Neoma's Coffee Cake

When I found this recipe for Coffee Cake in Gram's recipe box, it got me thinking about a phrase that was very commonly used when I was growing up that I've haven't heard in years - "going visiting".   When we would go to North Dakota we would spend much of our time going visiting to catch up with as many relatives as possible.  Whether they were expecting us or not, there was always hot coffee and a sweet treat ready.

My Great Aunt Neoma was married to my Grandfather's brother Clyde and a trip to North Dakota was not complete without a stop in to see them.  I imagine one of those visits yeilded the exchange of this recipe for coffee cake.

"Coffee Cake"and "Crumb Cake" are terms that tend to be used and thought of interchangeably but there are some differences.  To further confuse things the word "Streusel" is often thrown in.  The cake batter in each of them are usually pretty similar - a basic yellow cake.  The main variation in the cake batters is the choice of dairy - sour cream, yogurt, milk, or a combination commonly used.   The choice of filling and/or topping is what technically defines the cake, although the definition is pretty loose.

Both Coffee Cake and Crumb Cake have a moist cake bottom and a cinnamon sugar topping.  As the name would suggest, the distinction between the two is that a crumb cake has a thick crumb topping - often with quite large individually distinct "crumbs".  Traditionally, Coffee Cake is more cake with a smaller amount of topping that proportionately has more sugar (usually brown) than butter and flour than the Crumb Cake topping.   Often, like in this recipe, the topping mixture is put between layers of cake in addition to the top.  The filling/topping mixture for both Crumb and Coffee Cake is frequently referred to as Streusel.  Streusel is simply a crumb topping of butter, flour, sugar and sometimes spices and nuts that can be added to any number of pastries.  The word itself is German and roughly translates to something scattered, sprinkled, or strewn.

This recipe makes a large coffee cake, I halved it and put it in a 8 inch round cake pan.  I was really pleased with the results.  The high concentration of brown sugar in the topping caramelized nicely for a rich crunchy bite that when combined with the mellow moist yellow cake made for a delicious melding of texture and flavor.   I used walnuts, but pecans or almonds would be good as well.

NEOMA'S COFFEE CAKE
1/2 C butter or shortening, softened

2 C sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
3 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
1 C milk

FILLING
1 C brown sugar
2 1/2 T butter, chilled cut in 1/2 in. pieces
2 T flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 C nuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 10x18 pan or 8x8 if halving.  Using paddle attachment of stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy on medium speed, about 2- 3 minutes.  Reduce mixer speed to low and add eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.  Add vanilla.  In a large mixing bowl combine flour, salt and baking soda.  Add flour mixture to creamed butter in 3 additions alternating with milk starting and ending with flour.  After last addition mix until batter is smooth, about 1 minute.   To make filling, combine all ingredients in medium bowl.   Using a pastry mixer cut ingredients together until they have a coarse pea - sized meal.   Pour half of batter into prepared pan, top with half of filling mixture.  Spread remaining batter over filling and top with filling.  Bake for 40 - 50 minutes until tester comes out clean.  Cool completely on rack.