Cinnamon-Streusel Coffee Cake

Meaning "something strewn" in Old German, streusel is easy to throw together -- and then to throw on top of this sour cream cake.

Source
Martha Stewart Living, March 2011
Cinnamon-Streusel Coffee Cake
  • prep 25 mins
  • total time 1 hour 55 mins
  • servings 12

Ingredients

  • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 2 tablespoons whole milk

  • 1 cup packed light-brown sugar

  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • Coarse salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

  • Coarse salt

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped toasted pecans

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

  • 1 cup sour cream

Cook's Note

For the banana-coconut variation, substitute walnuts for pecans. Add 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3) and 3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut to batter at the end of step 4.

Directions

  1. Step 1

    Make the streusel topping: Mix together flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cut in butter using a pastry cutter or rub in with your fingers until small to medium clumps form. Mix in 1/2 cup pecans. Refrigerate until ready to use.

  2. Step 2

    Make the streusel center: Mix together remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 cup pecans.

  3. Step 3

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the cake: Butter a 9-inch tube pan with a removable bottom. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a bowl.

  4. Step 4

    Beat butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour. Continue to beat until well combined.

  5. Step 5

    Spoon half the batter into pan. Sprinkle streusel center mixture evenly over batter. Top with remaining batter, and spread evenly using an offset spatula. Sprinkle streusel topping mixture evenly over batter.

  6. Step 6

    Bake until cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Remove cake from pan, and transfer to parchment.

  7. Step 7

    Make the glaze: Mix together confectioners' sugar and milk. Drizzle over cake, and let drip down sides. Let set for 5 minutes before serving.

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Reviews (9)

  • Taylor H
    4 Jun, 2013

    Very nice tasting cake, too much crumb topping though. Will make again with a reduced amount and possibly more butter to hold it together better.
  • Greencrazed
    12 May, 2013

    I just made this for Mother's Day brunch and it came out beautifully crunchy and delicious. It may seem like there's too much crumb topping but it all bakes into the cake and becomes one. This recipe is a keeper. I will definitely be making this again.
  • RachelS
    1 Apr, 2013

    Very dissapointing! Dough was too thick and very hard to make into layers with streusel in the middle. Also too much topping!
  • Curly Cookie
    24 Mar, 2013

    I made mine in a 6-cup cast iron mini bundt pan. I assumed that I had to cut the baking time in half so I let it bake for just 25 minutes. I think I should have left it in for another 3 minutes because it didn't brown enough. The toothpick came out clean so I guessed that it was fine and just let the residual heat do the rest. When it was finally cool enough, I found it so soft that it crumbled easily. As for the taste, oh my God. SO SCRUMPTIOUS AND VERY MOIST! Definitely gonna make this again.
  • JanlovesRich
    20 Mar, 2013

    Well, for starters, this smelled amazing while baking. The batter was nice to work with and had a nice tang from the sour cream. I did find that the crumb topping is EXCESSIVE. It is over 5 cups worth! No way did I even use half and I was very liberal with using it., It could be cut in half easily and still have some leftover. The cake baked up pretty nice, on the dense side a little but tasted good. Read through - no divided ingredients are mentioned but they are used. Wont make again.
  • Brianne
    23 Feb, 2013

    This recipe is AWFUL. The baking instructions were a little confusing . I had to re-read it a few times to make sure I was doing it right. The topping has WAY too much flour, it does not taste good at all. After baking it turned into a huge soggy MESS. I bake often, and would NOT recommend this recipe. Im very disappointed to waste all that butter. BIG waste of time and money on ingredients.
  • leroy1984
    17 Jul, 2012

    i made is coffee cake to take to work with me when i got there every one said how good it looked and than just went at it. everyone loved it all my coworkers and the chefs liked it as well . thank you so much is is a keeper. everyone please make this your family will love you so much more.
  • csparks
    21 Dec, 2011

    This recipe is great! I made it for a potluck breakfast at work...everybody loved it. I like it so much I am going to serve it for my Christmas brunch...and only my favorite recipes make it to that!
  • csparks
    21 Dec, 2011

    This recipe is great! I made it for a potluck breakfast at work...everybody loved it. I like it so much I am going to serve it for my Christmas brunch...and only my favorite recipes make it to that!
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