Cranberry Almond Coffee Cake


Yields two 8 inch cakes

Cakes
2 cups (230g) fresh cranberries or frozen (thawed)
6 tablespoons (98g) light brown sugar
2 cup (260g) all-purpose flour
2/3 cup (135g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 1/3 cups (243g) full fat sour cream
1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon almond extract
8 oz. almond paste
4 tablespoons sliced almonds

Icing
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
2-2 1/2 teaspoons milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 8 inch round cake pans with flour-based baking spray, or grease and flour.

Place the cranberries in a medium bowl and add brown sugar; toss to coat and set aside. Combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together until incorporated. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the egg, sour cream, melted butter, and almond extract. Beat until well blended. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix together on low speed until just combined. Use a large spatula to scrape down the bowl and fold batter together to make sure no pockets of flour or wet ingredients remain.

Divide half of the batter between the two prepared pans. The batter will be thick and sticky, so coat a rubber spatula with cooking spray and use it to press the batter evenly into the pans (re-spray as needed). Top each pan of batter with 1/4 of the brown sugar-coated cranberries. Cut almond paste in half and crumble one half of the paste into each pan over the cranberries. Divide the remaining batter between the two pans. Spread evenly with a greased rubber spatula. Divide the remaining brown sugar-coated cranberries between the two pans; sprinkle with the sliced almonds. 

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the cakes are golden brown on top and a toothpick tester inserted into the centers comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to the skewer. Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the icing, stir together the confectioners’ sugar, milk and almond extract in a medium bowl. Add additional milk if needed to thin. Drizzle the icing over the cooled cakes. Serve.

Refrigerate leftovers. Bring cake to room temperature or warm in the microwave or oven before serving.