“Mmmmm…mmmm …can you pack this for my snack?” was the first thing Andy said to me after sampling this cinnamon whole wheat cake. Sylvie said this is “extra good!” and Greg said “so good mom, really really good.” And Conor, Greg’s friend said “Amazing – and I love that it is for snacking – not just dessert.” Jason too, my non-chocolate loving friend was in heaven and said “this is right up my alley. I love it!” Alisa too – said it reminded her of Christmas but with out all the “awful orange and lemon peel” in the snack cake she ate at home in Austria. Rob, he was my only one on the fence, although I think he was looking for a true dessert. This is a basic cake – very easy to make. No mixer. Simple and tasty and warm and inviting. This cake is a “snack” cake, but it still is a cake with butter and sugar – but I guess the addition of whole wheat flour makes you feel like it is a bit healthier and can then eat as a snack? Everyone in my house seems to think so! (I do have it in the “healthier” category – but please note that it is not crazy healthy. Just maybe better than other rich treats.) As it baked, the cinnamon scent filled the house making our mouths water in anticipation. I found this in my new cookbook, In the Kitchen With a Good Appetite by Melissa Clark . It is a wonderful book filled with page after page of delicious recipes – with many savory meals that I’m aching to make. I’m drawn to every recipe as each one starts with story or memory that is fully engaging. Melissa includes the option of a walnut streusel filling and topping (for this cake) which I’ll try next time and I think will satisfy Rob’s dessert needs – and post it then! In the meantime, enjoy –
These would probably be great in muffin form as well – or a cupcake if you frost it.
cinnamon snack cake (from Melissa Clark’s book, In the Kitchen With a Good Appetite):
1 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup plain low fat yogurt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease sides and bottom of a 9×5 loaf pan and line bottom with parchment.
Whisk together the sugar, yogurt, vanilla and cinnamon. Add the eggs, one at a time and mix well.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the 2 flours, the baking powder and soda and salt.
Whisk the flour mixture into the egg mixture until there are no streaks and no longer lumpy.
In three additions, gently and carefully fold the melted butter into the batter.
Pour into prepared pan and bake until golden brown and a toothpick comes out just clean. I baked in the center for 55 minutes and 5 minutes on the top rack to brown a bit. but it could take only 50 minutes depending on your oven. Just watch and check!
Let the cake sit for 10 minutes on rack – then gently invert onto a wire rack to cool. Enjoy –
