SOUR CREAM COFFEE CAKE

• servings: SERVES 8 TO 10

Ingredients

12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1½ sticks) at room-

temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3 extra-large eggs at room temperature

1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1¼ cups sour cream

2½ cups cake flour (not self-rising)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon kosher salt

FOR THE STREUSEL

light brown sugar, packed ¾ cup

all-purpose flour ½ cup

ground cinnamon 1½ teaspoons

kosher salt ¼ teaspoon

3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

¾ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

FOR THE GLAZE

½ cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons real maple syrup

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Finish stirring with a spatula to be sure the batter is com- pletely mixed.

For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in the walnuts, if desired.

Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it out with a knife. Sprinkle with ¾ cup streusel. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, spread it out, and scatter the remaining streusel on top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the cake, streusel-side up, onto a serving plate. Whisk the confectioners' sugar and maple syrup together, adding a few drops of water if nec- essary, to make the glaze runny. Drizzle as much as you like over the cake with a fork or spoon.

Notes

If you don't have cake flour, you can substitute 2¼ cups all-purpose flour plus 1 cup cornstarch.

If the eggs are cold, place the whole eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes before cracking them.