Thursday, December 23, 2010

Craisin Walnut Sour Cream Coffee Cake


I want to wish all of my Foodbuzz friends a very Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays for those who do not celebrate Christmas.  Since I have joined Foodbuzz, I continue to be amazed at the outpouring of friendship and community, which I have received.  I never new that such a community of caring people existed on the other side of my computer screen. Thank you so much.

I have been making this coffee cake, or variations thereof,  for over 35 years. for Christmas morning. I got the recipe out of my Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, circa, 1967. The coffee cake is a very moist cake with a craisin or raisin, cinnamon walnut filling layered with the cake, so good.  This recipe is another must have Christmas tradition of mine  The original recipe was called Spicy Raisin Coffee Cake.  I started using raisins, until the advent of Craisins.  I have mostly made this cake in a bundt pan, because I didn't have a 9X9 pan, and I still don't.  I have also made this cake in a  large Wilton tree mold pan, but that's a lot of work to decorate. This cake keeps well, if you have any left, and is best, when served warm.

Imagine my surprise when I read The Mom Chef's Walnut-Pear Sour Cream Coffee Cake post  and saw that it was the same basic ingredients, except for the pear filling and having been baked in a springform pan.  Also,  I only used 3 bowls Christiane, one for wet ingredients, one for dry ingredients, and one for the filling:) So you can see, this is a very basic adaptable recipe. You can save yourself two bowls to deal with if you like craisins. I Have always put a vanilla Glaze on the cake to dress it up for Christmas.  I used cinnamon red hots for the holly, and a teeny bit of green frosting in the center. Here is the recipe that I have adapted, and love.


SPICY RAISIN or (Craisin) SOUR CREAM COFFEE CAKE                             Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook Circa1967
Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, sift before measuring
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 cups raisins  or craisins
Preparation:
Cream butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Blend in the sour cream. Sift flour, baking powder, soda, and salt into another bowl; blend into the creamed mixture, mixing well. 

Spread half of the batter in a greased and floured 9-inch square pan, or bundt pan. Mix nuts with 1/2 cup of sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle half of the nut mixture over the batter. Sprinkle all 1 1/2 cups raisins over nut layer. Spoon remaining batter evenly over the raisins; spread carefully. Sprinkle remaining nut mixture over the top.
Bake at 350° for 40-50 minutes, until pick, inserted in middle, comes out clean.  Cool in bundt pan 10-15 min. then remove pan and put on rack.  Serve warm. Glaze, if desired and decorate.  Enjoy!

7 comments:

  1. Hi Becky...this looks just delicious. Don't you love bundt cakes? They are my favorite go-to dessert. I can only imagine how great this variation must taste. I love craisins. Thank you for sharing such sweetness! I hope you have a wonderful day tomorrow. Merry Christmas!

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  2. Becky, so glad I was able to meet you through Foodbuzz too. I love this cake, and I like craisins way better than raisins. You photos just keep getting better and better. Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
    -Gina-

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  3. Monet-Have a wonderful Christmas Eve and Merry Christmas to you and your family!

    Gina- I'm so glad that I met you, too. Thank you for your kind words. I have a lot to learn about photography, and if Santa brings me a new camera, my pice should be even better. Have a wonderful Christmas with your family.

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  4. I love the festive decorations on this. It sounds like a great combo of flavors and it's great that it's been a tradition for so long! I love traditions like this, where a taste or scent brings back lots of great memories. Merry Christmas!

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  5. i love the sound of this cake.. and it looks so very festive too.. happy holidays!

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  6. blackkitchendiaries- This cake is wonderful! Happy Holidays to you and your family!

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  7. Hi Becky! You have been so busy! I can't believe how much you have posted this month! You must be feeling better! Ahh.. that makes me smile! Thanks for stopping by, I always love your comments. I had to smile about Portillos as my husband raves about them every time we come down to Chicago! He says he grew up with Portillos!

    We are in downtown Chicago today - spending a few days in the cities. Yesterday we spent the day at the museum of S&I, lovely.

    By the way, that coffee cake looks delicious! I am going to have to catch up on your posts for December!

    xoxo
    Meg

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