Pecan Coffee Cake, But No There Isn't Any Coffee In It!

Pecan "Coffee" Cake

Batter:

Combine/ Part 1:

• 3/4 cup softened butter*
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking (bicarbonate soda)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Part 2:

• 1 cup low-fat sour cream
• 1/4 milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling:

• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 rolled oats
• 1 tablespoon melted margarine

What I did:

1. In a larger mixing bowl, combine the softened butter with dry ingredients from Part 1.
2. Add wet ingredients from Part 2 slowly.
3. Mix until the batter is smooth and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and grease a 9 x 9 baking dish, or line with parchment.
5. Mix the Filling ingredients in a small bowl.
6. Add 1/2 of batter to your greased baking dish.
7. Sprinkle 1/2 of the pecan filling over that bottom batter layer. Say that 5 times fast...teehee
8. Pour the remaining batter over the pecans, and carefully spread evenly.
9. Sprinkle the last of the pecans on top.
10. Bake for 35-45 minutes. I do a toothpick test at about 30 minutes. If it is batter-free after being inserted into the middle of the cake, it's done.
11. Makes 9 big servings of pecan goodness.

Bottom batter layer, with 1/2 pecan filling.

Carefully spread remaining batter over pecan filling.

Sprinkle remaining pecan filling on top. Oven ready, see the layers?

Smelled divine when it came out of the oven!

So, why did I title this recipe the way I did?  It is dedicated to my hubby who usually helps me test my recipe creations without complaint.  Though, I could never figure out why he would turn down perfectly yummy cake.  One day after testing the early phases of this recipe, I had made a maple walnut coffee cake.  Hubby wouldn't help me eat it.  I pressed him for an answer and he said; "Coffee cake would be good if they didn't put coffee in it."  Yes, I am making fun of my husband who has sent nearly 40 years believing that coffee cake has coffee in it.