A Simple Sour Cream Coffee Cake

I've never been a coffee drinker; in spite of the fact my father brewed a 40-cup urn of coffee every morning.  Moreover, I've wondered why I haven't been run out of Seattle, where there's a coffee pub (or Starbucks on every corner) because of this phenomenon.  However, that doesn't stop me from loving coffee cake and this morning, I made one of my favorites.

This recipe dates back as far as the 70s when I couldn't help but try to come up with another cake that I could bake in a bundt pan, which gained popularity in 1966 when Pillsbury sponsored a contest.  This morning I baked the cake in my mid-size bundt pans instead of the 10-cup the recipe calls for.  You can bake 3 of the mid-size; one for you, one for a friend, and one to freeze!

(On the left is a 10-cup mold; the two on the right are approximately 3-4 cup molds.)

Sour Cream & Streusel Coffeecake

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp Princess Cake & Cookie Bakery Emulsion (optional)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup Sour Cream (don't use light or non-fat)
Streusel Filling & Topping 
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cardamon
3 T unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven 350F-degrees.  Spray mold(s) with a non-stick baking spray (one that includes flour).
In a medium bowl, make the Streusal Filling & Topping.  Chop nuts and place in the bowl. Measure brown sugar, packing firmly and add to the bowl; mix well with your hands or a fork.

Add the spices and mix well.  Melt the butter over low heat.  Pour, all at once over the sugar/nut mixture and stir with a fork.  Set aside.

For the batter, use the KitchenAid and the paddle attachment (a large bowl and a hand-held mixer).  Beat butter until smooth and creamy.  Add the sugar and beat until fluffy, using a spatula to scrap down the sides often.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and if using, the Princess Cake & Cookie Baking Emulsion and beat well. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then, add to the butter/sugar mixture; alternate adding the flour mixture with the sour cream, ending with the flour.  Beat well one more time to incorporate everything.

Divide batter, if you are using the smaller pans.  If you're using a 10-inch bundt pan, spread half of the batter in the pan, then, add half of the streusel filling.  Top with remaining batter and finally the streusel topping.

I like to bake mine on a parchment-lined baking sheet to avoid spillage in the oven!  Bake 35-40 minutes.  The mid-size bundt pans took 35 minutes exactly.

Optional glaze
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1-2 T heavy cream
1 tsp. Karo syrup (helps set up the glaze)
Mix all the ingredients together, adding small amounts of heavy cream to make a pourable glaze.

Slice a piece of warm cake, pour a cup of coffee or tea (or, in my case, Diet Coke!) and enjoy the peace of quiet of the morning.  For me, I was remembering making this coffee cake before my daughters woke up for school...actually, I think it was the aroma that brought them down the stairs with big smiles of what awaited.  Enjoy!