Secret Recipe Club: Blueberry Muffin Streusel Cake

It's time for another Secret Recipe Club post. This is only my second month but I am totally loving it!

This month I was assigned to Anne-Marie's wonderful blog, This Mama Cooks. And boy, does she cook! She cooks up a storm. Her website is a treasure trove of wonderful recipes of all kinds. And best of all - if you have a special dietary need, she probably has something for you. Just fantastic healthy recipes, eggless recipes, low-cal weight watchers recipes, and tons of gorgeous gluten free recipes! Plus she has so many other fun lifestyle and health posts! I think I am now addicted to her blog. 

It took me a while, and I almost made something else (it was my husband's birthday yesterday and I almost made this Gluten Free Flourless Chocolate Walnut Torte), but I ended up making a recipe that we all love eating around here. This is the kind of stuff that my family loves, and so I made this gorgeous muffin cake for breakfast one morning. And I was right - they loved it! I try not to make these indulgent breakfasts too often - maybe a couple of a times a month.

I didn't make too many changes in the recipe apart from substituting some of the all purpose flour with whole wheat, and reducing the sugar just a little.

Blueberry Muffin Streusel Cake

Adapted from this recipe on This Mama Cooks 

Ingredients 

Cake:

1 cup flour (I used equal parts of all purpose and whole wheat) 

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

2 tbsp canola oil (or any neutral flavoured  oil)

1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen 

Streusel Topping:

1/2 cup flour (I used equal parts of all purpose and whole wheat)

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 

1 tsp vanilla 

3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup raw pecans, roughly chopped 

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180C/350F. Grease a 9x9x2 square baking pan and lightly dust with flour. Set aside. 

2. In a medium bowl, combine all the streusel ingredients and mix well to combine. I got a nice even mix by using my fingers. I think a food processor would work well too. Set aside. 

3. In another medium bowl, combine all the cake ingredients except the blueberries, and stir just until completely combined. You don't want any pockets of dry flour. 

4. Fold in the blueberries gently. 

5. Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking tin and sprinkle the whole top of the cake with an even layer of the prepared streusel topping. 

6. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. 

7. Serve warm. 

My favourite thing about this recipes was how easy it was to put together. No fussing about. Combine all the ingredients, mix and bake! Just loved it!

Another fabulous thing is that even though the cake and topping have very little butter/oil, it doesn't taste that way. It tastes really, really good - especially that awesome crunchy streusel topping with those amazing toasty pecans! The whole thing was polished off in a matter of hours! 

The level of sugar was just right for us but if you have a sweet tooth, you should up the sugar and use what Anne-Marie originally recommends. And while you're visiting her, make sure to check out her other fabulous recipes, and don't forget to say hello from me. Right now, apart from that gorgeous walnut torte, I also plan to try my hand at her awesome looking homemade chorizo, and this totally tempting Baked Pumpkin Chocolate French Toast with Bananas. I mean, how good does that sound?!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did! Check out the other fabulous SRC recipes at the link below. 

An InLinkz Link-up

Cranberry Hazelnut Coffee Cake

This is my favorite cake at the moment. It is PERFECT. I don't want those fancy cakes with fondant. I don't want a pretty cake with frosting. Heck, I don't even need a glaze. This is my kinda cake. Loaded with flavor, texture and just so much goodness!

I baked it in the evening yesterday, with the intention of cake for breakfast on Saturday morning. Saturday breakfasts are usually special around here. If I know everyone has the day off, I usually make something indulgent. So, my plan was that I would make the cake on Friday evening, photograph it in the morning when the light was good, and then serve it for breakfast. Well, we all know about best laid plans...

One look at the cake, and my husband wanted a slice for dessert after dinner. My daughter wanted a nibble and I was drooling every time I walked past the cake platter. So I did what I had to. Made the ultimate sacrifice. Who needs natural light!!? I just clicked a few shots and we dug in. It is an amazing cake! We had it for breakfast again in the morning....

Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature for this recipe. You can replace the heavy cream and yogurt mixture with sour cream. I didn't have sour cream, and this worked great for me! If you're using sour cream, just use one 8 oz tub.

Cranberry Hazelnut Coffee Cake
Adapted from this recipe on myrecipes.com
Ingredients
115 grams or 1/2 cup heavy cream
115 grams or scant 1/2 cup natural yogurt
1 tsp vinegar

185 grams or 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

25 grams or 3 tbsp corn starch
200 grams or 1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg plus 1 large egg white
1 tsp vanilla extract
70 grams or 5 tbsp butter, softened
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, cleaned and halved

Streusel Topping:
30 grams or 1/4 cup sifted flour
1 tbsp flax seed powder
50 grams of 1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
15 grams or 1 tbsp butter, melted
A pinch of salt

Method
1. Prepare a 9" spring form cake tin by lining the base with grease proof parchment paper and brushing the sides with melted but or spraying with cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, heavy cream and vinegar. Set aside while you get the rest of the ingredients assembled.
3. Combine all the streusel topping ingredients and set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, corn starch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine.
5. In another medium bowl, whisk together the egg, egg white, vanilla and 1/4 cup of the yogurt mixture. Whisk to combine.
6. In a large bowl, combine the remaining yogurt mixture and the soft butter. Mix well using a whisk or an electric mixer. Beat for 3-4 minutes. 
7. Preheat your oven to 180C/350F.
8. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix in until just combined.
9. Add 1/2 the egg mixture and mix till combined.
10. Add another third of the flour mixture and mix just until combined.
11. Add the remaining egg mixture and incorporate.
12. Add the last of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Do not over mix.
13. Into your prepared tin, spoon half of the cake batter and spread it in an even layer.
14. Sprinkle the top of the cake batter with all halved cranberries.
15. Cover the cranberries with the remaining cake batter and spread it evenly.
16. Sprinkle the top of the cake with all the streusel topping.
17. Bake in your preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until the cake is risen and golden and a skewer entered into the center of the cake comes out clean. The cake will fall a little as it cools. 
18. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before releasing from the spring-form tin.
19. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

This cake tasted best when it was slightly warm. I had no complaints the next morning either. The cake was amazingly delicious the next day too. Every one, including my 20 month old who doesn't have a sweet tooth, loved it.

The cake is not too sweet. Light, soft cake, tart berries and crunchy nuts - a taste of heaven! The tart cranberries and the crunchy hazelnuts and the nuttiness of the flax meal makes for an amazing combination of textures and flavors.

If you have company coming over, or are planning a brunch or an indulgent breakfast, this is the recipe for you. Make this and please write to me here or on my Facebook page, share a picture with me, and let me know how much you loved it! I just know you'll love it! Until next time :)

Healthy Banana Blueberry Breakfast Cake with Pecan Crumb

I know I've said it before, and I'll say it again - I love breakfast baking!

This recipe is pretty special. Awesome for breakfast, tea time or just anytime you feel like snacking on something sweet. This recipe happened because I was stuck with a couple of really overripe bananas and I wanted to do something new with them. Those blackish, smelly overripe bananas are the best, aren't they?

The recipe looks a like it has a lot of ingredients, but once you've assembled all of them, the cake comes together easily. If you want it with fewer ingredients, and not as healthy, I've linked to the original recipe below. 

Healthy Banana Blueberry Breakfast Cake with Pecan Crumb
Adapted from this recipe on Food Network

Ingredients 

3/4 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup wheat bran

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon powder 

1/4 tsp freshly grated cinnamon

1 scant tsp salt

1/3 cup sugar 

1/4 cup dark brown sugar 

1/2 cup olive oil (NOT extra virgin)

2 tsp vanilla 

2 large eggs

2 large overripe bananas, peeled & mashed well

1 cup frozen blueberries 

Crumb topping 

4 tbsp all purpose flour 

1 heaped tbsp wheat bran

1 tbsp dark brown sugar

1 tbsp sugar 

2 tbsp cold unsalted butter

1/4 cup pecans, chopped

Method 

1. In a large bowl, combine the flours, bran, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt. Stir well to combine and set aside. 

2. Whisk the oil and sugars together in medium bowl. 

3. Whisk in the vanilla and eggs. 

4. Add the mashed banana and mix in well. 

5. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. 

6. Stir well until just combined. 

7. Stir in the blueberries. 

8. Pour or spoon the batter into a 7 inch round cake tin that has been greased and floured, and the bottom lined with a parchment paper circle. I used a disposable cake pan this time and so I didn't bother with any of that. 

9. Combine the flour, sugars and butter for the crumb topping in a small bowl. Using the tips of your fingers, work the mixture until it resembles fine crumbs. Don't knead or press the mixture together. You want it to be a light and crumbly. Gently mix in the chopped pecans 

10. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the top of the cake in an even layer. 

11. Bake in an oven preheated to 180C/350F for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. It may take a little longer depending on your oven. 

12. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before unmolding, gently slicing and serving. 

This cake is just so amazingly moist! When I cut the cake, the knife went through like a hot knife through butter! At that point, I was sure I was cutting through raw cake. Cooked cake couldn't be THAT soft! But it sliced beautifully, was cooked all the way through and was just so good!

The sweetness was also just right! The crumb is slightly sweeter than the cake and it all balances it out perfectly. The bursts of blueberry throughout the cake is just amazing!

All this, plus the fact  the whole wheat flour, bran, bananas, berries and nuts are so good for you, means that you must make this for your family soon! You won't regret it. I promise!

Emergency Red Velvet Mug Cakes

Yes, that IS a real thing!

Haven't you ever had a red velvet emergency? 

If you've followed my blog from the beginning, you probably know how red velvet crazy I am! I've done a lot of red velvet posts. Heck, I had a whole week dedicated to the wonder that is red velvet. 

Lately, I've been hearing people say "oh this red velvet is just a fad. What's the big deal about it anyways?" I say they've been eating their red velvet at the wrong places! Good red velvet just cannot be dissed!! If it is the food coloring bothers you, as it often does me, just omit it! Or go easy on it. Most of the time, when I make red velvet just for the family, I skip the color altogether. Doesn't affect the taste at all!

So back to my emergency. This particular day, also know as today, I had two feverish kids with runny noses that wouldn't stop whining. It took me hours to get them to finish just half their lunches! The dog peed inside the house. In the midst of all this, I went to the supermarket and came back with three bagfulls and without the ONE thing I went for! Now, if that isn't a red velvet emergency, what is? Pray tell. 

Emergency Red Velvet Cakes

Makes 2 small coffee mug cakes

Adapted from a recipe by Teri Lyn Fisher found on buzzfeed

Ingredients

1 large egg

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 tsp (or less) red food coloring

1 tsp vanilla

3 tbsp buttermilk (or whisked yoghurt)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1-2 tbsp cocoa powder (I prefer less)

1/4 cup self raising flour

(Or 1/4 cup all purpose flour mixed with 1/4 slightly heaped tsp baking powder)

A pinch of salt

1/4 tsp apple cider (or white) vinegar 

Method

1. In a small bowl or a large mug or measuring jug, whisk together the first five ingredients till smooth. 

2. Add the sugar and cocoa powder and whisk till smooth. 

3. Add the remaining ingredients and stir till combined. 

4. Divide the batter between two coffee mugs. 

5. Microwave each cup separately for 1.5 minutes until the top of the cake is springy to the touch. Add another 30-60 seconds if needed. This will depend on the wattage of your microwave. 

6. Serve topped with cream cheese frosting, whipped cream or white chocolate ganache or just white chocolate shavings. 

This makes just enough for two and is extremely satisfying. As you can see, I topped it with just white chocolate shavings. I didn't have the energy or time to make anything more elaborate. 

The cake is amazing, and not just for a mug cake. It is a superior cake. It is super moist, amazingly flavorful and makes you go mmmmm. 

I settled down on the couch with a mug and spoon and I had barely taken two yummy spoonfuls when a pair of small hands carrying a pink spoon appeared out of nowhere, grabbed my mug and disappeared with a strange giggly-sniffly sound. Thankfully I had a back-up mug. Whew!

So when you have a day like mine, take five minutes and make yourself this mug cake recipe. You'll be glad this recipe makes two!