Favorite coffee cake type recipe?

This morning I felt like baking something for breakfast, but I'm tired of the same old muffins and quick breads. None of my standard coffee cakes sounded good either. Thought about a fruit crisp, but I already made one this week. And I'm already planning on making madeleines tomorrow for chat (yes, I'll bring enough for everyone!) and a meeting afterward.

Please share your favorite Breakfast Baking Recipes with this Bored Baker. I'm begging!

Buttermilk Spice Coffee Cake

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk
½ cup butter, melted
1 beaten egg
½ tsp. vanilla

Grease a 9x9x2 inch baking pan; set aside. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugars, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside. In another bowl, combine buttermilk, melted butter, egg and vanilla. Add to flour mixture, stirring until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake in a 350 degrees oven about 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Pour glaze (see below) evenly over cake. Bake 5 minutes more. Cool in pan on wire rack. Makes 12 servings.

Brown Sugar Glaze

In a small saucepan, combine ¼ cup packed brown sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons honey and 2 tablespoons milk. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer glaze, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in ¼ cup walnuts. Use as directed above.

Hometown Cooking/February 2001 (This was the signature pastry from Curtis & Schwartz Cafe in Northhampton, MA)

[Jenise]

Do you even have little madeleine pans? You make the little shell-shaped goodies? If so, I'm impressed. The only "special shapes" I have are volkswagens, for reasons too boring to go into.

No special breakfast coffee cake recipe here. Probably the only one I go back to again and again involves pineapple. Sweet and tart, very moist, no frosting required. Good as a cake or muffins (or volksmuffins).

Ohhh, great topic Cynthia. I love coffee cake and have never tried to make one.

Do you even have little madeleine pans?

Yep. I surely do. I love love love madeleines!

Volkswagens? Like the cars?

A non-baking friend actually came up with a perfect solution for me this morning. (But only because he felt like eating these.) I just took a batch of oatmeal scones (with dried apricots and cranberries) out of the oven. I am pretty sure I can eat that!

Oooh! Thanks, Linda! And with brown sugar glaze!! YUM!!

(We need a drooly emoticon!)

[Jenise]

Yeah, it's a running gag with friends--we have a Slug Bug contest every time we travel anywhere with them. And all depictions of volkswagens are game--billboards, movies, little silver baby banks in shop windows...as long as it's an old style bug, it's a point. So I found these volkswagen shaped tins in Holland and waited almost a year to have them down for a weekend all so I could produce this bowl of volkswagen-shaped breads at brunch the next morning--and score all the points.

The scones sound delicious. Pass one over my way, please, I haven't eaten yet! Think I'll post the pineapple muffin recipe. Now that I've thought so hard about them, I need some by no later than this time tomorrow.

LOL! Great story, Jenise.

From this morning. Unfortunately, I didn't quite get the butter as small as I like it in the dry ingredients, so they spread a bit more than usual. Still taste pretty good though and the texture is perfect. (If I do say so myself! )



Oatmeal Scones w/ dried fruit

Emeril's Raisin-Caraway Soda Bread
I made this last year for St. Patty's Day. Very similar to my mother's old recipe and great with a cup of coffee. I was going to make it this year, but I cheated and bought some at a local bakery. (I don't feel very ambitious at the moment).

Is a coffee cake coffee flavoured, or something you have with coffee ?

Thanks, Celia

Sorry, Celia!

Yes, something you have with coffee. Often served for brunch or when someone drops in for coffee.

Cool, thanks Cynthia ! I'm getting better at understanding American every day. For instance, I now know what "chicken fried steak" is, and do you know, it actually doesn't involve a chicken at all ! Don't laugh, I was really surprised !

I think what you call "coffee cakes" is what the British/Aus/Kiwi contingent might call "tea cakes". Will see if I can find something in my recipe folder that you might like...

Yes, I think you are right! Tea cakes.

I grew up north of the Mason-Dixon Line, and I was at university south of the M-D Line before I ever even heard the phrase "chicken fried" anything. I was just as confused as you were, Celia!

Celia, wait til you find out that an egg cream doesn't have egg. Or cream.

I like a good coffee cake now and again. I've tried to make them twice. But, each time mine were dry and not as tasty as the ones I've eaten that were cooked by others. I especially like a coffee cake made with sour cream, with a streusel topping. What am I doing wrong?

For instance, I now know what "chicken fried steak" is, and do you know, it actually doesn't involve a chicken at all ! Don't laugh, I was really surprised !

Celia, there's another twist. There is such a thing as chicken fried chicken. Here's a recipe. http://www.texascooking.com/print_features4.htm

I have made chicken fried steak once... it's kind of messy.

What am I doing wrong?

Hmm. I don't know, Jo Ann. You are so good at all things culinary that I have a hard time imagining it!

Maybe it's just slightly over baked? That would dry it out a bit.

I like a good coffee cake now and again. I've tried to make them twice. But, each time mine were dry and not as tasty as the ones I've eaten that were cooked by others. I especially like a coffee cake made with sour cream, with a streusel topping. What am I doing wrong?

Sounds like you are baking it a bit too long. They can dry out really fast. I usually take mine out about 5 minutes before the required time but you have to watch it real close. If you use a glass dish to bake bread-like things in then you can usually cut some of the time off. Also, try using Bulgarian buttermilk if you can find it. I have been getting good results with it. I love that stuff.

rwj