Classic Coffeecake

Greetings from the blankety depths of the 12 layers I'm currently sporting! I'm writing this from Buffalo, NY, where winter does NOT mess around. We've had snow almost every day since I arrived, and while it is absolutely gorgeous (even more so because, delightfully, I'm not responsible for shoveling any of it!), this thin-blooded lady is missing warmth, sunshine, and nice, long walks. On the bright side, my desire to stay cozied up indoors is overpowering my tendency toward cabin fever, and with plenty of yoga, dance parties, and viewings of The Haunting of Hill House (despite being an outrageously poor homage to the book and movie, it is SO DAMN GOOD, guys. Watch it and get deliciously spooked.), I've quite effectively managed to stave off antsiness. But far and away the best way to spend a day snowed in, bundled up against the flurries outside, is baking. It's warm, it's meditative, and at the end you get to eat scrumptious things. My kinda winter sport.

Despite the fact that I've been primarily working from home for several years now, snowy days still remind me of school closings and the magic of getting to stay in. It always gives me nostalgia, and I decided to embrace that by baking up some coffeecake, a staple of my childhood (hello, endless church potlucks and coffee hours!), and a simple enough recipe that chances are good you've got everything you need in the house already.

Classic Coffeecake

makes one loaf

Cake:

1/2 cup almond milk

1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

3 tbsp maple syrup

2 1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

Crumble Topping:

1/2 cup oat flour

3 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

pinch salt

2 tbsp cold "butter"

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease a standard loaf pan.

2. Mix together almond milk and vinegar and set aside for 5 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt, and set aside.

4. Add the maple syrup, olive oil, and vanilla to the almond milk and whisk together.

5. Add the almond milk mixture to the dry ingredients and, using a spatula, stir just until combined.

6. Pour into prepared loaf pan.

7. Whisk together the oat flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt for the topping.

8. Cut the cold butter into chunks and, using a fork or butter knife, mash into the oat flour blend until the butter is in pea-sized bits.

9. Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the batter.

10. Bake until the middle of the loaf is set, about 20-30 minutes.

Let cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

I hope you guys are staying warm during this cold snap, especially those of you in places where it's dropping to dangerous lows. Bundle up, stay safe, and, if possible, stay in and bake some coffeecake!