Coffee Cake

If you like a little sweet with your mid-morning coffee break, serve a slice of coffee cake. This dessert gets its name because it is served with coffee, not because it contains coffee, so don’t expect it to taste like a latte. It probably came over with German-Austrian immigrants and they come in a variety of types. They can be a loaf, round, or bundt; can be leavened with yeast, baking soda, or baking powder. They can be two layers with an icing in between, or topped with a glaze or streusel topping.

Streusel Filling

Ingredients:

• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup finely chopped nuts
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:

Mix together

Light Brown Glaze

Ingredients:

• ½ cup butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk

Directions:

Heat butter in 1 ½ quart saucepan over medium heat until delicate brown.

Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla.

Stir in milk a tablespoon at a time until glaze is smooth and the consistency is how you want it.

Streusel Topping

Ingredients:

• ½ cup chopped nuts
• 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
• ¼ cup all purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons firm butter

Directions:

Mix all ingredients until crumbly.

Powdered Sugar Glaze

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
• 1 or 2 tablespoons warm water

Directions:

Mix sugar, butter and vanilla. Add warm water 1 teaspoon at a time and stir until you reach desired consistency.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups sugar
• ¾ cup butter softened
• 3 eggs
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
• 3 cups all purpose or whole wheat flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups sour cream

Streusel Filling

Light Brown Glaze or Powdered Sugar Glaze

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Grease baking pan (10 X 4; 12 cup bundt; two 9 X 5 X 3 loaf).

Beat sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl on medium speed, scraping sides, for 2 minutes.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Alternately add flour mixture and sour cream on low speed.

Bake about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool slightly until it pulls away from the pan. Remove it from the pan and cool another 10 minutes. Drizzle with glaze.

Streusel Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

Combine ingredients in a large mixer bowl and beat at low speed for 30 seconds to combine. Increase speed to medium and mix for an additional 2 minutes scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally.

In a greased oblong pan (13 X 9 X 2) or square pan (9 X 9 X 2) spread half of the batter. Top with half streusel topping. Repeat. Bake 35 to 40 minutes until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.