Made a coffee cake yesterday.......I mean a real "coffee" cake!

This was a recipe from my new cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks, Food From My Frontier by Ree Drummond.  This is her second cookbook and I have her first which I dearly love.  There's not a recipe of hers that I've made that hasn't been fabulous!  This woman knows good food.  This cake is no exception.    As Ree described it......"If you're a lover of coffee, it's twelve trips to heaven and back!"  I could not agree more.  It's an easy cake to  make although you dirty a lot of dishes in the process or is that just me?

I love coffee but actually I'm not a huge fan of cake....but I'll make an exception in this case.  It IS pure heaven to smell, taste and eat down to the last crumb and of course perfect with a cup of coffee!   I'm sharing the recipe but remember to credit Ree and if you're lucky enough to get the Food Network, she has her own show on Saturday's, I think.  Her cookbooks read like a novel and the pictures and photography are exquisite.  You must try this recipe....you won't regret it and you'll be rushing out to buy your own copy.  I guarantee!

Coffee Cream Cake
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Cake:
2 sticks of butter
3 tablespoons instant coffee crystals
1 C boiling water
2 C all purpose flour
2 C sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 C buttermilk or 1/2 cup milk with 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Creamy Filling:
8 oz package of cream cheese at room temperature
1 C powdered sugar
1 C heavy cream

Coffee Icing:
1 1/2 sticks of butter
2 tablespoons instant coffee crystals
4 tablespoon half and half (I used milk)
4 C powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions for cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly grease and flour 2 round 8 or 9 inch cake pans.  To make the cake, melt the butter in a saucepan.  Sprinkle in the instant coffee.  Add the boiling water.  Let the mixture bubble up for a few seconds, then turn off the heat.  Add the flour, sugar, and salt to a large bowl.  Pour the hot butter/coffee mixture over the top and stir to combine.  Mix together the buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, and vanilla, and pour it into the bowl and mix everything together.  Pour the batter evenly into the cake pans and bake for 13-15 minutes, or until set.  I used the toothpick test and had to bake for an additional 7 minutes.  Remove the pans from the oven and allow the cakes to cool inside the pans for 10 minutes, then invert the cake layers onto a work surface and allow to cool completely.

Directions for creamy filling:
To make the creamy filling, add the cream cheese to a mixing bowl.  Add the powdered sugar and the heavy cream.  Beat until light and fluffy, then set aside. (I used my Kitchen Aide mix master for this step)

Directions for coffee icing:
Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the instant coffee.  Stir it together, then add the half-and-half and whisk together to combine.  Turn off the heat.  Add the powdered sugar and vanilla.  Whisk well to make the icing perfectly smooth, then let it cool for 5 minutes.  When the cake layers are completely cool, spread the creamy filling mixture on the bottom layer.  Gently lay the second layer on top.  Drizzle the coffee icing on top allowing it to drip down the sides.  Swirl the icing around on the sides  and this is a direct quote from Ree.......
"count how many seconds it takes you to cut a very enormous wedge and serve it to yourself".
Happy Friday everyone and enjoy!
P.S.  The only thing better than this cake would be this cake with a side of coffee ice cream!  Oh yeah...that's what I'm talking about!