Oh the magic of baking to young eyes! A half hour later the coffee cake would emerge from the oven, perfectly risen and crusted with brown sugar. Several years ago I found a recipe for a similar coffee cake in the Boston Globe (can no longer find it), one that they had listed as an apple cake for the Jewish high holidays and posted it here. However, the Globe recipe made a much thinner cake than the one I loved from my childhood, and several people over the years have had more success with this one by doubling the batter. I agree, so I’ve adjusted the batter amounts. I’ve also reduced the sugar substantially from the original, and topped the cake with a streusel topping of brown sugar, flour, and butter. Update: By the way, since several of you have asked, traditional “coffee cake” is the name that’s given to this type of cake, a simple one-layer cake often with a streusel topping, that one would eat with their morning coffee. There’s no coffee in it. Don’t ask me why, that’s just the way it is! Sort of like tea sandwiches that you would serve with afternoon tea, but you wouldn’t expect to find tea in the sandwich. For more information on which apple varieties are best for baking, check out our Guide to Apples.
4 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter, cut into small cubes
