I had actually never ever heard of orange rolls until I transferred to Birmingham to work for Southern Living.
A far-off cousin of cinnamon buns, the spicy glazed pastries make an appearance at nearly every collecting the very same method coffee cakes perform in my home town in South Georgia. Both are sweet adequate to be served for dessert but not so sugary that they’re prohibited from breakfast.
My Orange-Roll Coffee Cake integrates the 2– it’s a hug from my past and a celebration of my present in a manner that’s comforting yet new. That’s what I enjoy about being a Southerner: Certain foods ground us and make us feel at home, no matter where we are.
When making this dish, I normally go for an old-school tube pan, but a Bundt pan will also work. Among my favorites is the Nordic Ware Anniversary Bundt, which has a pretty fluted shape and handles for easy unmolding.
Another professional idea: You can freeze this coffee cake (unglazed is best) for up to a month. Prepare the glaze on the day you’re planning to enjoy the cake.
Ingredients
3 3/4 cups bleached cake flour, divided, plus more for pan
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar, divided
2 1/8 tsp. grated orange zest plus 1 to 2 Tbsp. fresh juice (from 2 navel oranges), divided
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg, divided
1 cup saltless butter, softened and divided, plus more for pan
1 cup granulated sugar
10 oz. cream cheese, softened and divided
4 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Directions
Integrate 1 1/4 cups of the flour, 1 cup of the brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of the zest, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of the nutmeg in a bowl. Place 1/4 cup of the butter in a microwavable dish; microwave on HIGH until melted, about 30 seconds.
Preheat oven to 350 ° F. Lightly grease a 10-inch tube pan with butter, and dust with flour; reserved. Stir together granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon of the passion, and remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar in a medium bowl, rubbing passion and sugars in between your fingers; set aside. Beat 8 ounces of the cream cheese and staying 3/4 cup butter in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle accessory on medium speed till smooth, about 1 minute. Sugarcoat mix to cream cheese mix, and beat on medium speed till light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Include eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, scraping down sides of bowl as required. Beat in vanilla until combined.
Stir together baking powder, baking soda, and remaining 2 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg in a bowl. Gradually add flour mix to cream cheese mix, beating on low speed till integrated, about 2 minutes. Spoon half of batter into ready pan, spreading in an even layer. Top with half of reserved fall apart mix. Repeat layers once with staying batter and crumble mix.
Bake in preheated oven up until a wood pick inserted in center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes, tenting with aluminum foil after 35 minutes. Cool cake in tube pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
Beat powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of the orange juice, and staying 1/8 teaspoon zest and 2 ounces cream cheese with an electrical mixer on medium speed up until smooth, about 1 minute. Amount to staying 1 tablespoon orange juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, until wanted consistency is reached. Drizzle glaze over cooled cake as preferred.