Cinnamon Pecan Swirl Coffee Cake

 I love Sundays. . . for so many reasons, and breakfast is NOT one of them.  I shouldn't admit it, but I RARELY cook a nice breakfast on a weekend.  If I'm going to put my heart into a meal, it's only gonna happen once a day, (which is usually dinner time).  On the rare occasion that I DO make "breakfast" it's not in the morning.  I'm a "breakfast for dinner" kind of girl. 

HOWEVER. . . I CAN and WILL make a quick batch of banana bread, make up some granola, or whip up a coffee cake on a Saturday night so my family has a special treat on Sunday mornings before church. 

Last night around 10:00, Dave and I decided to watch a movie (Saving Mr. Banks, I'm a Disney fanatic, totally recommend it) and I thought I might as well toss something in the oven since I'll be up anyways and that way they can have a SOMEWHAT special breakfast before church.

I'm not sure what I enjoyed more about this recipe, the taste, or the smell that worked it's way through my whole house as it baked in the oven.  Not even kidding, by 11:00pm, my house smelled like toasted pecans and cinnamon.  It took everything in my husband to actually wait till morning.  It smelled so good.

 

You see that lovely dark ribbon of goodness buried inside that deliciously moist cake?  That is cinnamon, and brown sugar, and ground pecans, otherwise know as "the heavenly tasty cinnamony swirl."  THAT is what makes this so amazingly wonderful.   That lovely ribbon of flavor will work it's way into every bite if eaten correctly. . . yes. . .there is a correct way to eat this.  It's a no-brainer.  You want that layer in every bite, and you will eat it as such!  

CINNAMON PECAN SWIRL COFFEE CAKE

CAKE BATTER:

1 cup softened butter

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup sour cream

"RIBBON 'O FLAVOR" aka. "CINNAMON SWIRL"

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (if you don't like nuts, you don't need to use them!)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon 

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

2.  In a separate bowl, mix together all of our dry ingredients.

3.  Add your dry ingredients to your creamed mixture alternately with the sour cream.  (Dry ingredients, sour cream, dry ingredients, sour cream, etc.)

4.  In a Bundt pan sprayed with nonstick baking spray, spread half of the cake batter.

5.  In another bowl, combine all the ingredients for the "cinnamon swirl" and sprinkle over the cake batter in the pan.

6.  Spread the rest of the cake batter evenly over the "cinnamon swirl" layer.

7.  Bake at 350 for 50 minutes.  It literally was EXACTLY 50 minutes in the oven for this one!

8.  Let cook in pan for approx. 10 to 15 minutes, and turn onto a plate or cake stand.  Dust with powdered sugar and serve!