Easy Coffee Cake with Variations

A basic, from-scratch coffee cake with 4 quick and easy alterations.  Fast, easy and the texture is always perfect… moist and fluffy. 

I made blueberry today :)
BASIC STREUSEL COFFEE CAKE 2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup margarine or butter (softened)
1 cup milk
1 egg
STREUSEL:  1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 Tbs. margarine or butter
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

{Mix all of the streusel ingredients until crumbly. (I use my kitchen aid).  Set aside while preparing the batter}

Dump the batter ingredients in your mixer bowl.  Mix on low 30 seconds, scrape bowl and beat for 2 minutes on medium.  Spread 1/2 of the batter in a greased 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle batter with 1/2 the streusel.  Top with rest of batter and spread around a bit, but it doesn’t have to fully cover the streusel layer.  Sprinkle with remaining streusel  Bake at 350 degrees 35-40 minutes.   

RAISIN SPICE VARIATION:  When mixing batter, add: 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg and 1/4 tsp. allspice.  Stir 1/2 cup raisins into the batter before pouring into pan.  May be made with or without streusel.  Either way, bake 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees. 

ORANGE (or LEMON): 
Use 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup orange (or lemon) juice instead of 1 cup milk and add 1-2 tbs. grated orange or lemon peel to batter ingredients.

BLUEBERRY: Omit streusel.  Spread 1/2 of batter in 9 x 13 pan.  Sprinkle with 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries.  Top with remaining batter.  Sprinkle with another cup of blueberries.  Bake 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees.  Cool slightly and prepare the glaze: GLAZE: 1 cup powdered sugar,
1 tsp. lemon juice
1-2 Tbs. milk
Mix until smooth.  Use 1 tbs. of milk to start and add more if the glaze is too thick.  Drizzle over warm cake.