Creepy Killer or Peace Sign? Life Lessons in Coffee Cake.

Mmmm Swedish Kringle, AKA:  Aunt Jan Coffee Cake. 

This tasty treat is a fond memory from my childhood.   Every birthday, my Mom would shape the coffee cake into our age and bring us breakfast in bed.   Every Christmas, she would make a forest of Kringle trees and give them to friends and neighbors.   We'd always have several for Christmas breakfast.

This year, we decided to make our own, but left the design particulars to each member of the family.   Du-Jay made an awesome, anatomically correct snow boy.

Sagezilla made a Christmas tree, more candy than coffee cake.

 

Old school punk/hardcore Daddy made a scary face that was originally going to be a killer in a hockey mask, but mutated into more of a monster.   He also re-dubbed the confection "heart attack cake", due to the copious amounts of butter.

Hippie/punk Mama made a tie dyed peace sign.

When Dad pulled the baked cakes out of the oven, he laughed and exclaimed, "See, we're really not so different!" 

I have always thought that punks and hippies are a yin/yang type of balance, with more similarities than differences.   Punks are cynical hippies with similar political and world views.   Both are often vegetarian or vegan.   They just dress differently on the surface and like to rock out to different tunes.   

Despite the fact, some of our punk friends say "Blah, blah,blah....boring, lame jam bands and the great unwashed."   And some of our hippie friends are freaked out by and avoid the punks, a good sized segment of us enjoy both worlds.

We're really not so different, indeed.

DIY Life lessons in coffee cake:   

 Aunt Jan Coffee Cake from Mom

1 stick butter & 1 cup flour—work by hand

Add 1 T cold water

Form ball and divide in two.

Make 2—12 inch rolls and flatten into desired

shapes on cookie sheet with palm of hand.

In pan together 1 cup water & 1 stick butter.

Bring to boil. Remove from heat and add 1 cup flour

And 1 T almond extract.

Beat in 3 eggs one at a  time by spoon.

Spread on above mixture.

Bake about 1 hour at 350 degrees. Cool. Frost. Decorate.

Frosting

1 cup powdered sugar

2 T softened butter or margarine

¼ teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon almond extract

Add 2-3 teaspoons milk.

Mix and add coloring.

ENJOY!