Coffee Cake and other post-Christmas musings

Christmas morning for as long as I can remember has been a brunch of family favorites – most notably – Pecan Coffee Cake. The original recipe came from my mom’s cousin, Pat Noland, many, many years ago. Pat – if we never properly thanked you, please accept the thanks of a grateful family for such a great family tradition.

This year, I made four of these for Christmas morning: two to share during brunch, one for my daughter Sarah to take to an afternoon gathering and one for my son-in-law, Dave. Dave has been getting his own coffee cake for a few years now because it was my Mom’s way of spoiling him (and it’s important to carry on that tradition)

I have been asked by so many people over the years to share this recipe, so here goes….

Easy Pecan Coffeecake (this version from Pat Noland)

 

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 stick margarine or butter

1/4 cup maple syrup **

1 cup chopped pecans

2 cans refrigerated biscuits (butter-me-not jumbos are best)

1/4 cup white sugar, 2 – 3 tbsp. cinnamon &  dash of clove

 

Bring to a boil brown sugar, butter, syrup and nuts.

Spray bundt pan with cooking spray (like Pam)

Pour boiled mixture into bundt pan.

 

Mix white sugar, cinnamon & clove together in a small dish. 

Roll biscuits in sugar, cinnamon & clove mixture, coating thoroughly.

Stand biscuits on end in the bundt pan.

 

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before turning bundt pan upside down on serving plate.

Best when served warm.

 

** You can substitute pancake syrup plus a teaspoon of maple flavoring.

My daughter, Kat Sniffen, modifies this recipe by making her own scratch biscuits rather than using the store-bought ones called for in the recipe but she is an incredible baker so we’ll allow her to make that change.  If you don’t follow her cooking adventures on her blog, Stuff Kat Made,  check it out. She has some great recipes.