Coffee Cake

One of my friends at the office had a birthday this weekend and I wanted to do something a little different for her bday cake. I figure everyone is always trying to wait to an appropriate time to dive into my treats (but I find nothing wrong with dessert for breakfast) so this time I made a coffee cake so anyone can eat it right away. I really did some experimenting by combining 3 or so different recipes into one. My trusty taste tester Kris approved so hopefully everyone at the office will too.

This turned out to be an extremely moist cake so give it a try sometime!

Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:
1 box cake mix - yellow or white (I used white because that is what I had...maybe yellow would be better)
1 6oz package instant vanilla pudding
1 c sour cream
3/4 c hot water
4 eggs
1/3 c vegetable oil
1 t vanilla

Cinnamon Swirl:
1/2 c packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 t ground cinnamon
Nuts optional

Streusel:
1/4 c granulated sugar
1/3 c light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 t ground cinnamon
1 1/3 c all purpose flour
1 stick unsalted butter, melted

Glaze:
Powdered sugar
Milk

Directions:
1. Combine cake mix and pudding. Add in sour cream and hot water, mix well. The batter will be thick.2. Add in eggs, vanilla, oil.Mix well and try to get rid of all lumps. 3. In a separate bowl, combine cinnamon and brown sugar.4. In a 13x9 baking pan, spread half of the cake batter. Top with all of the cinnamon/brown sugar mixture. Spread remaining cake batter on top.5. With a knife or skewer, swirl the batter and brown sugar mixture.6. For the streusel topping, combine sugars, cinnamon and flour. Stir in melted butter. Mixture will be very thick.7. With your fingers, crumble the topping over the cake batter.
8. Bake at 350 for 40 to 50 minutes. I think it took me 45 minutes and then I left it in turned off oven for 10 additional minutes. It will be puffed in center when you take it out but will sink down as it cools.
9. Before serving, mix powdered sugar and milk together. I didn't measure, but start with maybe 1 cup of powdered sugar and add milk a tablespoon at a time until you get a thick yet runny consistency that is easy to drizzle over cake with a spoon. It's sugar and milk...you can't ruin it. :)

**My only change to the recipe would be to find a better cinnamon sugar filling. It wasn't a very strong flavor and not very visible either.