I'm Back...with Coffee Cake!

Cinnamon Coffee Cake

I'm not doing a very good job at posting recipes on a regular basis. I am going to try to take more time out to bake something and actually get it on here!

I've been craving sweet breakfast baked goods. Making a decision between cinnamon buns and coffee cake was difficult, but in the end coffee cake won...mostly because I had all the ingredients and it is a lot quicker to make. This coffee cake has a crumb topping with cinnamon and walnuts and I added a layer of cinnamon and sugar in the middle.

Cinnamon-Walnut Coffee Cake
adapted from A Taste of Home

Ingredients:
Cake
1/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk
Middle Layer
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
Topping
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tbsp cold butter
1-1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x9 square pan.
2. In a mixing bowl, cream together shortening and sugar until fluffy.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one. Beat in vanilla.
4. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl.
5. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk until just combined.
6. In a small bowl mix together the sugar and cinnamon.
7. Transfer half of the batter to a greased 9 in square baking pan.
8. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon mixture evenly over the batter.
9. Pour the rest of the batter into the pan and spread it out evenly.
10. In a bowl combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon; cut in butter until mixture resembled coarse crumbs. Stir in nuts. Sprinkle over the top.
11. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy!