Cinnamon Flop

As a child, I remember my mother making Cinnamon Flop on the days she hosted Neighborhood Bible Study. I was envious of the ladies, eating that lovely cake, while I went off to school.  The house always smelled good and looked extra nice as my mother got ready for the ladies to come over.  Recently my mother told me that she and her six siblings ate this cake a lot for breakfast when they were growing up (I ate things like ice cream and cold pizza for breakfast).

I was fondly remembering this with my mom, and she reminded me that the Cinnamon Flop recipe is in Mennonite Community.  It's a great read, full of stories of "Grandmother's day" and recipes from plain and simple to truly ethnically strange; the cake recipe under Cinnamon Flop is from Russian Mennonite refugees of World War II and includes bread, cottage cheese, and "raw oatmeal."   Check your library if you're curious - the Mennonite Community Cookbook is a seminal book.

Since Cinnamon Flop resurfaced in my life a few weeks ago, it's become our breakfast frequently. I suppose you could do it the night kitchen method, but so far, I've been up early enough to just make it on the fly and then hop in the shower. I serve it with applesauce or fruit on the side, milk for the kids and cafe au lait for the adults.

 

Cinnamon Flop - - from the Mennonite Community Cookbook, a few tweaks by me
In mixing bowl, mix:
1 c. white flour
1 c. WW pastry flour
1/3 c. sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Cut in:
1/4 c. shortening

Mix together, and then add slowly to flour:
1 egg
1 c. milk

Mix well.  Spread into greased 9x9 pan.

Brush top with 1-2 Tbs. melted butter.

Mix together and sprinkle over:
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.