Cream Filled Coffee Cake

aksingingbreeze's Note:

I found this recipe on the Taste of Home website. It takes a little longer to prepare than most coffee cakes since you have to allow for rising time, but it is by far the best coffee cake I have ever had and well worth the extra prep time it takes!

• Total Time: 4 hrs
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients:

Serves: 16-20

Yield: 2.0 cakes

• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/3 cup sugar, plus
• 1 teaspoon sugar, divided
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water (110 to 115)
• 5 1/2-6 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 3 eggs, well-beaten

STREUSEL TOPPING

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup butter

CREAM FILLING

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup butter or 3/4 cup margarine
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Directions:

1. Heat milk, butter 1/3 cup sugar and salt; stir until the sugar dissolves. Set aside. Mix yeast, warm water and 1 teaspoon sugar; let stand 10 minutes.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 cups flour, milk mixture, yeast and eggs; beat until smooth. Add enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough.
3. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 6-8 minutes.
4. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning one to grease top.
5. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 to 1-1/2 hours.
6. Meanwhile, prepare topping.
7. Combine sugars, flour and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut butter into dry ingredients; set aside.
8. Punch dough down; divide in half. Pat or roll each half to fit a greased 9-in. cake pan.
9. With a fork, pierce entire cake top.
10. Divide topping and sprinkle over each cake.
11. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
12. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes.
13. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks.
14. For filling, combine flour and milk in a saucepan; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens.
15. Cool.
16. In a mixing bowl, cream remaining ingredients until well-mixed. Add flour mixture and beat until fluffy.
17. Cut each cake in half horizontally; spread each with half the filling.
18. Refrigerate until ready to serve.