Sour Cream Coffee Cake

This is a recipe from my youth. It's one of my 4-H baking entries from the 'Be a Better Baker' project. Who knows how many times I made this coffee cake to get the 'just right' look for Achievement Days. The coffee cake in my pics was in the oven a bit too long, so it's darker than I would have liked. But, since I'd been craving it, the texture and taste hit the spot anyway. It looks prettier when baked in a bundt pan, but I have to be much more careful in greasing the pan. The two-piece tube pan is a big time saver for me.

I usually prefer not to add nuts to my baked goods, but today I was in the mood and added pecans. Pecans add just a little crunch and a buttery flavor. This coffee cake has a lighter texture and does freeze well.

SOUR CREAM COFFEE CAKE

¾ cup butter, softened
3 eggs
1 ½ cup white sugar
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
3 cups flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 ½ cups dairy sour cream

FILLING:
½ cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup finely chopped nuts (optional)
1 ½ tsp. cinnamon

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease tube or bundt pan. Combine butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. In another bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Alternately mix in the dry ingredients with the sour cream. Spread 1/3 of the batter in the pan and sprinkle ½ of the filling mix over top; repeat twice. Bake for 50 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool slightly in the pan before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

The coffee cake is fine as is, but you could top it with a dollop of whipped cream or cool whip to dress it up.