Moravian Sugar Cakes
- 2 medium baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- Two ¼-ounce packages active dry yeast or 3½ teaspoons instant yeast
- 12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- About 6½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions:
The culinary traditions of the Moravian sect run strong near Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where every Christmas bakeries struggle to keep up with the demand for these flat coffee cakes with a sugary topping.
- Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches. Do not add salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to mediumlow and cook until the potatoes are very tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes, reserving the potato cooking liquid. Rub the potatoes through a wire sieve. Measure 1 packed cup of the potatoes, and set aside at room temperature; discard any remaining potatoes. Measure 1½ cups of the potato cooking liquid, and cool to 105°F to 115°F; discard the remaining potato liquid.
- In a medium bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm potato water and let stand until the yeast is creamy, about 5 minutes. Stir to dissolve the yeast.
- In a large mixing bowl using a handheld electric mixer or the bowl of a heavy-duty standing mixer fitted with the paddle blade, beat together the butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light in texture, about 2 minutes. On low speed, beat in the cooled potatoes and salt, then the eggs. On low speed, beat in the yeast mixture (the mixture may look curdled, but don’t worry). Gradually beat enough of the flour to form a soft, shaggy dough that just clears the sides of the bowl. If using a handheld mixer, switch to a wooden spoon when necessary.
- Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead, adding more flour as needed, until the dough is smooth and elastic but still somewhat soft and slightly sticky, about 10 minutes. If kneading by machine, switch from the paddle blade to the dough hook and knead on medium-low speed, adding more flour as needed, about 8 minutes. If you like you can transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead briefly by hand to check the consistency; it should be slightly sticky but smooth.
- Shape the dough into a ball. Place in a buttered large bowl and turn to lightly coat the underside with butter. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Lightly butter four 9-inch round cake pans or two 15½ × 10½ × 1-inch jelly-roll pans. Stretch and pat the dough into the prepared pans. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until puffy, about 30 minutes. 7. To make the topping, in a medium saucepan, bring ¾ cup of the brown sugar, 4 tablespoons of the butter, and 2 tablespoons water to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Pour into a glass measuring cup and let stand until cooled but pourable, about 30 minutes.
- In a small saucepan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Brush the tops of the cakes lightly with the melted butter. Using a finger, punch 12 evenly spaced indentations into each round pan of dough (if you’re using jelly-roll pans, punch 24 indentations into each). Pour the syrup into the indentations. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar and the cinnamon using your fingers, and sprinkle over the cakes.
- Position racks in the top third and center of the oven heated to 375°F. Bake, switching the position of the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking, until the cakes are golden brown, about 35 minutes. Cool in the pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. If baking in jelly-roll pans, cut each cake in half vertically to make 4 cakes.