Sour Cherry Almond Crunch Cake
This simple and absolutely delicious coffee cake is another wonderful use of sour cherries. While the fresh season for these gems is behind us, good quality bottled sour cherries work fine in this recipe. Whole milk buttermilk provides tenderness and its distinctive tang. Sour Cherry Almond Crunch Coffee Cake is the perfect treat for brunch or a leisurely weekend or vacation breakfast.
The recipe is from a lovely little book Tea Breads and Coffee Cake, by Elizabeth Alston.
Sour Cherry Almond Crunch Cake
Yield: 1 8-inch cake | of Servings: 10 | Method: Biscuit | Difficulty: Easy |
Ingredients
1 jar (12 to 16 oz) pitted sour cherries, or 12 oz fresh sour cherries, pitted
1 cup (4.65 oz / 132 g) ap flour
â…“ cup (2.35 oz / 66 g) sugar
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
4 tbl (2 oz / 57 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into large pieces
½ tsp almond extract
½ cup plain yogurt or buttermilk
Crunch Topping:
â…“ cup (1.55 oz / 43 g) AP flour
â…“ cup (2.3 oz / 66 g) light brown sugar
¾ cup (2.35 oz / 67 g) sliced almonds, lightly toasted
4 tbl (2 oz / 57 g) unsalted butter, cold
Equipment:
1 8″ cake (brownie) pan
1 8″ parchment paper square
Pre-recipe preparations:
- Drain cherries, dry on a paper towel-lined plate
- Bring yogurt or buttermilk to room temperature
- Prepare cake pan
- Preheat oven the 400°F
Directions:
- Combine dry ingredients in large mixing bowl.
- Using a pastry blender cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Stir almond extract into the yogurt or buttermilk. Add to the dry mixture and gently stir until mixture
comes together into a dough. Spread into the pan. It will be thin. - Scatter the cherries over the dough.
- For the crunch topping, combine the flour and brown sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Add the
butter and almonds and, with your fingers, mix until combined. It will be lumpy. Spread over the
cherries. - Bake until golden brown and the cake tests clean, about 28 to 30 minutes.
- Let cool for 20 minutes, then turn over onto flat plate, and back over onto a cooling rack. Serve just
warm or room temperature.