FRESH CHERRY SOUR CREAM COFFEE CAKE

FOR THE CAKE:
2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup butter (2 sticks), soft or cut into 16 pats
1 1/4 cups plus 3 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
2 large eggs
8 oz sour cream
FOR THE FILLING:
1 cup pitted and halved sweet red cherries
1/2 cup chopped (medium-fine) walnuts,
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9-inch tube pan.

TO PREPARE THE CAKE BATTER:
In first bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and soda. (Recipe instructions were to use scooping method for measurements, with fractional measuring-cup set.) Set aside.

In large bowl of electric mixer, at medium speed, cream butter, 1 1/4 cups sugar, vanilla and lemon rind. Beat in eggs singly, until blended each time. Add sour cream and beat until blended. At low speed gradually beat in flour mixture until smooth. Set aside.

TO PREPARE THE FILLING:
In different bowl, stir together cherries, walnuts, the 2 Tbsp sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon.

TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE:
Turn 1/3 batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 of cherry mixture. Repeat layers and spread remaining batter. Combine the remaining 1 tbsp sugar and remaining 1/4 tsp cinnamon together for the topping. Sprinkle over batter in pan.

Bake on the rack below center of a preheated 350-degree oven until the cake tester comes out clean - about 60 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Loosen edges and turn out on rack; cool completely topside down to keep bottom from sticking to rack.

Invert on a cake plate and serve top side up.

NOTES:
This recipe was published July 7, 1983 in The Kalamazoo Gazette. The article stated that it was initially published 25 years earlier in Good Housekeeping magazine as 'Clara's Sour Cream Coffee Cake'. Apparently many cooks have altered it over the years, as different versions have been found. This is a very moist cake, that can be served any time of day, not just breakfast or brunch.

Enjoy!