Cindy made this for Swedish Christmas Eveternoon Smorgasbord 2023 and it was divine!
10 servings
Ingredients
Cake
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Topping
2 teaspoons granulated or turbinado sugar
1/4 cup sliced almonds (or chopped almonds)
2 tablespoons powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
Cake
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray, line the bottom of the pan with parchment, then spray the parchment. Set the pan aside.
Use a rubber spatula to stir the sugar and butter together in a large bowl. Mix in the eggs, almond extract, and vanilla to combine.
Sift the flour and salt into the bowl, then mix until just incorporated. Spread into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top.
Topping
Sprinkle the sugar over the cake, then top with the almonds.
Bake 34 to 44 minutes, until the top is light golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Cool the cake on a wire rack, dust with powdered sugar, and serve.
Cake can be stored at room temperature, covered, for up to 2 days or in the freezer, tightly wrapped, for up to 2 months.
1 cup butter, softened 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar 2 eggs (at room temperature) 2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder jam (Smuckers Seedless Black Raspberry Simply Fruit is our favorite)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a stand mixer beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until combined. In a small mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients, then add to the butter mixture and mix until combined. (In a heavy-duty mixture you can put everything in at once and mix for a minute or so.)
Using a 2-teaspoon scoop, place balls of dough about 2″ apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Press your thumb into the dough balls to create a 1/2″ indent. Place about 1/3 of a teaspoon of jam in the intent.
Bake until light brown around the edges, about 12 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the pan for about 5 minutes before removing to a rack.
When completely cool, store in an airtight container with parchment or waxed paper between layers of cookies.
This over-the-top coffee cake (which we love as a dessert too) is super-cinnamony, which is perfect for our family. You can cut back on the cinnamon a bit if you prefer. I usually leave off the drizzle – it looks pretty but between the cinnamon-sugar middle layer and the generous amount of streusel, there’s already plenty of sugar in here…
Note to self: Next time try a half-recipe in a 9×9 pan.
24 servings
Streusel Topping
1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup brown sugar, packed 2 Tablespoons cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon table salt 10 Tablespoons butter, cut up into about 10 pieces, so it will melt more quickly
Cake
1/2 cup butter, softened 8 oz low-fat cream cheese softened 1 cup light brown sugar tightly packed 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon table salt 1/2 cup buttermilk
Cinnamon Ripple
Whisk together in a small bowl 1/4 cup granulated sugar 2 Tablespoons cinnamon
Glaze (optional)
Whisk together in a small bowl 1/2 cup powdered sugar 2-3 teaspoons milk
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 13×9 baking pan.
Prepare the streusel topping: Microwave butter in a small bowl or glass measuring cup for 10 seconds, stir, then another 10 seconds, repeating until just melted. Set aside to cool a bit. In a medium bowl, using a fork, stir together flours, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the melted butter and stir until combined. Set aside.
Make the cake: In a stand mixer, or using an electric mixer in large bowl, cream together butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined. Scrape down sides and bottom of mixing bowl with rubber spatula. Stir in vanilla extract.
In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, cornstarch and salt.
Gradually add flour mixture to wet ingredients, alternating with buttermilk, until all of the flour mixture and buttermilk have been combined.
Spread about half of the batter into prepared pan (batter will be thick). Sprinkle the cinnamon ripple mixture evenly over the batter. Using two teaspoons or a small cookie dough scoop, drop small spoonfuls of the remaining batter evenly over the cinnamon ripple layer, covering it as much as you can. With your fingers, sprinkle streusel evenly over everything. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes (check doneness with a toothpick inserted in center). Allow to cool, then glaze if desired.
Glaze (optional) If desired, make glaze by whisking together powdered sugar and milk. Drizzle over cooled coffee cake with a spoon.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Individual servings are delicious when warmed slightly in the microwave, 10-30 seconds depending on the size of the piece.
Dressing:
3/4 cup light sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup tightly packed chopped fresh dill
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt
Place the potatoes in a big pot with enough water to cover by 1 inch. Season with salt and bring to boil. Cook until tender when pierced with a knife, about 25 minutes. Drain and return to the uncovered pot, off the heat, to remove excess water. Let them sit until almost room temperature. In a large bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients. Taste and adjust as needed. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle easily, peel them and cut into 1/2″ dice, adding them to the bowl as you go. Stir gently with a large rubber spatula to combine.
1 orange, sliced
2 Tablespoons whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
1 handful of fresh or frozen cranberries
1 or 2 short sprigs of evergreen (your Christmas tree won’t mind if you trim a little)
Put the ingredients in a small saucepan. Cover with 2 cups water (or more) and set over low heat. Refill water as needed. Your home will smell heavenly!
Breakfast for 7:
Bring Your Own Coffee
grapefruit supremes (4 grapefruits are plenty)
hot chocolate (2 cups – in carafe)
orange juice
scrambled eggs (14 – could do 12 next time)
Oscar Meyer center cut bacon
Lunardi’s pork sausage links (8)
diner hashbrowns (2 small, unpeeled potatoes in individual portions)
wheat, white, sourdough and cornbread toast
pancakes with lingonberries, Log Cabin, and maple syrup
doughnuts and apple fritters
Dinner for 5:
Sheep Dip with Sumano’s Watsonville Soudough and Trader Joe’s Social Snackers
Onion Dip with Wavy Lays
Carrot Sticks
Beef Ribeye Roast
Sauteed Mushrooms
Broccoli
Scalloped Potatoes
Romaine salad with Pastor Matt’s Herbes de Provence vinaigrette
King’s Hawaiian Savory Rolls
unwrap, set in a rack in a roasting pan, fat side up, at least 3 hours before starting to roast
combine 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper, 1 teaspoon crushed dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried tarragon and spread over all sides of the meat.
heat the oven to 350 degrees F. insert thermometer probe and set for 126 degrees F.
roast for approx 2 hours, until temp is reached. Remove from oven, tent with foil and let rest for about 15-20 minutes until temp reaches 132 degrees F for medium-rare+.
snip string, slice, remove fat if desired, and serve
1.5 sticks butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
zest from one lemon
2 teaspoons cold water
lingonberry jam (and/or apricot, blackberry, etc.)
Preheat oven to 325°F. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in the egg yolks until incorporated. Stir in the flour, ground almonds, and ground cardamom until a flaky dough is formed. Add the zest and water gently working the dough until it forms a ball.
Form dough into balls about 3/4″ in diameter. Place each ball onto the baking stone or baking sheet, pressing your thumb into the center of each and slightly flattening. The cookies will not spread.
Spoon about 1/3 teaspoon lingonberry jam to each thumbprint. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cookies cool for several minutes on the sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Swedish “Lingonberry Caves”
Kristin's Favorite Recipes 