Cake Follow-up

Chocolate Chunk Coffee Cake
Topping: 10 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3/4 c. chopped walnuts
2/3 c. sugar

Cake: 3/4 c. butter or margarine, softened
1 1/4 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 c. sour cream
2 t. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
2 1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 10-inch tube pan.

In small bowl, combine topping ingredients: set aside.

Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs, sour cream and vanilla until well mixed. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in bowl. On low speed, add flour mixture to batter, beating until smooth. Spoon 1/3 (about 2 cups) of the batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the topping (scant 1 cup). Repeat layering 2 more times.
Bake 55 to 65 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack for 20 minutes. Remove from pan. Makes 12 servings.
It is also recommended to have all ingredients at room temperature.

Now, for the Funny Cake. This is one of the much-loved treats from my Pennsylvania Dutch background. It is similar in form to Shoo-Fly pie, which is probably much better known (I think, although I don't think R really knew about shoo-fly pie until he had my mom's, so maybe not). Funny cake is actually a pie crust containing a layer of gooey chocolate beneath a dense, moist cake. It's Funny because it is traditionally made by pouring the chocolate over top of the cake filling, but in baking, the chocolate settles to the bottom. Perhaps I will have to make it soon and share the goodness with my lucky readers. Perhaps I'll have to feature shoo-fly pie as well. Mmmmm....good things to come!