For hundreds of years people have flocked to California in search of fame and fortune. From the gold rush trails to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, farms and vineyards to Silicon Valley, California cooking is truly a melting pot of flavors. Best of the Best from California preserves the unique taste of California’s food heritage with over 500 favorite recipes from more than 100 of the Golden State’s most outstanding cookbooks. There are many recipes that originated in California
If you're looking for a light coffeecake with, as professional bakers would say just the right 'crumb,' this is it. From Margaret Fox of Mendocino's Cafe Beaujolais, named more than once the best place to eat breakfast in California.
Servings: 12 to 16
STREUSEL:
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons fine instant coffee powder
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
COFFEECAKE:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3eggs
1 pint sour cream
Confectioners' sugar
STREUSEL: Stir brown sugar with cinnamon, coffee powder, cocoa and walnuts; set aside.
COFFEECAKE: Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Have ready a buttered and floured 10-inch Bundt pan, or coat it with a nonstick cooking spray. Stir flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside. Beat butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and sugar; beat mixture 3 minutes. Add eggs and beat at high speed 5 minutes, until mixture is light and creamy. Alternately add flour mixture in 3 additions, using lowest speed of mixer, and sour cream in 2 additions, beating only until smooth after each addition.
Spread a thin layer of batter in bottom of prepared pan. Sprinkle with 1/3 of streusel mixture. Continue making these layers until there are 4 of batter and 3 of slreusel. The top layer should be batter and it should be thin. Bake coffeecake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Take it out of oven to a rack and let cool 5 minutes in pan. Turn cake out of pan and sprinkle with sifted confectioners' sugar before serving.
