Fruited Coffeecake

This is an easy scratch coffeecake for sharing; one for the family, one for company or good friend. I have lost track of where I stumbled onto this yeast coffeecake that is best served the day it is baked.

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 2 coffeecakes, 6 servings each

Ingredients

Topping Ingredients
1/3 C flour
1/4 C unsalted butter, softened
1/2 C chopped nuts
1 tsp cinnamon (necessary for apple filling!)

Cake Ingredients
1 pkg dry yeast + 1/4 C warm water
1/4 C unsalted butter, softened
1/3 sugar
1/4 C milk, warmed to 110°
2 eggs
1-1/2 C whole wheat white flour
1-3/4 C unbleached flour

21oz can of fruit pie filling OR 1-1/2 C homemade fruit filling.

Directions

In small bowl mix the first four ingredients until crumbly and set aside for crumb topping.

1/4 C warm water + 1 package dry yeast; stir until yeast dissolves, add sprinkle of sugar to proof and set aside until foamy.

In large bowl, mix butter, sugar, milk, eggs and 1-1/2 cups of flour, then add yeast mixture. Beat at high speed for 2 minutes. Stir in enough unbleached flour to make a stiff batter. Spread evenly in two greased 8 or 9-inch cake pans.

Spoon one-half of a 21 ounce can of fruit pie filling over each batter in a ring shape, leaving the center unfilled. Sprinkle with crumb mixture. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour until doubled in size. Bake at 375° for 20 to 25 minutes or until done. Cool in pans on wire racks to serving temperature.

Optional: drizzle with sugar glaze (1 C confectioner’s sugar + enough milk for drizzle consistency) before serving. This recipe also makes a smashing dessert warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

I often make a quick filling of a generous cup of leftover fresh fruit or remnants of bags of frozen berries with 1 tblsp cornstarch dissolved in 1/2 C fruit juice. Cook on the stovetop until thickened, cool just to lukewarm before topping onto the batter … the warm fruit boosts the yeast rise!

Categories: Breads, Coffee Cake, Desserts, Other Desserts, Pastries, Yeast Breads

Submitted by: ruthmarie on May 4, 2010