Glazed Brown Butter Coffee Cake
A fantastic coffee cake recipe, it comes together fairly quickly, is dense and delicious and has a crunchy topping and glaze. Besides, it contains the magic words brown butter, so it really is a cake you should make now and keep on making whenever you need a hug.
Servings 8 servings
Ingredients
For the streusel
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
For the coffee cake
- ¾ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup whole milk at room temperature
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 8 ounces sour cream at room temperature
For the glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk or lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- Butter or spray a 9x4-inch loaf pan or a 9-inch square pan.
- Line with parchment paper if wanted.
For the streusel:
- In a small bowl mix ¾ cup light brown sugar, ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 4 tablespoons unsalted butter together until the mixture resembles wet sand. Reserve.
For the cake:
- Melt ¾ cup unsalted butter in a saucepan with high sides over medium heat until it begins to foam. Bubbles will appear and a chirping noise will begin. Let it boil away until the bubbles and noise subside and the surface covers with foam.
- Lower the heat and watch carefully, twirling the pan a few times until a nutty smell appears and, beneath the foam, the butter is amber colored. Be careful not to burn it!. You have brown butter now. Transfer it to a medium bowl and let cool slightly.
- Add ¼ cup whole milk (first to lower the temperature), 2 large eggs and 8 ounces sour cream to the warm butter and mix well but don't beat.
- In a large bowl sift together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda and ½ teaspoon salt. Add ¼ cup white sugar and ½ cup light brown sugar and mix to combine.
- Make a well in the center and add the wet ingredients. Mix with a spatula until combined, like you would a muffin mix, but careful not to overmix.
- Spoon half of this batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with half the streusel mixture. Cover with the other half of the batter and end with the remaining streusel.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, depending on the pan you use until a tester comes out clean. The loaf pan might take a bit more.
- Let cool for 10 on a wire rack and carefully unmold. Some sugar might be stuck to the sides.
For the glaze:
- Mix ½ cup powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon milk or lemon juice until creamy and lump free.
- Drizzle over the cake.
- Keep wrapped at room temperature for a few days.
Notes
Pans: this cake was both great as a loaf and as a small sheet cake.
Sugars: both white and brown sugars are used, giving it sweetness as well as a caramel undertone that is fantastic with the brown butter.
Sour cream: it adds a lot of moisture to this cake and an unmistakable dense crumb that is so particular with coffee cakes.
Ingredients: use the best quality you can afford. This cake relies on simple ones, such as butter, for flavor, so the best ones will render the best results.
Serving: a glazed coffee cake is always my first choice, but this one can be served plain.
Storing: it keeps well for a few days at room temperature and it can be frozen for a month, well wrapped.
Flavorings: feel free to add other flavorings that complement the cinnamon, such as orange zest. Or try a new one, like ground cardamom.
