Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Now that my husband is back home safe and sound, we've actually been spending a lot of time in the kitchen baking and making things I've had on my "to-make" list for months. Things like homemade salsa, green chile stew, hummus, collard greens, eggnog, and coffee cake, to be more precise. Posting may be heavy for the next week or so, but it's only because I'm really enjoying all the things I'm making and need to share them.

I'm starting off with this coffee cake, because it's the kind of recipe that's perfect to make and then keep around the house all week long—if you can keep your temptation to eat the entire thing at bay, of course. I've had it for breakfast, for snacks, and for dessert, and it tastes better with each bite. The ingredient list and directions may seem a little long, but it was really easy to make —I don't make things unless they're easy. Plus, check out the ingredients, because I bet you already have everything on hand!

Cinnamon Coffee Cake 

adapted from Cooking Light and King Arthur Flour

(6 WW points+ for 1/12 slice)

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, divided
• Cooking spray
• 4.5  ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
• 1  ounce whole-wheat flour (about 1/4 cup)
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2  teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4  teaspoon salt
• 1/2  cup granulated sugar
• 1/2  cup packed brown sugar, divided
• 1/3  cup butter/margarine, softened (used Brummel and Brown)
• 2 large eggs
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1  (8-ounce) carton light sour cream

For Filling:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar, light or dark
• 1 tablespoons ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder (optional, used strictly for color, not flavor; leave it out if you like)

For topping:

• 2  tablespoons finely chopped walnuts, toasted
• 1/2  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1  tablespoon chilled butter, cut into small pieces (used Brummel and Brown)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Spread oats in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 6 minutes or until oats are barely fragrant and light brown.

3. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray; set aside.

4. Reserve 1/4 cup oats; set aside. Place remaining oats in food processor or blender; process 4 seconds or until finely ground. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine processed oats, flourr, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; stir with a whisk.

5. Make filling by mixing together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa powder (if used). Set aside.

6. Place granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 1/3 cup butter in a large bowl. Beat with hand mixer at medium speed for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. (Batter will be slightly lumpy because of oats.)

7. Spoon half the batter into prepared pan; spread evenly. Sprinkle filling evenly atop the batter. Spread remaining batter atop filling. Use a table knife to gently swirl the filling into the batter, as though you were making a marble cake. Don't combine filling and batter thoroughly; just swirl.

8. Combine remaining 1/4 cup oats, remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar, nuts, and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter/margarine with a pastry blender or 2 knives until well blended. Sprinkle over batter evenly with nut mixture.

9. Bake at 350° for 38 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, top is golden, and cake begins to pull away from sides of pan. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes; remove from pan.

Cherry Blossom Cake

I'll be posting more recipes soon but for now enjoy this picture of a wedding I made this weekend.

Plum Upside Down Cake

Even though there is nothing truly magical about upside down cakes, I feel there is. Something about putting it in the oven and it looks like a regular cake with regular batter, then flipping it out and SURPRISE there's fruit and color all over the top of it! When it's baking I try to forget what I whipped together so that it really does surprise me when I remove the pan. It's a wonderful idea and I urge everyone to make one and use any kind of fruit you'd like. I really think anything sauteed in butter then made as a topping on cake has the power to be life changing. This recipe was adapted from Real Simple and I lowered the fat and used whole wheat flour. Happy Baking :)


Ingredients:
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter plus extra for the pan (or low fat butter substitute- I use Brummel and Brown)
4 ripe plums cut into 8 wedges
6 Tbsp agave
3 Tbsp Brandy (optional)
2/3 cup granulated sugar (can substitute Splenda for lower cal)
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp ground flax seed
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 large egg
2/3 cup low fat sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch cake pan. Melt 1 Tbsp of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the plums and agave cook, tossing, until the plums become syrupy and softened. About 3 minutes. Near the end pour in about 3 Tbsp brandy and toss. Arrange the plums in the cake pan in a circle pattern, completely covering the pan. Spoon any pan juices over the top. Whisk together the flour, flax seed, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl beat 1/2 cup butter and 2/3 cup of sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg, sour cream, and vanilla. Slowly add the flour mixture until incorporated.Pour the batter over the plums and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool for 15-20 minutes. Place a large plate over the cake pan and invert the cake onto the plate. Once cooled top with powdered sugar.

Healthy Birthday Cake

I made this Castle Cake for a birthday party this past weekend. It was a very special cake. For one, it was for my niece, and two it was made of black beans!! I'll admit when I first heard black bean chocolate cake, I was nervous. My sister has an allergy to gluten and dairy. And also a sugar intolerance. It's hard living with food allergies and also makes it very hard to find any sweets worth having. With some research she found a fabulous gluten free, dairy free, very low sugar black bean chocolate cake recipe. We made a test cake and could not believe how good it tasted! You certainly couldn't tell it was made of beans! It was a completely healthy cake, and no one had to feel guilty eating it. Don't be afraid of the name or have an nervousness about this cake, it's so GOOD!


Ingredients:
1-15 ounce can of unseasoned black beans
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons Coconut oil
3/4 cup Erythritol or (1/3 cup Honey + 1 tsp Stevia)
1/2 tsp Stevia (if using erythritol)
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tbsp water (omit if using honey)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease your cake pan with cooking spray or shortening. Since this is a no flour cake dust cocoa all over the cake, make sure to get it one the sides as well. This will prevent the cake from sticking to the pan.

Drain the beans and rinse the beans, you don't want any bean juice. Shake off excess water. Put beans, 3 of the eggs, vanilla, stevia, and salt in a food processor or blender. Blend until everything is liquefied. Make sure to get all the lumps out. Mix cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder in a bowl. In a separate bowl beat coconut oil and erythritol or honey (I used honey) until fluffy. Add 2 eggs, one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each one. Combine bean and egg mixture. Mix in cocoa powder and beat the batter on high until smooth. Put the batter in a pan and tap the pan on the counter to pop air bubbles.

Bake for 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Or until the cake is firm. If the cake is over baked it will be really crumbly and not as moist. Let the cake cool and turn out and set on a cooling rack until room temperature. The cake can be wrapped and refrigerated for a few days. Ice with your frosting of choice and ENJOY! It's really good with cream cheese or chocolate frosting. I made a tofutti cream cheese frosting, it was delicious. I'll post the recipe later on.