Evening Edge
What’s For Dinner?
DEL.ICIO.US
Great-Great Grandmother Augusta Weitfield’s Coffee Kuchen
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Low cal: 
Southern Recipe Restoration Project
The contributor: Debi Slaughter, a hairdresser and avid gardener who moved at the age of 3 to the Atlanta area in 1958 from Long Island, N.Y. She now lives in Ellijay with her husband and two dogs. Two of her three siblings have remained in metro Atlanta, and they are “a very close family.”
She wrote: “This recipe was handed down from my great-great grandmother Augusta Weitfield, born in Hesse-Kassel, Germany, in 1836. My grandmother Hilda Wasman McGowan used to make it for us whenever she would visit during the holidays.” -- As told to Susan Puckett, for the Journal-Constitution
Note: Use only 2 eggs if halving this recipe.
Hands on time: 30 minutes Total time: 4 hours and 30 minutes Serves: Makes 5 9-inch cakes, 40 servings
Ingredients:
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FOR THE DOUGH:
1 cup milk
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided
6 tablespoons shortening, plus more for greasing the bowl and cake pans
1 cup warm water (105-110 degrees)
2 (1/4-ounce) packages yeast
7 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 tablespoon salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
FOR THE TOPPING:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions:
To prepare the dough: In a medium saucepan, heat the milk to 105 to 110 degrees (use an instant-read thermometer). Add the 1/2 cup sugar and shortening and stir until melted and smooth. Meanwhile, in a medium measuring cup, combine water, yeast and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Set aside and let proof until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Place the milk mixture in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add the yeast mixture and beat on low speed to combine.
Add 2 cups flour and salt. Beat on low speed until smooth and combined. Add eggs and beat well. Add 2 more cups flour, beat until combined, repeat with an additional 2 cups flour, beat until combined. Finally, add remaining 1 cup flour and beat until smooth and combined. (The dough will be very soft.)
Transfer to a lightly greased bowl. Place in a warm spot and let rise to double, about 2 hours. Let rise again for about half-hour, then punch down again and let rise again for 1 hour.
About 30 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Divide dough into 5 equal portions. Grease 5 (9-inch) cake pans. (Or, work with the number of cake pans you have and simply keep the dough punched down if it rises.) Transfer the dough to the prepared pans. Flour your hands and smooth the dough into the pan. Dimple the dough with your fingertips. Transfer to the oven and bake each cake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
While the cakes are baking, prepare the topping. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the sugar and cinnamon and stir on low heat until melted and smooth.
When the cakes are done, remove to a rack to cool slightly. Remove from the pans and invert so the dimpled side is facing up. Drizzle with the topping and serve immediately or at room temperature.
Place the milk mixture in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add the yeast mixture and beat on low speed to combine.
Add 2 cups flour and salt. Beat on low speed until smooth and combined. Add eggs and beat well. Add 2 more cups flour, beat until combined, repeat with an additional 2 cups flour, beat until combined. Finally, add remaining 1 cup flour and beat until smooth and combined. (The dough will be very soft.)
Transfer to a lightly greased bowl. Place in a warm spot and let rise to double, about 2 hours. Let rise again for about half-hour, then punch down again and let rise again for 1 hour.
About 30 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Divide dough into 5 equal portions. Grease 5 (9-inch) cake pans. (Or, work with the number of cake pans you have and simply keep the dough punched down if it rises.) Transfer the dough to the prepared pans. Flour your hands and smooth the dough into the pan. Dimple the dough with your fingertips. Transfer to the oven and bake each cake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
While the cakes are baking, prepare the topping. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the sugar and cinnamon and stir on low heat until melted and smooth.
When the cakes are done, remove to a rack to cool slightly. Remove from the pans and invert so the dimpled side is facing up. Drizzle with the topping and serve immediately or at room temperature.
Notes:
Share your own heirloom recipe
You, too, can share an old family recipe and honor a loved one: Go to ajc.com/food, and under Recipe Restoration Project click on Submit Yours and fill out the form. Or e-mail it to savingsouthernfood@ajc.com. Or mail it to Southern Recipe Restoration Project, c/o Food Editor Jamila Robinson, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 72 Marietta St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30303.
You, too, can share an old family recipe and honor a loved one: Go to ajc.com/food, and under Recipe Restoration Project click on Submit Yours and fill out the form. Or e-mail it to savingsouthernfood@ajc.com. Or mail it to Southern Recipe Restoration Project, c/o Food Editor Jamila Robinson, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 72 Marietta St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30303.
Nutrition:
Per serving: 147 calories (percent of calories from fat, 30), 3 grams protein, 22 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 5 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 23 milligrams cholesterol, 169 milligrams sodium.
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