Spiced Brown Sugar-Pecan Crumb Coffee Cake

I love coffee cake. I have a very set idea of what a coffee cake should be.  I’ve tried several and this one is my idea of a perfect coffee cake.  And no, I didn’t change the nuts to pecans in this. 

Spiced Brown Sugar-Pecan Crumb Coffee Cake

Beth Hensperger

INGREDIENTS

Topping

1/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground mace

6 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped

Dough

4 tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Parchment-line the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan and grease the sides.

TO MAKE THE CRUMB TOPPING:

Combine the sugars, flour, and spices in a small bowl. Cut in the butter with your fingers. Add the pecans and set aside.

TO MAKE THE COFFEE CAKE:

In a bowl using a wooden spoon, cream the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth about 1 minute. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Alternately add the dry mixture and the buttermilk to the creamed mixture. Beat hard until the batter has a creamy consistency, about 1 minute. Do not overbeat or the cake will be tough.

Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle evenly with half of the crumb topping. Spoon in the remaining batter and sprinkle with the remaining crumb topping. Place the pan on a rack in the center of the oven and bake 40 to 45 minutes, of until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven to a cooling rack and cool in the pan. To serve, remove the sides of the springform and serve.