Coffee Cake

A Classic Coffee Cake recipe

After thinking about the cake my mom made for my grandmother, I had to make one for myself. Last week I made a fantastic Red Velvet cake with cream cheese frosting, but this time needed a break from frosting. I know that sounds strange, who could ever get tired of frosting! I don't know what it is maybe something in the air or the summer heat that has me out of sorts. Any who, this classic American standard was a nice sweet diversion from the normal cake frosting.

 

First step

Butter and flour your baking dish then put a side. I used a 7in x 11in, but you can use 9in x 13in, I don't think it matters. I was also thinking to make this in cupcake tins, but I used the last of my cupcake papers.

 I like to prep my baking dish first, so I can use the smashed butter cube in my recipe, also when the batter is ready I get impatient to get it in the oven.

You know the excitement of it all.

 Second step

The topping.
 One stick soft unsalted butter,
One teaspoon cinnamon,
 One cup flour,
 One cup brown sugar
.

 Mix your topping together.
Note: It should be a coarse consistency.

 Make sure you don't have any flour or butter chunks.
 If you like nuts this would be the time to add.
 I recommend Pecans or Walnuts.

 Step Three The cake
Mix together
1 cup (two sticks) unsalted butter
 3/4 cup packed, light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

Using electric mixer combine ingredients.

Add eggs and vanilla towards the end.

 Step Four

In another bowl add:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of salt (about a 1/4 teaspoon)

With a spoon mix dry ingredients together.

Step Five

Combine dry bowl (in three portions)

 into the wet bowl, alternating with 1/3 cup milk. 

When you mix your dry into wet some of the flour will get out of control and end up out side the bowl rather than in. To prevent this you can fold in the flour mix. In these pictures  I am combining my dry ingredients into the batter and used my mixer (turned off) to roughly mix the flour on the surface into the

batter. I then add some of the milk and continue to mix on medium speed.

Your finished batter should be light and smooth.

 It should also be a bit thick and hard to pour.

Remember to level out your cake before adding the topping.

Bake cake between 325 or 350 depending on heat of your oven.

 I started out at 325 for 45 minutes then increased the heat to 350 for 15 minutes. Once I got a clean tooth pick test, I turned on the broiler to brown up the topping for about two minutes. This is the most dangerous time for your cake! Watch carefully or you will burn the top.

Fresh out of the oven!

This cake was even better the next day.

I hope you try this recipe!