I successfully located a recipe for this moist cake layered with brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon in my box of old recipes. The title on the 3x5 index card reads Mrs. Zinman's Coffee Cake. It found its way to me through an old friend who's mother graciously shared it with me many years ago. I've done some modifications to lighten it up a bit, which didn't seem to take anything away from its superb texture or taste.
After dinner my daughter asked, "can you eat coffee cake at night?" It's delicious warmed with a glass of cold milk on the side anytime of day, or night.
Coffee Cake
a slightly lighter version of Mrs Zinman's recipe
Batter:
1/2 cup butter softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 3/4 cups flour
1 cup light sour cream
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cream together butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients. Alternately mix flour and sour cream into butter mixture and beat until smooth.
Filling:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1-2 teaspoons cinnamon
In a buttered and floured springform pan with a removable bottom, spread 1/3 of the batter. Sprinkle it with 6 Tablespoons of the filling mixture. Repeat this layering process two more times. Bake it in a preheated 325° oven for about 60 minutes. I baked mine for 55 minutes, but it was slightly gooey in the center. It could have used about 5 minutes more, in my opinion, but my husband talked me out of putting it back in the oven so he could enjoy its gooeyness.
Place it on a rack to cool slightly before springing it free from the pan.