Buttermilk Coffee Cake

I thought I'd make some coffee cake this morning for Sunday breakfast, so I whipped out my trusty Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook and found this.  I'm always kind of put off by recipes that call for buttermilk because I think its so gross, but the truth is that some of the best things come from it...buttermilk biscuits, cole slaw, and now buttermilk coffee cake.  It turned out very moist and delicious.  My only complaint would be that it needs more crumb topping!

• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 1-1/2  cups packed brown sugar
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup butter, margarine, or shortening
  
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  
• 1-1/3 cup buttermilk or sour milk*
  
• 2 egg, beaten
  
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
  

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease an 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside. In a medium bowl stir together flour and brown sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Reserve 1/2 cup of the crumb mixture to sprinkle over batter. Stir baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg into remaining crumb mixture. In a small bowl combine buttermilk and egg; add to crumb mixture, stirring just until moistened.

Spoon batter evenly into prepared baking pan. If desired, stir nuts into reserved crumb mixture; sprinkle over batter. Bake in the preheated oven about 35-40 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool slightly. Serve warm. 

Makes 18 servings.

*Note: To make 1-1/3 cup sour milk, place 1-1/3 Tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar in a glass measuring cup. Add enough milk to make 1-13 cups total liquid; stir. Let mixture stand for 5 minutes before using.

Variations: Next time try folding one of the following into the batter: 1/2 cup dried cherries and 1/2 cup semisweet baking pieces; 1 cup raisins, dried cherries, or other chopped dried fruit; 1/2 cup shredded coconut and 1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts; 1 cup toffee pieces; 1/2 cup chopped peanuts and 1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate pieces; 2 cup fresh blueberries, raspberries, or coarsely chopped strawberries.

(recipe courtesy of Better Homes & Gardens)

Julie R.

AG, CA