Strawberry-Cream Cheese Coffee Cake, Breakfast or Dessert?

Ingredients

• For cake layer:
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• Finely grated zest of one lemon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 large yolks
• For cream cheese layer:
• 10 ounces cream cheese
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 1 large egg, well beaten, but not aerated
• For crumb layer:
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• For assembly:
• 2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, diced

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350F. Grease 10 mini loaf pans measuring 2"X4", or one 13"X9" baking pan, and add parchment to the bottoms. If you would rather make cupcakes, line 24 standard size molds with standard paper cupcake liners.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar and zest together until the mixture looks pale and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla, then add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each one so the batter stays smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, salt and baking powder so they are evenly combined. Mix one third of the dry ingredients into the butter and egg mixture. Add one yolk and mix again. Add half of the remaining dry mixture, then the remaining yolk, and finish with the last of the dry mixture, mixing well after every addition.
4. Set the cream cheese and lemon zest in a heat-proof mixing bowl over simmering water. Stir occasionally, just until the cheese is warm, smooth and fluid. Take the bowl off the heat. Stir in the sugar and vanilla extract well. Do not whip or whisk here, because adding air can make the cream cheese layer turn pasty and dry. Add the beaten egg and stir until combined.
5. For the crumb layer, combine all the crumb ingredients and work them together with your hands or a mixer until everything is evenly mixed and the topping forms chunky crumbs.
6. To assemble, portion the cake batter evenly into the prepared pans. Scatter the strawberries evenly over the batter, spreading the pieces across the surface and pressing them down lightly. Divide the cream cheese batter evenly among the pans; there should be just enough to cover the berries in each one. Add a generous handful of crumbs over the cream cheese layer in each pan, without pressing them in.
7. Bake the coffee cakes for 35 minutes, until a toothpick poked into the center of the center cakes comes out clean. It may look slightly damp, but it should not bring any batter with it.
8. Leave the cakes in the pans for 5 to 10 minutes to cool. Run a paring knife carefully around each cake to release it, then gently turn the cakes out. Let them cool fully on wire racks with the crumb side facing up. The cakes keep about 3 days, although the crumb topping will lose some of its crunch and crumble after storage.