Coffee Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Filling

Note: The Lemon-Cream Cheese Filling should be very soft before spooning over the batter. If it is not easily spreadable, warm gently in microwave on high power at 5-second intervals until soft and smooth. Be careful not to warm the filling too much or it will melt.

The topping used here is also available as a standalone recipe: Lemon-Sugar Almond Topping.

The filling used here is also available as a standalone recipe: Lemon-Cream Cheese Filling.

Ingredients

Lemon-Sugar Almond Topping

• 1/3 cup ( granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 ml) finely grated zest from 1 lemon
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) sliced almonds

Lemon-Cream Cheese Filling

• 6 ounces (170 g) cream cheese, softened
• 4 tablespoons (60 ml) confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) juice from one lemon

Cake

• 9 tablespoons (135 ml) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing pan
• 2 1/4 cups (540 ml) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting pan
• 1 1/8 teaspoons (5.5 ml) baking powder
• 1 1/8 teaspoons (5.5 ml) baking soda
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) table salt
• 9 tablespoons (135 ml) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup (240 ml) plus 2 tablespoons (30 ml) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) finely grated zest from one lemon
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla extract
• 1 cup (240 ml) plus 2 tablespoons (30 ml) sour cream

Method

1. To make the topping, adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees (175°C). Stir together the sugar and lemon zest in a small bowl until combined. Stir in the almonds, then set aside.
2. To make the filling, stir the softened cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and lemon juice in a medium bowl until smooth, then set aside.
3. To make the cake, grease and flour a 10-inch (25 cm) tube pan. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
4. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, and lemon zest at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl twice with a rubber spatula.
5. Reduce to medium-low speed and add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the beater and sides of the bowl as necessary.
6. Add the vanilla and beat until incorporated, about 15 seconds.
7. Reduce to low speed and add one-third of the flour mixture, followed by half of the sour cream, mixing until just incorporated after each addition, about 10 seconds.
8. Repeat using half of the remaining flour mixture and all of the remaining sour cream.
9. Scrape the bowl and add the remaining flour mixture, then mix at low speed until the batter is thoroughly combined, about 15 seconds.
10. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold the batter once or twice with a rubber spatula to incorporate any remaining flour.
11. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Evenly spoon the cheese filling mixture over the center of the batter.
12. With a knife or offset spatula, gently swirl the filling into the batter using a figure-eight motion. Sprinkle the lemon-sugar almond topping evenly over the batter.
13. Bake until the top is golden and just firm and a long skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
14. Invert the cake onto a rimmed baking sheet (the cake will be sugar-side down); remove the tube pan, place a wire rack on top of the cake, and reinvert the cake sugar-side up.
15. Cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Cut into wedges and serve.