Homemade Yeast Coffee Cake

• Add flour, sugar, salt, shortening (or butter) and orange/lemon rind into a large bowl. Whisk to combine; set aside.
• Pour water into a mixing bowl; add yeast and stir. Let stand 3 to 5 minutes until foamy.
• Add egg, egg white, and 1/2 of flour mixture to the yeast mixture. Mix on medium speed using an electric mixer (or a stand mixer with paddle attachment) for 2 minutes, or a wooden spoon/dough whisk until smooth. Stop mixer.
• Add the remaining flour mixture and mix again with a spoon or dough whisk until smooth, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Scrape down batter from sides of bowl.
• Cover; let rise in warm place until doubled, about 30 to 45 minutes.
• Prepare topping. (see below)
• Prepare pan(s): Grease one 9 x 13- inch pan, OR two 9-inch round layer pans, OR two 8-inch or 9-inch square pans.
• Stir down raised batter in about 25 strokes; batter will be thick, somewhat sticky. Pour batter evenly in the pan(s)/ spread to edges of pan(s).
• Prepare egg wash: whisk egg yolk and water. Brush over top of batter.
• Sprinkle Topping evenly over batter.
• With tip of spoon or fingertips, make little dents on the topping and press down almost to bottom of the pan(s). Tap pan(s) on table to settle the batter.
• Cover; let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until well browned (check after 20 minutes).
• Remove from pan(s) and cool on wire rack.

Topping (choose one)

• Chocolate-Nut: Add all ingredients to a bowl. Mix to combine.
• Orange-Sugar: Add all ingredients to a bowl. Mix to combine.
• Streusel: Add sugar, flour, butter and cinnamon to a bowl. Using a pastry cutter, blend all ingredients together. Add nuts, mix to combine.