The texture that I remember is not what you get from a typical crumble bar cookie, where you make the streusel part, pat half into the pan, spread on the filling, and then top with crumbs – Mollie’s prune bar was cakier. I am pretty sure that the right type of thing is a crumb cake, or kuchen, where you make the crumbs, reserve some for topping, then add eggs and milk to the rest to make a batter. I think the batter needs to be on the thick side, and then spread in a thin layer. I have a Maida Heatter apple kuchen where the batter part is about right, but the topping is completely different, so years ago I printed out a very plain crumb cake that I found online someplace, and noted – “try for Mollie prune bars” on the top.

Today I finally got around to trying it – and I knew in my heart when I read the recipe, that it was going to be too cakey, produce too much batter, and I really should reduce the milk, and probably use one less egg – but I didn’t. And, since I was making the cake for a mixed group, I made pineapple filling instead of prune – and I knew when I read the recipe for that, that I shouldn’t put in as much water as it said – but I did.

So I ended up with a fluffy and soft pineapple coffee cake – the crumbs just sank, there was so much liquid – so I made a little cream cheese drizzle glaze to improve the looks of the top. It’s a nice cake, but it’s not the prune bars. But I think it’s a step towards the prune bars, anyways. I’ll be sure to let you know when I get there.

• 1 stick of butter, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon baking power
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1 cup sour cream, or part sour cream and part whole milk yogurt
• 1/2 cup raspberry jam or filling
• about 1 1/2 cups streusel, your favorite, or here’s a recipe
• small handful chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan or spray it with cooking spray. Melt the butter in a microwave safe mixing bowl and stir in the sugar, then the egg. Add the baking power, soda, salt and vanilla – mix lightly. add the flour and sour cream, and mix well. Spread the small half of the batter in the preprared pan, and dollop on the raspberry filling. Spread out the filling, then sprinkle on the streusel and chocolate chips. Top with the rest of the batter, and remaining streusel. Bake for 45 minutes – 1 hour, until puffed and firm. Eat warm.