Good Morning Brunch Cake

Here I go into the Season of Night—ICU Night Float, a dreaded post for me, but to ensure I have something to look forward to in the bleary-eyed mornings when finally I am able to float home for a daytime’s rest, Christmas lights, loved ones and coffee cake.

Buttery Brunch Cake

Adapted from Penzeys

Cake:

1 Cup butter (2 sticks), room temperature

1 Cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 Cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 Cup sour cream

 

Topping:

1/3 Cup brown sugar

1/4 Cup sugar

1 TB cinnamon

1 Cup chopped pecan

 

Butter Cream Filling:

5 TB. flour

1 Cup milk

1 Cup butter (2 sticks)

1 Cup sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line with waxed paper cut in a round to fit the pan bottom. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the batter, alternating with the sour cream. Mix well. Divide the batter between the cake pans. For the topping, combine the brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon and pecan. Mix well. Sprinkle over the cakes. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Let the cakes cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing from pans, then let cool completely. Split each layer in half, using a long thin bread knife, so that you have four round cakes.

For the filling: In a small saucepan, combine the flour and milk on low heat, whisking or using a fork to stir vigorously to make sure there are no lumps before you start heating. Raise heat to medium-low, cook until thick (like a very thick gravy or a paste), stirring pretty much constantly. It will take 6-12 minutes or so depending on your pan and the heat. Set aside to cool. Cream together the butter and sugar on high speed very well until light and fluffy. Add the cooled milk a spoon at a time and mix well. Add the vanilla and mix. Spread the filling on the two bottom layers and carefully top with the top layers.

Izzy ate her first xmas ornament while I was napping before my night shift. I suppose I can understand how she might think that we hung a tree full of treats like a little doggie advent calendar.

Haiku #335 Dec 1^st

Christmas tree with light

in the corner of the room

like a distant town.

 

Haiku #336 Dec 2^nd

Love an evening stroll

In the cold air among boughs

of ribbon and light.

 

Haiku #337 Dec 3^rd

Restaurant standing

one hundred and seventy

five years for oysters.

 

Haiku #338 Dec 4^th

And so commences

The season of night, and I

take my night watch post.