TopIt was a welcome respite this week to bake a quick and easy coffee cake.  This is truly a simple recipe.  The most difficult component is boiling the sugar which really requires nothing more than a watchful eye.

SideButter, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt are combined in a sauce pan and allowed to boil until the mixture reaches 330 degrees.  This mixture is then poured into a prepared cake pan and swirled to cover the bottom.  Cranberries are strewn on top to cover.

toppingReady to bakeThe batter is a very simple one.  Eggs, sour cream and vanilla whisked together.  Flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt are combined using a stand mixer.  Butter and sour cream are added and mixed until the dry ingredients are moistened.  The egg mixture is then added in several additions and mixed to combine.  That’s it.  The batter is poured over the cranberries and the cake is baked about 35 minutes or until done.

bakedcoolingWhen baked, loosen the edge of the cake and turn it out onto a serving plate leaving the cake pan in place for several minutes.  Lift off the cake pan and brush the top with the melted raspberry jam.

The cake base is light and moist with a wonderful vanilla flavor.  A perfect base for many fruit toppings.  The cranberries are juicy and tart and the raspberry glaze adds a hint of fruity sweetness to the tartness of the cranberries.

A very nice addition to the bakers repertoire and certainly easy enough to put together when unexpected company arrives.  With this cake base in hand the possibilities for toppings are limited only to your imagination.

sidebaked