Orange Nirvana Braided Coffee Cake

Buster's friend's Note:

Found in The Wichita Eagle - it is a "grand prize winning recipe from a cook in Kentucky." I believe it too! Actually comes together fast & benefits from a refrigerated overnight slow rise for brunch coffeecake to greet the sleep-ins.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 50 mins
• Prep Time: 1 hrs 15 mins
• Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 1 coffee ...

• 3 -3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ ounce yeast , Fleischmann's RapidRise
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 ½ tablespoons butter (margarine OK too)
• 1 egg , beaten
• 1 teaspoon orange zest , freshly grated
• 1⁄3; cup orange marmalade
• 2 tablespoons butter , melted (margarine OK)

Topping

• 1 tablespoon butter , softened (margarine OK)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Icing

• 1 ounce cream cheese , softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons orange juice
• ½ teaspoon orange zest , freshly grated

Directions:

1. Combine 2 cups flour, undissolved yeast, sugar and salt in large mixer bowl. Heat milk and butter to 120 to 130 and add to flour mixture. Add butter, egg and orange peel. Beat for 2 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
2. Punch dough down. Roll into 14 x 9-inch rectangle. Spread orange marmalade down the middle of the dough, lengthwise. Make diagonal cuts 1-inch apart and 3 inches long down the two sides. Fold alternate strips of dough over the filling.
3. Place on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet. Brush with the two tablespoons of melted butter. Cover and let rise until double, about 30 minutes.
4. Combine topping ingredients to make crumbs. Sprinkle on top of the braid.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Combine all icing ingredients and drizzle over coffeecake.