(NAPSA)—Every family has its own way of starting the holiday. Whetherit’s unwrapping presents or hosting a festive brunch with friends, serve up a special breakfast with Apple Pecan Coffee Cake. This seasonal pastry combines sweet fruits, crunchy pecans and traditional spices for an aroma and taste that’s all about the holidays. “T love sitting down for a cozy breakfast with my family,” says Emily Luchetti, executive pastry chef at San Francisco’s Farallon restaurant. “Not only is this cake perfect for your family to nibble on at the breakfast table, but it’s also a delightful treat to serve guests who stop by during the season. The best part is that you can prepareit the night before for stress-free entertaining the next morning.” The American Dairy Association (ADA), on behalf of the American Butter Institute (ABD, partnered with Luchetti to create a sweet breakfast for special mornings. In this version of a classic coffee cake, rich brown sugar streusel is layered between buttery cake for a simple breakfast that boasts big flavor. “All natural butter enhances the flavor and texture of baked goods,” says Luchetti, who has been whipping up sweet treats for years. “I love the rich flavor and moisture butter adds to cakes. And, it helps them remain fresh several days after preparation.” For savory variations to the Apple Pecan Coffee Cake, try these simple suggestions: * Sweet Endings—Thiscoffee cake pulls double duty as a dessert. Warm up your guests with a slice of cake paired with festive mugs of spiced cider or peppermint hot chocolate. * Sugar ’n Spice—Add more sweet to this treat by adding one cup of chocolate chips to the batter. Or, top with a scoop of cinnamon-flavored ice cream. Cake: 3 cupsall purposeflour 4 teaspoon ground ginger % teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon baking powder % teaspoonsalt 8 tablespoons(1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 1% cups sugar * Tasty Topping—Sprinkle the streusel with dried fruits like raisins, figs or cranberries for seasonal pizzazz. * Snappy Shortcut—Sidestep the stress of peeling and cutting apples by substituting the recipe with 1% cups of dried apples. * Decorative Dessert—Pour batter and streusel into a onequart ring mold to bake for an edible wreath-like cake. Finish by drizzling with confectioner’s glaze. Looking for more delectable butter recipes? Visit butterisbest.com for an array of recipes touting the flavorof all natural butter. APPLE PECAN COFFEE CAKE ChefEmily Luchetti Faralion San Francisco Makes: 12 servings Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 40 minutes Ingredients: Pecan Streusel: 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar % cup flour 1 cup pecanpieces, toasted 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 2 1 % 2 large eggs cup milk teaspoonvanilla extract apples, peeled, cored and cut into 44-inch pieces In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, flour and pecan pieces. Drizzle butter over sugar mixture and stir to combine. Set aside while you makethe cake. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease the bottom and sides of a 13x 9-inch baking pan. Stir together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir together the milk and vanilla extract. Alternately add the milk and flour mixtures to the batter three separate times. Mix until combined. Stir in the apple pieces. Spread half the batter in the pan. Sprinkle half the streusel over the batter. Spread the remaining batter over the streusel and sprinkle the rest of the streusel on top. Bake until a skewer inserted in the middle comesout clean, about 35-40 minutes. Cool before cutting.
