Brittany's PantryCoffee Swirl Coffee Cake
Brittany wrote this on 17 September 2013
chocolate, coffee, sour cream
I am so in love with this coffee cake.
Adding coffee to baked goods at breakfast is nothing new. But this recipe is fun, unique, and totally feeds my coffee cake addiction. I really love coffee cake of any kind. My Mom used to make it all the time when I was a kid and even though she was partial to making them with cinnamon and streusel, I try not to discriminate. All coffee cake deserves a fair shot at my table and this one is my new favorite. I have already added it to my holiday recipe list, marked as a make-ahead addition to brunch menus when family is in town. I can bake it up long before I need it and stash it, wrapped tightly, in the freezer. Just pull it out, defrost, and slice it up next to some baked eggs, fruit, and enormous mugs of spiced tea.
Mmm. Ushering in Autumn in a very tasty way.
One Year Ago: Veggie Enchiladas
Two Years Ago: How T0:Make Vinaigrette & Roast Broccoli
Three Years Ago: Roast Pork W/Peach & Mustard Glaze, Simple Soup
Coffee Swirl Coffee Cake
Recipe adapted from Mad Hungry
This is a basic sour cream coffee cake with a swirl of delightfulness. Its not overly sweet and my favorite way to eat it is with a slice in one hand and a steaming cup of tea in the other.
In a small bowl, combine:
2 T sugar
1 T instant coffee
1 T unsweetened cocoa powder
Mix thoroughly and set aside.
1 stick (8T) of softened butter
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 c sour cream
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs one at a time and then the vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add half the flour, the baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Gently mix until almost incorporated. Add the sour cream, then the last cup of flour. Mix just until barely combined, stirring with a spatula at the end. Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray and add half the coffee cake batter. Sprinkle the coffee/cocoa mixture evenly in the pan and pour the remaining batter over top. Spread evenly and swirl layers together using a skewer or small knife. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes and then gently turn out onto a cooking rack. Enjoy warm, cool, or half frozen. 🙂
I am pausing in the middle of my Back To School Series and my self proclaimed honey phase, to post this recipe. We have ben devouring it at our house. And I do mean devour, with no conversation and just the sounds of lips smacking and forks hitting the plates echoing off the dining room walls. My 18 month old polished off a plate the same size as mine. I’m not going to promise you that your family will like it because it has a bit of a kick to it and I know that not all kiddos go in for that kind of thing. However, the heat is easily controlled so you could absolutely make this with no spice at all. But what the hay! We all need a bit of zip in our lives, right? No one wants to waste their time on food that is just…okay. Our meals should be GREAT as often as we can make them that way!
The fact that this is fast, simple, and reliable is what deems this a shareable recipe on this blog. Again, I will say that I don’t post anything here that I haven’t made several times myself and this one is now in our regular weeknight rotation. The first time I threw it together, we all ate it so fast I didn’t even have time to think about what I had done! It is not super sweet and also has a bit of tang. The combo is so wonderfully appealing. I would recommend this if you are looking to expand your family’s culinary horizons, but don’t want to serve something really unfamiliar. If are cooking for just one or two, this reheats great but is good cold right from the fridge too. You could make all your co-workers crazy jealous (and hungry!) by nuking this in the break room!
One Year Ago: Tangy Chicken Salad W/Avocado
Three Years Ago: Tator-Tot Hotdish
Sweet & Spicy Shrimp
This recipe is adapted from another source, but I have no idea what it is. I have changed it quite a bit, but the original inspiration is not my own. It IS however, great over brown rice, making it gluten-free. This would also be fantastic made with chicken if you are not a fan of seafood.
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 large carrots, scraped and cut into large matchsticks
1 sweet bell pepper-yellow, orange, or red, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T freshly grated ginger
1/2 lb cooked linguine noodles, soba noodles or 4 c cooked brown rice
Sauce:
1/3 c OJ
1/4 c apricot or peach preserves
3 T ketchup
2 T apple cider or red wine vinegar
1 T soy sauce
the zest of 1 orange
1 tsp red curry paste
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (1/4 tsp if you are worried about the heat)
Combine all ingredients in a large measuring cup. Set aside.
In a large skillet, quickly sauté the carrots and peppers in 1 T of olive oil over medium to med-high heat until crisp tender. Add the garlic, ginger, and shrimp and toss together quickly until the shrimp are just barely opaque, a minute to a minute and a half. Pour the sauce in and let the whole mixture bubble together until hot, another 2 minutes or so. Dump in the cooked noodles and toss together, or spoon over plates of rice. Garnish with chopped scallions, chopped parsley, or both.
One of my favorite things about food are the associations that you make with it. A certain dish or meal that makes you think of a time or place in your life, triggering a memory.
I love that.
This is one of those foods for me. Years ago, while catering with two especially lovely ladies, I learned this super quick, make-ahead dish. One bite takes me back to those crazy, fun years of my youth. When I found out that the secret to making them so blasted addicting was taco seasoning, I couldn’t believe it! How simple! How easy! How genius. It lands on the Back To School Series list because it travels well and can be made the night before you need it; two things that make it prefect for the inevitable early morning dash to the school bus.
Today’s recipe is just one way to use up that taco seasoning we talked about a few days ago. You can sprinkle that spice mix in chili, marinade chicken or skirt steak with it before grilling for fajitas, or fold it into your favorite hot and cheesy dip. This sandwich roll-up is just to get you started. Please don’t limit these to just the lunchbox! These make a great snack for a party. Since you can make them the day before, it frees up your time to do other things. You just slice them up and set them out on a pretty platter. I have made these for hundreds of people and for just a few. They are so easy, the effort is about the same and they are usually one of the first things to go! My kids think it is kinda special to have them show up in their lunches, but what they don’t know is that it is just as easy as pb & j. And just a bit more memorable.
One Year Ago: Oatmeal Caramel Bars
Two Years Ago: Summer Berry Pudding
Three Years Ago: Good Lookin’ Man Potatoes
Spicy Meat & Cheese Roll-Ups
Assuming that you aren’t making these for dozens of people, you will have leftover spread. It is fabulous smeared on a hamburger or as a quick dressing and tossed with hot roasted potatoes.
1 c mayo
1 T taco seasoning
thinly sliced ham, turkey, or roast beef
sliced cheese-cheddar, colby, provolone, or swiss
baby spinach
large tortillas-any variety
Mix together the mayo and taco seasoning until well incorporated. Smear thinly, but evenly over the surface of the tortilla, nearly to the edges.
Layer on your meat, then cheese, then spinach last.
Roll this up as tightly as you can.
If making these ahead of time (as in the night before a party or school day) wrap individually in plastic wrap, or if you are doing several, store in a large zip top bag and chill overnight.
When ready to serve, place toothpicks across the roll-up about an inch apart and trim off the ends, if desired.
Slice between the toothpicks, keeping the roll-up secured and together.
Plate or pack them up and enjoy!
Love a Good Recipe?
Then you’ve come to the right place! I’m Brittany, and I share tested, trusted recipes you’ll love. I prepare & photograph food, obsess over the perfect recipe, and enjoy grins of delight when I serve up something awesome. Enjoy!
