1/2 c. walnuts, finely chopped
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Sugar
1/2 c. butter (1 stick), softened
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 (8 oz.) container sour cream
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 lg. eggs

About 2 hours before serving or day ahead:

1. In small bowl, combine nuts, cinnamon, and 1/2 cup sugar; set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9 inch tube pan with removable side.

2. In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat butter with 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add flour and remaining ingredients; beat at low speed until blended, constantly scraping bowl with rubber spatula. At medium speed, beat 3 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl.

3. Spread half of batter in pan; sprinkle with half of nut mixture; spread evenly with remaining batter and sprinkle with remaining nut mixture.

4. Bake 60 to 65 minutes until cake pulls away from side of pan. Cool coffee cake in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove side of pan. Serve warm. Or cool coffee cake on wire rack to serve later. Makes 12 servings.

Each serving: About 320 calories, 15 g fat, 44 mg cholesterol, 215 mg sodium.

APPLE SOUR-CREAM COFFEE CAKE: Prepare as above but spread half of batter in pan; top with 1/3 of nut mixture, then with 1 medium-sized cooking apple, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced, and 1/3 of nut mixture. Spread with remaining batter and nut mixture. Bake 65 to 70 minutes. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

Each serving: About 320 calories, 15 g fat, 44 mg cholesterol, 215 mg sodium.