You will want to grab a cup of coffee for sure, once you sit down to eat a piece of this Sour Cream Coffee Cake.  If you think you can bake this and save it for the next day’s breakfast, you’re fooling yourself.  You’ll be lucky if it sticks around that long. In my house this usually disappears in a matter of hours.  Every time I walk by it on the counter,  I notice that someone has whacked off a another piece.  So pay no attention to the time of day, just grab a piece while you can and sit and enjoy.  That is how I remember this coffee cake being experienced.  In the 50s and 60s, life seemed to move at a slower pace, especially for women.  People seemed to visit one another more frequently.  I remember my mother’s friends stopping by in the afternoon for coffee, cake and some good conversation.  This sour cream coffee cake was a favorite of her guests, and it always made me happy to see it on the table when I got home from school.  I wish I could say that I still make this cake for my afternoon entertaining, but times have changed and this is a ritual from a past era. When I get together with my friends now in the afternoon, it is for a walk, golf  or some other form of exercise.   However, this coffee cake is always in my repertoire for brunch or luncheon.  Or perhaps I may sneak a piece in the afternoon after exercise.

You don’t come across too many recipes for coffee cakes the way you did in the 50s, 60s and even the 70s.  If you have one to share, please do.  I still enjoy sitting with a cup of coffee and indulging every now and then.  I hope you do too.

**Note:  While the recipe calls for chopped walnuts, I made this without the nuts so that my grandson, who is allergic to nuts, could enjoy this.   And indeed he did……4 pieces worth!

 

RECIPE

Batter:

1/2 pound butter, room temperature

2 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 pint sour cream  ( I am usually more generous with this and use 12 ounces)

Filling:

1/2 cup sugar, heaping

1/2 cup chopped walnuts  (can be omitted if you like)

2 to 3 tsp. cinnamon

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and lightly flour a 10 inch Angel Food Cake Pan.

2.  Cream the butter, eggs and sugar.

3.  Add the dry ingredients and sour cream and mix.  

4.  Put half of the batter into the pan.  Add half of the sugar mixture.  Put in the remainder of the batter and smooth it around on top to cover all the filling.  Then sprinkle the remainder of the sugar mixture on top.

5.  Bake ate 350 for one hour.  I always check it after 45 minutes.  

6.  Cool in pan before removing.