When ever we made Plum cake or apple cake, it was just natural to make some Struesel Coffee Cake too. The dough is the same except it has some lemon zest added. Always good to eat with coffee for breakfast. It was also the mainstay of Coffee Klatches. No household would ever be without at least Struesel Kuchen. This Struesel Coffee Cake is buttery and full of cinnamon flavor.

Regards, June Meyer.

• 3 cups flour
• 1/4 cup of warm water
• 1 pkg. of yeast or 2 1/2 tsp. granulated yeast
• 1/2 stick of butter
• 3/4 cup scalded milk
• 3 Tbl. sugar
• 1 lemon's zest, grated
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 egg yolks

Heat milk to scalding, then add butter and 1 1/2 Tbs. of sugar, stir well until butter and sugar are dissolved.
In small bowl, add yeast to water, with the other 1 1/2 Tbl. of sugar.
Put 2 cups of flour in large bowl and add cooled milk, yeast mixture, lemon zest, eggs and salt.
Beat well.
Add the additional flour and work until dough comes away from sides of the bowl. Dough should be very soft and sticky. (If too thick, add a few teaspoons of warm water).
Cover and let rise till double in bulk. This recipe will make 3 nine inch cake pans of Kuchen.

When dough is ready, grease pan generously with butter, do not flour.
Put a third of the dough in each pan, butter your hands, (otherwise the dough will stick to your hands).
Using your fingers push dough to outer edges of pan, the dough will not want to stay there, but as you push into the dough, it will remain in place.
Cover the dough of each cake with 1/3 of the Topping.

Let rise for another 1/2 hour.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minute or until sides and bottom are golden brown.

Topping

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/3 cups flour
• 1 1/2 Tbl cinnamon
• 1/2 lb. of butter or 2 sticks at room temperature

Cut the butter into the flour and sugar, cinnamon mix by using a wire pastry blender, as though you were making pie dough. Will be crumbly.
We often double this recipe and make 6 or more. They freeze well and are nice to share.

Makes 3 cakes.