Coffee Cake by Aunt Joann: An Easy Recipe Go-To

This easy coffee cake comes compliments of Aunt JoAnn.

Yes, there is a real Aunt JoAnn!

She’s is one of the best people I know. Always optimistic and empathetic, you’d think she led a charmed life. That just isn’t so; but, she deals with the good and bad with an unwavering thankfulness for what she has.

Couldn’t we all take a lesson?

Aunt JoAnn loves to cook. Or, maybe it’s really that she loves to feed people. Either way, you can understand how she inspired this blog.

I have a recipe book she gave me many years ago, published by the ladies guild of her church. I still use this cookbook a lot.

This coffee cake is one of my favorites.

It travels well and actually tastes better the second day, which you can’t say for all cakes. It doesn’t require frosting or glaze because the cinnamon sugar provides enough sweetness without addition “goop.”

Even if you don’t think of coffee cake as a legitimate dessert I think this one makes the cut because it presents itself a little bit “fancier” than a traditional coffee cake served from the pan.

If you keep a box of yellow cake mix and vanilla pudding in your pantry, you’ll always have this “Go-To” for unexpected guests and occasions.

Aunt JoAnn’s Coffee Cake

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time43 minutes
Cooling time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 43 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: coffee cake, pudding cake
Servings: 8
Calories: 570kcal
Author: A. JoAnn

Equipment

  • Bundt cake pan

Ingredients

Topping

  • ½ c. sugar
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • ¾ c. chopped pecans or walnuts

Cake

  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • 1 4 oz. pkg. instant pudding mix – vanilla, banana, etc.
  • ¾ c. vegetable oil
  • ¾ c. water
  • 1 tsp. butter or rum flavored extract
  • 4 large eggs

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a bundt cake pan with cooking spray.
  • Mix the cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl. Mix in chopped nuts and set aside.
  • To a large mixing bowl, add all remaining ingredients except eggs. Beat to mix.
  • Add eggs, one at a time, until the cake batter is thoroughly mixed.
  • Spread half of batter in a bundt pan. Sprinkle with half of sugar and nuts mixture.
  • Spread the remaining cake batter over the sugar/nut mixture. Use a rubber spatula to get all of the batter into the pan.
  • Sprinkle remaining sugar and nuts over the batter.
  • Bake at 350° for about 45 minutes. Cool on a rack for about ½ hour.
  • Invert cake onto a large serving plate to serve.
  • Afterthe cake cools, you may want to turn it over to show off the cruncy topping.
    coffee cake on a footed cake stand with crunchy sugar cinnamon topping

Delicious!

For another easy cake recipe, try this pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting.

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Author: A. JoAnn

Here is where I share the beauty I find in everyday life; and the humor, too!