A delightful coffee cake with a cinnamon pecan streusel topping, perfect for gatherings or a cozy treat.
Preheat your oven to 325°F and grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan.
Greasing and flouring the pan ensures the cake releases easily after baking.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, light brown sugar, and ground cinnamon for the streusel topping.
Mix thoroughly to evenly distribute the cinnamon flavor.
Cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, then stir in the chopped pecans.
Ensure the butter is cold to achieve a crumbly texture.
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and sour cream with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Room temperature ingredients mix more evenly, resulting in a smoother batter.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, and mix in the vanilla extract.
Adding eggs one at a time helps maintain the batter's emulsion.
Gradually mix in the flour and baking soda on low speed until just combined.
Avoid overmixing to keep the cake tender.
Spoon half of the streusel topping into the prepared Bundt pan, followed by half of the batter. Repeat the layers.
Layering the streusel and batter creates a beautiful marbled effect.
Bake the cake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Check the cake a few minutes before the timer ends to avoid overbaking.
Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Cooling in the pan helps the cake set and prevents it from breaking.
Optionally, sprinkle the cooled cake with powdered sugar or drizzle with a simple vanilla glaze before serving.
Adding a glaze or powdered sugar enhances the cake's presentation and flavor.
