Cranberry-Apple-Almond Streusel Cake

I’m still working on satisfying my autumn cravings!  After seeing this cake on Pinterest recently, I was taken by the creamy texture of this coffee cake dotted with bright red cranberries.  The word ‘almond’ in the title had me excited to make it. 

When I found the recipe and read the list of ingredients there weren’t even any almonds in it!  Just a tiny bit of almond extract.  So, I made a few changes and added some chopped almonds to the streusel topping and also added some chopped apples to the cranberries in the filling.

The result was a wonderfully delicious fall dessert – perfect for snacking on any time of day! Actually, I’ve been snacking on it for several days so I know it keeps well covered and refrigerated.

If you don’t like cranberries (growing up in Wisconsin, it’s in your DNA), you could substitute reconstituted dried cherries.  I like to reconstitute dried cherries in a little Kirsch liqueur but Triple Sec or Grand Marnier would also make good reconstituting liquids as well as plain orange juice.

A little sprinkle of powdered sugar, slice and enjoy!  The generous amount of sour cream in this recipe creates a moist, almost creamy texture.  I found I had to bake it slightly longer than the recipe stated. This would make a delicious dessert for a holiday brunch! 

As October draws to a close, we are surrounded by a sea of yellow, which means that soon the trees will be bare. I can’t complain, it’s been a beautiful October – one of the nicest I can remember. 

Printable Recipe

Serves 12 or More

Note: I used a 9-inch spring-form pan with 3″ sides. You could also use a 10″ spring-form pan with 2″ sides.

Cake:

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used half white whole-wheat flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1-1/2 cups sour cream
2 cups fresh cranberries, rinse and dried
1 cup (1 large) apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2 inch dice
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 heaping teaspoon flour

Streusel Topping:

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped almonds (I used slivered almonds and chopped them coarsely)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter the pan or spray with Baking Spray such as Bakers Joy

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder (be sure it’s fresh). Set aside.

In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light. Add the eggs, one at a time, until blended. Add the extracts and sour cream and mix together. Add the flour mixture and mix until combined.

In a small bowl, toss the cranberries and apple chunks and toss with the sugar and flour. Fold the fruit into the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

To make the streusel, place all ingredients into a medium bowl. Work in the butter with your fingers or pastry cutter until everything is blended and crumbly. Sprinkle over the batter in the pan and level with your fingers.

Bake the cake until golden brown, approximately 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick insert in the center comes out clean. Note: My cake took slightly longer because I used a deeper pan. Cool in the pan on a rack for about 30 minutes and remove the side of the spring-form pan.