Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Measure 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar into a bowl.

Stir together with a fork the brown sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 cup finely chopped pecans.

In a small bowl, stir together 2 cups sour cream and 2 teaspoons baking soda; set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together 3 1/2 cups sifted cake flour and 1 tablespoon baking powder.  If you do not have cake flour momentarily on hand, to make cake flour, simply omit 2 tablespoons of flour measured, per cup, before sifting…  So for this, measure out 4 cups of flour with the omission of 8 tablespoons, then sift; then from that, measure 3 1/2 cups sifted flour needed for the dry ingredients for the batter.

 

Beat 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature, 2 cups granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons coarse salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.  Important to use the paddle attachment, not the whisk attachment…

Add 4 eggs, at room temperature, one at a time, beating well after each addition…  Add 1 1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract.

Now turn the mixer on low speed to add dry ingredients in 3 batches…

Alternate with the sour cream mixture and beat well after each addition.

For serving ease, generously brush with softened butter the bottom, interior and sides of a tube pan that has a removable bottom…  dust with flour, shake out the excess.

Scrape half the batter into prepared pan.  Sprinkle with half of the topping mixture, avoid the edges of the pan so that the sides will be smooth and filling is hidden.

Use a knife to gently swirl the topping into the batter.

Add the remaining batter and smooth the top.

Sprinkle with the rest of the topping mixture.

Place the pan on a baking sheet, rotating two-thirds of the way through, until the top of the cake springs back when touched and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.  Bake approximately 50-60 minutes.

Let cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before loosening sides with a knife or spatula, then lifting out center from sides– slicing the cake while held in place on removable bottom.