Cranberry~Pecan Coffee Cake

I'm not one to rush through the seasons...or the holidays, but when I was out and about this weekend, I saw several stores with their wrapping papers and ornaments for Christmas out already--Geeze!!  I guess I should have expected it since Halloween candy and costumes have been out since Labour Day!

At our house, we didn't really get into the spirit of Christmas until after Thanksgiving; that was the rule:-))  Thanksgiving was a big deal at our house with preparations for dinner starting at least a week ahead.  I may have a lot of fancy gadgets, double ovens, food processors, stand mixer, etc., but let me tell you I have helped my mom prepare this large meal in a kitchen that was barely a 10' x 12' room with none of that and it was memorable.

Thinking ahead to Thanksgiving, I decided to create a coffee cake that would be perfect to serve to your family either the morning of, or if you have company staying over, the morning after.  My mom and I made up cranberry and pumpkin breads the day before so everyone could have a substantial breakfast without needing to come into the kitchen to make it.  (The night before, we baked pies!)

In 2009, when I was in Kentucky during Kelly's chemo regiment, I flew to my sister's in Virginia for Thanksgiving.  (Our oldest daughter, Erin wanted to be with Kelly during Thanksgiving and I wanted them to have precious time alone together).  Also, I had just reconnected with my sister after 13 years, when Kelly and I made a road trip in June to her house.  She made the traditional cranberry~nut bread, but now has some dietary restrictions and I think I've come up with a delicious way for her to enjoy this coffee cake without worry.  I baked it in a 10-cup ring pan, but you could adapt this recipe to make two loaves just as easily.

Cranberry~Pecan Coffee Cake
Streusel topping:
4T + 1 1/2 tsp. King Arthur all-purpose flour
6 T granulated sugar
2 T firmly packed light brown sugar
3 T unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup pecans 

Using a food processor, combine all the dry ingredients in the bowl and pulse until the pecans are finely ground.  Add the butter and pulse again to combine.

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Spray a 10-cup ring cake pan with baking spray and set aside.

Cake:
1 3/4 cups pecans (toasted in a 350F-degree oven for 8 minutes)
1 1/2 cups + 2 T granulated sugar

Cool toasted pecans, then, combine in the food processor bowl, along with the granulated sugar and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand.

2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3 large eggs
3/4 c milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup + 1T unsalted butter, melted

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients, then, add the pecan/sugar mixture and stir.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the eggs, milk and melted butter and stir to combine.

3 cups fresh cranberries
2 T confectioners' sugar

Once again, using the food processor, combine the cranberries and confectioners' sugar and pulse until the cranberries are a medium chop.  Add them to the batter and stir again.  

Pour batter into the prepared pan(s) and top with the streusel topping.

Bake in the preheated oven for 38-40 minutes until a tester comes out cleanly when poked in the center.

Allow coffee cake to cool for about 10 minutes, then place a plate, covered with wax paper, over top and invert.  

Place your choice of serving platters over the bottom of the cake and invert once more so the streusel is on top again.

Vanilla Glaze: 
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 T Light Karo syrup
1/2 tsp. Orange juice powder
1-2 T very warm water

Mix ingredients together thoroughly and drizzle over the top of the streusel.

Times flies, but having baking plans will help the hectic season that is about to befall us in November.  This coffee cake will make a wonderful morning treat or serve it at "tea time." Enjoy! 

Congratulations to Susan from "Writing Straight from the Heart"--your name was chosen for the Sunflower pendant necklace!  Please email me your address so I can mail this gift to you, XOXO