Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil (or less, if desired- I've used 3/4 cup with equally fine results)
1 tablespoon lemon zest, grated
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese or 1/2 cup light ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350\u00b0F Grease and flour a 10-inch fluted tube pan.
In a small bowl combine nuts, brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together sugar, oil, zest and eggs. Set aside.
In blender or food processor combine yogurt and cottage cheese until smooth. Add to sugar mixture.
Stir in lemon juice and vanilla.
Combine flour and baking powder and gradually stir into sugar mixture until blended.
Pour 2/3 of the batter into the pan.Sprinkle with nut mixture. Spoon remaining batter over nuts.
Bake 40-45 minutes till done (cake tester comes out clean).
Cool 10 min in pan. Remove and let cool completely.