As a singing chef, she creates live shows that combine food music and humor with the facts to “eatertain” and educate people about food and to get brands talked about. Jackie is currently developing her first cookbook+CD, “No Singing At The Dinner Table.” As “@divathatateny” she tweets a lot (read: TOO Much!) about foods that she is eating out and cooking in the city. http://twitter.com/#!/divathatateny

Here is Jackie’s yummy ~Cranberry Almond Coffee Cake

“This is a great Thanksgiving dessert that is super-easy to make and gives the impression you worked much harder than you did. I found it ages ago, in one of those ladies group cookbooks that raises money for charity.
The actual book has long since disappeared from my collection. While I’m not able to credit to the original writer, I’d like to thank all the ladies who donate their time and recipes to these sorts of cookbooks. These books are priceless and keep track of our culinary heritage.

I’ve changed the recipe slightly. I use homemade cranberry sauce in the recipe, but the canned whole cranberry sauce that was in the original recipe works perfectly fine too.”

Ingredients

• 1/4 c butter
• 1 c sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 c sifted flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 2 c homemade cranberry sauce (see below) or 1 can of whole cranberry sauce*
• 1 c sour cream
• 1/2 cup shaved almonds

Topping

• 3/4 c confectioners sugar
• 2 Tbsp warm water
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Dry ingredients: Sift together dry ingredients.
3. Wet ingredients: Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Add sour cream, almond extract and vanilla extract.
4. Gently fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix until blended, do not over mix.
5. Spoon half of the batter into a 9″ tube pan. Add half the cranberry sauce, then remaining batter and remaining cranberry sauce. Sprinkle the top with shaved almonds.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool. Flip cooled cake out on a plate, then flip it back on the serving plate.
7. Mix topping ingredients and drizzle over the top of cake and serve.
8. Makes eight servings.
9. If you are using canned sauce, you can add 1 Tbsp of finely grated orange rind to the recipe, but it is not essential.

Cranberry Sauce Recipe

• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 orange juice, fresh squeezed if possible
• 1 Tbsp of orange rind, finely grated
• 1 12-ounce package fresh cranberries, rinsed

1. Combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. cook until most of the berries pop which is approximately fifteen minutes. Cool.
2. Makes 2 1/4 cups.

Jacki blogs under “The Diva That Ate New York” on http://www.jackiegordon.com/

She also owns Divalicious Chocolate Events, Fountain Rentals & Tastings in New York City.
http://www.divaliciouschocolate.com/