Streusal Coffee Cake I

 

I'm looking for my mom's recipe for coffee cake that I grew up with.  This was the first attempt.

1¼ cup flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup shortening salted butter
1/4 1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup buttermilk or sour milk
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Combine flower, brown sugar, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly; set aside 1/4 cup crumb mixture. To remaining crumb mixture, add baking powder, soda, and spices; Mixed well. Add buttermilk or sour milk and egg; Mix well. Pour into a greased, 8 x 8-inch baking pan. Combine reserved crumbs with nuts; Sprinkle atop cake. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm.

I reduced the salt because I used salted butter.  I also threw additional nuts on top, probably at least another 2 tablespoons.  I didn't even notice that the recipe called for a round pan; I used a square one.

This was so close, but not quite.  The cake was brown from the sugar, but my mom's cake was light.  Did she use white sugar instead?  I doubt it -- she rarely deviated from recipes.  It seemed like hers was thicker, and I think there was more topping.

Conclusion:  Pretty basic.  A little sweet -- I'd like the topping to be sweeter than the cake; these were about equal.  I would cut the cake sugar by half and increase the amount of topping.  It could probably withstand some whole wheat flour, too.

Recipe:  Spicy Buttermilk Coffee Cake via Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, ninth edition (1985)