Breakfast. It strikes fear in the hearts of many. Though studies have shown that those who eat breakfast are better able to function productively throughout the day, many Americans still skip the most important meal of the day. We want to get that extra few minutes of sleep, we need to iron our work clothes, or we just aren’t hungry first thing in the morning. I get it…sort of. I tend to get hangry if I don’t eat. But I have a husband and daughter who would probably go without breakfast if they were left to their own devices. Easy-Peasy Coffee Cake makes everyone happy and it is beyond simple to put together!
Easy-Peasy Coffee Cake Recipe…
Now, this recipe isn’t the most healthy of breakfast items. And, it does go against my mantra of using prepackaged goods. It is, though, fast and easy and, I have to admit, pretty darn tasty. It is a recipe that I’ve made a lot over the years, first finding it in a church cookbook when I was in high school. The recipe makes a huge pan that we can enjoy all weekend and even have leftovers to last throughout the work week. So, what do you need to make this family-pleasing Easy-Peasy Coffee Cake?
Ingredients
1 pkg. yellow cake mix (I had white on hand, and this works just as well)
1 pkg. instant vanilla pudding
¾ c. vegetable oil
¾ c. water
4 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 T. butter flavoring
Topping:
½ c. sugar 2 t. cinnamon ¾ c. chopped nuts, optional (I like pecans!)
To make this easy breakfast, first get that oven preheated to 350 degrees and grease a 9×13 pan. You want to be ready to put this in the oven as soon as the mixing is done.
Next, mix together topping ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. You will need a hand mixer for this next task, or you might be kind of worn out by the physical activity. 🙂 Combine the cake mix, pudding mix, oil, water, eggs, vanilla, and butter flavoring in a mixing bowl. Beat with your hand mixer at medium speed for 8 minutes. Yes, you need to beat it this long.
After all the mixing is done, pour ½ of cake batter into bottom of greased 9×13 pan. Sprinkle ½ of topping over batter. Then cover with remaining batter and then top with remaining topping mixture. Swirl topping into cake mix with knife. I should look something like this.
Finally, bake the cake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick in the middle comes out clean. Cool slightly before slicing.
The finished product is heavenly. My kitchen smells like the best mix of vanilla and cinnamon you can imagine, and the coffee cake is a masterpiece. Some coffee cakes are dense, and you have to drink coffee to help swallow. Not this confection! It is light with a beautiful layer of cinnamon and pecans. Each bite is sweet and extremely satisfying.
Normally, I do not advocate taking the easy way out! I believe in a strong work ethic and no short cuts. For this coffee cake, I will make an exception. 🙂
Easy-Peasy Coffee Cake
Notes
The butter flavoring can be left out without changing the outcome of the recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 pkg. yellow cake mix
- 1 pkg. instant vanilla pudding
- ¾ c. vegetable oil
- ¾ c. water
- 4 eggs
- 1 t. vanilla
- 1 T. butter flavoring
Topping:
- ½ c. sugar
- 2 t. cinnamon
- ¾ c. chopped nuts, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 9x13 pan.
- Mix together topping ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- Combine cake mix, pudding mix, oil, water, eggs, vanilla, and butter flavoring.
- Beat at medium speed for 8 minutes.
- Pour ½ of cake batter into bottom of greased 9x13 pan.
- Sprinkle ½ of topping over batter.
- Cover with remaining batter and then top with remaining topping mixture.
- Swirl topping into cake mix with knife.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick tests done.
- Cool slightly before slicing.
I hope that your family enjoys this dish as much as we do, and that, if nothing else, it will get you eating the “most important meal of the day” together.
Sounds like our kind of breakfast! Keep up the great job! Love you!