Cranberry-Pecan Coffee Cake

Step 1

Stir together pecans, cinnamon, 3/4 cup of the flour, 3/4 cup of the brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a bowl. Stir in melted butter. Freeze until hardened, about 20 minutes.

Step 2

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 10-inch tube pan with shortening; dust pan with flour. Pulse cranberries and 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar in a food processor until finely chopped, 6 to 8 times. Transfer to a bowl; chill until ready to use.

Step 3

Beat softened butter, remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, and remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 minutes. Add eggs and yolk 1 at a time, beating well on low speed after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

Step 4

Stir together baking powder, baking soda, remaining 2 1/2 cups flour, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Add flour mixture to softened butter mixture alternately with sour cream in 3 additions (beginning and ending with flour mixture), beating on low speed until just combined after each addition.

Step 5

Stir 3/4 cup of the batter into chilled cranberry mixture. Spoon half of the remaining plain batter into prepared pan. Spoon cranberry-batter mixture over, smoothing into an even layer. Top with remaining plain batter. Crumble frozen pecan-cinnamon mixture into chunks. Sprinkle evenly over cake.

Step 6

Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes, tenting with aluminum foil after 35 minutes, if needed, to prevent excessive browning. Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on rack, 1 hour.