The World's Best Coffee Cake

The lines between sanity and insanity are starting to get blurred.  It's getting hard for me to distinguish what is and what isn't anymore. Ghosts from my culinary past are coming back to life in my waking visions. Between working full time and getting up at 3 am to have a few uninterrupted hours on my kickstarter campaign I am starting to lose it. Sure, last nights Michael Franti concert coupled with a seriously strong rum drinks at Rum Club did not help. Tonight I found myself back at Old Drovers Inn, yelling for a pick up on table 16 while ripping a line cook a new one for dropping a plate during a rush. My four year old's wide opened eyes, too scared to react or move, told me I had finally crossed the line.

I hadn't made my Mascarpone Walnut coffee cake in years. It's one of those things I hate to make because I am too tempted to eat it. I only dusted off the recipe when I find myself working at Inns that serve breakfast. For whatever reason, lack of sleep coupled with the near-constant thinking of food brought breakfast memories cascading into my morning.

I made this mascarpone walnut coffee cake to celebrate passing firmly into the second half of our kickstarter campaign to publish my Provencal cookbook 'Cuisine of the Sun: A Ray of Sunshine on Your Plate'. Please help me cross the finish line by supporting me! bit.ly/KickstartSunshine It is a great beginner cake for those that want something simple and foolproof enough for aspiring bakers and even small children.

The World's Best Coffee Cake

Mascarpone - Walnut Coffee Cake

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 farm fresh eggs
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup mascarpone
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1.5 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated)

1. Cream the butter and sugar using the paddle attachment of your stand mixer.
2. Add two eggs and beat till well incorporated.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add all three to the eggs and butter mixture.
4. Add the mascarpone and vanilla and mix till well incorporated.
5. In a food processor, mix the brown sugar, walnuts, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pulse till you have medium crumbs.
6. Spray a bundt pan with whatever nonstick spray you like. Sprinkle liberally with one third of the brown sugar walnut mixture.
7. Pour one third of the batter over.
8. Sprinkle remaining brown sugar over, then the remaining batter.
9. Bake at 375 for 40 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean.
10. Enjoy!