Coffee-Crunch Coffee Cake

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup (65 g) granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup (about 40 g) mini semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
• ⅓ cup (about 30 g) toasted chopped nuts
• 1½ teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• Pinch of ground cinnamon
• Pinch of fine sea salt
• 1½ tablespoons instant espresso powder
• 1 tablespoon boiling water
• 1¾ cups (238 g) all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 7 tablespoons (99 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons neutral oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup (120 ml) full-fat coconut milk, well stirred
• About 1½ cups chilled cocoa crumbs
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)

Instructions

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Coat a 9-inch square baking pan with baker’s spray and line it with parchment, leaving an overhang on two sides.
2. Make the crunch: Toss the first six ingredients—the sugar, chocolate chips, nuts, cocoa, cinnamon, and salt—together in a small bowl; set aside.
3. Stir the espresso powder and boiling water together in a small cup until dissolved; set aside to cool.
4. Whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together in a medium bowl.
5. Beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with a mixer on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until well blended, light, and creamy. Scrape the bowl as needed.
6. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for about 1 minute after each. Beat in the oil, vanilla, and dissolved espresso until smooth.
7. On low speed, mix in half of the dry ingredients, then the coconut milk, and finally the remaining dry ingredients. Mix only until the flour disappears and finish folding by hand.
8. Spread half of the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Sprinkle all of the chocolate-nut crunch over it, then cover carefully with the remaining batter and smooth the top.
9. Scatter the chilled cocoa crumbs evenly over the cake. Bake for 38 to 45 minutes, until the topping is crisp and a tester inserted away from the chocolate ribbon comes out clean.
10. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift out with the parchment and cool completely. Dust with confectioners’ sugar if desired and cut into 9 to 12 pieces.