Spiced Prune Almond Coffee Cake Recipes

SHABBAT COFFEE CAKE WITH RED WINE-SOAKED PRUNES

Steps:

• For the prunes: In a small pot, combine the prunes, granulated sugar, wine and cinnamon stick if using. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the wine reduces by about a quarter and the mixture becomes syrupy, 15 to 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the prunes cool to room temperature. Transfer to a container, cover and refrigerate until you're ready to make the cake. (You can do this up to a week ahead of time and keep them chilled until ready to use.)
• For the streusel topping: Combine the flour, dark brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a mixing bowl. Break up any lumps of sugar with your hands, and then mix to evenly distribute all the ingredients. Add the melted butter and vanilla, and with a fork, gently mix the mixture together until large crumbles form. Use your hands and continue to gently mix until the topping is in crumbled bits ranging in size from a small marble to a lentil. Cover and place the streusel in the refrigerator to chill while you mix the cake.
• For the cake: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with a circle of parchment paper and then butter the bottom and sides with 1 tablespoon of the softened butter. Set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Mix in the salt and set aside.
• In another mixing bowl, cream together the remaining 7 tablespoons of butter with the granulated sugar, vanilla extract and vanilla seeds. I like to do this with a large, stiff spatula, or a wooden spoon, beating the mixture for 2 minutes. Add the eggs and mix to fully combine. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the butter mixture, and gently fold them together until uniform. Last, add the sour cream and gently fold it through the batter until just combined. A few streaks is ok; you don't want to overmix it.
• Remove the prunes from the red wine syrup, straining off the liquid. Save the liquid for later! It's great drizzled on fruit or ice cream. Roughly chop the prunes and set aside.
• Transfer half of the batter to the prepared pan, and smooth it out into an even layer with a spatula. Add the chopped prunes in an even layer and then cover with the remaining batter, smoothing it out into an even layer. Remove the streusel from the fridge and gently break up any large clusters with your hands. Top the cake with the streusel crumbles in an even layer.
• Bake until set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs, 50 to 55 minutes.
• Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a heatproof surface for at least 1 hour. Release the outer ring of the springform pan, running a butter knife around the edges if the cake seems to stick in any areas. I like to leave the cake on the bottom round of the pan for easy serving.
• Place the coffee cake on a serving platter or cake stand and using a small, fine strainer, dust the powdered sugar all over the top of the cake. Slice and enjoy. Shabbat Shalom!

ALMOND COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• 1.Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• 2.Spray a 9-inch spring form pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• 3.Combine the flour and ¾ cup sugar in a bowl.
• 4.Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• 5.Reserve 1 cup of the mixture and set it aside. To the remaining crumb mixture add the baking powder, salt, sour cream, 1 egg, and almond extract. Blend well.
• 6.Spread the batter in pan. In a separate mixing bowl combine cream cheese, cottage cheese and ¼ cup sugar and beat with the paddle attachment of the mixer.
• 7.Add the remaining egg and beat an additional minute until blended well.
• 8.Pour the cheese mixture over the batter in the pan.
• 9.Combine the reserved crumb mixture with almonds. Sprinkle over the cheese mixture in the pan.
• 10.Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes or until cheese mixture is set and cake is firm and slightly pulling away from the sides of the pan. Cool before removing the sides of the pan and serving.

ALMOND PRUNE CAKE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan cook prunes and 80 ml prune juice on low heat for 8-10 minutes, or until the liquid has evaporated and about 2 tablespoons are left. Cool.
• Pour the prunes and 2 tbs of prune juice into a food processor, add the remaining prune juice (120 ml), olive oil and vanilla extract. Mix until the ingredients are well combined. Set aside.
• Whit a hand held mixer whisk the eggs with sugar until frothy, 3-4 minutes.
• Mix the ground almonds, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl and add to the egg mixture. Stir to combine.
• Add the prune mixture and stir until all the ingredients are well combined.
• Pour the batter into a 23 x 33 cm baking pan greased with olive oil and bake in a preheated oven at 170°C for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

SPICED PRUNE-ALMOND 'COFFEE' CAKE

Steps:

• For cake:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Generously butter 10-inch (12-cup) tube pan. Sprinkle half of almonds into pan. Tilt to coat bottom and halfway up sides with nuts (do not tap out excess). Combine buttermilk, instant coffee, vanilla and almond extracts in small bowl. Stir until coffee dissolves. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and ground cloves into medium bowl.
• Using electric mixer, cream butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Slowly mix in dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix in prunes and orange peel. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining almonds. Bake until tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool 30 minutes in pan on rack. Turn cake out onto rack. Quickly turn upright onto platter and cool until just warm.
• For glaze:
• Combine brown sugar, butter and cream in heavy small saucepan. Stir over medium-high heat until butter melts. Boil 2 minutes. Mix in instant coffee granules. Cool slightly. Drizzle glaze over cake.
• Garnish cake with orange slices and cinnamon stick if desired and serve warm or at room temperature.