Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

I found the original recipe for this here a few years ago and my guys love it. If I want to take it to a gathering, I have to make an extra to leave at home. While there aren't many ways you can make it healthier, I do use Neufchatel cheese (less fat), part whole wheat pastry flour/part unbleached flour, demerara or turbinado sugar (gives the topping a good crunch too), and almond milk (although it's still far from dairy-free). It is definitely a special occasion recipe for us.

If you like coconut and wanted to change it up a little, you could probably substitute coconut milk for the milk, possibly virgin coconut oil for the butter, slivered almonds for the pecans, and add shredded coconut. Hmmm...I may have to try that.

Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
1 c butter, softened
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 c sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 c milk
1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 c sugar
1/4 c chopped pecans
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter, cream cheese and 1 1/4 c sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into greased 9-in. springform pan. Combine pecans, cinnamon, and 1/4 c sugar; sprinkle over batter.

Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen. Remove sides of pan. Cool completely before cutting.


Linked to Tuesdays at the Table and What's Cooking Wednesday.