This cake isn't as elegant as the Walnut Sour Cream Coffee Cake -- the crumb is rather coarse, and the cake itself is almost too soft. The flavor is very good, however, especially if you like spice cake.

Don't be put off by the 1 Tbsp of ground nutmeg. That may seem like a lot, but the cake needs it for flavor. I made this coffee cake with pecans and thought they worked very well.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 to 40 minutes
Yield: about 16 pieces

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon, divided
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp ground nutmeg
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, 1 tsp of cinnamon, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and oil. Beat with an electric mixer until blended and crumbly. Transfer 3/4 cup of the mixture to a medium bowl for use as topping. Stir in nuts and set aside.

To the remaining mixture, add baking powder, baking soda, remaining 1 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg, egg, and buttermilk and beat until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle the reserved topping over it. Press the topping gently into the batter with your hands. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Cover with plastic and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.