We had a birthday at work the other day; I asked the b-day girl what she would like to snack on for the day.  She was not a big snacky type person and said that I should make something that I would like to eat.  Well I am not going to argue with that.  So I thought hmmmmm I haven’t had a sour cream coffee cake forever; which is kind of sad.  I do have a great recipe that I have made numerous times over the years but I am always looking for different recipes that I can try.  While I do know the culinary rule of “never try a new recipe on guests” I swear I break that all the time and for the most part pretty successfully.  So I broke the rule and made a new recipe and while it was absolutely beautiful and definitely something you could find at a bakery or high end coffee shop (I swear I saw something like this at Starbucks) it was just far too dry and dense for me.

All at work really enjoyed it or at least they were being polite, my family was clearly not impressed and are far too outspoken.  My husband actually said to me if I sliced it thinner he would like it better, I literally being as quick witted as I am; and has also been mentioned to me a several times, told him to take smaller bites.  Clearly there was an issue.  I totally know how I would fix this and it’s SO simple.

Preheat oven to 350’ grease and flour 10 inch tube pan.

1 ½ sticks of butter at room temperature

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

3 x-large eggs at room temperature

1 ½ tsp vanilla

1 ¼ cup sour cream

2 ½ cups cake flour (not self-rising)

1 package instant vanilla pudding

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp kosher salt

Streusel

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup AP flour

2 tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp kosher salt

4 TBS cold unsalted butter cut in pieces

¾ cup chopped nuts optional and of your choice

Glaze

½ cup confectioner’s sugar

2 TBS real maple syrup

Cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time; add the vanilla and sour cream.   In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.  With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture just till combined.  Use a spatula to completely mix the batter.

Streusel:  add the brown sugar, flour and cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl; use a fork to combine to a crumble.  If using nuts add at this time.

Spoon half the batter into the pan, sprinkle with ¾ cup or more streusel.  Spoon the remainder batter in the pan, spread the remainder of the streusel on top.  Bake for 50-60 minutes.  Test for doneness.

Let cool on a wire rack, transfer to serving plate and mix the glaze, add a few drops of water if needed to make it runny.  Drizzle as much or as little as you would like.

My spin is the vanilla pudding which is also in the zuchini bread recipe I use and also I would make and add more streusel. Is there such a thing a too much streusel??? I don’t think so.