Showing posts with label Melissa's Bing Cherries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Melissa's Bing Cherries. Show all posts

Monday, July 15, 2019

Cherry Crumb Cake with Almond Crumb Topping

My plan was to bake today, even though, as you all know, I am not much of a baker. My plan was not that my air-conditioner go out. But still, with a bag of ripening cherries, the baking must go on!

I made use of a recipe from the Bake from Scratch website, adding my own crumb topping. For me, it’s all about the crumb topping, so I want a lot of it, and I want it to be flavorful. Brunch, lunch, dinner, or late night snack, you’re going to love this delicious crumb cake.
Cherry Crumb Cake
Adapted from Bake from Scratch

½ cup butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon
vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup buttermilk
1 pound
Melissa’s Bing cherries, stemmed and pitted
Almond Crumb Topping (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a
9” springform pan with Baker’s Joy (or grease and flour), covering thoroughly; set aside.

In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts.


In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour, beat just until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing top. Top with an even layer of cherries, sprinkle crumb topping over all.

Bake until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing. Let cool on a wire rack. Cover and store at room temperature for up to two days or refrigerate for up to six days.


Almond Crumb Topping

1½ cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter, melted
½ cup slivered almonds
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

Combine all ingredients in a food processor, pulsing until mixture is crumbly.

Fruit-filled coffee cake lovers will also enjoy this Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake.




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Friday, July 27, 2018

Double Chocolate Cherry Muffins


I hate summer. I admit it. It is my least favorite of the four seasons. My second least favorite is spring because spring is what brings summer. So, I am not a person that you’ll ever find wintering in Florida, or retiring to Arizona. I just won’t do it. I hate the heat. The only thing that makes summer tolerable for me are the bing cherries that are in season right now. Bing cherries beckon to me like a long lost lover. I love their juicy, flavorful goodness that explodes with every bite. I have liked cherries for as far back as I can remember. They are cute, they are portable, they are delicious, and they are so good for you.

This month, I decided to make use of them in a way in which I had not before. I had to act fast, because I eat cherries so quickly that they don’t stay around here for long. Some time ago I had printed out a muffin recipe that sounded so delicious, it took me back to the days of my youth when I used to beg my mother to get me a box of chocolate-covered cherries. They were called cherry cordials, and that word “cordial” seemed so classy and civilized to my seven-year-old self. I would slowly bite into them and let the liquid fondant ooze into my mouth followed by that delicious cherry, and wonderful chocolate shell. I knew right then and there that chocolate and cherries were the absolute perfect combination.

That combination is in these muffins, and they are phenomenal. You don’t have to like cherries to like these. They are dense, and chocolaty, and you will be sold with the first bite. Technically, these are muffins, so I give you permission to have them for breakfast. I certainly will, but you could also serve them for dessert, because they have a real Black Forest vibe going on here. Top them with a cherry sauce, split them in half and put a scoop of ice cream in between, and drizzle more chocolate on top, or frost them with your
favorite chocolate frosting. No matter how you want to enjoy these, you are going to love them. So get yourself out to the market, and buy as many fresh bing cherries as you can carry, because they freeze beautifully. Once you taste these muffins, you are going to want to have loads of cherries on hand because you will never stop making or eating them.
Double Chocolate Cherry Muffins
From allrecipes.com

2 1/3 cup flour
1 ¼ cups sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
½  cup whole milk
1/3 cup of vegetable oil
2 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 ½ cups
Melissa’s fresh bing cherries, pitted and chopped
1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat an oven to 400° F. Grease 12
jumbo muffin cups, or line them with paper baking cups.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and almond extract until well blended. Pour the sour cream mixture into the well, and stir in the flour mixture just until combined. Fold in the cherries and
chocolate chips. Spoon into prepared muffin cups, filling each half full.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack five minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack. Store tightly, covered, at room temperature.


If you are more of a muffin traditionalist, then you might want to give these New York Style Coffee Cake Muffins a try. The family will love them!


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