Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Believe it or not, this Sour Cream Coffee Cake is actually a **lighter** version.  I found this in last months Cooking Light magazine, realized I had all the ingredients, and set out to make it as soon as I could.  I love coffee cake and I especially love anything sweet in the morning.  Makes that cup(or in my case 2, or 3...) of coffee so much more enjoyable!

This is what you will need for this recipe:

Oh, and this, too!

Start by creaming together the butter and the sugars:

Something a little different about this recipe...you toast the oats.  YUM!

Also, another difference is that you actually grind a portion of the oats and mix into the flour mixture.  Don't grind all the oats, though.  Reserve the rest for the topping!

Whisk together your dry ingredients:

Mmm...sour cream.  If you don't already bake with this stuff, you really should start now.  I make almost every cupcake of mine with sour cream. 

The batter...

Pour into a springform pan:

And my favorite part:  the topping!

Start by chopping up some walnuts

Put them on a baking sheet and toast for about 8 minutes

Combine the walnuts with butter, oats, and brown sugar.  I used a pastry blender.

When it looks like this, it is ready to go on top of the cake

And when it is all done:

YUM!!

I couldn't wait to dig in the next morning...

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Adapted from Cooking Light

3/4 Cup old fashioned oats, divided

cooking spray

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar, divided

1/3 cup butter, room temperature

2 extra large eggs, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup light sour cream

2 TBSP finely chopped walnuts, toasted(in a 400 degree oven for about 8 minutes)

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 TBSP chilled butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spread oats in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Bake at 350 for 6 minutes or until lightly golden.

Coat a 9 inch springform pan with cooking spray; set aside.

Reserve 1/4 cup of the toasted oats and set aside.  Place remaining oats in the food processor, process until finely ground.  Combine the oats with the flours, baking soda, and salt.  Stir with a whisk.

Place granulated sugar, 1/4 cup of the brown sugar, and 1/3 cup butter in a large bowl.  Beat with a mixer at medium speed for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in vanilla.  Add flour mixture to sugar mixture altearnately with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the dry mixture.  Spoon batter into prepared pan; spread evenly.

Combine remaining 1/4 cup oats, remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar, nuts and cinnamon in a bowl.  Cut in 1 TBSP butter with a pastry blender until combined.  Sprinkle top of batter with the nut mixture and bake at 350 for 35-38 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes clean.

Cool cake in pan for about 10 minutes; remove from pan.

This serves about 10 and each slice contains less than 300 calories!

Enjoy!