Cherry Coffee Cake

Margo59's Note:

Hands down, this is my favorite coffee cake. Wonderful for a brunch or sharing with friends at work.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 25 mins
• Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 20

• 2 cups flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup sugar
• 2⁄3; cup shortening
• ¾ cup milk

Topping

• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup butter or ¼ cup margarine

Filling

• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 (16 ounce) cans pitted red tart cherries (drain and reserve juice)
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract

Directions:

1. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
2. Place in a large mixing bowl; work in shortening.
3. Add milk.
4. Spread into a greased 13 x 9-inch pan; set aside.
5. For filling, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in saucepan.
6. Drain cherries, reserving the juice.
7. Set aside cherries and add juice to pan.
8. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly; cook and stir 2 minutes more.
9. Remove from heat; stir in the extract.
10. Stir in cherries; cool slightly.
11. Spread on dough.
12. For topping, combine sugar, flour and cinnamon in small bowl.
13. Cut in butter until crumbly; sprinkle over filling.
14. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes, or until bubbly and cake tests done.