I’m not sure why I never posted this recipe. I borrowed the cards from my friend Pauline when I started up this website. At the time, I had a nice little chat with her mom Judy when I returned them to their house. Judy has since passed, and this is a nice reminder of the many times we saw each other. Being the mom of one of my friends, I often called her Mom or Momma. I love it when my daughter’s friends who aren’t sure what to call me say “Melody’s Mom, can we do….” heh.

I tend to think of coffee cake as part of a more civilized and slower time. We ate coffee cake on Christmas mornings before opening presents (Dad had to have breakfast and coffee first, of course), and I picture people having drop in company or social visits with coffee and coffee cake offered as courtesy back in the days when women wore heels and pearls to do their housework. I jest, I jest, it was house dresses and sturdy shoes all the way in my family! My friend’s mom Judy was always gracious and kind to us girls. Please enjoy her coffee cake with a friend or relative, share a moment together in an “old fashioned” style, sit together and be present in the moment.

And because this is ME you are dealing with, there’s a history aspect to it LOL. I always assumed it was called “coffee cake” because it is intended to be eaten with coffee. Turns out there is a long tradition of business people breaking for coffee at a local coffee shop going back to the 17th century. Coffee arrived once explorers learned of the bitter brew from local native peoples. The additions of cream and sugar made the drink palatable to English and European consumers. Coffee houses became a place of gathering. We see this today in every Starbucks or independent coffee shop. They all serve pastries of some type. Plus there is no denying the magic flavor of a donut with coffee. Mmmmm. More about the German coffee and cake tradition at this blog: Meet The Germans

Crumb Coffee Cake

2 1/2 c flour

1 tsp each cinnamon, nutmeg

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 c brown sugar

3/4 butter

1/2 c raisins

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 c sour milk

1 tsp baking soda

Combine dry ingredients on left (flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, brown sugar). Cut in butter. Reserve 1 cup aside. Add raisins and soda to rest. Combine remaining ingredients, add to rest until just mixed. Spread in greased 9″ square pan, top with reserved crumbs mixed with 1/4 brown sugar. Bake 1/2 hour. 350 oven.