Cranberry Streusel Cake

I save all my holiday magazines from year to year, just like my Mum always did. They live together in two large magazine files from January through mid-October, when I take them out and litter every flat surface of the house with them. I go through them slowlyl, turning down pages that have ideas I want to try, and already this year, I have made a glittery, chipboard "Peace" garland to hang on my kitchen mirror. I also have some big plans for a pile of burlap I found in a bin in the basement. Another great thing about these magazines is the recipes! I’ve marked one for pumpkin mousse, served with whipped cream and dark chocolate shavings in a trifle bowl, and one for pecan-coconut pound cake. My mouth is already watering. . .

Last night, our flock group from church met at John & Jill’s for a "Thanksgiving" dinner, with ham, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, a FANTASTIC roasted pineapple casserole that Linda P. brought, homemade rolls, and a broccoli casserole. SO yummy! I had already picked out what dessert I was going to try: Cranberry Streusel Cake. This is from Country Living HOlidays special edition 2004.

Cranberry Streusel Cake

1.5 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1.5 t baking powder

1/4 t salt

5 T cold butter, cut into small pieces

2 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1/2 t vanilla

1 12-once bag fresh cranberries

1.Preheat oven to 400. Butter bottom and sides of a 9 inch spring form pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper and butter.

2. Combine flour, sugar b.powder and salt. Cut in butter with pastry blender until batter is coarse and grainy (like you’re making scones).

3. Whisk together milk, eggs and vanilla and add to flour mixture. Mix lightly until just blended (again, like you’re making scones–don’t overmix!)

4. Spread batter into pan–it will be very thick and you’ll think you did something wrong. Don’t panic.

5. Sprinkle cranberries evenly over the top. (I found that a whole 12 ounce bag was too many berries. I used abou 3/4 of the bag, and every inch of surface was covered with lovely red gems. It turned out just fine that way.)

6. Make the topping:  Melt 4 T butter in small sauce pan. Add 1 C brown sugar, 1 t cinnamon and 1 t nutmeg. Mix till crumbly and sprinkle over top. I used a spatula to get it to cover the whole top.

7. Bake for 25 minutes. The berries will ooze lovely juice all over the cake, so don’t worry if it’s looking a bit wet.

8. Let cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove.

It was a total HIT! Had one teensy, tiny piece to bring home with me.