Take a rich, buttery vanilla cake, layer it inside and out with plump golden raisins, toasted pecans along with a generous dusting of cinnamon and dark brown sugar. Now you’ve got a delightful partner for your morning coffee.
Coffee cakes have been around in various forms for years. They were a staple of entertaining in the 60s and 70s. With their layers of nuts and spices all nestled in between a light delicate cake, it’s a trend worth remembering.
This coffee cake showcases golden raisins and a Southern favorite, pecans.
The cake is made in a traditional manner – flour and baking powder gently blended into butter and sugar along with milk and pure vanilla extract. Then raisins and pecans are added in layers along with the cinnamon and dark brown sugar, drizzled with melted butter.
There are multiple steps in assembling this delectable cake, but well worth the effort. Start by assembling everything for your filling then when the batter is mixed you’re ready to go.
It’s a luscious cake filling your home with a beautiful fragrance while it bakes. And though these cakes were intended to enjoy with your morning coffee, this cake fits nicely into any time of the day!
Pecan and Raisin Coffee Cake
For the filling:
1-½ cups toasted chopped pecans*
1-½ cups golden raisins
1-½ cups dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons cinnamon
3 tablespoons flour
¾ cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
*Lightly toasting the pecans deepens their taste and crunch. Just spread them out on a rimmed baking sheet and warm in a 350-degree oven for about 8 to 10 minutes, until fragrant. You can toast a batch and keep them in the freezer.
For the cake:
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 extra-large eggs, room temperature
1-½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup milk
Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. Spray the bottom and sides of a 13” x 9” x 3” baking pan with a cooking spray. You can also grease and flour the pan.
To assemble the filling:
In a small bowl toss the pecans and the golden raisins together.
In a second bowl whisk the brown sugar, cinnamon and flour until evenly blended. Set aside with the melted butter while you mix the cake batter.
For the cake:
Cream the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Slowly add the sugar and continue beating on medium speed until creamed together and light, about 2 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time using medium speed. After the second egg has been added increase the speed to medium-high and beat for about 2 minutes until the batter is very smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and kosher salt.
Add to the batter in thirds, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Blend together using low speed, mixing each addition just until the flour and milk are blended into the batter.
Stir in the vanilla extract on low speed.
Scoop about half of the cake batter into the bottom of the prepared baking pan spreading the batter out as smoothly as possible.
Top with half of the cinnamon and brown sugar mixture, gently shaking the pan to spread it evenly across the cake batter. Drizzle half of the melted butter over the cinnamon and sugar topping.
Sprinkle about half of the raisins and pecans over the top.
Gently spread the remaining cake batter over the raisins and pecans. (Using an offset metal spatula or knife works well.) Push the cake batter to the edges and into the corners.
Cover with the remaining cinnamon and sugar, shaking to spread evenly over the batter. Drizzle the remaining butter over the cinnamon and sugar and top with the rest of the raisins and pecans. Bake the cake in a 350-degree oven for 25 minutes or until the cake tests done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Set the hot cake on a wire rack, letting it cool for about 20 to 30 minutes before cutting. The first piece might crumble but it’s still quite delicious!
Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Pecan and Raisin Coffee Cake
Equipment
- Electric mixer
- 13" x 9" x 3" baking pan
Ingredients
- For the filling:
- 1-½ cups toasted chopped pecans*
- 1-½ cups golden raisins
- 1-½ cups dark brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons flour
- ¾ cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
- For the cake:
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 extra-large eggs, room temperature
- 1-½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. Spray the bottom and sides of a 13” x 9” x 3” baking pan with a cooking spray. You can also grease and flour the pan.
- To assemble the filling:
- In a small bowl toss the pecans and the golden raisins together.
- In a second bowl whisk the brown sugar, cinnamon and flour until evenly blended. Set aside with the melted butter while you mix the cake batter.
- For the cake:
- Cream the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly add the sugar and continue beating on medium speed until creamed together and light, about 2 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time using medium speed. After the second egg has been added increase the speed to medium-high and beat for about 2 minutes until the batter is very smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder and kosher salt. Add to the batter in thirds, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Blend together using low speed, mixing each addition just until the flour and milk are blended into the batter.
- Stir in the vanilla extract on low speed.
- Scoop about half of the cake batter into the bottom of the prepared baking pan spreading the batter out as smoothly as possible. Top with half of the cinnamon and brown sugar mixture, gently shaking the pan to spread it evenly across the cake batter.
- Drizzle half of the melted butter over the cinnamon and sugar topping. Sprinkle about half of the raisins and pecans over the top.
- Gently spread the remaining cake batter over the raisins and pecans. An offset metal spatula or knife works well. Push the cake batter to the edges and into the corners.
- Cover with the remaining cinnamon and sugar, shaking to spread evenly over the batter. Drizzle the remaining butter over the cinnamon and sugar and top with the rest of the raisins and pecans.
- Bake the cake in a 350-degree oven for 25 minutes or until the cake tests done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Set the hot cake on a wire rack, letting it cool for about 20 to 30 minutes before cutting. The first piece might crumble but it’s still quite delicious!
