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Easy Struesel Coffee Cake
Easy to Make Coffee Cake
Today I would like to share with you one of the most popular cakes in our house. This is one of my husband's favorites, and luckily for me, it is one of the easiest to make as well. If I tell people that it is made from scratch, many pull back in a state of shock at the thought of making a cake that hasn't come from a box. This is how ingrained people are with buying cake mixes. This recipe isn't difficult and it works out much cheaper and tastier to make your own.
I don't want to say I am a lazy cook, but I like an easy life. That is why this is a perfect recipe, it is just two bowls and one pan. No frosting it afterwards or anything laborious like that. No sirree, and the truth is, you don't miss having frosting because of the sweet streusel topping. The term 'coffee cake', I believe is because this type of cake would have been served and enjoyed whilst have a coffee as well. There is no coffee in the recipe.
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup chopped cashews or walnuts
- 1/4 cup All purpose flour
- 3 Tablespoons Margarine or butter
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1/3 cup Brown sugar, I used muscavado but ordinary brown sugar will work fine
- 2 cups All purpose flour
- 3/4 cup Sugar, granulated white
- 1/3 cup Margarine or butter, softened
- 1 cup Milk, any type
- 1 Egg, large
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F, gas mark 4 or 180°C. Begin by preparing the struesel. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the nuts, 1/4 of flour, 1/3 cup margarine, and brown sugar. Set aside.
- Place the remaining ingredients in a large sized mixing bowl and using a mixer blend together for 30 seconds on low and then 2 minutes on medium. Scrape the sides if needed.
- Pour half the batter into a greased square pan 9" x9"x2" or in metric 23cmx23cmx 5cm. Sprinkle or drop half the streusel mix over the batter. (See photo)
- Add the rest of the batter over the top and sprinkle the rest of the struesel mix on top. Don't worry if some of the streusel from below peeks through, it won't affect the end result. Now bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and toothpick comes out clean.
What is Streusel
This streusel topping can be used on other baked goods as well such as muffins or on cookies just to add something special to them. Even as a topping for a fruit crumble. This type of coffee cake can have apples in it as well. The amount of liquid would have to be adjusted in the recipe to account for the juice in the apples.
The word streusel has its origins in German and means to sprinkle.
Betty Crocker Cookbook
Of all of my cookbooks, my Betty Crocker is my favorite. It is also the most used one as well. I know that whichever recipe I choose, it will turn out like it is supposed to. Like everyone, I have loads of recipe books by famous chefs but the one I use most is this one.
I always think if you have a son or daughter who is moving away from home for the first time, this makes a wonderful gift. It is a book they will refer to time and time again.
The recipe I have listed on this page is adapted from a recipe in my Betty Crocker cookbook. I know that people think that making a cake from scratch is difficult but this recipe, is easy. Plus the added benefit, is you know what is in it.
Below I have made a screenshot of a Betty Crocker cake mix ingredient list. This information is available to the public on their website. Take a look and see which you prefer.
Betty Crocker Cake Mix Ingredients
Let's take a look at the ingredients in Betty Crocker's cake mix.
- Enriched flour bleached (wheat flour, niacin, iron,thiamin, mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid),
- Sugar
- Corn Syrup
- Leavening (baking soda, aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate)
- Modified Corn Starch
- Corn Starch
- Partially hydrogenated soybean and/or cottonseed oil
- Propylene Glycol Mono and diesters of fatty acids
- Salt
- Distilled Monoglycerides
- Dicalcium phosphates
- Natural and artificial flavorings
- Sodium stearoyl lactylate
- Xanthan Gum
- Cellulose Gum
- Nonfat Milk
Now that you know what a simple white cake mix has in it, which do you prefer to feed your family?
How often do you make a cake from scratch?
© 2013 Mary Wickison