GOOD COFFEE CAKE (APPLE COFFEE CAKE)

We have been to Lynchburg, Tennessee and toured the Jack Daniel Distillery but I don't think we ate at Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House. I think I would remember if we did. I found the cookbook,  Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House Cookbook (1994) at an estate sale and thought I would check it out and then offer it to one of Wayne's cousins who live "nearby". It may be a while before any of them get it though. 

I love finding cookbooks like this and reading the history of the restaurant. Miss Mary and her husband Jack bought the boarding house in 1908 and took in boarders along with serving them a southern meal. Her husband died in 1948 and Miss Mary continued to welcome guests until a few years before she died in 1983 at the age of 101. The restaurants continues today by reservations. Check it out HERE.

I decided to try her Good Coffee Cake and shared it with the ladies in our Blankets of Hope quilting group at church. It isn't a good coffee cake (even though I don't drink coffee). It is an excellent coffee cake!

GOOD COFFEE CAKE

1/2       cup butter, softened
1/2       cup shortening
2          cups sugar
2          eggs, slightly beaten
3          cups flour
2          teaspoons baking powder
1          teaspoon baking soda
1/4       teaspoon salt
1-3/4    cups buttermilk
2          apples, cored, peeled, and thinly sliced
1/2       cup sugar
1          teaspoon cinnamon
3          tablespoons butter
1/2       cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 - inch baking pan. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream 1/2 cup butter, shortening, and 2 cups of sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, and

blend.

In another mixing bowl sift together 3 cups of flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Alternately add the flour mixture and

buttermilk to the creamed mixture.

Spread half of the batter in pan.

Arrange the apple slices over the batter.

Spread the rest of the batter over the apples.

This is the best way to do this as you are dealing with a minimum amount of batter. Drop most of what is left in the bowl over the apples and

then spread the batter out.

Make sure you use a rubber spatula to get every little bit of batter that you can.

In a small bowl combine the remaining flour, sugar, and cinnamon.

Cut in 3 tablespoons of butter into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter.

I always end up using my fingers. Stir in the nuts and

sprinkle the topping over the batter.

Bake for 45 minutes or until done.

Cool slightly and cut into squares to serve.