Orange Coffee Cake

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter, melted, plus more for pan
• 1 (16.3-ounce) can refrigerated biscuits (recommended: Pillsbury Grands Flaky Layers)
• 1/4 cup minced walnuts
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons orange zest

Glaze:

• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons orange juice, or more as necessary

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan.

Separate the biscuit dough into 8 biscuits. Place 1 biscuit in the center of the pan. Cut the remaining biscuits in half, forming 14 half-circles. Arrange the pieces around the center biscuit with cut sides facing in the same direction. Brush melted butter over the tops of the biscuits.

In a small bowl, combine the walnuts, granulated sugar, and orange zest. Mix well and sprinkle over biscuits. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine confectioners' sugar, cream cheese, and orange juice. Blend until smooth adding more orange juice, if needed, to thin. Drizzle glaze over the warm coffee cake and serve.

Cinnamon Crumb Cake

innamon Crumb Cake 

(Adapted from Fake Ginger) 

Ingredients 

Crumb Topping 

2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 

1/2 cup granulated sugar 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon 

3/4 cup butter, cubed 

Cake 

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

3/4 teaspoon baking powder 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter 

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 

2 large eggs 

1 1/4 cups plain yogurt * 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

*I've been on a huge greek yogurt kick, so that's what I used. 

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a glass/ceramic 9x13 dish with butter. 

Mix together all of the dry crumb topping ingredients (flour through cinnamon). Drop cubes of butter into the mix. Start by using a pastry cutter, or two knives, to cut in the butter. When the butter is evenly distributed, use hands to squeeze it together then break it into crumbs. Do this until it seems well combined and you are making crumbs that are mostly about the size of peanuts. Set aside. ** 

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. 

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle, cream the butter. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Then add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides bowl before each addition and beating until fully incorporated. Add the yogurt and vanilla and beat until combined. Finally, add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, beating just until combined without lumps. 

Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Smooth out the batter with a spatula. Scoop up the crumb topping with your fist and drop clumps of it onto the the batter until all of the crumb topping is used. It will seem like a LOT of crumb topping. 

Bake for 45-65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the middle of the cake seems solid.*** 

Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes before serving. If you like, mix together some milk and confectioners sugar and make a glaze. 

**The original recipe called for melting the butter and stirring together, then drying out the mixture. I was already mixing my crumb topping when I realized this, but the way I did it worked out really well. I also decreased the amount of flour and butter. 

***I know this seems like a wide spread for baking time, but the recipe called for 45-55 minutes and mine took an hour and 5 minutes. My oven can be weird. Check yours at 45 and just keep in mind that it can take up to an hour. If the edges seem to be getting overdone reduce the oven temperature to 325.