Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

This recipe came from my Aunt Kak via my mom.  When I told my mom I made this coffee cake, she asked me to bring her a piece.  When I asked her how long we've been making it, neither one of us could remember - just that it's been ages.  My mom didn't bake much when we were growing up which is probably why I stepped in, but she did make this coffee cake fairly often on weekends and we always loved it.  If there was any left on Monday morning, she'd put a small piece in our school lunches.  

It's best served warm with a bit of butter on top, but it keeps well, too.  Of course, my favorite part is the Streusel filling, so I've doubled it here (half it to be true to the original recipe).  I recommend using high quality cinnamon - we always use Penzeys.

Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Pre-heat oven to 350 Degrees.

Spray a 9 x 13-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a stand mixer, blend for 3 minutes:

1 8-ounce package Cream Cheese

1/2 cup Butter, softened

Scrape the bowl down with a rubber spatula.

In a slow stream, with the mixer on a low speed, add 1 1/4 cups Sugar

Scrape the bowl down, again, and mix in:

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Scrape the bowl down, again, and mix in:

2 cups Cake Flour (or 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour)

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/4 teaspoon Salt

When fully combined, blend in:

1/4 cup Milk

Set batter aside.

Streusel Filling

In a medium bowl, cut with a pastry cutter:

1/4 cup Butter

2/3 cup Brown Sugar

2/3 cup Cake, or All-purpose, Flour

3 1/2 teaspoons Cinnamon

When fully blended, stir in 1/2 cup Walnuts.

Assemble the Coffee Cake

Scrape 2/3 of the cake batter into the bottom of the pan and spread out evenly.

Scatter the Streusel filling over the batter - be sure to get some into the corner.

Then drop the remaining cake batter over the Streusel filling.

Bake for 35 minutes.

Enjoy!

Make the most of Summer!