Dixie-Style Dining: Sour Cream Coffee Cake

It’s not a mirage… I am actually cooking.  I wouldn’t blame you if you were surprised… Heck, I’M surprised.  One of my favorite things to do is cook, but lately… it has just taken a back burner for me.  It seems like the weeks go by so quickly and when I get home from school… or teaching Zumba… or church… there’s just no time for testing out recipes.  I’m looking forward to the “Summer Slowdown” and having a chance to catch up on some of the things I have let go. 

But ahh… spring break… you are such a gift.  Already you have given me…

…a chance to sleep in until 7:30 a.m….

…2 fun day-trips with my family…

…time with friends…

…and a chance to cook something delicious…

May I introduce you to Dixie’s Sour Cream Coffee Cake?

I have been wanting to make this coffee cake for months, ever since I found it in my grandmother’s recipe box.  I don’t remember eating this before, but I am definitely a fan of cake for breakfast. 

Let me tell you… it was WORTH the wait.  This cake is perfect for breakfast or dessert (or dessert for breakfast)!  It is soft, fluffy, sweet, and will melt in your mouth.

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks of butter (unsalted)
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups sour cream
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 cups flour (I used unbleached all-purpose flour)

For filling/topping:

• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts)
• 1/2 cup sugar (I think brown or white would work, but I used white)
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preparation:

Cream together with a mixer: butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.  Add in sour cream, baking soda, salt.  Mix.  Add in flour and mix until a thick batter is formed.  In a separate bowl, mix together nuts, sugar, coconut, and cinnamon for the filling/topping.

Layer in a baking dish (9 by 13): 1/2 batter, 1/2 topping sprinkled evenly over batter, rest of batter, rest of topping.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a knife inserted in the center is removed clean.

Now, I know the recipe says to bake in a 9 by 13 dish.  But I used two loaf pans instead.  I had enough batter and filling to bake 2 loaf-sized cakes.  I actually had extra batter, so I opted to make 4 individual coffee cakes in a muffin tins, too.  (I just had to mix up a little bit more of the topping for those individual cakes.) 

The loaf pans worked well, but because they are a bit deeper than a square or rectangular baking dish, it took a little longer to cook all the way through. 

 

 

This is one of the softest cakes I have ever tasted.  The sour cream keeps the batter very moist, even after baking it for an hour.  This cake will not disappoint!  Pour yourself a hot cup of coffee and enjoy a slice of this cake anytime!