My Best Recipe . . . Whether a Coffeecake or a Fruitcake, It’s Delicious

“This coffeecake is so delicious any time of the year,” Kylene Kulm writes, “but since my mother makes it at Christmas time, I started calling it ‘blond fruitcake.’ ”

SOUR CREAM COFFEECAKE WITH

LEMON GLAZE

4 cups sifted flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

1 cup golden raisins

Grated peel of 2 lemons

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

5 eggs

1 (8-ounce) carton sour cream

Juice of 1 lemon

Lemon Glaze

Sift flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. Combine walnuts, raisins and lemon peel in bowl. Add flour mixture and mix well.

Cream butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating constantly. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is very light and creamy.

Mix in flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at time, alternating with sour cream. Stir in lemon juice, then nut-fruit mixture. Pour into buttered 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees 50 to 60 minutes, or until wood pick inserted in center comes out dry. Do not overbake. Turn out of pan at once and onto cake rack. Cool. Allow to stand overnight, covered securely. Cover top with Lemon Glaze before serving. Makes 12 servings.

Lemon Glaze

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar

Grated peel and juice of 1 lemon

Stir soft butter into powdered sugar. Stir in lemon peel and juice.

--KYLENE KULM

Crestline, Calif.