Rasberry Coil Coffeecake

This coffeecake gets its shape from six ropes of dough coiled into a wide spiral on a cookie sheet, with raspberry preserves spread across the top before the final rise. The coil technique gives you more surface area for the jam to cling to than a standard loaf, so you get fruit flavor in almost every bite.

The 30-minute rise after shaping is key. Let the coil double in size before it goes in the oven, otherwise you’ll end up with dense, bready layers instead of a soft pull-apart texture. The glaze goes on while the cake is still warm so it seeps into the ridges of the spiral.

Kitchen Tips

• Roll the dough ropes on a lightly floured surface to prevent sticking, but don’t over-flour or the coils won’t stick to each other.
• Overlap each new rope about an inch onto the previous one. This keeps the spiral from separating during baking.
• Spread the preserves gently with the back of a spoon so you don’t deflate the shaped dough.
• Serve warm for the best texture. The glaze firms up as it cools.

Variations

• Swap raspberry preserves for apricot or strawberry jam.
• Add a sprinkle of sliced almonds over the glaze while it’s still wet.
• Mix a pinch of cinnamon into the dough ropes before coiling for a spiced version.