Cream Cheese Coffee Cake!

It's Bible Study Thursday!  (I realize it's really not Thursday, but just play along for the sake of the story.)  And I'm baking up some treats!  I am hosting a Women's Small Group in my home on Thursday mornings and what's a ladies group without treats?!  You've gotta feed the people!  I am so excited about this group, and we have had such a great time getting to know one another!  One of the things that I really enjoy about this group, is that we're all from different churches and different faiths!  It's incredible that we can all get together in the name of Jesus, and just fellowship over some treats and a GREAT book!  

Not that I want to hook you on the book, but if you haven't read Not a Fan, you SO need to grab the book and open it up!  It's compelling, it's convicting, and most of all, it's a real eye opener!  I could go on and on about this fun group of ladies, but the real reason I'm here right now is this recipe!

Coffee Cake is just cake.  But if you throw the word "Coffee" in front of it, it becomes a wonderful excuse to eat cake for breakfast.  This recipe is one I've made several times, and we all love it more and more each time we enjoy it! 

Cream Cheese Coffee Cake!

FOR THE FILLING:
2 8oz bricks of cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1.  Combine all ingredients in a mixer, and beat until creamy and delicious.

2.   Set aside and prepare the cake!

FOR THE TOPPING:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
6 Tbsp cold butter

1.  Cut all ingredients together with a pastry blender until crumbly and set aside. 

FOR THE CAKE:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream (light or regular)

1.  Combine the flour, powder, soda, and salt.

2.  In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.

3.  Add in eggs one at a time.

4.  Beat in the sour cream.

5.  Slowly dump in the dry ingredients and mix until moisted.

6.  Stir in the vanilla.

7.  Pour half the batter in a greased and floured 9 x 13 baking dish and spread.

8.  Top with all of the cream cheese filling.  To do this, I usually put the filling into a pastry bag, and evenly pipe it over the cake batter.

9.  Top the filling now, with the remaining cake batter.

10.  Last but not least, top the whole cake with the delicious, sugary, crumb topping.

11.  Finally, bake in a 350 degree oven for about 40 to 45 minutes!  This is so good hot, but if you're me, you'll prefer it cold!