brown sugared roasted walnuts and nutty halva layered between rich sour cream coffee cake
This Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Halva and Walnuts was inspired by a good friend of course. When she and her adorable family came for brunch one weekend, she brought a cake similar to this one, where she loosely followed a recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi. I fell in love with the richness of the cake, and the contrasting flavors and textures that all worked so well together.
It took three or four test until I finally landed on a recipe that tasted almost as good as hers. Sour cream in the cake batter adds so much richness and makes the crumb very tender and moist. The molasses in the brown sugar mixed with a healthy teaspoon of cinnamon set the stage for the star of the show: the sweet and nutty Halva.
What is Halva made out of?
Halva is a very traditional Middle Eastern confection, similar to fudge. It is made out of raw tahini paste and sugar, and is often mixed with different seeds, nuts, and spices. Halva has a really unique texture, somewhat sugary and crumbly, but can be cubed or shredded as well.
What does Halva taste like?
Likely the best part of Halva is it’s rich nutty flavor from the sesame paste. Tahini has a more mild flavor than peanut or almonds, and the nuttiness can be translated into savory and sweet dishes. You’ll often see halva mixed with pistachios, dried berries, marbled with chocolate, or infused simply with vanilla extract. I highly recommend trying halva if you never have. My favorite halva in the world is made by my friends at Seed + Mill. Their hand-crafted tahini and halva is such high quality, and their flavors are unforgettable.
How to assemble the cake
First I start by roasting my walnuts. Taking the extra step to roast the walnuts is 100% worth it because it bring out so much depth of flavor and richness. Then, I melt the butter, and set it aside to cool. In the bowl of a stand mixer, I make the very simple sour cream coffee cake batter. You’ll cream butter and sugar, then add eggs, sour cream, and vanilla. Then the dry ingredients go in. To the cooled butter, you then add the cinnamon, roasted walnuts, and pinch of kosher salt.
Layer half of the batter in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle half of the sugary spiced walnuts on top, as well as half of the cubed halva. Carefully add the remaining batter on top, and use a small offset spatula to smooth out the top. Pour the remaining buttery nuts and generously place the halva cubes on top.
Important: Be sure to line your 9 x 5″ loaf with parchment paper since the walnuts and brown sugar get caramelized on the sides. Also, place the loaf pan on a rimmed baking sheet in the oven, in case you there is any spill over (there shouldn’t be, but just in case!).
How to store leftovers
The cake is best eaten fresh, the day it is prepared. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Love this recipe? Be sure to check out Halva Buckeyes, Chocolate Halva Zucchini Bread, Pear and Almond Brown Butter Cake
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I can’t wait for you all to make this incredibly delicious cake! As always, be sure to tag me in your pictures @lions.bread so I can see these recipes come to life in your kitchens, it’s truly the best!
xoxo – L
Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Halva and Walnuts
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature 8 tablespoons (113g)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 ¾ cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
For the filling and topping
- 1 cup Halva, plain, vanilla, or pistachio - cut into 1/2" cubes 175g
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup brown sugar packed
- pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Place the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 10-12 minutes until golden brown and fragrant. Set aside to cool. Line a 9 x 5" loaf pan with parchment paper.
Melt the 4 tablespoons of butter for the filling mixture, and set aside to cool.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the stick of butter and sugar on medium speed until lighter in color and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add the eggs, mix to combine, then add the sour cream and vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed until the ingredients are fully incorporated, about 2-3 minutes. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Don't overmix. The batter will be thick.
In a separate bowl, combine the roasted walnuts, brown sugar, cinnamon, and kosher salt with the melted butter, stir to combine.
Assemble the cake
Spoon half of the cake batter into the bottom of the prepared loaf pan. Use an offset spatula to level the batter. Sprinkle half of the buttery walnut mixture on top. Then sprinkle half of the halva cubes on top of the nuts. Spoon the remaining batter on top, then level out until smooth and even. Add the remaining nuts on top, then the rest of the halva. Place the cake pan on a rimmed baking sheet, in case of any spillover.
Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs. Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing.
Recipe Notes
The cake is best eaten fresh, the day it is prepared. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
The post Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Halva and Walnuts first appeared on Lion’s Bread Blog.