Enjoy sweet bite of spring with this cherry treat

Cherries are featured in this delicious coffee cake, but it can be made with just about any fresh fruit. (Photos: Debbie Arrington)

Recipe: Versatile cherry coffee cake can start the day or end it

By Debbie Arrington

It's almost May, which means cherries will soon be rolling in.

This old-fashioned cherry coffee cake is sort of like a cobbler but with more spring and softness to the dough. The top mounds of batter expand and connect while still allowing bright cherry filling to bubble through on the edges. 

Although traditional sour pie cherries will work, sweet cherries are absolutely luscious in this coffee cake. Bing cherries, America's favorite, arrive later in summer, but there are loads of early-harvest cherries that would be equally delicious in this breakfast pastry that doubles as dessert. Have a slice of it to start the day or to top it off (or any time in between).

Look for the early cherries at farmers markets and farm stands (or your own cherry trees).

Also try this recipe with chopped peaches, nectarines, apricots, apples, pears or blueberries. Adjust the cooking time for the filling as needed.

Cherry coffee cake
Makes 9 servings

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

Filling ingredients:

2 cups sweet cherries, pitted and halved
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Cake ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar

Cook the fruit filling on top of the stove before assembling the coffee cake.

1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup cold butter
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:

1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium saucepan, combine cherries and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, 5 minutes, or until cherries are tender. 

Combine 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch; stir into fruit. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Stirring, cook 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, the baking powder and baking soda. With a fork or pastry blender, cut in 1/4 cup butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the middle of the mixture

In another bowl, beat the egg. Add sour cream and milk; mix well. Stir in vanilla.

Add the egg-sour cream mixture to the dry ingredients all at once. Stir with a fork until moistened. Batter will look lumpy.

Filling bubbles up around the edges of this cherry-packed coffee cake.

Spread half the batter in the bottom of an ungreased 8-by-8-inch baking dish (at least 2 inches deep; deeper is better). Spread cherry mixture over that batter layer. With a spoon, drop remaining batter in small mounds atop filling.

Stir together 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup sugar. Cut in 2 tablespoons butter to form coarse crumbles. Sprinkle over top of coffee cake.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until golden. Serve warm or room temperature.