Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Cincinnati Coffee Bread

I found this gem in the bread section of my new Fannie Farmer cookbook. This one was published in 1989, and my old one predates that by a good 30+ years. My comment on the new version is that it still has good common sense recipes, but I have issues with the fact that it includes both English and Metric amounts for each ingredient. I'm a numbers kind of girl, and I found having two sets of numbers for each item to be very distracting. But that's just me.

Anyway, on to the Cincinnati Coffee Bread. I was intrigued by its name. Do they really make it in Cincinnati? I was there for a trade show once, I believe in September of 1988. The Cincinnati, Ohio airport was actually in Kentucky. And at that time, a round trip ticket from Kno
xville cost $125, took 45 minutes there and 25 minutes back. And while I found an Au Bon Pain, I never saw anything like this coffee cake!

CINCINNATI COFFEE BREAD

1-1/4 cups warm milk

4 cups flour
2 eggs
5 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar
3 tsp (1 package) yeast

Topping:
1/4 cup bread crumbs (originally 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup chopped pecans (my addition)
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
3 tbsp melted butter (originally 2 tbsp)

Warm the milk to about 100F (about body temperature) and dissolve the ye
ast in it. Add the other ingredients, and mix in your bread machine, or according to my bread making instructions. Let it rise for 15 minutes, stir to punch down, and Scoop into a greased 13x9 baking pan. Stir together the dry topping ingredients, and add the melted butter. Sprinkle over the top of the coffee cake, let it rise until doubled, and bake at 375F (400F for a metal pan) for about 25 to 30 minutes, until the cake is browned. Top with a glaze made of confectioner's sugar, milk and vanilla extract, if desired.
Note that my cake is shown in an 8"x8" pan. The original recipe called for this to be baked in a loaf pan of unspecified size. Since it really didn't fit well in the 8" square pan, I don't know what kind of loaf pan would be suitable for this recipe, but I don't sell cookbooks. Fannie Farmer does.

Also, I didn't really understand why I'd want a coffee bread with a bread cru
mb topping, so I added the nuts to give it a little more crunch. I also used extra butter so I'd use an entire stick of butter, instead of having that one little tablespoon left orphaned in my fridge. Trust me, it was better for all concerned that way.

17 comments:

SissySees said...

Yum. I think I might have that cookbook... but the two sets of numbers would bother me too.

gMarie said...

I love coffee cake, but I'm still not good with yeast breads. Made another batch of the 5 minutes a Day - and my bread comes out smelling really yeasty - don't know why.

anyway- that looks good enough for me to try and send the leftovers to work the JB!! g

Diane said...

I presume it is called coffee cake because it is to have with your coffee. I was expecting it to be coffee flavoured. We have been metricated for many years so I have to say the American measures usually throw me! While yours seem to be mainly cup or spoon measures it is easier. Why can't the whole world have the same weights, measurements etc. Life would be so much easier!! Even driving is not simple - in France on the right and in the UK on the left! Diane

Lapdog Creations said...

You know, it would be nice if you shared some of this yummy food sometime....... lol!

Linda said...

I've made something similar.......Alberta coffee cake ;) I love the topping on this one.

The Blonde Duck said...

That just looks awesome.

Breezy Point Mom said...

Now this looks absolutely scrumptious. Wish you could make me one.

buffalodick said...

That stuff has to be a Mortal sin...I want some!

Rose said...

Mouth watering again!

tamilyn said...

Looks yummy! I'm a bread lover, but it would be great with a cup of Joe

Pam said...

I think adding the pecans gives it great flavor and texture. I must say, this post made me drool and I really wish I had a slice right now.

Paula said...

I love coffee cake ... with tea! It's been years since I had a slice, so I better hurry over and grab some before it's all gone! :-) (I'll bring some tea to share.)

Mickle in NZ said...

Ah, so you've yet to come across recipes with English, American and Metric measurements then. It took me several months to work out the measurement of "a stick of butter".

Here they came in 1 pound blocks, and then of 500 grams. At last I worked out that 1 stick is 4 ounces, and a tablespoon is 1/2 an ounce.

I'm still clueless about 1 cup of butter - who mushes it into a cup to check, then scrapes it out again? For butter I'll stick to Ounces and Grams.

Oh - the yeasted cake looks glorious, I'm sure it tasted even better!

Mickle in NZ said...

Or is one stick of butter 6 ounces? More likely as would make it half a pound.

ConfessI find weights an easier to understand measurement,

Huggles and care, Michelle

Sue said...

That looks delicious. I love coffee cake. It's a perfect afternoon snack with a cup of tea.

Sook said...

Wow the bread looks really moist and delicious!

grace said...

wowza! even if this didn't have that amazing cinnamon streusel topping, it'd still be delicious! it's so fluffy, and the glaze is the kicker. this rocks, marjie!