This Coffee Cake From America’s Test Kitchen Will Be Your New Favorite

Who doesn’t love a dessert that doubles as an acceptable breakfast treat? There’s something to be said about coffee cake that does just that. It’s one of those recipes that any homemaker should always have on hand — it’s easy and can please a crowd or be a lovely snack that lasts a few days if you’re not entertaining a group of people.

In honor of National Coffee Cake Day (April 7th), America’s Test Kitchen is sharing their Sour Cream Coffee Cake recipe that can be found in their first-ever comprehensive dessert cookbook, Desserts Illustrated.

Released in 2022, this book has over 500 expertly tested recipes, ranging from modern desserts to classic favorites. Desserts Illustrated is part cookbook, part handbook and includes chapters for bakers and non-bakers alike including pastries, meringues, fruit desserts, frozen desserts and more.

When it comes to this particular recipe, the experts at America’s Test Kitchen say the sour cream adds extra decadence, moisture, and density to the coffee cake. This cake has a delightful crisp, crunchy, melt-in-your-mouth streusel, not just on top but also inside. For this ultimate streusel, you’ll combine brown sugar, plenty of cinnamon, and cold butter to create the inner swirls — that same streusel is then added to the top with pecans and butter.

Using all-purpose flour and four eggs in the batter, you’ll find the cake has a solid structure, and with the use of the reverse creaming method (when you beat softened butter directly into the dry ingredients, instead of just creaming it with sugar) you’ll ensure a velvety, tight crumb.

So grab your bundt pan and preheat the oven, because it’s time to make Sour Cream Coffee Cake.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Serves 12 to 16

For the streusel:

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup packed dark brown sugar, divided
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces and chilled

For the cake:

• 1½ cups sour cream, divided
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1¼ cups granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon table salt
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes and softened

Directions:

For the streusel:

1. In a food processor combine flour, granulated sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, and cinnamon for about 15 seconds.
2. Transfer 1¼ cups flour-sugar mixture to bowl and stir in remaining ¼ cup brown sugar; set aside for filling.
3. Add pecans and butter to the food processor and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 pulses; set aside for topping.

For the cake:

1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and flour bundt pan.
3. Whisk 1 cup sour cream, eggs, and vanilla together in a bowl.
4. Using a stand mixer fitted with paddle, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt on low speed until combined.
5. Add butter and remaining ½ cup sour cream and mix until dry ingredients are moistened and mixture resembles wet sand with few large butter pieces remaining, about 1½ minutes.
6. Increase speed to medium and beat until batter comes together, about 10 seconds, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula. Reduce speed to medium-low and gradually add egg mixture in 3 additions, beating for 20 seconds and scraping down bowl after each addition. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until batter is light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
7. Spread 2 cups batter in the prepared pan and smooth top with rubber spatula. Sprinkle evenly with ¾ cup streusel filling. Repeat with another 2 cups batter and remaining ¾ cup streusel filling. Spread remaining batter over filling, then sprinkle with streusel topping.
8. Bake until the cake feels firm and a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 minutes to 1 hour, rotating pan halfway through baking.
9. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
10. Remove cake from pan and let cool completely on rack, about 2 hours.
11. Serve. Cake can be wrapped in aluminum foil and stored at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Get your copy of Desserts Illustrated here.