Chocolate Sour Cream Coffee Cake

~from Savoring Time in the Kitchen

Serves 8 to 12 using a 9-inch square baking pan

Topping:

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 tablespoon cocoa

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup chocolate chips (I coarsely chopped them)

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.

Cake:

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

Prepared topping

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

With a mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating each one until incorporated.  Slowly mix in the sour cream and vanilla until smooth.

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.  

Fold the dry ingredients slowly into the butter and egg mixture to form a lumpy batter.  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 35-45 minutes (depending on your oven).  Cool slightly before serving.

Adapted from the Heirloom Bakery and Cafe