Raspberry Almond Coffee Cake

This week's Saturday sweet is coffeecake, which I really like, and don't know why I don't make it more often.  Recently I had some buttermilk that I needed to use up so turned to one of my favorite coffeecake recipes that came from a Sunset cookbook many years ago.

This an easy and simple coffeecake made with vegetable oil and buttermilk.  I like this one in that part of the dry ingredients are used to make the topping.

I wanted to change things up a little this time and decided to add a layer of raspberry jam in the middle of the cake.  This turned out to be a "good thing/bad thing."  The jam sunk to the bottom of the cake creating more of an upside down situation.  Everyone I shared this with, however, didn't care about that and loved the addition of the jam.  So, if you make this, use the jam, or not as you wish.  Putting the jam in a glass measuring cup and heating it in the microwave for a minute made it easier to spread.

To make the original coffeecake use coarsely chopped, toasted walnuts instead of the almonds and leave out the jam and almond extract.

 Raspberry Almond Coffee Cake
adapted from Sunset Ideas & Recipes for Breakfast and Brunch
2 1/4 c. all purpose flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. slivered almonds, toasted
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 c. buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 t. almond extract
1 c. raspberry jam

In medium-size bowl, mix together flour, salt, the 1/2 t. cinnamon, brown sugar, sugar, and vegetable oil.  Beat with a electric mixer or a wire whisk until well blended.  Remove 3/4 c. of this mixture for the topping and blend into it the nuts and the 1 t. cinnamon; set aside.  To the remaining flour mixture, add soda and baking powder and mix until well combined.  Combine buttermilk, egg and almond extract and mix well.  Add to flour mixture and mix until smooth.  Pour half of batter into a greased 9x13-inch baking pan.  Place jam in a glass measuring cup and microwave for 1 minute.  Spoon over batter and gently spread out evenly.  Top with remaining batter.   Sprinkle the reserved topping evenly over batter and pat it lightly into the batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until golden brown. Cool slightly and cut into squares.  Makes about 12 to 15 servings.  May be served warm or at room temperature.

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