Chocolate Cinnamon Coffee Cake

I don't normally like coffee cake. Good coffee cake yes. But let's face it, not all coffee cake is good. The stuff with the brown sugary looking crumbles on top? While it's just not my personal taste, although I have had some that were really good, I usually will pass on it. Mention 'coffee cake' and I'm out.


This one caught my attention though as it doesn't have the crumbles on top. It has chuncks of chocolate and nuts instead. It was featured on the homepage of Yahoo! and linked to the page for it on Bon Appetit.


I haven't tried it yet, but I will soon. It looks too good to pass up.


Chocolate Cinnamon Coffee Cake


If you like, serve this with whipped cream or an extra dollop of yogurt. Servings: 12 


INGREDIENTS
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan 
½ cup blanched hazelnuts, chopped 
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped  
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon 
1 cup sugar, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour 
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup plain whole Greek yogurt 


PREPARATION
8" square baking pan


Preheat oven to 350°. Butter 8” square baking pan; set aside. Toss hazelnuts, chocolate, cinnamon, and ¼ cup sugar in a bowl. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and remaining ¾ cup sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions and occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. With mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with yogurt in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.


Pour half of batter into prepared pan and smooth top; top with half of hazelnut mixture. Spoon remaining batter over and smooth top; top with remaining hazelnut mixture. Bake cake until top is golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 40–45 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let cake cool in pan before turning out.


DO AHEAD: Cake can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
Recipe by Duane Sorenson