ORANGE STREUSEL COFFEE CAKE

I was intrigued when I read the ingredients in this recipe. The title for the recipe first caught my eye because I love just about anything with orange added to it. The next thing I always look for is the size of the container that the mixture will be cooked in. There are so many volunteers who are enjoying my treat I bring them that I just pass it by if it isn't baked in at least a 9 x 13 - inch pan. Then I look at the ingredients - usually sugar first. I admit I did a double take when I read the second ingredient. I don't think I have ever seen a recipe where yeast was added to a cake mix to make something. It made the batter a little "spongy". 

Well, I certainly wasn't disappointed in the end result. (And neither were the volunteers at Hillcrest Thrift Shop that got to enjoy a piece of it.) As I said below, I didn't do a very good job of halving the topping and so ended up with a lot more on the top. The good news is I had enough in the first layer that you could enjoy the taste of it as you ate the cake. It also made for a pretty cake with so much of the topping on top. 

The recipe came in the Milwaukee Sentinel Food Fair and Cooking School's 1983 Recipe Book. I have found several really good recipes in this small cookbook. The recipe came from the Wisconsin Gas Company. It is definitely a keeper.

IF YOU WANT A PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE, CLICK HERE.

ORANGE STREUSEL COFFEE CAKE

CAKE:
1       package yellow cake mix
1       package active dry yeast
1/2    cup warm water
1/4    cup orange juice
2       eggs

TOPPING:
1/2       cup flour
1          cup brown sugar
1          tablespoon cinnamon
1/4       cup butter, softened

GLAZE:
1          cup powdered sugar
2          tablespoons butter, melted
2-3       tablespoons orange juice (or enough to make a glaze)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or spray a 9 x 13 - inch pan. Set aside.

Combine the cake ingredients and beat for 2 minutes.

(I mixed them on low until most of the ingredients were blended, scraped the sides of the bowl, and then beat on medium for 2 minutes.)

Spread half of the mixture in the pan. 

Combine the topping ingredients using a pastry blender,

(or just your fingers)

until mixture looks like coarse crumbs.

Sprinkle half of the topping mixture over the batter. (I didn't do a very good job dividing it in half, but the cake turned out okay and I just had a lot on top.)

Repeat layers carefully spreading the rest of the cake batter over the topping and

then sprinkling the rest of the crumbs on top.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Drizzle glaze over warm cake.

To make the drizzle - blend sugar and butter.

Gradually add the juice and mix until well blended.

I covered it and stored it in the refrigerator until the next morning when I took it to Hillcrest. It was nice and moist.

Cut in squares to serve.