Buttermilk Pecan Coffee Cake

Swapping out half the baking mix for oat flour gives a rustic chew without the heaviness of all-purpose alone. Oat flour is gluten-free and adds fiber. If you don’t have buttermilk, plain yogurt thinned with whole milk by equal parts works well—maintains acidity for leavening without watery consistency. Brown sugar in the topping must be packed and well broken up or it’ll clump unevenly and leave hard spots. Pecans bring both texture and flavor oils; feel free to roast them lightly first for a nuttier aroma. Butter must be cold—melts create unwanted saturation. Maple syrup is optional but recommended. If you’re nut-free, substitute toasted sunflower seeds or pepitas. For dairy-free, swap butter for coconut oil, but expect a different crumb texture. Cooking spray vs butter depends on preference—spray is faster, butter adds flavor and browns better.

Mix dry ingredients first, thoroughly breaking up brown sugar lumps—crucial for even sweetness and topping texture. Fold wet into dry just enough to combine; overmixing leads to tough crumb. Spreading batter evenly lets it bake uniformly; look for consistent thickness and absence of dry pockets. For the topping, rubbing cold butter between fingers or with two forks creates that crumbly texture—a tactile cue, not a precise measurement. Too much butter and topping turns greasy; too little and it’s dry and powdery. Recipe relies on visual cues during baking: edges pulling away, top turning golden, smell of cinnamon and nuts wafting—these signal doneness more reliably than oven timer. Toothpick test confirms moist interior without raw batter. Cooling slightly before slicing ensures clean cuts and full textural contrast between crumb and topping.