Real City Schools Crumb Cake

DEAR SOS: You recently printed the City School Sour Cream Coffee Cake for Krista, but I’m sure it is not the cake Krista expected. She wanted the recipe for Old-Fashioned Crumb Cake that was served to kids at school. As a former pastry cook for the Los Angeles schools, I remember baking two or three different types of coffee cakes. I broke down the recipe for the cake your reader really wants.

--FRANCES

DEAR FRANCES: Thank you. Krista will be happy and so will others who haven’t tasted this version.

LOS ANGELES CITY SCHOOL OLD-FASHIONED CRUMB CAKE (IT’S A SNAP)

2 1/2 cups flour

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar, packed

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon nutmeg

3/4 cup oil

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk

Combine flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, nutmeg and oil. Remove 1/2 cup of mixture from bowl, add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and set aside for topping.

Combine remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon, baking soda, egg and buttermilk and blend well. Add to flour mixture. Do not over-mix.

Spoon batter into greased 13x9-inch baking pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup reserved topping. Bake at 375 degrees 30 to 40 minutes.

8 to 10 servings. Each of 10 servings:

398 calories; 273 mg sodium; 22 mg cholesterol; 18 grams fat; 57 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 0.08 gram fiber.

* Teeter Totter table linens from Silver Skillet, Del Mar, and Livingstones, Beverly Hills.