Honey Almond Coffee Cake with Almond-Honey Streusel Topping

Honey Almond Coffee Cake with Almond-Honey Streusel Topping

YIELD: Makes 12 servings

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup (1 stick) - unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup - granulated sugar

1/2 cup - honey

2 large - eggs, at room temperature

1/2 tsp. - vanilla extract

1/8 tsp. - almond extract

1 3/4 cups - all-purpose flour

1 tsp. - baking powder

1/2 tsp. - baking soda

1/2 tsp. - ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. - salt

1/3 cup - buttermilk, at room temperature

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly butter a 9-inch square or round baking pan.

Place butter and sugar in the large bowl of a stand mixture and beat until light and creamy. Gradually beat in the honey in a thin steady stream. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and almond extract.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together. On low speed gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until blended. Slowly stir in buttermilk until combined.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread to the corners. Crumble the Almond Honey Streusel Topping evenly on the batter. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 T of thin-sliced almonds*. Bake until edges are browned and pulling away from the pan and center is set when touched lightly, 35 to 45 minutes.

Cool completely before cutting into squares and serving. The cake keeps well for several days.

Make the Almond Honey Streusel Topping.

Recipe courtesy of Marie Simmons, cookbook author.