Recipe: Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffeecake (using almond paste)

RASPBERRY CREAM CHEESE COFFEECAKE

FOR THE CAKE:
2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sour cream (light or regular)
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract

FOR THE FILLING:
1/2 pound cream cheese, softened
3 ounces almond paste, crumbled
3 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 10-inch springform pan.

TO PREPARE THE BATTER:
Combine the flour, sugar and butter in a mixing bowl with a pastry blender until softly crumbled. Scoop out 1 cup of the flour mixture and reserve it. Stir the baking powder, baking soda and salt into the rest of the mixture. Then mix in the sour cream, egg, egg yolk and almond extract. Spread the batter in the pan, smoothing it as well as you can. (It will be sticky.)

TO PREPARE THE FILLING:
Stir the cream cheese and almond paste together in another mixing bowl. The almond paste will stay a little bumpy. Mix in the sugar and egg.

Drop the filling over the batter by spoonfuls. Then drop dollops of the raspberry preserves over the filling. Scatter the reserved flour mixture over the preserves and top with almonds.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until center feels lightly set and edges are golden brown. Cool for at least 10 minutes. Run a knife around the inside edge of the pan and unlatch the spring to remove the pan's rim. Eat warm or at room temperature.

Makes a 10-inch cake, 8 or more servings
Source: A Real American Breakfast by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison