Raspberry and Cream Crumb Cake

I've been thinking about this recipe for a while.  A few posts back I wrote about crumb cake muffins, and the topping has had me fascinated ever since.  After Christmas, my co-worker Tom (we call him "Tommy T!") came back from Long Island and brought in a crumb cake his mom  had made over the holidays.  It was amazing, with a crumb topping so thick and buttery that I was in awe of her skill!  It had been a very long time since I'd had crumb cake (Entenmann's maybe?), and suddenly it was very apparent what I'd been missing and didn't even know it!

In thinking about baking a true crumb cake, I wanted something unique, something my own.  I found highly-rated recipes on-line for a plain crumb cake, or a blueberry version, but I kept thinking about raspberry.  I love, love, love a raspberry cheese danish, and this recipe is my crumb cake version of that favorite.  I made a basic coffee cake base, then a cheesecake batter to dollop on top, and then melted red raspberry preserves to spoon over the top of that.  Then I took a big spoon and turned the batters over in wide sweeps to keep each part identifiable while creating a swirl of all three luscious components.  Once the swirling was complete, I sprinkled a crumb topping over the whole thing.  It sounds like a lot more work than it really is.  It didn't take long to put it together.  It's baking now as I write this post.  It is an experiment, but I hope it is a successful one.   My co-workers will be the judges tomorrow morning (surprise!).  First, photos, and then the recipe:

All that's left is the taste-testing at work tomorrow!

Here's the recipe:


RASPBERRY AND CREAM CRUMB CAKE
inspired by Ina Garten's Blueberry Crumb Cake
takes about an hour to bake

Oven 350 degrees F
Grease or spray 9-10" springform pan

Coffee Cake Base:

6 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract or 1/2 tsp. grated lemon rind
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Beat butter and sugar for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla extract.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.  Add sour cream and mix well.

Stir together dry ingredients in small bowl.  Add to butter/sugar mixture and beat will until thoroughly combined, scraping bowl as necessary.

Spread batter in prepared pan.

Make cheesecake filling:

1 bar (8 oz.) cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
2 tbsp. all purpose flour

Beat cream cheese and sugar until well combined.  Add egg and beat well.  Add sour cream, vanilla, and lemon extract.  Beat well.  Add flour and beat until completely incorporated.

Drop cheesecake batter in dollops over top of coffee cake batter.

In microwave, melt 1/4 cup red raspberry preserves, about 45 seconds.  Stir to smooth out lumps.  Spoon over dollops of cheesecake batter.

With soup spoon, turn batter over, turning pan as you go.  To do this, drop the spoon in the center of the pan and pull it under to the outside edge, and then up and back to the center, about six or eight times in wide sweeps, rotating the pan until you've gone all the way around.  You'll have a nice swirl of batters.

Make streusel topping:

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
8 tsp. butter, melted

Mix dry ingredients in medium bowl.  Pour melted butter over top, and with pastry blender or a fork, work the butter into the dry mixture until you have a loose crumb topping.

Sprinkle the crumb topping over the batters in the pan, completely covering the surface.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 55 minutes to one hour or until cake tests done.  NOTE:  ovens vary - you may have to bake this for a shorter or longer period of time.  Make sure you test with a toothpick or knife and that it comes out clean.  Start testing around 50 minutes.  Mine had to go for over an hour...


Once out of the oven, cool completely.  Once cooled, run knife around edge of pan to make sure it doesn't stick and when it moves freely all the way around, release the spring and remove the side of the pan.

Dust top with confectioners sugar.

Still warm - couldn't wait!

You can see the cheesecake and raspberry...