Trader Joe's Coffee Cake vs. Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Today's post is a recipe share...

And More!

First, you get a friendly little tip I'd like to pass on to save you some time when you are in a pinch.  I prefer baking from scratch.  There's no question about that.  But I am not too snobby to use a mix or other various convenience foods to help put dinner (or breakfast, in this case) on the table when life gets hectic. 

I read an article not long ago, (I think it was in Good Housekeeping or Shop Smart) that was recommending various brands of this 'n' that.  Anything from the best pancake mix, to salad dressing to, you guessed it...

Coffee Cake Mix! 



A handful of blueberries were a fun addition to the filling.


I have a small arsenal of coffee cake recipes that I use every now and again.  I read in the article that Trader Joe's brand coffee cake mix was one worth trying out.  It beat out several major baking mix brands in a taste-test.

I like to shop at Trader Joe's and while I don't stop in there weekly, I probably drop in once a month or so.  I made sure to add this item to my list while I was stocking up on some "Two Buck Chuck!"

The taste-testers were right on the money with this recommendation.  Super moist and great sugary-cinnamon filling in the middle.  I threw it together one night after the kids had gone to bed, popped it in the oven, and took a shower.  By the time I was ready for bed, I had breakfast ready and waiting for the next morning. 

Add some more points to my Best Mom Ever bank!

*note...Trader Joe's doesn't know me and paid me nothing to write this post.  I just wanted to share some coffee cake love with whoever is reading this!

And now, for

Part Two!

If time is on your side, for once, and you are able to, this Sour Cream Coffee Cake recipe is a keeper for your recipe box.  So moist, thanks to the wonders of sour cream, it will keep on your counter for several days without drying out.  Not that it will be in your kitchen long enough for that to happen!

Moist Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Here's What You Need:

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

2 teaspoons cinnamon

3/4 cup butter, room temperature

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup brown sugar

Here's What You Do:

I'll admit that I made this recently over the weekend and I truly was pressed for time but still managed to crank it out thanks to some help from my lovely kitchen assistant (aka - my daughter, Jenna).  While I handled one step, she handled another and we came together in the end to assemble the cake and pop it in the oven.  Luckily, it came out right as it was time to go pick up her friend for a sleepover! 

Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla until fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time.  Mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda.  Add to the sugar mixture alternately with the sour cream until blended.  Don't overmix!

Mix the pecans (if using), brown sugar and cinnamon.  Spoon half of the batter into a well-greased Bundt pan, sprinkle the cinnamon mixture on top and then spoon the remaining batter in the pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes, depending on how hot your oven runs.  Cool for 10 minutes before turning it out of the pan onto a serving platter.  If you want to toss in a cup of blueberries or raspberries, you can add them in with the cinnamon mixture layer.

Serves about 12 people and reheats nicely in the microwave the next morning!