Ultimate Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

 

1 and 1/2 sticks butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups cake flour or white lily all purpose

(Substitute for cake flour, measure 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, minus 1 tablespoon, and add 5 tablespoons cornstarch)

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cardamom

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea or kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

 

Optional: Add 1 tablespoon orange or lemon zest to the batter

 

Streusel Topping:

1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 stick butter, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

 

Optional: 3/4 cup chocolate chips

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar for 5  minutes, add eggs, one at a time, sour cream and vanilla beat until thoroughly mixed. Sift dry ingredients in a separate bowl. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Finish stirring with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed. Generously grease and flour a 10-inch non stick tube pan with a removable bottom. Make the streusel by combining the ingredients, in the bowl you used to sift the flour, with a fork.  Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it out with a spatula. Sprinkle with 3/4 of the streusel. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, spread it out, and scatter the remaining streusel on top. Press down lightly. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.  Don’t over bake; test ever 5 minutes starting at 50 minutes!  Let cool, on a rack, for at least 30 minutes before removing from pan.

 

Cake is moister the next day. Plan accordingly.