This is just the type of dessert you want to have on hand on a rainy, glum day—paired with a steaming cup of coffee, of course—thus, its name.
Unlike a typical coffee cake, which is all nuts and cake, I’ve added cocoa powder, which lends an element of surprise and richness.
You can make the cake in advance and freeze it, then pull it out on one of those stormy days. This recipe is based on Norene Gilletz’s Best Coffee Cake from The Food Processor Bible.
The Perfect Stormy Cake
Servings
Ingredients
- cooking spray for pan
- 3/4 cup 3 oz/90 g pecans or almonds
- 1/2 cup 31/2 oz/105 g firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup 6 oz/185 g chocolate chips
- 6 tablespoons 3 oz/90 g cold unsalted butter
- 1 cup 8 oz/250 g granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup 8 oz/250 g sour cream or plain yogurt
- 1 1/3 cups 7 oz/220 g all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly spray a 9-inch (23-cm) round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- To make the topping and filling, in a food processor, combine the pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa powder and process with 6–8 quick on-off pulses until the nuts are coarsely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the chocolate chips. Wipe out the processor bowl with a paper towel.
- To make the batter, in the processor, combine the butter, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla and pulse for 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Do not insert the pusher into the feed tube. In a small bowl, dissolve the baking soda in the sour cream. Add to the processor and pulse for 3 seconds. Add the flour and baking powder and pulse with 4 quick on-off pulses, just until the flour is blended into the batter. Do not overprocess, and stop to scrape down the bowl as needed.
- Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with half of the topping. Repeat with the remaining batter and topping.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 40–45 minutes.
- Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 1 hour before serving. To freeze, invert onto a plate lined with plastic wrap then again onto a serving plate, being careful not to lose too much crumb topping. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, place in a plastic freezer bag, and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Recipe courtesy of The New Kosher.
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