52 Cakes: The Great Cake Experiment: Cinnamon Almond Coffee Cake

Part of the goal of this experiment is to increase my baking knowledge but since we are in week three and not week forty I'm going to be needing the help of some other bakers out there. This week I started reading Melissa Gray's All Cake's Considered. Gray is National Public Radio's "cake lady" and I have a feeling her book is going to help me a lot on the way. It's a definite must-have for any baker you know.

My first cake from All Cake's Considered in the end turned out rather well, but unfortunately I had to vear very far from Gray's Miss Saigon Cinnamond Almond Coffee Cake because I couldn't find Saigon Cinnamon at either of my supermarkets. I have found a resource online now and I have no doubt if I would have made a trip to Penzy's I would have found it.

Also the last ingredient to add was almond extract. When I wrote my grocery list I looked in the cupboard and had a box marked almond extract. Go figure that when I opened the box the bottle would be empty.

So here is my recipe, adapted from All Cakes Considered:

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup flour + 2 tablespoons
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, almonds and flour in a medium mixing bowl. Add 2 tablespoons melted butter and mix to make the streusel.

2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare an 8 1/2 by 11 inch pan with cooking spray. The true recipe calls for 8x8 but my 8x8 was occupied.

3. Cream together shortening and sugar on medium speed.

4. Add the two eggs, one at a time continuing to beat well in between.

5. In another medium mixing bowl mix together 1 1/2 cups flour and baking powder.

6. Add half of the flour mixture to the shortening and sugar mixture. Then add 1/2 of the yogurt and alternate back to the flour mixture followed by the remaining yogurt. Then add the vanilla extract.

7. Add half of the batter into your prepared pan.