Coffeecake

I was given the cookbook Best of the Best from Utah from my mom a few years ago. Then shortly after that, my mother-in-law brought me the cookbook Best of the Best from Georgia after a trip she took there. I then decided that I would collect all the "Best of the Best" cookbooks from every state that either Joe and I have lived in. Joe was born and lived in Denver until he was 12, so that is why we had to get this one!

I absolutely love coffeecake because it's dense, has lots of cinnamon and brown sugar, and when I was a kid it made me think that I was a grown-up while eating it. I felt that way because I imagined grown-ups just sitting around visiting all morning, drinking hot chocolate and eating coffeecake, while us kids were in school. I wish it really was that way!

COFFEECAKE

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cup sour cream

Filling:

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts (I like to use pecans)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease tube or Bundt pan or 2 loaf pans. In a large mixer bowl, combine butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Mix in flour, baking powder, soda, and salt alternatively with sour cream. For tube or Bundt pan, spread 1/3 of batter in pan and sprinkle with 1/3 of filling; repeat twice. For loaf pans, spread 1/4 of batter in each pan and sprinkle with 1/4 of filling; repeat. Bake about 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.