Yummy yummy coffee cake

Once upon a time, way way back in my Junior High days, I would rush to the cafeteria at break time to grab a piece of deliciously warm, fresh-out-of-the-oven coffee cake before they ran out. My history class was pretty far from the cafeteria, so I'd miss out sometimes... sad days.

In High School, I didn't rush as quickly because I had a boyfriend to exchange mush notes with and then we'd walk to the cafeteria together... they never seemed to run out luckily. For twenty-five cents, I'd get a 4x4 inch square of warm cinnamon-y heaven! I often tried to re-create this dish but was never quite successful... until now!!

*Release the balloons and sound the trumpet fanfare!*

This is my version of the beloved Los Angeles Unified School District coffee cake.

Ingredients

For the topping:

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark as you prefer)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped into small pieces
• 1/4 cup butter, cut in small pieces

For the cake:

• 1 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon each of baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup sour cream, room temperature

DirectionsPreheat oven to 350*F (175*C). Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan; set aside.

1. For topping, mix together 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, sugar, salt and nuts. Add butter and rub in by hand until mixture is crumbly. Do not over mix. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, sift together the cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy and light. Add beaten egg and vanilla. Mix well.
4. Add half of the dry ingredients, mixing just until flour is blended. Blend in all of the sour cream. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined.
5. Spread half of batter into baking pan. Sprinkle half of the topping and then spread the rest of the batter. Lastly, add the remaining topping.
6. Bake for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for ten minutes in the pan.
7. Flip pan over onto a plate and the cake should plop right out. Flip back onto another plate for pretty presentation.

This is a deliciously moist and crumbly coffee cake that will serve 10.

If you were an LAUSD student, please let me know how you think it compares to the original... but everyone of course, enjoy!

Banana & Brown Sugar Pancakes

This morning, we are all still a little sleepy and recovering from a wonderful birthday party last night at Oma and PaPa's house... so it was the perfect time for an indulgent sugary breakfast to get the house hoppin'! Enter brown sugar and banana pancakes.All you need is:

• Pancake batter of choice
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon for pancake batter (for 15 3" pancakes)
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar

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• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 bananas cut into 1/2" rounds
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of salt

Prepare pancakes as you usually do with the addition of the brown sugar and cinnamon. Keep warm on a plate in the oven while preparing banana topping.

1. Coat bananas with brown sugar and cinnamon.
2. Warm butter in the same pan you made the pancakes in and add bananas.
3. Cook for one minute without touching, add pinch of salt and turn them over.
4. Cook one minute more and you're done! The tasty results are warmed bananas with a slightly crunchy glaze that is so good you really don't need syrup. If you overcook them, the texture gets a little funny but still edible.

Happy Sunday Everyone!

Making time for yourself, Pear Bread

Everyone in my house is sick. We're all stuffy and achy and coughing and sleepy. It is in times like these that a mommy can get stretched a little too thin... and the perfect time to nibble out a few minutes for yourself!


I promised myself as part of my New Year's Resolutions to make time for me. Some days I'm great at it... other days not so great. Some days I have to work to make that time for me.


Last night I took out one of my favorite recipes that I concocted a few years ago for Pear Bread. It is a simple and not overly sweet cake-like treat I used to make when Em was a baby and purees were always in the house. Now that both boys are older, I only make pear puree for this special bread. It takes about 4 minutes to whip up, 47 minutes to bake, and as much or as little time as you have to enjoy it!


Pear Bread - Makes 16 adult or 32 kid sized slices
Can be doubled to make two loaves and freezes well if wrapped tightly.

• 1 1/2 cups regular white flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon or a bit more cinnamon
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 12 ounces or so of pear puree, or applesauce

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. Butter bottom and sides of a standard bread pan
3. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl
4. Add eggs to bowl and stir a few times, but not fully mixed
5. Add pear puree and mix just to combine.  If over mixed, it will still be tasty, but heavy.
6. Put batter in the bread pan and bake for 47 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Let sit for 10 minutes before removing from pan to cool.

I love pears, but this could easily be made applesauce or apple puree as well. To treat yourself a little more, serve on a nice plate with a cup of tea... I'm enjoying mine with Tangerine tea on my great-grandmothers china right now. :-)