Heath Bar Coffee Cake ~ A low prep, no fuss coffee cake kicked up with crushed Heath candy bar bits.
Heath Bar Coffee Cake
Why Heath candy bar? Well my dessert-loving comrades, it is the ingredient that provides a much needed balance in an often unbalanced cake where the streusel not only takes top billing but it can also dominate the cake in flavor and in texture.
Given that, I wanted a recipe that would provide harmony between the cake crumb, the streusel and the nuts.
I started out with giving the cake crumb a more nutty flavor by using whole wheat flour instead of regular flour. From there, I skipped the traditional streusel topping for a streusel layer in the cake that included crushed Heath bar. The Heath bar allowed me to lower the brown sugar portion without sacrificing any sweetness. I added toasted nuts because nuts can pretty much make any baked good better, but of course feel free to skip this part. Lastly, I drizzled the top with some white chocolate and finished with a simple dusting of granulated sugar. The latter two items add more to aesthetics than taste—you know my inclinations for all things pretty.
A few notes:
- You can use either Heath candy bar or Skor candy bar. The two can be used interchangeably.
- If you don’t have all-purpose fwhole wheat flour, regular all-purpose flour will work just fine.
- This can be kept tightly wrapped and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Heath Bar Coffee Cake
{Printer Version}
Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9×13 pan with the 2 tablespoons of softened butter.
Streusel
¾ cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
¼ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
1½ tablespoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
2 tablespoon unsalted butter, cold cut into 2 pieces
¾ cup pecans
4 Heath bars, chopped in ¼ inch squares
Instructions:
1. Add flour, sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves to food processor bowl and pulse for about 15 seconds.
2. Add butter, pecans and Heath Bar to mixture in food processor; pulse until mixture resembles small pebbly pieces, approximately ten 1-second pulses. Set aside.
Cake
12 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened. Cut into ½ inch cubes. Plus tablespoon for greasing.
4 large eggs
1 ½ cups sour cream
2 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 ¼ cup all-purpose whole wheat flour
1 ¼ cups sugar, plus 3 tablespoon
1 tablespoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ white chocolate
Instructions:
1. Add eggs, 1 cup sour cream and vanilla in a bowl and whisk until combined.
2. Add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a stand mixer bowl. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend.
3. Add butter and remaining ½ cup sour cream; mix on low speed until dry ingredients resemble wet sand with a few large butter pieces still visible, about 1½ minutes.
4. Increase to medium speed and beat until mixture comes together.
5. Lower speed to medium–low and gradually add egg mixture in 3 additions, beating for 20 seconds after each additions.
6. Increase speed to medium-high and beat mixture until it is light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
7. Spread 2 cups of batter on bottom of pan. Smooth surface, sprinkle streusel filling. Spread remaining batter over streusel layer.
8. Bake until cake is firm to the touch and toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center, about 50-60 minutes.
9. Transfer to wire rack for cooling.
10. Scantily dust top with sugar before cake is cooled.
11. Drizzle melted white chocolate on top of cake once cooled. Cut into wedges and serve.
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated
I’ve been craving good coffee cake lately. I think because whilst researching i’m always itching for a nice cappuccino and a sweet to accompany it. This looks fab. I can’t wait to bake again!
diva´s last blog ..BakersRoyale Guest Post: SoNo’s No Bake Cheesecake
The heath bar definitely has an ideal combination of ingredients…all of the components I would want in a cake to begin with, so why not throw it in? This looks fantastic!
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This looks like great coffee cake. I wish I had some with my tea now.
Jean´s last blog ..No-Knead Whole Wheat Rye Bread
Wow, this sounds amazing, especially with the inclusion of Heath bar. I’m a no-nuts person, so I would probably leave out the nuts.
What a great idea to use whole wheat flour in place of white flour- it’s the perfect excuse to go back for another slide!
Wow. Now that definitely makes for a fun breakfast.
Michelle´s last blog ..Strawberry butter
Oh, snap…how’d I miss this one? I’ll be giving this a try soon.
~ingrid
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