Buttery Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Mmmm. Good. Heavens.

This cake was goooood.

I needed something to take along to one of my seminars, that's good for a quick snack with afternoon tea.  I'd had this recipe bookmarked for a couple of weeks, and I'm glad it didn't remain too long on the to-be-baked list.  This cake is super-moist, very rich, and sure to impress.  It also might impress the women in your life, if you happen to have any.  I'm not really sure what else to say about it... except that you should most definitely make it for your next dinner party, potluck, or any time all of your friends gather in the same location.

*Note to Brits: this cake, though called a "coffee cake," does not contain coffee.  It's for having with coffee - kind of like how teacakes don't actually contain tea.  Yet another instance of two countries separated by a common language... I'm slowly learning to cope.

I found the recipe via this food blog, and the original recipe is here.  The only thing I can think that might make it better is an addition of some lemon zest in the filling.  Next time.

Buttery Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

CAKE

1 cup (225g) butter (no substitutes)
1 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup sour cream (I used crème fraiche)
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

FILLING

2 (8 oz or 250g each) packages cream cheese, softened
1 egg yolk
1 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

TOPPING

1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup butter


Set oven to 350F (175C) with oven rack set to second-lowest position. Grease a 13 x 9-inch (or an 11 x 7-inch, baking time will need to be increased slightly). Cream butter with sugar (about 3-4 minutes), add in eggs and sour cream or crème fraiche; beat well (about another 3 minutes). In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt.Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture; beat well until combined (batter will be thick). Spread more than half of the batter in the prepared baking pan. In another bowl, cream together all filling ingredients, then carefully spread over the cake batter. Spoon the remaining cake batter over the top of the cheese mixture. Mix all topping ingredients, pinching together with fingers until the consistency is like crumbs, and sprinkle over the top. Bake for about 50-55 minutes or until middle feels set and not jiggly.