Cardamom-Almond Coffee Cake - Recipe from Bake from Scratch

      Departing from the classic combination of cinnamon and pecans, this coffee cake blends the zesty, herbal flavors of ground cardamom with the sweet, almost fruity essence of almonds, creating a lively coffee cake perfect for warmer days.

      **Topping:**

      ½ cup (63 grams) all-purpose flour

      ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar

      ½ teaspoon ground cardamom

      ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

      ½ cup (57 grams) sliced almonds

      3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter, melted

      **Batter:**

      ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature

      1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar

      ⅓ cup (73 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar

      ¾ cup (168 grams) neutral oil

      2 large eggs (100 grams), at room temperature

      1 teaspoon vanilla extract

      ¾ teaspoon almond extract

      3 cups (375 grams) all-purpose flour

      2¼ teaspoons (11 grams) baking powder

      2 teaspoons (8 grams) ground cardamom

      1¼ teaspoons (4 grams) kosher salt

      ⅔ cup (160 grams) sour cream, at room temperature

      ½ cup (112 grams) cottage cheese, blended until smooth and at room temperature

      **Garnish:** confectioners’ sugar

      For the topping: In a medium bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, cardamom, and salt; add almonds and mix. Incorporate melted butter until the mixture becomes crumbly. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan with baking spray that contains flour. Line the bottom with parchment paper.

      For the batter: In a stand mixer equipped with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes, and remember to scrape the bowl's sides. Mix in the oil until fully combined. Add the eggs one by one, mixing well after each addition and scraping the bowl as needed. Incorporate the extracts.

      In another medium bowl, thoroughly whisk together the flour, baking powder, cardamom, and salt. In a small bowl, mix the sour cream and cottage cheese. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and the sour cream mixture to the butter mixture, starting and finishing with the flour mixture, and mixing until just combined, scraping the bowl's bottom and sides after each addition. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the topping over it.

      Bake until the edges turn golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 205°F (96°C), which should take about 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Just before serving, if desired, dust with confectioners’ sugar. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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