Buttermilk Streusel Coffee Cake - August Cake Odyssey

August is back-to-school month.  My kids enjoy the typical breakfast fare that most kids do.  You've got your waffles and pancakes, scrambled eggs with toast, cereal, even the occasional Pop Tarts or donuts once in a while.  There are times when I put forth a bit more effort to create an extra special start to their school day.  That is when I make coffee cake or cinnamon rolls or muffins.

I baked this Bundt-style coffee cake to celebrate back-to-school for my kiddos.  Although the picture you see below doesn't show a whole lot of the sweet, cinnamony insides...rest-assured, this tender crumb coffee cake has plenty of that going on.  I just got lazy and decided to photograph the first slice I served up.  A few fresh berries and a tall, cold glass of milk and my kids were rarin' to go!

Does anyone say that anymore?

I came across this recipe recently in the Clinton Street Baking Company Cookbook.  I pulled a few more from there too that I hope to try out in the next few weeks.  Stay tuned!

Buttermilk Streusel Coffee Cake
Here's What You Need:
streusel topping -
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I left the nuts out...my kids are nutty enough!)
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
4 Tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
cake -
2 sticks butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar...I know, I know - it's a lot
4 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
2 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons coffee extract or freshly brewed strong coffee
4 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Here's What You Do:
Preheat the over to 300 degrees and lightly spray a 10-inch Bundt pan.  Now lightly dust it with flour.

Mix all of the streusel topping ingredients together and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar together.  Add the eggs two at a time, mixing until well blended.

Mix in the buttermilk, vanilla and coffee.

Sift the remaining dry ingredients together and then add to the butter/sugar mixture.

Fill the Bundt pan halfway.  Sprinkle with two-thirds of the streusel topping.  Add the rest of the batter.  Top with the remaining one-third streusel.

Bake for 60-70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool.  To unmold, place a plate firmly on top of the pan and flip, being careful to preserve the streusel.  You could go an extra step and mix up some glaze by combining powdered sugar with a bit of milk until it's the right consistency.  I figured my kids didn't need anymore sugar than they were already getting from this cake, so I avoided that step.

Next month we'll be celebrating Jenna's 9th birthday.  I see birthday cake on the horizon!