A Worthy Breakfast
Breakfast has never been a priority for me. I know this will not make sense, but historically, I have found that whatever time I start eating for the day, my appetite kicks in and tells my stomach I need food. So, I always thought that the best option was to wait until lunch to begin my food intake (having long since enjoyed my morning coffee).
This all changed in February when I visited family in Nashville. My cousin Jackie’s family eats breakfast every day. Jackie’s husband, Brett, was eating a Greek yogurt. Being the very ‘mature’ eater that I am, I made a face that said, “Really, that’s what you are having for breakfast?”
Although my family knows that I am not the most flexible breakfast person in the world, I decided to show my children that, of course, Mommy is willing to try something new. Guess what happened? I loved it. Yes, indeed, it even shocked the heck out of me, too!
Ever since, I have been enjoying Greek yogurt for breakfast. Yet, at the same time, I realize that there are many other breakfast ideas, now that I am thinking in terms of breakfast for the first time in my life. Being the dessert lover that I am, Coffee Cake comes to mind, but Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake sounds even better.
I decided to bake a cinnamon/sugar coffee cake that has yummy chocolate chips in it. I know the traditional topping for a coffee cake is cinnamon/sugar with or without nuts. But, I wanted to think outside the box a bit.
Grating chocolate and dusting confectioners sugar over the top of the cake is the perfect way to ensure that this coffee cake gets noticed. This Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake is incredibly moist, bursting with flavor and pretty to look at.
As far as I am concerned, if I am going to give up my newfound favorite breakfast of Greek yogurt, it better be for something worthy of the sacrifice. I don’t even have to have my morning cup of Joe with it, unless, of course, my mind has to function quickly. Either way, I call this a win/win morning.
| Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake | | Print |
- Cake:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, partially melted, for prepping the pan
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 8 ounces chocolate chips
- Topping:
- chocolate for grating
- confectioners sugar
- For the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter a 10” tube pan, line the bottom with parchment paper and butter the paper. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Combine 2 tablespoons sugar with the cinnamon and set aside.
- Place 14 tablespoons butter and 1½ cups sugar into a large mixing bowl. Beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping the bowl down as needed. Add the eggs one at a time.
- Add half of the flour mixture and stir until blended. Scrape the bowl down. Add the sour cream and vanilla, then the remaining flour mixture. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Evenly pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon/sugar over the batter. Pour the remaining batter over the cinnamon/sugar. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon/sugar over the top and gently press into the batter.
- Bake at 350° for 60 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 10 minutes.
- Use a small metal spatula to scrape in between the cake and the side edges and, very gently, around the middle cone. Place a cooling rack over the top and invert the cake onto the cooling rack. Lift off the pan and peel off the parchment paper.
- Place a second cooling rack over the bottom of the cake. Holding both cooling racks, carefully flip the cake right side up. Do not squeeze the cooling racks together too tightly or you will mush the cake. Place the cake, still on the cooling rack, over a piece of wax paper.
- For the topping:
- Grate chocolate chips over the top of the cake. Sift confectioners sugar over the grated chocolate. Repeat grating/sifting two more times.
- Serve warm, room temperature or cold.
- Betsy’s tidbit:
- The wax paper is a lifesaver, in terms of cleanup, after the grating and sifting.
