MAKES 1 (9 X 5-INCH) LOAF
Nostalgia is a hot topic today. Everyone seems to enjoy remembering the good old days. Can you blame them? Times seemed simpler back then, with no cell phones, text messages, Twitter feeds to read, and so on. When you need to check out of the tech world and revisit your past, why not invite some friends over for coffee? Yes, that’s right, invite friends to chat, catch up, and linger over coffee and a slice of this cinnamon-infused delight. There, now, everything becomes clearer and life is good!
Nonstick cooking spray
1 (16-ounce) box pound cake mix
⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons cinnamon roll–flavored liquid coffee creamer
⅓ cup water
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
CINNAMON ROLL CAKE ICING:
2½ cups confectioners’ sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons cinnamon roll–flavored liquid coffee creamer
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large bowl using a handheld mixer on low speed, beat together the pound cake mix, ⅓ cup of the flavored creamer, the water, butter, and eggs. Scrape down the sides of the bowl well and beat for 2 minutes on medium speed.
In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, cinnamon, and pecans. Pour half the pound cake batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the surface evenly with about one-third of the sugar-cinnamon mixture. Pour half the remaining batter over the sugar-cinnamon mixture. Sprinkle evenly with a third of the sugar-cinnamon mixture. Pour the remaining batter evenly over all. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar-cinnamon mixture.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Place the cake on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes.
Poke holes about 1 inch apart evenly over the baked cake using a skewer. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons flavored creamer evenly over the cake, allowing the creamer to soak into the poked holes. Let the loaf cool completely.
MAKE THE CINNAMON ROLL CAKE ICING: In a medium bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar and the flavored creamer until you reach a thick but pourable consistency. Place the icing in a zip-top bag and clip off the corner.
Remove the cake from the pan and place on a serving plate. Drizzle the icing over the top of the cooled cake to cover the surface, allowing some icing to drizzle down the sides. Let icing set up, about 5 to 10 minutes, before serving.