Raisin Spice Coffee Cake

Raisin Spice Coffee Cake with crumb topping.
A fall-flavored, quick cake that is  loaded with raisins
 and a rich buttery streusel.

Today,  I baked my first coffee cake. 

Why today? Well, I had two reasons. First, the hubby loves doughnuts with his morning coffee, but icy roads prevented a trip to the store for them this morning. Next, I saw a coffee cake recipe I wanted to try and share with you. The recipe appealed to me for the following reasons:

• no exotic ingredients
• all the ingredients are pantry basics
• cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice is a food pheromone for me. 
• crumb topping rocks!
• the recipe ingredients sound so much like a cake doughnut, that I seriously considered adding a glaze to the cake top. I resisted the urge, maybe next time. 

Hubby's Reaction

Bill loved it. He wanted to know I had been keeping this cake a secret. An A+ slice of homemade happiness on a plate!

My Flavor Rave

I thought that the coffee cake's texture was a cross between an applesauce or spice cake and a cake doughnut. Each bite contained an initial, crisp texture of buttery, brown sugar streusel, or crumb topping. Then, the rich, raisin spice and warm, cinnamon overtones took over and delighted my taste buds. My dark roast coffee was the perfect partner for the firm, spiced, not overly sweet coffee cake.  I was glad I didn't pour a glaze over it. 

The Recipe

Yield: 12-16 servings

Equipment

1 small to medium  bowl

1 medium to large bowl

2 cup liquid measuring cup

9 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan

wire whisk

Ingredients

1/3 cup packed brown sugar                                           1 cup white, granulated sugar

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour                                             3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt                                                                1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg                                            1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/3 cup canola oil                                                            3 Tbsp. butter

1 cup milk                                                                       1 egg

1/2 cup raisins                                                                  canola oil spray or pan coat of choice

Directions

• Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray baking pan with canola oil spray and set aside.

Crumb Topping

• In a small to medium bowl, place 1/3 cup of packed brown sugar, 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, and 3 Tbsp. of butter.
• Mix all ingredients until the mixture is crumbly. This is your crumb topping. 
• Set aside.

Coffee Cake

• In medium to large bowl, place 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of sugar, 3 teaspoons of salt, 3 tsp. of baking powder, 1 tsp. of cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. of ground nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp. of ground allspice
• Blend the dry ingredients with a wire whisk until spices are distributed evenly.
• In a 2 cup liquid measuring cup, pour 1 cup of milk, 1/3 cup of oil, and add 1 egg. 
• Beat with a wire whisk until the liquid mixture is well blended.
• Pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients in the medium to large bowl.
• Stir with the wire whisk until the batter is well blended. About 1 1/2 - 2 minutes.
• Add 1/2 cup raisins and stir once or twice.
• Pour half of the batter into the baking pan. 
• Sprinkle half of the crumb topping  on top of the batter in the baking pan.
• Pour the other half of the batter into the pan.
• Sprinkle the remaining crumb topping across the top of the batter.
• Place the pan in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. 
• Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake and remove.
• If just a few crumbs cling to the toothpick, or the toothpick is clean, remove the cake from the oven. 
• Cool in the pan.
• Serve warm or cool.

Crumb-topped perfection
 just out of the oven