I make my festive-looking coffee cakes at Christmas and for winter breakfasts. The recipe makes three cakes, so it’s perfect if you plan to hand out a few gifts as brunch guest leave. Feel free to experiment with the dried fruits if you’d like.
—KELLEY WINSHIP WEST RUTLAND, VT
PREP: 40 MIN. + RISING • BAKE: 15 MIN. • MAKES: 3 COFFEE CAKES
2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream
2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 eggs, beaten
5 1/4 to 6 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) finely chopped dried apricots
1 1/2 cups finely chopped maraschino cherries
2 tablespoons butter, melted
ICING
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons water
1. In a saucepan, heat sour cream until lukewarm. Set aside. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water; add sour cream, softened butter, sugar, salt, eggs and 2 cups flour. With an electric mixer, beat until smooth. Stir in just enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough.
2. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
3. Punch dough down; divide into three equal parts. On a lightly floured surface, roll each part into a 15x6-in. rectangle. Place on greased baking sheets.
4. With a scissors, make 2-in. cuts at 1/2-in. intervals on the long sides of rectangle. Combine apricots and cherries; spread one-third of the mixture down the center of each rectangle.
5. Crisscross strips over filling. Stretch dough to 22 in. and curve to form cane. Let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 375°. Bake 15-20 minutes. While warm, brush canes with melted butter. Combine icing ingredients and drizzle over tops.