pat's Recipe

Caramel Chocolate Streusel Coffeecake (winner)

Category: Chocolate

Streusel:

½ cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

½ cup chopped pecans

¼ cup sugar

1 tablespoon butter

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Cake:

¾ cup sugar

½ cup butter, softened

2 eggs

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sour cream

1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon vanilla

Drizzle:

14 caramels, unwrapped

2 tablespoons half-and-half or milk

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, stir together all streusel ingredients; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar and butter. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy (1 to 2 minutes). Add eggs. Add all remaining ingredients.

Continue beating, scraping bowl often, until well mixed (1 to 2 minutes). Spoon half of batter into greased and floured 9-inch springform pan. Sprinkle half of streusel mixture over batter in pan. Spoon remaining batter over streusel; top with remaining streusel.

Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife along sides of pan to loosen edge. Remove side of pan. Cool at least 10 minutes.

Just before serving, in a small saucepan, combine caramels and half-and-half. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until caramels are completely melted (5 to 8 minutes). Cool slightly; drizzle warm caramel over cake.

Makes 8 servings.