…if what they want is GOOD food.

This coffee cake has been a breakfast/brunch staple in my family for as long as I can remember.  One of my Mom’s ace in the hole recipes, I’ve seen her whip one up in a moment’s notice for unexpected house guests, countless potlucks and even as a last minute housewarming gift.  With an incredibly moist ginger and cinnamon-spiced buttermilk cake base, it’s the crumbly sweet topping of chopped pecans and brown sugar that makes this recipe a true standout.  Having been lucky enough to try the genuine article from Margaret Fox’s, Cafe Beaujolais in Mendocino when I was a kid, I can confirm that the homemade version lives up to it’s legendary roots — not bad for a recipe that can be put together from start to finish in just under an hour.

A definite crowd-pleaser, there are few combinations better than a warm cup of coffee and this extraordinary breakfast treat on a lazy Sunday morning.  With the holidays around the corner, consider foregoing a trip to the bakery for pastries and give this coffee cake recipe a try on your friends and visiting family.

COFFEE CAKE

From Cafe Beaujolais and The San Francisco Chronicle Cookbook

If you’re at all intimidated by baking, this is a great beginner recipe.  The topping can be made with either pecans or walnuts, but a combination of the two is even better.  If you want even more topping, reserve one cup of the flour-nut mixture instead of the recommended 3/4 cup.  As good as this cake is served warm, my family has no problem eating it at room temperature.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cups corn oil
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup buttermilk

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven 350°. Liberally grease a 9 x 12 x 2-inch baking pan.
2. Combine the flour, salt, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon, the ginger, both sugars and the corn oil in a large bowl and mix well.  Remove 3/4 cup of this mixture to a smaller bowl and add to it the nuts and remaining cinnamon; mix well.
3. To the mixture in the large bowl, add the baking soda, baking powder, egg and buttermilk; stir to combine (small lumps in the batter are okay).  Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the flour-nut mixture over the top.
4. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the cake tests done (a cake tester inserted in the middle will come out free of raw batter). Serve warm.

Serves 12