Braided Apricot Coffee Cake
Braided Apricot Coffee Cake. April 16, 2019.
There’s a reason I only pull this out on Easter and Christmas. That’s because it’s so good that you want to keep eating it. Furthermore, I usually make two of these because the men alone will polish off one whole coffee cake in one sitting. It is very easy to find yourself slicing off “just a little bit”. I sigh with relief when it is finally gone because this coffee cake is just way too good, and I have no willpower when one is around.
This impressive coffee cake looks much harder to make than it is. When people see you bringing out a lovely and delicious braided apricot coffee cake, they assume you spent hours in the kitchen. However, nothing could be further from the truth. It takes less than an hour from beginning to end. This is a recipe I have been making for most of my marriage, so it is tried and true.
Easy Braided Apricot Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Coffee Cake Dough (makes 1 coffee cake)
- 2 cups Bisquik or Krusteaz baking mix (it should say baking mix, not pancake/waffle mix)
- 3 oz. Softened cream cheese
- 1/4 cup Butter (room temperature, soft)
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 cup Apricot preserves, warmed
Icing
- 1 cup Powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp. Butter
- A few drops of vanilla extract
- Milk or light cream to bring icing together
Instructions
- Begin by cutting cream cheese and butter into the baking mix until the mixture is blended.
- Stir in 1/3 cup of milk until the dough comes together.
- Knead the dough a few times.
- Next, roll the dough between 2 sheets of wax paper until it is a rectangle about 9 x 17 inches in size. Don't roll the dough too thin, or it will break when you braid it.
- Transfer dough to an ungreased baking sheet or parchment-lined sheet (see note below).
- Spread preserves down the middle, leaving several inches of room on either side.
- Use a sharp knife to make 3-inch cuts every inch or so down the long side of the coffee cake, as shown in the photo. Make sure to do the same on the other side.
- Braid the coffee cake as shown in the photos. Begin by folding over both ends a couple of inches before braiding to keep preserves from leaking during baking.
- Alternating strips, "braid" the coffee cake so the strips cover the preserves. Make sure to keep your braid snug with plenty of overlap on the strips so the braid doesn't break open as the dough rises.
- Pat the sides and seal any deep cuts on the sides that might cause leaking.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned around the edges and starting to brown on top.
- While baking, make the icing by combining powdered sugar and butter, adding milk a tablespoon at a time until the icing is of a pouring consistency. Don't thin the icing too much, or it will completely run off the coffee cake.
- Let the coffee cake cool for 10-15 minutes, and then pour icing over the top.
- Serve!
Notes
This coffee cake pairs well with eggs and bacon or sausage for a festive Easter or Christmas-morning breakfast. Mix things up by using a different fruit preserve. Other good choices include raspberry and blueberry. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do, and that it becomes a holiday tradition for your family and friends, too.
Have a beautiful day!
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Blueberry jam with lemon icing! Yum!
That does sound yummy!