"Chaotic" Raspberry Almond Coffee Cake

Somehow, I always thought that when I was finished with college, my life would become an endless droning-on of days that are mostly spent working, working, and working some more. Yet, here I sit, in the few spare hours that I've had all week, wondering where the past 7 1/2 months went.

I'm the type of person that constantly stays busy. If I have more than two consecutive days to myself, I start getting really cranky, and looking for more to do (which usually results in me over-commiting to even more than I could do in the first place, thus making my schedule even more of a chaotic nightmare).

One might think that a hectic schedule isn't worth all of the stress. And yet, I'm so incredibly grateful for my crazy life. I am certain that if it weren't for work, the insane amount of hours spent coaching the colorguard from my High School alma mater, random church praise band rehearsals, hangouts with friends and family, and continuing my Flouretta Sweet cake business, I wouldn't be sane (does that make any sense?).

You see, I've been over-involved my entire life. That's how I function, and that's when I do the best work and become the most outgoing.

So naturally, there had to be coffee cake.
You know, on my one extra day off, sandwiched right before running to visit my grandmother and endless errands; that's when it had to happen.

And it was soooooo good. 

A moment of bliss amongst all of the chaos. 

One of those "put this in my back pocket for my future bakery" recipes. 

That's this one.

So who cares if you've got 80 million things to do today. Make it 80million and ONE, and make some tangy, nutty, in-season, fresh-baked deliciousness.

Find your bliss :))

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Raspberry Almond Coffee Cake
Adapted from The Inquiring Chef & Bon Appetit Magazine

Ingredients

Crumb Topping:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ½ cup slivered almonds; lightly toasted 
• 6 Tbsp chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch pieces

Coffee Cake Batter:

• 1½ cups AP flour
• 1 Tbsp cornmeal
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• ¾ cup plus 3 Tbsp sugar, divided
• 6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 2 cups fresh raspberries

Method

1. To make the crumb topping, combine flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in toasted almonds. Add butter; using a fork, work butter into dry ingredients until large, moist crumbs begin to form, and all ingredients are combined. Refrigerate topping until ready to use.
2. Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray. A 9x9 square baking pan will also work for this recipe.
3. To make the cake, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; set aside.
4. Place ¾ cup of the sugar and the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer, and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3–4 minutes. Add vanilla and almond extract. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of bowl, until mixture is pale and fluffy.
5. With mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients to bowl in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. 
6. Pour half of the batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Whisk remaining 3 Tbsp. sugar, cinnamon, and ginger in a small bowl; sprinkle evenly over batter in pan. Spoon remaining batter over and smooth top.
7. Sprinkle raspberries evenly over batter, followed by crumb topping. 
8. Bake cake until top is golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 55–60 minutes. Let cool completely in pan.
9. Store in airtight container at room temperature, and enjoy until it's gone!

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I hope you enjoy this stellar springtime recipe (and don't forget, it's great with any fruit and nut combo you can dream up!).

Stay hungry and curious,

Blayre :)