chocolate bundt cake

I really really liked this cake a lot.  A lot a lot.  I don’t usually love plain old chocolate cake but I must say again…liked it a lot!  Rob said “good cake!” and he is a hard one to please in that his cake should be moist, rich with chocolate flavor and well – that’s it!

The recipe calls for mini chips, but I was out of stock so subbed regular chips.  I figured they might fall to the bottom (then the top!) and they did.  But I really liked that.  Made a thick crust of chocolate on the entire outside of the cake.  Up to you of course.  Enjoy –

triple chocolate bundt cake (modified from Cake Keeper Cakes by Lauren Chattman):

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1/3 cup unsweetened dutch process cocoa powder
1 cup boiling water
1 cup milk
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (if using table salt, only 1/4 teaspoon)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups mini choc chips or normal (just read above to decide)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 12 cup Bundt pan and dust with flour.  Be thorough!!

Place the chocolate and cocoa in a bowl, add the boiling water.  Whisk until smooth and let cool.

Whisk together the milk, eggs and vanilla in a glass measuring cup.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Beat together the butter and sugar with paddle attachment (or electric beaters) until lighter and fluffy.  5 m or so.  Scrape bowl, and beat to combine.

Add the chocolate to the butter and sugar and mix on low until combined.

Still on slow, add 1/3rd of the dry ingredients, then 1/2 of the wet mixture and repeat alternating the flour and milk, ending with flour.

Turn the mixer to high and beat for one minute.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Scrape batter into pan and bake until a toothpick comes out JUST clean.  Do not over bake.

Let cake cool in the pan for 20 m or so then invert onto a wire rack and let cool completely.

Slice and serve.  Yum!

 

 

 

cinnamon roll pound cake

I made this a long while ago and although I don’t remember much as I age, I do remember this cake!  Sylvie does too!  Rich, moist, and laced so pretty and tasty with cinnamon, this cake is worth the small effort it takes to bake.  The glaze is truly the icing on the cake (in that it is!) but seriously adds such a yumminess that I wish for you to bake and sample.  I know it isn’t too holiday-like, but if you are having friends or family for New Years brunch, this would definitely be a hit.

cinnamon roll pound cake (only very slightly adapted from Creme de la Creme):

1 cup butter (2 sticks) room temp
3 cups sugar plus ¼ cup, divided
1 cup vanilla greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons heavy cream
6 eggs (room temp)
3 cups flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

icing –

2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
2 oz cream cheese, softened
¼ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1½ cups powdered sugar
pinch (or two) kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray or butter two 9×5 loaf pans with cooking spray and feel free to line bottom with parchment (I did, and usually do) and set aside. Or use different sized pans or muffin tins – and just vary baking time accordingly.

On medium high-speed and with the paddle attachment of your mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Lower the speed and mix in greek yogurt, heavy cream and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray or butter two 9×5 loaf pans with cooking spray and feel free to line bottom with parchment (I did, and usually do) and set aside.  Or use different sized pans or muffin tins – and just vary baking time accordingly.

On medium high-speed and with the paddle attachment of your mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Lower the speed and mix in greek yogurt, heavy cream and vanilla.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg.

In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking soda and salt.  On the very lowest speed, add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined.

In a small bowl mix ¼ cup sugar and cinnamon.

Pour ⅓ of the batter into the loaf pans.  Sprinkle half of cinnamon sugar mixture on top.  Repeat with remaining batter, then the cinnamon sugar, and end with the batter.

Bake for about 1 hour and 10-20 minutes or until edges begin to brown and an inserted toothpick comes out just clean.  Bake less time if you are using smaller pans.  Please check often and before you think it might be done.  The key to deliciousness is baking it so that it is just right.

Let cool for 25 minutes or so and gently invert.  Let cool completely.

For the icing, mix together the melted butter and cream cheese.  (I used my paddle and mixer, but this can also be done by hand.)  Add cream, vanilla, powdered sugar and salt and mix to combine.

Pour over cooled loaves. Allow to cool and set at least one hour before slicing and serving.

Enjoy-

pumpkin-banana bread (healthier)

This is good – a great seasonal bread and another alternative when you have some browning bananas hanging out on your counter.  When I read this recipe I thought I finally found something Greg would happily eat in the morning before school.  I made several different loaves – some with semisweet chocolate, some with milk, and some with white and pecans.  I thought white would be right up Greg’s alley and well, it was – except that he said, “the bread is too sweet and you know I don’t like nuts and oh, that ginger is strong.”  Rob, Sylvie, Andy and I also thought too sweet – esp the ones with milk and white chocolate but we really liked everything else.  And we all mangaged to eat it.  So back to the recipe I went – again, primarily to feed my lean son and added only half of the brown sugar and none of the white sugar and I skipped some of the spices that seemed to offend his ridiculously delicate senses.  I took out the pecans and well, he liked it!   A lot.  But just “not for breakfast!”  Oye.  Oh well… I liked it too – it is a great snacking cake and I would def add nuts if your family likes them.  I like the sweetness of milk and white (high quality!!) chips – but I do have that serious sweet tooth.  Rob of course like the semi sweet and would have preferred bittersweet. Play around with it – I’m thinking cranberries or dried cherries too.

Enjoy –

pumpkin-banana bread (original recipe from Sara-Jane bedwell  and here is the link.

2 mashed ripe bananas
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup canola oil
2 eggs
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or 1 cup all purpose, one cup whole wheat flour)
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt plus a pinch (kosher if you have)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon (feel free to add some ginger and a little bit of nutmeg)
chocolate chips to your taste
pecans too if desired
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray or butter an 8 1/2 X 4 1/2-inch loaf pan (or 4 mini loaf pans, or mini/reg muffin tins).
Mix together the mashed banana, pumpkin puree, oil, and eggs in a large bowl.  Or beat with an electric mixer with the paddle attachment (beat up the bananas first).
Whisk together flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
Add flour mixture to banana and pumpkin mixture and beat until just moist. Pour batter into loaf pan and bake until done (toothpick comes out just clean)
My mini muffins took 18 minutes and my mini loaves took 33.  If using just one loaf pan I imagine you should check after 45 m – but will likely take close to an hour.  Just keep checking.
Hope you like!

cinnamon almond snack cake (made from ground almonds – no flour) healthy!

Sylvie LOVED this cake.  Rob and I did too.  The cinnamon topping is soo very full of flavor and the cake is dense, moist and satisfying.  Really!  Again from my almond flour cookbook that I’m having so much sweet success with.  About a month ago I was convinced that Greg had a gluten sensitivity or Celiac so I quickly ran out and got a few gluten free cookbooks – this being one of them.  I like this cookbook because the ingredients are familiar and healthy.  Greg’s been tested and now I’m 95 percent sure that he doesn’t have it – but he does need to gain weight – and best in a somewhat healthy way.  So I figured that baked goods made with almond flour would be somewhat caloric – but healthy and full of protein.  And really, a good snack for all of us.  Unfortunately, Greg (and Andy) didn’t love it – but i think it was just the slivered almonds on the top.

Try it – I don’t think you will be disappointed.  Oh, I added the chocolate chips to the recipe (had to!) although the recipe called for nuts and currents.  I’ll include both options in the recipe.  Enjoy!

You will need agave nectar and grapeseed oil which you should be able to now find in the supermarket.  Or buy agave nectar online for better price.

cinnamon almond snack cake (slightly adapted from The Gluten-Free Almond flour cookbook by Elana Amsterdam which was inspired by lucyskitchenshop.com):

cake–
2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup walnuts (or not — here I added chocolate chips!)
1/2 cup dried currents or raisins (I didn’t – just used the chocolate chips)
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1/4 cup agave nectar
2 large eggs

topping–
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease an 8 inch baking pan with grape seed oil and dust with almond flour.

Combine the almond flour, sea salt, baking soda, chocolate chips (or walnuts and currents!) in a large bowl.  Whisk and stir to combine.

In a medium bowl, stir together the grape seed oil, agave nectar and eggs.

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until thoroughly combined – and then spread into the prepared pan.

Make the topping by combining the cinnamon, grape seed oil, agave nectar and almonds together…and then sprinkle the topping all over the batter.

Bake for 25-35 minutes — a tooth pick should come out just clean.  Keep checking.  Cool and serve.

gluten free banana cake

Another recipe that is gluten and dairy free…and protein packed, and very tasty!  Rob, Alisa and I enjoyed in the morning as it is a healthy way to start the day.  Eggs, bananas, almond flour…dark chocolate.  All good!  The kids didn’t love this one I think because I used bitter chocolate, but I imagine semi-sweet chips would change that a bit.  Just don’t expect a buttery rich cake.  Obviously.  But it is good, and fits the bill especially if you are sensitive to gluten.  I have to make next time John is over and truly see if it passes the test.  I’ll keep you posted…in the meantime, enjoy!

chocolate chip banana cake (from The Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam):

3 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1/4 cup agave nectar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup coarsely chopped dark chocolate (she suggests 73 percent – but again for kids or for sweeter flavor go semi-sweet)
1 cup (2 to 3) very ripe bananas (mashed)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9 inch pan with grape seed oil and dust with almond flour – or use a parchment or foil liner.

In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, baking soda, and salt.

In a medium bowl whisk together the grape seed oil, agave nectar, eggs and vanilla extract.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently stir to combine.  Fold in the chocolate and mashed bananas and then pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 33-43 minutes – but check often and try not to over bake as usual!

Let the cake cool in the pan then serve.

Enjoy-

pumpkin loaf with whole grains and olive oil

This was really good.  Better than the photo – since the color looks off (sorry!)  Moist, pumpkiny and full of goodness.  I do love a healthy sweet snack and my kids did too!  All of them.  Andy loved this fresh baked and gooey out of the oven.  Greg, Sylvie and Rob all said good – esp good considering the whole grains and lack of butter.  I too enjoyed, toasted and crispy – I do like texture.  And yes, of course I added the chocolate chips – I did, as usual – but it is obviously up to you.  My family seems to need this.  I found this in the October issue of  Fine Cooking Magazine.  As soon as I see Ellie Krieger’s photo I’m immediately interested.  I actually met her at the airport last year, behind her in the check in line and told her how much I enjoy her recipes, books and articles.  She is smart, healthy and creative – I do envy that!  So enjoy her – from me – and treat yourself and your family to this terrific fall sweet.

pumpkin loaf with whole grains and olive oil (from the Oct/Nov issue of Fine Cooking — Ellie Krieger):

3 1/4 oz (3/4 cup) whole wheat flour
3 oz (2/3 cup unbleached all purpose flour)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup honey
chocolate chips (optional)
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9×5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, olive oil and honey.  Mix until well combined.

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and gently fold until evenly incorporated.  Add the chips (if using — or sprinkle on top).

Pour batter into prepped pan and tap the pan on the counter to settle the batter.

If using pumpkin seeds – sprinkle on top and lightly press in.

Bake until the top is browned and a toothpick comes out just clean  40-45 m.  If the top of the loaf is browning too much – cover the top with foil.

Let cool in pan for 15 minutes then turn out gently.  Let cool.  Enjoy!

sunshine bread

I really really enjoyed this bread.  It has warm honey and orange notes, sweet red raspberries and crunchy sliced almonds.  It is delicious sliced and toasted with a little bit of butter – but also really nice alone.  Sylvie and I actually couldn’t stop picking at this bread.  Very addictive to us – but not for everyone.  Andy and Rob really didn’t like it at all which is hard for me to imagine, and Greg thought it was good but the taste too strong.  Hmmm….guess that is what makes the world go round.  I found this recipe in the fictional novel, How To Bake a Perfect Life, which was a nice easy read.  The character writes about this bread she made up on the night that she felt great new love.  She states “Filled with light and juice and tenderness, it is one of my favorite things.”  How romantic is that?  Unfortunately that didn’t work well here with Rob.  Funny.  I wanted to bring some to friends but bumped into a homeless man and decided that he might want a bit of sunshine and tenderness.  It did bring a big smile to his face but I didn’t get to hear his comments. Oh well, try it if you are game – make it for a brunch.  I think it will delight.

Don’t overfill your pan.  I did, and in order to cook it through I had to over-bake a bit.  It was a little dry, so don’t fill all the way, use the leftover for a few mini muffins and problem solved.

sunshine fruit and honey bread (slightly adapted from How To Bake A Perfect Life by Barbara O’Neal):

2 cups all-purpose flour (remember to peek at baking tips to see how to measure flour correctly)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup raw sugar (I used sugar in the raw – this added a slight crunch to the bread)
1/2 cup dark honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
2 teaspoons orange zest
2 eggs
1 cup raspberries
1/3 cup sliced almonds

glaze –
1/4 cup fresh orange juice (from the orange you zested)
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of kosher salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

With the paddle attachment of you electric mixer or with hand held beaters, cream the butter and sugar together for a few minutes until lighter and fluffier.

Add the honey and both extracts and orange zest and continue to beat and scrape down.  Add the eggs one at a time – on medium speed.

On the lowest speed add the dry ingredients in 2 batches  – and mix until just incorporated.

Remove from mixer and gently fold in raspberries and toasted almonds.

Scrape into prepared pan and again, don’t overfill – maybe make a few mini muffins on the side.

Bake for about 50-60 minutes – but check often and before.  Toothpick should come out just clean.  (Muffin time will be shorter.)

Cool for 20 minutes and then invert bread onto a wire rack.

To make the glaze, mix together the orange juice and sugar and heat gently until the sugar is dissolved.  Add a pinch of salt and then drizzle over the bread.

Enjoy-

banana streusel cake

I had to post this again.  Sorry for the repetition but made this last weekend and everyone raved.  It is my kids favorite.  I urge you to try it.  Now back to the original post:  This banana cake is scrumptious.  In the midst dealing with a flat tire, trying to fix the TV volume that was (and still is) stuck on mute, and driving the kids to and from activities…I noticed that I had three very ripe bananas sitting on the counter and decided that I must use them today.  I wanted something different than my basic banana bread (that we do love) – was in the mood to try something new – but something just as simple to make since I was pressed for time.  Well, I found a good one!  I was able to prep the ingredients in between Triple A coming, rushing the car in for service (apparently I had only 10 minutes before the tire deflated again!), picking the car up 25 minutes later (I owe Jack’s Automotive some cake) and continued as I prepped dinner as well (it was a crock pot night which made things easier).  By the time dinner ended I had my mise en place and was ready to combine the measured ingredients and pop in the oven.  This is an incredibly long winded way of telling you that this is easy to make.  More importantly, it is yummy.  I made one with streusel on top and with out chocolate.  And I made one with the streusel and mini chips swirled a bit throughout.  I gave Greg the non-chocolate version in his lunch and as soon as he saw me after school he said, “what was that amazing thing in my lunch?”  Josh and Lauren loved the chippy version and Mike, Zach, Andy, Sylvie and Rob loved both.  This cake is light, delicate and more cake-y than the banana bread (which makes sense).  Anyway, the streusel topping is divine.  I love streusel.  Rambling now, but this in my little mug of ice cream…can’t wait! Enjoy-

banana streusel cake (with or without chocolate chips) only very slightly adapted from Flo Braker’s Baking For All Occasions:

streusel-
6 tablespoons all purpose flour
6 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into little pieces
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

cake-
2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup mashed banana (2 medium or 3 small or 9 oz)
3 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten, room temp
mini chocolate chips 2/3’s cup (or more or less to your taste)

streusel – in a medium bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and salt.  Rub the mixture with your hands over and over again until the butter smooshes a bit and the dry ingredients start to look like slightly wet sand.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place oven rack in center.  Line the inside of a 9×9 pan with foil or parchment so that it comes up the sides of the pan.  Then you can pull whole cake out of oven using foil as an aide.  Look to baking tips to see photos of this with a cranberry cake.  You can also butter and parchment and flour traditionally – but it is trickier to invert from the pan – yet do-able for sure.  (These would be great in muffin shape as well!  Just adjust baking time – shorter.)

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

Mush the bananas and stir in the milk and vanilla and set aside.

With the paddle attachment of the mixer – beat the butter and sugar for 3-4 minutes on medium speed.  Scrape down sides beat again for 30 seconds.  Add the egg and beat until incorporated.

Next add the banana mixture (it might look curdled that is ok) – and beat until combined.

On the lowest speed, add the flour in 2’s – and mix until just incorporated.  Finish folding by hand for best results.  If using mini chips you can fold in (some) now or you can wait and place on streusel or a little bit of both!

Spoon the batter into the pan, smooth and then cover evenly with the streusel.  And again, if using the chocolate chips, you can place some on top.  I swirled the chip batter with a knife but I actually prefer the crunch streusel on top vs inside the cake, but up to you.

Bake for about 42-50 minutes, but check often and before with a wooden toothpick.  Let cool for 10 minutes then remove from pan with the foil as aide – or invert if you buttered and floured the pan (carefully).

Let cool, and cut and enjoy!

This cake freezes well.  Wrap with plastic and then foil and freeze up to 2 weeks.

banana poppyseed cake with lemon poppyseed icing

So, as usual, I had some over-ripe bananas sitting on my counter and wanted to make something else besides my quick and easy banana bread or my favorite banana streusal cake.  But again, as usual, I was pressed for time and my hand is still not back to normal — so I wasn’t up for the burnt caramel banana tart, or the banana pudding that I am eager to make.  Instead I found a quick and easy and interesting banana idea in Flo Brakers Baking For All Occasions.  This one calls for poppy seeds and a lemon glaze and it just sang to me.  The banana flavor is really mellow here.  In fact Greg’s friend Sam (who really dislikes banana) was very reluctant to try, but the peer pressure was too much and he had no choice.  He said it was good despite the banana.  Matt gave it the thumbs up and Greg really liked it too.  We all loved the icing and I really enjoyed the poppy seeds mixed with the banana.  This has great texture and the poppy’s added a new dimension to the banana cake and the lemon glaze just brightened the whole sweet up.  Sylvie, Rob and Andy too really enjoyed these sweet treats.  You can make in muffin tins or cake rounds – play around and have fun.  Serve for brunch or dessert or with an afternoon cup of tea.  Enjoy-

banana poppy seed cake (slightly adapted from Flo Braker’s Baking for all Occasions):

cake–

1 3/4 cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds
3/4 cup mashed bananas (2 small or one large)
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk (well shaken)
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

lemon glaze–

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest – finely grated
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
pinch or two of kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and line the bottom of a 10 x 2 inch round cake pan and then grease again and lightly flour – tapping out excess.  Any shape pan will do if you use an 8×8, the baking time will be less and you can make some muffins or mini cakes with the extra batter.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  Place poppy seeds on top and set aside.  In a small bowl, stir together the bananas and buttermilk.  Set aside.

With the paddle attachment of you mixer, beat the butter on medium low until smooth, about a minute.  Scrape the bowl, then on medium speed, add the sugar in a nice steady stream and continue to beat until light and fluffy – about 3-5 minutes.  Stop here and there to scrape down the bowl.

On medium speed, add the eggs, just a little at a time (2 tablespoons) and mix until each addition is incorporated into the batter.  Continue to beat after all of the eggs are added until the mixture is fluffy and pale.  This should take about 3 minutes or so.

On the lowest speed, add the banana/buttermilk mixture and mix until blended.

Remove from mixer and then using a spatula, fold in the flour mixture in 3 additions and mix until the batter is smooth.

Pour into prepped pan and bake until it is golden and springs back when you touch it gently and the cake has pulled away from the sides of the pan – slightly.

Start your timer for 30 minutes – and then continue to check from there – it will all depend on the size of the cake pan you used.  Keep checking in 5-3-2 minute increments and pull when just done.  Try not to over-bake.

Let cool for 5-10 minutes, run a knife around the edges and then invert onto a cooling rack.  Turn right side up by inverting again with another cooling rack.  Or any way you can make this happen!

Let cool completely.  If your pan is decorative – you can keep in the pan and glaze the cake in it.

glaze–

In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, lemon juice and zest, vanilla and dash of salt – until smooth.  Add the poppy seeds and then drizzle and spread all over the cake.

Enjoy-

cinnamon snack cake (w/some whole wheat flour)

“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 –