The Coffee Cake to Beat Them All......

I made this coffee cake very often this past summer, and in all honesty it must be the best coffee cake recipe I have ever tried. It is moist, crumbly, there is a perfect amount of the cinnamon pecan swirl and the berries give it a nice fresh punch of flavor. Even though I think of it more as a spring/summer cake, I realized that it is equally delicious with a cup of coffee on a cold Fall or Winter morning. Especially, with the berries, bursting with juicy flavours. It is an instant memory of summer and warm days. I love using blueberries, but you can use anything from cherries to raspberries, peaches and plums, rhubarb and even apples. Feel free to use frozen fruit as well. Depending on what you choose to put into it, you will definitely be happy with this recipe all year long.


I came across the recipe while walking on Queen street, in one of the independent fancy grocery stores with everything local and made from scratch. I picked up a booklet called Edible Toronto and The Golden Horseshoe and there it was! A coffee cake recipe made from heaven- a courtesy of Cake and Loaf Bakery, in Hamilton, Ontario, which by the way I have to visit!

I find that the most important part of making this cake is creaming the butter and sugar. It can make a huge difference in the texture and flavor of your cake. Even if your butter is too melted (I tend to melt it in the microwave for too long and it is too liquid) please still put the time into it, at least 10 minutes, and it will turn into this gorgeous puff, that my daughter called ice-cream today :)

Pecan Crumble Coffee Cake

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup sour cream, can be low fat

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup fresh fruit of your choice

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts

Grease a 9 inch tube or Bundt pan. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a bowl mix together flour, baking powder and salt, set aside. In a stand mixer, or another bowl, place the butter with the granulated sugar and cream until light and fluffy for about 10 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time and keep on beating. Add the sour cream and vanilla, mix in. Add the flour mixture and stir until just blended. Stir in the fruit.

In a small bowl whisk together the pecans with the brown sugar. Spread a half of the batter into the prepared pan, sprinkle with half of the the brown sugar mixture, cover with the remaining batter and sprinkle with the rest of the sugar/pecan mix.

Bake in the 350F oven for 60 to 70 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean while inserted, you can also check with a e. Leave it to cool and sprinkle with icing sugar when ready to serve.

Song for today Chris Rea Looking for the Summer