Daring Baker's March 2011 Challenge: Yeasted Meringue Coffee Cake

 

I’d like to start off by telling you all how much I really enjoyed the challenge! A big big thank you to Jamie and Ria for hosting such an amazing challenge! And a huge thank you to all the brilliant inspiring Daring Bakers for all the hints and tips which ensured my cake turned out delicious!

The image I envisaged when I read the title is nowhere near what the cake actually is. I was in for a shock! After reading the ingredients list on the recipe TWICE, I realised there is no coffee in this coffee cake! After a moment or two of realisation, I remembered something my dad had told me once about the coffee cakes he would have in the mornings, they were cakes to be had with coffee but do not actually contain coffee. Hmm…interesting. Will definitely need to give this a try!

The March 2011 Daring Baker’s Challenge was hosted by Ria of Ria’s Collection and Jamie of Life’s a Feast. Ria and Jamie challenged The Daring Bakers to bake a yeasted Meringue Coffee Cake.

I’m not sure what I really expected with the meringue inside the cake (which was more like brioche – which I LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!). Thinking back, at that time I probably thought it would form a sort of marshmallowy layer inside. But it didn’t take a lot of wondering as by day 2 there were completed challenges up already!

I decided to split the dough three ways and make two sweet and one savoury cake.

Left - Chocolate chip, hazelnut and orange zest. Middle – Cranberry, pecans, white chocolate chunks, cinnamon and cardamom. Right – Tomato puree, mozzarella, spinach and basil.

I finished baking them last night at 7.00pm and by 3pm today (as in less than 24 hours!!), the choc chip and the tomato - mozzarella are totally gone. As in there’s no crumbs or evidence of them anywhere. Jamie and Ria, that’s the biggest compliment we can give you! While I had the chance, I sliced up the cranberry yeasted cake and have frozen it in an airtight container If the freezing turns out well, I am onto a double winner here!

I followed a few hints and let the dough rise twice whilst in the bowl and a final time once it was filled. I also used a 2-egg white meringue instead of the three which was just perfect and I had no over-spilling or mess. Hurrah!

According to my hubby, the savoury Yeasted cake tasted like a deep pan pizza all rolled up in a bread. The bread was extremely soft and fluffy and the filling was substantial without being overpowering. (Sidenote: I didn’t put any sugar into the meringue for this one)

The baby spinach in the cake was just so delicious – I will definately be making it again. It really did taste like a pizza!

I cannot really comment on how this one tasted because I froze it as soon as I saw the others being snatched up like hot cakes (lol, get it??) but the filling is a guaranteed hit especially with the adding aroma of cinnamon and cardamom. I think my bet is safe with that one!

 

This was was just totally amazing. I kid you not, it tasted better than the chocolate chip brioche loaf that I get from our local supermarket and that tastes damn good (so how would you describe something better than “damn good”?). My 2 year old daughter was ripping it apart so she could have just the chocolate bits and my 4 year old had about three slices in one go and she is a fussy eater. Me, I sat down with a nice cup of coffee and and a slice of this delicious, soft, luscious yeasted meringue coffee cake and loved every moment of it… I also decided then, that I would definitely make this exact one for my dad very very soon!

I have linked to the original recipe which is actually quite flawless if followed through and obviously please use my suggestions on the extra rise and less meringue if you want to.

The meringue is totally absorbed into the dough and cannot be seen once it’s fully baked but I’m sure it holds a significant presence in the cake.

Follow this link for the recipe and don’t forget to check out all the fabulous Daring Bakers and their creations here