Candy Cane Coffee Cake with Apricots
Braided and fruit-filled, these shapely coffee cakes are perfect for
entertaining or giving as gifts. This delicious recipe is from the award-winning
Betty Crocker�s Best Christmas Cookbook.
Makes 3 coffee cakes (12 slices each)
2 packages regular or quick active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (105�F to 115�F)
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
2 eggs
5 1/2 to 6 cups Gold Medal� Better for Bread� flour or Gold Medal� all-purpose
flour
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups chopped dried apricots
1 1/2 cups chopped drained maraschino cherries
Coffee Cake Glaze (below)
1 1/2 cups red cinnamon candies, if desired
1. Dissolve yeast in warm water in large bowl. Add buttermilk, sugar, butter,
eggs, baking powder, salt and 2 1/2 cups of the flour. Beat with electric mixer
on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed 2
minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in enough remaining flour to make
dough easy to handle. (Dough should be soft and slightly sticky.)
2. Grease 3 cookie sheets. Turn dough onto well-floured surface; gently knead
about 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Divide dough into 3 equal parts.
Roll one part into rectangle, 15x9 inches. Place rectangle on cookie sheet.
3. Mix apricots and chopped cherries. Spread one-third of the apricot mixture in
a strip about 2 1/2 inches wide lengthwise down center of rectangle. Make cuts
in dough at 1/2-inch intervals on both 15-inch sides almost to filling. Fold
strips over filling, overlapping and crossing in center. Carefully stretch dough
until 22 inches long; curve one end to form top of cane. Repeat with remaining 2
parts of dough. Cover and let rise in warm place about 1 hour or until double.
(Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.)
4. Heat oven to 375�F. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Drizzle Glaze over warm coffee cakes. Decorate with cinnamon candies.
Coffee Cake Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons water
Mix powdered sugar and water until smooth and thin enough to drizzle.
Serving Size : 9 AUTHOR: Charlotte |