(Healthy!) Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Something about the words "healthy" and "coffee cake" together just seems wrong. But folks, I kid you not, this cake is actually pretty healthy. With a mix of whole wheat pastry flour, ground oats, a modest 1/4 cup of brown sugar, low fat sour cream and an amount of butter that would horrify butter queen Paula Deen, there's not much to fear here. Though not as decadent as some coffee cakes I've made in the past, this guy certainly fulfilled my primal need for sweets and made the house smell like a dream (or a cake batter Yankee Candle, take your pick). 


The streusel topping's full of rolled oats, brown sugar, glazed walnuts and just a tad of butter, so I was pleasantly surprised at how satisfying it was sans all the butter.  Instead of an overly sugary topping, the mix added a lightly sweet and crunchy taste to the cake.  Though I was a huge fan of this recipe adapted from Cooking Light, I found that the cake tasted best on the day I baked it.  Afterward, a 20 second nuke in the microwave brought it back to life! 




Healthy Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Adapted from Cooking Light March '10

3/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats, divided (not quick oats)
Cooking spray
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar (though I'd like to keep this healthy, I'd bump this up next time - maybe double!)
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (8-ounce) carton light sour cream
topping:
1/4 cup brown sugar
2.5 tablespoons finely chopped glazed or candied walnuts
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon,
1 tablespoon chilled butter, cut into small pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Spread oats in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 6 minutes or until oats are barely fragrant and light brown.

3. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray; set aside. (I don't have a springform so I used a 9 inch pie pan and lined the bottom with parchment paper and sprayed with cooking spray)

4. Reserve 1/4 cup oats; set aside. Place remaining oats in a food processor; process 4 seconds or until finely ground. Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine processed oats, flours, baking powder, baking soda, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and salt; stir with a whisk.

5. Place granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 1/3 cup butter in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. (Batter will be slightly lumpy because of oats.) Spoon batter into prepared pan; spread evenly.

6. Combine remaining 1/4 cup oats, remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar, nuts, and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until well blended. Sprinkle top of batter evenly with nut mixture. Bake at 350° for 38 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, top is golden, and cake begins to pull away from sides of pan. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes; remove from pan.