Ingredients

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (1 1/4 sticks)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped (or pecans)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 350°.

2. Generously grease bottom and lightly grease sides of 10-inch springform pan and dust with flour.

3. With electric mixer, mix flour, sugar, and salt in large mixing bowl until blended.

4. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

5. Remove 1 cup of crumbs to separate bowl.

6. Mix baking powder and soda into mixture remaining in large mixing bowl.

7. Add buttermilk, egg, and vanilla; mix well until batter is thick, smooth, fluffy, and frostinglike, 1 1/2- 2 minutes.

8. Using a rubber spatula, scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top.

9. Add nuts, brown sugar, cinnamon and allspice to reserved crumbs; toss with a fork or your hands until blended.

10. Sprinkle crumbs over batter, pressing lightly so that mixture adheres.

11. Bake cake until center is firm and cake tester comes out clean, 50- 55 minutes. TIP: Do not insert a toothpick to test for doneness until center is firm when pan is shaken.

12. Transfer cake to rack; remove pan sides.

13. Let cake cool completely, about 2 hours, before serving.

14. When completely cooled, cake can be slid off pan bottom onto serving plate.