Wedding Morning Coffee Cake

On the morning of my daughter's wedding, about ten days ago, I was up bright and early to accept a Fresh Direct* delivery intended to keep all the troops -- bride, bridesmaids, wedding planner, photographer and family -- nourished during the hours of preparation preceding the big event.

But after arranging the food on platters, I had a lot of time on my hands.  So naturally, I baked a cake, figuring that the folks who filled my house that day might enjoy a freshly made coffee cake.

I chose the easiest vintage recipe from my collection, a one-bowl cake that could be put together in minutes. It was delicious -- and much appreciated by our guests.  In fact, this is a perfect go-to coffee cake for any occasion.

The batter is a typical flour, sugar, butter and egg mixture.  The addition of sour cream makes it especially rich.

Half the batter is placed in the bottom of a tube pan, and then topped with the filling -- cinnamon, nuts, sugar and flour.

Spoon the remaining batter on top of the filling.  It's ok if some filling is peeking through.

After the cake is removed from the oven, let it cool for about 15 minutes in the pan....

then run a butter knife around the edges and turn out onto a plate.  I flipped the cake (see top photo) before serving.

The most difficult part of the wedding morning coffee cake was removing it from the oven.  I had to leave (for the all-important hairdresser appointment) while it was still in the oven. Luckily maid-of-honor Laurie (below right) stepped in, determining when the cake was fully baked and pulling it from the oven at the perfect moment.

Production notes:  I used butter, not Oleo.  I mixed the flour, baking soda and baking powder together, and added it alternately with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour.  I made just two layers of batter, putting the filling in between.  Grease and flour the tube pan, so it releases easily.

Part of the wedding production team, below.

The bride, below, moments before we left the house for the ceremony.  She did not have any coffee cake and, in fact, I heard a rumor later (can anyone say hairdresser gossip?) that she complained that I baked a cake on the morning of her wedding. As if the whole day were about HER!

The wedding ceremony was at Laughing Lotus Yoga studio in Manhattan.

*Fresh Direct is a food-delivery service in NY.

Spiced Nut Coffeecake

It was getting on near 10 p.m. one night last week and, wanting to bake something simple and cheerful (for baking is my antidepressant), I whipped up this tasty spiced nut coffeecake. Plus the DH loves cake with a crumbly topping.

This is simple and delicious, but not terribly spicy by our 21st century standards, the same standards that find cayenne pepper in brownies and salt in caramels.

Start by making the topping in a small bowl by combining the sugar, chopped nuts, spices and melted butter. Reserve while you prepare the batter, accomplished by mixing the dry ingredients and simply pouring the liquid ingredients on top.  Mix until just moistened.

The batter will be extremely thick and you'll think it can't possibly be right. For some reason, it behaves as if it is a yeast dough, i.e., very elastic .  But using a wooden spoon, or similar tool, become the boss of it and force the dough into the corners of the pan.

When it's spread out in the pan, sprinkle the topping on.

Production notes:  I followed this exactly, and melted the tablespoon of butter before mixing it into the dry topping ingredients. I also used butter in place of the "melted shortening or salad oil" for the cake.  The lines are typed very close together, causing the fraction ingredients to run into each other.  The amount for the topping are 1/4 c. sugar, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg.  For the cake, they are 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 c. sugar, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1 egg, 3/4 c. milk and 1/4 c. melted butter. This is easy to overbake, so keep a close eye on it.