Description
This Pecan Sour Cream Coffee Cake features a delightfully buttery, crispy crumb topping made with pecans and a deliciously moist sour cream cake. The unique twist includes a generous amount of crumb topping both on and inside the cake, creating a perfect balance of textures and flavors for a classic coffee cake experience.
Ingredients
Crumb Topping:
- 1 ½ cups pecans, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Cake:
- 1 ⅞ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup white sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream or creme fraiche
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients and Oven: Gather all ingredients and preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter an 8x10-inch baking dish to prevent sticking.
- Make the Crumb Topping: In a mixing bowl, combine finely chopped pecans, white sugar, light brown sugar, melted butter, cinnamon, and salt. Mix thoroughly for about 3 to 4 minutes until all components are coated with butter and well blended.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt to ensure even distribution of leavening agents.
- Prepare Cake Batter: In a large bowl, combine sugar and softened unsalted butter using a spatula until well blended. Whisk in eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. Add sour cream and vanilla extract, whisking gently to combine. Gradually fold in the flour mixture just until combined to avoid overmixing, which can toughen the cake.
- Layer the Cake and Topping: Spread half of the batter evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle half of the crumb topping evenly over this layer. Carefully spoon the remaining batter over the crumb topping without disturbing it too much. Finally, sprinkle the remaining crumb topping on top and gently press it into the batter.
- Bake the Coffee Cake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a bamboo skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating the cake is cooked through.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the coffee cake from the oven and let it cool slightly before cutting and serving to allow flavors to set and topping to crisp.
Notes
- When measuring flour, gently spoon it into the measuring cup to avoid packing it, which can lead to using too much flour and a denser cake.
- For best flavor, use fresh pecans and melt the butter carefully to avoid burning.
- This coffee cake is perfect served slightly warm with coffee or tea.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate to extend freshness.
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
