The Bundt pans of the world really haven't gone anywhere. In fact, they are fairly easy to purchase from just about any store that sells cake pans. I have merely chosen to abstain from the ownership of such a — sorry, Mom, Grandma — monstrosity.

I do not know from whence my repugnance for Bundt pans originated. I only know that from a young age, I found them tacky and strange and pointless. I have come to realize that tube pans, at least, serve a very real purpose. The giant donut hole in the center of the pan allows the middle of the cake to cook evenly along with the rest. But that strange, molded shape that recalls discolored Jell-O masses I saw when paging through my mom's 1980s Wilton magazines? I do not understand it.

That said, it felt a bit wrong to bake my mom's sour cream coffee cake in anything but a Bundt pan. I can distinctly picture her slicing into that sloped dome-y shape to reveal the cinnamon-streusel striations. The spring-form pan I substituted, though, managed the job just fine.

I did find that I needed to bake this cake a bit longer to finish cooking that non-hole-y center, which in turn stole some of the cake's sour cream moisture. To make amends, I drizzled on a bit of bourbon caramel sauce.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

adapted from my mom's recipe

For the cake:

1 3/4 sticks unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup sour cream
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

For the streusel:

1/4 light brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the center.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer on medium-low for 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add one egg at a time, beating after each addition to combine. Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat on medium for a minute.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Turn the mixer to stir and gradually add the dry mixture until it's all just combined. Set batter aside.

In the empty dry ingredients bowl, combine the ingredients for the streusel except for the pecans. Use your fingers to pinch the butter apart and into the sugar mixture until it forms a crumble. Stir in the nuts.

Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt or spring-form pan. Spread half the cake batter into the bottom of the pan using a knife. Sprinkle 3/4 cup of the streusel evenly over the batter layer. Then, spread the remaining half of the batter on top, and cover with the rest of the streusel.

Bake the cake for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick comes cleanly out of the center (note: you may need to leave it in up to 10 minutes longer if you're using a non-Bundt pan).

Allow cake to cool completely before releasing it from its pan confinement.

Bourbon Caramel Sauce

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup soy milk
2 Tbsp bourbon
1 tsp vanilla
A dash of salt

In a saucepan, mix water and sugar. Place over medium heat and cook, without stirring, until it turns a golden amber color. Stir until crystals have dissolved, then remove from heat and, stirring constantly, add butter and soy milk. Stir in bourbon, vanilla, and salt. Return to heat and cook a few minutes more, until smooth.

You can make this sauce ahead of time and reheat it just before drizzling over the coffee cake.