I like coffee. I like cake. But coffee cake? Not so much.
Here’s the problem: there’s no coffee in coffee cake. I get it: it’s supposed to be eaten with coffee - but you can eat lots of things with coffee. In fact, every breakfast I have is accompanied by coffee; since I’m not usually a dessert-for-breakfast kind of person, this usually doesn’t include cake. Cake is usually an evening affair for me, which precludes all but decaf if I don’t want to lay awake in bed for hours. Chocolate cake pairs great with coffee, but I don’t see what makes “coffee cake” a particularly unique accompaniment to a cup of Joe.
I don’t judge others if they enjoy coffee cake on its own merits. As a child, I gobbled down Drake’s, but most recipes end up dense and heavy, laden with butter and sour cream.
After my wife requested coffee cake, I stumbled across King Arthur’s Espresso Glazed Coffee Cake, which includes coffee in the cake, crumbs, and a glaze - yes, there’s even a glaze on top of the crumbs. I was skeptical this would be overly sweet with an overpowering coffee flavor, but it works - really well. The cake is not particularly sweet, so the topping provides both a textural contrast and a burst of sweetness. The glaze seals in the crumbs that usually seem so eager to jump ship. The coffee flavor adds a depth that’s lacking from traditional coffee cake. Somehow, the whole package manages to feel light and fluffy like, well, cake. When served to family members aged 11-81, known for their disparate tastes, all plates were left clean, with many going for seconds. The King advises you to “store leftover coffee cake, well wrapped, at room temperature for several days.” This is unnecessary advice: a 2x4 piece was all that was left of my 8" square after only a few hours.
