Cranberry Kuchen

Do you buy those bags of fresh cranberries they have in the produce section? I will usually buy a couple bags each holiday season and use one for cranberry onion sauce which is so much better than the jellied nasty stuff you get from a can that it's not even funny. Then I'll usually use a second bag to make this wonderful breakfast treat.

I think "kuchen" is the German word for cake? Maybe? and with whipped cream on top and a mug of hot chocolate on the side it's one of our favorite holiday treats.

Oh, and those bags of cranberries freeze very well too so you can have this even when the cranberries have left the stores for the season.

For cranberry sauce:
2 ½ cups fresh cranberries
½ cup maple syrup

For cake:
2 ¼ cups flour
½ cup sugar
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
1 egg
½ cup milk

For topping:
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
½ teaspoon ginger
¼ cup butter
1/3 cup sliced almonds

To make sauce, in a saucepan cook berries in maple syrup over medium heat until berries just beginning to pop.

To make cake, mix all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder and salt) then add wet ingredients (butter, egg and milk) and mix until well combined.

Spread half of batter in 9x9 greased pan. Top with berry sauce then drop remaining batter by spoonfuls onto top. Combine the sugar, flour and ginger for the topping then cut in butter and add sliced almonds. Sprinkle on top of cake.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean and top is golden.

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