Sour Cream Breakfast Buns & News

About six months before we left Italy, we shared a meal with my friend Gaia, who was newly pregnant at the time.  I remember asking her if the expression "bun in the oven" existed in Italian.  The same expression in fact exists in many languages.  This stayed in my mind for a long time as an idea for a blog post if I were ever to have a second child.

That time is now!  Our second child is due three years to the exact day that Roman was born (September 18). We are humbled by the enormity of this gift.  I can't write this post nonchalantly because the journey to motherhood was a long and windy road for me, one with hidden ravines and pot holes.  I suppose I will never understand why things go the way they do, but two babies have now been conceived naturally, in their own time.  I can just thank the forces that be.

Breakfast has been a major moment in my day, and there is usually a second breakfast about two hours after the first.  I usually make a burrito with two scrambled eggs, cheddar, avocado, sour cream and salsa- all swaddled comfortably in a whole wheat tortilla.  I inhale vegetables, anything wickedly spicy, pickled or cured.  I have the privilege of experiencing this amazing transformation for a second time and I love every minute of it.

Sour Cream Breakfast Buns
The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook
Makes 18 buns

In true Magnolia Bakery fashion, these buns are worth every ounce of butter, sour cream and sugar.  Keep this recipe around for a special occasion.

Note: I ended up using only half the topping because it really seemed like too much.  Next time, I will use more, especially more pecans because once the buns puff up, the topping seems like less.

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups sour cream

Topping:
1 1/3 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Grease 18 large muffin cups.

To make the buns: In a medium-size bowl, sift together the flour, the baking powder and the baking soda.  Set aside.
In a large bowl, on the low speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter with the sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in the vanilla extract.  Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.  Mix in the sour cream. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups.

To make the topping: In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, the pecans and the cinnamon.  Sprinkle the topping evenly (and generously) over the buns.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into center of bun comes out clean.