All or Nothing? A Recipe for Laid-Back Coffeecake
I have a habit that gets activated each time I find a new passion, whether it be hobby or work related. My habit is called gathering.
Depending on the endeavour, I gather research, materials, tools and equipment. I forage the Internet for information, making files of links, flitting, clicking from here to there like an industrious, intellectual little bee. If it’s soap making, I browse associated books on it from Amazon, the bookstore and local library. I visit supply shops in town or virtually troll Etsy, Ebay and Google and order a plethora of samples of lye, shea butter and fragrances oils. For good measure, I read reviews of any and everything that’s relative. Recently I got into essential oils and the ‘gathering’ behaviour was the same: workshops, books and a whole afternoon comparing both lavender oil brands and diffusers. Ditto for baking: my recent sourdough journey had me collecting books, articles and glued to YouTube, watching all manner of sourdough lessons. I joined a Facebook group on sourdough baking (made new friends) as well as attended a sourdough workshop via Eventbrite. I spent hours deciding which lame to buy (still undecided).
To say I gather is an understatement. I soak in things almost to the point of not even doing anything, becoming paralyzed by the surfeit of information. Reaching that level of overload, given the glut of everything out there (of varying qualities) is easy.
Truth is, despite the drawbacks, I like the gathering stage for its own sake. It’s like pioneering and to be a little Laura Engels Wilder about it, I like ‘laying in a stock’ and hunkering down. There’s a just certain largesse of having everything I need ‘just in case’. Just in case there’s a flood or a shortage? Really? No, but just because there will come a time when I will do something. And when I do, I want to be prepared.
I’ve had two schools of thought about this over the years because often times, as a result of too much gathering, I feel overwhelmed and I seize up. The only tonic (the other school of thought) to counter overload is to purge and pare down. The good news is I finally evolved and found a midway place to roost. Nowadays, I investigate new things just a bit and before I dive in, I try and make do with what I have (a vial of rose oil, some coconut oil for fragrance pursuits, let’s say). I limit my information gathering to two books and 20 minutes on the Internet and I do just a little bit of the ‘new thing’. If the passion acquires some torque, I ‘earn’ more supplies or more research time. In short, I test the passion with my own participation. And you know what? It’s calming. II don’t have to ingest ‘the world’ to feel safe or sated or prepared. The relationship I slowly create with the new (or revisited) project evolves more organically. I get, shall we say, mindful and present?
What does this mean to the baker in me? I keep a small amount of baking supplies: a little bit of pumpkins seeds, one small jar of Nutella, a little whole-wheat flour or a little rye (ok, a ton of bread flour and white all-purpose) and a packet of chocolate chips. I don’t shop for sales and amass supplies. If I need more, I make getting it into a mini adventure and find a new place to get it (especially a great new spice store). Rather than get squirrel-like gathering to be ‘ready’ and prepared on an impromptu bake session or biscuit whimsy, I’m focussed and focus is honestly: such a pleasure.
There’s an expression: how you do anything is how you do everything (in your life). Frantic stocking up and madly trying to bake four things or nothing is no longer my pathway. Concurrent activities and the resultant stress it breeds is no longer how I do all things and everything. Perfecting one thing or being with one thing (a recipe, a book) ensures I get something done.
So here is one such recipe to focus on and perfect. It’s Laid Back Coffee Cake. Welcome to less is more….baking.
Laid Back Buttermilk Coffee Cake
Coffee cake is always welcome especially when it’s an easy one like this one and also makes great muffins!
Vanilla Cinnamon Streusel Topping
¼ cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
Batter
1 ½ cups golden brown sugar, firmly packed
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/8 teaspoon salt
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the oven to have the rack in the upper third or middle of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray a 9 by 13 inch pan generously with non-stick cooking spray and place on baking sheet.
Prepare the streusel by pulsing all ingredients in a food processor to get a crumbly mixture. Set aside.
In a large bowl, hand whisk the brown sugar with the oil and butter. Whisk in the eggs, vanilla and buttermilk well. Fold in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to make a smooth batter and spoon half of it into the prepared pan. Spoon on remaining batter and then top with the remaining streusel.
Bake at 35–45 minutes until cake tests done. If middle seems wobbly, lower temperature to 325 F and bake 10–12 minutes more.
Makes 10–14 servings
