This post is as much
about this delicious coffeecake as it is about how to make the perfect buttercream
filling. This is not a recipe from my
mother’s recipe box, but from my first, dating back to when I set up housekeeping
directly out of college in the late seventies.
I’m not sure where I found this recipe, but back then it took me a long
time to prepare and, as a consequence, I didn’t make it very often. Happily, these days, with food processors to
make short work of chopping nuts and creating the perfect streusel topping,
things go quite a bit faster.
While I liked this
cake in my ignorant youth, and loved the sweet, buttery taste of the filling,
it seldom turned out as I had hoped. It
was not as thick as I had expected and tended toward the grainy. Fast forward way more years than I care to
count and loads of wisdom, and that problem is solved. Years, experience, and many failed recipes
have taught me that there is a decided difference between “creaming” butter and “beating until
incorporated.” My guess is that most, if not all of you
reading this post do not know that difference and, instead of creaming butter
and sugar, simply beat it until it is incorporated. Perhaps, well
incorporated, but merely incorporated and not fully creamed.
Here is the
difference. When you cream butter alone
or with sugar it needs to be beaten at medium-high to high speed for 5 to 7
minutes. (I generally split the
difference and beat for 6.) This is where a stand mixer can be a most welcome appliance
in your kitchen. The process of creaming
should cause the sugar to melt into the butter forming one light, creamy, fluffy
mixture. Do this one simple thing and
you will always have the very best cookies, cakes, toppings, and fillings. It
is really that simple.
Now try out your new-found knowledge with this delicious, bakery-shop-worthy coffeecake. It will be the crown jewel of your
breakfast or brunch.
Buttercream Coffeecake
Streusel Topping:
1/3 cup butter
¾ cup flour
1/3 cup firmly
packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup chopped walnuts
In the work bowl of
a food processor, pulse together the butter, flour, sugar and cinnamon until
crumbly. Add walnuts and pulse once or
twice to blend. Set aside.
Coffeecake
1-1/2 cups flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking
soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cardamom
½ cup butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 extra-large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
extract
Preheat oven to
325°F. Line a 9” x 9” pan with foil,
allowing a 2” overhang on two
opposite edges. Spray foil and exposed sides
of pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
Sift flour with
baking powder, soda, salt, and cardamom into a medium bowl. In a large bowl or the work bowl of your
stand mixer that has been fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on
medium-high to high speed for 5-7 minutes.
Gradually add sugar during the last minute and beat for 5-7 additional
minutes. Reduce speed to medium and add
eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in vanilla extract and Buttery Sweet
Dough Flavor (if using).With mixer set at low speed, add dry ingredients
alternately with sour cream to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with the
dry ingredients.
Spread mixture
evenly along the bottom and into the edges of the prepared pan. Sprinkle with streusel topping, covering
completely. Bake for 45-55 minutes or
until cake tests done. Remove to a wire
rack and allow cooling for ten minutes before gently lifting from the pan using
the foil “handles” to another rack. Slide foil
from beneath cake and allow to cool completely.
Slice the cake in half horizontally. (I use
the toothpick method described here.) Fill with Buttercream Filling. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Do remove from the fridge about 20 minutes
prior to slicing.
Buttercream Filling
¼ cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
2/3 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
extract
In a medium saucepan
set over low heat, combine flour, salt, and milk. Cook, whisking constantly, until very
thick. Cool. In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with
the paddle attachment, cream butter for 5-7 minutes. Gradually add sugar during the last minute
and continue beating for 5-7 additional minutes. Add cooled flour mixture and beat until light
and fluffy 1-2 minutes. Blend in vanilla
extract.
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