Sour Cream and Pecan Coffee Cake

Toasted pecans, dusted with cinnamon and sugar are layered into a luscious buttery batter then baked leaving a spiced, nutty crunch wrapped in a cake with an incredibly tender crumb, compliments of tangy sour cream.

Coffee cakes were an endearing addition to Mom’s table and this recipe was a favorite of hers.

The rich batter for this cake starts with butter and eggs, blended together with a light, silky cake flour creating the base for what will become a delicate, fluffy cake. Depth of flavor comes from a generous splash of pure vanilla extract and that creamy element of sour cream is found in every bite.

And if that’s not enough, ribbons of spice and toasted pecans are tucked into the cake bringing a medley of tastes and textures!

Coffee cakes have been around in various forms for over a century, but there’s something quite fun when they’re baked in a Bundt pan. That playful shape is instantly recognized with hints at something fondly familiar surface – you just know it’s going to be good.

I’ll be the first to admit, baking cakes in a Bundt pan has caused me a bit of anxiety over the years. That horrible fear of turning a perfectly baked cake out only to find half of it still in the pan! So if you’re using your Grandmother’s old Bundt pan consider investing in a new one. I use one made by Nordic Ware for Williams Sonoma. It is sturdy yet lightweight and nonstick in nature. I give it a quick, light spray with Vegalene (the absolute best cooking spray!) and the cake releases with ease.

Coffee cakes are perfect any time of the day. So pour up a cup and serve up a slice!

Sour Cream and Pecan Coffee Cake

Note: Preheat the oven to 300-degrees then raise the temperature to 350-degrees when you put the cake into the oven to bake.

 1 cup butter, room temperature

2 cups plus 2 teaspoons sugar, divided

2 extra-large eggs, room temperature

2 cups sifted cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1-½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

¾ cup finely chopped toasted pecans

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 300-degrees.

Combine the butter with 2 cups of the sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Add the eggs, one at a time, blending into the butter and sugar on medium speed. Blend well after adding each egg, about 30 seconds.

In a separate bowl, whisk the cake flour together with the baking powder and kosher salt.

Blend the flour mixture into the cake batter on low speed just until the flour disappears, about 30 to 45 seconds.

Stir in the vanilla extract and the sour cream, mixing until blended together, about 30 seconds.

Scoop about half of the batter into a 10” diameter Bundt pan that has been sprayed with a cooking spray.

In a small bowl, stir together the chopped pecans with the cinnamon and the remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar.

Sprinkle about half of the pecan mix over the cake batter. Scoop the remaining cake batter over the pecan mix, spreading the batter out fairly evenly.

Scatter the remaining pecan mix over the cake batter.

Set the cake on the rack in the center of the oven and raise the temperature to 350-degrees. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until the cake tests done with a toothpick. Check the cake after an hour. If the cake and pecans start to brown too much before it’s baked through just place a sheet of foil loosely over the top.

Let the cake cool in the pan placed on a wire rack for about 1 hour. Invert the cooled cake onto a serving plate.

Dust with powdered sugar.

Makes one 10” Bundt cake.