LAUSD Coffee Cake [split from LA]
[Note: this post was split from the LA board at: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/480684#3310691 -- The Chowhound Team].
Memories! Yes, the coffee cake from LAUSD schools is the best, though truth be old, it's been many years since high school. Here's the recipe from the LAUSD Food Services site. It's the only recipe posted so I suspect there are many Angelenos out there who hold this coffee cake in high regard:
http://cafe-la.lausd.k12.ca.us/Coffee...
~Suebee
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re: angieperezloans
This is definately the correct receipy, No sourcream, No Buttermilk. Just like it was made at Eagle Rock High School and all Los Angeles Unified Schools back in 1982....
I just made it last weekend for my work's 12 days of Christmas tradition.
http://cafe-la.lausd.net/chefs_corner...
Old Fashioned Coffee Cake
PORTIONS: 18
SIZE: Cut 9 / Pan
PANS: 2 - 9"x9" TEMPERATURE:
Conventional Oven: 375 F
Convection Oven: 325 FCOOKING TIME:
Conventional Oven: 45-55 Min.
Convection: 35-40 Min.
INGREDIENTS AMOUNT DIRECTIONS
BATTER:
All purpose flour
Non-fat dry milk
Salt
Nutmeg
Cinnamon
Baking powder
Baking soda
Vinegar
Water
Salad oil
Brown sugar, packed
Granulated sugar
Eggs
3 3/4 cups
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp.
1 1/4 tsp.
1 tsp.
1 1/2 tsp.
3 1/2 tsp.
3/4 tsp.
2 Tbsp.
1 1/2 cups
1 cup + 2 Tbsp.
1 1/4 cups
1 cup
2 ea.
BATTER:
In a bowl, combine flour, dry milk, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda. Set Aside.
Combine vinegar and water in a measuring cup. Set Aside.
In mixer bowl, blend together the oil, brown sugar and granulated sugar on low speed for 1 minute.
Add eggs and continue to blend on low speed for 1 minute.
While mixer is on low speed, add the dry ingredients alternately with the water and vinegar to oil-sugar mixture.
Scrape down bowl, then blend on medium speed for 1 additional minute.
TOPPING:
All purpose flour
Brown sugar, packed
Granulated sugar
Salt
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Salad oil 3/4 cup + 3 Tbsp.
1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp.
1/4 cup
Dash
1/4 + 1/8 tsp.
1/4 + 1/8 tsp.
1/4 cup Evenly divide batter between 2 greased 9"x 9" pans. Sprinkle 3/4 cup topping evenly over batter in each pan.
Bake until tooth pick comes out clean when inserted in the center of cake.TOPPING:
In mixer bowl, combine all ingredients except oil. Blend on low Speed for 1 minute.
Add oil gradually and continue to blend until topping is crumbly.Regards,
Martin Miramontes
ruvalsalam
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Hi. I'm late to this thread and new to this board. Dreamt about the coffee cakes I used to get at Byrd jr high in Sun Valley in the mid 80s. Woke up this morning wanting to make them this Easter. I've clicked on most of these links posted (several are dead) of the active links the one that mnosyne posted looks most like what I remember. Did we figure out which recipe was the closest? There was a woman years ago who sat outside of the slauson swap meet who used to sell individually wrapped coffee cakes for 1dollar that were identical to what I remember in school. I would drive down there every other weekend and buy 5. I had her business card and everything, however I remember trying to call and the number was disconnected. That was the last I've had of these :( Mom used to drop me off 15 mins early, make me run in and buy her a coffee cake to go with her coffee.lol. Thats how serious we were about these tasty treats.
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I went to Nimitz Jr. High School from 1972 - 1975 and I would get there early in the morning to get the cake/cinnamon rolls for 50 cents and slice. They were served right off from large sheet pans and cut into large squares about 5 inches by 5 inches or so. They were a few inches thick. They weren't like a cake. They were more like cinnamon rolls that were NOT rolled with a filling. They were doughy but not wet doughy with a very moist sweet top. I made the above cake and it was definitely a cake and the topping was very dry. The rolls I would get had a very moist top and not too cake like body. I was so disappointed if I got there late and they ran out. I am really hoping to find that recipe. I still crave them to this day. It looked like they were made and the batter poured onto sheet pans and baked. Can any help with this recipe? Like I said I tried the one above twice and that wasn't it. The other cinnamon rolls are rolled into a diagonal and rolled up with a filling. This was definitely not the type they served then or that I am looking for. They were large cut squares with no filling. Thanks
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re: Palliefry
Hi Palliefry,
If you find the recipe please let me know!!! I went to Nimitz from 1969 to 1972 and I used to get there early to make sure I got the cinnamon cake too. It would be gone early. It was the best I have ever eaten. I recently emailed Nimitz to find out if they could find the recipe for me. Yes they were large squares and very buttery. I loved them!!! I hope we can find the recipe!!
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iL Divo
Dec 11, 2010 03:11 PM
YIPES! the link says page not found.
someone please post a current page if there is one.............›2 Replies -
iL Divo
Dec 11, 2010 03:06 PM
funny Suebee...........
I was thinking the other day of starting a thread about what food memories do you have from your school years? mine would be from elementary/jr high and high school, all 3.
I LOVED that coffee cake. Also, one thing that got my heart pumpin everyday was almost like an English muffin with a white cheese melted on top of it with perhaps the smallest tint of paprika on it, then warmed. Gad it was good but know idea what it was or how to make it.
Anyone else an AEW student? I won't have to write it all out, cause if you were, you know what school I'm speaking of. That's where everyday, I got the above..................
thanks for this post.........and the recipe -
Hi Suebee, that link is now dead and I have been desperately looking for this recipe for a long time. I went to Nimitz Jr High from 1972-1975 and I had to have one of these cinnamon rolls everyday!!! The recipes I see below don't seem to be the right one and one poster says the "OPs recipe is spot on" Do you have that recipe by chance. I would love to try it!!! Thanks so much.
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re: Palliefry
/i think this may be the correct link, but hopefully the OP will confirm.
http://cafe-la.lausd.net/Chef%27s_Cor... -
re: Palliefry
You can find the recipe by yahoo search asking for old school district cinnamon rolls, posted by Shirley. It is the first one on the list where plain bread crumbs are used for the filling (the kind you buy in the can). I know this is the correct recipe because I have used it many times. The only problem is that the recipe is so old that they say use yeast cakes. I went on line to find a conversion chart to substitute the yeast packets. Mine don't come out as big, but they taste exactly the same.
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re: lynda648
No worries, Lynda648. Thanks for directing us to the correct recipe. :-) Just to clarify, in this case you are talking about the cinnamon rolls not the coffee cake, right?
Posting a link is super easy. All you have to do is copy the url (e.g. www.website.com) in your address bar and paste it in your message. The chowhound site automatically detects it as a link.
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The Los Angeles City Schools Old-Fashioned Crumb Cake posted by empfam with the oil and the 21/2 cups flour comes closest. The recipe at the schools site is scaled down from the original foodservice recipe, but the beating times are way too long for the reduced amount of batter and you wind up with a very rubbery coffee cake. Stick with the one above and you'll be pretty amazed how close you come.
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Emafer
Mar 5, 2008 11:16 PM
My parents, my grandparents and I all grew up in the Glendale Unified School District which is adjacent. However, SAME COFFEE CAKE! I cannot tell you how many times over the years my father has mentioned it. When I started at Rosemont Jr. High (maaaaaannnnnny years ago) his only advice to me was to try to coffee cake. My family and I now live in Colorado. However, as soon as a friend (from Alaska of all places) sent me the link I whiped it up in the kitchen. The sense memory is unbelievable. It's the EXACT same stuff! It's absolutly delicious. Of course the first person I called was my dad. Thank you so much!
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re: Emafer
Hello Emafer!
Which recipe did you try? There are like three on here! Thanks for your help. Yes, best coffee cake ever!!! I personally had some at Chester W. Nimitz Middle School in Huntington Park, CA! Woohooo!! Delicious, I can remember it like it was yesterday. Okay, I'm only 17 but whatever..haha!
Thanks for the recipe help Emafer!
Thanks- Sally
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Hi,
I just baked this recipe and am disappointed, but not surprised. It didn't sound like the recipe I have been searching for. This coffee cake recipe is reminiscent of Amish Friendship Bread (spice cake). It is a very tasty coffee cake, just not at all like the one I am still searching for.... The coffee cake we enjoyed at Nutrition for .10 a slice was a large 4"- 6" square x 1" high, yeasty, soft, and buttery light colored cake with a gold buttery crumb topping, served on the waxed paper. It was more like a Sara Lee All-Butter coffee cake in appearance, but softer. It possibly had white icing drizzled on top. Does anyone remember this cake and what it was called? It was served at LAUSD schools in the San Fernando Valley in the 1960's-1970's. Nobel Jr. High in Northridge, Hughes Jr. High in Woodland Hills, and Canoga Park High School. I would LOVE to find the recipe for the cake I just described. Any ideas?
Thanks!›12 Replies-
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re: Burger Boy
Hi,
I made the recipe that is posted on the LAUSD website via Sueebee's post at the top of the page. I posted 2 pics of my version.I just scanned the recipes on Uncle Phaedrus and the "coffee cake" that was served at my schools was definitely not a roll, but a square of cut cake. They were amazing! I will look at Uncle Phaedrus's posts more closely and continue my search if needed. I also fondly remember the scoops of rice / mashed potatoes with gravy too!
I am glad I found this website, it's great!
Regards,
hautecook -
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re: hautecook
Hello I just found a an old reply post from you regarding the coffee cake recipe search thread. I too am searching for that same one you described because it was from my Nobel Jr High days in the Valley in the mid/late 60's. When I transferred to the Jr High they had built in my neighborhood and then at Chatsworth High all of which are in the same LAUSD, I never saw them again. The other things I loved at Nobel Nutrition break were the large chocolate cookies and their version of a submarine sandwich which though really dumbed down comparatively was still somehow a uniquely awesome with the combination of ingredients in perfect proportions. Someone knew how to work wonders with what they had available is my guess. Anyway I'd love to find that coffee cake recipe to finally share with my wife whom I have told for years about them .... I'd like to find the other recipes from there too if they are all together somewhere but especially that coffee cake! Thanks for your postings which specifically back up my claims! Doug BTW FYI I was 7th grade in '67 ... also My older sis Pam also was at Nobel '65,'66,'67 and she ran with a WILD bunch even that early! It seems those were the start of some almost magical times, but also times amazing to have survived! ... if you know what I mean. Ahhh that beloved Valley, both seductive and deadly
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re: dougworm
The recipe for the crumb cake that is in this thread is also found at this site:
http://www.latimes.com/features/food/...
The photo on the site looks very much as you describe and as I remember as well. I attended Olive Vista Jr. High in Sylmar in the late 70's and loved those cakes. I have not tried the recipe yet but did try the coffee cake recipe at the start of the thread. It's awsome too, just not what I remember. I do think the crumb cake recipe may be what we are looking for. -
re: dougworm
iL Divo
Dec 11, 2010 03:33 PM
ok, this is getting really eery, I think we might just all know eachother........... :)
still though, am I the only one that can't see the recipe from the link that says no page?
someone please post for all of us to see, or maybe even just me............. :/
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re: Saucey
How cute that someone (actually multiple someones) liked the coffee cake enough to not only remember it and then go out of their way to recreate it!
As for oil vs. butter -- I find it hard to believe that LAUSD would have sprung for butter. Rumor was at my school that the meat of choice was horse. Of course, I was a student when there was no money for pencils or tissues, just for metal detectors.
I did like the chocolate chip cookies (which went from 25c to 35c to 50c each, in successive years) but what hot chocolate chip cookie isn't good. I also suspect it was all pre-made and just reheated. My school was mostly about some outsourced pizza on Wednesdays and a bunch of vending machines with soda and candies, not to mention the candy we were required to sell. Suffice it to say that I always brought my own food.
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re: Saucey
iL Divo
Dec 11, 2010 03:20 PM
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo that's what it was..........
I thought I was remembering it as an English muffin with melted white cheese but now that you say that, oh my gosh, that's it! thank you for reminding me...................sooooooooooooooo good
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That may be a new recipe, I can not imagine them using oil back then. Butter was the fat of choice.
Here is the recipe from the LA Times, years ago.Los Angeles Unified School District
Coffee Cake
1/2 cup butter (1 Stick) 4 oz room temperature
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 egg slightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sour creamHeat oven to 350
Butter & flour a 9x9 pan
Mix flours and baking soda & baking powder in bowl, set aside
Beat Butter & sugar until light & fluffy, add the egg, and vanilla & mix well.
Add half the flour mixture, mixing until flour is blended.
Blend in the sour cream, then the remaining flour misture.
Spread half the carefully in the pan, sprinkle with half the topping and spread with the reamaining batter. Sprinkle the top of the cake with the remaining topping.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 40-50 minutes.Topping
1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick) 2ozMix together the flour, sugar, salt and walnuts. Add the butter in small pieces. Rub the butter in by hand until the mixture is crumbly. Be careful not to over mix!
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re: COGIRL
Emme
Sep 12, 2011 09:14 PM
the link was in the original post.... http://cafe-la.lausd.net/chefs_corner...
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re: Burger Boy
I remember the LA Times printing a sour cream coffee cake that they attributed to LAUSD, but they also printed a long long time ago something called Los Angeles City Schools Old-Fashioned Crumb Cake. It's different from the OPs recipe.
I did a search on LA Times & it didn't come up (my clipping is pretty old), so I'm going to assume that we won't run into recipe copyright issues here:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 C oil
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1 cup buttermilkCombine flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, nutmeg and oil. Remove 1/2 cup of mixture from bowl, add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and set aside for topping.
Combine remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon, baking soda, egg and buttermilk and blend well. Add to flour mixture. Do not over-mix.
Spoon batter into greased 13x9 baking pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup reserved topping. Bake at 375 degrees 30 to 40 minutes.
I've made this recipe countless number of times over the years, and have always gotten rave reviews. I tend to double the topping to 1 cup & 2 tsp of cinnamon & it doesn't seem to affect the cake part of it. I would also say that in a 13x9 pan, it seems a little thinner than the coffee cake I used to buy from my high school, so I'd do this in a 9x9 pan instead. It's a tad easier than the other recipes here (no nuts, no dry milk, no sour cream, no cake flour, etc). The most 'exotic' ingredient is buttermilk, which sometimes I replace with 1 cup of milk + 1 tbl. vinegar without a big change in taste.
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re: empfam
This is it, this is it, this is it! I have thought of this coffee cake MANY times over the last few years, but always went about searching for it using my Jr. High School's name. Never even occurred to me that it might be a district-wide recipe. I've just made it and my kitchen smells heavenly - I am soo happy! Will definitely, however, use a smaller pan next time (I was so excited to make the thing that I didn't read that far...) - it is thinner than expected. Have posted on FB and tagged all my Jr High school friends... from the late 70's early 80's. Thank you! You've made many people very happy!
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re: Burger Boy
Calipoutine
Sep 8, 2008 12:40 PM
This recipe is very similar( minus the topping) to my mom's sour cream coffee cake recipe. In her recipe, the soda is mixed with the sourcream( it gets bubbly). Dont know if that makes a difference.
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tatertotsrock
Jan 19, 2008 08:51 AM
I love you Suebee!
I haven't thought about the coffee cake in...30 years!
I loved the coffee cake at school...even the chocolate cakes and brownies!
I can't wait to make some.
Thanks so much!›3 Replies-
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re: Saucey
tatertotsrock
Jan 20, 2008 09:58 AM
Good Morning Saucey,
If you can find the good ol' skool brownie and choclate cake recipe too, I'd love it!!
I can't wait to make the coffee cake!!! -
re: Saucey
Which recipe do you use from this site, I see 3 different coffe cake recipes? I do know that the topping was crumbled sugar, brown sugar and cinammon, I do not remember any peanuts, walnuts, nuts at all inside the cake or on top. Please email me the original recipe or which ever one is close to the coffee cake we use to eat back in the early 80"s. When I lived in Los Angeles in which I grew up there, this lady use to make the coffee cakes for me and I take them to work. But she became older and weaker not being able to make them any longer. I live now in Arizona and you know they don't have no O.G. coofee cake with the crumbled top.
Please reply
mrymoorehead@yahoo.com
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