Cranberry Coffee Cake

It's been awhile since I shared a recipe, to be frank, I haven't spent much time in the kitchen recently. But today (hooray for days off), I made baking a priority. I wanted to try something warm and Christmasy - something I could enjoy by my Christmas tree with a cup of hot chocolate. This Cranberry Coffee Cake was the perfect thing. I love anything cranberry and Greek yogurt is my new thing and this recipe perfectly incorporates both! Thanks Two Peas and Their Pod and thanks Pinterest for guiding me there.

Here's what you'll need

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

Zest of 1 large orange

1/2 c butter at room temp.

2 large eggs

1 cup plain Greek Yogurt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup fresh cranberries

Streusel Filling & Topping

3/4 cup all-purpose flower

3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 stick unsalted butter at room temp.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.

2. In a small bowl blend dry ingredients together: flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

3. In a medium bowl combine sugar and orange zest. Cream together the butter and sugar mixture until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until smooth. Add Greek yogurt and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.

4. Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet and mix until combined. Gently fold in the fresh cranberries.

5. For the streusel topping and filling, stir together the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. With your fingers work the butter into the mixture until evenly distributed.

6. Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared cake pan. Sprinkle half of the streusel topping over top. Spoon the rest of the batter over the filling and spread gently. Sprinkle the remaining of the streusel on top. 

7. Bake until golden and toothpick comes out clean, approximately 35-40 minutes. 

ENJOY! Before baking, I sprinkled a few finely chopped pecans on the top of my cake and it was a tasty touch. 

What recipes have you tried recently and loved? Has anyone made homemade eggnog? I can't find any here and I'm really craving it. Just might be my next venture.

Michaela Rae