Sour Cream Coffeecake

I don't remember ever going to an Easter egg hunt. I'm not sure why. Maybe we did and I just don't remember it. Or maybe it's because we lived way out in the country and there were no community egg hunts nearby. But whatever the reason, don't feel bad for me. I don't feel jipped. 

Because we did get Easter baskets. Easter Sunday would find my mom sneaking quietly into our room to deposit two white, woven baskets, filled to the brim with green, plastic grass hiding all sorts of sugary treats beneath. I know, pretty standard. But the best part of the Easter basket was the gigantic, solid, white chocolate, Easter bunny nestled on top. None of that hollow, milk chocolate variety from the convenience store that tastes slightly of plastic. 

It was so special. And it delighted my little girl's heart. I would save that Easter bunny as long as I possibly could, sneaking a small bite every time I came in my room. Nibbling the ears off first. Then the head and tail. And then bit by bit, the rest of the bunny's solid, chocolatey self would disappear. 

The bunny was the best part of the basket and I would have been seriously offended if my mom had switched out my white chocolate rabbit for a milk chocolate one. Not because I don't like milk chocolate, but because I wanted to be just like my daddy. He always got a mini white chocolate on Easter, not preferring milk chocolate, and so I had to have the same. 

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My mom made this coffeecake on Easter for a few years. It's quite moist, which is unusual for a coffeecake and has a delicious cinnamon center. 

Sour Cream Coffeecake

Serves 16

Total Time: 1 1/2 hours plus 2 hours cooling time

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

Filling:

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

additional 1/4 cup brown sugar

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 - 3 T. milk

Using a standing mixer, cream together butter, sugar and brown sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add eggs and mix until combined, about 1 minute.

Add sour cream and vanilla, mix on low until just incorporated. 

In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and baking soda.

Then add to batter and mix on low until thoroughly combined.

Grease a bundt pan with butter and flour liberally. 

(This seems to be the best way to get the cake to release. 

Cooking spray never seems to work for me with bundt pans!)

Spread two-thirds of the batter in the bottom of the bundt pan.

Then combine the filling ingredients (brown sugar and cinnamon) in a small bowl and sprinkle over the batter in an even layer.

And stick your fingers down the center if you'd like!

Then spread the remaining batter over top of the brown sugar layer.

I find the best way to do this is to portion small spoonfuls around the cake and then carefully smooth them out. It takes a little finagling. 

It will look like there's not much batter in the pan. 

But don't worry, the cake will rise quite a bit as it cooks.

Bake for 45 - 60 minutes at 350 degrees. 

Cake is done when the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.

My cake was done at 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

Run a toothpick or knife along the top edges of the cake to loosen from the pan. 

Flip onto a cooling rack. 

If you greased your pan well, it should pop right out. *Fingers crossed.*

Let cool completely before icing. 

For the icing, simply combine ingredients and spoon over cake in a pretty pattern. 

Recipe from my mom.