Coffee Cake Recipe
This coffee cake recipe is the prototype for all coffee cakes. The base is tender and moist with a buttery spiced crumble filing, topping and vanilla glaze drizzle.
Ingredients
Crumble
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter cold, cut into tablespoons
Cake
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Icing
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 4 teaspoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch kosher salt
Instructions
For the Crumble
- In a medium bowl, mix together brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and salt until evenly mixed.
- Using two forks or a pastry blender, cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until it becomes the size of peas. Set in the refrigerator until ready for use.
For the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and place the rack in the middle position. Spray an 8x8 inch baking dish generously with nonstick baking spray.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the beater attachment, add the butter and sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Add the eggs one at a time and mix well. Scrape down the bowl.
- Reduce the speed to low and add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix until just combined.
- Lastly add the sour cream and vanilla extract and continue to mix for about 1 minute.
- Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared pan, then top with half of the crumble mixture. (It looks like too much but is perfect when the cake bakes up.) Gently spread on the remaining half of the cake batter and top with the final half of the crumble.
- Place the cake in the oven and bake for 34-37 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs attached.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes, then place on a serving platter.
For the Icing
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt until smooth and thick. Drizzle over the cake, let set, then serve.