Coffee Cake

My mom’s coffee cakes have been a staple of family and friends’ Christmas mornings for almost 40 years.  One year we were running late on deliveries (I must have been with her) and Kathy and Chris were waiting in the window.  As they opened the door they exclaimed “we thought you weren’t coming and that we would have to buy a Sara Lee!”  If you’re not fortunate enough to be on my mom’s delivery route, bake one for yourself (and 2 friends – the recipe makes 3 cakes) – who doesn’t love the idea of eating cake for breakfast and it makes your house smell great too!  Merry Christmas morning (or any morning, really)!!

This recipe makes 3 cakes (either 9 inch round or 9 inch square pans).  If you halve the recipe, use a 13x9x2 pan.  Your call but I think it’s much more fun to bake and share!

Ingredients

  



Coffee Cake

1. 2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened
2. 1 ½ c sugar
3. 16 oz sour cream
4. 4 eggs
5. 3 c flour
6. 6 t baking powder
7. 2 t baking soda
8. 4 t vanilla

Nut mix

1. 1 c chopped pecans
2. 1 c sugar
3. 4 t cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. 

Blend with a mixer items #1-2.  Add items #3-4.  Make sure all ingredients are evenly mixed.

Slowly (so the flour doesn’t fly all over the place and make your kitchen too messy) add the flour, baking powder and soda (#5-7) then add the vanilla (#8).

Separate batter into the 3 cake pans (disposable are better if you plan to share) and spread evenly in pan.  Sprinkle nut mix on top.  Bake in oven at 350 for 35-40 minutes. 

If you make the single cake, then spread half the batter and top with half the nut mix.  Pour on the remaining batter and top with the remaining nut mix.  This gives you a nice cinnamon-sugary-nutty layer in the middle of the cake. 

Love you Mom - thanks for letting me share one of your signature dishes!