How to Make Sour Cream Coffee Cake

This is a very special coffee cake recipe. It is my grandmothers’ recipe as passed down from her mother, my great-grandmother. It is absolutely delicious! It's great for a breakfast coffee cake or can easily be served as an after dinner desert.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• One 10-inch tube pan
• Waxed paper
• 2 Mixing bowls
• Sifter
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/2 pint of sour cream
• 3/4 cups of sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 dinner or serving dishes
• 1 empty glass soda pop or beer bottle

Make the Batter

1. Before you begin, grease and flour the tube pan. Cut waxed paper to line the bottom of the pan as well.
2. Cream the shortening, sugar and vanilla together.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating the mixture well after adding each egg.
4. Sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda together in a separate bowl.
5. Add 1 cup of the flour mixture to the batter and mix well. Then add half of the sour cream. Mix well. Add the rest of the flour mixture to the batter, mixing well. Then add the rest of the sour cream and mix well.

Make the Filling

6. Cream the softened butter and brown sugar together.
7. Add the cinnamon and cream again.
8. Finally, stir in the nut mixture of your choice (either pecans or walnuts)

Putting it all Together

9. Sprinkle half of the filling mixture on top of the batter inside of the tube pan.
   
   Pour the rest of the batter inside of the pan. You may need to use a spatula to spread the batter around the entire cake.
   
   Sprinkle the rest of the filling mixture on the top of the cake mixture.
10. Bake at 350 degrees for about 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
11. Using the hole that is inside of the tube pan, set the tube pan hole on top of an empty glass soda pop or beer bottle. Let it cool for 30 minutes before you try to remove it from the tube pan.
    
    Frequently the outer rim of the pan will drop by itself as the cake cools. If it doesn’t, run a sharp knife between the edges of the pan and the coffee cake.
12. Put a serving plate or dinner plate on the top of the tube pan. Holding the plate to the tube pan, invert the pan so that the plate is on the bottom and the tube pan is on the top. Remove the tube pan.
    
    Sprinkle the bottom of the coffee cake with a handful of powdered sugar. Take another serving plate and put it on top of the coffee cake. Holding the two plates together, with the coffee cake sandwiched between them, turn the coffee cake right side up and remove the plate.
    
    Enjoy your coffee cake with a fresh cup of coffeem tea, milk or your favorite drink!

Tips & Warnings

• The butter should be soft but not melted.
• If you use a plastic bottle, it will melt
• Inserting a glass bottle up the neck of the tube pan is a great way to cool it. Just be sure it's on a level surface so it doesn't fall over.