Chocolatey Berry Coffee Cake Food

MIXED BERRY COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• Combine the flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl and mix to combine. Add the butter and mix thoroughly with your fingers or a fork until all of the butter has been evenly distributed and incorporated into the flour. Form into small to medium clumps with your fingers.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch square cake pan.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.
• Beat the butter and granulated sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour, beating until just incorporated.
• Spoon half of the cake batter (it will be very thick) into the prepared pan and smooth with an offset spatula. Sprinkle the berries on top. Spoon the remaining cake batter on top and smooth the top. Sprinkle on the crumb topping.
• Bake until the cake and topping are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about an hour. Let cool in the pan 20 minutes, then invert onto a plate and re-invert onto a rack to cool completely.

GLAZED STRAWBERRY JAM-FILLED COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• Put the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl and stir to combine. Add the butter and mix thoroughly with your fingers or a fork until all of the butter has been evenly distributed and incorporated into the flour. Form into small to medium clumps with your fingers.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch square cake pan.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.
• Beat together the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour, beating until just incorporated.
• Spoon half of the cake batter (it will be very thick) into the prepared pan and smooth with an offset spatula. Dollop the strawberry jam on top and carefully smooth with the spatula. Spoon the remaining cake batter on top and smooth the top. Sprinkle on the crumb topping.
• Bake until the cake and topping are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool in the pan 20 minutes, then invert onto a plate; invert back onto a rack to cool completely.
• When the cake is cool, whisk together the confectioners' sugar and milk in a medium bowl until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cake and let set.

APPLE-BOURBON COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• Combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl and mix to combine. Add the butter and mix thoroughly with your fingers or a fork until all of the butter has been evenly distributed and incorporated into the flour. Form into small to medium clumps with your fingers.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch square cake pan.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.
• Beat the butter and granulated sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the bourbon and vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour, beating until just incorporated.
• Spoon half of the cake batter (it will be very thick) into the prepared pan and smooth with an offset spatula. Dollop the apple butter on top and carefully smooth with the spatula. Spoon the remaining cake batter on top and smooth the top. Sprinkle on the crumb topping.
• Bake until the cake and topping are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about an hour. Let cool in the pan 20 minutes, then invert onto a plate; re-invert onto a rack to cool completely.

CHERRY-CHOCOLATE COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Make the streusel: Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and bake until toasted, 5 to 7 minutes; let cool and transfer to a food processor. Add the sugar, butter, flour, cinnamon, orange zest and cocoa powder and pulse until the nuts are ground and the mixture starts to clump. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Make the filling: Toss the cherries, almond extract and cherry liqueur, if using, in a bowl. Stir in the flour and sugar.
• Make the cake: Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream and vanilla and almond extracts. Beat the butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl. Beat in the eggs one at a time, until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Beat in half of the flour mixture on low speed until almost incorporated, then beat in half of the sour cream mixture. Beat in the remaining flour mixture, then the sour cream mixture; finish mixing the batter by hand (do not overmix).
• Butter the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Spread half of the batter in the pan. Sprinkle half of the streusel on top, then cover with the cherry filling. Drop spoonfuls of the remaining batter on top of the cherries and smooth with the back of a spoon. Top with the remaining streusel.
• Bake on the lower oven rack until the cake springs back in the center when pressed, about 1 hour, 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool. Run a knife around the inside of the pan, then remove the side.

VERY BERRY COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• Spread solid shortening on bottom and sides of a 9-inch square pan.
• Position oven rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
• Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
• Set aside.
• Cream butter and sugar with electric mixer.
• Add eggs one at a time and beat until fluffy.
• Add vanilla and sour cream and mix well.
• Alternately, add flour mixture and milk to batter, beginning and ending with flour.
• Spread half the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
• Spread berries (well drained) on top of batter.
• Cover berries with remaining batter and spread the top evenly with a spatula (some berries will show through).
• For Crumb Topping: Combine all ingredients and pinch them with fingertips to make crumbs.
• Spread on top of cake and bake for 30 to 35 minutes (metal pan) or longer if glass pan- or until a toothpick comes out clean and cake is golden brown.
• Cool cake completely (in pan) on wire rack.
• Refrigerate overnight and cut into squares.
• Serve at room temperature.

BERRY COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch round or 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour through salt.
• In a measuring cup or blender container, combine the egg, yogurt, melted butter and vanilla. Whisk or pulse to combine the ingredients.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and mix to combine. Spoon about 2/3's of batter into prepared pan. Mix the berries with the brown sugar and spoon over batter. Top the berries with remaining batter and sprinkle with sliced almonds.
• Place in preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 10 minutes.
• While cake cools, prepare the glaze and then drizzle over cooled cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• Please note: If using frozen berries do not defrost.
• Gluten Free Notes: Use 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons gluten free all-purpose flour blend, 2 tablespoons modified tapioca starch and add 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum. The gluten free version may require a few tablespoons milk to be added to the batter. Use your best judgement.