Cinnamon-Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

After such an exhausting week, of which I'll spare you the boring details, I spent this past weekend completely burnt-out and recovering. I slept right through a good portion of the "Bewitched" marathon on TV Land and couldn't bring myself to lace up my cross-trainers and workout. I knew I needed a pick-me-up to start off the new week with some gusto. I thought it a perfect time to bake that chocolate chip coffee cake I was craving. Is it odd to have such a specific craving? Anyhoo, I gathered all the ingredients and proceeded to bake. An hour later I removed a vision of chocolaty goodness from the oven and left it to cool. Twenty minutes later I returned only to discover the entire center had collapsed. I started to panic a little when it dawned on me, I should have listened to my instincts and let it bake longer. I had two options at that point 1.) Toss the cake and call it a loss, Or 2.) Put the cake back in the oven and hope for the best. The eternal hopetimist, I put the cake back in the oven and let it bake for an additional forty-five minutes. As both the oven and cake had cooled I knew it would need the extra time. To my great delight, not only did the cake bake to completion, but the collapsed center rose back to her former glory. In an event that could only be described as Divine Intervention, the cake was moist, perfect and delicious in every way. And just the pick-me-up I needed.


Cinnamon-Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Cake
Recipe courtesy Smitten Kitchen

1 stick unsalted butter (4 ounces or 8 tablespoons) at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs, separated
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
16 ounces sour cream
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

12 ounces chocolate chips
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In stand mixer or a large bowl with hand mixer, add butter and mix until creamy in appearance, add 1 1/2 cups sugar, then mix in the egg yolks and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking soda and baking powder together. Alternately add sour cream and dry ingredients into butter mixture, beginning and ending with sour cream. In separate bowl, beat eggs whites until stiff, then gently fold into batter. On separate small plate, mix remaining 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon together.

In a greased 9″x13″ pan, pour in half of the cake batter. Sprinkle the top with half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture and half of the chocolate chips. Pour remaining batter on top, sprinkle the top with the remaining cinnamon-sugar and chocolate chips.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.