Coffee Time Cake

Some of you may remember my friend Kathleen Franck, whom I interviewed last year in November (you can read the interview and see Kathleen's amazing photography here).  I first ran into Kathleen on the campaign trail, as she and I both were stalking presidential candidates.

Recently she gave me a copy of her church's cookbook, Let These Gifts to Us Be Blessed by St. John Lutheran Church and Preschool, and told me it had a couple of her own recipes in it.  Neither Kathleen or I particularly love to spend copious amounts of time cooking, so I figured her recipes would be safe to try.  

I ran to the store and picked up cream cheese and pecans, and substituted 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup vegetable shortening for the margarine.

Coffee Time Cake

1/2 cup margarine

1-8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 bananas)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2-1/4 cup flour

1-1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup chopped pecans

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 tbsp. sugar

Combine margarine, cream cheese, and sugar, mixing until well blended.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Blend in bananas and vanilla.  Sift dry ingredients together; gradually add to batter.  Mix together nuts, cinnamon, and sugar.  Fold half of the nut mixture into the batter.  Pour batter into greased and floured 13x9-inch baking pan; sprinkle with remaining nut mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

I like to prepare my coffee cake the evening before, place the pan in the refrigerator, and then bake it in the morning for an effortless breakfast.  

Kathleen's recipe for Coffee Time Cake tastes very good and wholesome.  The pecans add nutrition and interest, while the bananas add flavor and sweetness.  Thanks for sharing, Kathleen!

Gordon and Kathleen Franck

What are some of your favorite breakfast recipes?