Cinnamon-Streusel Coffee Cake Recipe

When I'm stuck inside I have this incredible urge to bake. It relaxes me, and my family loves the treats. I was dreaming about the smell of cinnamon wafting through the house. The smell of fresh baked goods just makes everything feel normal and fine and awesome for just a moment in time.

My grandmother used to bake all the time. She would be in her kitchen all-day wearing her fancy ruffled apron with her hair up in a tight bun. She made cakes and pies with recipes from her Methodist church ladies group cookbook. The kitchen was her happy place. Now it's my happy place. Enjoy this throwback to another era cake. It's still a winner.

Cinnamon-Streusel Coffee Cake

Streusel Topping:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 t. salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 T cinnamon
6 T unsalted butter, melted
Mix in a bowl. Set aside.

Filling:
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 T. cinnamon
1 t. unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)
Mix in a bowl. Set aside.

Cake:
12 T unsalted butter at room temperature
1 t. salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 t. baking powder
2 t. vanilla extract
3 large eggs, at room temperature (I only had medium eggs on hand.)
3/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
10oz almond milk or milk
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly grease a 9" x. 13" pan.

1. Mix the topping and filling in separate bowls and set aside.
2. To make the cake: In a large bowl beat the butter, salt, sugars, baking powder, and vanilla until well combined and smooth.
3. Add eggs one at a time. Stir until combined after each egg.
4. In a separate bowl whisk together sour cream and milk.
5. Add the flour to the butter mixture alternately with the milk/sour cream mixture. Mix gently to combine.
6. Pour/spread half the batter (~3 cups) into the prepared pan spreading all the way to the edges.
7. Sprinkle the filling evenly on the batter.
8. Spread the remaining batter atop the filling. Use a table knife to gently swirl the filling in the batter as though you were making a marble cake. Don't combine the filling - just swirl. You want layers.
9. Sprinkle the topping over the batter in the pan. (You don't have to use all the topping. I will cut back a little bit next time.)
10. Bake the cake until it's dark golden brown around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50-60 minutes. When pressed gently in the middle the cake should spring back.
11. Remove from the oven and let cool 20 minutes before serving. (torture waiting!!)
12. Serve cake from the pan.

Recipe source: King Arthur Flour