Winklers Moravian Sugar Cake

1Steve's Note:

This delicious coffee cake is courtesy of Winklers Bakery Winston/Salem North Carolina. It is traditional served as an Easter morning breakfast treat, but is an excellent coffee cake year round. The instant potatoes give the cake a nice texture and flavor.

• Total Time: 3 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 3 hrs
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 2 (1/4 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 cup water (110 F)
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons non-fat powdered milk
• 1/4 cup instant mashed potatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup melted cooled butter
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups flour
• butter

For Topping

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup melted cooled butter

Directions:

1. Sprinkle yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar into the 1/2 cup of warm water.
2. Set aside until yeast bubbles, and mixture is foamy.
3. Add the next 7 ingredients, and about 1 cup of flour.
4. Beat with a wooden spoon.
5. Add remaining flour or a little more if needed, until bread dough consistency.
6. Place in a greased bowl and turn it to coat.
7. Dot dough with butter, and let it rise until double in size, about 1 hour.
8. Then, punch dough down, and place in a greased shallow baking pan (about 17 x 12 inches) Let rise 30 minutes, then sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Note: one reviewer commented "The 3 cups flour became about 7 to make it a workable dough. Must be an error in the recipe" There is no mistake in the recipe; this is a cake with a soft dough, not a bread. The term "workable" does not apply here; the soft dough will rise right in the pan. This is not a bread where you are continually kneading it into something that must be shaped. Had the reviewer simply patted it into the pan and let it rise in the pan it should have been fine. The mistake was adding all that extra flour and treating it like a bread.
9. Now the fun begins.
10. As if you're playing the piano, punch your fingers into the dough making indentations.
11. Pour on remaining 1/2 cup of butter, and let dough rise another 30 minutes.
12. Bake in a preheated 375ºF for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown.
13. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Reviews

[gracesmama]

I made a few adjustments and made the batter in my bread machine. It worked great and makes it possible to do more than once a year. Every get together I am asked to bring my Sugar Cake and it's do-able.

[Last Ember]

My husband and I went to Winston Salem, and I just had to find the recipe for their sugar-cake. This recipe is supposed to be theirs but I don't think it is, theirs if very moist and tender...this is a bit more airy and drier. I've made it twice and neither time did it turn out exactly like Winklers, but it is still very tasty. One note on this recipe. You should be adding at least a total of 4 cups of flour...the 1 cup of flour that you mix in the 7 ingredients does not deduct from the other 3. I used about 4 1/2 and it worked well.

[Chef #904221]

This is the almost just like the Moravian Sugar Cake that my mother made every Christmas Season. Her's was made with real mashed potatoes. This recipe cuts the time in half and taste almost the same.