Old-Fashioned Sour Cream Coffeecake

Ingredients for topping:
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 T cocoa
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted and cooled

* * * * * * *

Ingredients for the cake:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup plus 1 1/2 T 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

Preparing the topping:
In a large bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, chocolate chips, pecans and butter. Set aside.

* * * * * * *

Preparing the cake:
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated, then beat in the sour cream and vanilla.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.

Gently fold the dry ingredients into the butter and egg mixture to form a batter. The batter will be lumpy; simply 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 45 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.