Friday, April 16, 2010

Brown Sugar Pecan Coffee Cake

The winner of the Wok Giveaway is lucky Linda from Silly Little Mischief! Congrats, and enjoy.  Let us know what you make!  Big thanks to everyone who entered.

Crumb Cake

Yesterday my dear, amazing brother left a comment on the blog after he got to be a lucky first hand witness to what's called "kitchen drama" in our house. Though I absolutely love cooking, I tend to get well, let's just a say...a bit cranky when things don't go perfectly in the kitchen. Last weekend, I tried to make one (ok maybe, two!) too many things at once, with too little time and of course, there were ingredients forgotten, things spilled and a few swear words here and there and everywhere. Luckily, brother and hubby watched the Masters while things (including me) imploded in the kitchen. I suppose my kitchen inelegance may be reason #1 that I could never be on Top Chef or any other live cooking show for that matter!

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Hubby is quite used to this kitchen drama and to his credit, he patiently puts up with my it like a saint and gets rewarded with his very own cake! This sour cream based coffee cake is a much more decadent version than the healthy one I baked not too long ago. Though I'd like to say both versions were equally delicious, c'mon that'd be a lie and I'm no liar! Since we're all being honest, who doesn't agree that baked goods hit a new level with some good old fashioned butter and eggs?

Oh well. I did use fat free sour cream which hopefully cuts down the fat content just a bit. And there's less than 2 cups sugar total so we have that going for us as well, right?! Regardless, this is one of my new favorite recipes and a great treat to bring to a party. Its quite pretty with a brown sugar pecan topping and stays unbelievably moist.

Brown Sugar Pecan Coffee Cake
topping:
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Add the butter and, using your fingertips, pinch the ingredients together into a sandy, crumbly mixture.

cake:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup golden raisins
topping, recipe above
1/4 cup chopped pecans, pulsed in the food processor (you can up this if you're more of a pecan fan)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 8 by 8-inch cake pan, line with parchment paper and butter the paper. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth. Slowly add the sugar and mix. Add the eggs and mix until light and fluffy.

2. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together. Working in batches, add flour mix to the butter/sugar mixture, alternating with dollops of sour cream. Stir in the raisins.

3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the topping mixture over the cake. Sprinkle pecans on top. Bake until risen and browned, about 45-50 minutes depending on your oven. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan. Serve in squares.

Adapted from Gale Gand

15 comments:

Lazaro Cooks said...

I can relate to the kitchen drama. I just make it easy and fire everyone out of the kitchen. Even the cats feel my wrath. Okay maybe it's not that bad. Fantastic photo of your coffee cake. Looks very appetizing. Have a wonderful day. Cheers!

daphne said...

i think those kitchen dramas means we must be getting better at cooking! More challenges means better outcome right? =) This cake looks awesome and so tea morish.

Melissa said...

I think we all have those moments in the kitchen. Mine was on Easter morning when my stove top wouldn't light...a one year old stove This cake looks scrumptious!

Joanne said...

I hate to say it but I am SUCH a proponent of using butter in baked goods. There's definitely something to healthifying things, but if you're gonna have dessert then just have dessert. This looks awesome!

jwright said...

Oh this looks so good - Anyway I work for basspecan company we are having a pecan recipe contest were you could win $1000 so send in YOUR recipes at www.basspecan.com

The Blonde Duck said...

I pout and whine when things don't go my way.

noble pig said...

It looks so great and moist!

Matt said...

Those pictures alone made me really hungry. I certainly wouldn't mkae this coffee cake all the time, but it looks too good not to try at least one. Thanks for posting it!

grace said...

forget relationship drama--my favorite kind of drama is kitchen drama. is that so wrong? :)
i love this recipe--the fluffy cake and sweet streusel combine beautifully!

Sophie said...

My hubby is definitely familiar with my kitchen attitude, which is why he just stands back to watch...and then offer to do the dishes after :D. Hehe.

Love the crumb on this, oh man! This is a real beauty of a coffee cake.

D e g a i n e said...

That looks delicious!


D e g a i n e

http://www.fashiondegaine.com

Maria said...

Love this cake!

Kim said...

This looks amazing! I have to try it:)

La Bella Cooks said...

No sense skipping on dessert when you can easily cut corners in cooking. Dessert is meant to be full on and full fat in my opinion! I guess that is why I don't eat it often! Anyway, this cake looks incredible.
Just wait until you have whiny kids in the kitchen while trying to master a new recipe that isn't going so well. Talk about wishing you could use some colorful language...

Chef Fresco said...

Haha I am the exact same way in the kitchen. This is the problem with multi-tasking. Poor Michael has to calm me when things go wrong. It does look like your cake turned out quite well however!