Growing up, my mom used to make this coffee cake and I always thought that it was a recipe that my grandmother created and passed down. My bubble was burst when my mom told me that it was actually from her decades-old, tried and true McCall’s Cookbook, circa 1963. Now she got this cookbook from her mother, and my grandmother did actually make the coffee cake from this recipe, so I wasn’t completely wrong.
Back in 2006, my mom found the same McCall’s Cookbook on ebay and bought it for me for my birthday. It’s in much better shape than hers, which is duct taped at the binding from years of regular use. Her cookbook is a testament of how good these recipes really are. They consist of simple, homestyle food that is sure to rank high on the comfort food scale.
The only trouble with this cookbook is that it has no pictures. I am very visual, so I didn’t necessarily feel the urge to make anything out of the cookbook, other than what I knew was good. However, I am going to challenge myself to make one recipe every couple of weeks out of this cookbook just for fun, and also to stretch my wings a little.
So, for my first post about this book, I thought I’d start with the coffee cake recipe because it’s ridiculously good. I mean seriously good. Make it this weekend. You’ll thank me later, lol!
Everyday Coffee Cake
Batter
Sift 1 1/2 cups flour with 2 1/2 tsp of baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt
Flour
Baking powder
Salt
In a bowl, beat 1 egg, 3/4 cup sugar and 1/3 cup butter with a beater until combined.
Egg
Butter
Sugar
Then, beat in 1/2 cup milk and 1 tsp vanilla
Milk
Vanilla
Streusel Layer
In a separate bowl, combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons softened butter, 2 tablespoons flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans, but walnuts are good too).
Mash ingredients together with a fork
Layer the Batter and Streusel
Start by layering 1/2 of the batter in the bottom of a 9 x 9 greased pan
Add 1/2 of the streusel later
Then repeat!
I spoon the batter evenly on top of the streusel layer then spread with a spatula
Bake at 375 degrees for 25 min
I wish you could smell AND taste this! It’s beyond good…I might be crying as I’m eating it.
Everyday Coffee Cake
Batter:
1 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
Streusel Layer:
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons soft butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped nuts
Combine flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. With a rotary beater, beat egg, milk, sugar, butter and vanilla until well combined. Mix wet and dry ingredients together.
For streusel layer, mix brown sugar, butter, flour, cinnamon and nuts with a fork.
Pour 1/2 of the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with half the streusel layer. Repeat.
Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Serves 9.
For added decadence you can drizzle very think confectioners sugar frosting over the top. Oh, my…I just may have to make one for myself!