Dear SOS: In March, we stayed at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa in Reno while visiting colleges with my son. To celebrate his 18th birthday, we dined at the Atlantis Steakhouse, where we enjoyed a wonderful dinner. The surprise of the evening was when the server presented the check along with several individually sealed doggie bags containing wonderfully aromatic cinnamon coffeecake to enjoy with our morning coffee. It was the most perfect breakfast treat I’ve enjoyed in many years. Could you please see whether the restaurant would be willing to part with its wonderful coffeecake recipe?
RJ Stupp,
Bakersfield, Calif.
Dear RJ: Coffeecake doesn't get much better than this. Rich, tender butter cake is baked up with a sweet pecan filling and topped with a crumbly, aromatic streusel in the version served at the Atlantic Steakhouse. The restaurant was happy to share its recipe, so you can enjoy thick wedges of the cake for breakfast or any time of day.
Atlantis Steakhouse Coffeecake
1 1/2 hours. Serves 12 to 16.
Pecan filling
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup pecan pieces
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, diced and at room temperature
In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, salt and pecan pieces. Add the butter pieces and mix together by hand to give the mixture a crumbly texture. Set aside.
Streusel topping
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. (4.8 oz.) flour
1/4 tsp. plus 1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. honey
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, diced and at room temperature
In a separate bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, salt, honey and vanilla. Add the butter pieces and mix together by hand to give the mixture a crumbly texture. Set aside.
Coffeecake
4 3/4 cups (20 oz.) flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, diced and at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sour cream
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13-by-9-inch baking dish.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a separate bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Slowly beat in the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. With the mixer running, slowly spoon in half the dry ingredients and half the sour cream. Repeat with the remaining flour and sour cream to form a batter, being careful not to overmix.
Spread one-half of the batter carefully into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle over the pecan filling. Spread the remaining batter, and sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the top of the batter.
Bake the coffeecake until puffed and golden, the center springs back when touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes, rotating halfway through for even baking. Remove and cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
Each of 16 servings: Calories 585; protein 7 grams; carbohydrates 79 grams; fiber 2 grams; fat 28 grams; saturated fat 14 grams; cholesterol 104 mg; sugar 43 grams; sodium 177 mg
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