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Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

This chocolate chip coffee cake proves that a genuinely impressive brunch bake needs nothing beyond a stand mixer, cream cheese, and a little patience while it cools. This chocolate chip coffee cake recipe layers a cinnamon pecan topping over a tender, chip-studded crumb, delivering everything a proper chocolate chip crumb cake should taste like. Whether served for a lazy Sunday morning or dressed up as a sour cream chocolate chip coffee cake with a tangier swap, this recipe earns a permanent spot in the regular rotation.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: American
Calories: 474
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup butter softened
  • 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese softened
  • 1-1/2 cups sugar divided
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup 2% milk
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Equipment

  • stand mixer
  • 9-inch springform pan
  • Rubber spatula

Method
 

  1. Cream the base
    Cream the butter, cream cheese and 1-1/4 cups of sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips.
  2. Prep the pan
    Pour into a greased 9-in. springform pan. Combine the pecans, cinnamon and remaining sugar; sprinkle over batter.
  3. Bake and cool
    Bake uncovered at 350° for 30 minutes; cover and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30-40 minutes longer. Cool for 15 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen. Cool completely before cutting.

Recipe Notes

Cream cheese: I always soften mine for a full hour, since cold cream cheese leaves lumps in the batter.
Chocolate chips: I use good quality semisweet chips, since they melt more evenly throughout the cake.
Pecans: I use chopped pecans in the topping, though walnuts substitute just as well.
Butter: I keep mine softened for the batter, never microwaved to a puddle.
Milk: I use whole or 2% milk, since water leaves the batter too thin.