Coffee Cake

I've done a lot of cooking in the last ten days (plus many other activities!), but very little recipe-sharing. So I thought I'd share this coffee cake recipe. It would work well for a New Year's Day brunch. I've made it several times in past years, but I forgot how spicy it is. The nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon make it perfect for the holidays. Recently my toddler helped me make it for a breakfast we put together for the teachers at her preschool. I made two - the prettier bundt version for the teachers and the rectangular one for home. It was a success!


Sour Cream Coffee Cake

TOPPING
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts (I use walnuts)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

CAKE
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8-cup tube pan, bundt pan, or a 12 X 8 glass pan.

Prepare the topping by combining all the ingredients and set aside. Stir together the flour, baking powder and baking soda; set aside. With an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Gradually beat flour mixture into batter until well blended.

Sprinkle one-fourth of topping into prepared pan. Spoon on one-third of the batter. Continue layering, ending with the topping mixture. Bake 50 to 60 minutes for the tube or bundt pan, or 35 to 40 minutes for the rectangular pan. The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes in pan; remove from pan to a cooling rack. Serve warm. Makes 1 cake.

NOTE: I have also made this where I substituted wheat flour for half of the all-purpose flour. That worked well, too.