Sour News Coffee Cake

Tonight's recipe brought to you by unplanned futures, anticipated rejection letters, and impending expiration dates.**

Sour News Coffee Cake

Ingredients

FILLING

• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

CAKE

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda

• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp butter, softened
• 3/4 tsp vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sour cream

Method

Heat oven to 350F. Grease bottom and side of a 9x5-inch loaf pan. You will need three medium-sized bowls. In one, stir together the filling ingredients. Set aside. In a second, stir together the flour, baking power, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In the third, cream together the granulated sugar and butter. Add the vanilla and eggs and beat until smooth and fluffy. (The recipe calls for a mixer, but using a spoon is a much better way to work off frustration.)

In alternating thirds, beat in the flour mixture and the sour cream. When the batter is smooth, pour half of it into the loaf pan. Top with half of the filling, then repeat. (Hint: dropping the batter in evenly-spaced dollops makes it easier to spread.)

Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a thin knife or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan. Slice warm, or cool for 30 minutes before serving. The recipe recommends a glaze, but I prefer the crusty top.

In retrospect, as the coffee cake turned out a trifle bland, I would swirl on a thin layer of cherry pie filling or berry compote before the second layer of batter.

Enjoy!


**Modified from Betty Crocker. The bit about the impending expiration dates is mine.