This simple chocolate chip crumb coffee cake is studded with chocolate chips and topped with an addictive crumb topping–this is one delicious breakfast!
Do you love coffee cake the way I love coffee cake? I’m not entirely sure when you’re supposed to eat coffee cake—is it supposed to go with your morning coffee or is it more of an afternoon thing? Does it even need to go with coffee?
(Monday mornings are surely the right time for life’s burning questions, right?)
I like to pretend it’s breakfast (or brunch!!!), because if I have coffee after about 10 a.m. I get a massive headache. And of course I can’t have coffee cake without a cup of coffee.
And double of course, I love any excuse to have cake for breakfast.
I’ve been talking a lot about moving lately, because I’m involved in the most protracted move ever. The last two weeks were full of bubble wrapping and packing, then I drove a car full of boxes over to PHX so I could meet the cable guy and the window guy and make sure the roof of my house had been repaired properly—not that I could tell but I tried. Then I drove back to San Diego, hoping all the while my remaining possessions had packed themselves.
Spoiler alert: they had not.
So instead of packing the rest—the movers are scheduled, Kels!—I’ve been spending the weekend reading about ways to cope with the stress of moving. This is despite the fact that I know the best way to cope is to throw myself into packing and just get it over with.
Seriously, my apartment is hardly bigger than a child-size-9 shoebox; packing should take all of 20 minutes. But no. I have to drag it out and make it as painful as possible.
The other thing I’ve been doing instead of packing is trying to find ways to use up ingredients in my pantry. I tell myself it’s better to use them up because it’s one less thing to pack. And we all know how much space chocolate chips take up in boxes. . .
So this is a pantry-ingredient recipe! You probably have everything you need for this crumb coffee cake with chocolate chips on hand already.
Oh yeah, and the crumb topping? It’s as thick as the cake itself. Extra-thick crumb toppings are so, sooooo necessary.
With hints of cinnamon, globs of chocolate, and just a touch of almond extract, this is a coffee cake to wake up for. Enjoy!
(P.S., don’t worry. At some point I’ll get the move over with and stop writing posts that are really just rants about how much I despise moving. Promise.)
Chocolate chip crumb coffee cake is simple to make and studded with chocolate chips, then topped with an addictive crumb topping.
- Crumb:
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips you can use semisweet or milk chocolate
- powdered sugar for dusting (if desired)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper. Spray the paper with cooking spray and set pan aside.
- Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Add the melted butter, vanilla extract, and almond extract and stir until the mixture is well combined and forms crumbs that are mostly the same size. Set aside.
- Whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt together in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Combine the sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat well. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then beat in the vanilla, almond extract, and sour cream. Turn mixer to low speed and add the dry ingredients. Mix until flour is just incorporated. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Crumble the crumb mixture over the top of the cake to cover the batter completely. Bake for 27 to 30 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack, then dust with powdered sugar. Serve and enjoy.
Adapted from The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
I love everything about coffee cake. Mainly because it means that there’s a break in the day in which you can relax a bit and have something delicious! 😀
Kelsie says
I agree with you Lorraine! Any excuse to slow down and relax in the afternoon is great with me :). Happy Monday!
karrie @ Tasty Ever After says
Moving sucks big time but glad you are dealing with it by totally ignoring it 😉 Hahahaha! Very happy that you are at least “moving” food stuff by eating it so you could bring us this yummy recipe. Coffee cake is one of my favorite foods ever because it’s cake and you can legit eat it for breakfast. Plus I can never say no to chocolate chips so this is pretty much my ideal recipe. Thanks for moving so I could have this recipe! 😉
Kelsie says
Haha! You crack me up! Ignoring problems is one of my best coping skills. . .I might need therapy :). I’m all about cake I can eat for breakfast–glad you can relate! Have a great week, Karrie
Karl Cooks says
This sounds incredible! Can’t wait to try it for mother’s day 🙂
Kelsie says
Thank you Karlie! Happy Monday 🙂
Sara - beamingbanana.com says
Girl I’m in the process of moving, too! I totally feel your pain – it’s such an exciting process but completely overwhelming at the same time. Sending you good vibes to get through it!! It’ll be over and all worth it soon 🙂 Plus, just have a big slice of this coffee cake to reward yourself for getting everything done! Love the crumb topping ratio, more is ALWAYS better when it comes to crumb topping. Looks amazing!
Kelsie says
Thank you Sara! I’m sending those vibes right back at you. Drinks when we’re done? And/or cake? And/or a huge party to flatten all of our boxes? I can’t wait to be in my new place but the process of getting there is just never-ending! Have a great week and good luck with your move!
hummingbirdthyme says
Cake makes everything better, doesn’t it? And coffee cake is a all-day-long (totally justifiable) treat, especially when packing. It looks scrumptious, and I love the crumb topping!
Kelsie says
It really, really does make everything better! Cake is one of my favorite ways to solve problems :). Thank you Laura! I hope your Monday went well!
pglooney says
dniently built a house next to my parents so I never really have moved. I have lived on the same road all my life. This coffee cake looks crazy good! and it has chocolate chips so it scores major points with me
Kelsie says
Never having moved sounds quite nice right now! It would be awesome to still live near my parents. Thank you Patrick! Have a great week!
heather (delicious not gorgeous) says
i’m definitely a coffee cake for breakfast kind of girl (: though now that you mention it, i can imagine another slice being veryyyy tasty in the afternoon! and lol, i do the same thing for ingredients; i’m moving all my stuff home for the summer since i didn’t renew my lease and haven’t found another place yet, so i’ve been using up my japanese curry blocks and container of cocoa even though these things are pretty small, like your chocolate chips ?
Kelsie says
It’s rough having to use up delicious ingredients isn’t it? Haha! Good luck with your move, Heather! If you need boxes just let me know. I’ll have more than I know what to do with! Happy Monday!
Milena | Craft Beering says
I can completely relate to the feeling of not having coffee by 10:00 am Kelsie! Coffee has to happen a soon as I get up. It is so necessary. Coffee cake is Chris’ favorite thing to get whenever we make coffee shop stops while traveling. Pretty cool to have this recipe handy! Driving this week…you are so close!
Kelsie says
So close I can almost taste it :). I’m pretty sure timers on coffee makers are one of the greatest inventions ever! I love waking up to coffee brewing. Have a wonderful week, Milena!
Ruby_&_Cake says
SMART! last time i moved i took my chocolate chips and the packets split spreading chocolate chips all through the back of the van. My bf at the time did not find it as funny as I did. Gorgeous cake Kelsie and the perfect antidote to packiing
Kelsie says
Haha! Thank you Ruby :). Cake makes all packing much, much better! Have a great week!
marcie@flavorthemoments says
Moving is the pits, there’s no way around that — good luck with everything! And I love coffee cake but rarely make it. I need to change that because this looks amazing!!
Kelsie says
Thank you Marcie! Coffee cake is just so delicious isn’t it? Happy Monday!
fatimah says
i hate moving too everything’s so hectic for no reason, a little semi tradition that i started is whenever we move i bake something on moving day to help everyone cope it seems to help haha this coffee cake looks perfect for that, so delicious, and that crumb is just *drools*
Kelsie says
That’s a great idea! Nothing makes a tough day easier than something delicious to snack on. Have a great week, Fatimah!
Lindsay | With Salt and Pepper says
I agree with Chey and David! We’re all friends here…rant away and get in some free therapy 😉 Moving is like cleaning for me…when I see how much there is to do, I freeze up and can’t even start. Then if I get some random second wind to start, I go in full speed ahead and there’s no stopping me til it’s done. It’s like an out of body experience, lol. Once it’s over I look back and think, how in the H did that even happen? Who did that? We had our floors refinished 2 years ago and were just talking the other day about how we had to move everything out of the entire house and waited til the last minute and have no idea how we did it. Wish I could come help you! You need some moving fairies ;-D
Kelsie says
Haha! Thank you Lindsay. I’ll take all the free therapy I can get :). Most everything is packed at this point and I’m feeling the same–how did that happen? Maybe it really was moving fairies! I’m counting down the days until this is all over and it’s just a memory. Happy Monday!
eastofedencook says
Just like a huge chocolate chip cookie with a crumb topping, divine! (Moving is never fun…..)
Kelsie says
Exactly! And a cookie for breakfast is always a good thing :). Thank you Deb!
Kelly says
Eeks moving is never fun, hoping everything gets done soon. In the mean time, there’s always cake? I can never resist anything with a gorgeous crumb coating! This looks amazing!
Kelsie says
Thank you Kelly! Cake makes everything better. Have a great week!
Julie says
I love the way you deal! Love a great coffee cake and this is a beauty!
Kelsie says
Thank you Julie! Have a great week!
annie@ciaochowbambina says
Hahahah! You had my attention at ‘Crumb Coffee Cake’ and had me laugh out loud with ‘child-size-9 shoebox’! I don’t know what it is about coffee cake…always makes me pause for a minute just to think about it! I love it – and this recipe!! Hang in, girlfriend! You’re almost there!
Kelsie says
Haha! Coffee cake is one of those things that just always sounds good to me :). Thank you Annie! Happy Monday!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
Girl, you can talk about your move as much as you like! I am over here nodding my head and feeling your pain. We’ve been in the process of builying a house since last year, and then the 1st house build fell through because of permitting, so we moved on with house number two. It’s been crazy. And I totally understand that moving just eats up your life. It’s hard NOT to talk about it! 😉 Anyways, coffee cake!!!! I freggin loooove it! Especially when it’s of the crumb variety! And I personally think it’s one of those things that is perfectly acceptable to eat for every meal! 😉 Love the chocolate chips in here!! Cheers, girl and stay sane with all the moving stuff!
Kelsie says
OMG the first house fell through? That has to be worse than just moving. What a pain! When we’re both through moving I’m bringing cake and we’re having a party. I hope you’re staying sane through all of this too :). Why does a crumb topping make everything even better? It’s one of life’s mysteries, I think. Have a wonderful (stress-free) week, Cheyanne!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
I can’t help but chuckle a little reading your post. I can totally feel your aggravation with packing! It definitely is a nuisance, but gotta be done, right? Annnnd, if you can have coffee cake breaks in between, well then it ain’t so bad, is it 😉 ? I think this is totally acceptable for breakfast too because the word ‘coffee’ is in the name and coffee is definitely more of a morning thing. If you don’t want to pack up all this cake, you know you can send me some 😉 Cheers to a great week!
Kelsie says
I might have to send you all kinds of baked goods I found in the back of my freezer yesterday when I was cleaning. Honestly, the life of a food blogger–but I don’t have to tell you! Exactly my thoughts. With coffee in the title it must be breakfast food right? Have a great week Dawn! Thank you 🙂
David | Spiced says
Hey, I don’t mind your moving rant posts at all, Kelsie! It just reminds me that I shouldn’t actually be looking at local houses for sale. So I agree with you 100%. Chocolate chips take up WAY too much room in a moving box, and they should absolutely be disposed of before moving. Plus, in addition to the sheer size, what if they melted during the move? And then the melted chocolate might ooze out of the box and drip down into the other boxes underneath. This would be a real problem. So, see, you’re really just doing future Kelsie a favor by baking this coffee cake! Love the chocolate chip twist on this one. Also, we’re apparently coffee cake pals today. 🙂
Kelsie says
That’s what I’m saying! I’d be devastated if my chocolate chips melted in the moving van. And even more devastated if they melted all over my most valuable possessions–which are mostly more chocolate chips. It would be a giant melty mess, and just too sad. Haha! Great minds think alike, clearly. To use up more chocolate chips I might throw a handful into your coffee cake and then I’ll have a perfect snack for the drive to PHX next week. Happy Monday, David!