Braided Coffee Cake Recipes

BRAIDED DATE COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, milk, oil, salt, eggs and 2 cups flour; beat on low speed 3 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl; turn once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Meanwhile, combine the dates, water, pecans, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened, 7-8 minutes. Stir in preserves; let cool. , Punch dough down. Turn on a lightly floured surface; divide into thirds. Roll each portion into a 15x6-in. rectangle. Place on greased baking sheets. Spread a third of filling down the center third of each rectangle. , On each long side, cut 1-1/2-in.-wide strips 1-3/4 in. into center. Starting at one end, fold alternating strips at an angle across filling; seal ends. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. , Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until browned. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Combine icing ingredients; drizzle over braids.

UPSIDE-DOWN COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Use a deep sided 10 inch pan, or wrap the outside of a 10 inch springform pan with aluminum foil to prevent leaking. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar and 1/2 cup butter. Bring to a boil, then pour into bottom of springform pan. Sprinkle with sliced peaches.
• In a large bowl, cream together 2/3 cup margarine and the white sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk. Pour batter over caramel and fruit in pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 90 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto serving platter and carefully remove pan. Be extremely careful of hot caramel and fruit juices! Serve warm.

BRAIDED COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• Roll dough into a 14x11-in. rectangle on a large greased baking sheet. Spread filling down center third of rectangle. (If using Fruity Cream Cheese Filling, first spread cream cheese mixture over dough, then top with jam.) On each long side, cut 1-in. strips about 3 in. into center. Starting at one end, fold alternately strips at an angle across filling (see photo at far right). Pinch ends to seal. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool.

BRAIDED COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the 1/2 cup warm water. Stir in egg. In a small saucepan, heat and stir the 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup sugar and salt until mixture is lukewarm and butter is almost melted. Stir butter mixture into the yeast mixture. Stir in flour.
• On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for 4 to 6 strokes or until ingredients are combined. Transfer to a greased bowl. Cover with greased plastic wrap; chill if you like for 8-24 hours.
• Let dough stand, covered, at room temperature for 1 hour. Meanwhile, lightly grease baking sheet. Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll each half of dough into a 14X9 inch rectangle. Spread the melted butter over dough rectangles. In a small bowl, mix nuts, 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut each rectangle into 3 14X3 inch strips. Sprinkle the mixture in the center of each strip. Using your fingers pinch dough to seal.
• To shape a loaf, place 3 filled ropes, seam side down, 1 inch apart. Starting at the middle, loosely braid by bringing the left rope over the center rope. Next bring the right rope over new center rope. Repeat to end. Press ends together to seal; tuck under. Repeat to make a second loaf. Carefully transfer braids to cookie sheet. Cover and let rise for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350°F Bake for 20-25 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when lightly tapped. Immediately remove loaves from baking sheet. Cool on wire racks. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine 11/2 cup sifted powdered sugar, 1 tbsp milk, and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla. Stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoons at a time, until icing is easy to drizzle. Drizzle icing on loaves.

YEASTED COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together yeast and warm water; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and granulated sugar on medium speed, scraping down the sides of bowl with a spatula, as necessary. Add egg yolks, one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl with a spatula as necessary.
• Add vinegar and vanilla; mix to combine. Slowly add sour cream, mixing until well combined. Add yeast mixture.
• In a large bowl, whisk together both flours and salt. Add to mixer and mix on low until well combined and dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl and just begins to form a ball.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead dough until smooth, about 5 minutes. Lightly flour the bottom of a large glass bowl; place dough in bowl and cover with a clean damp kitchen towel. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap; let stand until doubled in size, 3 to 4 hours, or refrigerate overnight.
• Make the filling: Place all of the ingredients except egg and cream in a medium bowl and stir until well combined.
• Punch down dough. Transfer to a floured work surface. Let stand for 5 minutes. Roll out to an 18-inch square (about 1/8 inch thick). Spread filling over dough, reserving 1/2 cup and leaving a 1-inch border. Brush edges with egg wash. Tightly roll dough like a jelly roll. Pinch seam to seal, and fold in half to bring ends together to form a U. Twist 2 or 3 times to "braid." Butter a 10-by-5-inch loaf pan, and line with parchment, leaving 1-inch overhangs; butter parchment. Transfer dough to pan. Brush top with egg wash.
• Make the crumb topping: Combine confectioners' sugar, flour, and butter. Sprinkle topping and reserved 1/2 cup filling over cake.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Drape plastic wrap over dough. Let stand in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Remove plastic wrap, and bake, rotating halfway through, until golden, about 55 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake until deeply golden, 20 to 30 minutes more (cover with foil if top gets too dark). Transfer pan to a wire rack. Let cake cool.