Cinnamon-Walnut Coffee Cake

One of my favorite breakfast treats over the holidays is coffee cake (with Santa Fe's Ohori's Coffee, of course!).  Mama Suzy has an excellent recipe, but left it at home when she visited, so we found this one at allrecipes.com.  It was also scrumptious!

What's in it:

1/4 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 cup milk

For the topping:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

3 tbsp cold butter

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

How to make it:

1.  In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in vanilla.  Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk.

2.  Transfer to a greased 9-inch square baking pan.  In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Stir in nuts.  Sprinkle over top.  Bake at 350 degrees F for approx 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.

Servings: 9

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 55 minutes