Category Archives: Coffee Cakes

Sweet treats to have with coffee

Fluffy Vegan Pancakes

Sometimes you find yourself without eggs, and milk, and vanilla, and vinegar, and well, a whole lot of ingredients but you need to pull together a breakfast!
I have found myself in this exact position not once but twice in the past two weeks. Seriously, NOTE TO SELF: BRING VANILLA, VINEGARS, EMERGENCY POWDERED EGGS, POWDERED MILK

In the meantime, I pulled these Vegan Pancakes off and they were actually really good! I would suggest letting the batter sit for about 15 minutes before cooking. I used my electric griddle which made them turn out beautifully! I just can’t seem to get the hang of cooking pancakes in a cast iron frying pan…nor a cast iron griddle! All good, the sun was shining when I wanted to make these for breakfast AND the wind was ripping through here so the wind turbine was generating extra power too!

Without further ado….

Fluffy Vegan Pancakes

2 cups Flour
4 Tbsp Coconut Sugar
2 Tbsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
2 cups Almond Milk
1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
2 tsp Vanilla

Maple Syrup, to serve
Whipped Cream, to serve

In medium mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
In small mixing bowl, combine almond milk, apple cider vinegar and vanilla, stirring well.
Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk just until combined. Do not over mix to avoid rubbery pancakes.
Let batter rest for about 15 minutes.
Preheat your electric griddle or non-stick pan, or cast iron pan on stovetop; pour about 1/3 cup of batter for each pancake –  my griddle accommodates cooking six at a time.
When the top begins to bubble, flip the pancake and cook second side until lovely and golden.
Serve warm with Maple Syrup, Fresh Fruit and Whipped Cream.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days: reheat in the toaster or enjoy cold with a nut butter and jam, jelly or honey.

No eggs? No worries! Delicious egg free, dairy free pancakes. 

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

This is the recipe found on the package of Quaker Old Fashioned Rolled Oats. It is super basic and can easily be adapted to suit your tastes. Add whatever fruit you like, spice it up, or don’t; use milk, water, coconut water, almond milk…choice is yours.

So simple to make.  Get it this stuff going after you put the coffee on, go have a shower or make the bed or whatever while the cereal is cooking, come back to the kitchen and Voila! Breakfast is ready and so is the Coffee!

apple cinnamon oatmeal
Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

3 1/4 cups Water, Milk, or Almond Milk
1/4 teaspoon Salt
2 cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
1 Apple, peeled or not, grated or finely diced
-or 1 cup Applesauce
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

In medium saucepan bring liquid and salt to a boil.
Stir in 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats, apple, and cinnamon.
Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove pan from heat.
If desired, cover anklet stand for 2 minutes before serving. This allows the oats to absorb any remaining liquid.

Serves 4

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Sometimes I buy Sour Cream; I don’t know why I do this, no one here really likes it. I must have bought it because a recipe called for a bit of it leaving me with a whole lot to use up! That lil tub of sour cream kept was right at eye level in the fridge so each time I opened the fridge I would say to myself, “Right, I have to make something with that sour cream.” Well, I finally did something with it!  I turned to my friend, Betty Crocker, and she came through!You can find the original recipe at Betty Crocker . I keep not one, but two Betty Crocker cookbooks in my kitchen; it was fabulous being able to look at a printed recipe instead of having to scroll through the recipe as needed on my iPhone!  I did follow this recipe to the T, for a change…next time I might try adding some steamed apples? hmmmm!   A super moist Sour Cream Coffee Cake that was well received by all.

coffee cake, sour cream, cinnamon
Wonderfully moist coffee cake

Brown Sugar Filling
1/2 cup packed Brown Sugar
1/2 cup chopped Nuts – I used Slivered Almonds
1 1/2 teaspoons ground

Cinnamon Batter
1 1/2 cups Sugar
3/4 cup Butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla
3 large Eggs
3 cups Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
3/4 teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 cups Sour Cream

Vanilla Glaze
1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Vanilla
2 – 3 Tablespoons Milk

Preheat oven to 350F.
Grease bottom and side of Bundt pan or two Loaf Pans (9×5). Lightly dust with flour, tapping out excess.

Prepare Brown Sugar Filling: In a small mixing bowl, mix together brown sugar, chopped nuts and cinnamon. Set aside.

In medium mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In mixing bowl cream together butter and sugar until smooth.
Add vanilla and eggs, mixing well after each egg is added; cream until light and fluffy.
Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and stir just until all the flour is moistened. Scrape down sides of bowl.
Add half of the sour cream and mix well. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add another 1/3 of flour mixture and stir just until flour is moistened. Scrape down sides of bowl.
Add remaining sour cream and mix well. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add remaining flour and stir until all flour is moistened.  Scrape down sides of bowl. Increase speed on mixer and beat for 1 minute.

For Bundt pan, spread 1/3 of the batter (about 2 cups) in prepared pan, then sprinkle with 1/3 of Brown Sugar Filling; repeat twice.
For loaf pans – spread 1/4 of the batter (about 1 1/2 cups) in each pan, then sprinkle each with 1/4 of Brown Sugar Filling; repeat once.

Bake Bundt cake  for about 1 hour,  Loaves for about 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted near centre comes out clean.
Remove from oven, place on wire rack and cool for about 10 minutes.
Remove from pan(s) and place top side up on wire rack.
Cool for about 10 minutes longer before finishing with Vanilla Drizzle.

Vanilla Drizzle Mix all ingredients until smooth and drizzling consistency.

Oh, and by all means, do have this for Breakfast!  I added a bit of Cottage Cheese and a handful of fresh Blueberries to make it a lil bit healthier!

sour cream coffee cake for breakfast
Sour Cream Coffee Cake for Breakfast!

Cinnamon Roll Bread

All too often I find myself craving Cinnamon Rolls.  I have a few problems with that: all the kids are grown and gone so I would have to eat the entire batch on my own,  they are sinfully good therefore I would find it impossible to eat just one in a single sitting, and finally,  the cream cheese frosting is far too good to be true.

I am always looking for ways to incorporate that yummy Cinnamon Roll taste in a smaller, simpler recipe. I was delighted when this Cinnamon Roll Bread recipe from CenterCutCook came through my Facebook Feed over at Ay Sontespli’s Kitchen! If you love Cinnamon Rolls as much as I do I hope you will be as pleased with this quick bread recipe as I was!

cinnamon roll bread
Cinnamon Roll Bread

2 cups Flour
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Sugar
1 Egg, room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup Milk ( I often use Almond Milk)
2 teaspoons Vanilla
1/3 cup Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream

Swirl Ingredients
1/3 cup Sugar
2 teaspoons Cinnamon
2 Tablespoons Water

Glaze Ingredients
1/2 cup Icing Sugar
1 Tablespoon Milk

Preheat oven to 350F.
Lightly spray a 9X5 inch Loaf Pan with vegetable oil spray.

In a small bowl combine Swirl Ingredients together: sugar, cinnamon and water; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar; make a well in the centre.
In a small mixing bowl or a large pyrex measuring cup combine egg, milk, vanilla  and yogurt or sour cream.
Add dry ingredients all at once into the well in the centre of the dry ingredients.
Stir just to combine.
Spoon half of the bread batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Spoon half of the swirl mixture over the batter.
Carefully spoon remaining bread batter over both,  spreading it evenly over the swirl mixture.
Top with remaining swirl mixture, then use a knife to make swirl designs to incorporate the cinnamon swirl into the bread batter.
Bake in preheated oven for 45 – 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.
Remove bread from oven and place on wire rack to cool.
Run small metal spatula around the edges of the cinnamon bread to loosen from pan; turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.
While bread is cooling, make the Glaze:
Combine icing sugar with scant Tablespoon of milk, adding a little more to achieve desired consistency.
When bread has cooled completely, drizzle glaze over the bread, allow to harden slightly before slicing to serve.
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Yield: 8 to 10 Slices.

cinnamon roll bread
Cinnamon Roll Bread with a cup of Tea

 

Cinnamon Rolls

These are relatively easy to make. A special treat for Sunday morn, with leftovers to see you through the week…but wait, if word gets out you are making these, you just might have a few visitors drop by for coffee!

Cinnamon Rolls
Cinnamon Rolls

Sweet Roll Dough:
2 cups Flour
1/2 cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Rapid Rise Yeast
1 cup Milk, scalded and cooled
1 1/2 cups warm Water
1/3 cup Butter
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups Flour (+/-)
1  1/4 teaspoon Salt

Filling:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
1 1/2 cup Brown Sugar

Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 oz Philly Cream Cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups Icing Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
Milk, to right consistency

In large mixing bowl, combine first amount of flour, sugar and rapid rise yeast; set aside.
Scald milk in small saucepan; remove from heat and add butter, stirring until the butter is melted.
Stir in warm water.
In small bowl beat eggs; *temper with slightly cooled, scalded milk mixture.
Gradually add tempered eggs to the remaining scalded milk mixture.
Pour the liquid ingredients into the flour, yeast and sugar.
Stir vigorously for 2 minutes.
Add a cup of flour and the salt; stir.
Add flour, a cup at a time until a soft dough is formed; you may have to “stir” last stages of flour in with your hands.
Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead for 8 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
Cover with a clean tea towel and let rest for 10 minutes.

Spray two 9×13 pans with Vegetable Oil spray; set aside.
While dough is resting, prepare the

Filling:
In small mixing bowl rub together butter, cinnamon and brown sugar; set aside.

Prepare the Rolls:
On lightly floured surface, knead dough a few times then divide into two equal portions.
Cover portion you are not working with.
With other portion, roll out into a 15″x8″ rectangle.
Sprinkle half of the filling mixture to within 1/4″ of the edges of the rectangle.
Roll up tightly, beginning at 15″ side.
Pinch to seal edge.

 

Getting set to cut the roll into individual rolls
Getting set to cut the roll into individual rolls

 

Cut into 12 slices with a sharp knife.
Place cut side down in prepared pan.
Repeat with second portion of dough.
Cover and let rise for at least an hour and a half.

 

Set to rise!
Set to rise!

 

Preheat oven to 350F (175C)
Bake in preheated oven for 20 – 25 minutes or until golden.
Remove from oven and cool, in pan, on wire racks.

 

Baked to perfection!
Baked to perfection!

 

While still warm, but not hot, cover with Cream Cheese Frosting.

 

Cream Cheese Frosting:
In medium mixing bowl cream together the softened cream cheese and  butter.
Stir in a cup of icing sugar and vanilla until well incorporated.
Add remaining icing sugar a little at a time and stirring well after each addition.
If the icing is too thick, thin with a little milk.

 

Let's dress these babies up...or not; your call.
Let’s dress these babies up…or not; your call.

 

*Add about a tablespoon of hot mixture to eggs and stir vigorously; add another tablespoon of scaled milk mixture to eggs, stir vigorously… what you are doing is bringing the eggs up to the temperature of the liquid in the pot. Once egg mixture is warmed you can slowly stir it into the remaining scalded milk mixture in the pot. If you were to just chuck the eggs into the scalded milk mixture you could very possibly end up with something resembling gross scrambled eggs O.o

 

** The Cream Cheese Frosting recipe I have posted is one I have used for yonks! I don’t know where it came from and I don’t actually measure the ingredients. I think the measures I have listed are pretty accurate for a lovely, creamy, delectable cream cheese frosting.