Quintessential Coffee Cake

Desserts

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk, sour cream,or a mixture of plain yogurt thinned with milk
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Butter a 13×9-inch baking pan or two 8-inch square pans.

3. In a medium bowl, cut the butter into the brown sugar and flour with a pastry blender
or 2 knives until crumbly.

4. Remove and reserve 1 cup of the mixture for the topping.

5. Beat the baking soda into the buttermilk, sour cream or thinned yogurt and add to the flour mixture.

6. Add the egg, vanilla and salt and stir until smooth.

7. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan; smooth the top.

8. Sprinkle the reserved crumbs over the top.

9. Bake the cake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

10. Cool to lukewarm on a wire rack.

11. Cut into rectangles and serve warm or at room temperature, directly from the pan.