Cake Now, Diet Later: Cranberry Coffee Crumb Cake Recipe

The holiday season winding down often leaves everyone a little sad. No more holiday parties to make excuses not to go to, no more listening to the same annoying Christmas songs blathering on every FM radio station.

As much as I hate seeing abandoned Christmas trees discarded at the curb, I'm looking forward to the end of all-you-can-eat-December. No longer will it be as acceptable to eat cookies for breakfast and cake for lunch - or in my case, cake and then lunch. My jeans are ready to fit me again and I'm actually craving vegetables - a sure sign that my diet has been less-than-stellar (albeit, very tasty).

Many of you are probably setting 2009 resolutions to lose ten pounds, eat more leafy greens or hit the gym at least 5 days a week, yada yada yada. That's all fine and good. I'm right there with you. But before you do that, make this coffee cake.

I'm not the first blogger to test this one out. Kevin from Closet Cooking and Elle from Elle's New England Kitchen had posted mouthwatering reviews of this very same cake. And what can I say? I'm easily convinced.

This would be a perfect addition to your New Year's Eve brunch - as a side dish to a richer meal or as an indulgent dessert on a buffet-style spread.

Cranberry Coffee Crumb Cake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup yogurt (I used vanilla, or sour cream)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cranberry sauce
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup flour

Directions:

For Cake Batter

1. Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat eggs in one at a time.

2. Mix in yogurt, almond and vanilla extract. (Note: I didn't have almond extract on hand so I used entirely vanilla and it worked perfectly).

3. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

4. Stir dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and pour the batter into a greased 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Top with a layer of cranberry sauce.

5. Make Cinnamon Crumb Topping: Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Mix in the salt, cinnamon and flour until crumbs form. Sprinkle the crumbs over the cake.

6. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

Comments

[Sarah]

Mmm. I made one of those earlier this month and it was divine.

But I am so ready to stop making (and devouring) cookies, cakes, and other sweets. I actually made some very tasty Brussels sprouts today because I needed something on the healthy side ...

Soon.

[heather]

ohhh yum. i adore cranberries in cakes. it adds such a wonderful tartness. this looks lovely!!

[mandy]

I love coffee cakes! I am with you on being ready to eat something besides cookies and other holiday junk. I need to find out what else I can make with the KitchenAid besides cookies!

[Lorraine E]

I need to get out of the dessert for breakfast rut I'm currently in! I guess I've got 1.5 more days. Meanwhile that coffee cake looks lovely and the cranberry is a nice touch :)

[Sara]

This sounds great, I love the thick streusel topping. I just used up the last of my cranberry stash.

[Jude]

Cake now (while it's cold and I can hide under a jacket) and diet later. Sounds good to me :)

[Megan]

That looks delicious! I'm saving it for future reference . . . I wish I had more time to whip up all these goodies!

[Micha]

This looks delicious! I bet any jam would be good in there...
I'm not giving up my chocolate chunk oatmeal cookies yet - it took me until the end of December to make them for myself!

I did go to the store and buy a TON of greens this week, though. We had a week with no CSA delivery between the holidays and I was starting to go into leafy green withdrawal :)

Have a great New Year's!

[Valerie Adams]

Very cute blog! Love your posts!

[Kevin]

Looks good! I really enjoyed this cake!

Have a great new years!

[magda]

I love the eating of the season, but part of that is totally the knowledge that it's so short lived! It's good to indulge within parameters, I find. I do well with boundaries : )

[Sarah]

Happy New Year Mar! Wanted to give you a shout out and say that I'm super proud of your blog! I had no idea that occasionally making beer bread and biscotti in college would turn into this.

PS- Which charity are you donating your cookies? How about the Sarah Charity?