Are you on team #snackcake? If you’ve been here a while, you probably know that we are a little obsessed with the concept. From pumpkin cakes At peanut butter banana varietal, I have made my fair share of cakes at any time of day over the years. But I can’t take credit for its popularity. Cookbook author, baker and food stylist extraordinaire, Yossy Arefi released an entire book dedicated to snack cakes. (And trust: The book contains countless pages of recipes that surprise, delight, and deliver.) As a longtime follower—and to the delight of my friends—I have prepared many of Yossy’s recipes for gatherings. But nothing seduced me as much as the recipe she offers us today: a coffee cake, cream cheese and walnuts.
Yossy Arefi Shares His Walnut Cream Cheese Coffee Cake Recipe
Snack, Yossy’s third cookbook, arrived just in time for the holiday season. This new collection of recipes highlights desserts and sweet treats that are both delicious and incredibly easy to make. Almost all of the recipes in the book take less than an hour, require only one bowl, and feature simple ingredients and accessible equipment.
While I already have a few favorites from the book (including marble cake and monster cookies!), this Coffee and Walnut Cream Cheese Cake is my favorite. Think of all the best parts of a classic coffee cake, upgraded with added warmth for the holiday season. Can I invite friends over just to have an excuse to make this cake? Of course.
Ahead, find out all the details about Yossy’s new cookbook and the Coffee, Cream Cheese, and Walnut Cake recipe your holiday baking repertoire needs.
- Advertisement -
How would you describe your culinary and food philosophy? How has this influenced your recipes?
I’ve lived in a small apartment without a dishwasher for a long time, so I always appreciate quick and easy recipes that use minimal ingredients and minimal equipment. I also extend this philosophy to my baking, which is why I loved writing Snack.
Take this recipe for example. You just need an 8×8 pan, a few bowls and measuring tools. Assembly is quick, without electrical equipment, in less than an hour!
How did you develop this recipe?
I wanted a delicious coffee cake that was bang for the buck. You have to make a cake batter and crumble topping, but the crumble also goes in the center of the cake with cream cheese for a nice buttery crunch that makes it a little more special than your average coffee cake.
What makes this recipe your go-to for the holidays?
This is a super simple and effortless recipe with a ton of warm, toasty, and creamy flavors.
What are your essential kitchen utensils in the kitchen?
All cake and bar recipes (in this cookbook) can be made in an 8×8 inch pan. I love the USA Pan ones. My other essential kitchen tools are:
- Advertisement -
- a scale to measure ingredients
- a strong whip
- a flexible spatula
- half plates
- knives
- a small offset spatula
What ingredients make this recipe special?
Cream cheese, toasted nuts, cinnamon and the perfect amount of butter.
Can you do ingredient swaps?
You can easily add a gluten-free flour blend for all-purpose and any nuts or spices you like for nuts and cinnamon.
What’s a cooking tip everyone should know?
I really like to maximize the effort I put into my cooking and baking. Even though this recipe has two components, the crumb topping is used twice to give this cake lots of interesting flavor and texture.
- Advertisement -
What advice would you give to beginner bakers?
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes! You learn a lot by just trying things and seeing what you like. Start with simple recipes, like those from Snackand progress to more elaborate and longer pastries.
What’s the best part about creating shareable recipes that people can take home?
It’s such an honor for people to prepare my recipes and for me to be a part of their lives and celebrations, in some small way. I love being tagged in daily baking posts just as much as I love being tagged in birthday and holiday posts.
What other recipes Snack do shoulder drives go first?
Ooooh there are so many! The monster cookies, the blondies, the mazurkas, the brown butter marble cake, I could go on…
Follow Yossy online on apt2bbakingco.com and on Instagram at @yossyarefi.
“Snacking Bakes” Copyright © 2023 by Yasameen Arefi-Afshar. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.
clock iconcutlery iconflag iconfolder iconinstagram iconpinterest iconFacebook iconprint iconsquares iconheart iconheart solid icon
Description
This extra cozy coffee cake has a secret. In addition to the crunchy, crunchy crumble topping, there is a layer of brown sugar and rich cream cheese running through the center. Enjoy this cake warm straight out of the oven, or bake it in the evening and reward yourself with a very tasty breakfast.
Cinnamon Walnut Crumble
- 1/2 cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (64 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (60 g) chopped toasted walnuts
- 1/4 cup (25g) old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 4 tablespoons (56g) soft butter, melted
Coffee and sour cream cake
- 3/4 cup (150g) caster sugar
- 2 big eggs
- 3/4 cup (173g) sour cream
- 8 tablespoons (113g)
- Unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 ounces (57g) cold cream cheese
- Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 F. Coat an 8×8 to 8-inch baking dish with cooking spray or brush with butter. Line the mold with a strip of parchment paper that extends over two of the edges.
- Prepare the crumble: In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, nuts, oats, cinnamon and salt and stir to combine. Add the melted butter and stir until well combined. The mixture will be sandy.
- Make the cake: In a large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar and eggs until pale and foamy, about 1 minute. Add sour cream, butter and salt and whisk until smooth and emulsified.
- Stir in the baking powder and baking soda. Add the all-purpose flour with a spatula and mix.
- Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Use your fingers to break the cream cheese into teaspoon-sized pieces and distribute them over the top of the dough. Sprinkle half of the walnut crumble on top. Pour the remaining batter over the crumble and use a spatula or offset spoon to gently smooth the batter. Sprinkle the remaining walnut crumble.
- Bake the cake until puffed and golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes.
- Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack, then use the parchment paper to lift the cake and onto the rack to cool completely. Store lightly covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or a few more days in the refrigerator.
Alarming Record-Breaking Drug Overdose Deaths Claimed 108,000 American Lives in 2022, Reports CDC
