Recipe for Lorna's sour cream cake

"When I read your post about how much you love Bundt pans, what choice did I have but to run out to my studio and make you one?" Lorna wrote in an email a couple of weeks ago. "This one is wheel-thrown stoneware that has been glazed with food safe colorants and fired to 2250 degrees in a gas kiln. To thank you for the many lovely dishes we've enjoyed courtesy of your creativity, I would love to send this to you." I'm so deeply honored to have this beautiful addition to my kitchen, and to inaugurate it, I baked Lorna's sour cream cake from a recipe she sent along with the pan. If you don't have a small Bundt pan like this one (it's a five-cup size), make this recipe in a standard loaf pan. Beware: this moist, sweet, melt-in-your-mouth cake, perfect for afternoon tea or breakfast or brunch, is ever so slightly addictive. I know, because my husband Ted and I kept cutting slices and nibbling until it was all gone. Lorna, thank you for your kindness.

Lorna's sour cream cake

From the pantry, you'll need: butter, granulated sugar, eggs, pure vanilla extract, all-purpose unbleached flour, baking powder, baking soda, sour cream, cinnamon, baking spray.

Serves 8-10.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 lb (1 stick) butter, softened
1-1/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
1 Tbsp cinnamon
Baking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. (Note: if using a ceramic pan, do not preheat the oven.) Spray the inside of a small (5-cup) Bundt pan or loaf pan with baking spray, and set aside. A tip Lorna shared: if you're using a Bundt pan, roll a small piece of parchment paper, an inch or so taller than the pan; place the pan on a sheet pan, and insert the parchment paper in the hole. If the cake rises above the top of the pan, it won't slide down in the center. (You can see that I did this, in the top photograph.)

In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and baking soda.

In the bowl of a Kitchenaid-type stand mixer, cream together the butter, 1 cup of sugar, and the eggs, until the eggs turn light yellow. Stir in the vanilla. Add to the egg mixture, alternating, the dry ingredients and sour cream.

Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan, and spread evenly.

In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar and the cinnamon. Sprinkle this over the batter in the pan, and top with the remaining batter.

Bake at 350F for 45 minutes (if using a ceramic pan, place the pan in a cold oven, set to 350F, and bake for 60 minutes), or until a tester comes out clean.

Set the pan on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes, then invert the pan and remove the cake. Let it cool completely. Serve, or wrap and freeze.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More recipes in The Perfect Pantry:
Coffee cake with espresso-cocoa swirl
Yogurt coffee cake with pecan filling
Lemon tea cake
Apple spice cake
Carrot cake cupcakes with lemon frosting

Other recipes that use these pantry ingredients:
Pear and cardamom coffee cake with pecan streusel, from Food Blogga
Almond brickle coffee cake, from Cooking On the Side
Chocolate chip sour cream coffee cake, from Smitten Kitchen
Cocoa sour cream coffee cake, from Cate's World Kitchen
Coffee cake muffins, from One Perfect Bite

Lorna's sour cream cake

From the pantry, you'll need: butter, granulated sugar, eggs, pure vanilla extract, all-purpose unbleached flour, baking powder, baking soda, sour cream, cinnamon, baking spray.

Serves 8-10.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 lb (1 stick) butter, softened
1-1/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
1 Tbsp cinnamon
Baking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. (Note: if using a ceramic pan, do not preheat the oven.) Spray the inside of a small (5-cup) Bundt pan or loaf pan with baking spray, and set aside. A tip Lorna shared: if you're using a Bundt pan, roll a small piece of parchment paper, an inch or so taller than the pan; place the pan on a sheet pan, and insert the parchment paper in the hole. If the cake rises above the top of the pan, it won't slide down in the center. (You can see that I did this, in the top photograph.)

In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and baking soda.

In the bowl of a Kitchenaid-type stand mixer, cream together the butter, 1 cup of sugar, and the eggs, until the eggs turn light yellow. Stir in the vanilla. Add to the egg mixture, alternating, the dry ingredients and sour cream.

Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan, and spread evenly.

In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar and the cinnamon. Sprinkle this over the batter in the pan, and top with the remaining batter.

Bake at 350F for 45 minutes (if using a ceramic pan, place the pan in a cold oven, set to 350F, and bake for 60 minutes), or until a tester comes out clean.

Set the pan on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes, then invert the pan and remove the cake. Let it cool completely. Serve, or wrap and freeze.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More recipes in The Perfect Pantry:
Coffee cake with espresso-cocoa swirl
Yogurt coffee cake with pecan filling
Lemon tea cake
Apple spice cake
Carrot cake cupcakes with lemon frosting

Other recipes that use these pantry ingredients:
Pear and cardamom coffee cake with pecan streusel, from Food Blogga
Almond brickle coffee cake, from Cooking On the Side
Chocolate chip sour cream coffee cake, from Smitten Kitchen
Cocoa sour cream coffee cake, from Cate's World Kitchen
Coffee cake muffins, from One Perfect Bite

Comments

What a gorgeous bundt pan!!! Beautiful! As is this cake which is perfect...I can see a fabulous texture and crumb and love the cinnamon-sugar swirl (yes, you know I'll add mini chocolate chips). I have a similar recipe but yours looks even more perfect so this one is bookmarked. My family loves this kind of coffee cake for breakfast.

Love the cake, love the pan, love the generosity and kindness of fellow bloggers.

Jamie, I know what you mean about the chocolate chips! This cake is so creamy on its own -- I'm sure it gets some of its goodness from the good spirit of the pan. We loved it for breakfast. And for dessert. And for late-night snack.

Bellini, I agree absolutely, bloggers and blog readers are the best. I've received some lovely gifts over the years of blogging, but none quite as lovely as this pan and the sentiment shared.

How nice of someone to send you this great pan along with a recipe. I love sour cream coffee cake and this looks moist and sweet. Wish I had some right now with my coffee.

How lovely, both the pan and the cake as well!

What a lovely and generous gift - such a wonderful example of the link between food, recipes and community.

What an incredibly thoughtful - and beautiful - gift! I would absolutely love the ability to throw my own bakeware - wow!!

How COOL is that?!? And the cake looks amazing as well!

CJ, this is an absolutely perfect cake to go with coffee or tea. One of the best things about blogging -- wonderful, generous readers!

Kalyn, the pan is your favorite shade of blue, too.

TW, I feel so lucky that blogging has brought wonderful people into my life, all of us gathering around shared recipes and traditions.

Kathy, for all the times I've tried to throw pots, I've never come close to throwing one I would be willing to show anyone! The cake recipe is a keeper, as well as this lovely Bundt pan.

Bridget, super cool. I love it.

Lydia, As if my ego weren't already soaring after reading your post, I'm on cloud nine thanks to the posiitive comments from my fellow Perfect Pantry followers! It's such a joy to connect with people through food (and clay). Now I have to try this recipe with mini chips. (Hmm, maybe a bake-off is in order, one with, one without.) Hugs to you all--this made my day!

Lorna, we're all grateful to you. I always tell people my blog readers are the most amazing people.

Does Lorna sell these bundt pans? Has she a website or blog ?

Thank you for a wonderful blog and great recipes.

Aileen, thanks for your kindness. I'm happy to put you (and all readers) in touch with Lorna directly, if you send me an email (lydia AT ninecooks DOT com).

A wonderful gift and post!! And genius idea about the parchment in the middle!

This was so moist and delicious. I made into muffins with a drizzle of icing. Just wonderful, Thank you for the recipe.

Gina, so glad to know this made great muffins, too. I'm going to try that! Thanks for taking time to come back and leave feedback.