Cinnamon-Walnut Coffee Cake

"Big H" with his Cinnamon-Walnut Coffe Cake  birthday cake

 3 dogs, 4 cats, a herd of cows, and the occasional black bear; living in the Foothills outside of Calgary, I was a single divorced woman and  these critters were my buddies. My wonderful Uncle Lennie, a confirmed bachelor, thought this strange, and suggested it might be an idea to check out some type of cultural event in the big city. “Hang out with people, Wendy.”

SO, I discovered an event sponsored by the Calgary Culture Club which seemed fun and easy. It was there, in a small music club, that I met... Big H.

He was tall, dark and handsome, and sounded like Arnie (you know, Schwarzenegger). Deciding that he “might be the one”, my little Ukrainian Mom became fierce with her suggestions for encouraging the relationship.
  

“Make a cake.” Apparently, the way to his heart was through his stomach.

I definitely needed a good recipe. My copy of Sarah Waxman’s cookbook, Back Roads and Country Cooking, lost its paperback cover years ago. The book now just opens to a page thick and stained from spills of whatever; it’s the recipe for Cinnamon - Walnut Coffee Cake.

This cake is SO easy to make. It’s delicious, moist, keeps well and it’s good for breakfast, brunch, snacks, dessert, etc. It’s my favourite cake to take to friends and neighbours who need some kindness – it feels like real “comfort food”, and it’s easy to transport. 

The recipe calls for walnuts, but I prefer pecans – I just like them better. Also, the recipe is in old-fashioned Imperial measurements – the cookbook was published in 1985.

The entire recipe can be made in a food processor. However, because I only have a small Moulinex, I use the processor for the butter-sugar mixture, and then blend the batter in a regular bowl.

This is the cake I made for Big H. I served it for a Saturday brunch.
He liked it so much that he stayed for dinner. Then he just stayed.

Yesterday, I made it for his 63^rd birthday - Cinnamon-Walnut Coffee Cake aka Birthday cake. Looks like Mom was right.

Cinnamon-Walnut Coffee Cake      (Sara Waxman)

½ cup walnuts (or pecans)

1 ½ cups sugar

1 tbsp. cinnamon

½ cup cold butter, cut into 4 pieces

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream (I often replace the sour cream with low fat plain yogurt)

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/8 tsp. salt

In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, place walnuts, ½ cup of the sugar, and the cinnamon. Process, turning on and off, until mixture is combined and nuts are coarsely chopped. Pour the cinnamon-walnut mixture into a small bowl and set aside.

In the food processor, still with the same blade, place the butter, remaining 1 cup of sugar, and the vanilla. Process until all the ingredients are combined, about 30 seconds. Add the eggs and sour cream (or yogurt) and process for about 1 minute, or until thoroughly mixed.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir to mix, and then add to butter-sugar mixture. Turn the food processor on and off a few times until the flour is absorbed.

Butter and flour a 9-cup tube pan or an 8- inch spring-form pan. Place half the batter in the pan; top with half the cinnamon-walnut mixture. Add the remaining batter (it is easier if you add it by the tablespoon, and then use the spoon to spread it evenly). Sprinkle the top evenly with remaining cinnamon-walnut mixture.

Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Done! How easy is that?

Once this cake is cooled, I wrap it tightly in saran wrap to take to whoever needs a taste of sweet, homey comfort food. My 79 year old, next door neighbour who recently fell off his step ladder while washing the top of his pickup truck (I live in Calgary, right?) loved this cake. Seemed just the right thing to make that broken hip feel better.

If you can get your hands on a used copy of Back Roads and Country Cooking, do it - this book is full of delicious recipes from east to west, north to south Ontario.

In the meantime….food may, or may not be the way to someone’s heart; but heeding the wisdom of bachelor uncles, and older women like our moms, may be just what we need to find a fairer path.

How did sharing food connect you with a friend, new co-worker, neighbour or family member? How did someone else's kindness over a kitchen table help you through a really crummy time?

No story is too short, no recipe is too difficult for us to share your experience - let's just share some kindness.

Wendy