the sour cream.
This ingredient is crucial, as it interacts with the flour and eggs to create a cake that’s rich yet airy, ensuring every bite is super soft.
For the middle layer and topping, a simple mix of cinnamon and sugar is sprinkled in the middle of the cake, creating a sweet-spicy layer that contrasts with the soft cake. The streusel topping, a crumbly mix of flour, butter, and more cinnamon, offers a nice crunch with each bite.
Tips for the perfect moist coffee cake
Room temperature ingredients: Brew it strong and let it cool before adding to the mix. This is what gives the cookies their unique coffee flavor.
Don’t overmix!: Mix the batter just until the ingredients are combined to keep the cake tender.
Check the oven: Oven temperatures can vary, so start checking your cake a few minutes before the suggested baking time.
Common questions
Can I use yogurt instead of sour cream? Of course! Plain Greek yogurt is a great substitute and maintains the cake’s moisture.
What if I don’t have a square pan? A round cake pan can work too; just adjust the baking time as needed.
How do I know when it’s done? The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Moist Coffee Cake
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 9 1x
Description
Ingredients
Cinnamon middle
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
Cake
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temp
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 eggs room temp
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- A pinch of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Streusel
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp corn starch
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter cold, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup sugar
Instructions
Cinnamon middle
-
In a small bowl, add the sugar and cinnamon and mix until combined.
Cake
-
Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C). Prepare a 9 inch square cake pan with parchment.
-
In a medium bowl, add the butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
-
Add the eggs and sour cream and beat until combined.
-
Sift in the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Mix until combined.
Streusel
-
In a small bowl, add the flour, corn starch, cinnamon and sugar and mix until combined.
-
In another small bowl, add the cold butter and the dry ingredients. Using your fingers, squeeze the butter into smaller pieces and coat each piece of butter in the dry ingredients.
Assembly
-
Add half the cake batter into the square pan and spread evenly.
-
Evenly sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mix onto the cake batter. Add the remaining cake batter, smooth the top.
-
Evenly sprinkle the streusel on top and bake for 50 to 60 minutes.
-
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Slice and serve!
- Prep Time: 30 min
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Cake
Leave a Reply