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Maple Walnut Coffee Cake

Maple Walnut Coffee Cake

This maple walnut coffee cake proves that a forgotten brunch promise and a half-used bag of walnuts can turn into a genuinely impressive bake with almost no advance planning. This maple walnut coffee cake recipe layers a double walnut streusel around a tender sour cream batter, delivering everything a proper walnut crumb cake should taste like. Whether served at a holiday brunch or dressed up as a maple pecan coffee cake with a nut swap, this walnut streusel coffee cake earns a permanent spot in the regular rotation.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 9 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup (32 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup (27 grams) California walnuts (finely chopped)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons (43 grams) unsalted butter (melted)
Coffee Cake:
  • 2 cups (254 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (54 grams) California walnuts (chopped)
  • 1/2 cup (170 grams) maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup (59 grams) whole milk
  • 2 large eggs (beaten)
  • 1 teaspoon maple extract ((optional*))
  • 8 ounces (227 grams) sour cream (at room temperature)
Topping:
  • 1/2 cup (63 grams) powdered sugar (sifted)
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Equipment

  • 8-inch square metal baking pan
  • Mixing bowls
  • A sturdy fork

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray the bottom of an 8-inch square pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. In a small bowl, combine all of the streusel ingredients with a fork until crumbly. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, brown sugar, and walnuts. In a medium bowl, stir together the maple syrup, oil, milk, eggs, and maple extract. Stir in the sour cream. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then pour in the wet ingredients. Gently stir until just combined.
  4. Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of the streusel. Spread the remaining batter over the streusel. Sprinkle with the remaining streusel.
  5. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes.
  6. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and maple syrup until a thick, pourable icing forms. Drizzle over the warm cake. Cut into squares and serve. Store leftovers inside an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Recipe Notes

Maple syrup: I always use real maple syrup in the batter and icing, since imitation pancake syrup tastes noticeably artificial.
Walnuts: I use California walnuts, finely chopped for the streusel and larger for the batter, though pecans substitute well for a maple pecan coffee cake.
Sour cream: I always use full-fat, since it gives the richest, most moist crumb in this batter.
Butter: I use melted for the streusel, since it pulls the crumbs together quickly.
Maple extract: I add this for a stronger maple punch, though skipping it still leaves a good brown sugar cake.