One word versus two

Coffeecake.

Coffee + Cake.

Last night I met LM for a special early screening of a popular chick flick that’s coming out in a few weeks time. In order to have a bit of time for the goss, we decided to meet earlier to catch up over some coffee and maybe cake. I’d told her I’d do one better…I would make some homemade coffeecake and bring it along.

This brings me to an interesting dichotomy (yet another) between food in the UK vs. food in the US. This time the difference is simple, Coffeecake versus Coffee + Cake.

In the UK, apparently only Coffee + Cake exists. Rummaging around the BBC food website I found no entries for Coffeecake and 5 for Coffee + Cake. The thing is, all of these recipes involved both cake and coffee in some way. Makes sense I guess, but for people who are familiar with Coffeecake (a lovely light cake often prepared with cinnamon and nuts but rarely with actual coffee as an ingredient), it was a complete 180 from what I'd been searching for (e.g. 10-minute cappuccino trifles was 1 of the 5 recipes that appeared).

Bringing the leftover cake into work today, I had this confirmed by at least half a dozen friends. Every single time someone asked what kind of cake it was I had to go into this drawn-out schpiel about how technically it was called Coffeecake, but please folks - don't expect a coffee taste...bladeeblahblah. Over and over again.

So, what I've learned is that Coffeecake, as it lives and breathes in the US doesn’t have an England stamp in it's passport. However, I'm proud to say that I'm educating the British public. There are now at least 6 British friends who can tell the 1 to 2 word difference.

Sour Cream and Apricot Coffee Cake (adapted from the Silver Palate Cookbook)

2 sticks butter (225 grams)

2¾ granulated sugar

2 beaten eggs

2 cups flour

1 tbs baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup sour cream

11/2 tsps vanilla extract

11/2 cups chopped pecans

2 tbs cinnamon

¾ cup apricot preserves

1. Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C)

2. Grease a bundt or cake pan and dust with flour

3. Cream butter and 2 cups sugar. Add eggs and then sour cream and vanilla.

4. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture.

5. In a separate bowl, combine remaining sugar, nuts, and cinnamon.

6. Pour half of batter into pan. Drop half of apricot preserves in spoonfuls around pan. Sprinkle half of sugar and pecan mixture on top.

7. Add remaining batter, remaining jam, and remaining sugar and nuts.

8. Place in middle of oven and bake for 60-70 minutes (check after 55). Tester should come out clean when inserted into middle.