Cinnamon Coffee Cake...By Request

Fair warning. I am attempting to type this with a clingy princess. She is feeling a bit under the weather today (as evidenced by her puking on the couch and living room floor before making it to the bathroom).

This has to be one of my most requested breakfast meals. I guess it could fall under dessert as well, but since coffee cake is acceptable as a brunch item, I will serve it to my crew for breakfast, and they will love it. In spite of it being an 8x8 cake, it could be gone in one sitting if I didn't use portion control tactics. (Score Mama 1, children 0.)

Credit to Martha Stewart for this one. I did modify a little, initially by mistake. The cake was seriously bland. I'm not a fan of bland cake.

Cinnamon Coffee Cake

2 cups flour
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 large egg, beaten
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan. In a
medium bowl, combine flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using
a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in shortening until the mixture resembles
coarse crumbs. Put 1/2 cup of the mixture in a small bowl, stir in
remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon, and set aside. Stir egg and
milk into remaining flour mixture. I add in extra sugar and some cinnamon to the batter at this point. It does wonders.

2. Spoon batter into the prepared pan, and smooth the surface. Pour
butter over the top. Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture evenly over the butter
Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean,
about 35 minutes.

For variety, you can add chopped pecans or walnuts, fresh blueberries, dried fruit (such as cranberries or raisins), etc. to the topping. Pecans are yummy. I've tried that. I don't do it often though since the hubby was not a huge fan. If I did any of the others, I'd annoy my older kids.