Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

I've been in a little bit of a blogging rut lately. You see, I'm not really a writer -- far from it, actually. I was supposed to be in the MENU program at college (Mathematical Experience for Northwestern Undergraduates...yeah, don't judge) before I almost flunked out of my first math class freshman year. As my dad always told me, "When it comes to mathematical theory, sometimes you just hit that brick wall and can't get around it. Not too much you can do about that." Which is apparently very true. So I chose to study economics instead, and spent 4 exciting years buried in problem sets. Math to econ -- I'm quite the rebel, eh? ;) Anyway, I think I wrote about 3 essays my entire college career. Which is why it's actually pretty funny that I have a blog.

So what happens when you lose your (made up) writing mojo? Get back to the basics, and I mean basics of all sorts. I always get a little nostalgic when I make this coffee cake because it's one of my very first "baking experiments" growing up. It was around high school when I made this for a good friend's potluck party. What were we doing having potlucks as teenagers?? I have no idea. But apparently we were already old-at-heart back then...

This four (does jam count?) -- ok three -- layer coffee cake is one of my favorites. The bottom cake layer is flavored with almond extract and sour cream, which gives the spongy cake a refreshingly bold taste. Next is the cream cheese filling, which provides a very creamy and moist contrast to the cake. And then finally a thin layer of raspberry jam, followed by a wonderfully sweet and buttery almond crumb topping. This is always a crowd pleaser, and best of all, it's easy! I mean, if I made this in high school almost a decade (gulp!) ago, it's gotta be fairly basic.

Anyway, sorry for the lack of photos. I've also seemed to lose my picture-taking mojo as well. Hopefully, I'll see an uptick in both of these sometime soon...

Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
Recipe dug up from my mom's cooking files

2 1/4 C flour
3/4 C sugar
3/4 C butter
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
3/4 C sour cream
1 t almond extract
1 egg
8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/2 C sugar
1 egg
1/2 C raspberry jam or preserves
1/2 C sliced almonds

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour bottom and sides of a 9 or 10 inch springform pan.

In a large bowl, combine flour and 3/4 C sugar. Mix well. With 2 knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 C crumb mixture.

To remaining crumb mixture, add baking powder, baking soda, sour cream, almond extract and egg. Blen well. Spread batter over bottom and 2 inches up sides (about 1/4 inch thick) of greased and floured pan.

In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, 1/4 C sugar and 1 egg. Blend well. Pour into bater lined pan. Carefully spoon jam evenly over cream cheese mixture.

In a small bowl, combine served crumb mixture and sliced almonds. Sprinkle over layer of raspberry preserves.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes until cream cheese filling is set and crust is lightly browned. Cool 15 minutes and remove sides of pan. Continue reading for recipe...

Pumpkin Bread w/ Raisins and Walnuts

T-minus eight days until Christmas....eeeekkkk!! Last I checked, it was just Thanksgiving and our waistlines were still recovering from the damage. Now it's already the season of Christmas cookies and office holiday treats?? When time flies this fast, it must mean you're really getting old!

Anyway, this pumpkin bread is one of our favorite holiday traditions during this time of the year. If you haven't noticed, tradition = food in our household. The recipe actually comes from another old family friend (who owns a vineyard in Napa, btw!), so this has been around in my family for years. AC likes it because it has a very smooth pumpkin taste -- not too sweet nor spicy. I love it because the texture is insanely moist and soft from the pumpkin puree. Plump, juicy raisins and little bits of walnuts tie the whole ensemble together perfectly.



I sometimes eat this with a nice, thick layer of cream cheese spread over each slice. I grew up doing this -- that, as well as eating avocado topped with mayonnaise as our "vegetables" for dinner -- and it makes each bite absolutely divine. It's similar to a pumpkin cupcake with cream cheese frosting, only a bit more calm/grounded and not as cracked-out-in-sugar (if you know what I mean). Besides, isn't everything better with cream cheese? ;)

Phyllis's Pumpkin Bread
Recipe adapted from Phyllis, an old family friend

2/3 C butter, room temperature
2 2/3 C sugar
4 eggs
1 lb canned pumpkin
2/3 C water

3 1/3 C flour
2 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1 1/2 t salt
1 t cinnamon
1 t ground cloves
1 C raisins
2/3 C chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, pumpkin and water. Mix thoroughly.

In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ground cloves. Add to butter bowl, and stir until just mixed in. Add raisins and chopped walnuts.

Divide batter between two 9x5 loaf tins. Bake about 50 minutes, until done. Continue reading for recipe...

Glazed Lemon Poppy-Seed Cake

You'll just have to trust me when I say that this is the most delicious cake/bread I've ever tasted. I'm usually fairly hesitant to make such dramatic, grandiose statements like that (because doesn't something better always come along??)...but with this one, I may just have to take the plunge.



I'm actually a little disappointed because I made this for a work event, and unlike most not-so-kind-on-the-waistline treats that I bake and am more than happy to give away...I felt a twinge of regret for not being able to keep the entire cake for ourselves this time. And no, I wasn't alone in those greedy sentiments :P. After our obligatory "taste test" (somebody's gotta do it!), AC was also wondering if we could save a couple of slices for ourselves.



What I love about this cake is that it's vibrant in both taste and texture. With fresh lemon zest in the batter and lemon juice in the glaze, the cake has a bright and intense citrus flavor that explodes in your mouth. Poppy seeds further liven it up with their fun and "poppy" (for lack of a better word) texture.



But what really brings everything together is the lemon glaze. Refreshingly tart and zesty, the sugary topping compliments the soft and fluffy cake perfectly. It's like what cream cheese frosting is to a red velvet cupcake -- delicious and absolutely essential.



Like most baked goods, this tastes best straight out of the oven when the exterior is slightly crispy, and the warm center is still giving off soft bursts of hot steam. This did very well at my company's bake sale, thankyouverymuch. I'm sure we'll be making it again soon! :D

Glazed Lemon Poppy-Seed Cake
Adapted from Gourmet, May 2007

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 t lemon zest (or zest from 1 whole lemon)
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan (I used a 8.5 inch loaf pan -- cooking time will need to be adjusted).

Whisk together flour, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt in a bowl.

Beat together butter and granulated sugar in another bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in eggs until combined. Reduce speed to low, then add flour mixture and poppy seeds and mix until just combined.

Transfer batter to cake pan, smoothing top, and bake until a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean and top is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes, then invert onto rack.

Whisk together confectioners sugar and lemon juice in a bowl until smooth. Pour glaze over warm cake, spreading it with a spatula to drizzle over edge. Let stand until glaze is set, about 15 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature.
Continue reading for recipe...

Sour Cream-Streusel Coffee Cake for NYC!

Off to NYC! :D

The last time we were in New York was almost 3 years ago when AC used to live there, so we're pretty excited. While our visit is already jam packed with wedding festivities, work, dinner engagements, and of course, family time...I still want to try to sneak a meal in at one of David Chang's infamous restaurants. What I've literally been thinking about all day is (no joke), Momofuku ssam bar or noodle bar -- suggestions, anyone?!





Anyway, here's some coffee cake that I made for our lovely host who will be graciously sharing her tiny NYC apt with us all week. Sour cream cakes are one of my favorite because they're extra moist and tender. This one gets bonus points from its delicious cinnamon/walnut streusel, which when layered into the batter, gives the soft cake a wonderful texture and flavor.







Oh, you know I'm packing some of this with us for our upcoming 6-hour long transcontinental flight. ;) NYC, here we come!

Sour Cream-Streusel Coffee Cake
Adapted from Bon Appetit, December 1998

1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
1 1/4 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
4 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 1/2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder

3 cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 16-ounce container sour cream

1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 12-cup Bundt pan. Mix first 4 ingredients in small bowl. Set nut mixture aside. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar in large bowl until blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in vanilla. Mix dry ingredients and sour cream alternately into butter mixture in 3 additions.

Pour 1/3 of batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of nut mixture. Spoon 1/3 of batter over. Sprinkle with remaining nut mixture. Spoon remaining batter over.

Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 10 minutes. Cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Turn cake out onto rack and cool 1 hour. Transfer to platter.

Whisk powdered sugar and milk in small bowl until smooth. Drizzle over coffee cake. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
Continue reading for recipe...