Moist chocolate coffee cake with big fudgy crumbs ~ breakfast doesn’t get any better! Share this party-worthy coffee cake with the people you love.
chocolate sour cream crumb cake’s pedigree
Crumb cake is believed to have originated in Germany in the 1700s as streuselkuchen, which translates to ‘streusel cake’ (derived from the German word streuen meaning to scatter.) German immigrants brought crumb cake to America in the 1900s and the Pennsylvania Dutch popularized the recipe, especially among the Amish. The cake is easy to make and keeps well, so It eventually spread throughout the Northeast, where it remains a beloved breakfast treat. I grew up eating crumb cake every weekend with my German grandparents, and I’ve made several renditions here on the site. Transitioning from the traditional yellow cake to devil’s food chocolate seems like a no-brainer. This chocolate crumb cake is a must bake!
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what you’ll need for chocolate sour cream crumb cake
pantry staples
- butter
- flour
- baking powder, baking soda, salt
- eggs
- vegetable oil
- granulated sugar
- powdered sugar
- vanilla
- brewed coffee
to pick up
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- I use a combination of natural cocoa powder and Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder for a deep dark chocolate vibe in this cake. Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa is made from 100% Dutch-processed cocoa.
- sour cream
- sour cream makes this cake moist and tender, and extra rich.
cocoa powder gives this crumb cake its chocolatey flavor
There are several main types of cocoa powder: natural, Dutched, and black or dark. I keep all types of cocoa in my pantry but for this chocolate crumb cake I used a Dutched cocoa.
Dutch process cocoa powder is made by treating natural cocoa with alkali. The alkalizing process removes some of the acidity, making it milder and darker than natural cocoa powder. This gives my chocolate sour cream crumb cake a richer, more intense chocolate flavor. Dutch process cocoa is commonly used in European recipes, but it’s becoming more and more popular in the US.
why use hot coffee in this chocolate sour cream crumb cake batter?
- Hot coffee acts as a flavor booster for chocolate. The coffee itself isn’t meant to be tasted, but it interacts with the cocoa powder in the batter. Here’s how it works:
- Coffee has a slight acidity that helps to “bloom” the cocoa powder. Blooming simply means releasing the full flavor potential of the cocoa.
- Coffee and chocolate share some flavor profiles, and the coffee can subtly complement the chocolate notes, making them deeper and more complex.
- Hot liquids like coffee can contribute slightly to a tender crumb in cakes and brownies. Here’s why:
- Hot coffee helps dissolve the sugar in the batter more efficiently.
- The hot coffee creates steam during baking, which helps to aerate the batter.
what to expect from this chocolate crumb cake
Like many crumb cakes this cake bakes up with a slightly uneven surface. This makes for an appealing rugged top, especially when you accent the texture with powdered sugar.
The cake itself is moist and almost brownie-like. The crumble is drier and has a hint of crunch, so the combination is super nice.
The cake slices easily from the pan and works both warm and room temperature.
Despite being super chocolatey, it’s not too sweet ~ this is definitely a morning/afternoon type treat, serve with coffee, tea, or milk.
This crumb cake is large and will feed a crowd. Feel free to halve the recipe and bake in a 9×9 baking pan.
storing and freezing suggestions
Keep the chocolate crumb cake covered in foil or plastic on the counter at room temperature. It can be frozen for up to 3 months.
To freeze crumb cake, cut it into slices and wrap each one in plastic wrap. Place them into a ziplock freezer bag and force out any extra air before zipping closed. Be sure to wrap well to prevent freezer burn which will dry the cake out. When ready to enjoy, remove from the freezer and allow to thaw at room temperature for an hour or two before serving.
Chocolate Crumb Cake
Equipment
- 9×13 baking pan make sure your pan is at least 2 inches deep to accommodate this cake.
Ingredients
crumble topping
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened), I used Dutched cocoa powder.
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
dry ingredients for cake
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened, I used Dutched cocoa powder.
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
wet ingredients for cake
- 1 cup sour cream*
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil*
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup hot brewed coffee, you can also use hot water but coffee will give you better flavor.
for dusting the finished cake
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray your pan with nonstick baking spray.
make the crumb topping
- In a medium bowl whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa and salt together, and then drizzle in the melted butter. Stir, and then get in with your hands to toss and combine well to create a large crumb texture. It will seem gooey at first but will dry out as you blend everything. Set aside.
to make the cake
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.
- In a medium bowl whisk the sour cream, oil, eggs, and vanilla together until smooth. (Don't add the coffee yet.)
- Start mixing the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and then add in the hot coffee. Mix until everything is well combined, but don't over-beat.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth out the surface.
- Top evenly with the crumble mixture. Note: scatter the crumbs evenly and all the way to the edges of the cake, don't mound them in the center. This will help the cake bake more evenly.
- Bake the cake in the center rack of your preheated oven for about 45 minutes, or until done in the middle. The center should not be wobbly. You can check with a toothpick, but be aware that this is a brownie-like cake so your toothpick may come out with fudgy crumbs. Don't over-bake.
- Let cool for about 10-15 minutes, the shower generously with powdered sugar through a seive.
Notes
Nutrition
Crumbs samk!
Hi Michael ~ are you using the new updated recipe? The old one had crumb sinking issues, but this one doesn’t (shouldn’t!)
I followed the recipe exactly. I halfed it to an 8×8. Was fantastic! Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it!