Nana Hill's Sour Cream Coffee Cake
My love for baking is imbedded within my genetic make up. I was born into a long line of home bakers who have used our family recipes to spread love and happiness to our family for generations. Many of my favorite recipes were once my great grandmother’s. I never met my great grandmother, but I have been told she was the kindest, most pleasant woman. When I hear of family stories from the past, it is evident that my great Nana Hill created not only the most delicious memories my family has but many of the happiest ones too. She was a master at her craft and could turn the simplest ingredients into something magical, something worth recreating nearly a century later. Her recipes are timeless and I am excited to share with you one of my family’s favorite, Nana Hill’s Sour Cream Coffee Cake. But this time, I give it a new spin and make it lactose-free.
This recipe was intended to be made in what some would deem to be vintage baking equipment, a tube pan. The tube pan, which has been phased out by the more widely known bundt pan, is preferable for this recipe. However, if you do not have tube pan I will explain how to alter the recipe to be made in a bundt. When I first started making this coffee cake, I was fearful of the unknown, old fashioned tube pan. But now, after enjoying all the delicious lactose-free Sour Cream Coffee Cakes that have come from that pan, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Despite all of the new kitchen equipment and ingredients we have at our finger tips, there is something to be said for the simplistic deliciousness of taking a recipe back to basics.
To begin this recipe, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, grease the tube pan with either butter or shortening, and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, add softened butter (room temperature is best) sugar, and cream together. Next add two eggs, one at a time, mixing well in between. Add lactose-free sour cream and vanilla extract, beat until thoroughly incorporated. My favorite real dairy, lactose-free sour cream is made by Green Valley Organics. I use it in many of my recipes and would never be able to tell the difference! I tend to gravitate towards the real dairy lactose-free options because I love that my recipes taste just like I remember before I had to cut the lactose out of my life. If you can’t find real dairy, lactose-free sour cream you can substitute this ingredient with a non-dairy or vegan sour cream. I have never made this recipe with non-dairy sour cream so please let me know what you think if you do!
In a small bowl mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the larger bowl with the sour cream, sugar etc and beat until a smooth dough forms. The dough that forms is very thick and looks almost like pizza dough. The first time I made this recipe I could have sworn I did something wrong. I couldn’t imagine how that much dough would ever be enough for my tube pan, but it was, and it was amazing.
My favorite part of this recipe is the cinnamon sugar, walnut topping. I love the almost caramel like flavor of the cooked sugar and the crunch of the walnuts to balance this dense vanilla cake. To make the topping, mix together cinnamon, sugar and finely chopped walnuts; it’s as simple as that. Pour half the cake batter into into the tube pan and spread evenly around the bottom. Next sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar, walnut topping over the first layer then top with another layer of cake batter. To finish, sprinkle the remaining topping evenly over the cake.
Place in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick come out clean. (If you are using a bundt pan you will need to reverse the way the ingredients are laid into the pan…topping first, then batter, next topping, finish with batter. That way when you flip it out of the pan the topping will be on top. Make sure to grease the pan really well so the topping doesn’t stick to the bundt). Once the cake is baked, enjoy immediately (once it is cool enough to eat)! It is irresistible!
Thankfully, in 2015, there are lactose-free options that don’t compromise the flavor or experience of one of my favorite recipes. (I dare you to find anyone who could ever tell the difference) This continues to be one of my most cherished recipes, not only because it’s delicious, but because I feel connected to my family, knowing how many members of the family have made this recipe before me. As I continue on my lactose-free journey, I will continue to recreate the recipes that have been passed down to me and tweak them so I can enjoy them once again and of course share them with you. No matter how much in this world has changed and will continue to change, good recipes made with love are meant for sharing.
Recipe Details:
Ingredients:
For the cake:
1/4 pound softened butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup lactose-free sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
For the topping:
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, grease the tube pan with either butter or shortening and set aside. In a large mixing bowl add softened butter (room temperature is best) and sugar, cream together. Next add two eggs, one at a time, mixing well in between. Add lactose-free sour cream and vanilla extract, beat until thoroughly incorporated. In a small bowl mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the larger bowl with the sour cream, sugar etc and beat until a smooth dough forms.
To make the topping mix together cinnamon, sugar and finely chopped walnuts. Pour half the cake batter into into the tube pan and spread evenly around the bottom. Next sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar, walnut topping over the first layer then top with another layer of cake batter. To finish, sprinkle the remaining topping evenly over the cake. Place in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick come out clean. Enjoy!