I thought yesterday was going to be my last recipe, but today I was thinking about my friend Millie.  She’s a great lady!  I met her in 1998 when she started to work for me, we worked together for about eight years.  Recently, I’ve had the chance to work with her again.  It was a real treat, and when I say treat, I mean…well…have you ever worked with someone who’s just brilliant?  Millie is in that category for me; she’d lead my dream team if I could make that happen!  Her attention to detail is impeccable, she’s truly a team player, loves her coffee, and makes my life easier!

Millie’s favorite of all my holiday recipes is from the Betty Crocker cookbook, the Sour Cream Coffee Cake.  For the most part I follow the recipe, but one year I got a little cinnamon happy.  While I don’t often subscribe to the belief that “more is better” in the case of cinnamon in this coffee cake its true!  I put it in the batter and in the glaze, as well as what’s called for in the filling.

If you have  “Millie” in your world, this coffee cake is a great way to say thank you, during the holiday season, or anytime.  Thanks, Millie!

Filling

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Coffee Cake

3 cups all-purpose or whole wheat flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups sour cream

Light Brown Glaze

1/4 cup butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 to 2 tablespoons milk

I add cinnamon, about a tablespoon, to this mixture and it makes for a great flavor!

Heat oven to 350ºF.

• Grease 12-cup fluted tube cake pan or 10-inch angel food (tube) cake pan.  (I like using the tube pan!)
• In small bowl, mix all Filling ingredients; set aside.
• In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside. In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, 3/4 cup butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and the eggs with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in flour mixture alternately with sour cream on low speed.
• Spread 1/3 of the batter (about 2 cups) in pan; sprinkle with 1/3 of the Filling (about 6 tablespoons). Repeat twice.
• Bake about 1 hour or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in 1 1/2-quart saucepan, heat 1/4 cup butter over medium heat until very light brown; remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until glaze is smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle cake with glaze.

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