September was a rocky month for me – one filled with too many downs and not enough ups. So, I’m looking towards October for a fresh start and I’m in the mood for some old fashioned, comfort food. For me, that means I dust off my recipe box from yester-year (yes, I really still have a box filled with my teenage, handwritten recipes), pull out my most memorable recipes, fire up the oven, grease a cake pan or two and start my baking engines. Are you ready to #baketogether ? I could use the company so I sure hope you are fired up.
I selected Classic Sour Cream Coffeecake for this months’ #baketogether because it is, well, a classic – one that should be in every recipe box even if yours in stashed on your computer. The flavors are traditional: cinnamon, nutmeg (I like mine freshly grated), butter, brown sugar and sour cream. The method is straight-forward and the batter can even be made with a hand-held mixer (just like my Mom used). It’s these qualities that make it such a great #baketogether recipe. This base recipe is perfect as is YET there’s literally hundreds of ways for everyone to switch things up. It’s the perfect vanilla canvas that’s just waiting for some twisting and shaking.
Want a few suggestions? Mull these over and see what strikes your fancy:
Change the shape. Make muffins or loaves or even double the recipe and bake in a tube pan.
Change the flavor. Take the “spice “out. Add pears or apples or dried fruit. Try ginger (you know how I love ginger in all forms) or almond.
Change the Streusel. Add chocolate or nuts or oatmeal or ???
Change the sour cream. Buttermilk or yogurt would be delish.
Or.. change ‘em all! It’s completely up to you. Remember, #baketogether is all about sharing your take on this recipe with us – just as if we were all together in one (big) kitchen swapping ideas, inspirations and forkfuls. All you need to do is bake and post your version (pix please too), link back to my post, leave a comment on this post with your link and then share with your friends, readers, tweeters and followers.
I can’t wait to see how everyone spins this classic – I’m thinking we’ll see some serious innovation this month. As always, I’ll post a round up in the beginning of November – I wouldn’t want anyone to miss even one of these variations.
Wish you and yours a very “ROCK”-tober!
Abby
ps. I’d hate for you to miss any #baketogether recipes or round ups so go ahead and sign up for my rss feed. It’s up there on the right hand side.
My Kitchen Wisdom:
- Streusel is made w/ dark brown sugar to offer more contrast w/ the cake BUT, if you don’t mind a more subtle-looking swirl in the cake, it can easily be made with light brown sugar.
- If you weigh your dry ingredients, I love you. If you don’t, I love you anyway… but I hope you will spoon and level your flour NOT scoop and level. If you do the latter, you’ll add too much flour to the batter and your cake will be dense and you will be sad.
- The cake tastes best when baked a day or two before serving but can also be served warm from the oven.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
For the streusel:
2/3 cup (4 5/8 ounces) firmly packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup ( 3 3/8ounces) all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
For the cake:
2 cups (9 ounces) all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon table salt
Pinch of ground cloves
8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups (8 3/4 ounces) firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
To make the streusel:
In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Drizzle over the melted butter and, using a fork (or use your fingers), mix the ingredients are well blended and form small crumbs. Pop in the frig while you make the cake batter.
To make the cake:
Position an oven rack in the center of the oven. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour the sides and bottom of a 9 x 2-inch square baking pan.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cloves. Whisk until well blended. In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until well blended, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stop to scrape the bowl and beaters as needed. Add about half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until blended. Add the yogurt and continue mixing just until blended. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the remaining flour mixture.
Scrape half of the batter (about 1lb 2 ounces for those of you who use a scale) into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Evenly scatter half of the streusel mixture over the batter. Spoon the remaining batter evenly over the streusel and spread evenly. Scatter the remaining streusel evenly over the top.
Bake until the top is browned and a pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 43 to 45 minutes. Cool the pan on a wire rack until warm or room temperature.
{ 35 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh I am so in on this one. I love coffee cake. It’s comfort food baking!
i love coffee cakes & the addition of spices makes it even better
feel good food all the way !
So so in! Love coffee cake! And your recipe sounds perfect
Count me in!
Excited to do #baketogether for the first time!
Welcome Barbie n-We are soo excited to have you join us in the kitchen! Are you on Twitter??
Yes, I am!
I am following you – @barbiekels 
That cake looks super tempting, so I am going to give it a try and see if I can make it anywhere closer to your perfection. I love coffee cake with cinnamon swirls in it
Dearest Abbie, I’m so sorry you’ve had such a crummy September. But here it is October and you’ve made coffee cake! Everything is looking up! I can’t wait to try my hand at some version of this lovely treat. My grandmother Mary made sour cream coffee cake whenever I visited. She would tell the same story each time – “My Aunt Sophie gave me this recipe. When my seven brothers and sisters and I would go to her house, she would throw up her hands, offer up the cake and say ‘Now that you’re all here, I’ll have to throw out the stove.’ No one understood this saying, but the cake was forever called Sophie’s Throw Out the Stove Cake.” Much love, Cathy
I LOVE THIS! Cannot wait to make….
Sweet Abby. So many downs these days for many of us but we must look towards the ups, right? And a classic coffee cake – a favorite in our house – is comforting and warming. Perfect recipe, perfect cake and I am in! My crazy month of August/September left me no time to bake! xo
My head is spinning with all the coffee cake possibilities! I can’t wait to get baking with your recipe as my guiding light Abby. Your photo has me salivating.
This is just the perfect recipe for me to make! And this is going to be my first at #baketogether! I love coffee cakes..and I am getting too many ideas to try out! I hope I get a good outcome.. oh boy my weekend just got a great kickstart!
http://kudoskitchenbyrenee.blogspot.com/2011/10/spiced-peach-sour-cream-coffee-cake.html
I hope it’s not too early to post my Rock-tober #baketogether
I’m afraid I’ll forget if I don’t do it while I’m thinking about it.
This was a fun recipe Abby. The house smelled aaaaah-mazing!
Here’s mine: http://deeptibhogle.blogspot.com/2011/10/healthy-streusel-cupcakes.html
They came out really well..n truly yummy..
This was a great recipe, easy, satisfying, and everybody in the house loved it:
http://glutenfreegoesvintage.blogspot.com/2011/10/pumpkin-sour-cream-coffee-cake.html
Abby, I hope October is kind to you. I added sorghum and pepper flakes as background flavors. Blueberries and bourbon sauce and a cute chef round out the recipe! Giggles
http://www.friendsdriftinn.com/recipes/sour-cream-blueberry-coffee-cake-recipe-with-bourbon-sauce.html
Hi Abby-I hope this month was a little brighter for you. Your coffee cake is scrumptious and it inspired me to make this vegan version:) I send you hugs and kisses. xx
http://www.cakeduchess.com/2011/10/apple-pie-coffee-cake.html
I loved this so much I made it twice, the first time my way was your way. I followed the original recipe exactly. I couldn’t resist. It was perfect.
Then, just to be different I made it again, with pecans and milk chocolate mixed into the streusel, and pears in the middle.
Hi Abby! Such a pleasure to join you this month. I sincerely hope you’re feeling better and that October is being oh-so kind to you…
Here is a link to my post: Sour Cream & Apple Coffee Cake (with Apple Butter)
http://foodjetaimee.blogspot.com/2011/10/baketogether-sour-cream-apple-coffee.html
A beautiful recipe and one I’ll be referencing often! Thank you! xo
Am so sorry that September was unkind to you and i do hope that October really does Rock!! have wanted to participate in your #baketogethers for a while but never seem to get in sync . . . but lo and behold . . . i made cakes this month!!
My link for Glazed Apple Cakes w/Cinnamon Sugar
http://www.smithbites.com/2011/10/glazed-apple-cakes-with-cinnamon-sugar/
super moist and very fall-ish!
Thanks for another rocking good month Abby. Made a Spiced Apple Buttermilk Coffee Cake … and loved it to bits. Was over sooner than expected!
http://www.passionateaboutbaking.com/2011/10/baking-classic-spiced-apple-walnut-buttermilk-coffee-cake-r%e2%80%99ock-tober-baketogether.html
So excited to participate for the first time, I also went with Apples as tis the season! Here is my version with grated apples and boiled cider syrup!
http://sunchowdersemporia.com/2011/10/apple-spiced-sour-cream-coffee-cake-for-rock-tober-baketogether/
Looks awesome!
Here’s my take on sour cream coffee cake… I added pumpkin to my batter, hid some apples in there with the streusel and made it into a bundt cake
http://foodbabbles.com/2011/10/24/apple-pumpkin-sour-cream-coffee-cake-for-baketogether/
Abby, Hope your feeling better and with the new month brings new beginnings. Wow, there are so many great interpretations of this yummy classic cake. I’ll be making more… here’s mine… http://wp.me/psB27-J0
I want to join in this month’s baking fun! Is it too late? Can I post up until the last day of the month? How does that work?
Thanks!
YES! please do join us – I speak for the group when I say “welcome”!! If you could post by the end of the month (or soon after), then I can add you to the round up.. Of course, because we are a very relaxed group, whenever you post, I’ll be sure to edit the round up and include you!
Yay, I made it this month! Pear Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake:
http://poetinthepantry.com/2011/10/25/pear-chocolate-chip-coffee-cake-for-baketogether/
Hoping this month has been going better for you.
This looks phenomenal – so glad you could join us!!
hope october was good for you abby ! made it just in time for #baketogether. glad to be part of it ! made muffins & coffeecake :
http://aspoonfulofyumm.blogspot.com/2011/10/chocolate-chip-streusel-muffins-spice.html
I just posted my coffee cake! Sour Cream-Orange Coffee Cake with Chocolate Streusel! http://www.cookinwithmoxie.com/blog/?p=1372
Mine are up:
http://www.eatlivetravelwrite.com/2011/10/coffee-cake-streusel-muffins-for-october-baketogether/
Not the most successful foray into muffins – think I need to use regular flour not whole wheat next time!
Down to the wire I go! I’ve posted my recipe: https://knitstamatic.wordpress.com/2011/10/30/pumpkin-chocolate-swirl-coffee-cake-baketogether/
Excellent, take out the “s” in the URL please. Long day. Here’s the correct version:
http://knitstamatic.wordpress.com/2011/10/30/pumpkin-chocolate-swirl-coffee-cake-baketogether/
Here’s my version with cocoa streusel and chopped chocolate. http://dustwithflour.blogspot.com/2011/10/october-baketogether-spiced-coffee-cake.html
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