Lemon Scented Pull Apart Coffee Cake Recipes

LEMON PULL-APART COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together 2 cups (9 ounces) of the flour, the sugar, yeast, and salt.
• In a small saucepan, heat the milk and butter over low heat just until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat, add the water, and set aside until warm (120 to 130°F [49 to 54°C]), about 1 minute. Add the vanilla extract.
• Pour the milk mixture over the flour-yeast mixture and, using a rubber spatula, mix until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened. Attach the bowl to the mixer, and fit the mixer with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing just until incorporated after each addition. Stop the mixer, add 1/2 cup (2 1/4 ounces) flour, and resume mixing on low speed until the dough is smooth, 30 to 45 seconds. Add 2 more tablespoons flour and mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth, soft, and slightly sticky, about 45 seconds.
• Sprinkle a work surface with 1 tablespoon flour and turn the dough onto the flour. Knead gently until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky, about 1 minute, adding an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons flour only if the dough is unworkably sticky. Place the dough in a large bowl, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise in a warm place (about 70°F [21°C]) until doubled in size, 45 to 60 minutes. Press the dough gently with a fingertip. If the indentation remains, the dough is ready for the next step.
• While the dough is rising, in a small bowl, mix together the sugar, lemon zest, and orange zest. Set aside. (The sugar draws out moisture from the zests to create a sandy-wet consistency, so don't be alarmed when you see this.)
• Adjust the oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan.
• Gently deflate the dough. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into a 20-by-12-inch rectangle with a short edge facing you. Using a pastry brush, spread the melted butter generously over the dough. Cut the dough crosswise into 5 strips, each about 12 by 4 inches. (A pizza cutter is helpful here.) Sprinkle 1 1/2 tablespoons of the zest-sugar mixture over 1 of these buttered strips. Top with a second strip and sprinkle it with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the zest-sugar mixture. Repeat with the remaining strips and zest-sugar mixture, ending with a stack of 5 rectangles. Work carefully when adding the crumbly zest filling, or it will fall off when you have to lift the stacked pastry later.
• Slice the stack crosswise through the 5 layers to create 6 equal strips, each about 4 by 2 inches. Fit these layered strips into the prepared loaf pan, cut edges up and side by side. (While there is plenty of space on either side of the 6 strips widthwise in the pan, fitting the strips lengthwise is tight. But that's fine because the spaces between the dough and the sides of the pan fill in during baking.) Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place (70 °F [21°C]) until puffy and almost doubled in size, 30 to 50 minutes. Press the dough gently with a fingertip. If the indentation remains, the dough is ready for baking.
• Bake the coffee cake until the top is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Place on a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes.
• In a medium bowl with a rubber spatula, vigorously mix the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the milk and lemon juice until the mixture is creamy and smooth.
• Tilt and rotate the pan while gently tapping it on the counter to release the cake sides or simply slip a thin knife or spatula between the coffee cake and the pan. Invert a wire rack on top of the coffee cake, invert the cake onto the rack, and carefully lift off the pan. Invert another rack on top, invert the cake so it is right side up, and remove the original rack.
• Slip a sheet of waxed paper under the rack to catch any drips from the icing. Using a pastry brush, coat the top of the warm cake with the icing to glaze it. (Cover and refrigerate the leftover icing for another use. It will keep for up to 2 days.)
• To serve, you can pull apart the layers, or you can cut the cake into 1-inch-thick slices on a slight diagonal with a long, serrated knife. If you decide to cut the cake rather than pull it apart, don't attempt to cut it until it's almost completely cool.

LEMON-SCENTED PULL-APART COFFEE CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Dough: Stir together 2 cups of flour, sugar, yeast, and salt; set aside. In a small saucepan, heat the milk and butter over low heat just until the butter is melted. Remove from heat, add water, and set aside until warm, about 1 minute. Add vanilla Pour milk mixture over yeast mixture and mix. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition just until incorporated. Stop the mixer, add 1/2 cup of remaining flour, and resume mixing on low speed until dough is smooth, 30-45 seconds. Add 2 more tbsp flour and mix until dough is smooth and slightly sticky, about 45 seconds. Sprinkle a work surface with flour. Knead gently until smooth and no longer sticky, about 1 minute. Place dough in a large bowl, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 45-60 minutes. While dough is rising, make filling. Filling: In a small bowl, mix together sugar, lemon and orange zests. Coffee cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x5x3 loaf pan. Gently deflate dough. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough into a 20x12" rectangle. Spread melted butter over the dough. Cut dough crosswise into 5 strips. Sprinkle 1 1/2 tbsp of the zest-sugar mixture over one of the buttered rectangles. Top with a second rectangle, then repeat, ending with a stack of 5 rectangles. Slice the stack crosswise through the 5 layers to create 6 equal strips. Fit layered strips into prepared loaf pan, cut edges up. Cover pan with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a warm place until puffy and almost doubled in size, 30-50 minutes. Bake coffee cake until the top is golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Let cool. Icing: In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in milk and lemon juice until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Slip a sheet of waxed paper under the rack which the cake in on to catch any drips from the icing. Using a pastry brush, coat the top of the warm cake with the icing to glaze it.

LEMON SCENTED PULL APART COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• Stir together 2 cups (9 ounces) of the flour, the sugar, the yeast, and the salt in the bowl of a stand mixer; set aside. In a small saucepan, heat the milk and butter over low heat just until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat, add the water, and set aside until warm (120 to 130°F [49 to 54°C]), about 1 minute. Add the vanilla extract.
• Pour the milk mixture over the flour-yeast mixture and, using a rubber spatula, mix until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened. Attach the bowl to the mixer, and fit the mixer with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition just until incorporated. Stop the mixer, add 1/2 cup (2 1/4 ounces) of the remaining flour, and resume mixing on low speed until the dough is smooth, 30 to 45 seconds. Add 2 more tablespoons flour and mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth, soft, and slightly sticky, about 45 seconds.
• Sprinkle a work surface with 1 tablespoon flour and center the dough on the flour. Knead gently until smooth and no longer sticky, about 1 minute, adding an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons flour only if necessary to lessen the stickiness. Place the dough in a large bowl, cover the bowl securely with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise in a warm place (about 70°F [21°C]) until doubled in size, 45 to 60 minutes. Press the dough gently with a fingertip. If the indentation remains, the dough is ready for the next step. While the dough is rising, make the filling.
• Make the lemon paste filling
• In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and the lemon and orange zests. Set the sandy-wet mixture nearby (the sugar draws out moisture from the zests to create the consistency).
• Make the coffee cake
• Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan. Or, lightly coat the pan with nonstick spray.
• Gently deflate the dough. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 20-by-12-inch rectangle. Using a pastry brush spread the melted butter generously over the dough. Cut the dough crosswise into 5 strips, each about 12 by 4 inches. (A pizza cutter is helpful here.) Sprinkle 1 1/2 tablespoons of the zest-sugar mixture over one of the buttered rectangles. Top with a second rectangle and sprinkle it with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the zest-sugar mixture. Repeat with the remaining dough rectangles and zest-sugar mixture, ending with a stack of 5 rectangles. Work carefully when adding the crumbly zest filling, or it will fall off when you have to lift the stacked pastry later.
• Slice the stack crosswise through the 5 layers to create 6 equal strips, each about 4 by 2 inches. Fit these layered strips into the prepared loaf pan, cut edges up and side by side. (While there is plenty of space on either side of the 6 strips widthwise in the pan, fitting the strips lengthwise is tight. But that's fine because the spaces between the dough and the sides of the pan fill in during baking.) Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place (70 °F [21°C]) until puffy and almost doubled in size, 30 to 50 minutes. Press the dough gently with a fingertip. If the indentation remains, the dough is ready for baking.
• Bake the coffee cake until the top is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Make the tangy cream cheese icing
• In a medium bowl, using a rubber spatula, vigorously mix the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the milk and lemon juice until the mixture is creamy and smooth.
• To remove the coffee cake from the pan, tilt and rotate the pan while gently tapping it on a counter to release the cake sides. Invert a wire rack on top of the coffee cake, invert the cake onto the rack, and carefully lift off the pan. Invert another rack on top, invert the cake so it is right side up, and remove the original rack.
• Slip a sheet of waxed paper under the rack to catch any drips from the icing. Using a pastry brush, coat the top of the warm cake with the icing to glaze it.
• Serve the coffee cake warm or at room temperature. To serve, you can pull apart the layers, or you can cut the cake into 1-inch-thick slices on a slight diagonal with a long, serrated knife. If you decide to cut the cake, don't attempt to cut it until it is almost completely cool.

LEMON-SCENTED PULL-APART COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• Make the Sweet Yeast Dough.
• Mix two cups (nine ounces) flour, the sugar, yeast and salt in a medium bowl with a rubber spatula. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan or in the microwave, combine the milk and the butter and heat until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat, add the water and let rest a minute until just warm (120 to 130°F). Stir in the vanilla extract.
• Pour the milk mixture over the flour-yeast mixture and, using a rubber spatula, mix until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened. Attach the bowl to the mixer, and fit the mixer with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition just until incorporated. Stop the mixer, add 1/2 cup (2 1/4 ounces) of the remaining flour and resume mixing on low speed until the dough is smooth, 30 to 45 seconds. Add 2 more tablespoons flour and mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth, soft, and slightly sticky, about 45 seconds.
• Lightly flour a work surface and knead the dough gently until smooth and no longer sticky, about one minute. Add an additional 1-2 tablespoons of flour only if the dough is too sticky to work with. Place the dough in a large bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place (about 70°F) for 45-60 minutes or until doubled in size. An indentation made with your finger should keep its shape.
• Meanwhile, make the lemon sugar filling. Mix the sugar, lemon zest and orange zest. It'll draw out the citrus oils and make the sugar sandy and fragrant.
• Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9″x5″ loaf pan.
• Gently deflate the dough with your hand. Flour a work surface and roll the dough into a 20″ by 12″ rectangle. (I suggest using a ruler and getting this as accurate as possible, for a prettier loaf that will fit better in the pan. I also suggest making sure both sides are floured, so that the dough will be easy to lift up later.) Use a pastry brush to spread the melted butter evenly and liberally over the dough.
• Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough crosswise in five strips, each about 12″ by 4″. Sprinkle 1 1/2 tablespoons of the lemon sugar over the first buttered rectangle. Top it with a second rectangle, sprinkling that one with 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon sugar as well. Continue to top with rectangles and sprinkle, so you have a stack of five 12″ by 4″ rectangles, all buttered and topped with lemon sugar. (I suggest carefully sprinkling the sugar and pressing it in lightly to keep it from falling off.).
• Slice this new stack crosswise, through all five layers, into 6 equal rectangles (each should be 4″ by 2″.) Carefully transfer these strips of dough into the loaf pan (I would like the pan with parchment paper for easier removal), cut edges up, side by side. it might be a little roomy, but the bread will rise and expand after baking. Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place (70 °F) until puffy and almost doubled in size, 30 to 50 minutes. When you gently press the dough with your finger, the indentation should stay.
• Bake the loaf until the top is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. (To avoid a doughy middle even though the top may be browned, I recommend using a cake tester to make sure it's done, and covering the top with foil if it's browning too quickly. The internal temperature should be about 190 °F) Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the cream cheese icing. Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium bowl with a wooden spoon until smooth, then add the milk and lemon juice. Stir until creamy and smooth.
• The recipe recommends you tilt and rotate the pan while tapping on a table to release the loaf. I suggest carefully running a knife around it. Flip the loaf over onto a cooling rack, then flip onto another rack so that it's right side up. Spread the top of the warm cake with the cream cheese icing, using a pastry brush to fill in all the cracks. (You might want to put a pan or piece of wax paper under to catch any drips.) Best if served the first day.
• SOME TIPS:
• Read the recipe all the way through so that you understand all the steps before starting. The construction phase is a bit more complicated than a simple monkey bread or even a simple cinnamon roll.
• Make sure you have really fresh yeast, otherwise you may have trouble. The recipe does not contain a proofing period before adding all the other ingredients.
• Draw a diagram of the cutting in order to have it make sense. You may want to draw a rectangle with the cutting in order to see the dimensions more clearly. The resulting smaller rectangles (4-by-2 inches) are delicate, especially with the filling. A suggestion is to turned the loaf pan on its side (short side down) and stacked gently.
• The recipe asks you to remove the cake/bread when it is golden. This does not necessarily mean that the inside has completed cooking. The minimum internal temperature for breads is 185°F but 190°F for this bread would be better. (The maximum would be around 199°F to 200°F.).