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GREAT COFFEE CAKES, STICKY BUNS, MUFFINS & MORE 200 Anytime Treats and Special Sweets from Morning to Midnight by Carole Walter Clarkson Potter October 2007 $35.00/Hardcover with jacket ISBN-13: 978-0-307-23755-2 Back to book information

3 cups sifted cake flour, spooned in and leveled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly firm
2 cups superfine sugar
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons very fresh instant coffee crystals, dissolved in 1 tablespoon boiling water
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup Irish whiskey or scotch
1 cup sour cream
Powdered sugar for dusting, or Midnight Chocolate Glaze

Position the rack in the lower third of the oven. Heat the oven to 325° F. Generously butter a 9-inch Bundt pan, dust with flour, then invert it over the kitchen sink and tap firmly to remove the excess flour. Set aside.

In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk together the cake flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

Cut the butter into 1-inch pieces and place in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the butter on medium speed until smooth and lightened in color, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar gradually, about 1-2 tablespoons at a time, taking 6 to 8 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, about 1 minute apart, scraping the side of the bowl as needed. Blend in the dissolved coffee and the vanilla extract.

Reduce the mixer speed to low. Stir the Scotch into the sour cream and add the mixture alternately with the dry ingredients, dividing the flour into 3 parts and the sour cream mixture into 2 parts, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix just until blended after each addition. Scrape the side of the bowl and mix for 10 seconds longer.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top with the bottom of a large soupspoon, and bake for 1 hour and 15-20 minutes. The cake is done when the top is springy to the touch, and a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted deeply into the center comes out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven and let stand on a cooling rack for 20 minutes. Invert the cake onto the rack, gently lift off the pan, and cool the cake completely. When ready to serve, dust with powdered sugar. Note: If using the Midnight Chocolate Glaze, while the cake is on the cooling rack, make the Glaze. Place the cake over a rimmed cookie sheet, and glaze while it is still warm. If desired, after glazing, sprinkle the top of the cake with shaved chocolate.

Storage
Store the cake under a glass cake dome, or covered with aluminum foil for up to 5 days. This cake may be frozen.

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned in and leveled
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup (1-13 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly firm
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries, washed and well dried

Prepare a small recipe of Carole's Favorite Streusel. Set aside.

Position the shelves in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Heat the oven to 375ºF. Line the muffin pans with paper or foil cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Set aside.

Cut the butter into 1-inch pieces and place in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the lemon zest and blend on medium speed until smooth and lightened in color, about 1 minute. Add the sugar in a steady stream, then blend in the egg and vanilla, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, dividing the flour into three parts and the buttermilk into two, starting and ending with the flour. Mix just until blended after each addition.

Portion half scoops of the batter into the prepared pans using a no. 16 ice cream scoop (1/4 cup capacity). Make a layer of blueberries placed evenly over the batter, then place a dollop of batter on top of the blueberries. It's okay for the berries to show. Take a handful of the streusel topping and crumble it over the batter and berries completely covering the top with the crumbs. Press gently to adhere. Brush any stray crumbs from the top of the muffin pans using a small pastry brush.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the streusel topping is golden brown. To ensure even baking, towards the end of baking time, rotate the pans top to bottom and front to back. Remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool.

Storage
Store at room temperature, tightly wrapped in aluminum foil for up to 3 days. These muffins may be frozen.

Variation: Raspberry Buttermilk Muffins with Streusel Topping

1 small recipe Carole's Favorite Streusel
Batter for Zack's Blueberry Buttermilk Muffin batter (above)
Two (6-ounce) packages fresh raspberries, washed and well dried

Follow the recipe for the Blueberry Buttermilk Muffins replacing the blueberries in Step 5 with raspberries. Proceed with the recipe as written.

Place the butter in a heavy bottomed 2-quart saucepan for a small recipe or a 3-quart saucepan for a large recipe, and heat until almost melted; remove from the heat and cool to tepid.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and nuts if using. Add to the butter and stir with a fork until blended and mixture begins to form crumbs. Gently squeeze the mixture with your hand to form larger lumps, then break them apart with your fingertips. Before using, let the streusel stand 10 to 15 minutes.

1-1/2 cups sour cream
1 teaspoon baking soda

Nut Mixture
1-1/4 cups toasted pecans (pg.000)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Batter
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour, spooned in and leveled
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly firm
1-3/4 cups superfine sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream and baking soda. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

Position the rack in the lower third of the oven. Heat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter a 10-inch tube pan and line the bottom with baking parchment. Butter the parchment and set aside.

Make the nut mixture
Place the pecans, granulated and dark brown sugars, and cinnamon in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse 5 or 6 times or until the nuts are medium chopped. Set aside.

Make the batter
In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt, and set aside.

Cut the butter into 1-inch pieces and place in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until smooth and lightened in color, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, taking 6 to 8 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed. Blend in the vanilla extract.

Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream, dividing the flour into four parts and the sour cream into three parts, starting and ending with the flour. Mix until just blended after each addition. Scrape down the side of the bowl again.

Spoon two-thirds of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle one-half of the nut mixture evenly over the batter. Cover the mixture with the remaining batter, distributing it evenly over the nuts. Smooth the batter with the back of a large soupspoon or a small offset spatula, spreading it to the side of the pan first, before spreading it toward the center. (To prevent the nut mixture from being disturbed, do not pick up the spoon as the batter is spread.) Sprinkle with the remaining nut mixture, pressing it gently into the batter with a clean soupspoon.

Bake the cake for about 1 hour, and 10-15 minutes. The cake is done when the top is golden brown, springy to the touch, and a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted deeply in the center comes out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven and let stand on a cooling rack for 25 to 30 minutes. Holding the tube, lift the cake from the outer ring and place it on the cooling rack. Cool for another 20 to 30 minutes. To remove the cake from the tube section, cut a 2-inch hole in the center of a 12-inch piece of aluminum foil and place it directly onto the top of the cake, cupping the foil around the side to hold the topping in place. Cover with a cooling rack, invert the cake, and carefully lift off the tube section and the parchment paper. Cover with another rack and invert again. Remove the aluminum foil and cool right side up.

Storage
Store the cake under a glass cake dome, or tightly covered with plastic wrap for up to 5 days. This cake may be frozen.