With layers of moist and sweet cake, and an addictive cinnamon, sugar and chocolate streusel topping, this Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake is a true delight. Perfect to pair with coffee or enjoy as dessert.
If you love coffee cake, be sure to take a look at my classic sour cream coffee cake. There’s so much streusal!
Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Chocolate Streusel
I love coffee cake because you can pass a slice off as breakfast in the morning but it’s also a quick and easy dessert to pull together too. Or, you know, any time that you want a piece of scrumptious, melt-in-your-mouth cake. No judgments if that’s at 1pm on a Monday!
This recipe has all my favorite elements of coffee cake. The cake is moist and tender, slightly dense but not too heavy. It’s loaded with what a secret weapon (or so I like to think), sour cream. To finish off, the most glorious streusel.
The streusel is made with cinnamon and brown sugar and plenty of nuts and chocolate chips. It takes this easy coffee cake to a whole other level. There’s no shortage of streusel here. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
What Makes this Coffee Cake So Good?
I’ve tried making one or two or ten coffee cakes in the past. What makes this one so much better? Well, a few things!
- It’s super moist! This recipe calls for a decent amount of sour cream, which might sound odd but trust me – it is KEY to perfectly moist coffee cake. No one has time for dry, crumbly cake!
- The cinnamon streusel topping. When I say this streusel topping is good, I mean it is GOOD! I took your basic cinnamon streusel and added some chocolate and nuts for extra flavor and crunch. Yum!
- It’s layered. Some sour cream coffee cakes just have one layer of cake and one layer of streusel on top but I took it a step further and made this a layered coffee cake. More tasty streusel in every bite!
- Perfect for freezing or gift-giving. Since this recipe makes two cakes, it’s ideal for freezing one for later – or giving it to a friend, neighbor, etc. Who doesn’t love a loaf of freshly made coffee cake?!
What You’ll Need
This coffee cake is made with basic baking ingredients, plus a few extras like sour cream. Since the cake and cinnamon streusel are prepared separately, I’ve listed the ingredients for both separately.
For the Cake
- Unsalted butter – at room temperature.
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Pure vanilla extract
- Sour cream – Sour cream is what makes this coffee cake so moist.
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder & baking soda
- Salt
For the Streusel Topping
- All-purpose flour
- Brown Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Unsalted butter– melted for the topping
- Chopped pecans or walnuts – You can use either or both, to add a crunch to the cake. Or if you don’t like nuts, feel free to leave these out
- Chocolate chips
How to Make Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Making this coffee cake is simple, as you just layer the cake and the streusel topping. The end result is a melt-in-your-mouth sweet cinnamon dessert or breakfast!
- Prepare the oven and pans. Preheat the over to 350F. Grease both pans and line them with parchment paper.
- Combine wet cake ingredients. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Incorporate the eggs, followed by sour cream and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients. Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Slowly beat into in the wet ingredients.
- Layer the cake. Pour the batter into the bottom of each pan, then sprinkle with the streusel topping on each one. Pour the remaining batter over the streusel and finish with the remaining topping on each.
- Bake. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool before enjoying.
Tips for Success
Keep these things in mind for the best coffee cake every time!
- Add the batter in spoonfuls. The batter can be difficult to spread, so I like to add it to the pan in spoonfuls and spread with a spatula. If it sticks to your spatula, just spray it with cooking spray.
- Top with a glaze. If you want to take make this cake extra sweet, you can add a simple drizzle on top. You can make an easy cream cheese glaze or one made of powdered sugar and milk.
- Serve warm. While this sour cream coffee cake is delicious any time, I absolutely LOVE eating it when it’s still warm from the oven and the chocolate is still melty! I’ll often pop leftovers in the microwave for 30 seconds or so to warm them up too, especially if they’ve been in the fridge.
How to Store Coffee Cake
This coffee cake will last for up to 3 days at room temperature. Either keep them in an airtight container with parchment paper between slices or wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
You can also store your coffee cake in the fridge, and it will last a few additional days in an airtight container. That said, I hardly ever find that necessary because this disappears so quickly in my house! It is best served at room temperature.
Can I Freeze This?
This cake is perfect for freezing – that’s one of the reasons I love that this recipe fits in two 9-inch pans so perfectly.
To freeze your coffee cake, allow it to cool completely. Then double-wrap in both plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Make sure all corners and edges are overlapped to prevent any freezer burn. When you’re ready to enjoy, you can either thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter for a few hours.
Print
Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 large loaves/ 10 slices each
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Description
With layers of moist and sweet cake, and an addictive cinnamon, sugar and chocolate streusel topping, this Sour Cream Coffee Cake is a true delight. Perfect to pair with coffee or enjoy as dessert.
Ingredients
For the streusel:
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (88g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (138g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon (7.5g) cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons (84g) unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup (87g) chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1 cup (180g) chocolate chips
For the cake:
- 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups (238g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon (30ml) pure vanilla extract
- 16oz (454g) sour cream
- 3 cups (420g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon (5.6g) baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon (6.4g) baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
For the streusal
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, sugar and cinnamon). Whisk to combine. Next add the melted butter until it’s well combined. The mixture might be crumbly but stick together when pressed between your fingers. Then fold in the chopped nuts and chocolate chips.
For the cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch loaf pans, and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Cream room temperature butter and sugar together in a stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Next add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until well incorporated, scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the sour cream and beat until well incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, combine remaining dry ingredients. Slowly add the dry ingredients and beat at a low speed just until flour is mixed. Turn off your mixer and use a spatula and mix by hand until well combined.
- Pour 1 1/2 cup of the batter into the bottom of each of the pans and spread evenly. Then sprinkle 1/2 cup of the streusel over the batter in each pan. Divide remaining batter evenly between the two pans and top with remaining streusel, half on each loaf.
- Bake at 350°F for 55-60 minutes. Check the coffee cake for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, then the cake is done. Allow to cool completely.
Notes
This can also be made in a 10-cup bundt pan and baked for around 60 minutes. Check the coffee cake for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, then the cake is done. Be sure to thoroughly grease and flour the bundt pan.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 379
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 183mg
- Fat: 20g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 1.9g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 63mg
Filed Under:
More amazing quick breads to try
- Cinnamon Sugar Bread is just crazy good
- Lemon Bread is so light and refreshing
- My favorite Zucchini Bread
Good morning I would like to make this in a bunt pan and I’m wondering do you start your layers with the Streusel topping and then put the cake batter on top then another layer of streusel for the center and too off with cake batter? Will the strudel topping release from the top of the bunt pan if doing that way?
Hi Jackie- I think that some of the chocolate chips and such would stick to the bundt pan. I would do a layer of cake batter, filling and then cake batter.
Turned out beautiful in a Bundt pan. I baked for a little over an hour. I think I will make it again to take to work. Thanks for the recipe
Wonderful!! Thank you so much for letting me know!
As soon as I saw this recipe I knew I had to make it, they came out delicious! I did not use parchment paper, I buttered the ceramic loaf pans and dusted them with cocoa powder instead. I plan on making these in mini loaf tins for the holidays and giving in a gift basket.
Thank you for another wonderful recipe, keep them coming.
Tip ; take your butter wrappers and put them in a zip lock bag in the freezer and use them to grease your pans, good for one use.
That is such a great tip about the butter wrappers. I love the idea of gifting these as mini loaves! Thanks so much for sharing!
Hi, this recipe looks amazing! I’d love to try this with a glaze on top like you suggested. When do you think is the best time to add the glaze? Before or after baking? Many thanks 😊
Hi Nicola, for sure after baking. I would wait until the cake has cooled quite a bit or the glaze will melt
Great thank you. I know my daughter will love this recipe! 😊