I’m starting to realize that life is short. I mean..I already know this but every now and then this thought enters my consciousness and I feel the need to SEIZE THE DAY. Then I get back to my routine and forget about it all, until I’m rudely awakened into remembering how precious life is.
Like this cake…I have this cake once a year. It’s really a shame that it’s only once a year. My mom makes it for Christmas day and she’s been making it for as long as I can remember. Us kids LOVE this cake. It’s apart of our holiday tradition and it tastes spectacular because it’s made with so much love. But why wait til Christmas day to eat this cake? Why not make it on a rainy afternoon in March when I’ve got the house to myself? I can certainly do that now that my mom gave me the recipe.
Do you know why it’s my most favorite coffee cake EVER? The outside is crispy while the inside is soft, moist and studded with a ridiculous amount of cinnamony walnuts. Did I mention that there’s a few caramelized patches on the outside? It kinda reminds me of a cross between an apple fritter & coffee cake. Yeah. You’re welcome. Wait. Thank my mom for this.
Life is short. SEIZE THE CAKE.
And we’re off!
Get your ingredients together. Everything is so simple. That’s why it’s good.
Butter & sugar get creamed with beaters. A mixer would be good for this too.
Eggs go in, one at at a time. Vanilla gets added in. Mixing happens and then sour cream enters the picture.
Don’t forget to make your cinnamon walnut topping.
Dry ingredients get mixed in.
Lube up and flour (I forgot the flour. OOPS) a bundt pan.
Layer 1/3 batter with 1/3 cinnamon walnut mixture. Repeat three times. It’s all fractiony!
This is the best part. Vanilla & water. This is the key.
Drizzle it on top of the cake. Magic happens. Then the cake gets baked for what seems like half a lifetime.
That is an exaggeration. I’m not patient when things bake in my oven.
Can you blame me?
While you’re waiting, you might as well clean the dishes and make your maple glaze.
Vanilla, maple syrup & confectioners sugar.
Oh HELLO.
Thanks for un-bundting. There might be a few patches. Whatever.
That’s why there’s glaze. It’s the photoshop of bundt mistakes.
I guess it doesn’t hide EVERY mistake. But I put flowers in the shot. Look at those flowers.
It’s all about the taste.
And really that’s all that matters.
Mom’s Sour Cream Coffee Cake
makes 12-16 servings
For the Cake:
- 1 1/2 cups butter
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups sour cream
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons each vanilla & water
Maple Frosting/Glaze
- 1 1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 325F
Beat butter and granulated sugar together until light & fluffy. Add the 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, then beat in the eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition. Stir in the sour cream. Sift flour, baking powder, soda and salt together and blend into mixture.
Combine nuts, cinnamon, and brown sugar in a small bowl. Spoon 1/3 of the batter into a grease, flour-dusted 10 inch tube pan or bundt pan. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the nut mixture. Continue layering to make three layers of each, ending with the nut mixture. Blend vanilla and water in a bowl and drizzle it over top.
Bake cake for about 80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool 20 mintues on a wire rack, then remove from the pan.
In a small bowl, mix the confectioners sugar, maple syrup & vanilla together to make the glaze.
With a spoon drizzle glaze on top of the cooled cake and serve.
