Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Blackberry-Peach Coffee Cake


I love food and I love books. Whenever I can find some overlap between the two, it's, for me, a little bit of heaven.

I was excited a few months back to get to read an advance copy of a new book by author Susy Flory. While her book is not about food -- it's about nine notable women who changed the world, and the changes they inspired in Susy -- I did take the opportunity to ask Susy if she had a recipe she could share with Queen of the Castle Recipes readers.

And she did.

The blackberry-peach coffee cake she's "been in love with lately" follows.

But first, a few words about her book.

So Long, Status Quo: What I Learned from Women who Changed the World is a truly inspiring book. Susy Flory examined the lives of selfless, serving women like Harriet Tubman, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Mary Magdalene and actually applied the lessons she learned to her own life.

How often do I read of someone's courageous, loving acts and think, "Oh that's nice," then move on with my day? Susy actually allowed these women's lives and actions to infiltrate her own. She found herself moved to sell her own jewelry to fund wells in Sudan; she worked side by side with local immigrant farm workers; she embarked on a secret humanitarian mission to Cuba.

In short, she allowed what she read to change her.

How I admire her for that.

I hope you get the opportunity to read So Long, Status Quo. You will be moved.

If you're on a tight budget with no extra $$ for book purchases, you can ask your public library or church library to consider buying it. Most librarians are happy to hear purchasing suggestions from their patrons.

Now onto the recipe: BLACKBERRY-PEACH COFFEE CAKE

Streusel Topping:
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
2/3 c. flour
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg

Beat butter at medium speed until creamy. Add sugar and brown sugar and beat well. Add flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg and beat until combined. Set aside.

Coffee Cake:
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2/3 c. milk
2 t. vanilla
2 c. peeled and sliced ripe peaches (about 2 lg. peaches, 7 oz. each)
1 c. fresh or frozen blackberries
powdered sugar
fresh blackberries, sliced peaches to garnish (optional)

Beat butter at medium speed until creamy. Add sugar slowly, beating well. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each one.

In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 9-inch springform pan. Top with peaches and blackberries. Sprinkle Streusel Topping over fruit.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour 10 minutes - 1 hour 20 minutes, until center of cake is set. Cool completely on a wire rack (about 1 1/2 hours). (Susy's note: we are not waiting this long, believe me!) Dust with powdered sugar. Garnish with fresh blackberries and peach slices, if desired. Note: Shiny or light colored pan gives best results.

From Southern Living, June, 2009.

NOTE: To find out more about Susy and her writing, visit her at http://www.susyflory.com/.

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13 Comments:

Blogger Flat Creek Farm said...

Thank you for another must-have book recommendation! I'll add it to my wishlist :) This recipe looks and sounds divine. I think it will be a keeper! Thanks! -Tammy

August 26, 2009 at 4:54 PM  
Blogger Libby@CookingWithLibby said...

Ohhhh...I am like you when it comes to recipes and books. If I can find a combination of both, I would literally be in heaven :) Thank you for this book recommendation and the recipe :)

August 26, 2009 at 5:01 PM  
Blogger Farming On Faith said...

Oh my I am going to have to try this recipe. I am going to look for the book~too.
You have a wonderful day!
Carrie

August 27, 2009 at 3:49 AM  
Blogger Ruby said...

Hi Lynne,
Thanks for the write up on Suzy Flory's book which sounds good. It's so true that we often read stuff and think it's nice and even talk about it to others but rarely act upon it.
As always a great looking recipe as well!

August 27, 2009 at 4:46 AM  
Blogger Kim said...

Sounds like a great book that everyone should read. Have you ever heard of the Cook the Books group? They read a book, usually about cooking, and then post a recipe to go along with it. They are here: http://cookthebooksclub.wordpress.com/

August 27, 2009 at 5:38 AM  
Anonymous Faith said...

Thanks for the recommendation, that book sounds incredibly inspiring! And the coffee cake looks delicious ;)

August 27, 2009 at 9:07 AM  
Anonymous Lora said...

Wow, that coffee cake recipe sounds amazing!!! I'm going to have to give that one a try to go along with our next Breakfast For Dinner! Also, thanks for the book recommendation!. I'm always looking for great books to read!

And thanks for swinging by my blog!! :)

August 27, 2009 at 11:05 AM  
Blogger Lynn said...

Thanks for stopping by, everyone :) And Kim, thanks for the info on the cook the books site. I'm going to have to go investigate further. I know, tough job, poking around fun blogs, but I think I'm up for the task.

August 27, 2009 at 12:41 PM  
Blogger Linda Stubbs said...

Thank you for leaving me a comment. You made me cry! It is with such passion that I love my Lord and so badly want my family and grandchildren to inherit the same passion. It is hard to let God be God and me to just rest in His faith. I so badly want them to not have to go through what I did, but like I said that is exactly everything that God used to give me the love I have for Him. He is sooooo trustworthy. It's just my flesh that gets in the way.
Thank you and I want you to know that I am praying for your family.
Blessings, Linda
Oh, I am saving your blog to my favorites! I love it!

August 27, 2009 at 1:19 PM  
Blogger teresa said...

great book recommendation. i'll have to check it out. the dessert looks mouthwatering!

August 27, 2009 at 7:08 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Oh not another book you love!! Thank you for the recommendation and I love the recipe.

Cynthia

August 28, 2009 at 11:05 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

yes I threw away all the recipes and pictures!!! Scary but true.

Cynthia

August 28, 2009 at 12:07 PM  
Blogger Lori said...

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm,
I would like some of this with a cup of java. Looks fantastic.

August 31, 2009 at 3:20 PM  

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