Sour Cream Coffee Cake

I made Sour Cream Coffee Cake for breakfast one morning. The recipe also came from the "Barefoot Contessa Parties" cookbook. My brother-in-law, Matt, said it was the best breakfast I had made while he was here. It was gone so fast that I didn't have a chance to get a picture. Actually, the camera was upstairs and I didn't feel like getting it, but the cake really did not last long! It turned out to be a moist, dense cake. I left the walnuts out of the recipe so Matt could have a piece.

In place of the coffee cake picture, here's a picture of the in-laws. Back row: my Brother-in-law - Matt, and my husband. Front row: Sister-in-law - Christie, niece - Katie, Mother-in-law - Lin, niece - Lauren, and myself.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

12 Tbls unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) at room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3 extra-large eggs at room temperature (I used 4 large eggs)

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups sour cream

2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising) Substitute 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour plus 1/4 cup cornstarch if you do not have cake flour (which I didn't!)

2 tsps baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Streusal Topping

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsps ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp kosher salt

3 Tbls cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan. Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Add eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Finish stirring with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed. For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in the walnuts, if desired. Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it out with knife. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup streusel. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, spread it out, and scatter the remaining streusel on top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the cake, streusel-side up, onto a serving plate. Serves 8 to 10.

Cherry Cheese Coffee Cake

I baked a Cherry Cheese Coffee Cake to take to my women's Bible study this morning. The recipe came from a Pampered Chef cookbook. I've made it before, but hadn't had it in a long time. I used reduced or low-fat ingredients and it turned out well. It wasn't as sweet as I remembered it, but that could be because I also used Lite cherry pie filling.

Cherry Cheese Coffee Cake
2 pkgs (8 oz each) refrigerated crescent rolls
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla or almond extract
1 can (21 oz) peach, cherry or apple pie filling

Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2-3 tsp milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unroll crescent dough. Separate into 16 triangles, reserving four triangles for decoration. On round baking sheet arrange 12 triangles in a circle with wide ends toward the outside edge of sheet and points toward center. (Depending on size of baking sheet you are using, the points make not meet in the center.) Roll dough to seal seams. Form a slightly raised rim along inner and outer edges of dough. In bowl, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, egg yolk and vanilla; whisk until smooth. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over dough to within 1/2 inch of edge. Spoon pie filling evenly over cream cheese mixture. Cut each remaining dough triangle lengthwise into three strips. Arrange dough strips evenly in spoke-like fashion over filling. Press ends to seal at center and outer edges. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven; cool 15 minutes. For glaze, combine powdered sugar and milk; mix until smooth. Drizzle evenly over coffee cake. Cut into wedges, serve warm. Makes 12 servings.