A couple of months ago, I hosted a brunch for a few of my friends from high school [well, technically we’ve all known each other since elementary school]. One of my friends brought a coffee cake to the brunch. All of us were slowly eating it because it tasted so darned familiar.
“I’ve had this before…” i said, “but I can’t figure out WHERE.”
Jana smiled at me and said, “think down memory lane…it’s a recipe from a long, long time ago.”
Judy shouted, “OH MY GOSH, this is the coffee cake recipe from junior high school!! I used to eat this all the time!”
When she said “all the time”, she wasn’t kidding – we all did. It was our go-to snack/breakfast during recess. You know…back in the day when calories didn’t mean anything because you could burn it off by simply breathing.
I’ve been craving this coffee cake so I thought I’d do a nice thing and make some for my co-workers [who sadly, can not burn off the calories from this coffee cake just by breathing…but don’t tell them I said that!].
LAUSD Cinnamon Coffee Cake
Adapted from LAUSD
CAKE INGREDIENTS
3 ¾ cups all purpose flour
½ cup plus 2 Tbsp nonfat dry milk
1¼ tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
1½ tsp cinnamon
3½ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp vinegar
1½ cups water
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp butter
1¼ cups brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
TOPPING INGREDIENTS
¾ cup plus 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp brown sugar, packed
¼ cup granulated sugar
dash salt
¼ + 1/8 tsp cinnamon
¼ + 1/8 tsp nutmeg
¼ cup butter
CAKE:
Combine flour, dry milk, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
Combine vinegar and water in measuring cup. Set aside.
In mixing bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar on low speed until blended. Add eggs and continue to blend on low speed for 1 minute.
While mixer is on low speed, add dry ingredients alternately with water and vinegar to butter-sugar mixture. Scrape down bowl, then blend on medium speed for 1 additional minute.
TOPPING:
Sift together all ingredients except butter into a bowl, set aside. Cream butter in mixing bowl, adding the dry ingredients until topping is crumbly.
Evenly divide batter between 2 greased 9-by-9-inch pans. Spread ¾ cup topping evenly over batter in each pan. Bake in preheated 375° oven until tester comes out clean when inserted in the center of cake (about 45 to 55 minutes).
Makes 18 servings.
{ 39 comments… read them below or add one }
Deborah said….
Hummmm….. so glad to find the correct recipe for LAUSD's coffee cake. Haven't had any for a few years since the school stopped making it.
Thanks a lot whoever posted this!
I mad this perfect the first time, however, it falls and becomes real dense, and I’m following the recipe exactly. Can anyone tell me what I’m doing wrong?
How old is your baking powder & baking soda? that makes a difference!!
I remember that coffee cake from junior and High school. Looked forward to just the scent of it being baked.
I am coming to this posting 6 years late, but this coffee cake is the holy grail of coffee cake for me.
I am a product of the LAUSD edu-machine (Eagle Rock High School) and this coffee cake was about the only thing enjoyable about that time. I’ve been trying to replicate the streusel topping for ages. Looking at the streusel portion of the recipe I can see that I was pretty close. I have a simpler (no vinegar or powdered milk) coffee cake recipe, though, from “The Joy of Cooking” (1966 ed.).
So thoughtful of you to post this. Thank you.
for you & me both!!! i love this recipe!!! darn. i wasn’t thinking about it since i’ve been on a super health kick…but now…ouch! 😉
Can someone please post the Peanut Butter Cake Recipe???
That was an equally fond memory of growing up LAUSD.
Thank you 🙂 – Jennie
Now the only other thing I would like to get is the peanut butter cake recipe they use to make as well..that was the best.
You would have thought this recipe was top secret they kept it under lock and key for a long time LOL
i switched out the original OIL ingredient for butter. i just like things buttery but it still tastes the same…maybe a tad denser…
i think i may have found this on the LAUSD website!!!
This is fabulous! Does anyone happen to have the recipe for those to die for rolls we had with the mashed potatoes and gravy?
Does anyone have the recipe for square rolls? I lived for these in junior high and LAUSD made the best.
Does anyone have the recipe for the peanut butter rolls, they served at Stephen M. White Jr. High
I so glad to have this O how I miss this coffee cake yes
Where can i find the coffee cake already made ?
Did you bake it? Was it like the coffee cake for school.
Oh my gosh. Is this the coffee cake we used to have in elementary school? I attended 54th Street School in the late 50s and early 60s, and we ❤️ LOVED this coffee cake. It’s what I immediately think of when someone says coffee cake, but I haven’t had it since 6th grade! That was 1964. I’m going to have to make it now!
In junior high i would always ask for seconds
And yes it was that good.
👍👍👍👍
Have been looking for this for a while thank you for posting it. Now if only i could find the one for the peanut butter one.
yyaaaayyyyyyy. thank you for posting this recipe. bisquick coffiee cake receipe was the closest I could ever get. I loved this cake so much. the grilled chesse sandwiches were the best I have ever eaten and the mashed potatoes, they had a distinct taste also. I think they made them with water and no milk. I loved it all. why is that. Estelle morgan, los angeles high, class of 1976. cap key does not work on my computer. just in case my typing led you to believe I did not pass English.
LOL – i didn’t think that at all! I’m so glad you liked it!! we were thrilled to have discovered the recipe again!!! hope you enjoy!
Yeah Starded Off In Elementary and Went to Jr High. I Miss Those Days.
Funny, I was just talking about this ever so awesome coffee cake with my 17yo last week, and how awesome it was! I am going to make this very soon!
Yum! Love this stuff, my brother and i have tried to recreate the peanut butter cake/ bread and cant quite get it. Would love that recipe as well.
I also have the recipe for the Ranger Cookies we loved.
I’m still can taste it 45 years later.
I don’t remember this treat at Wadsworth Elementary School, but I do remember it at Carver Jr High and Thomas Jefferson High School! Thanks for sharing!
I love it but it had my blood sugar up so high, I’ll try a different sugar to try the outcome
This is the reason I went to school 😋
When I actually made it to school, This is the reason why 😋
I’m a fan of team Peanut Butter bread as well! Pretty please I NEED it in my life.
My topping doesn’t stay put. After baking it falls off because it didn’t set into the coffee cake. Help!!
I made it this weekend. It came out dry and dense! So disappointed ☹️
Do you used metal pan?
I used glass.
Help….. pleased
Yes, i used a metal pan and it did not come out dry or dense at all. I did use a standard oven – is yours a convection? that could have something to do with it!
I really,really want the square cinnamon rolls recipe please!
This is awesome Jen! I had to share it with my readers and followers, your recipe is spot on! Imagine, that this coffee cake is so beloved that your post is as relevant today as it was in 2009! Truly a childhood treasure for all of us pre-2000’s alumns of LAUSD.
I’ve been looking forever! Thanks! **What was the OIL portion before you switched it to butter?
Yes!! sorry, ignore the oil portion. the original called for oil instead of butter but i just liked the flavor better…