I never really liked coffee cake as a kid or as a young adult because I found the cake part way too dry and the topping way too sweet. So for many years I never even attempted to make one myself because I assumed (you know what that makes me!) mine would turn out the same. (During all that time I had watched other people buy coffee cake with their morning coffee, but I just thought they were folks who were clueless.)
Well I was in a hurry last Friday but still wanted to bring a little treat for our BlueStreet Jazz Voices Saturday morning rehearsal. So I thought about coffee cake. I went on line searching under “coffee cake made with cake mix”. I found a veritable plethora (love that word) of recipes from which to choose. They all looked easy, so I picked one and made a few changes. As it turns out, I’m the only one who was clueless! The coffee cake turned out to be moist and delicious and the filling/topping delightful and not overly sweet. And it could not have been easier to prepare.
So if I were still gainfully employed, this would definitely be a treat I would bring my fellow staff members to brighten their day. I can just picture the smiles on their faces when I showed up some dreary winter Monday morning with one of these babies in hand. You know, working for a large financial institution (or any large corporation, for that matter) can have its rather dull moments. I know that shocks you, but it’s true. But something as simple as a homemade coffee cake sitting on the counter near the coffee pot can truly lift people’s spirits. It’s just a nice way of bringing a little of the comfort of home to the sterile environment of the office. In the immortal words of the now middle aged Pillsbury Dough Boy – “nothin’ says lovin’ like somethin’ from the oven”. (You know, it’s pretty darn scary when you find yourself quoting a man shaped marshmallow wearing a chef’s hat! But basically, that’s exactly how I feel!)
Enjoy the recipe.
- 1 (18.25-oz.) pkg. yellow cake mix
- 1 (5.1-oz.) pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix (that’s the large package of instant pudding)
- ½ tsp. instant espresso, opt. (I use Medaglia D’oro)
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 1 c. water
- 1 c. vegetable oil
- 1 c. packed brown sugar
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 c. chopped pecans or walnuts
In the bowl of your mixer, combine the cake mix, vanilla pudding mix, and espresso powder. Add the eggs, oil, and water; beat for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in another bowl stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts. Pour just under half of the batter into a buttered 10×16-inch pan (glass is best). Spread evenly. Sprinkle with half of the brown sugar mixture. Carefully spread the rest of the batter evenly over the filling. Sprinkle with the remaining nut mixture. Bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven (glass) or 350 degree oven (metal) for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the cake comes out clean. Do not over-bake. Allow to cool completely before serving. Best made the day before.