Coffee cakes rank among the most popular of comfort foods, welcomed at breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, and as the name indicates, coffee breaks. A coffee cake batter is generally more liquid than a quick bread one and contains a bit more sugar, and as a result, the final product is lighter and moister. On the other hand, coffee cakes tend to be less sweet than butter cakes. There are many versions of kuchen, this streusel-topped sour cream type being a very popular one. It is commonly served at the meal following Yom Kippur, or Shavuot, and on Sabbath afternoons or the melaveh malcha ("accompanying the queen") party following the Sabbath. For the later occasion, spices are added to the batter and topping, reflecting those used during the havdallah ceremony signaling the end of the Sabbath.
Ingredients
One 9-inch square or Bundt cake; 6 to 9 servings
Streusel Topping:
Batter:
Glaze (optional):
Step 1
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (325°F if using a glass pan). Grease one 9-inch square pan,9-inch Bundt or tube pan, or 9-inch springform pan. Line with parchment or waxed paper, grease again, and dust with flour.
Step 2
2. To make the streusel: Combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg if using. Cut in the butter to resemble coarse crumbs. If desired, stir in the nuts.
Step 3
3. To make the batter: Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth, about 1 minute. Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time. Blend in the sour cream, vanilla, and zest if using. Stir in the flour mixture.
Step 4
4. Spread half of the batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of the streusel. Carefully cover with the remaining batter and sprinkle with the remaining streusel.
Step 5
5. Bake unitl the cake is golden and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 50 minutes. Set on a rack and let cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Wrap the kuchen in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Step 6
6. To make the glaze if using: Combine all the glaze ingredients, stirring until smooth and of pouring consistency. Drizzle over the cake and let stand until set.
HINT:
Step 7
When baking and storing a cake containing acidic ingredients such as sour cream in an aluminum pan, line the bottom with parchment paper to prevent the juices from reacting with the aluminum and creating a metallic flavor.
VARIATIONS
Single-Layer Coffee Cake:
Step 8
Spread all the batter in a 13-by-9-inch pan, sprinkle with all of the topping, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
Fruit-Filled Coffee Cake:
Step 9
After adding the middle layer of streusel, top with 1 cup peeled, cored, and thinkly sliced cooking apples, 1 cup peeled, pitted, and sliced peaches, or 1 cup pitted cherries, blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries.
Cheese Coffee Cake:
Step 10
Combine 8 ounces softened cream chees, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 large egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Spread over the top of the batter, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. If desired, spread 1/2 cup melted blueberry, cherry, raspberry, or strawberry preserves or pie filling over the cheese mixture. Sprinkle with the streusel.
How would you rate Ashkenazic Sour Cream Coffee Cake (Smeteneh Küchen)?
Leave a Review
Reviews (89)
Back to TopI've made this more times than I can count. I've given it as gifts, made it for holidays, for family celebrations, bereavement, anything and everything. It's simple and classic and so delicious. Excellent options for variations. It's pretty showy when glazed, and it looks so nice on a pretty, doily-covered plate. Cannot recommend this enough!
WayUpNorth
Alaska
1/25/2022
OMG, I don't know what anyone's problem was with this recipe! I made it EXACTLY as written, in a 9x13 glass pan, and it was FABULOUS! Brought me back to my childhood. It was very close to my mother's coffee cake. While my mother didn't make streusel, her topping had the same basic flavor. I left out the nutmeg, since that definitely wasn't in my Jewish mother's version. The cake was incredible!
barbbc
Deerfield, IL
12/28/2020
I made this cake as one layer in a 9x13" pan. I agree with other reviewers, I thought it was dry. I also thought the cake was not sweet enough. I would try it again with the following changes: about 1/4 cup more sugar in the cake part (this will also help with moistness), and a bit less sugar in the topping, which I found too sweet. The cake looked very much of the old Drake's Coffee Cake. I think these changes will bring the taste closer to the Drake's cake as well.
Anonymous
New York, NY
3/3/2018
This coffee cake was a total bust. I made it today hoping to freeze it and bring it for Thanksgiving, but the cooking time given was too long and it got burnt. I blame the exceedingly thick batter which wouldn’t even spread in the pan. (I had to kind of dollop it around.) All that said, my boyfriend peeled off the burnt part, slapped on a slab of butter, and deemed it “tasty as hell,” so I guess it wasn’t a total loss.
violet212
New York, NY
11/19/2017
I baked the cake in two English cake pans. I think I may have over baked it since it came out tasty but a little dry. I was expecting a denser, moister cake.
gulig
Israel
3/13/2016
This came out wonderfully - moist, light crumb, perfectly spicy crumble on top, absolutely delicious! I'm not sure why so many people are reporting a dry cake. I used full-fat sour cream, and made the single-layer 13x9 version in a glass pan (changed the temp to 325 per the recipe's tip, and baked only 30 minutes). Perhaps the tube pan version gets dry because it requires longer baking? Also, I ended up short by one egg, so I substituted 1/4 cup Greek yogurt to go with my other two whole eggs and it still came out great. All I know is I loved it (and I'm a little picky about dry baked goods), and it was a smash hit at the office -- devoured within an hour, and I saw at least one person go back for seconds.
SomeoneWhoBakes
Anaheim, CA
8/13/2014
Normally when a recipe is so highly rated, and there¿s one person who starts off, ¿I don¿t know why everyone thinks this is so great,¿ I dismiss that person as a curmudgeon or worse, an inept cook. But this time, I gotta agree; this cake is SO overrated! I grew up baking with my Finnish grandmother and am well-acquainted with my friends sugar, cinnamon, butter and sour cream. Plus I added tart apples I picked that morning. It still came out dry, sandy, bland, with a rough, unrefined crumb¿exactly like something vegan from the health food store. Mummi must be rolling in her grave.
fadiele
Oakland, CA
8/7/2013
真正伟大的基本配方。人们吃它!添加ed in some apricot preserves for a little change. Looking forward to trying varieties others have mentioned.
Anonymous
Washington DC
11/4/2012
不知道为什么这个利率这么高…这只是一个garden-variety coffee cake. Its versatility is worthy of some points, though. Usually my oven takes longer to bake things than the recipes call for, but in this case, I at the prescribed time my cake was a tad overdone, so keep a close watch. Anyway, in the future I will look for a more creative coffeecake with a lighter texture.
lekaty
Oakland CA
2/9/2012
Sorry naysayers.... for a scratch cake, this is easy. I had no baking soda, so used 4 tspn of baking powder. The cake was wonderful and moist. Added lemon zest to batter and about 1 tbspn of lemon juice to glaze.... yum!
hunterpaula
peterborough nh
12/23/2011
I think this is a keeper. Super easy, I made it in a 9X13 as a single layer and swirled a knife through before baking. Definitely going to try the cheese version with raspberry or blueberry preserves next time!
Anonymous
New England
12/21/2011
I made this for a catering.. It went over very well. I only did a single layer in a 9X12. I put the streusel topping on the top only using the nuts. I replaced some of the flour with 1/2c oats and 1/4c freshly ground flax (just for the health of it). It gave it more texture. I made it a 2nd time and put a swirl of cream cheese then 3 berry jam through it... Now that was very good too! This is a good one to experiment with...
barnbaked
So. Oregon
10/15/2011
Delicious! It's a real crowd pleaser. Everytime I bring it into the office people are a lot happier for the day :)
waipio2
Berkeley, CA
6/30/2011
My goodness, a lot of fuss for a german coffee cake; my mother whipped up something similar in half the time that tasted much better. Here is the recipe: Mix 2 cups flour with 1 cup sugar and ¾ cup butter into crumbs. Set aside 1 cup crumbs and add to remainder: 1 cup milk 1 egg 1 tsp. soda, cinnamon and cloves 2 cups raisins Stir, put into greased cake pan and top with the crumbs that were set aside. Bake in 350 oven for 30 minutes. Enjoy!
Anonymous
British Columbia
3/13/2011
Right as I was taking this out of the oven, my mother showed up. I offered her some. The house smelled great, she couldn't resist. It was so good, she asked for a copy of the recipe. This is definitely something I plan on making about once a month.
lotusflours
Portland
2/9/2011
