CHERRY SOUR CREAM COFFEE CAKE

Cherry Sour Cream Coffee Cake image

I love a good streusel coffee cake. I am always looking for an occasion to make one. (Oh, the mail came early?? Well...) I use my mothers old angel food cake pan that made me many a cake when I was growing up. This recipe made me sit up and take notice when it mentioned brandy soaked cherries. Actually, just the cherries got me. Cherry scones, cherry kutchen...Notice a secret ingredient in the streusel that just adds a little hint of something. This cake is moist, tender and delicious! Oh heck, I think I will go have another little piece.

Provided by Linda Mericle @bakermom2

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

3 cup(s) all-purpose flour
1 cup(s) dried cherries (sweet or sour)
1/2 cup(s) brandy or rum for soaking cherries
1 1/2 cup(s) sugar
1/4 cup(s) butter
3 - eggs
16 ounce(s) container sour cream
1 tablespoon(s) vanilla
2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
2 teaspoon(s) baking soda
1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
STREUSEL TOPPING
1 cup(s) chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup(s) brown sugar
1 teaspoon(s) cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice)
1/2 teaspoon(s) nutmeg (unless using above spice)
2 teaspoon(s) cocoa powder
2 tablespoon(s) melted butter

Steps:

Combine the streusel topping ingredients together in a bowl in the order listed. Stir together with a fork until well blended and set aside.
preheat the oven to 350. Grease a 10" tube pan with removable bottom (angel food cake pan). Then sprinkle a couple of spoonfuls of flour into it, rotating the pan and shaking the flour around bottom and sides. Discard any extra flour.
In a small saucepan, bring the dried cherries and brandy (or liquor or choice) to a boil over high heat. When it is boiling, cover the pan, remove from heat. Let stand 20-30 minutes, until cherries are tender. Then drain excess brandy off. Set cherries aside.
Beat sugar and butter in a standing mixer or with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Beat in sour cream and vanilla.
Add the 3 cups of flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat at low speed just until blended. Stir in cherries with danish whisk or wooden spoon.
Spoon half the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half the streusel topping over it. Dollop the remaining batter over the streusel and smooth it out with the back of a spoon. It helps if the spoon is damp, it sticks less. The top with the remaining streusel.
Bake for 1 hour or until a wooden skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a rack for at least 10 minutes. Loosen the cake from the sides and remove the center of pan, with the cake, to a rack. Using a knife, loosen the cake from the bottom and center. I just cut the cake out, but if you want a presentation, you can use a clean towel, draped over the top of the streusel, carefully inverting off the pan, then placing on a cake plate or platter. Serve cool or warm.