Cinnamon Streusel Coffeecake

Cinnamon Streusel Coffeecake
Recipe By : Weight Watchers Magazine, Nov-Dec 1997
Serving Size : 18

1/4 cup chopped pecans
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup stick margarine -- softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg white
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 ounces vanilla low-fat yogurt
2/3 cup applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla
nonstick cooking spray
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sifted powdered sugar
2 teaspoons skim milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Combine first 3 ingredients; stir well, and set aside.

2. Cream margarine in a bowl; gradually add 1 1/4 cups sugar, beating at medium speed of a mixer until well blended. Add egg and egg white, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine 3 cups flour and next 3 ingredients in a bowl; stir well. Combine yogurt, applesauce, and 2 teaspoons vanilla in a bowl; stir well. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with yogurt mixture, beginning and ending with flour
mixture; beat well after each addition.

3. Coat a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray, and lightly dust with 2 teaspoons flour. Pour half of batter into prepared pan, and sprinkle with pecan mixture. Pour remaining half of batter over pecan mixture. Cover and chill 8 to 24 hours (or bake in a preheated 350° oven for 40 minutes).

4. Preheat oven to 350°F.

5. Uncover coffeecake; bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan 5 minutes. Loosen cake from sides of pan using a narrow metal spatula; invert cake onto a wire rack. Let cool completely.

6. Combine powdered sugar, milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a bowl; stir until well blended. Drizzle glaze over cooled cake.

Yield: 18 servings (serving size: 1 slice).

Note: If you don't have a Bundt pan, you can use a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Prepare baking dish and layer batter as directed for Bundt pan. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes.

VARIATIONS:

Blueberry-Lemon Coffeecake:  Omit pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon used for streusel. Add 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind to flour mixture. Use 1 (8-ounce) carton low-fat lemon yogurt instead of vanilla yogurt. Decrease vanilla in batter to 1 teaspoon.  Toss 1 1/2 cups fresh or thawed and drained frozen blueberries with 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, and stir into prepared batter. Pour batter into prepared Bundt pan, omitting streusel layer. Refrigerate and bake as directed in Cinnamon-Streusel Coffeecake. For glaze, omit skim milk and vanilla, and combine 2 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice and powdered sugar.

Banana-Walnut Coffeecake:  Use 1/4 cup chopped walnuts instead of pecans in streusel. Substitute 3/4
cup mashed ripe bananas for applesauce. Decrease vanilla in batter to 1 teaspoon. Layer batter and streusel, refrigerate, bake, and glaze as directed in Cinnamon-Streusel Coffeecake.

Apple-Spice Coffeecake:  Omit pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon used for streusel. Stir 3/4 teaspoon
ground cinnamon and 3/4 teaspoon ground allspice into flour mixture. Use 1 (8-ounce) carton fat-free apple pie à la mode yogurt instead of vanilla yogurt. Decrease vanilla in batter to 1 teaspoon. Stir 1/2 cup raisins or dried currants into prepared batter. Pour batter into prepared pan omitting streusel layer. Refrigerate and bake as directed. For glaze, omit vanilla and use 1/2 teaspoon maple extract and 2 1/2 teaspoons milk.