The holiday season is the perfect time to meet with family, friends, and neighbors to catch up over morning or afternoon coffee. And that calls for coffee cake.
Despite its name, coffee cake does not contain coffee. When this new beverage was introduced in Northern and Central Europe in the 17th century, it was quickly decided that some kind of cake or pastry should also be served.
What exactly are coffee cakes? They’re basically where cake and quick bread meet. Some are made with yeast, while others are not. While sweet, they’re not sugar-overloaded like a frosted cake. Their sweetness comes from light glazes or crumb toppings. Traditional coffee cakes contain seasonal or canned fruits and a variety of nuts.
This old Pillsbury recipe has been a favorite in our family for years. While cherry pie filling is my favorite, peach or apple pie filling is also delicious. The cherry pie filling adds a splash of festive red to the dish.
Ingredients
Cake
2 ½ to 3 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 pkg. active dry yeast
½ cup milk
½ cup water
½ cup butter
2 eggs
1 (21-oz) can cherry fruit pie filling
Glaze
½ cup powdered sugar
½ tsp almond extract
3 to 4 tsp. milk
¾ cup toasted sliced almonds
Directions
Toast sliced almonds and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together 1½ cups flour, sugar, salt, and yeast.
Heat the milk, water, and butter in a small saucepan until warm (120 to 130 degrees). Use a thermometer to check the temperature; if the liquid is too hot, it will kill the yeast.
Add the warm liquid and eggs to the flour mixture. Blend at low speed until moistened; beat 3 minutes at medium speed. By hand, stir in an additional 1 to ½ cups flour to make a stiff batter. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and a cloth towel. Let rise in a warm place (80 to 85 degrees) until light and doubled in size, about one hour.
Generously grease a 13x9-inch pan. Stir the batter and spoon two-thirds into the pan, spreading as evenly as possible. Top with cherry filling. Spoon and stretch the remaining batter by tablespoonfuls over the filling. Cover and let rise in a warm place until light, about 30 minutes.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Uncover the dough and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.
In a small bowl, blend all glaze ingredients, adding enough milk for desired consistency. Drizzle over warm coffee cake and sprinkle with toasted almonds.
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