Hello, welcome to Kelly’s Kitchen. Today’s sweet treat is perfect for Christmas morning. I love a good coffee cake this time of year, and this one ticks all the boxes. Cinnamon and sugar, paired with nuts and chocolate – a perfect combination, layered in rich, moist yellow cake. So great with a cup of coffee! This recipe is from Diane Morrisey; it’s a tradition in her family to have this cake on Christmas morning, and I can see why – it’s super easy and super delicious. Let’s get to it!
Chocolate Cinnamon Coffee Cake Ingredients
Cake
- 1 Box Yellow Cake Mix
- 1 Small Box Vanilla Instant Pudding
- 1 cup Sour Cream
- 1 tsp. Vanilla
- 4 Eggs
- 1/2 cup Vegetable or Grapeseed Oil
This Chocolate Cinnamon Coffee Cake comes together really easily; we are using a box cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, oil, and vanilla for the cake. The streusel topping is cinnamon, sugar, chocolate chips, sweetened coconut, and pecans (or walnuts).
Streusel
- 2 cups Chocolate Chips
- 1/2 cup Shredded Sweetened Coconut
- 1/2 cup chopped Pecans or Walnuts
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 2 tsp. Cinnamon
How to Prepare Chocolate Cinnamon Coffee Cake
Step 1
Start by preheating the oven to 350°F. Butter a bundt or tube pan and set aside.
Whisk together the streusel toppings in a medium bowl and set aside. Once whisking together the cinnamon and sugar, use your hands to really mix the nuts, coconut, and chocolate chips into the cinnamon sugar.
Step 2
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the pudding mix and the boxed cake mix. Then add the sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and oil. Whisk until it comes together, and then switch to a silicone spatula until the batter is smooth.
Chocolate Cinnamon Coffee Cake Assembly
Step 3
Now, pour half of the cake batter into the prepared tube or bundt pan and smooth out the top with the spatula. I only have a bundt pan; since we are adding streusel to the top, this is not the best choice, because we will present the cake with the streusel on top, meaning the pretty bundt design will not be on display. But it’s not a deal-breaker. You’ll see what I mean…
Then sprinkle half of the streusel mixture over the surface of the batter.
Then, top the streusel with the remaining half of the batter. Smooth the surface of the batter and sprinkle the remaining streusel over the top.
Place the pan on a rimmed sheet tray and place it in the preheated oven.
Step 4
Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out dry.
Step 5
Let the cake cool for 20 minutes or so before unmolding it. I am going to invert it, then invert it again, so the streusel topping is on top.
It’s a little sad not to see the pretty bundt shape, but I do like to see the streusel topping for the presentation. This Chocolate Cinnamon Coffee Cake is so moist, and the streusel topping gives wonderful texture variation with the pecans, chocolate chips, toasty coconut, and the sugar has caramelized in spots to give a crispy edge to the top. Wonderful!
We loved this cake so much that I am making another one for Christmas Day. It’s a great coffee cake that keeps really well covered on the counter for days. I do hope you give it a try, and I thank Diane Morrisey for sharing her family tradition! If you want to try something a little different for Christmas morning, try my Cranberry Clafoutis. Take care and be well, xo Kelly
Frequently Asked Questions
Chocolate Cinnamon Coffee Cake
Q. Can I use a tube pan instead of a bundt pan?
Yes! A tube pan is actually the better choice for this recipe since you’ll want the streusel topping on display. With a bundt pan, you’ll need to invert it twice to show the topping instead of the decorative bundt shape.
Q. Can I make this coffee cake ahead of time?
Absolutely! This cake keeps really well covered on the counter for several days. You can bake it 1-2 days ahead of Christmas morning.
Q. Can I use walnuts instead of pecans?
Yes, walnuts work great as a substitute for pecans in the streusel topping.
Q. Do I have to use vanilla pudding mix?
Vanilla works best, but you could experiment with other flavors like French vanilla or even chocolate pudding for a more intense chocolate flavor.
Q. Why does the streusel need to be mixed by hand?
Using your hands helps coat the chocolate chips, coconut, and nuts evenly with the cinnamon sugar mixture, ensuring every bite has the perfect balance of flavors.
Key Equipment
Chocolate Cinnamon Coffee Cake
Ingredients:
- 1 Box Yellow Cake Mix
- 1 Small Box Vanilla Instant Pudding
- 1 cup Sour Cream
- 1 tsp. Vanilla
- 4 Eggs
- 1/2 cup Vegetable or Grapeseed Oil
Streusel
- 2 cups Chocolate Chips
- 1/2 cup Shredded Sweetened Coconut
- 1/2 cup chopped Pecans or Walnuts
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 2 tsp. Cinnamon
Instructions:
- Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a bundt or tube pan and set aside. Whisk together the streusel toppings in a medium bowl and set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the pudding mix and the boxed cake mix. Then add the sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and oil. Whisk until it comes together, and then switch to a silicone spatula until the batter is smooth.
- Now, pour half of the cake batter into the prepared tube or bundt pan and smooth out the batter with the silicone spatula. Then sprinkle half of the streusel mixture over the surface of the batter.
- Then, top the streusel with the remaining half of the batter. Smooth the surface of the batter and sprinkle the remaining streusel over the top.
- Place the pan on a rimmed sheet tray and place it in the preheated oven. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out dry.
- Let the cake cool for 20 minutes or so before unmolding it. Invert it, then invert it again so the streusel topping is on top.
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