scrimpySnack of the Week

OK everybody! Here's the scrimpySnack of the Week. I had made this once before for dessert to bring to our cousins Pat and BriAnne's place, and it turned out to be pretty delicious. Those two have a few really specific food aversions, so I'm always wondering if they're into what I'm bringing. Since they liked this coffee cake, I figured it's kind of a "go-to", so I made it again. It was better the first time, unfortunately, but I think that's because I forgot to add the cinnamon the other day :(.

You could make this in advance and freeze it, too. This way, you'd always have something for company in a pinch. If I hadn't eaten the whole thing, I would have cut nice, big, pieces and sent them to work with Mike's lunch.

Crumbly Crumble Coffee Cake

makes 1 loaf cake, serves about 10

3/4 c. butter (I know, I know, that's a lot of butter...$1.05)

1 1/4 c. white sugar ($.39)

2 eggs ($.60 ---- $.90 for me since I dropped one on the floor while baking)

1 1/2 c. yogurt (organic - $.44)

1/2 t. vanilla ($.08)

2 c. flour ($.30)

1 t. baking powder ($.04)

1/8 t. salt (<$.01)

1/3 c. flour ($.10)

2 T. melted butter ($.18)

1/2 c. packed brown sugar ($.28)

1 t. cinnamon ($.06)

Total is $3.53...not bad! That's $.35/slice. You'd pay about 8 times that amount at Starbuck's for a piece of this goodness.

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease loaf pan (or cake pan, or whatever size pan you're using).
2. Sift flour, salt, and baking powder.
3. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs one at a time.
5. Add yogurt, mix to incorporate.
6. Add vanilla.
7. Stir in flour with as few strokes as possible (over mixing toughens the cake).
8. Melt 2 T. butter and mix with brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon...this makes the crumbly crumbles.
9. Spread 1/2 of the batter on the bottom of your pan, sprinkle half the mix, spread (carefully) the rest of the batter on top, then sprinkle the rest of the crumbles on top.
10. Bake for 1 hour at 350. I think mine took longer than an hour. It's ready when the top springs back up from a light touch in the middle. If yours is getting too golden on the top (read: burning), cover it with aluminum foil.

scrimpyTips:

- These would make great "coffee cupcakes". Just spread half the batter, add crumbles, add more batter, add more crumbles. Just instead of being in the pan they're in a cupcake tin. That's a cute idea.

- This would be great with chopped nuts and/or chocolate chips.

- I think the butter can be cut down even further to 1 cup. I didn't make it that way, but with the 1 1/2 sticks, it's soooo moist and soft, it seems like it could definitely handle losing that extra half a stick of butter.

- This is perfect with coffee and as a snack for lunches.

I'm going to make this for Easter morning, and I think I'm going to use half whole wheat flour so that Dylan (the baby) can have a few bites. I will let you know how that turns out!

Enjoy the scrimpySnack of the Week. This is a yummy one, trust me. I ate half the cake.