Teacher birthdays are better with coffee cake. My school has a teacher birthday buddy system. It is basically a birthday version of Secret Santa. People who want to participate secretly draw a name from a hat. On the birthday buddy’s big day, the assigned person anonymously brings a small gift (not to exceed $10) and usually a food treat too that can be shared with the faculty.
In honor of my buddy’s birthday this week, I got her a small personal gift and baked a nutty coffee cake with a cinnamon sugar center that I left in the staff kitchen. The birthday buddy had the first slice honors and then kindly e-mailed everyone to let them know that a treat was available in the kitchen. When I arrived on the scene at 9:47, there were two slices left. Teachers are always hunting around for a little snack mid morning and/or need a bite to tide them over if they have forgotten to pack a lunch. Teachers love having a group snack appear in the staff room or faculty kitchen.
Coffee Cake Ingredients
- 1 c. butter, softened
- 2 3/4 c. sugar, divided
- 2 eggs
- 2 c. flour
- 1 T. baking powder
- 1/4 t. salt
- 2 c. sour cream
- 1 T. vanilla
- 2 c. chopped pecans
- 1 T. cinnamon
Coffee Cake Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cream butter and 2 c. sugar. Add eggs then sour cream and vanilla.
- Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
- Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients.
- In a third bowl, combine remaining 3/4 c. sugar, chopped nuts, and cinnamon.
- Spray bundt pan with Pam. Spoon half of the batter into the pan and spread gently with a spatula to level the batter. Sprinkle 3/4 of the nut mixture on the batter.
- Pour the remaining batter over the nut mixture and gently smooth the top. Sprinkle the remaining nut mixture on top.
- Bake for 1 hour. Let sit for ~20 minutes and then invert the bundt pan onto a plate.
Recipe Notes
- Speaking from experience, the baking powder ingredient is important. It is NOT baking soda. There is a difference!
- Make sure the bundt pan is greased well or the cake will not come away from the pan cleanly. Pam spray seems to be the most reliable to get the cake out of the pan. I have also tried greasing the pan with Crisco and greasing/flouring the pan and have had the cake break apart when I invert onto the cake plate.
I can’t wait to make it.
I had to make a second one because it was in such high demand. Delicious!
What a great alternative to the secret pal idea! I shall promote it next year. Oh, btw–I nominated you for One Lovely Blog. Check it out on my post. This post shows why you deserve it.
Thank you! How kind you are. I am headed over to your blog to read. I enjoy your posts too. 🙂
But what about those with summer birthdays?
You get a treat from your birthday buddy on your half birthday. Summer birthday people were all over that.
Good system. I will take the idea to our Sunshine Committee for next year. Does everyone participate? Ooh, what about days when their are multiple shares–must be bonus treat day!
During our back to school meetings, someone volunteers to create a master birthday list and be the keeper of the birthday buddy assignments. Most people do participate, but it is voluntary, and you certainly do not have to do it. Any person who wants to have a birthday buddy adds their name to a hat and draws a name from the hat. My birthday was back in October and someone (I still don’t know who it is) brought cake for the faculty and a Starbucks giftcard just for me. I then had a different person for whom I was responsible. One birthday buddy made a bunting thing using periodic table element squares on the science teacher’s birthday and had it hanging over the door when she walked in the next morning. It is fun! We do have days with multiple birthdays being celebrated, but it is not a problem to have more than one on the same day. I think your Sunshine Committee could definitely handle it. It sort of runs itself once the names have been distributed. We do get reminder e-mails from the “buddy coordinator” a week or so before our buddy’s birthday as a reminder.
The day always goes better when there is a birthday. What if there was a place where birthday celebs were the means of solving problems? Could anyone seriously have a bad day if handed a plate of birthday cake?
Pingback: Holiday Party Dip | TheRoomMom