Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

Ingredients

• 2 large egg whites (1/4 cup)
• 1/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1 1/4 cups mini semisweet chocolate chips, divided
• 2 cups cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sour cream

topping
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• (I microwaved some dark chocolate chips in a baggie till melted, sniped off the tip and drizzled it over the cake.)

Instructions

1. Set oven to 350F
2. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour 10-inch-diameter tube pan, then spray with nonstick spray. Mix egg whites, brown sugar, and salt in bowl. Mix in walnuts and 1/4 cup chocolate chips. Set aside.
3. Whisk flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl to blend. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Stir in flour mixture in 4 additions alternately with sour cream in 3 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips.
4. Transfer batter to pan; smooth top. Spoon walnut mixture evenly over. Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool in pan on rack 10 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack; invert onto second rack (walnuts should be on top). Cool.
5. Mix powdered sugar and sour cream in bowl; drizzle over cake, or melt chocolate chips in a baggie, snip the tip and drizzle.