Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Taste of Home's

Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

a 2 day dessert

1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream

½ cup sugar

½ cup butter or margarine

1 tsp. salt

2 pkgs (¼ oz. each) active dry yeast

½ cup warm water (110* to 115* F.)

2 eggs, beaten

4 cups all purpose flour

Filling:

1 pkgs (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened

¾ cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/8 tsp salt

Glaze:

2 ½ cups confectioners' sugar

¼ cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

In a saucepan, combine sour cream, sugar, butter and salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 5 - 10 minutes or until well blended. Cool to room temperature. In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add sour cream mixture and eggs; mix well. Gradually stir in flour. (Dough will be very soft.) Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Next day, combine filling ingredients in a mixing bowl until well blended. Turn dough onto a floured board; knead 5 – 6 times. Divide into four equal portions. Roll each portion into a 12-in. by 8-in. rectangle. Spread ¼ of the filling on each to within 1 in. of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style from long side; pinch seams and ends to seal. Place, seam side down, on greased baking sheet. Cut six X's on top of loaves. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 1 hour. Bake at 375* for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Combine the first three glaze ingredients; drizzle over loaves. Sprinkle with almonds if desired. Store in refrigerator. Yield: 20 – 24 servings.

(This recipe is one of my favorites. Very rich, so you won't need much to satisfy that sweet tooth... Why is it that cream cheese is always an ingredient in the best desserts?)