Cinnamon Crunch Coffee Cake

Mother's Day is coming up quickly... do you know what you are doing for your mom yet? Are you hosting a Mother's Day brunch for your family? Put together a mix of 3-4 savory and sweet breakfast items, brew some coffee and crack open a bottle of champagne for mimosas and brunch is ready to go. The best part about brunch is that most of the recipes can be made in advance. This low maintenance cinnamon crunch coffee cake can be baked the day before and makes a great display on a pretty cake stand.

The cake is baked in a bundt pan and has a ring of cinnamon streusel baked into the middle. It's iced with a simple powdered sugar and milk glaze just poured over the top.


This would be perfect served with an egg and bacon or ham strata, a light, fresh fruit salad (try this one with poppyseed dressing) and add some hashbrowns or home fries to finsh the meal.


I baked this in a bundt pan but if you don't have one, it can also be made in a 9x13 pan, just add all the batter at once and top with the streusel mix instead of adding it to the middle and reduce the baking time by about 10 minutes.


Cinnamon Crunch Coffee Cake
Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

Cake:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup unsalted butter
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
3/4 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour (or spray with baking spray) a bundt pan. Add pecans to a dry skillet and toast over medium-low heat, about 5-6 minutes, tossing frequently. Watch them carefully so you don't burn them, you'll be able to tell when they are done as they will become very fragrant. In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar and salt. Cut in butter, using a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Scoop out 1/2 cup of mixture and set aside. Add baking powder, baking soda, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger to remaining mixture.

Beat eggs and add to buttermilk in a large measuring cup. Pour into flour mixture, stir until just mixed. Add half the batter to the bundt pan. Combine remaining flour mixture, toasted pecans and remaining cinnamon and sprinkle over batter. Top with remaining batter.

Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in pan 10-15 minutes on a wire rack. Cover with cake plate and invert carefully to transfer cake. Cool completely and top with glaze.

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream or milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, add powdered sugar, 1/2 the milk or cream, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Add remaining milk or cream as necessary to reach desired consistency. You want a syrup-like consistency that can be poured over the cake without running everywhere.