ORIGINAL RECIPE: CRANBERRY STREUSEL COFFEE CAKE

2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
3 cups frozen cranberries

STREUSEL TOPPING
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. On waxed paper, sift together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In large bowl with electric mixer set on medium speed, beat butter and granulated sugar about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Beat in eggs one at a time until well combined. Beat in vanilla. Beat in flour mixture and sour cream alternately until just combined, ending with flour.

Spread half of the batter in prepared pan. Sprinkle with cranberries. Spread remaining batter over cranberries, leveling with offset spatula if necessary.

In medium bowl, stir together all-purpose flour, brown sugar and cinnamon until well combined. Stir in butter; work with fingers until mixture begins to clump. Sprinkle over batter.

Bake for 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Per serving: About 506 calories, 7 g proteins, 66 g carbohydrates, 24 g fat, 43% calories from fat, 122 mg cholesterol, 276 mg sodium, 2 g fiber.

THE LIGHTER WAY: CRANBERRY STREUSEL COFFEE CAKE

1 can (16 ounces) pears, drained and puréed
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg plus 1 egg white
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup nonfat sour cream
3 cups frozen cranberries

STREUSEL TOPPING
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons frozen apple-juice concentrate, thawed

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. In saucepan, over medium heat, cook pear purée, stirring, until reduced to 1/2 cup. Cool.

In small saucepan, over medium heat, cook butter, swirling, about 1 minute, until lightly browned. In large bowl, whisk pear purée, butter, sugar, egg, egg white, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of the oil until smooth.

Sift cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add alternately with sour cream to pear mixture. Spread half of batter in pan; top with cranberries and rest of batter.

In medium bowl, stir together all-purpose flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Blend in apple-juice concentrate and remaining oil until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter.

Bake 45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from middle.

Per serving: About 284 calories, 5 g proteins, 59 g carbohydrates, 4 g fat, 13% calories from fat, 21 mg cholesterol, 225 mg sodium, 2 g fiber.