Mr. Tumnus Sour Cream Coffee Cake

 Do you want your tea to be just like Lucy's first visit into the wardrobe?   This was my take on an appropriate cake for a girl and a faun sharing a pot of tea.  

 

 

Grease a 13 x 9 pan, preheat oven to 350  

In mixer bowl stir together:

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

4 tsp baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tsp salt

freshly grated nutmeg

dash of mace

 

then mix in:

2 cups sour cream

4 eggs

 

Pour into 13 x 9 pan, then  use mixer and beater:

swirl:

cream together 

3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tablespoons cinnamon (I like to use some each of cassia and ceylon if you have two types on hand)

1 teaspoon cardamom 

(any other warming spices you'd like)

put well creamed soft mixture into a zip-top bag, snip tiny corner of bag and swirl over the top of the cake.   It will sink in during baking.   

Bake ~40 minutes, until tester comes out clean.

If desired make a glaze: 

2 cups powdered sugar

3 T milk

(dash of vanilla extract, almond extract or orange oil)

Whisk well until liquid, then I use the whisk to drizzle lightly over warm cake.  

 

Pecan Bars

Preheat oven to 375.     Take your biggest ROASTING PAN (yes, you read that right) and line with parchment paper.    

For crust:

cream:
1.25 pounds butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar

add:
3 eggs
1 T good vanilla
1/2 tsp baking powder
dash of salt

when that is well combined, add 4.5 cups of flour.    

Press into the roasting pan (put some flours on your fingers, but it'll be a mess anyway) - bake for 17 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a pan combine:

1 pound butter
3 cups dark brown sugar
teaspoon of orange zest
dash of salt

in a single cup measuring cup:  bit of molasses, bit of orange juice, remainder corn syrup   (which I was subbing for honey)

melt over medium heat, then boil for three minutes.

Remove from heat, and stir in:

1/4 cup heavy cream
1 T vanilla
1 1/2 pounds chopped pecans
1/2 pound pecan halves

Pour over crust, return to oven for 30 minutes.