In an effort to test recipes ahead of Christmas, I’m on a coffee cake recipe tear. Of course I had to start with the Queen herself, and modified her Sour Cream Coffee Cake recipe to a half size. It was moist and delicious, but was lacking a bit of brightness- next time I’ll add orange zest.

Ina’s Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Note: recipe is easily halved and baked in a 6″ spring form for ~50 minutes.

For the cake:

• 1.5 sticks of butter
• 1.5 c. sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1.5 tsp. vanilla
• 1.25 c. sour cream
• 2.5 c. cake flour (or 2.25 c. cake flour + 0.25c. cornstarch)
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt

For the streusel:

• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. flour
• 1.5 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 T. cold butter, diced
• 3/4 c. chopped walnuts or pecans

1. Grease and flour a tube pan, set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350F.
3. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer for 5 minutes until fluffy.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time.
5. Add the vanilla and sour cream.
6. Slowly add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined.
7. In another bowl combine all ingredients (except nuts) for the streusel, mixing with your hands to create pean-sized crumbles. Mix in the nuts.
8. Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with 3/4 c. of streusel.
9. Pour in the rest of the batter and top with remaining streusel.
10. Bake about 50 minutes.
11. Drizzle with simple glaze if desired.