Chocolate Streusel Coffee Cake

Yes!!!!  High Five!!  A cake to go with one of my true loves... Coffee.
I remember as a little kid getting coffee at my Nana and Papa's house after Sunday dinner. Although my "coffee" was basically cream and sugar with a coffee splash. Sitting at the dining room table with my family and my coffee made me feel  very grown up and important. And this cake is  a very grown up and important version of coffee cake.

Not your usual cinnamon and butter crumble coffee cake. The crumb is very dense and the chocolate "streusel" filling gives you a burst of cocoa and spice that reminds me of  Mexican hot chocolate.

The cake is easy to assemble and even held up until the next morning where is was shared with co-workers. For the first time I used a scale to weigh all of my ingredients as Rose's Heavenly Cakes has her recipes with the ingredients broken down into measurements by volume or by weight. The process of weighing all of the ingredients took the guess work out of measuring. It was especially helpful when measuring the sour cream. I am going to have to take Rose's advice and use the scale more often.  (Thanks for the scale, Mom.)

So try this coffee cake for your next work meeting, morning pot luck or  simply with a good cup of Joe.....I am sure that my Grandparents would have!

Chocolate Streusel Coffee Cake
Adapted from:
Rose's Heavenly Cakes
Rose Levey Beranbaum

This cake can also be made into cupcakes.  For the recipe in weight ( or if you are a baking geek) please check out her books they are great.

Chocolate filling
3 tablespoon brown sugar  I made more filling so I used about 4 1/2 tablespoons
Cocoa Powder about 3 & 1/2
Cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ( I used 1/2 as I love Cinnamon)

Batter for Cake or Cupcakes
 1 & 3/4 all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 + a large pinch of salt
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg white
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup sour cream

Preheat your Oven ( dirty or clean) to 350 F. I set mine to 325 as she likes to run hot.

Mix the dry ingredients in a medium bowl until combined

Using your handy dandy stand mixer with the flat beater attachment ( I have a wonderful old Kitchen aide handed down from my hubby's grandma)
Beat the sugar and butter until fluffy. About 2-4 min on Medium speed
With the mixer off pour in the egg, egg white and vanilla. Beat on Medium speed for a minute.
With the mixture on low speed add the flour mixture alternating with the sour cream. Add in about three equal parts stopping the mixture and scraping the sides after each addition.

Spoon the about half of the batter into a buttered, floured caked pan. ( I used a 6 inch bunt pan)
Next sprinkle a layer of the Chocolate filling. Make sure not to get it too close to the edges of the pan as it will marbleize onto the outside of the cake. Unless you want that look then I say, "go for it baby."
Pour the remaining mixture on top of the filling and smooth evenly.

Bake for about 40 min or until the cake begins to come away from the sides of the pan.
Remove when done let the cake cool for about 10 min and then unmold onto a wire rack.
Cool completely slice and serve with or without a cup of Joe.

Time to get dirty!!!