I am so blaming my pregnancy on the fact that I am baking like it's my job. After my first pecan tart, I did a round of pumpkin cookies and many batches of chocolate chip cookies. I am even considering baking my way through Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook.
Recently, while we were in NJ we made a stop at my husband's house. His mother is a fabulous baker and you can tell that having been without power for 5 days she was aching to use her oven! A coffee cake and chocolate chip cake were already cooling on the counter and two more were baking when we arrived there the first day they got power back. All her baking got me in the mood to make some coffee cake of my own!
What's funny is that I haven't been able to find my favorite Entemmann's coffee cake at any of our local supermarkets. You know the original crumb coffee cake. I'm not even talking about the "ultimate" one. I'm taking the plain ol' NY Style coffee cake (think Buttah!). It reminds me of post school afternoons and being at my grandmother's house. She always cut me a huge piece. I love that cake so much it even made an appearance at my after wedding party.
After doing a basic google search, I came across this recipe posted on the blog Smells Like Home. My first go around in baking the cake I did explicitly what they said not to do: use all purpose flour. I just didn't feel like going out at the time and preggo wanted some crumb cake!
Result: I am no bakery snob. (Well that's not ENTIRELY true. cough**tartine**cough) But I can honestly say that even using all purpose flour I still enjoyed the cake. I could see though that lacked some moistness and my crumbs were way too crumbly.
Well this morning after having gone out and apropriated some cake flour and dark brown sugar I gave it another go. A-HA!! Oh sweet mystery of life at last I found you!! (kudos to those who know that movie reference) Friends, do yourselves a favor - go out and get the friggin' cake flour.
As a knitter I should have known, when you use materials not quite called for in the pattern it has the possibility of not coming out the way it should. Same apparently goes for baking. Perhaps it's why I love it so.
Now to figure out how to not get powdered sugar all over my handknits. (licks fingers)
That Entenmann's cake was on my mom's counter this morning and I nearly devoured the whole box! I could not find it on my last store visit either - LOVE it - the original!
Posted by: Jillys | November 09, 2012 at 02:13 PM
I have been searching in VAIN for a copy of said movie quoted above...not even at Halloween was I able to find a copy anywhere
and I got confusion when I asked if it was in stock here, there and everywhere...'what movie are you looking for???'
really!?!? you all are missing out...it's a CLASSIC!
your cake looks scrumptious!
Melissa
Posted by: Melissa | November 09, 2012 at 09:08 PM
saw that movie recently on netflix with our 10-year old. was worried he was a bit young, but nothing stood out as particularly likely to cause trauma. though for a few days he'd go around saying 'schwanstuker' and 'he. vas. mein. boyfriend!' more often than i would have preferred.
Posted by: sonia | November 09, 2012 at 11:10 PM
i must've missed the post announcing your pregnancy, congratulations Margaux!! Amazing news. That coffee cake looks to die for.
Posted by: Julie | November 10, 2012 at 06:34 PM
"You MIGHT want to put on a tie." :)
Posted by: Bookaholic | November 14, 2012 at 12:39 AM
Yum. Coffeecake is one of my faves, too.
Sorry I missed your recent visit! I'll catch you next time.
Posted by: carrie | November 17, 2012 at 07:01 AM
Thanks for the great post on your blog, it really gives me an insight on this topic.
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