Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
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Rich and tender from the addition of sour cream, and jam-packed with chocolate chips, this coffee cake is loved by all.
This old-fashioned coffee cake is rich, tender, and jam-packed with chocolate chips. It’s the kind of cake that appeals to just about everyone, and it’s super-simple to make. I was initially hesitant to share the recipe because it seemed so basic, but in the short time that I was contemplating that idea, half the cake disappeared from my countertop. Michael and the kids practically inhaled it. The cake is wonderful with a cup of coffee morning, noon, or night. It also travels well, so go ahead and pack it up for a picnic or wrap individual slices for the kids’ lunches. The recipe calls for a 10-cup Bundt pan but don’t stress if you don’t have one; you can easily bake the cake in a 12-cup Bundt pan (it’ll just be a little shorter) or a 9-inch square pan.
What you’ll need to make Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
How to make Chocolate chip Coffee cake
To begin, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy (use medium speed for a stand mixer or high speed for a hand-held mixer).
Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla.
Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Mix in half of the sour cream, followed by another 1/3 of the dry ingredients, until just combined.
Mix in the remaining sour cream, followed by the remaining dry ingredients, scraping down the bowl as necessary and mixing until just combined.
Gently mix in the chocolate chips.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan – it will come about halfway up the sides of the pan.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto the rack and allow to cool completely.
Carefully transfer the cooled cake to a plate; dust with cinnamon first, then Confectioners’ sugar, if desired. To slice the cake, use a serrated knife and sawing motion for best results. Enjoy!
You may also like
- Chocolate Chip Scones
- Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Cinnamon-Walnut Swirl
- Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cake
- Kentucky Butter Cake
- Marble Cake
- Chocolate Chip Muffins
Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
Rich and tender from the addition of sour cream, and jam-packed with chocolate chips, this coffee cake is loved by all.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off with a knife
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (12 oz) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips, best quality such as Ghirardelli
- Cinnamon and Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Generously grease a 10-cup Bundt pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray. (A 12-cup Bundt pan will work as well with no adjustments; it'll just make a shorter cake.)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy (use medium speed for a stand mixer or high speed for a hand-held mixer). Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Add ⅓ of the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Mix in half of the sour cream, followed by another ⅓ of the dry ingredients, until just combined. Mix in the remaining sour cream, followed by the remaining dry ingredients, scraping down the bowl as necessary and mixing until just combined. Gently mix in the chocolate chips.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan – it will come about halfway up the sides of the pan (or a little less than halfway in a 12-cup pan). Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto the rack and allow to cool completely. Carefully transfer the cooled cake to a plate; dust with cinnamon first, then Confectioners’ sugar, if desired. To slice the cake, use a serrated knife and sawing motion for best results. The cake keeps well for several days stored in a cake dome or covered tightly with aluminum foil.
- Note: If using a pan other than a Bundt, baking time may need to be increased.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, double-wrap it securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (14 servings)
- Serving size: 1 slice
- Calories: 336
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated fat: 11 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Sugar: 28 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Sodium: 178 mg
- Cholesterol: 49 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I tried this recipe for the first time yesterday and was surprised that it tasted fairly dense, more like a pound cake than a flaky coffee cake. I used fresh baking powder and baking soda, a 10” silicone tube pan and a stand mixer, but the batter barely rose higher than when it was first put in the pan. Should I have mixed the ingredients longer than just until they were incorporated into the batter?
Hi Phyllis, This cake is actually a bit dense, so I suspect you didn’t do anything wrong. Sorry if it didn’t completely hit the mark for you!
I made this tonight. However I can’t figure what I did wrong. The outside of the cake looks beautiful, but the middle of the cake is still raw and it’s been baking for nearly 50 minutes. I tested the oven temperature and there’s not a problem with that.any suggestions?
Hi David, Sorry you had a problem with this! Did you make any adjustments to the recipe or is there any chance you made a measuring error?
Hi Jenn,
I’ve made this before and it turned out excellent. Would like to redo today but all I have on hand is a touch of sour cream plus some 2% vanilla yogurt. Would that by any chance work?
Thanks !
Hi Malak, I think it should work, but I’d cut the sugar back just a touch as the vanilla yogurt will add a bit of additional sweetness. Please LMK how it turns out!
Can I replace the sour cream with greek yogurt?
Sure – hope you enjoy!
Dear Jenn, instead of chocolate chips can I use Dove bar? Do I have to melt it first with milk or just cut it in very small pieces?
Hi Vassiliki, I think you could get away with chopping the bar into chocolate chip-sized pieces. No need to melt them.
Hello Jenn..I made this for a brunch with my gal pals..turned out amazingly beautiful and tasty..my guests loved it.thanks for sharing the recipe..
My bundt pan is very old and beat up. is there a nonstick coating that would work best for this cake and can I use self-rising flour in place of AP?
Hi Gina, Cooking spray with flour like the kind by Baker’s Joy works well but if your bundt pan is really beaten up the non-stick coating may not be at its best and the cake may stick regardless of what you use. If you want to purchase a new bundt pan, I really like Nordic Ware’s. And for the best, most predictable results, I always think it’s a good idea to use the type of flour called for in the recipe because that’s how the recipe was developed and tested, so I’d stick with all-purpose. Hope that helps! 🙂
I agree that Nordic Ware makes the best bundt pans, but Everbake Food Release spray is unbelievably great for bundt pans! It is not cheap, but lasts a long time and is fool proof. King Arthur sells it.
This one didn’t work for me, all of the chocolate chips sank to the bottom and when I turned it out it fell apart – what did I do wrong?!
Oh no, I’m so sorry you had trouble with this, Ainsley! I’m happy to help troubleshoot — did you by chance make any substitutions?
I used regular milk chocolate chips as I couldn’t find the ones you use (maybe not available in the UK), perhaps they melted too easily?
That’s a bit of a head scratcher as milk chocolate shouldn’t make a difference. Not surprised though that because the chocolate chips sunk to the bottom that they stuck to the pan and contributed to the cake falling apart. If you try this again, maybe try it with mini chocolate chips instead – that should keep them from sinking.
I made this today for the second time and gave it as a gift. I heard back from one of the recipients that it was delicious. I’ve also made the sour cream coffee cake which was a success. I was wondering if the chocolate chip coffee cake cake could be adapted to mini loaf pans. I have made the chai banana cake dividing it into three mini loaves, ( 3” by 5” pans) which I enjoy giving as gifts. Can most of your batter type cakes be adapted to mini loaves with decreasing the baking time. At this time of the year, I enjoy making assortments of smaller sized cakes. Happy holidays to you!
Glad your recipients have liked this! I do think you could bake this in smaller loaf pans successfully. Happy holidays! 🙂
Hi Jenn,
How much cinnamon and sugar do you dust the top with? Rough estimate on the cinnamon would be great. Not as worried about the sugar. Thank you!
HD
Hi HD, I’ve never measured it as I just sprinkle it but if I had to guess, I’d say it would be about 1/4 tsp. Hope you enjoy the cake if you make it!
I love love this recipe and everyone who eats it LOVES LOVES this coffee cake! I’ve made this more than 5 times and this is my favourite coffee cake recipe. Oh my, I’ve been adding way more than 1/4 tsp of cinnamom and icing sugar, I think I’ve been adding 1 tsp of each, should I cut down to 1/4 tsp each or is it 1/4 tsp for both. Thanks again so much for sharing this amazing recipe!
Glad you like this cake, Trish! And no worries about adding more cinnamon and sugar – – if you like the way it tastes and get good reviews, I wouldn’t make any changes! 🙂
Love your recipes! Especially the Rum cake which is now my signature cake. For this cake, should the sour cream be room temperature?
Glad you like the recipes! 🙂 No, it’s not necessary for the sour cream to be at room temp. Hope you enjoy the cake!
Thanks for the answer! I have made this cake twice so far and received raves both times. I did cut back on the chocolate chips the 2nd time and I found I liked it better. Still, it’s an excellent recipe and I will be making it again and again!
I made this after the Cinnamon Swirl coffee cake which was fabulous. However next time I make this cake I think I’ll half the chocolate chips. Still delicious though.
Also, Jenn I coat my cake pans with a recipe of “Magic Cake Pan Release” that I found on the internet and my cakes come out of the pans intact and easily. I make a batch of it and keep it in the refrigerator: the ingredients- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (or GF flour); 1/2 shortening and 1/2 vegetable oil. Whisk ingredients thoroughly until combined. Store in airtight container Coat any baking pan with a thin layer. Easy, Peasy and better than spray.
Glad you liked it (and thanks for sharing your recipe for the pan release coating)!
I’ve made this several times; it’s both easy and delicious! I reduce the sugar to 3/4 cup because I find it too sweet otherwise. If I make it for our family, I cut it into thirds and freeze two of the thirds for later, and it defrosts beautifully in the fridge!
Very good cake. Might half the chocolate chips next time.
Jenn,
Thanks for your quick answer to my review. I just remade this cake because I had all the ingredients on hand but mostly because I’m stubborn and don’t accept failure well. I really slathered the pan with a cake release recipe I found on line (shortening, flour and oil). That seemed to do the trick and the cake came out beautifully. I already know it tastes delicious because I’ve been snacking on my previous attempt. Thanks for another great recipe!
LoL — glad you stuck with it and had better luck the second time around!
Jenn,
I lOVE all of your recipes. You are my go to source when I need to make something delicious.
Unfortunately I had my first fail with one of your recipes with this cake. I needed something to bring to a Shiva and this looked perfect. The cake would not release from the pan despite that it was liberally greased ahead of time. The mess is delicious though!
So sorry to hear that this stuck! Is your bundt pan several years old? If so, the non-stick quality may not be at its best so it could be time for a new one. I really like this one by Nordic Ware.
This cake is delicious! Can you freeze it?
Glad you like it and yes, it freezes nicely! 🙂
Could I replace the chocolate chips with fresh fruit or a nut/seed combo?
Sure, Lindsey. I’d love to know how it turns out!
Moist and so delicious, plus it’s super easy to make. What more could you ask for? Would recommend the butter be soft and that the eggs and sour cream be at room temperature.
I have made this cake twice. The first time I didn’t measure my chocolate chips and used a cake enhancer from King Author Flour and I didn’t like the cake at all. So, I made again following the recipe exactly and it was so good and moist. My husband isn’t a big chocolate fan and he even liked it.
Made your Sour cream cinnamon swirl coffee cake. It was a big hit. I would like to make the sour cream chocolate chip, but need to know how to bake it in a loaf pan. Can you tell me what adjustments I would have to make? Thank you. AF
Hi Bella, Yes– I think you’d need either two 8 x 4-inch or one 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. The baking time should be about the same. Enjoy!
A perfect dessert that is easy to make and transport. It’s also a great addition when hosting brunch or afternoon tea. I typically make this after making your NY cheesecake recipe, bc I have sour cream to use up:)
An absolutely yummy, moist and tasty cake. Finally found my favourite chopped chip cake. I didn’t have a bundt tin so I put a small ramekin dish in the middle, worked really well. Thank you 😊
I’ve just made this cake, I didn’t have chocolates chips so I quartered 16 oreo cookies and it was so scrumptious, I love the cake, thanks for the recipe.
Yum! I substituted brown sugar for the white sugar and it tastes just like a chocolate chip cookie! Thanks for posting!
Jenn,
As I do more baking (second chocolate chip coffee cake I need the oven)I was wondering if you have a preference for flour for baking such as bleached vs unbleached, pre-sifted vs. not sifted? I was at the food store today and the question came to my mind. Thank you for any advice.
Hi Ilene, I use King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour for all my baking, and I never sift it. Hope that helps! 🙂
I made this yesterday after making the cinnamon walnut coffee cake last week. This was also excellent and appreciated by the younger ones we served. I combined the cinnamon and confectioners sugar in my sifter and lightly dusted the cake. It smelled delicious. Another winning recipe and you’ve turned me into a bundt cake believer.
Made this cake twice already!! My kiddos and hubby loved it.
Would this recipe work with GF flour? Thanks.
Hi Karen, I haven’t tried this with gluten-free flour, but I suspect it will work. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you make it!
This sour cream chocolate chip coffee cake is absolutely delish. I made it to take to my kids on a weekend visit and there wasn’t a piece left for me to take home. Definitely a keeper recipe. Thanks.
Absolutely delish!It reminds me of my childhood with a glass of Milk! It s simple yet so good everyone in the family love it! Best part is my daughter can help me making it!
Just made this cake. Came right out of the bundt pan. I melted butter and greased the pan really well Now itc has as a nice buttery coating on the outside. Can’t wait to eat it tonight
Followed directions carefully. Wouldn’t release from pan. The pathetic pieces taste great. Will try again in a different pan. And use shortening and flour rather than butter to grease pan.
Hi! How far ahead can I make this? I’d like to bake 2 days ahead of serving. Will it stay moist and, if so, what is the best way to store it without freezing it? I make another chocolate sour cream rum bundt cake, and have the same question about that one? Thanks!
Hi Jane, This cake keeps quite well so I think 1 to 2 days ahead of serving is fine. I’d keep it on the countertop or in the fridge in a covered cake dome (just be sure to bring to room temp before serving).
Great recipe! Super fast and easy with minimal clean up. Better on the second day!
Made this today and it’s a hit with the family. I used a Lodge cast iron fluted cake pan, and had to cook it about 45 minutes or so. Turned out exactly like the picture. It’s not as moist as your recipe for lemon Buttermilk pound cake,but still very good. Will make it again.
I made it today and it is delicious. I reduced the sugar to 3/4 cup, used 3/4 of the bag of chocolate chips and also added almost the entire cup of chopped walnuts. I think next time I’ll reduce further the amount of chocolate chips. I baked it for almost 55 min before it got a nice color
This cake is absolutely fabulous! I made it for an office birthday celebration and everyone loved it! I did choose to reduce the sugar a little, but this is a very versatile recipe, as others have said, you can make some slight changes like that and it works just great! I am a long time baker and I have many of the same books that you reference from time to time. Thank you for all your recipes Jenn. You are truly a talented Chef all around and I look forward to getting your book soon. I got the notice from Amazon yesterday that it shipped! 🙂
P.S. Hope you stop in the San Francisco Bay Area some time, would love to come to one of your book signings.
So happy you enjoyed it, Gia! Hope you love the book, too! ❤️
I just made the cake and let it cool 10 minutes in pan on rack. Turned pan over to invert onto rack and about 1/3 of the cake stuck in the pan. I sprayed it very well with non-stick cooking spray. Although I cooked it for 40 mts., the inside of the cook almost looks like it needed to cook longer. I’m wondering if I should have used the flour/non-stick spray I normally use instead of just the non-stick spray? Any suggestions on what may have gone wrong?
Hi Glinda, Sorry to hear you had a problem with this sticking! I do think the non-stick spray with flour works well, so I’d suggest trying that next time. Also, if your bundt pan is old, the non-stick coating may be starting to wear off. Regarding it looking a bit underdone – could your oven temp be “off?”
drizzled choc bittersweet chocolate ganache on top. This recipe is definitely a winner in my home. Its cery easybto make and most of the ingredients I already had on hand. AWESOME RECIPE!!
Hi Jenn, first I want to say thanks so much for share your recipes. I am trying to make every recipe I love and I’m enjoying it. I CAN say I am your fan. 😀 I’ve been making 2 times sour cream cake, can I add to this recipe 1 more cup of flour I want it to be bigger. If yes, what about other ingredients and will the baking time be the same? Thanks again 😘🌷
Hi Fanny, Thanks for your nice words and so glad you’re enjoying the recipes! While you could certainly try tweaking this, I’m not confident that these changes would be successful. For the best results, I’d suggest sticking to the recipe as written.
Delicious! This is a dense, moist cake. The first time I made it as described except I sprinkled in a little cinnamon. The second time I made it, I halved the sugar and made it with dark chocolate chips to make it less sweet. My husband loves it, and I like to cut it into fourths, wrap it in plastic wrap, and put it in a Ziploc in the freezer so we always have some on hand for a quick little dessert.
Just as you described, this recipe is simple yet such a crowd pleaser – I made it for my family and it was gone by days end! I used mini chips and a special bundt pan with lots of ridges from William’s Sonoma and it was extra elegant. I often modify recipes to make them lighter (i.e. less butter and sugar, replace some fat with apple sauce, etc.) but this time I left great enough alone and am glad I did. I did however use light sour cream and it tasted remarkable all the same. This cake will be my new go to for parties, family get togethers, and rainy days. Thank you for sharing!
Absolutely delicious so moist. With the chocolate chips I added white chocolate chips and heath chips. Came out caramelized super flavor. My neighbor loved it so did my husband. Easy to do recipe. Every step easy to understand and great pictures attached to steps. I have NEVER been disappointed with any of your recipes. Can’t wait for the book.
Made this cake, as a “thank you” gift for neighbor who plows our driveway each and every time we have a snow storm. He was so ecstatic, and full of superlatives about this special cake. It was not difficult to put together, due to the excellently written directions, and the logical sequencing of steps. I am a visual learner, so having the step-by-step photos is wonderfully appreciated. Made one for my husband also, and he critiqued it for me (I could not sample, due to gluten sensitivity). He stated that it is moist, with a wonderful crumb and palate feel, and a bakery-quality flavor. I used Ghiradelli bittersweet chips (our favorite). Since I’ve gotten rather adept at converting recipes, I made a gluten free cake using my own GF flour blend, adding xanthan gum, and replaced half of the butter with Earth Balance (did this with my husband’s cake as well). I also added 1 tsp ground cinnamon to the batter. My taste buds were very happy. Made a GF one for our daughter who lives in Boston, and shipped it off to her (using UPS, it arrived overnight!). She rated this 5 Stars, and now I have another great GF recipe, thanks to you, Jenn. Mil gracias, from all of us (including my neighbor). P.S. I’ve made several of your recipes, and I value how really well they turn out.
This is one my family grew up with except one difference. We added a cinnamon sugar mix of 3 parts sugar 1 part cinnamon and sprinkled it three times in layers over the batter. We then sprinkled it over the top so when finished the top cinnamon sugar side is facing up and the bottom of the bundt shape is on the plate. I made it today with the cinnamon sugar mix for brunch and it was just as I remembered. Also for those who asked about the mini choc chips, for me the regular size are good in this one–a nice bite of chocolate
Yet again…another winning recipe! My daughter loved it! Thanks Jenn! Keep them coming…..
Jenn,
I subbed half the sour cream with nonfat Greek yogurt. Came out excellent. Have you done that? Have tried subbing all the sour cream out for Greek yogurt to lessen saturated fat content?
Peg
I haven’t tried that, Peg – but good to know that it works!
Another family friendly recipe. My kids love those packaged cookies and snacks, I’m trying to get away from that with making more home made treats. Parents and kids really enjoyed this one. I think I will try half the sugar and half the chocolate chips next time because I think I could get away with it.
My daughter is a huge chocolate lover and chocolate chip cookies are her favorite so I thought I would try this cake. Huge hit! She has almost eaten the entire thing. I will make this again. Thanks!
This cake is delicious! Will definitely make it again.
No soggy issue with me. Dense and flavorful. I added cinnamon and cardamom, which I love in baked goods anyway. I’ll make it again for sure.
This cake did not bake well. Outer part baked but was very wet in middle even with additional baking time. Used half a bag of chocolate chips and that was more than enough. Just not at all what I expected. Dry on outside soggy on inside.
Hi Bernadette, sorry to hear you had a problem with the cake! Is there any chance you measured something incorrectly?
To me the cake seemed average, but my husband said this was quite possibly the best cake I’ve ever made. Thank you.