Mocha Latte Coffee Cake with Pecan Streusel ~ #TheCakeSliceBakers

This moist, flavorful cake features a swirl of coffee-infused batter and cocoa, creating a perfect balance of sweetness and depth. Topped with a crunchy streusel, it’s a decadent treat that pairs beautifully with your morning coffee or afternoon tea. Ideal for brunch gatherings or a cozy dessert, this cake is a must-try for coffee lovers!

Raspberry Jam Coffee Cake ~ #TheCakeSliceBakers

Perfect for breakfast or as an afternoon treat, this Raspberry Jam Coffee cake is the perfect mix

of almond-scented cake, tart raspberry, and mounds of crunchy cinnamon and almond crumbs.

Apple Cake - The Classic ~ #TheCakeSliceBakers

'Tis the season for Fall baking and this Apple Cake, studded with tender 

apples and rum-soaked raisins is perfect for this time of the year. 

Cherry-Port Swirled Bundt Cake with Almond Streusel ~ #BundtBakers

They say life is a bowl of cherries - I say make those cherries into a bundt cake.

Scandinavian Cardamom Coffee Cake ~ #TheCakeSliceBakers

"Cake is happiness! If you know the way of the cake, you know the way of happiness! 

If you have a cake in front of you, you should not look any further for joy!" C. JoyBell C.

The Cake Slice Bakers December 2013 - Streusel Squares

It is the 20th of the month so it must be Cake Slice Baker's time!  Last month was our big announcement letting everyone know that we will be baking from Great Cakes by Carole Walter for the next year.  The cake that had the winning votes for this month was the Streusel Squares. I have to say that this was the perfect cake to be selected, since it is pretty quick and easy to put together, and it stays fresh for quite a while making it the perfect cake to have on hand for when guests drop in unexpectedly.

To Try Tuesday - Mixed Berry Buckle

When I first saw the recipe for a Blueberry Buckle over at Tracey's Culinary Adventures I knew that I had to make it soon.  Like Tracey I had never made a buckle before, and her cake just looked so enticingly full of blueberries. In the fridge there was a punnet of blueberries, but I also had some raspberries so I decided to make a mixed berry buckle.  I am so glad I pushed it to the top of my To Try list.

A buckle is a is a type of rich, dense cake with a moist crumb which is sometimes compared to coffee cake.  It is made in a single layer with berries added to the batter and has a topping that is similar to a streusel, which gives it a buckled or crumpled appearance.

In a world where there is a huge emphasis on perfection there is something comforting about a cake that has a crumpled appearance.  It makes no apologies and is happy just the way it is, and so it should be.  Both warm from the oven, and cold the next day this cake was delicious.  The tartness of the berries played so well against the sweetness of the cake, that everyone kept going back for just another small piece.  

Growing up, coffee cakes were not very popular in my household.  We tended to have more loaf or pound cake, and sometimes, pie.  When I moved to the United States I was amazed that donuts, waffles, pancakes, and even coffee cake were also considered breakfast items.  My mind could hardly comprehend that the very things I had always though of as dessert could also be breakfast.  A whole new world opened up for me.  I am looking forward to making this buckle again soon, and maybe this time there will actually be some left for breakfast the next morning.

This buckle is not the only thing that I have enjoyed from Tracey's site.  She has so many good things going on over there - including her latest posts for Southwestern Black Bean Salad, Margarita Cupcakes, and Grilled Romaine with Blue Cheese-Bacon Vinaigrette.  If you aren't familiar with her site, Tracey's Culinary Adventures, I highly recommend that you check it out soon.


Mixed Berry Buckle
(Printer Friendly Recipe)

Ingredients

Streusel

• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• pinch salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces & softened

Cake

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 cups fresh blueberries 
• 2 cups fresh raspberries

Preparation
Streusel

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the flour, both sugar, cinnamon and salt on low to combine and break up any brown sugar lumps.
2. With the mixer still on low, add the butter and beat until it is completely incorporated into the dry ingredients, about 2-3 minutes - the mixture will resemble wet sand.
3. Transfer the streusel to another bowl and set aside.

Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the lower third of the oven.
2. Line the bottom of a 9-inch round pan with a round of parchment, then spray the parchment and the pan with nonstick cooking spray with flour.
3. In a small bowl, whisk the flour and baking powder together then set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, salt and lemon zest at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
5. Beat in the vanilla. 
6. Add the eggs, on at a time, beating well after each addition.
7. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture, beating until just about incorporated.
8. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to finish stirring - the batter will be very thick. Gently fold in the blueberries and raspberries. 
9. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan; spread in an even layer.
10. To top with the streusel - pick up a handful of streusel and squeeze to form a clump. Break this large clump into smaller pieces and sprinkle over the batter. Continue until you've used all of the streusel.
11. Bake for about 55 minutes, or until the streusel is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
12. Transfer pan to a wire rack and cool for 15-20 minutes.
13. Run a thin knife around the edges of the cake then invert it onto the rack.
14. Remove the parchment then turn the cake streusel side up and let cool on the wire rack. 

Recipe from Cook's Illustrated via Tracey's Culinary Adventures.

To Try Tuesday - Blackberry Streusel Quick Bread

Did you know that the term streusel comes from the German word streuen meaning 'something scattered or sprinkled'?  I love baked goods that have streusel on top, so when I saw this recipe on the San Jose Examiner website I just knew that streusel times two had to be good.

We have been really lucky to have blackberries at our local Costco for the past few months.  Usually they are eaten before I can use them in my baking, so this time I made sure that everyone knew to leave half of the container for me.




I decided to use pecans in my bread because I like the taste of them more than walnuts, and I still have a big bag of them that I need to use before they go stale.  Rather than chop the nuts separately I just put them in my mini food processor and gave them a rough chop.  I then added the remainder of the streusel ingredients and gave it another quick whirl and it was ready.

The smell of the quick bread baking quickly spread throughout the house, and everyone was soon asking when they could have a piece.   I have to say that it was delicious warm from the oven.  It would be great made with raspberries too, or maybe even a combination of  oth blackberries and raspberries.

Blackberry Pecan Streusel Quick Bread

(Printer Friendly Recipe)

Ingredients

Streusel:

• 1 cup lightly toasted pecan halves, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Quick Bread: 

• 2 cups fresh blackberries, divided
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 9 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon), at room temperature
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• ½ cup sour cream

Preparation

Make the Streusel: 

1. Toss the first 5 ingredients together in a bowl. 
2. Add melted butter and stir until combined. 
3. Divide mixture in half into two bowls; set aside.

Make the Quick Bread: 

1. Arrange oven rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. 
2. Coat a 9”x5” loaf pan with nonstick spray; thoroughly coat with flour, removing any excess.
3. Chop 1 cup of blackberries and toss them with half of the reserved streusel; set aside.
4. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to aerate and combine; set aside.
5. Beat the butter with an electric mixer until soft and creamy. 
6. Add sugar and brown sugar and beat until combined. 
7. Beat in vanilla extract. 
8. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. 
9. Add the dry mixture in three additions, alternately with the sour cream. Begin and end with the dry mixture and beat briefly until just smooth.
10. Scrape half of the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly with a small offset spatula. 
11. Top with streusel/chopped blackberry mixture, forming an even layer. Scrape remaining batter on top, spreading carefully to cover center streusel layer. 
12. Top with remaining streusel and place remaining whole blackberries evenly over top, pressing gently to help adhere.
13. Bake for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a bamboo skewer inserted in the center shows a few moist crumbs when removed. 
14. Cool pan on wire rack for 15 minutes, then unmold directly onto rack, right side up, to cool completely. 
15. Wrap in aluminum foil to store at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Makes 1 9x5” loaf.

 

Recipe adapted from a recipe by Dede Wilson