Recipe: Cream Cheese Breakfast Cake

Warning: When I say breakfast cake, I mean breakfast cake. Not bread, muffins, etc. This is a cake, plain and simple. It’s just made with typical breakfast ingredients, which makes it perfectly acceptable to eat for breakfast.

At least, I think it makes it acceptable to eat for breakfast. 🙂
 
If you are looking for something sweet and special to serve for guests during the holidays, I would say this is perfect! It’s also easy enough to make on a regular morning, so it doesn’t have to be reserved for a special day or holiday.
 
That is, if you’re okay with serving lots of sugar for breakfast.
 
Which I am. Especially when it’s this tasty. Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Breakfast Cake – adapted from Southern Living

Cake:
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup milk
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon sugar
 
Strudel:
⅓ cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 tablespoon flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon
⅓ cup chopped pecans (optional)

Glaze:
1 cup powered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
1-2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 400°. Grease a 9 inch cake pan with cooking spray.
 
Cream butter and ½ cup sugar together, about 3-5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until blended.
 
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add ⅓ of the flour mixture and mix just until blended. Add ½ of the milk, mix just until blended. Repeat with second ⅓ of flour, second ½ of milk, and remaining flour, stirring just until blended between each addition.
 
Pour batter into prepared pan. In a small bowl, mix together cream cheese and sugar. Dollop teaspoons of cream cheese mixture over the batter. Swirl with a knife, if desired.
 
In another small bowl mix strudel ingredients together, including pecans, if desired. Spread strudel evenly over the top of the batter. Bake for 22 to 24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
 
When done, remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes while you make the glaze. To make the glaze, combine powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon milk. If needed, add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Drizzle over top of cake or serve as a sauce on the side.