Spicey Coffee Cake (Dorothy)

This is "Spicey" - not spicy - Coffee Cake. :)

I made this recipe for a funeral reception that I did not attend, so I can't yet provide any opinions of the final product. I did, however, use a couple of tablespoons of batter and spice mixture to make myself a mini sample in a custard cup. Right now, it's wrapped up in the freezer, waiting for my diet to be over in a few weeks, so I'll be back to update with a full taste report at a later date. Actually, I'll probably just find an excuse to make the recipe again so I can taste it fresh - I love a warm coffee cake.

I didn't think to take an individual photo of the finished product, but here's one of all the goodies I prepared for the reception (it was a very long day in the kitchen, but worth it!):

The Spicey Coffee Cake is in the bottom center. Also pictured, clockwise from the coffee cake, are the Breakfast Casserole, a bacon-swiss quiche (my personal specialty, not from the Yellow Box), Meat Loaf, Cinnamon Sour Cream Coffee Cake (I added a maple glaze), and Banana Cake that I split into three small loaves.

I made one large (9" x 13") cake, dividing the batter into two layers with half the spice mixture between the layers. This batter turns out extremely thick, so it was a bit of a trick to spread the second layer on top of the layer of spice mixture. I suppose I could have just put all of the spice mixture on top, but I like to have the extra flavor in the middle.

Other than that, it's a straightforward recipe. It'll be hard to beat either the Cinnamon Sour Cream Coffee Cake or Pattie Wheeler's Night Before Coffee Cake, so I'm curious to know how this one is.

**********************

five months later

**********************

I finally tried the cake myself, and I am a fan.

I started baking part-time in a local coffee shop over the summer, and have made this recipe several times because it is so simple to prepare. I've been making it in a tube pan with good results.There isn't much to the cake batter, but it's really the spice mixture, swirled through the middle and sprinkled on top, that makes every bite delicious.

A simple recipe, this coffee cake is best served warm, but still very good the next day.

_____________________________

Spicey Coffee Cake
from Dorothy

Bottom
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1½ cup sugar     } sift first 4 ingredients together

½ cup oleo [butter/margarine] (1 stick)     } cut into dry ingredients

2 eggs, beaten
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk      } beat and add to other ingredients

Spice Mixture
mix together:
1 cup brown sugar
4 tsp flour
2 tsp cinnamon
4 tsp melted oleo [butter/margarine]
⅔ cup chopped nuts

Grease two 8" pans or one large (9" x 13") pan.
Alternate layers of batter and spice mixture (batter is very thick), topping with spice mixture.

Bake at 375° for 30-35 minutes.
_____________________________