Dracul and The Best Damn Crumb Cake Ever

Fall weather finally arrived here in Georgia--after a heat wave that would just not end! The cooler weather is perfect for baking and reading, two of my favorite things.

Dracul
I had "Dracul" sitting on my shelves since last year but kept saving it until it really felt like October. As a sort of prequel to the classic "Dracula" I wondered how the author (a descendant of Bram Stoker) would present the story and how it would be written. I didn't love the original "Dracula" and much preferred Elizabeth Kostova's "The Historian". I would say that "Dracul" is the perfect middle ground. I was really pulled into the story and would definitely recommend it, but I loved "The Historian" more.

The Best Damn Crumb Cake Ever
I have been buying a box crumb cake mix forever but I wanted to make one myself. I had also recently inherited a bundt pan and wanted to test it out. This cake knocked my socks off and was gone within a day (I didn't eat it ALL myself, I swear). The topping is super crumbly and crunchy, but the cake is so soft, an addicting combination.

Ingredients

Filling:
1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cups pecans (chopped)
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon (ground)

Topping:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon (ground)
6 tablespoons butter (melted)

Cake:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1 1/4 cup white sugar
3 eggs slightly beaten
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sour cream

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and really grease your pan (I used a bundt but you could use a 9" x 13")
2. Filling: Combine ingredients in small bowl. Set aside.
3. Topping: Whisk together the sugar, salt, flour, and cinnamon in a separate bowl. Add melted butter and combine. Set aside.
4. Cake: Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl cream together butter and sugar on high until fluffy. Mix in eggs, vanilla, and sour cream on low speed until combined. Gradually add flour mixture until combined being careful to not over mix.
5. Layer the 3 sections in the pan: 1/3 cake batter, 1/2 filling mixture, 1/3 cake batter, 1/2 filling mixture, 1/3 cake batter, and topping mixture. 
6. Bake for 60 minutes. Cool in pan for 10-15 minutes before removing.