What a fantastic time of year! Berries are here, tomatoes are within reach, and now this week my good friend has shared her cherry bounty with me.
How fortunate I am to have friends who share such gems with me! If you are lucky enough to have a cherry tree in your yard, or a kindly neighbor who has a cherry tree, may I suggest this delightful cherry coffee cake.
Make a cherry coffee cake for your favorite neighbor or a good friend. Share YOUR bounty! This is a recipe that will make 2 loaf pans.
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Cherry Coffee Cake
2 sticks butter 4 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons salt 2 cups sugar 2 tablespoons fresh orange zest 4 eggs 1 tablespoon vanilla 2 cups sour cream 2 cups fresh pitted cherries
Topping
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ sticks of butter
Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar 2 tablespoons milkFor glaze: Whisk together until completely smooth. Set aside to drizzle over cooled cake.
For the Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the pans for your coffee cake by buttering them.
In a small bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In the bowl of the electric mixer of your choice, beat the butter, sugar, eggs, zest and vanilla on medium until light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture alternating with the sour cream and beginning and ending with the flour. Beat until just combined.
Place about half the batter into the prepared pans.
lop the cherries in a single layer on top of the batter. Top evenly with the remaining batter. Sprinkle the topping over the batter.
Bake until the cake is golden brown and the aroma of a fresh vanilla cherry coffee cake becomes too irresistible, or in about 40 minutes.
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Andrea Charroin was a trained baker and pastry chef in San Francisco before she, her husband Westley, and their two sons moved to Redding nine years ago. After falling in love with Redding’s downtown, Andrea and Westley opened a little pastry shop, Rene-Joule Patisserie, across from the Cascade Theatre. For the three years Rene-Joule was in business, it was renowned for making everything from scratch, using the best ingredients and keeping with a seasonal menu. To this day, Andrea is still asked about her Marathon Bars, Orange Twists and sourdough bread.
Copyright 2008 Andrea R. Charroin
