My dear friend, Debby, called me yesterday because she has some sour cream in her fridge and wants to use it in a coffee cake. The good thing about making baked goods with any dairy products before they go bad is that you can then freeze a portion of the baked goods for another day – if you have the willpower not to eat it all right away!

My favorite coffee cake recipe includes pears and pecans. My father used to send us a box of Harry & David pears every year, and since he passed away, I have continued the tradition to honor his memory, sending them to my mother and my sister, and also making recipes with pears myself.

Of course, like many of you, I don’t have pears in the house right now. You could certainly try this recipe with apples or other sliced fruit. When I have made it with the Harry & David pears, they are so juicy that it requires a longer time in the oven, so you will have to check on the cake frequently, depending on what fruit you use. You could even use chopped dried fruit, moistened first in a little warm water then drained, or even without any fruit at all. As for nuts, again, any kind is fine, or none at all. These days we all need to adapt as necessary to what we have on hand.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Topping:

⅓ cup light brown sugar, packed
2 Tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1½ cups pecans or other nuts, chopped (optional)
2 Tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces

Cake:

2¾ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup sour cream
½ cup milk
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 ounces unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
1 cup sugar
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
2 medium pears, peeled, cored, and cut into ¾-inch cubes (optional, or other fruit as discussed above)

To make the topping, place the ⅓ cup brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons flour, cinnamon, and optional nuts in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the 2 Tablespoons of butter and pulse again to make large crumbs. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray with cooking spray (or butter) and flour a large baking pan (13 x 9-inch works well, pyrex is fine).

Sift together 2¾ cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into medium bowl. In another bowl, gently combine sour cream, milk, eggs, and vanilla.

With paddle attachment if using a stand mixer, or handheld electric mixer and a large bowl, cream butter until smooth and lightened in color. Add the sugar and ¾ cup brown sugar in 3-4 batches and continue to cream until mixed.

Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture alternating with the sour cream mixture, beating well after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, and ending with the last bit of the dry ingredients.

Spread half the cake batter in the prepared pan. Scatter half the topping on top and then scatter the pears or other fruit (if using) on top of that. Spread the remaining batter in the pan and scatter the remaining topping on top. (It may not seem like enough batter, but just spread it around as best you can. It will rise to fill in any spaces.)

Bake 50-60 minutes, until golden brown and a tester inserted into center comes out clean. It may take longer if you are using especially juicy fruit. Cool cake completely in pan on rack.

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By Request: Coffee Cake