Candy Cane Coffee Cakes

2 packages active dry yeast

½ cup warm water

1¼ cups buttermilk

½ cup sugar

½ cup margarine or butter, softened

2 eggs

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

5½ to 6 cups all-purpose flour

1½ cups snipped dried apricots

1½ cups chopped drained maraschino cherries

Glaze (below)

Dissolve yeast in warm water in large mixer bowl. Add buttermilk, sugar, margarine, eggs, baking powder, salt and 2½ cups of the flour. Beat on low speed, scraping bowl constantly, 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, 2 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle. (Dough will be soft and slightly sticky.)

Turn dough onto well-floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Divide into 3 equal parts. Roll each part into rectangle, 15 X 6 inches. Place on greased cookie sheet. Make 2inch cuts on 15-inch sides of rectangles at ½-inch intervals. Mix apricots and cherries.

Spread 1/3 of the fruit mixture lengthwise down center of each rectangle. Crisscross strips over fruit mixture. Stretch each rectangle to 22 inches; curve to form cane. Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about 1 hour. (Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.)

Heat oven 375°. Bake until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Drizzle Glaze over canes while warm. Decorate with cherry halves or pieces if desired. 3 coffee cakes.

GLAZE

Mix 2 cups powdered sugar and about 2 tablespoons water until smooth and of desired consistency.

 

It is a quote. Betty Crocker’s New Christmas Cookbook 1993