This recipe for an American style coffee cake, has a crisp and crunchy crust with a soft buttery interior interspersed with bits of spicy chocolate streusel. It’s a pecan chocolate streusel cake and it doesn’t contain any coffee at all. It’s really quite addictive. Just grab a cup of coffee and tuck in.
It’s Random Recipe time again. And as a tribute to the birth month of this fabulous event, Dom has given us the task of picking a recipe from the book we used when we first took part in this challenge. I was mightily pleased about this as I was panicking rather at having to use the Valrhona chocolate book which CT gave me for Christmas.
There isn’t a single simple recipe in it. Elegant patisserie is not really my thing, I’m way too impatient. Divine by Linda Collister is a much more accessible book. Last year I used it to make butterscotch swirl brownies which were a great success. What would this year bring I wondered?
This year, CT did the honours again and picked page 76, which is an American Pecan and Chocolate ‘Coffee Cake’. It’s called this because you eat it with a cup of coffee rather than it actually contains coffee.
Pecan Chocolate Streusel Cake
This was a relief to me as I don’t like coffee, but I find it rather a confusing name. The recipe required a bundt tin. I’ve been on the look out for a silicone ring mould for ages but have had no luck so far, so I used a loaf tin instead. Or at least that was the plan. There was, in fact, too much mixture for one pan, so I made a mini loaf cake too.
I substituted yogurt for sour cream and added some chilli into the mix. As is my won’t I also added some wholemeal spelt flour into the mix.
That mini loaf was way too tempting and I consumed it warm from the oven. Ooh, it was heavenly. The cake has a crisp crunchy crust and a soft interior interspersed with bits of spicy chocolate streusel.
It’s deliciously buttery and not nearly as sweet as I’d imagined. It’s well flavoured and has just a touch of chilli warmth to it that isn’t easy to identify if you don’t know it’s there.
The main pecan chocolate streusel loaf cake looked really pretty with its dark streusel layers contrasting against the pale coloured crumb. All in all I was truly impressed and will be making this one again for sure.
Thank you once again Dom for getting me to bake something I probably wouldn’t have contemplated. And all because of the word “coffee”.
Other Recipes For Streusel Type Bakes You Might Like
- Apple crumble and custard cakes
- Blackberry & apple crumble bars
- Blackcurrant almond bars
- Chocolate blackcurrant buckle
Keep in Touch
Thank you for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make this pecan chocolate streusel cake, please let me know how it went in the comments. I’d also appreciate it if you could rate the recipe. Do you have any recommendations or advice for making this or similar cakes? If you post pictures of your creations on social media, please use the hashtag #tinandthyme so I can see them.
If you’d like more loaf cake recipes, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them. All delicious and nutritious, of course.
Choclette x
Pecan Chocolate Streusel Cake. PIN IT.
Pecan Chocolate Streusel Cake
Ingredients
Streusel
- 100 g pecan nuts toasted
- 100 g dark chocolate (I used Green & Black’s 70%)
- 4 tbsp light muscovado sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cayenne pepper
Cake
- 250 g unsalted butter softened
- 150 g golden caster sugar (I used cardamon sugar)
- 2 large eggs
- 250 ml natural yoghurt
- 300 g flour (I used half wholemeal spelt and half white)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 1 pinch fine sea or rock salt
Instructions
Streusel
- Roughly grind the pecans, chocolate, sugar and spices together in a coffee grinder or food processor. Put aside until needed.100 g pecan nuts, 100 g dark chocolate, 4 tbsp light muscovado sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp ground cayenne pepper
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 180℃ (160℃ fan, 350℉, Gas 4).
- Creamed the butter with and sugar together until light and fluffy.250 g unsalted butter, 150 g golden caster sugar
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time.2 large eggs
- Beat in the yoghurt.250 ml natural yoghurt
- Sift in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt, then fold it in gently until everything is just incorporated.300 g flour, 2 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), 1 pinch fine sea or rock salt
- Grease and line the bottom of a large (900g, 2 lb) loaf tin or lightly oil a bundt tin.
- Spoon half the mixture into the tin or bundt pan.
- Sprinkle half of the streusel over the top.
- Spoon in the rest of the cake batter and level.
- Finally, sprinkle the remaining streusel over the top and press it down gently with the back of a spoon.
- Bake in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Place a piece of tin foil or baking paper over the cake for the last 15 minutes to stop the top burning.
Ruth Ellis says
This is stunning! I was similarly confused about coffee cake for a long time, until enlightenment last year via a Daring Bakers’ Challenge set me straight. Might have to attempt de-dairying this one so I can eat it – it looks so good!
Suzanne says
This looks really lovely, and so interesting to hear – I am fairly sure I’ve skipped over recipes before because they are called ‘coffee’ cakes. What a good excuse to go and revisit some of my books. Thanks for sharing this.
Choclette says
Celia, you say the nicest things 🙂
celia says
Choc, only you could make a random recipe work so brilliantly! 🙂
The Caked Crusader says
oh yum – I love pecan in bakes but don’t get to use them often as my mum’s allergic to them
This looks a lovely cake and that seam of goodness running through it is delish!
Choclette says
CC, how difficult for your mother – I’m assuming it’s all nuts? You could always substitute something else – not sure what, but I expect something would spring to mind.
maha says
This looks totally delicious..I would love to try this…
Choclette says
Thanks for dropping by Maha, let me know how it goes if you do make this.
Chele says
PS – that should be bake not bale!
Chele says
What a great bale. In my humble opinion most things are made supremely better by the addition of a streusel layer … or maybe that’s my bias personal preference lol
Choclette says
A streusel layer AND chocolate Chele 😉
Choclette says
Yeah Ros, another one for the non coffee camp – very silly name I reckon!
Baking Addict says
This looks delicious!! Love the streusel layer. A great coffee cake without coffee in it 🙂 not that I drink coffee anyway.
Helene Dsouza says
I am tempted to try your cake. Can I have a bite please? *nicesmile*
Choclette says
Now, if only I hadn’t polished off the last piece yesterday! Thanks for your comment and for visiting.
Xinmei @ Pudding Pie Lane says
Yum! The ‘coffee’ in the name confused me too, but I guess that’s good if you don’t like coffee, you can have it with tea? 🙂 Just wondering, as I don’t have a coffee grinder, is there any other way of grinding up the pecans you can suggest?
Choclette says
Hi Xinmei, nice to see you here. In my book you can eat cake anytime, anywhere and with anything! As for grinding up the pecans, if you don’t have a food processor, you could try bashing them with a rolling pin in a plastic bag.
thelittleloaf says
I love the idea of picking a random page from your recipe book – there are so many that I pass over which I bet would actually be wonderful! Just like this – it looks gorgeous and the combination of chocolate and pecan is always a winner 🙂
Choclette says
LittleLoaf, Join in Dom’s challenge – I’ve now made about ten things I wouldn’t have done if it wasn’t for this and most of them I was really pleased about and some have been great discoveries – like this one 🙂
Fabulicious Food says
Ooh now this looks just scrummy! I love the combo of chocolate and pecan and the streuel topping is lovely. I’ve never made a streuel loaf so this is a lovely idea x
Choclette says
Ren, thank you. This was my first attempt at streusel and it will not be my last, I was really impressed at how easy it is to make a simple loaf so much more exciting.
Johanna GGG says
I feel the same way about coffee so I find myself a bit wary when I read a cake called a coffee cake but this looks lovely – I love the dense crumb as well as the line of chocolate in it
Choclette says
Thank you Johanna. The crumb was lovely, much like a Madeira cake. Therre seem to be a few of us who are in the “don’t like coffee’ camp.
Javelin Warrior says
I’m a coffee cake fiend =) I love to make it and love to eat it – and here in the US I guess the term “coffee cake” is synonymous with cake you eat with coffee (although quite frankly I’ve never stomached coffee and never had coffee cake with coffee). Love what you did with this and I’ve never had coffee cake with cayenne pepper…
Choclette says
He he, think I’ve grasped that you just love cake 😉
Janice says
Yes I always found that ‘coffee cake’ thing confusing! Looks delicious.
Choclette says
Thanks Janice – I’ll have to be less dismissive about coffee cake in future!
Angie's Recipes says
This looks scrumpy, esp. that layer of streusel.
Choclette says
Thanks Angie, I’m a streusel convert 😉
Dom at Belleau Kitchen says
oh god I am totally lost in that photo of the cake… I want a slice now… I am sorely tempted to put down my pathetic excuse for work, rush home and bake it… divine… what a great pick… so glad you enjoyed the challenge… and clearly lucked out… fabulous stuff!
Choclette says
Dom, as you know, I’ve really enjoyed your random recipe challenge. Just love discovering great recipes I might never otherwise have done and this is one of them 🙂
debby emadian says
This looks scrumptious. I love streusel cake. Oh thanks so much for the mention on Foodies 100 Ten at Ten.
I’m not going to be able to make the we should cocoa challenge in time for the deadline as I’m packing to get away for the weekend…It’s such an interesting one that I really wanted to do it but I’ve got no chocolate in the house and no time to get any. Where has the month gone? I must start early for the March challenge…
Have a great weekend,
Deb
Choclette says
Thanks Debby, you have a lovely blog and well deserved the mention. But I’m truly shocked you have no chocolate in the house!!!! Hope you have a great weekend.
Suelle says
I love this sort of cake – an extra layer of intense flavour without having to frost the cake!
Choclette says
Thanks Suelle. Think this is a very good point you make about baking an interesting cake and thus dispensing with the need for icing. Now pondering … some of the nicest cakes I’ve made haven’t actually had any sort of icing. Will have to use this technique more often.
laura@howtocookgoodfood says
I do love a good streusel cake and haven’t made one for ages. Being a chilli addict I totally approve of the changes you made to it too! Just gorgeous x
Choclette says
Laura, thank you. It was really interesting to have the chilli in only a small part of the cake – really liked the contrast.
chilliandchai says
oh my! This looks divine! Chocolate, chilli, cardamon & pecans…..fabulous.
Choclette says
Yes, have a feeling our tastes might be quite similar!!
Hannah says
That looks far more impressive baked in loaf form than it would in a bundt tin, it looks gorgeous especially with that defined chocolaty layer! I’d happily sink a slice of that with a cup of tea 🙂
Choclette says
You’re absolutely right, thank you Hannah 🙂
i-lostinausten says
These cake looks heavenly! I’m amazed with the ingredients especially the cayenne pepper! Well done & it really looks delicious! 🙂
Choclette says
Thank you Kit. The cayenne worked really well. It was just a barely discernible heat that shouldn’t put off any chilli haters but added a certain something.