Sour cream coffee cake

So since I was making a mess in the kitchen with the zucchini tea cake, I decided to make a coffee cake for my friend as well.  This was super easy and I happened to have all the recipes on hand.  

Heirloom Bakery and Café's sour cream coffeecake
Adapted from Heirloom Bakery and Cafe in South Pasadena.

Topping
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted and cooled

In a large bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, chocolate chips, pecans and butter. Set aside.

Here's what it looks like mixed up.  

Cake and assembly
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (6.4 ounces) flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. 

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated.   

Beat in the sour cream and vanilla.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.

Gently fold the dry ingredients into the butter and egg mixture to form a batter. The batter will be lumpy; simply continue folding until no large lumps remain.

Spoon one-half of the batter into a greased 9-inch-square baking pan, then layer with half of the topping. 

Layer with the remaining batter, then the remaining topping. 

Bake until the coffee cake is puffed and golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. It took me 30 mins in my oven.  Cool slightly before serving.