German Buttermilk Coffee Cake

Need a quick, simple cake for a potluck? Here’s my mother’s go-to dish. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make it by adding 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of vinegar to 1 cup (240 ml) of milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes to thicken.

A bit of orange extract or vanilla-scented sugar adds some extra aroma to the cake. For variation, add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of crushed nuts and ¹/₄ teaspoon (1.25 ml) of ground nutmeg to the topping. If you’re not a nutmeg fan, use cinnamon.

Makes about 10 servings

Butter or nonstick cooking spray for the pan

3 cups (450 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan

1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking soda

1 cup (250 ml) buttermilk

2 cups (400 g) sugar

¹/₂ pound (225 g) unsalted butter, frozen and grated, or cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces

¹/₂ teaspoon (2.5 ml) freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for sprinkling

2 large eggs, beaten

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33-cm) baking pan and dust lightly with flour.

In a small bowl, add the baking soda to the buttermilk. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, butter, and nutmeg together with your fingertips until well blended into crumbs; it should feel like coarse cornmeal. Reserve 1 cup (250 ml) of these crumbs for the topping.

Add the eggs and buttermilk to the remaining crumbs. Mix with a spoon until just blended. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle the reserved crumbs evenly over the top. Sprinkle with a bit of additional nutmeg. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until it sets firm and the topping browns slightly. Let rest briefly before serving. Can be served warm or at room temperature.