Coffee Cake - Barbara's Watch Hill Sour Cream Coffeecake
Barbara Lauterbach's Watch Hill Sour Cream Coffeecake is a beloved recipe from her Watch Hill Bed & Breakfast. Its rich cinnamon aroma is a breakfast favorite, and it freezes well for unexpected guests.
Barbara Lauterbach's Watch Hill Sour Cream Coffeecake is a beloved recipe from her Watch Hill Bed & Breakfast. Its rich cinnamon aroma is a breakfast favorite, and it freezes well for unexpected guests.
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 each eggs large
- 1/2 cup walnuts chopped (2 oz)
- 1 1/2 cups sugar (10 1/2 oz)
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour (9 5/8)
- 1/3 cup butter softened (5 tablespoons)
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil (2 1/4 oz)
- 1 cup light sour cream (8 oz)
- Carbohydrate 20.8473778472873 g
- Cholesterol 217.220138910581 mg
- Fat 27.5206783951114 g
- Fiber 1.09807687074662 g
- Protein 10.7999236123426 g
- Saturated Fat 11.6340068350198 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (142g)
- Sodium 7153.58693400387 mg
- Sugar 19.7493009765407 g
- Trans Fat 2.16627218017348 g
- Calories 371 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and grease a 9 or 10-inch tube pan with removable bottom, or a 9 x 13-inch pan.
- In a small bowl, combine the walnuts, cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of the sugar.
- Set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter, oil and remaining 1 cup sugar till well mixed.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Reduce mixer speed to low, and gradually beat in the flour mixture, the sour cream and the vanilla, being careful not to over-beat the mixture.
- Spoon half of the batter into the pan, and sprinkle with half of the nut mixture.
- Spoon the remaining batter into the pan, and sprinkle with the rest of the nut mixture.
- Bake the cake 45 to 55 minutes, or until it tests done (35 to 40 minutes if you're using a 9 x 13-inch pan).
- Cut in wedges and serve warm.
Light sour cream anchors this formulation, performing the heavy lifting by supplying crucial acidity. That acid reacts directly with the baking soda while tenderizing gluten strands. Cream-based fats also coat flour proteins to prevent toughness. Professional bakers rely on this dairy component to maintain moisture over multi-day storage windows.
Fat Emulsion and Mixing Mechanics
Combine the softened butter and vegetable oil thoroughly before introducing eggs. Liquid oil stays fluid at room temperature, which guarantees a moister crumb than solid butter alone can provide. Add eggs individually to build a stable emulsion. Reduce mixer speed strictly to low before incorporating the flour mixture. Over-mixing develops excess gluten and creates dense tunnels inside the finished crumb.Pan Selection and Baking Physics
Choose between a nine-inch tube pan or a standard rectangular baking dish based on thermal dynamics. A tube pan distributes heat uniformly through the center mass, requiring forty-five to fifty-five minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Shallower rectangular pans cook the batter faster, usually finishing in thirty-five to forty minutes. Test doneness by inserting a wooden pick into the deepest section; it should emerge clean without wet batter attached. Pair slices with black filter coffee to balance the rich sugar content.
