I’m back on the cake-baking wagon with this sourdough cinnamon pecan coffee cake. It commemorates another Sourdough September.
Last year was the first year that I didn’t put my starter into hibernation for the winter… and it survived! I’ve learned a trick for keeping the conditions favourable for the wild yeasts to prosper even though our kitchen is cold. Every time I refreshed it, I put my jar of starter in the microwave alongside a mug of boiling water and shut the door (without ever turning it in, of course). I use the same method for proofing my loaves if I’m not doing a long, overnight rise.
Anyway – back to this week’s cake. I found this recipe in my Cultures for Health recipe book. The recipe is called a sourdough cinnamon pecan coffee cake… but there was no coffee in the list of ingredients. Perhaps the cake is meant to be a cinnamon pecan cake to have WITH coffee. Nevertheless, I added a couple of heaped tablespoonfuls of fine ground espresso to the mix. I also used half pecans and half Brazil nuts (as I didn’t have enough pecans in the cupboard!).
My decision was a stroke of genius – the coffee really worked – it added an extra layer of flavour. It’s a moist, sweet, sour, spiced, nutty, tasty cake that really suits the cooler autumn clime. I love the edges where the sugar and nuts came together to form a chewy caramel crust.
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Sourdough cinnamon pecan coffee cake
2018-09-26 12:24:25
Serves 12
- 175g/6oz whole cane sugar (Muscovado, Rapadura or Sucanat)
- 1 tbsp plain white flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 60g/2oz softened butter
- 125g/4½oz chopped pecans & Brazil nuts
- 115g/4oz softened butter
- 255g/9oz honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- 150g/5oz sourdough starter
- 60ml/2 fl oz milk
- 275g/10oz plain white flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 240g/8½oz thick buttermilk or sour cream
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- Grease a 23x33cm/9x13-inch glass baking dish; set aside. Preheat oven to 175ºC/350°F/Gas mark 4
- Mix pecan topping ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside
- In a larger bowl, stir honey and butter together until well blended. Stir in vanilla extract, sourdough starter, milk and eggs
- Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a small bowl
- Using an electric hand mixer, stir flour into sourdough mixture alternating with buttermilk until the batter is smooth
- Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of the topping. Cover with remaining half of batter and sprinkle remaining topping over top
- Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until a skewer inserted in centre of the cake comes out clean
- Serve warm or cold plain or with cream or vanilla ice cream
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Adapted from Cultures for Health
H is for Home Harbinger https://hisforhomeblog.com/
Justin has just declared this cake one of the best I’ve ever made – in fact one of the best he’s ever eaten – and he’s tried a few… so you must give it a try!
It’s a decadent coffee pecan cake.
It’s moist & light – the honey roasted pecans and muscovado sugar give it a toffee-like depth of flavour which is very apt for bonfire night.
A coffee liqueur-infused mascarpone cream frosting adds a really luxurious touch.
It’s garnished with more crushed pecans and chocolate-coated coffee beans. A very attractive cake with a taste to match!
A slice is lovely with a cup of coffee… with a measure of Tia Maria or Kahlúa if you prefer!
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Coffee pecan cake
Tesco realfodCook Time 30 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine British
For the cake
- 175 g/6oz unsalted butter softened
- 175 g/6oz golden caster sugar
- 3 large eggs beaten
- 175 g/6oz self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder, high strength
- 2 tsp instant coffee granules/powder
- 60 g/2½oz pecans chopped
For the icing
- 500 g/1lb mascarpone
- 100 g/3½oz muscovado sugar
- 4 tbsp coffee liqueur such as Tia Maria or Kahlúa
- handful pecan halves and a few chocolate-covered coffee beans to decorate
Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C/355ºF/Gas Mark 4
Grease a pair of 20cm/8in loose-bottomed tins and line with non-stick parchment paper
Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy
Add the beaten eggs, a little at a time, and beat well after each addition
Sift the flour and baking powder together before folding into the batter using a large metal spoon
Mix the coffee with a tablespoon of hot water and fold into the cake mix with the chopped pecans
Divide the cake mix equally between the two tins ensuring the surface is level
Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes away clean and the surface of the cake is slightly springy to touch
Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 5 minutes in their tins before turning them out onto a wire rack. Leave to cool completely
Drizzle the flat side of one cake with a tablespoon of the coffee liqueur
For the icing
Beat the mascarpone together with the muscovado sugar and the rest of the coffee liqueur until smooth
Sandwich the cooled cakes with a third of the filling before covering the top and sides of the cake with the rest of the icing
Sprinkle the top with the pecan halves and chocolate-covered coffee beans
Keyword cake, coffee, coffee cake, layer cake, pecans
Tip: Toss the pecan halves in flour to stop them from sinking during baking.
Instead of pecans, you could use walnuts, chocolate chips or dessicated coconut
