WHOLE-WHEAT CHOCOLATE-CINNAMON SWIRL-SOUR CREAM COFFEE CAKE

A rich, buttery cake is filled with chocolate chips, cinnamon, sugar and cocoa, then toped with  a crunchy, buttery pecan-chocolate chip streusel.  I found this dessert to be heavenly and I savored each and every bite.  Hubby thought it was heavy.  When it comes to cakes, he likes super-light textures.  He was alone in his critique, however.  All others who tasted it loved it.

The recipe was adapted from Baked.  While the cake is not 100% whole wheat, the streusel is, and it also has some coconut flour for additional fiber.  Does this make the dessert healthy?  Unfortunately, no.  But to make it a little less harmful, you could use a sugar substitute for some or all of the sugar, as I did.   And, P. S., the cake freezes beautifully.  Just wrap wedges in plastic wrap, place in a freezer bag or other freezer container, and they’ll keep for several months.  Leave wrapped wedges out at room temperature for about 1/2 hour before eating. 

Whole-Wheat Chocolate-Cinnamon Swirl-Sour Cream Coffee Cake Rating:  9 out of 10 Click for PRINTABLE PAGE

Chocolate Chip-Pecan Streusel: 1/4 cup white whole wheat flour 2 Tbsp. Bob’s Red Mill coconut flour (you may substitute 2 Tbsp. white whole wheat flour) 1/3 cup light brown sugar 1/4 tsp. fine sea salt or Morton kosher salt 1/3 cup toasted pecans 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 3 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter cut into 1” cubes In work bowl of food processor, briefly pulse flours, sugar and salt to combine.  Add pecans and chocolate chips; pulse till chips are finely chopped.    Add butter; pulse till combined using quick short pulses.  Refrigerate. Chocolate-Cinnamon Swirl: 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 tsp. unsweetened natural cocoa 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips In small bowl, combine all ingredients; set aside. Sour Cream Coffee Cake: 1-1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, whisked then lightly spooned and swept 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour, whisked then lightly spooned and swept 1/4 tsp. fine sea salt or Morton kosher salt 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 cup (1 stick) soft but cool unsweetened butter, cut into 8 pieces 1-1/8 cups granulated sugar (I used 6 Tbsp. sugar + 2 Tbsp. NuNaturals stevia) 2 large eggs 1 cup sour cream (regular or light) 3/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract (I used my homemade.) cinnamon sugar for dusting baking pan Heat oven to 350F.  Position oven rack in center position.  Grease an 8” springform pan.  Dust with cinnamon sugar on bottom and sides. Sift together flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon.  (You may not want to do this, but please do it anyway.  It aerates the dry ingredients.) In large bowl, using medium-high speed of electric mixer, cream butter and sugar till smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes.    Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add 1/3 of flour mixture using lowest speed of mixer, mixing only till barely combined.  Add 1/2 of sour cream, again mixing only till barely combined.  Scrape sides and bottom of bowl.  Repeat process, ending with the flour mixture.    Stir with spatula to be sure everything is mixed, then pour 1/3 of batter into the prepared pan, spreading to edges with spatula.  Sprinkle half of chocolate-cinnamon swirl over batter.  Repeat process.  Spread last third of batter, then top with streusel.  Bake about 1 hour 10 minutes, or till a toothpick inserted near center returns with just a few crumbs.  (If pick returns with melted chocolate, reinsert until you find a chocolate-free area.)  Cool in pan on wire rack for 30 minutes, then run a knife around edges of pan and remove sides.  Cut into wedges and serve warm or room temperature.  Yield:  8-10 servings