This coffee cake recipe is my Grandma Filomena's but my Aunt Lucia used to make it all the time. I haven't made it in many years but we are getting ready to go on vacation so I made one today to bring with us. It's the perfect recipe to make ahead of time, freeze and bring on vacation for breakfast. And best of all, while I'm at the beach, it's a recipe that makes me think of two of my favorite women who are now in Heaven. It brings back a lot of memories of beach trips with both of them when I was younger. I also realized we will be at the beach this year on my Aunt Lucia's birthday, which is what inspired me to make it for this trip.
The only change I make is that I add half of the batter, half of the cinnamon/walnut mixture, then the other half of each (rather than in thirds). When flipping this upside down to take it out of the pan, some of the topping falls off. If you swirl the top a little bit after adding the cinnamon/walnut mixture, not as much topping will fall off!
Edit July 2024: I changed the original recipe to add the dry cake ingredients last. The original recipe says to add the layers of cake and topping in thirds, but I do it in halves.
Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake
CAKE:
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
TOPPING:
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup finely chopped walnuts
½ cup sugar
Cream butter and 1 cup sugar. Beat in eggs. Blend in sour cream and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In separate bowl, mix the cinnamon, walnuts, and ½ cup sugar.
Grease and flour a 10” tube pan; pour in 1/2 of the batter, sprinkle with 1/2 of topping mixture; finish with remaining batter and then remaining topping.
Bake at 350˚ for 40-45 minutes.
Freeze if desired. To serve, return to room temperature; can be warmed in 350˚ oven.
Serves 10.
