This is a cake without expectations. You don’t even need to think of yourself as a baker to make it. {Talking to you, Mom.}
How’s that?
Because this whole-grain, not-very-sweet, fruit-filled cake doesn’t even require an electric mixer. You can mix the streusel topping with your fingers while you’re still half asleep, then mix the batter together in a single bowl.
Pop it into the oven on your second cup of coffee and then daydream while it bakes.
Daydream, you say? Or eat an egg. Pet the cat. Call a friend in a different time zone. Read anything but the news.
Have you just sat and done anything like that recently amidst all the noise in the world? And how incredibly good you feel as you remember what fully inhabiting a single moment can be like?
Then, as your reward, eat this warm coffee cake that you barely remember mixing. Hold onto this feeling–and this recipe–when the holidays are upon us.
Make it for a holiday breakfast or bring it to a party or wrap it in a bow and bring it to someone who needs to be remembered.
And enjoy it.
Pear Spelt Streusel Coffee Cake
I created this recipe as another way to use extra sourdough starter. But you do not need to be a sourdough baker to make this moist whole-grain coffee cake. See the notes for a simple substitution.
For the streusel:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice or cardamom
- 1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
- pinch salt
For the cake:
- 1 cup spelt flour (or whole wheat pastry flour)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 baking soda
- 1 cup sourdough starter, fed within the past three days (or see notes for substitution)
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1 egg
- 2 medium ripe pears, peeled, cored and diced (about 2 cups)
- 2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger (optional)
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To make the streusel, combine the butter, brown sugar, flour, allspice, walnuts and salt in a small bowl until well combined and set aside.
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Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish or round cake pan. Whisk the flour, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, baking soda, in a mixing bowl to blend well.
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Measure the oil in a glass measuring cup and beat in the egg. Add to the flour mixture and stir, the add the starter and blend well to make a thick batter. Fold in the pears and pour into the prepared baking dish.
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Crumble the reserved streusel topping all over the batter. Bake until the cake is springy to the touch and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool on a baking rack before cutting into serving-size pieces.
In place of the sourdough starter, combine 3/4 cup buttermilk (or use yogurt thinned with milk if you don’t have buttermilk on hand) with 1/2 cup all-purpose flour. Blend and add to the batter to replace the sourdough starter.
The post A Pear Spelt Streusel Coffee Cake to Spice Up Morning appeared first on Lynne Curry.