Chef Tom fires up the Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill, and bakes up a classic family recipe that's perfect for Christmas (or any) breakfast/brunch! This is Grandma's Sour Cream Coffee Cake!
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Creaming butter and sugar until light and fluffy first: Whisking the butter and sugar on high speed before anything else incorporates air into the base, giving the cake a lighter crumb than mixing everything together at once would.
- Adding eggs one at a time: Waiting for each egg to fully incorporate before adding the next keeps the batter from breaking or curdling, which can happen when eggs are dumped in all together against cold butter.
- Alternating dry and wet ingredients into the batter: Adding half the dry mix, then the wet ingredients, then the rest of the dry mix keeps the batter from overmixing or turning tough, since flour added all at once activates more gluten than flour folded in stages.
- Layering the cinnamon-sugar topping through the middle, not just on top: Splitting the topping between a middle layer and the very top means every slice gets a ribbon of crunchy, spiced sugar running through the center, not just a crust on the surface.
Grandma’s Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Tom Jackson
Rated 4.7 stars by 3 users
Category
Dessert
Cuisine
American
Servings
12
Prep Time
45 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Calories
352
Gift the gift of warmth and love this holiday season with Chef Tom's Grandma's Sour Cream Coffee Cake recipe. Perfect for a cozy Christmas breakfast or brunch!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened at room temp
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
-
3/4 tsp Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt
- 1 cup sour cream
-
1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
-
1/4 cup Noble Saltworks Maple Smoked Turbinado Sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup pecans, chopped fine (optional)
For the topping:
Directions
- Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 375ºF, set up for indirect grilling.
- Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt and mix well.
- Combine the sour cream, maple syrup and vanilla extract and mix well.
- Combine the ingredients for the topping and mix well.
- Place the sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whisk over high speed until fluffy and light in color.
- Reduce the speed to medium and add the eggs one at a time, waiting to add the second until the first is fully incorporated. Scrape down the bowl and whisk again to evenly distribute ingredients.
- Reduce the speed to low and add half of the dry ingredients. When add dry ingredients are incorporated, add the wet ingredients. When all wet ingredients are incorporated, add the remaining dry ingredients. When add ingredients are incorporated, scrape down the bowl and mix briefly again to distribute ingredients.
- Pour half of batter into a greased half sized foil pan. Spread evenly with a wet spatula. Sprinkle half of the topping over the batter. Top with the remaining batter. Again, spread evenly with a wet spatula. Sprinkle the remaining topping over the batter.
- Transfer the pan to the second shelf of the grill. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out mostly clean, about 45 minutes.
- Remove from the grill and let cool slightly before slicing to serve.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy before adding anything else?
Whisking them together on high speed first incorporates air into the base, which gives the finished cake a lighter crumb than combining all the ingredients together at once would.
Why add the eggs one at a time instead of together?
Waiting for each egg to fully incorporate before adding the next keeps the batter smooth. Adding both eggs at once against the creamed butter can cause the mixture to break or curdle instead of staying emulsified.
Why alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients instead of mixing them in all at once?
Adding half the dry mix, then the wet ingredients, then the rest of the dry mix keeps the batter from overmixing. Dumping all the flour in at once activates more gluten and can make the cake dense instead of tender.
Why put half the topping in the middle of the cake instead of only on top?
Layering it between the two batter layers means every slice gets a ribbon of crunchy, spiced sugar running through the center, not just a crust sitting on the surface.
How do I know when the cake is actually done?
A toothpick inserted into the center should come out mostly clean, with maybe a few moist crumbs. If it comes out wet with batter, give it a few more minutes before checking again.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
5 out of 5 — this bakes in a regular oven exactly the way it would on the grill; the pellet grill is just being used as an outdoor oven here; nothing about the technique requires smoke or open flame.
Recipe Highlights
Creamed butter-sugar base: Builds a lighter crumb than mixing everything at once.
One-at-a-time eggs: Keeps the batter smooth instead of curdled.
Alternated dry and wet additions: Prevents overmixing and a dense texture.
Middle-layered topping: Puts crunchy cinnamon sugar in every slice, not just on top.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 4.23 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 352
- Carbs
- 54 grams
- Protein
- 4 grams
- Fat
- 14 grams
- Sodium
- 206 milligrams
