Sunday, July 20, 2008

Lemon Cream Coffee Cake

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 (8-ounce) carton lemon yogurt
1-1/2 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg or mace
1 cup butter
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans or sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Grease a 13x9x2-inch
baking pan; set aside. In a medium mixing bowl beat
cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy.
Beat in 1/4 cup sugar; fold in lemon yogurt and
lemon peel. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl stir
together 3 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder,
salt and nutmeg or mace. Cut in the 1 cup butter
until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Combine eggs,
milk and almond extract. Add to flour mixture,
mixing until blended. Spread half of the batter
in the prepared pan. Spoon the cream cheese mixture
over the batter. Spoon the remaining batter in
small mounds over the cream cheese mixture, spreading
out as much as possible. Combine the 1/2 cup sugar
and 1/2 cup flour; cut in the 1/4 cup butter until
mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in pecans or
almonds. Sprinkle nut mixture over batter in pan.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until cake is golden
and toothpick inserted in dough mounds comes out
clean (do not test in filling). Cool on wire rack
at least 45 minutes before serving. Chill to store.

Makes 12 servings.