Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake (TCS)

After a year of baking some really delicious and TALL cakes from Sky High: Irresistable Triple Layer Cakes, The Cake Slice group has switched gears and has moved on to a new cake baking book. After a vote (we're so democratic, aren't we?), the group has chosen to bake recipes from Southern Cakes by Nancie McDermott. In the introduction of the book, Nancie shares the following:

"I invite you to take a little journey through this collection of Southern cakes. Perhaps you will come across some old friends and meet some new neighbors, since the South, like all the world, grows and changes every day, while still remaining essentially its same old self. I hope that while sampling these pages you will remember something about a cake you once ate or a person who taught you something about cooking and eating and the sacred nature of food."

I couldn't have said it any better.

Cinnamon-Pecan Coffee Cake is the first recipe selected from the book, and it's a perfect recipe to bid summer adieu and welcome fall. Mind you, we have yet to cool down in Southern California, so I'll have to imagine the crisp, cool autumn weather as I enjoy this cake.

Cinnamony and buttery (3 1/2 sticks of buttery goodness --- this is not a typo), this decadent breakfast cake is total comfort food. I didn't have any raisins in the house, so I opted for mini bittersweet chocolate chips. I would recommend not shortchanging on the nuts, as it really provided and nice crunch and flavor to the cake.


Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake
from Southern Cakes by Nancie McDermott

For the Cake
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup milk
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs

For the Cinnamon Raisin Filling
1½ cups light brown sugar
3 tbsp all purpose flour
3 tbsp cinnamon
1½ cups raisins
1½ cups coarsely chopped pecans
¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter, melted

Method
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 by 9 inch pan.

To make the filling, combine the light brown sugar, flour and cinnamon in a bowl and stir with a fork to mix everything well. Combine the raisins and pecans in another bowl and toss to mix them. Place the cinnamon mixture, nut mixture and melted butter by the baking pan to use later.

To make the cake batter, combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Stir the vanilla into the milk. In a large bowl combine the butter and sugar and beat with a mixer on high speed until pale yellow and evenly mixed, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl to ensure a good mix. Add the eggs and beat for another 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl now and then, until the mixture is smooth and light.

Use a large spoon or spatula to add about a third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir only until the flour disappears. Add a third of the milk and mix in. Repeat twice more until all the flour and milk mixtures have been incorporated. Stir just enough to keep the batter smooth.

Spread half the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half the cinnamon mixture over the batter followed by half the melted butter. Scatter half the raisins and nuts over the top. Spread the remaining batter carefully over the filling, using a spatula to smooth the batter all the way to the edges of the pan. Top with the leftover cinnamon, butter and nut mixture, covering the cake evenly.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the cake is golden brown, fragrant and beginning to pull away from the edges of the pan. Place the pan on a wire rack and allow to cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes before serving in squares right from the pan. The cake is delicious hot, warm or at room temperature.

20 comments:

Katie said...

your cake looks fabulous and I am in love with the idea of using chocolate chips - sounds divine!

Lori said...

i KNEW there had to be a reason that cake looked jaw-droppingly amazingly heart-stoppingly wonderful. it's a southern cake. as an 8th generation texan - and i've lived all over the deep south - i know that when a southerner brings something baked, whatever else there is to eat will be irrelevant.

gorgeous. i'm putting this on delicious so i can make it this weekend! beautiful photos of your beautiful cake.

Jo said...

Your coffee cake looks absolutely scrumptious and I too like the idea of adding in choc chips.

grace said...

that is one awesomely-swirled coffee cake! what an delicious and appetizing filling--the massive amount of butter doesn't cow me for a second. :)

Ingrid_3Bs said...

Oh, my! That swirl of yours is serious business.
~ingrid

The Food Librarian said...

Oh...this is lovely! I love it!!! I'll have to make this after my Bundt crazyness is over. - mary

Eliana said...

WHOA - that's a lot of butter. I bet it tastes great though. (because its look incredible)

steph- whisk/spoon said...

mmm...that looks good! i can just taste that sugary, spicy topping all over again!

Steph said...

WOW!! Your cake looks amazing. The topping looks too good!

Megan said...

That's my idea of a good time - chocolate chips instead of raisins.

I am totally going to make this cake - and soon.

Unknown said...

Now that looks like a really yummy breakfast treat! :)

Monica H said...

I was THIS close to adding chocolate chips to my coffee cake and now I wish I had!

Your cake looks great.

Pamela said...

After looking at this picture, I would skip the raisins even if I had them in the house. Looks decadent and delicious!

Rachel said...

I did choco chips too!Scrumptious cake!

Sherri Murphy said...

Whoa! Looks scrumptious!

Joy said...

Hi Linda!

I just wanted to stop by and introduce myself- My name is Joy and I’m one of the newbie Cake Slice bakers. I’m really looking forward to meeting other members, and I hope to have the chance to get to know you better as we bake our way through Southern Cakes :)

Your coffee cake looks just beautiful- you did a fantastic job! I love the substitution of the chocolate chips, and definitely plan on giving that a try next time I make this recipe. So yummy!

If you have a chance, I’d love for you to stop by my blog, “Hot Oven, Warm Heart,” and say hello- it’d be wonderful to hear from you!

Hope you have a great rest of your week and a relaxing weekend!

Fondly,
Joy
http://hotovenwarmheart.wordpress.com/

Serena@TentarNonNuoce said...

Linda, I have to ask you a cooking-question, could you please write me an e-mail at buffagniserena@gmail.com ? so that I can have your address and then write you to explain my "problem"? thank you very much

Serena

symphonious sweets said...

Love the addition of chocolate with the cinnamon.. what a great flavor combination!

natalia said...

Ciao Linda ! Great job ! Love your pictures !!!

The Wife said...

Your pictures are beautiful! I've always thought of coffee cake as kind of boring - but this recipe is proof that it can be amazing. I will definitely have to try this recipe out!

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