CLASSIC COFFEE CAKE: THE ULTIMATE COMFORT BREAKFAST TREAT

Classic Coffee Cake: The Ultimate Comfort Breakfast Treat

Key Info:

Prep Time: 15-20 minutes

Cook Time: 35-55 minutes

Total Time: 55-75 minutes

Servings: 12-24

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

Dietary: Vegetarian

Equipment Needed:

• 9×13-inch baking dish
• Electric mixer
• Mixing bowls
• Measuring tools
• Pastry cutter

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp salt

For the Streusel Topping:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup cold butter, cubed
• ½ cup chopped pecans (optional)

Method:

1. Prep Your Battlefield

Preheat oven to 350°F

Grease 9×13-inch baking pan

Gather all ingredients

2. Create the Streusel Magic

Mix brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon

Cut in cold butter until crumbly

Add nuts if using

Refrigerate while preparing batter

3. Mix the Cake Batter

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy

Beat in eggs and vanilla

Alternate adding dry ingredients and sour cream

Mix until JUST combined (over-mixing = tough cake!)

4. Layer Like a Pro

Spread half the batter in pan

Sprinkle half the streusel

Add remaining batter

Top with remaining streusel

5. Bake to Perfection

Bake 35-55 minutes

Check with toothpick – should come out clean

Golden brown top is your signal

Crucial Tips:

Cold butter = better streusel

Don’t overmix the batter

Let cool 20-30 minutes before slicing

Storage:

Room temperature: 2-3 days

Refrigerate: Up to 1 week

Reheat slice for 10-15 seconds

Variations:

• Add blueberries
• Use gluten-free flour
• Try whole wheat option
• Swap nuts or skip entirely

Common Mistakes:

• Overmixing batter
• Using melted (not cold) butter for streusel
• Skipping the layering technique

Pro Chef Secrets:

Sour cream makes it impossibly moist

Cinnamon is your flavor friend

Layer, don’t just mix!

Nutrition Snapshot:

High in comfort

Moderate protein

Best enjoyed with coffee or joy!

Make It Your Own:

Experiment with add-ins, swap ingredients, but never compromise on the soul of this classic comfort cake. Remember, baking is love made edible!