Cinnamon Pecan Crunch Coffee Cake (Printer-friendly)
Moist coffee cake with cinnamon sugar and toasted pecans, ideal for breakfast or an afternoon treat.
# What You Need:
→ Crunch Topping and Filling
01 - 1 cup chopped pecans
02 - 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
04 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
05 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
→ Cake Batter
06 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
11 - 1 cup granulated sugar
12 - 2 large eggs
13 - 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
14 - 1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish or a 9-inch round springform pan.
02 - In a medium bowl, combine the chopped pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, and melted butter. Mix until the mixture becomes crumbly and well combined. Set aside.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
05 - Alternately add the dry ingredient mixture and the sour cream to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
06 - Spread half of the cake batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon pecan crunch mixture uniformly over the batter.
07 - Spread the remaining batter over the filling layer, then evenly distribute the rest of the pecan crunch mixture on top.
08 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
09 - Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The cinnamon pecan layer hides inside the cake like a secret, giving every bite a satisfying crunch that nobody expects.
- Sour cream keeps the crumb so tender it practically melts, and the recipe doubles easily for a crowd without any extra fuss.
02 -
- Overmixing the batter once the flour goes in develops gluten and turns a tender cake into something rubbery and tough, so fold gently and stop early.
- The cake tastes even better on the second day because the cinnamon flavor has time to deepen and the sour cream keeps the crumb perfectly moist overnight.
03 -
- Toast the pecans in a dry skillet for three to four minutes before mixing them into the topping, because that one small step transforms the flavor from good to unforgettable.
- Use a springform pan if you want clean, bakery style slices, since the removable sides let you lift the whole cake out without crumbling the layers.