Apple Raisin Coffee Cake

Talk about unexpected oven spring. Yes, it is as big as it looks. I actually used less yeast than the recipe called for. The ladder loaf design split, but it is still pretty. I guess perhaps I should stick to the Swedish Tea Ring, since I know it always turns out perfect.

I really have no business baking, or doing much of anything right now, and frankly I think it shows. On the other hand, I tend to be super-critical of my baking efforts whereas everyone else just notices, "Hey, there's cake." The boys really liked it, and since my taste buds are screwed-up from taking Methotrexate, I'll take their word for it. I can't really taste sweet anymore.

The filling is moist, and the cake could have gone a few more minutes in the oven, but it was browning quickly, so I pulled it out. I wouldn't call it under-baked, but I do wish the centre had been a bit drier. The Summer apples were exceptionally juicy (and tart) which might have contributed to the moisture.

I now have a gigantic coffee cake for three people. I guess I'll be giving away large hunks of it tomorrow. Really, I had no idea it would be that big.


Adapted From The Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook, 1950 ed.

You Will Need:

3/4 cup warm milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup warm water
3 teaspoons granulated yeast
2 eggs
1/2 cup soft butter
4-5 cups AP flour

Filling recipe below:

Combine warm milk, sugar and salt. Stir until dissolved. Dissolve the yeast in warm water and let proof.

Add yeast to cooled milk mixture and beat in eggs and butter. Add the flour a cup at a time and keep adding until dough is no longer sticky. Knead well until smooth. Place in a buttered bowl and let rise 1-2 hours or until doubled in bulk. Punch down dough and let rise a second time until almost doubled in bulk-about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, make the filling.

Filling:

2 cups apples peeled cored and finely chopped
1 cup ground raisins (I just chopped them because I don't bring out my mother-in-law's heirloom metal grinder just for raisins unless I'm making mincemeat by the gallon-the thing weighs a ton)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix together, boil for one minute. Remove from heat and cool before using.

After second rise, roll out dough into a rectangle 14x8 inches. Place dough on a well-buttered heavy baking sheet. In the centre, make a strip of the filling about 3 inches wide. Cut the sides into strips with seven evenly spaced on each side. Criss-cross and tuck the edges in (whole heck of a lot of good it did me) and then tuck the very end pieces under. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise for another 30 minutes while the oven preheats to 375 degrees F.

Mine baked 25 minutes, but do keep an eye on it and maybe poke a toothpick in the centre to see if it is baked through. Remove from oven, transfer to a rack and then place the rack over another baking sheet. Make a glaze of confectioner's sugar and a bit of water and pour generously over the still warm cake. Let cool completely before cutting.