Now, that is a title. In this case, I really think you need every bit of it to convey all of the delicious components. It’s not just a coffee cake. Not even close.
I gravitate toward the simpler recipes. As much as I love to bake, I don’t really want to spend hours on end doing it. My first reaction after reading through this recipe was that it sounded like it was far too involved for a coffee cake. You’ll use many, many bowls and measuring cups, not to mention using just about every electric appliance in your kitchen. Rest assured that it is not difficult to make. It is a bit more time-consuming, but I do believe it is worth every minute.
This recipe is from Carole Walter’s Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins & More. For those of you who like these kinds of baked goods, I think this cookbook is a must have. This is my first recipe to try from this book, and, judging by all the tabs sticking out of it, I am sure it will not be my last.
This is one of the very best coffee cakes I’ve ever had. Of course, I’m a huge fan of chocolate and pecans. Plus, it doesn’t hurt to add in some cinnamon, too. Combine a few of my favorite things, incorporate them into a wonderfully delicious cake, and I couldn’t be happier.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:38 pm
I post a chocolate recipe ever Friday for Chocoholics Anonymous, this is it for me. Just enough chocolate to qualify and everything else I absolutely love. Coffee cake is one of my hidden obsession, always looking for the perfect recipe.
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:26 pm
Look at those gorgeous photos! Wow, delectable
September 24th, 2008 at 2:31 am
That cake looks delicious! I think it would be good on it’s own, it has the perfect crumb, but with that chocolate mixture, must be really special!
September 24th, 2008 at 5:12 am
Oh does that ever look good. The added chocolate sounds wonderful. I would like to try this!
September 24th, 2008 at 5:36 am
Wow this looks amazing. I don’t like sour cream on its own, but for some reason I love sour cream cakes. It looks so moist! And that cross-section shot is making me drool…
September 24th, 2008 at 8:39 am
sour cream make the best cakes ever… I have to be careful when making these coffee cakes because I will devour the whole pan over a course of a couple of days if I am not careful! I want that book but is there a good mix of recipes?
September 24th, 2008 at 8:45 am
Haven’t made a coffee cake in a while now, Jen – tks for inspiring me in such a delicious way!
September 24th, 2008 at 8:51 am
That is one of the most tempting coffee cakes I’ve seen!
September 24th, 2008 at 8:57 am
This is one of my favorite cakes! My mom’s recipe uses a cake mix and cocoa powder rather than chocolate pieces. I know this version is probably ten times better but I’ll always have a place in my heart for the easy version!
September 24th, 2008 at 9:23 am
This cake sounds great, and maybe I’m just being unobservant, but I’ve read the recipe and there doesn’t seem to be any mention of coffee…?
September 24th, 2008 at 9:31 am
Oh. My. Can you please mail me a piece?
I rarely drink coffee but now I want coffee. With a slice of this.
September 24th, 2008 at 11:29 am
The coffee cake looks delectable! I have the same book from library and made the vanilla bean pound cake some time ago. Glad to know that this is another winner too.
September 24th, 2008 at 11:46 am
Wow, that looks great! It looks so moist!
September 24th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
I am a huge fan of coffee cakes, this one looks very good! Nothing like a big tube pan warm out of the oven to cool as we wait for a taste.
September 24th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Yum! All your recipes and photos looks SO good.
September 24th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Few baked goods are quite as satisfying as an amazing coffee cake. This one looks like a must try!
September 24th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
an amazing coffee cake for sure. love how you kicked it up a few notches.
September 24th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Mmm. This looks great! And that cook book sounds wonderful as well.
Esther
September 24th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Thanks, everyone!
Amanda, the recipes in the book can get a bit repetitive. There are a few variations of this recipe in there. But, it’s a big book, so there are plenty of other recipes.
Sonia, I don’t know the exact origin of the term “coffee cake,” but it is usually used for sweets like these that people like to eat with a cup of coffee. I am not a coffee fan, but that doesn’t seem to stop me from eating it.
September 24th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
this sounds like something right up my alley. and it looks so moist and delicious. yum!
September 24th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
Your pictures are so good I feel like I can almost taste the coffee cake! It’s so easy to see the signature sour cream cake texture in these pictures, too!
September 24th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
I just recently ordered this book and can’t wait for it to get here – I will definitely have to give this a try because your cake looks amazing!
September 24th, 2008 at 11:50 pm
yum! that looks soo good! I love putting sour cream in cakes, i think it gives them such a great texture! I will definately have to try this recipe
September 25th, 2008 at 1:58 am
Oh okay. Yet another demonstration of the way that American and British English really *are* different languages!
September 25th, 2008 at 6:04 am
I love coffee cakes. That looks really good. Can’t wait to try this!
September 25th, 2008 at 7:46 am
I like coffee cakes. But for some reason don’t make them very often. This one looks good! The chocolate would be an added plus! The cake itself just begs for a cup of coffee!
September 25th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
I *adore* sour cream coffee cakes, and yes, every word has to be in the title to honor all those separate components. I find that this cake is best with the morning coffee.
September 26th, 2008 at 8:27 am
You´re right, this is not just a coffee cake, this is THE coffee cake!
That photo is absolutly sinful!
September 27th, 2008 at 10:58 am
I often see people using sour cream in cakes but I’ve never tried it, who came up with that idea? It looks a lot more like angel food cake but it looks scrumptious.
September 27th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
I love using sour cream in cakes… very nice recipe and it looks deliciouc.
Your blog i s great and I am a regular for that reason. Keep up the good work.
Zesty
September 28th, 2008 at 9:05 am
Oh my gosh, I’m such a coffee cake hound and always on the hunt for delectable recipes.
You’re so right though about using every bowl and appliance in the kitchen. I have a recipe for a similar coffee cake. There is grated almond paste in addition to the nuts and chocolate in the streusel. Time consuming to make and I had better make sure the dishwasher is empty before I begin because, after making the cake, the various bowls, cups and utensils used will fill it. But people drool like Saint Bernards when I bring it to work.
September 28th, 2008 at 10:42 am
Jennifer, this looks amazing as every recipe you post!! Cannot wait to try.
September 29th, 2008 at 1:17 am
Looks worth the effort. I love cakes with secret layers that you only find on cutting.
September 29th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
Thanks, y’all!
October 1st, 2008 at 7:44 am
I’m so glad you said that it was way above and beyond run of the mill coffee cake. Love the surprise inside layer and the photography is perfect as always.
October 1st, 2008 at 11:12 am
This looks like such a great coffee cake. I’d be proud to take this to any brunch! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
October 4th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Yum! I have never made a cake with sour cream. It looks so good! Great photo too.
October 4th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
Lisa, Kristen, and Chuck – thanks!
October 6th, 2008 at 7:22 am
I’m with you, I gravitate towards the basic recipes and then love to tweak them a bit.
I’m am loving this cake…anything with sour cream is delish.
October 6th, 2008 at 11:38 am
This looks great, I’d love to eat a piece right now! I’ll have to see if my library has that book.
October 11th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
I made the coffee cake!! I even bought myself a new bundt cake pan from Williams Sonoma (which I’ve been wanting to buy for a long time) and it came out beautiful. It smelled great while it was baking and it was delicious with a good cup of coffee. I would have to agree that it did feel like I was using every bowl in my kitchen, but so worth the mess. Now that I have my new pan, I’ll be looking for more recipes.
October 11th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
Arlene, I’m glad you liked the cake. Plus, you got a new pan out of the deal!
October 12th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Oh my god, I brought this cake to my grandmothers’s birthday, and she loved the recipe! Thank you very much, Jen.
Oh, and I substituted a bit of the sugar in the chocolate mixture with 1TS of espresso powder – try it, it was great!
October 12th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
stella, that’s great! I’ll keep the espresso hint in mind.
October 13th, 2008 at 10:27 pm
The Coffee Cake looks like the crumbs could fall down on my keyboard….Great Pictures (and I would eat even the crumbs!) Can’t wait to try this receipe.
October 14th, 2008 at 6:52 am
Cynde, this is definitely worth not letting even the tiniest crumb go to waste.
October 31st, 2008 at 1:28 am
Afther reading your blog I bought the book via amazon.com
I’m going to try this recipe very soon. Thank you for sharing!
Natasha (Holland)
April 23rd, 2013 at 4:28 pm
Hi! Nearly 5 years after you posted this I have a question! What kind of bundt pan did you use here? I have a traditional ridged nordic ware one and a tube pan that is a bit too wide and skinny. I have my eye on the simple 10 inch 16 cup bundt from nordic ware (like the one used for angel food cake). Is this right or too big? Thanks! Sorry if those descriptions were confusing
April 24th, 2013 at 12:12 pm
Hi, Virginia. I used a standard tube pan. 16 cups is a bit big for this cake. It will work, but you’ll have a lot of empty space at the top. I would suggest a 10-cup or 12-cup for best results.
April 29th, 2013 at 6:17 am
Great – thanks so much! I made it – it was a bit thin when using my 16 cup pan, but it was still sooooo delicious!!! Might have to get a new pan to make a thicker one. A hit nonetheless!