Vanilla Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Another tasty recipe from The Bread Bible, this is a quintessential coffee cake and freezes quite well.

Vanilla Sour Cream Coffee Cake

This makes one 10-inch round cake, or one 12-cup Bundt cake, or two 9-by-5-inch loaves.

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups sour cream

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

3/4 cup (3 oz.) pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts, finely chopped

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/3 cup powdered sugar (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 deg. F. Grease the pan(s). In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each. Beat in the vanilla and sour cream until just smooth. Gradually add the dry ingredients and beat well until fluffy and light colored. There should be no lumps or dry spots.

3. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, nuts, and cinnamon. Spoon about one third of the batter into the pan. Sprinkle with one third of the nut mixture. Repeat for three layers of batter and end with a layer of nut mixture.

4. Place the pan on the center rack of the oven and bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the top of the cake is no longer shiny. Let the cake stand in the pan about 15 minutes. Remove from the pan to cool completely on a rack, right side up. Serve dusted with powdered sugar, if desired.