Cherry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Last week I bought the last good batch of cherries from the supermarket, it seems the season is nearly over. I've made a lot of things with cherries over the last two summers and it's become one of my favourite fruit, I also have come to enjoy the process of pitting them ^_^

This time I wasn't in the mood for a pie and I don't like tarts.. plus there was a bar of cream cheese that just about expired in my fridge so I figured the combination could work.

I googled both ingredients on hand and came up with this cake, seemed worth a try! I do love cake so very much. MMmmmmm.

I hope you enjoy the following recipe.

Cherry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Reprinted with permission from “Taste of Home Baking”

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Dough:

2 1/4 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR

3/4 CUP SUGAR

3/4 CUP COLD BUTTER, CUBED

1/2 TEASPOON BAKING POWDER

1/2 TEASPOON BAKING SODA

1/2 TEASPOON SALT

1 EGG, LIGHTLY BEATEN

3/4 CUP SOUR CREAM (didn't have on hand so I used lebneh which is a middle eastern strained yogurt dip which I made the night before, you can probably use greek yogurt)

1 TEASPOON ALMOND EXTRACT (I used more but the flavour still didn't quite come through, next time I'll use even more)

Filling:

1 PACKAGE (8 OUNCES) CREAM CHEESE, SOFTENED

1/4 CUP SUGAR

1 EGG, LIGHTLY BEATEN

1 CAN (21 OUNCES) CHERRY PIE FILLING (or fresh pitted cherries cooked down with some sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice, I thickened it with a bit of corn starch whisked into a tiny bit of cold water then added into the hot cherries and whisked until thickened a bit - cooled in fridge overnight)

1/2 CUP SLIVERED ALMONDS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the flour and sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Reserve 3/4 cup crumb mixture. Add baking powder, baking soda and salt to remaining crumb mixture. Stir in egg, sour cream and almond extract until blended. Press onto bottom and 1 inch up the sides of an ungreased 9-inch springform pan with removable bottom.

For filling, in a bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar for 1 minute. Add egg; beat just until combined. Spread over crust. Carefully top with pie filling. Top with almonds and reserved crumb mixture.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until center is set. Cool on a wire rack. Carefully run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen; remove sides of pan. Store in the refrigerator.

(Recipe courtesy of Ezra Pound Cake)