Christmas Coffee Cake

A holiday baking special!

Ingredients:
Dough
  • 1 cup water (105-115 degrees)
  • 2 packages active dry yeast plus 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/3 cup nonfat dry milk
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 3/4 - 4 cup all-purpose flour
Cherry Christmas Tree
  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • 1/4 granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
  • 1/4 cup chopped candied red cherries
  • 1/4 cup chopped candied green cherries
Icing For Coffeecake
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 2-3 teaspoon milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dough

In a large electric mixer bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water with 1 teaspoon sugar. Add dry milk, honey, butter, salt, eggs and half the bread flour. Blend together on low speed, then beat at medium speed for 4 minutes. Switch to bread hooks and add rest of flour to make a soft dough that is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk. Punch down. Place dough on a floured cloth. Divide dough into two equal parts. Cover and let rest 15 minutes.

Each half will make 1 large or 2 small coffeecakes.

Cherry Christmas Tree

Directions: Roll one part of the dough out into an 8 by 12" rectangle. Spread with butter, sprinkle sugar, nuts and cherries over butter evenly. Roll up like a jelly roll. Cut ½ inch slices. On a greased baking sheet place one slice near the top in the center of the baking sheet. Under it place 2 slices, under those, place three slices, under those, place 4 slices, and then in the center of those place 1 slice for the trunk of the tree. Cover, let rise in a warm place till double in bulk. Bake at 350 degrees till light golden brown about 25 minutes. Remove from sheet and cool on a wire rack. Dribble over the tree the powdered sugar icing.

Icing For Coffeecake

Combine the icing ingredients and stir till smooth. Drizzle over coffeecake. Garnish with additional chopped cherries, if desired.