Aunt Alice’s Coffee Cake

The Preamble

I love that this recipe came from Aunt Alice, whoever she is. Alice. That’s a wildcard kind of name. You could either be a complete tightass, or a loose canon who knows how to have a good time. Either way, the fact that this was a family recipe adds just the right touch of nostalgia — on top of the typewritten notecard, that is.

One call out regarding the identity of this mystery lady. She wrote “centre” when referencing adding the first half of the streusel. Is she BRITISH?!

If I were to do it over again, I would do it in a loaf pan vs. a 9x9 (which I thought was like, conventional coffee cake pan). This way, I’d have more of a distinction between the layers. As I had it, it all sort of blended together.

The Recipe

• 1/2 cups flour

• 3 TSP baking powder

• 1/4 TSP salt

• 3/4 cup sugar

Sift together and add 1/4 cup shortening. Mix in with fingers. Stir in:

• 1 egg well beaten with 1/2 cup milk

• 1 TSP vanilla

Put half mixture in greased pan, spread 1/2 of the following streusel filling on top, then rest of mixture. Top with remaining streusel filling. Bake 375 oven for about 30-35 minutes.

Streusel filling

• 1/2 cup light brown sugar

• 2 1/2 TBS flour

• 1 TSP cinnamon

• 2 TBSP melted butter

• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Mix sugar, flour, cinnamon together. Blend in the butter and stir in the nuts. Use half of the mixture for the center. Other half for the top.

The Review

Honestly, solid 4/5. It was crunchy on the edges and the top, but nice and soft on the inside. Also, not too sweet somehow. A solid coffee cake recipe. Thanks, Alice.