Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease and flour a 9-inch round baking pan, or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
Make the Streusel Topping
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon for the streusel topping. Add the cold cubed butter and use your fingers or a pastry blender to mix until coarse crumbs form, then set aside.
Prepare the Cake Batter
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry cake ingredients: flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients: egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined and being careful not to overmix.
Assemble and Bake
- Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle half of the streusel topping over it. Carefully spread the remaining batter over the streusel layer, then top with the rest of the streusel. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool and Glaze
- Allow the coffee cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely. If desired, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla for the glaze, then drizzle it over the cooled cake.
Notes
For an extra touch, toast some chopped pecans or walnuts and add them to the streusel topping. Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature for a smoother batter. Do not overmix the cake batter, as this can lead to a dry cake. The "growing" aspect refers to the careful layering and rising of the cake, with the secrets being proper ingredient temperatures, gentle mixing, even streusel distribution, correct oven temperature, and adequate cooling time.
