Gingered Pear Coffee Cake with Streusel Topping

Dear Mama Madison,

I can’t believe we’re actually here, I’m actually writing this post, your belly is swelling bigger with every Instagram photo and every day ticks us one closer to the day little he or she arrives. I can’t believe it because I’m so I’m terrible at hoping, so eager to protect myself, so always shocked by every sweetness, every joy, every pure delight God gives us. I have felt guilt about this before, about my weak faith and great fear, and I have looked ahead to parenthood counting all the ways I’ll mess up because of it and because of other things I wish I didn’t do. I won’t believe enough. I won’t say the right thing. I’ll hurt my kid in a way that he never forgets and I’ll regret it and it will be horrible. But then this thought comes to me that I hope comes to you: I will never be a perfect parent; you will never be a perfect parent; there is only One Perfect Parent and He not only parents us, but He’ll parent our little ones, too. We don’t have to get it all right because we can trust Him to, like we trust Him for everything else, like we’re sometimes only able to want to trust Him with everything else. I love thinking about Baby Hofmeyer coming into your sweet arms and that sweet nursery you’ve prepared and the sweet family that’s been praying for that beating heart to keep growing and those little arms and legs to keep moving and the miracle we have all watched and waited for to come introduce himself or herself to the world. I love thinking about what an obvious, shocking, humbling, awesome gift of grace your baby is already and about all the millions of ways he or she will continue to be, and I love thinking about what a lifetime of hanging onto the One who created life will look like, even now as you walk day by day into this new season that He brings. Thank you for letting us Internet friends rejoice as you rejoice and opening up with your hurts and helps and hard things online. You have encouraged me and helped me. You have loved me with your transparency and with the way you love Him. Today, I am wildly happy and expectant and, praise Him, even hopeful (!!) about the weeks that are coming for you. And I am praying with and for you that grace upon grace fits and fills every bit.

Much love to you my friend!
Shanna

This post is part of a virtual baby shower being thrown for sweet Madison of Espresso and Cream by Heather’s Dish and Keep It Sweet Desserts. Baby Hofmeyer, who, eight(ish) months ago looked to be lost, made a miracle recovery and is due any day. What a treasure! What a joy! It is my absolute pleasure to celebrate him or her here.

The magic of this coffee cake is the texture: soft and light, with air pockets and a killer crumb. We’ve used the batter in cake pans and muffin pans and here, in long, skinny loaf pans, so bake it in anything you like.

Between the texture of the cake and the sweet crumbles of the streusel, don’t be surprised when you’re eating slice after slice.

The Recipe

Adapted from this blueberry buckle.

Gingered Pear Coffee Cake with Streusel Topping

Votes: 2 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe!

Print Recipe

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Gingered Pear Coffee Cake with Streusel Topping Votes: 2 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe! Print Recipe Prep Time 20 minutes Cook Time 45 minutes Prep Time 20 minutes Cook Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 3/4 cup organic coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup organic coconut oil softened to room temperature but not melted
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup plain full-fat kefir or yogurt
• 2 cups all-purpose einkorn flour*
• 2 inches fresh ginger peeled and grated
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups diced Bosc pears

For the streusel topping:

• 1/2 cup organic coconut sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose einkorn flour*
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 inches fresh ginger peeled and grated
• 1/4 cup cold butter cubed

• 2 inches fresh ginger peeled and grated
• 1/4 cup cold butter cubed

Servings:

Units:MetricUS Imperial

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees. Butter and flour an 8" X 8" square pan (or two loaf pans or any combination of similarly sized baking dishes) and set it (or them) aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup coconut sugar with 1/4 cup coconut oil. Add the egg and blend. Add the water and kefir, and blend.
3. In a separate bowl, mix einkorn flour, ginger, baking powder, and salt. Add this dry mixture to the large bowl of wet ingredients, and mix until well combined. Fold in the chopped pears. Spread the blueberry batter into the prepared pan, and spread evenly.
4. In a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients (coconut sugar, einkorn flour, cinnamon, ginger and cubed butter). Sprinkle these toppings all over the pan of blueberry batter.
5. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake mixture comes out clean.

Recipe Notes

* While I use einkorn flour (a more primitive form of wheat), regular wheat flour will also work.

About Shanna Mallon

Shanna Mallon is a freelance writer who holds an MA in writing from DePaul University. Her work has been featured in a variety of media outlets, including The Kitchn, Better Homes & Gardens, Taste of Home, Houzz.com, Foodista, Entrepreneur, and Ragan PR. In 2014, she co-authored The Einkorn Cookbook with her husband, Tim. Today, you can find her digging into food topics and celebrating the everyday grace of eating on her blog, Go Eat Your Bread with Joy. Shanna lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with Tim and their two small kids.

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