Vanilla Pumpkin Coffee Cake

So, I was at lunch today with my aunt when I told her I brought over a plate of my chocolate chip pumpkin cookies. Our conversation went something like this:

Did you eat any of those cookies yet?

No, actually, Grandma came in and said that you'd brought some over but then didn't offer us any, so I looked around for them everywhere and couldn't find any.

Well Grandpa put them in the kitchen somewhere.

I think he ate them all. I really do! Before we could get in there I think that one of them just ate the whole plate.

Apparently, one of my grandparents is a pumpkin cookie thief...SO Cherie

(my aunt) said that I should make a pumpkin coffee cake.

Yeah, that was my reaction too; something between "Wha--" and "YUM."

Once I got home I called my sister and we started collaborating on

a recipe for a pumpkin coffee cake. There were a couple of problems with to half or

not to half, that is the question, and there were

some moisture issues but eventually

we banged out a rough draft of what looked like it should make a suitable pumpkin

coffee cake without poisoning the household. So I went for it and started to throw

some stuff in a bowl until the batter tasted good.

As it turns out I did fairly good job

of it (until I spilled the nutmeg inside the batter). Even with a nutmeg overdose the cake

looks and smells pretty good. So if you'd like to make your own, this is the

recipe we arrived at.

Vanilla Pumpkin Coffee Cake

from Christine Pitt and Ashley Lee

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and cook for 1 hour. This is how long you'd normally cook a coffee cake, it doesn't burn the pumpkin because of the yellow cake, pudding, and sour cream.

Batter

Mix:

- 1 box yellow cake mix

- 1 large box instant vanilla pudding

- 1/2 cup sour cream

- 1/2 cup vegetable oil

- 2 eggs

- 3 tablespoons brown sugar

- 1 cup pumpkin

- 1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix in separate bowl:

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 1/2 teaspoon cloves

- 1/2 teaspoon all spice

- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

- 1/2 teaspoon ginger

Topping

Mix:

- 1/2 cup sugar

- 2 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, with standing mixer, or handheld mixer (or a spoon or spatula if you really feel like going old school.)

Grease a bundt pan, (or a regular flat pan), don't worry about size, just eye it. I believe in you. This cake is traditionally cooked in a bundt pan in my family, alas I am short a bundt pan. Pour in half of the batter and make sure it covers all corners, then pour in half of the cinnamon sugar topping mix. Make sure it completely covers the top. Then repeat with the rest of the batter and the rest of the topping. Then you're ready to rock! Stick in the oven and let 'er rip!

Batter will be thick, make sure to mix completely as to avoid chunks of cake mix, spices, or sour cream.

Once all the layers are in the pan, it will look something like this. (Unless you used a bundt pan in which case it'll just be donut shaped.)

Don't worry, it's not supposed to be pretty, it's supposed to be delicious.

P.S. The reason I call it Vanilla Pumpkin Coffee Cake is because of the vanilla pudding and the vanilla extract. It makes it taste pretty vanilla-y, but it's a delicious kind of vanilla-y...come to think of it, I'm pretty sure there's not a bad kind of vanilla-y. But this ain't called coffee cake for nothing. Get up in the morning and cut a big slab and eat with a big cup o' joe!