Sour Cream Coffee Cake

 I live and dream for breakfast.  I love to get up in the morning and plan the havoc I will cause before sundown over breakfast.  Generally, the havoc is in the garden or the kitchen and both require good brain food.  I found a great sour cream coffee cake recipe with oats and wheat flour to provide me with kick-butt energy I need (Cooking Light, March 2010).  I recently took this cake to work and it received rave reviews.  Ryan loved it too; you know it has to be good if the guy that prefers only a cup of coffee prior to noon likes it!  Enjoy!



Sour Cream Coffee Cake

3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar, divided
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces light sour cream
2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon chilled butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spread oats in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Bake for 6 minutes at 350 degrees.  The oats will be only slightly fragrant and light brown.

Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.

Set aside 1/4 cup of the oats.  Place the remaining 1/2 cup in a food processor; process until finely ground.  Combine the processed oats, wheat and all-purpose flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Whisk the flours ingredients together.

Place granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 1/3 cup butter in a large bowl.  Beat in mixer on medium speed a few minutes until light and fluffy  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each egg.  Add vanilla.  Add the flour mixture and sour cream to the flour mixture in batches, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  Spread batter into springform pan evenly.

Combine remaining 1/4 cup oats, 1/4 cup brown sugar, nuts, and cinnamon in a food processor and pulse just until combined.  Add in chilled butter pieces and pulse 5-6 times; just until butter is mixed in and the size of small peas.  Sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 38 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, the top is golden, and the sides begin to pull away from sides of the pan.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes.


Notes:

• The springform pan is only a suggestion so the cake looks pretty.  If you don't have one, use an 8x8 cake pan.
• The batter will be lumpy because of the processed oats.