A Small Orange Streusel Coffee Cake

Here is coffee cake recipe which is just right for the holidays, “Orange Streusel Coffee Cake.” For a Louisiana twist, I am using satsumas growing on the tree in my backyard in the recipe. Coffee cakes are easy to make, they are tasty and the citrus flavor in this recipe gives a holiday flavor. As the cookbook author stated, “you can’t fail.” That’s my kind of cake. With a streusel topping, you don’t need an icing. This coffee cake makes for a simple “hurry-up” breakfast during the holiday season, a pastry for an afternoon break or a dessert for supper. Just add a scoop of ice cream or dollop of whipped topping.

This recipe comes from Canadian author, Edna Staebler and her cookbook, “Schmecks Appeal.” I acquired Edna’s cookbook years ago while living in Michigan. Edna collected the recipes in Ontario, Canada, from old-order Mennonite farmers whom she befriended. The farms and recipes reminded me in a sentimental way of my own Iowa grandparent’s who had a small orchard on their farm. All of Edna’s recipes are excellent ones — they all turn out well — no need to adjust any ingredients.

Edna had a great fondness for desserts — cakes, cookies, pastries as well as fruits which were grown in the farm orchards such as apples and plums. In her introduction to the chapter on coffee cakes, Edna states, “I must have sampled over 80 coffee cakes this past year.” My, that is alot of cakes. She states that the recipe for the orange coffee cake is one of her best ones. I made her recipe as written except that I added oatmeal to the streusel topping.

Backyard Satsuma tree

My precious backyard Satsuma tree recovered from a severe freeze last winter well enough to produce several orange-type fruit. The Satsuma mandarin is a type of citrus fruit which looks somewhat like a squashed orange or a large mandarin orange. They came to the United States by way of Japan in 1876 thru the early 1900’s by George R. Hall who brought them to Florida. During this time approximately a million trees were imported. Although satsumas have been reported in Japan for more than 700 years, they probably originated in China. The fruit are seedless, juicy and have a wonderful orange flavor. Who would think that an orange tree could grow in Louisiana?

Well, perhaps I spoke too soon. This citrus tree tolerates the cold weather fairly well. Last year, however, was an exceptional year and we had a hard freeze with rain which lasted for several days. Unprotected trees suffered severe damage. My little Satsuma tree died back, but several of the branches survived and bore fruit this year. I am hopeful that we won’t have such a severe winter this year.

Making the recipe

This is a one-bowl recipe which is very easy to mix up. Here are the ingredients for the cake. It uses oil rather than butter and it does include milk. The batter includes both some of the satsuma juice and grated rind.

To prepare the batter, grate and juice the satsuma. Mix together the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and add the liquid ingredients. Mix just until blended– there will still be lumps. Pour into an oiled 9-inch square pan.

Here are the ingredients for the streusel topping. Grated rind also goes in the topping. I included brown sugar and old-fashioned oatmeal in the streusel mix.

Blend them together and sprinkle on the batter. Bake.

That’s it! An easy cake to enjoy this holiday season.

Happy Holidays!

Edna Staebler has passed away. The rights to her recipe books have returned to her estate of whom I was unable to contact. I am hoping that she would be pleased that folks are still enjoying her cookbooks!

Satsuma Reference:

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/CH116