Coffee Cake

Another week, another recipe to try! With things still be as they are and trying to stick close to home as much as possible, I have found baking to be one of the things to look forward each week. Today I have for you a basic coffee cake. This is great with afternoon tea and to include in a brunch (when you can finally have one again). It’s simple and plain but very moist. One recipe makes a lot so luckily it’s easy to freeze!

Ingredients

For the cake:

3 cups of flour

1 tbsp. of baking powder

1 tsp. of baking soda

1 tsp. of ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. of salt

1 ¾ cups of plain yogurt or sour cream

1 cup of brown sugar

1 cup of granulated sugar

3 eggs

7 tbsp. of melted and cooled butter

For the topping:

1/3 cup of brown sugar

1/3 cup of granulated sugar

1/3 cup of flour

4 tbsp. of softened butter

1 tbs. of ground cinnamon

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Butter two round 9 inch cake pans.

I like to mix my topping first and set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, add all of the topping ingredients and then squish with your hands until you’ve got a chunky sand consistency.

In another mixing bowl, add all of your dry ingredients and whisk.

In another bowl, add the sugars, eggs, yogurt/sour cream, and butter and whisk up until all combined.

Slowly add the dry mixture into the wet and stir until all incorporated. Distribute evenly into both the prepared pans and top with your “sandy” topping. Divide the topping between the two cakes. It may look like a little much but it’ll be fine. 

These cakes puff up when cooking so it might be a good idea to put them on a cookie sheet just in cake of overflow which I have had and then the smoke and burning begins! Allow to cool and then slice. I like to keep the cakes in the pans to store and slice if I'm not freezing them otherwise it can get messy. Enjoy. 

Apple Taffy Dip

Today I have something simple and quick to share with you which includes a Fall staple, the apple. Apple Taffy Dip is the perfect little mid-week treat. It has just the right amount of sweetness like a dessert and there are some healthy aspects to it too. I always like to have it as a treat with a nice Granny Smith apple with my lunch or after my workout. Just because it is called “Apple Dip” doesn’t mean you can’t have it with anything else. I like to dip strawberries, grapes, and melons in it as well.

Apple Taffy Dip

1 8 ounce package of cream cheese

1 tsp. of vanilla

½ cup of brown sugar

¼ cup of powdered sugar

Whip up the cream cheese and sugars until light and fluffy.

Add in the vanilla.

I usually double the recipe and sometimes I put in less sugar as well so that it doesn’t get too sweet.

Slice up an apple and dip away. I like the Granny Smith apple because the sourness compliments the sweet dip.

Simple Granola Bars

Once again we are heading to Nicole’s kitchen and checking in on a recipe that she tried out not long ago. She made some good for you healthy granola bars so take a look and see how she made them.

Simple Healthy Granola Bars

2½ cups of rolled oats

½ cup of coarsely chopped whole almonds

1/3 cup of honey

¼ cup of butter cut into pieces

¼ cup of packed brown sugar

½ tsp. of vanilla

¼ tsp. of salt

½ cup of dried cranberries

¼ cup + 2 tbsp. of mini chocolate chips

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of a 8 inch or 9 inch square baking pan with tin foil. Then spray with cooking oil or brush with melted butter.

Put the oats and almonds on a small baking sheet and cook for 5 minutes, stir and then cook for another 3-5 minutes until toasted and then pour into a mixing bowl.

In a small sauce pan, melt the butter with honey, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Cook until butter melts and sugar dissolves.

Pour the butter mix over the oats and almonds and stir until well mixed. Cool for about 5 minutes and then add in the cranberries and ¼ cup of chocolate chips. Stir.

Spread and pat into the prepared pan. Press firmly to make sure it’s all packed in there. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top.

Cover and then refrigerate for 2 hours before cutting into bars.