Chocolate Coffee Cake Recipe

If you love a sweet treat for breakfast to go with your cup of coffee, then this Chocolate Coffee Cake is for you. Traditional coffee cake batter is mixed with a little cocoa powder and a lot of chocolate chips, topped with an easy crumb topping, and baked to golden brown perfection. Oh, and this Chocolate Coffee Cake also makes for an amazing crowd-pleasing dessert. 

Why I Love This Chocolate Coffee Cake

It’s no secret that I love a sweet breakfast as much as a savory one. One of my favorites is a traditional coffee cake, but that might just be replaced by this chocolate coffee cake! It’s everything you love about coffee cake, with chocolate chips! The first time I tried it, I knew I had a winner.

It’s easy to make with ingredients you most likely have in your kitchen already. If you're a chocolate lover too, then you need this recipe in your routine. It might just be the perfect cake for breakfast...or dessert!

• Chocolate for breakfast is the best thing ever. Occasional indulgences should be parent approved.
• This delicious cake doubles as a great dessert as well.
• You can make the coffee cake a day ahead of time so it’s ready to reheat in the morning.
• Perfect for holiday breakfasts, brunches, pot lucks, or desserts!
• All of the ingredients are most likely already in your kitchen!

Chocolate Coffee Cake Recipe Ingredients

This recipe only requires simple ingredients you probably have on-hand already.

For The Coffee Cake

Salted butter - Softened. If you only have unsalted butter on hand, just add an extra pinch to the dry ingredients.

Dark brown sugar - Dark brown sugar is best for this recipe and will produce moistest results. Light brown sugar can be used in a pinch.

Granulated sugar - You can also replace a portion with raw sugar or coconut sugar if desired.

Eggs - For an eggless option, try using some unsweetened applesauce or make a flax egg.

Vanilla extract - Flavoring extracts are very concentrated, so be careful not to use too much. 

All-purpose flour - Use a gluten-free flour blend like the one from Bob’s Red Mill or oat flour for delicious gluten-free coffee cake.

Cocoa powder - Use an unsweetened cocoa powder.

Baking powder - Make sure your baking powder is fresh/in date for best results.

Baking soda - Again, make sure your baking soda is fresh for best results.

Salt - Did you know that in low amounts, salt enhances the sweetness in foods.

Sour cream - You can sub plain yogurt for the same amount of sour cream. See more options below.

Semi sweet chocolate chips - These are my favorite and  bake really well, but any type of chips can be used. Even dark chocolate.

For The Crumble Topping

Brown sugar - light or dark brown sugar can be used for the crumb topping mix.

Flour - Again, use a gluten-free flour or oat flour for gluten-free crumb topping.

Melted butter - salted or unsalted butter can be used.

How to Make Delicious Chocolate Coffee Cake

You'll be surprised that this simple recipe produces such a decadent treat. It only takes a few simple steps and might just be the easiest coffee cake recipe you've ever tried.

Make The Cake Batter

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large mixing bowl with a hand electric mixer), combine the butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.

Step 2

In a separate large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and baking powder. Mix well. Gradually add this flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat on medium-low speed until just combined.

Step 3

Add the sour cream and mix until just combined. Stir in 1 cup of the chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading in an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of chocolate chips over the top.

Make The Crumble

Step 1

In a small or medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour and melted butter. Stir until crumbly. 

Step 2

Sprinkle crumbles over the batter in the pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 

Let the cake sit for 5 minutes, cut into squares and serve!

How to Prep Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake Ahead of Time

• Prepare the recipe as directed through sprinkling the crumble over the top of the batter.
• Cover and refrigerate.
• Let the pan sit at room temperature for 30 minutes prior to baking and bake as directed, or..
• Prepare in its entirety the day before and reheat in the morning

Recipe Notes

• This is a very chocolatey, indulgent morning treat. Cut the cocoa powder in half for less chocolate flavor.
• The addition of sour cream makes for a super moist chocolate coffee cake. Sour cream coffee cake is the best!
• It's best to use room temperature ingredients when baking from scratch.
• Cool any leftovers fully before wrapping.

Substitutes for Sour Cream in Baking

The best substitutes for sour cream when baking are plain Greek yogurt, skyr, kefir, buttermilk, mayonnaise (yes, mayonnaise), and cream cheese. Cream cheese should be thinned out a little with milk or buttermilk before adding to the recipe ingredients.

Does Coffee Cake Have Caffeine

Interestingly enough, coffee cake doesn’t really require coffee as an ingredient. As such, there is no caffeine or even any coffee flavor in regular coffee cake.

However, because of the cocoa powder and the chocolate chips used in this recipe, there is a minimal amount of caffeine in this particular coffee cake.

Crumb Cake vs. Coffee Cake

The main difference between crumb cake and coffee cake is found in the name. Crumb cake has a larger amount of crumb topping on the top of the cake than coffee cake.

Also, the crumb topping is an integral part of crumb cake but optional for coffee cake. You can top a coffee cake with a chocolate ganache or a coffee buttercream frosting and it's still a coffee cake.

Semi Sweet Baking Chocolate vs Chocolate Chips

Semi-sweet baking chocolate is sold in bars or squares and contains more cocoa butter and fat than chocolate chips. Baking chocolate is great for melting. Chocolate chips contain stabilizer ingredients in them to help them keep their shape and from melting fully when baked. 

How to Serve Chocolate Coffee Cake

However you decide to serve this coffee cake, make sure you enjoy it with a nice cup of strong hot coffee.

• Serve this coffee cake as is or top it with fresh berries and a dusting of powdered sugar.
• It also makes for a decadent dessert. Again, you can go with the fresh berries or add some ice cream and whipped cream as well for an over the top treat!

How to Store Leftover Coffee Cake

Store any leftover coffee cake in a well-sealed, airtight container. Cool any warm cake on a wire rack before wrapping and storing. 

At room temperature, the cake will be good for 2 days. It will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 7 days or can be frozen for up to 3 months. I like to cut the coffee cake and wrap the individual pieces in plastic wrap, then put the pieces in a large freezer safe bag.

How to Reheat Leftover Coffee Cake

You can give day-old coffee cake a quick 15-20 second blast in the microwave to soften it up a bit.

From frozen: Allow frozen cake to thaw at room temperature.Finish warming in the oven or the microwave.

More Indulgent Breakfast Ideas

• Red Velvet Cake Mix Waffles
• Caramel Apple Pancakes
• Zucchini Chocolate Muffins
• Crockpot Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread
• Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes
• Apple Streusel Coffee Cake