2 cups whole milk
1 1-oz. package active dry yeast
1-1/8 cups granulated sugar, divided
1 pound salted butter, divided (cold)
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
6 cups unsifted, unbleached all-purpose flour, divided

Grease large bowl. Set aside.

Dissolve Yeast:
Pour milk into small saucepan. Cook over low heat until warm. Turn off flame under pot. Add yeast and 2 tbsp. of the sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Cover with clean towel and set aside.

Make Batter:
In large mixing bowl, cream 1 stick of the butter until soft and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Continue creaming until soft and fluffy. Add salt, 2 cups of the flour, and the reserved yeast mixture. Beat with electric mixer until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl often.

By hand, stir in remaining 4 cups of the flour. Beat with wooden spoon until a very soft, sticky, yet firm dough. If uncertain what dough should look like or how long to beat it, circle bowl 500 times. That will definitely be more than sufficient.

Let Rise:
Place in large greased bowl, turning to grease top of dough. Cover dough with clean dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour).

Grease three 15"x10"x1" jelly-roll pans. Butter your hands. Punch down dough. Divide dough into thirds. Spread each third into greased jelly-roll pan, stretching to fit bottom of pan.

Cut remaining 3 sticks butter into tiny pieces. Dot each pan with 1 stick butter, very gently pressing cubes of butter into the dough. Sprinkle 1/3 cup granulated sugar over each pan of dough. Loosely cover with towel and let rise until doubled in size (about 1/2 hour). Toward end of rising time, preheat oven to 350°F.

Bake until golden brown and bubbly, and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (about 20 minutes).

For some reason, this does not freeze well. However, it makes splendid gifts, and keeps well for several days in the refrigerator. Just make sure to wrap in foil and reheat in moderate oven before serving.

Poster's Notes:
This wonderful buttery coffeecake was one of my maternal grandmother's specialties. I can't imagine where she originally found the recipe, as she cooked in the days before international cookbooks (much less the Internet). However, I also can't imagine where she learned to fry green tomatoes, since she never set foot south of New Jersey, and to the best of my knowledge, never even met a southerner.

It is very similar to Moravian Sugar Cake, although my family likes it even better because it is somewhat thinner, so there is more luscious topping for each bite.

I have never seen this in any cookbook. It is absolutely wonderful, and everyone who tastes it loves it. It is also very easy, and virtually infallible. The dough doesn't even have to be kneaded.

This recipe fills three large pans. Although it could easily be divided, the cake is so delectable, and so popular, that I always make the full amount and give two of the pans as gifts. This is obviously very rich. However, it is fabulous for a special breakfast, brunch, tea, etc, and makes wonderful gifts.

Posted by Virginia Sauer (Sir Angus), Z'L

Nutritional Info Per Serving: N/A