Everyone's Favorite Sour Cream Coffee Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...For years now, I've sworn I'd make Ina Garten's Sour Cream Coffee Cake. Well, I finally did it. Bloggers and their followers love the cake, and I've never read a poor review of her recipe. I made the cake for the "coffee" I hosted this week, and I must confess that it met all of my expectations. It's as close to perfect as recipe can get, but there is one thing I would do differently next time I make it. I think the cake needed more streusel than the recipe provides, so I've doubled the streusel ingredients in the recipe below. This is a moist cake and it freezes well. That can be important if you are cooking for a crowd or are responsible for a holiday breakfast. If you choose to do that, freeze the cake without glaze, then let it come to room temperature before giving it a final drizzle. On the odd chance that you have not yet made this cake, I urge you to give it a try. It's easy to make and save for under baking, you can't go wrong. I had planned to take a table shot of the cake, but I wasn't fast enough, and save for these last two pieces, it was gone before I could get to it. It is a cake as lovely as it is delicious, and it is far more photogenic than it appears in this post. Here is how it is made. I know you will enjoy it.

Sour Cream Twists

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The Silver Fox and I stole away this weekend to spend some time with family before they left for the San Juan Islands. Seattle is a great city, and I hasten to add that we had a wonderful time, but I have come to the conclusion that cats are easier to herd than my progeny. I made the mistake, not just once mind you, of asking, "Where shall we eat?" Six people, six strong wills and six palates, each arguing for their favorite cuisine, led to debates that put filibusters to shame, and, I might add, delayed mealtime by at least an hour whenever the question was asked. I eventually caught on, bit my tongue and had an energy bar while they hashed out the merits of their favorite food. I also came to the conclusion that my crew is not yet ready for democracy, so next time, I'm assuming dictatorial power and will personally be responsible for meal planning and restaurant reservations. Not all was lost, however. One of our more successful forays led us to Pike Place Market for breakfast, and while there, the Silver Fox stumbled on a pastry that his mother used to make for him on Easter Sunday. His family comes from an area in Southern Illinois that was originally settled by German immigrants and this pastry is one they brought with them from the old country. He was thrilled, it was a personal remembrance of things past, and I promised I'd try to recreate them for him once we were home. I made these soft, well-flavored buns for him today, using a recipe I found on the Taste of Home website. I made three changes to the recipe you'll find below. I cut the dough into 2-inch wide strips and I reduced the amount of confectioners' sugar from four to two cups. I also added the zest of one small lemon to the icing. I really like these soft and tender twists and I'll definitely make them again. They are good enough to share, and I thought those of you who enjoy making bread might want to add the twists to your recipe collection. Here is how they are made.