Nothing crumby about this cake.

I remember my mother used to make a coffee cake to serve neighbors who dropped by or when she hosted a card game. I used to sneak a piece when I came home from school – particularly if it was topped with cinnamon. When I saw this recipe for a cinnamon coffee cake in Home Plate Hits (1994), recipes from the kitchens of the Minnesota Twins’ wives, players and staff, I made a beeline for the kitchen to try it! It didn’t disappoint. Not overly sweet, this simple cake is the perfect accompaniment to a cup of coffee (hence the name!) Recipe was contributed by former Twins’ player, Mike Trombley and his wife Barbara.

Cinnamon Crumb Coffee Cake

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 eggs

1½ cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. In a large bowl, combine ½ cup butter or margarine, eggs, ½ cup of the sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add 2 cups of the flour, baking powder and salt alternately with milk to make a smooth batter. Spread in baking pan.

Combine remaining ½ cup butter or margarine, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour and cinnamon, using fingers (I used a pastry blender) until mixture has a crumb-like consistency. Crumb mixture should be dry but stick together if squeezed in hand. If too wet, add a little more flour. Sprinkle over batter. Bake for 25-30 minutes.