Sour Cream Coffee Cake        
Posted by: Pepper Tue, 25 Jan 2005, at 3:03 p.m.

 

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2/3 cup walnut halves or pieces
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Batter:
4 egg yolks
2/3 cup sour cream (divided)
11/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups sifted cake flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (11/2 sticks)

Directions:
Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 12-cup Bundt pan. Dust with flour and shake out any excess. To make filling: In a food processor fit with the metal blade or in a blender, pulse the brown and granulated sugars, nuts and cinnamon until the nuts are coarsely chopped. Set aside. To make batter: In a medium bowl, combine the yolks, about half of the sour cream and the vanilla; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and the salt. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat on low speed until blended, about 30 seconds. Add the butter and the remaining sour cream and mix just until the dry ingredients are incorporated.

Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 1 minute. The batter should be stiff. Scrape down the sides. Gradually add the egg mixture in 2 batches, beating for about 20 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients. Scrape down the sides again.

Reserve about one-third of the batter. Scrape the remaining batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the surface. Sprinkle with the streusel filling. Drop the reserved batter in large blobs over the top and spread it evenly.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the lightly browned cake springs back when pressed in the center.

Remove the pan from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Loosen the cake by jiggling it up and down until it moves slightly. Invert it onto a wire rack. Cool completely before wrapping it airtight or glazing. Note: Cakes made with cake flour have a delicate, soft crumb. You may substitute a combination of all-purpose flour and cornstarch, but it will result in a slightly denser cake. Beranbaum recommends using cake flour, but suggests the following equation for substitutions: for every 1 cup of cake flour, substitute 3/4 cup bleached all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch.