cranberry vanilla coffee cake

nothing says fall like cranberries!

and i'm just too excited to not to jump right into fall cooking! :)

you guys - this coffee cake was AMAZING.
one of my most favorite things i've ever made. seriously.
great way to kick off the fall season.

recipe via smitten kitchen via epicurious

ingredients

1/2 vanilla bean
(i used the entire bean)

1 3/4 cups sugar
2 cups fresh or thawed frozen cranberries (6 ounces)
2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened, divided
2 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
confectioners sugar, for dusting

*i used frozen cranberries, and followed the

instructions on the back of the bag for thawing.

directions

1. preheat oven to 37 degrees with rack in middle.

generously butter a 9- by 2-inch round cake pan.

2. scrape seeds from vanilla bean into a

food processor with tip of a paring knife

add sugar and pulse to combine. transfer to a bowl.

3. pulse cranberries with 1/2 cup vanilla sugar

in processor until finely chopped (do not purée).

4. whisk together 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt.

5. beat together 1 stick butter and 1 cup vanilla sugar in a bowl

with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy.

add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

scrape down side and bottom of bowl.

reduce speed to low and mix in flour mixture and milk alternately in batches,

beginning and ending with flour, until just combined.

6. spread half of batter in pan,

then spoon cranberries over it,

leaving a 1/2-inch border around edge.

spoon small bits of the remaining batter over the top of the cranberries

and smooth them with as gentle of a hand as possible.

7. blend remaining 1/4 cup vanilla sugar with remaining

tablespoon each of butter and flour using your fingertips.

crumble over top of cake.

8. bake until a wooden pick inserted into cake (not into cranberry filling)

comes out clean and side begins to pull away from pan, 45 to 50 minutes.

9. cool in pan 30 minutes, then remove from pan

and cool completely, crumb side up.