Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle baked streusel over. Sprinkle with half of raisins. Spread remaining batter over. Sprinkle with unbaked streusel and remaining raisins. Bake until tester inserted into center of cake comes out dry, about 40 minutes.
Cool cake in pan on rack. Cover with foil and let stand 1 hour to soften topping.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep covered and store at room temperature.
Cut into squares and serve.
A springform pan is ideal for this cake: The powdered sugar topping can be sifted over the hot cake while it’s still in the pan—allowing some of the sugar to melt ever so slightly—then the sides can be slipped off without disturbing the topping. Tossing the cherries with the reserved flour mixture before they’re added to the batter prevents them from sinking to the bottom. 10 servings
1½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
⅔ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
1 cup canned pitted sweet cherries, halved, drained
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter and flour 10-inch-diameter springform pan with 2¾-inch-high sides. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and 1 cup sugar in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in vanilla extract. Transfer 2 tablespoons dry ingredients to small bowl. At low speed, beat half of remaining dry ingredients into butter mixture, then mix in sour cream and lemon peel. Beat in remaining half of dry ingredients. Mix cherries into reserved 2 tablespoons dry ingredients; fold cherries into batter.
Spoon batter into prepared pan; smooth top. Bake until tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Transfer cake to rack and cool 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, using small sharp knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean into small bowl. Mix in remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, rubbing with fingertips to distribute seeds. Add powdered sugar and rub again.
Sift vanilla sugar over hot cake and cool. Cut around pan sides to loosen cake; remove pan sides.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; let stand at room temperature.
With mini chocolate chips dotted throughout and a sweet and tangy drizzle on top, this moist coffee cake is great for either brunch or dessert. 12 servings
CakeNonstick vegetable oil spray
2 large egg whites (¼ cup)
⅓ cup (packed) golden brown sugarPinch of salt
1½ cups coarsely chopped walnuts
1¼ cups mini semisweet chocolate chips, divided
2 cups cake flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 large eggs
¾ cup sour cream
Topping
¾ cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons sour cream
CAKE: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour 10-inch-diameter angel food cake pan with removable bottom, then spray with nonstick spray. Mix egg whites, brown sugar, and salt in medium bowl. Mix in walnuts and ¼ cup chocolate chips.
Whisk flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in another medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl to blend. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Stir in flour mixture in 4 additions alternately with sour cream in 3 additions. Stir in remaining 1 cup chocolate chips.
Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top. Spoon walnut mixture evenly over. Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour 8 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 15 minutes. Using sharp knife, cut around sides of pan and center tube to loosen cake. Using oven mitt, grasp center tube and lift cake from sides of pan. Cool cake completely on rack. Cut cake free from pan bottom. Placing hand gently atop cake for support, tilt cake just far enough over to release from center tube; remove tube. Place cake, streusel side up, on platter (walnuts should be on top).
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in plastic.
TOPPING: Mix sugar and sour cream in bowl; drizzle over cake.
This yeast-risen coffee cake needs to rise for an hour before being baked, so allow enough time before you plan to serve it. 12 servings
Topping
1 8-ounce package Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 large egg yolk
⅔ cup golden raisins
Cake
5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
¾ cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1½ cups sifted unbleached all purpose flour (sifted, then measured)
½ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) chilled unsalted butter, diced
⅓ cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 ¼-ounce envelope active dry yeast
1 large egg, room temperature
6 tablespoons milk, room temperature
Pecans
1 large egg white
½ cup sugar
1 cup pecan halves
TOPPING: Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar, and egg yolk in small bowl to blend. Mix in raisins.
CAKE: Butter 9×9×2-inch metal baking pan. Finely grind chocolate and brown sugar in processor. Transfer to bowl. Blend flour, cocoa, and salt in processor 5 seconds. Add butter; using on/off turns, chop finely.
Combine ⅓ cup warm water, sugar, and yeast in large bowl. Stir to dissolve yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 8 minutes. Mix in egg, milk, chocolate mixture, and flour mixture. Spread batter in prepared pan. Drop topping over batter by tablespoonfuls and spread carefully to cover.
Pour boiling water in bottom of 8×8-inch pan to depth of 1½ inches. Place pan with dough over pan with water. Cover pan with dough tightly with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let stand until dough has risen, about 1 hour.
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F