what i mean about palatable that it IS something you are able to enjoy, that YOUR palate's able to enjoy... not common to say this? well, get ready to have more...(joking)
this oldies recipe i found in one of the recipes folder my aunt gave me one day. it came from McCall's Cooking School. the cover was gone, i didn't even remember it had got one. anyway, i tried the recipe. it's really not difficult to find the ingredients, unless you don't stock sour cream in your fridge. or dried fruits.
in the recipe, they use apricot and prune, but since i don't really like prune, i substitute the prune with cranberries to add color, and dates. and for final touch, i made a bowl of thin icing mixed with two small oranges, just picked from the garden. really fresh, really tangy. this icing adds flavour on the cake as well. you can try with lemons if you like.
Apricot-Prune Coffeecake
Source: McCall's Cooking School
Streusel Mixture
1/2 cup light-brown sugar, packed
2 Tbs butter or regular margarine, softened
2 Tbs flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Batter
3/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
3/4 cup pitted dried prunes, chopped
3 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter or regular margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsps vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
2 Tbs confectioners' sugar
Make streusel mixture: In a small bowl, combine the streusel mixture, mix with a fork until crumbly. Makes 1 cup. Mix in the chopped dried fruits.
Grease well and lightly flour a 10-inch tube pan. Preheat oven to 350F. make coffeecake batter: On a sheet of waxed paper, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside.
Beat the butter until fluffy, then gradually beat in granulated sugar, then add eggs one at a time. Beat until fluffy, for about 3 minutes, occassionally scraping the bowl with a rubber scraper. Add vanilla extract. Divide flour mixture into four parts. At low speed, beat in flour mixture (in fourths) alternately with sour cream (in thirds), beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat just until smooth--about 1 minute. With rubber scraper, gently fold in the prunes and apricots just until combined.
Trun one third of batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with one third of streusel mixture. Repeat layering of remaining batter and streusel mixture twice. Bake 55 to 60 minutes, until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.
Let cool in pan on wire rack about 20 minutes. With spatula, carefully loosen edge of coffeecake from side of pan. Remove from pan to platter. Sift confectioners' sugar over top of coffeecake. Serve warm. Makes 10 servings. (This freezes very well.)