Mile High Pecan Coffee Cake

This easy-to-make doctored box mix cake has a delicious cinnamon pecan brown sugar filling.

2 cups brown sugar
2 cups pecans, finely chopped
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 (15.25 oz) boxes yellow cake mix
2 (3.4 oz) boxes instant vanilla pudding
8 eggs
1 1/3 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
1 lb (2 cups) sour cream

Preheat oven to 325F. Prepare Old Country Kitchenware square tube pan by brushing with pan coat and fitting a parchment paper square between the two pieces. Prepare topping by mixing 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup nuts, 1 tsp cinnamon. Prepare filling by rinsing and draining 1 cup nuts then tossing in 1/2 cup dry cake mix, then mixing with 1 cup brown sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon. Set aside. For the cake, combine remaining cake mix, pudding, eggs, oil, water and sour cream. Mix well. Spread half the cake batter into pan. Sprinkle filling on top. Layer the remaining cake mix on top. Take a butter knife and make a few gentle swirls into the cake. Don't mix too much or it will blend. Follow with topping. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let cool until you can handle the outside of the pan, about 20 minutes. To unmold, place over a metal can, like those containing beans or tomatoes, and push down to remove outer piece. When the tube is warm to the touch but not hot, lift cake off tube piece by sliding two large knives, bench scrapers, or sturdy spatulas under the cake and lifting up. Place on serving plate.