Henrici's Coffee Cake

I found this coffee cake recipe in an American-Slovene Club cookbook from 1951 that was published in Cleveland. After TONS of research on the Internet, I found out a few interesting facts - Henrici's was a German bakery/restaurant in Chicago that opened in 1868 and closed permanently in 1962. How a recipe from a German bakery/restaurant in Chicago landed in an American-Slovene Club cookbook in Cleveland remains a mystery. I'm guessing that the coffee cake recipe was probably kept a secret, and people tried to replicate it. There are variations - you can add nuts or raisins, which I chose not to do. The recipe out of the American-Slovene Club cookbook also said use a "pinch of salt." What exactly is a pinch? I used 1/4 of a teaspoon and that seemed to work.  All the recipes I found had lemon extract, lemon rind or lemon juice in some way, shape or form. I don't think I have ever bought lemon extract in my entire life and I rarely have a lemon on hand. So, that left one item I did have, the lemon juice! Some recipes said use one teaspoon and others said use a tablespoon. An entire tablespoon of lemon juice seemed like a lot, but I ended up using that much! This coffee cake smelled so yummy while it was baking. If you notice a few cracks on the top, it's because I was impatient and tried to remove the coffee cake from the pan before it had cooled enough. Well, I was hungry and wanted it for breakfast! I can tell you this, it was so moist and delicious. I love, love, love recipes that have some sort of history to it, it makes baking even more fun! I did find a copy of a 1948 menu from Henrici's on the Internet, but didn't see the coffee cake on there. I did discover they had their own special blend coffee with whipped cream. Guess how much? Just 15 cents a cup!  Wow, imagining a cup of that coffee with a slice or two of coffee cake is making me hungry! I gave a piece to the hubby in his lunch today - he just sent me an e-mail, "the coffee cake you made was really great.  On a 1-10 scale, I would give it an 11!" I love it when that happens.

Ingredients

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
3 large eggs
3 cups white flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 12-cup fluted tube or Bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. In a large bowl, put the butter and white sugar and with an electric mixer or large spoon, combine until creamy. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until smooth. Pour into the prepared tube pan, spread the batter evenly and bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the coffee cake comes out clean. Remove pan to wire rack and when cool, invert onto a plate. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

"Anytime" Blueberry Cobbler

This time of year, blueberries are cheap and abundant where I live here in Michigan. What do you do when you get tired of putting them on cereal? or using them in muffins? Well, you make them into a cobbler!!!  This morning, I was gathering my ingredients together in the kitchen, when I heard my husband's voice from the other room saying, "what are you making in there?" I told him I was making a cobbler. It didn't take too long to assemble and then I put it into the oven to bake. When I had pulled the cobbler out and it had just been cooling a few minutes, again I heard my hubby's voice. This time he said, "is it ready to eat?" I put some on a plate and handed it to him. After he polished his piece off, I asked him, "so, what would you give the cobbler on a scale of 1-10?" He said, "11." Cool. I was telling him that the warm cobbler would be so good topped with my homemade vanilla ice cream for dessert. His response, "I've always thought of a cobbler as a "breakfast," item." Yes, after being married over 20 years, these are the kind of conversations my husband and I have on a Saturday morning. 

To me, this blueberry cobbler is good "anytime," whether it's morning, noon or night!

Ingredients

Filling:

2 cups (1 pint) blueberries, fresh
 (rinsed and patted dry)
1/4 cup white sugar
3 teaspoons lemon juice

Topping:

2 cups white flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons white sugar,
  one tablespoon reserved for topping
1/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray a 9-inch round pie pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. In a medium bowl, put the blueberries, sugar and lemon juice. Stir gently with a large spoon until all the blueberries are covered with the sugar and set aside. In large bowl, put the flour, baking powder, salt and one tablespoon of white sugar. Using two knives, "cut," in the shortening until it resembles coarse crumbs. Pour the milk in and with a large spoon mix well. On a lightly floured surface (about one tablespoon of flour), remove the dough from the large bowl and using your fingertips press out to nine inches. Pour the blueberry mixture into the pie pan and cover completely with the dough. Sprinkle the top evenly with one tablespoon of white sugar. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top starts to turn brown. Remove from oven and let cool. Top with whipped topping or ice cream or just as it is! Enjoy!