Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

My annual batch of Cream Cheese Coffee Cakes is rising and will be ready to bake in an hour. It sounds and tastes elegant but is simple to make. The dough is mixed in the evening and rises in the frig overnight. In the morning you simply roll out the dough, spread the filling, roll up jelly-roll style, let rise an hour, and bake. Not much mess or fuss for something so delicious.

At Christmas I shared the recipe for Moravian Sugar Cake which is our traditional Christmas breakfast. Here's the recipe for our traditional Easter breakfast, Cream Cheese Coffee Cake.

1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 tsp. salt

2 pkgs. yeast (2 Tbs. if in bulk)

1/2 cup warm water

2 eggs

4 cups flour

Filling:

2 pkgs. cream cheese (8 oz. each), softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

2 tsp. vanilla

1/8 tsp. salt

Glaze:

2 1/2 cups 10-x sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

toasted sliced almonds (optional)

Combine sour cream, sugar, butter, and salt in a saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until well blended. Cool to room temperature. In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add sour cream mixture and eggs; mix well. Gradually stir in flour. (Dough will be very soft.) Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Next day, combine filling ingredients in a mixing bowl until well blended. Turn dough onto a floured board; knead 5-6 times. Divide into four equal portions. Roll each portion into a 12 x 8" rectangle. Spread 1/4 of the filling on each to within 1" of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style from long side; pinch seams and ends to seal. Place seam side down on greased baking sheet. Cut six X's on top of loaves. Cover and let rise about 1 hour. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.

Combine the first three glaze ingredients; drizzle over loaves. Sprinkle with almonds if desired. Yield 20-24 servings.

(You can divide dough into 8 portions if you prefer smaller loaves.)