Coffe Cake for Sunday

Yesterday was our first cooler day in a very long time. We had just a few drops of rain.

I milked. Willow is way down in production. I think it is due to the extreme heat and dry conditions. Most cows will not graze out in the sun and I don't buy alfalfa to feed her when we have grass even though it isn't the best forage right now. The name of this game, is to have good,raw milk without it costing us more than store milk.

I made one of our favorite coffee cakes. This recipe is found on King Arthur's website and I have made it several times. I don't use a tube pan but I do use my spring-form pan. That means you have to increase the baking time by about 10 minutes. I always test with a toothpick first.



Cake
1/2 cup shortening*
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream

Topping
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Cream shortening, sugar and eggs. Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream.

Grease and flour a regular-sized tube pan**. Spread half the batter in the pan, and sprinkle with half the topping mixture. Repeat with remaining batter and topping.

Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake tests done. Cool 10 to 15 minutes, and remove cake from pan. Place cake right-side-up (topping up) on a plate to serve.

*I usually use a butter-flavored shortening, or margarine.

**I make this in a 9 x13-inch pan if it's for family, and just serve it right from the pan in squares.

Note: This coffeecake is also delicious made with plain or vanilla yogurt, or buttermilk. If you bake it early in the morning, you can carry it outside for an al fresco breakfast before work!

If you make this in a 9 x 13-inch pan -- a handy, stable size for transporting to picnics or potlucks -- be aware that you'll have to spread the batter quite thinly to cover the bottom of the pan. Spoon half into the pan, using a rubber spatula to spread batter out evenly; sprinkle on half the topping; then drop the remaining batter, in spoonfuls, on top. Don't bother to try to spread it around; just sprinkle with the rest of the topping. Cake will puff up and look fine by the time it's done.
Nutrition information per serving (1/20 of recipe, 51 g): 188 cal, 9 g fat, 2 g protein, 10 g complex carbohydrates, 14 g sugar, 1 g dietary fiber, 31 mg cholesterol, 137 mg sodium, 45 mg potassium, 1 mg iron, 52 mg calcium, 41 mg phosphorus. Note: using lowfat yogurt or lowfat buttermilk in place of sour cream will lower fat to 7 g.

My Note: I always use butter when it calls for shortening.

We have decided this is the year to replace our l970's era carpet in the living room and bedroom. DH wants the new shag which will always be the 'old' shag to me.
We had it in our first house! Nothing is new under the sun.......
We are going for a darker, blended color tweedy thing so DH's coffee dribbles won't drive me insane. It is hard for me to make decisions so I will probably just let him select it. It will make our old living room furniture look so bad....I am hoping to replace most of it next year. "Lord willing and the creek don't rise" as Mom used to say.

We have nothing planned for the holiday. I really should do some real housecleaning for a change.