Raisin Buttermilk Coffee Cake
This delicious coffee cake is another family Southern favorite that both my grandmother and mother used to make. Always a big hit when I was growing up, it's wonderful served warm, with coffee, in the morning or with milk as a bedtime snack at night. A great coffee cake to serve to guests or family.
This delicious coffee cake is another family Southern favorite that both my grandmother and mother used to make. Always a big hit when I was growing up, it's wonderful served warm, with coffee, in the morning or with milk as a bedtime snack at night. A great coffee cake to serve to guests or family.
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup raisins
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- -- crumb --
- 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
- 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
- -- batter --
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
- Carbohydrate 130.332269 g
- Cholesterol 169.444444444444 mg
- Fat 17.0190559444444 g
- Fiber 2.82413836899996 g
- Protein 11.1900370555556 g
- Saturated Fat 8.00849261111111 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (227g)
- Sodium 271.3753 mg
- Sugar 127.508130631 g
- Trans Fat 1.63200304444444 g
- Calories 701 calories
Step-by-step
- In a bowl, combine the first five ingredients until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Stir in raisins. Spread half of batter into a greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Sprinkle with half of crumb mixture. Carefully spread with remaining batter and sprinkle with remaining crumbs.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean
Standard breakfast muffins lean dry and dense, but this formulation relies on cultured dairy to retain structural moisture. Buttermilk introduces acidity that interacts with the heavy dose of baking powder, creating an open crumb capable of suspending plump fruit without sinking. Creaming softened butter thoroughly before adding eggs builds microscopic air cells essential for vertical rise inside a large 13x9-inch pan. Skipping proper cream time yields a heavy, rubbery brick.
Freezing and Reheating Mechanics
Baking ahead requires strict adherence to cooling windows to prevent interior condensation. Cool the pan completely on a wire rack until the bottom feels neutral to the touch. Wrap the entire uncut block tightly in heavy-duty aluminum foil, then slide it inside a zippered freezer bag. Frozen storage remains viable for up to two months. Thaw the wrapped cake overnight in the refrigerator rather than on the counter to minimize moisture loss across the crumb.Restoring Texture from Frozen
Microwave methods destroy the crumb structure by boiling trapped moisture, leaving the exterior soggy. Reheat thawed portions in a conventional oven preheated to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Place single slices on a parchment-lined sheet pan and tent them loosely with foil for 10 minutes. Remove the foil during the final three minutes to re-crisp the pecan and brown sugar topping.
