Make Ahead

Apricot Sour Cream Coffee Cake (use real or faux sour cream or yogurt)

February 26, 2014
1
1 Ratings
  • Makes 1 large cake
Author Notes

This is my version of the once ubiquitous sour cream coffee cake. I usually make it with faux sour cream. It is easy to make and unforgiving if you over-mix. The cake is not-too-sweet and satisfying with a cup of coffee (or tea). I used to make it while I lived in Manila, and it was welcomed as something very different than the typical decorated sponge cakes that most of my Filipino neighbors served. The cake is huge and great for larger gatherings and taste NOTHING like packaged sour cream coffee cake. —Ann Goldman

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Ingredients
  • Batter
  • 1 cup butter (or margarine)
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 18 ounces all purpose flour
  • 16 ounces *sour cream or plain yogurt (or faux sour cream or non-dairy "yogurt")
  • Filling & Topping
  • 1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts)
  • 2/3 cup apricot preserves, divided
  • 10-15 apricots, chopped and divided
Directions
  1. Grease and flour a large rectangle baking pan (1/4 sheet cake size) or a large round, deep cake pan.
  2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  3. In a bowl, mix the dry batter ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder)
  4. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter/margarine and sugar
  5. Add the eggs, one at a time into the sugar mixture. Beat well. Add the vanilla and mix well. Add the "faux" sour cream or yogurt.
  6. Mix creamed ingredients with flour until just blended. The batter will be thick.
  7. Pour 1/2 of the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the batter in the pan.
  8. Add the filling: Sprinkle 1/2c walnuts over the cake. Drop small blobs of 1/3c apricot preserves over the cake and then sprinkle 1/2 of the chopped apricots.
  9. Smooth the remaining 1/2 of the batter on top of the filling.
  10. Repeat sprinkling nuts, dropping remaining apricot preserves and chopped fruit on top of the cake.
  11. Bake for approximately 60 minutes (I check after 45 minutes). Test for doneness. The cake will be soft and a bit jiggly.
  12. Cool completely in the oven. The cake will firm up.
  13. Serve in small portions, the cake is rich. It will stay well for 2-3 days (I wrap and keep it in the fridge, but it can be stored at room temperature).
  14. *NOTE: this cake is very forgiving of over mixing. You can use sour cream, faux sour cream (look for one with just a few ingredients and a short "use by" date), full fat or low fat yogurt or non-dairy "yogurt." The dairy and non-dairy versions are great!

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2 Reviews

SourCherryGurl July 19, 2023
This is a genuinely garbage recipe. The directions never say when to add the flour and make zero mention of the sour cream. Also, the par is ver off, and the amount of batter created would far exceed the recommended pan size even before the fruit is added. I was able to salvage somewhat by making some assumptions and slathering in creme anglaise.
Joanne B. February 27, 2014
The flour is missing from the ingredients.