Merk's Coffee Cake

Merk's Coffee Cake

1/2 cups shortening (Crisco)

3/4 cups sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 eggs

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 cup sour cream

Filling

12 Tbsp. butter, room temperature

2 cups brown sugar

4 tsp. cinnamon

2 cups chopped nuts

1. Mix the Filling ingredients. Set aside.

2. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a tube pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper.

3. Cream the shortening, sugar and vanilla.

Add the eggs.

4. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda.

Add to the creamed mixture alternately with the sour cream.

5. Spoon half the cake batter into the tube pan.

Sprinkle half the Filling on top.

Spoon on the remaining cake batter.

Sprinkle on the remaining Filling.

6. Bake 60 to 70 minutes. Toothpick will come out clean.

Cool in pan 10 minutes.

Invert onto serving plate.

You can drizzle with a simple glaze, if you want.

My mother got this recipe out of the newspaper back in the 60's. It was always a favorite.