Coffee-Coffee Cake Recipe

Anyone who has been to my home can tell you that I have a mild coffee addiction. There are no fewer than six different kinds of coffee makers on my kitchen counter and in my cabinets. So, it’s no surprise that I love to infuse the flavor of coffee into most of my baked goods. One obvious vehicle is this cake. A coffee cake blanketed in crumbs is such a classic New York institution, a gift from central European and Jewish immigrants. This version, shot through with a very Italian touch — an espresso-infused ripple of streusel through the center plus more espresso in the chunky, sugary crumbs piled on top — feels like a perfect reflection of the intermingling that happened in lower Manhattan at the turn of the twentieth century. If all that espresso doesn’t put a pep in your step, nothing will. —Renato Poliafito

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Coffee-Coffee Cake

Ingredients

For the filling:

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon  
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder 

For the crumb topping:

• 1 cup cake flour
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled 

For the cake:

• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
• 1¼ cups sour cream
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

To make the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and espresso powder.

To make the crumb topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, espresso powder, cinnamon, and salt.

Drizzle in the melted butter in two parts, mixing with your hands to evenly moisten and form large crumbs.

To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 325°F and set a rack in the center. Coat a 10-inch tube pan with a removable bottom with cooking spray and lightly dust with flour.