I too attended junior and senior high in San Pedro in the mid-ྂ's and have often craved that coffee cake the schools served in big warm blocks at afternoon break.

Last night, I tried "s. a. hicklen's" "Old Fashioned" recipe. While it was very good, it wasn't like I remembered San Pedro's to be. Whereas this recipe's nutmeg, brown sugar and cinnamon made the batter/cake a tawny spice cake, I remember San Pedro's to be white (or perhaps yellow. I also seem to vaguely recall that the school drizzled the cake with a simple white icing.)

I found the following recipe and am going to give it a try next:

1959 City School Sour Cream Coffeecake

"If I were dying, I would want the coffee cake served in the junior and senior high schools in Los Angeles as my last meal. Do you, by chance, have the recipe?" In response, Rose Dosti of the L.A. Times, Culinary SOS, wrote, "Our sentiments exactly. Here's the recipe as provided by the Los Angeles Unified School District archives. As a matter of record, the sour cream coffee cake has been served in city school cafeterias since 1959."

Topping:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar; packed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup butter, cut in small pieces

Cake:
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175C). Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan; set aside.

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

For topping, mix together 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, sugar, salt and nuts. Add butter. Rub in by hand until mixture is crumbly. Be careful not to over mix.

In bowl mix together 1 1/2 cups cake flour, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, soda and baking powder.
In another bowl cream together butter with sugar until fluffy and light. Add egg and vanilla and mix well. Add half of dry ingredients, mixing just until flour is blended. Blend in sour cream, then remaining dry ingredients.

Spread half of batter lightly into prepared baking pan. Sprinkle with half of topping and spread with remaining batter. Sprinkle with remaining Topping. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until tested done when wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Serves 8.

Now...if I could only find the recipes for Torrance High School's large snickerdoodle and chocolate cookies! (I'll pass on the pizza and toasty dogs!)

Good luck!
Daniel