Oatmeal Coffee Cake

From:The Duffy House Bed & Breakfast Inn, outside Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, Washington.

1 cup quick oatmeal

1 1/4 cup boiling water

1 stick margarine, melted

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/3 cup flour

1 tsp soda

Pour boiling water over oats and let cool. Cream together next 5 ingredients. Add cooled oatmeal and mix well. Add flour, salt and soda. Beat well. Bake in greased 9 x 13″ pan at 350°, 35 minutes.  Remove from oven.

TOPPING

1/2 cube butter, melted

1/4 tsp vanilla

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1 cup coconut

Melt butter saucepan. Mix in remaining topping ingredients and spread over cake. Put back into oven under broiler to brown (watch carefully). Remove from oven and cool.

Nancy’s Notes: This a moist coffee cake that disappears fast. Especially good if served slightly warm, Stephanie’s favorite.

Citrus-Cream Cheese Pull-Apart Rolls

From: Cooking Light – December 1999

1 25-oz. package frozen roll dough

Cooking spray

¼ cup sweetened dried cranberries (or chopped dried apricots)

1 cup granulated sugar, divided

2/3 cup (6-oz.) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1 large egg

1 tablespoon grated lemon rind

1 tablespoon grated orange rind

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Thaw roll dough at room temperature 30 minutes. Cut rolls in half. Place 24 halves, cut sides down, in bottom of each of 2 (9-inch) round cake pans coated with cooking spray. Brush butter evenly over rolls. Cover, let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 30 minutes. Sprinkle with dried cranberries. Combine ¼ cup granulated sugar, cream cheese, orange juice and egg; beat a medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Pour cream cheese mixture evenly over rolls. Combine ¾ cup granulated sugar and rinds. Sprinkle evenly over rolls. Cover and let rise 1 hour or until doubled in size. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake for 20 minutes. Cover with foil. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until rolls in center are done. Remove from oven; cool 15 minutes. Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice. Drizzle over rolls.

Overnight Variation: After pouring the cream cheese mixture over rolls, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 12 hours.

Nancy’s Notes: First made December 1999. A great choice for Christmas morning. I made for Christmas brunhch with Judy, Michael, Vivian, Jean and David. These were a big hit. Steven and Tammy made for Christmas weekend in Portland, Bob, Nancy and Tam ate a whole pan full.

I used a springform pan and the rolls raised to the top. Place some foil under the pan in case the sugar mixture runs over. The fresh lemon and orange peel give a great citrus flavor. I don’t think the icing is necessary for either looks or taste but it is very good.

I’ve made this many times since 1999 – everyone always loves them. These have really become a Christmas morning classic for the Yackel family.

Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

From: Colorado Cache – Junior League of Denver, page 243

¼ cup butter

1 8-ounce package cream cheese

1½ cups sugar

2 eggs

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping

¼ cup butter

¼ cup flour

1 cup brown sugar

Cream together butter, cream cheese, sugar and eggs. In another bowl sift together flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Combine milk and vanilla and add to creamed butter mixture, stirring constantly until well blended. Add sifted flour mixture to the creamed ingredients, blending for 3 minutes or until all ingredients are well mixed. Spoon mixture into 3 greased and floured round cake pans.

Mix topping ingredients together and sprinkle over dough mixture. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.

Note: Can be easily frozen.

Nancy’s Notes: After the first time I made this recipe I decided I would divide dough between only 2 pans for a thicker cake result.

Cranberry Coffee Cake

From: Colorado Classique – Junior League of Denver, page 215

Batter

½ cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon orange zest

1 cups unbleached flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup sour cream

Topping

2 ½ cups fresh whole cranberries

¾ cup light brown sugar

½ cup unbleached flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 tablespoons butter

Preheat the oven to 350°. To prepare batter, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and orange zest. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients, alternating with sour cream, to creamed mixture. The batter will be smooth and thick. Spread batter evenly in a greased and lightly floured 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

For topping, sprinkle cranberries over batter. Combine brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl. Cut in butter with two knives or a pastry blender until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle sugar topping evenly over cranberries.

Bake for 45 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.

If fresh cranberries are not available or for an interesting change, try fresh blueberries.

The coffee cake is also delicious when prepared in 2 standard loaf pans. It is easier to slice into uniform pieces when baked in the loaves. (The baking time remains the same.) One load also can be frozen for later use if serving fewer people.

Nancy’s Notes: Made Nov. 16, 2009 – Good. I set the timer for 40 minutes and the cake tested done. When I sliced it the bottom seemed a bit over done. Next time I would check after 35 minutes.

Overnight Coffee Cake

From: Beyond the Rim – Junior League of Amarillo, page 88

1 (25-ounce) package frozen dinner rolls

1 (4-ounce) package chocolate or butterscotch instant pudding mix

½ cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¾ cup chopped pecans

½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted

Place half the frozen dinner rolls, in a 12-cup bundt pan. Combine the pudding mix, brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans in a small bowl and mix with a fork. Sprinkle half the pudding mixture of the rolls. Drizzle half the butter over the rolls. Repeat with a second layer of dinner rolls, pudding mix and melted butter. Cover the pan with a paper towel and set aside at room temperature overnight. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Invert the coffee cake onto a serving platter. Yield: 12 servings.

Nancy’s Notes: Made Christmas 2008 – Not as good as Monkey Bread.