Recipe: Cherry Almond Coffee Cake

Best Overall Quick Bread
Roxanne Goodwin of Minnetrista, 2015 Minnesota State Fair

Cherry Almond Coffee Cake

Streusel:
1/2 brown sugar-packed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter-melted
1/2 cup slivered almonds-roasted and chopped*
1 tablespoon Gold Medal Unbleached Flour

Batter:
3/4 cup unsalted butter-softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
4 large eggs-room temperature
2 1/2 Gold Medal Unbleached Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sour cream-room temperature
1 cup dried cherries-chopped

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 9-inch round cake pans spreading a thin layer of shortening on bottom and sides of pans. Add parchment liner and spread with thin layer of shortening. Dust with flour and tap out any excess flour. Set aside.

In a small bowl, add brown sugar, melted butter, almonds and flour. Mix to combine and set aside.
In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment add butter, sugar, vanilla and almond extracts. Beat together until light and fluffy about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time; beating well after each addition. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Begin adding the flour mixture to mixing bowl alternating with the sour cream. Begin and end with the flour mixture just until flour is moist. Do not overbeat. Dust cherries with flour. Gently fold cherries into batter.

Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Divide the streusel mix in half and sprinkle evenly over each pan. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Cakes are done when cake tested is inserted and comes out clean. Tops of cakes should be golden brown. Let cakes cool on wire racks for ten minutes. Remove from pans and continue cooling until ready to serve. Makes two 9-inch coffee cakes.

*To roast slivered almonds: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place almonds on piece of foil and roast in oven for 3-5 minutes. Watch closely so the nuts do not burn. Remove and cool.