Cold Day, Warm Cake

A chilly day like today, without too much going on, gives me the urge to bake. King Arthur Baking Company’s website features appealing recipes and videos. I decided to try their favorite coffee cake. I chose a cake that takes about thirty minutes to bake, rather than fifty, the sooner to dig in to a warm cake.

The recipe suggests a cup of sour cream or yogurt. I don’t always keep these items on hand, especially this volume, but as it happens our refrigerator holds a large container of plain yogurt right now. That ingredient needs to remain sub rosa, if possible, because the males with whom I live are suspicious of yogurt. “Live cultures” are not their favorite words. What they don’t know won’t repel them, so sshhh.

I substituted brown sugar for the white sugar in the topping, and added a tablespoon or two of cold butter, broken up in the mixture. I’d never added vanilla to such a topping before, but it was a nice touch.

Baking lasted about forty minutes, longer than I expected, but it took a while for the middle to bake thoroughly. The cake slid out of the pan (greased and floured) readily, giving my new square plate, a Christmas gift from my daughter, something to hold.

My son nicely suggested that I had prepared a birthday cake for Dr. King. I admitted I hadn’t thought of that, but since we’ve been reminded, we’ll take the opportunity to say, “Happy birthday, MLK.”