The last conversation I had with my Aunt Grace was about Wild Blueberries, and how she had a huge box of them in her freezer that she wasn’t using, and that she was going to give them to me. That Sunday, I had made this Blueberry Coffee Cake for church, and she loved it.

She never got to do any of that because she died the next day. Some would say (like me), it’s better if you don’t know it’s your time to go ahead of time. Then others, would want to put their life in order. Either way, the end result is the same, a terrible loss. She’s been gone for quite a few years…it’s funny how time passes whether you like it or not.

I have loads of memories with my Aunt Grace in them. My mom, aunts, and cousins do a lot of things together, and we have quite a few memories to look back on. Summer’s at Aunt Grace’s beach cottage, vacations at the lake, snowmobiling, church tea’s on my front porch, her visiting our house at the lake in Maine, weekend shopping trips to No. Conway and Freeport, the list goes on…

Thank God for memories. However, no matter how many memories, there is nothing like hugging your loved one. Don’t take one minute for granted. You can never get those moments back.

This Blueberry Coffee Cake is for Aunt Grace. Every time I make it, I feel closer to her, and am sure she’s looking down enjoying it, every bit as much as I do.

Blueberry Coffee Cake in Memory of Aunt Grace

 

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Author: A Foodie Affair

Recipe type: Breakfast

Ingredients

• 2 c. flour
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• ¾ tsp salt
• ½ c. butter, at room temperature
• 1 c. milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1-1/2 c. frozen wild blueberries
• 1 Tbsp flour
• Topping:
• 1-1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1 c. coarsely chopped walnuts
• 4 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ c. unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 X 9 pan.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter, with pastry blender, to coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center.
3. Add milk, eggs and vanilla. Stir until moistened.
4. Fold in frozen blueberries that have been coated with a little flour.
5. Spread batter in pan.
6. Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle evenly over batter.
7. Bake 45 min or until a cake tester poked in the middle comes out clean.

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3.2.1682

I was researching Goggle + this morning, and came across these great Lemon Scones on Cakewalkr’s blog. Chef Dennis did a guest post on his blog, and I am I ever glad he did!

It’s Saturday morning, and this is what I’m making this morning. For some reason lately, if it’s a Saturday, and I have nothing important to do, I seem to make sure and make a recipe I’ve been wanting to make. That is, if I have all the ingredients to do so. Luckily, this week, I had it all, so off I go.

These scones were literally easy to make. The recipe called for the use of a food processor, so I used my trusty Cuisinart FP-14DC food proccessor, I got almost free from Macy’s last year with my “Thanks for Sharing” bonus money from the Christmas season. I had a big coupon too, which didn’t hurt.

These scones mix together in no time, so basically any level cook can make these. And, they smelled “unbelievable” when I opened the oven door! The smell lemony, buttery, and almondy all in one.

Lemon Scones with Pistachios & Cherries

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Delicious lemon scones with chewy and tart dried cherries and crunchy pistachios.

Author: A Foodie Affair

Recipe type: Breakfast

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• 5 tablespoons Sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Zest of one lemon
• Juice from one lemon
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ½ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
• ½ cup salted pistachios
• 1-1/4 cup dried cherries

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. In the bowl of a food processor add in the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and lemon zest, pulse to blend.
3. Add the cubes of butter and pulse until the butter has been cut into the mixture, it should like coarse grains of sand.
4. In a small bowl, mix together the yogurt or sour cream, cream, Meyer lemon juice and vanilla until combined.
5. Add to the flour mixture, and mix with a spoon until the mixture just starts to come together. (Do not over mix).
6. Add the cherries and pistachios, mix just enough to incorporate.
7. Form the mixture into a ball and place on the parchment paper.
8. Use your hands to form the dough into a large circle and flatten about one inch thick (you may need some flour if dough is really sticky).
9. Cut the scones into 8 pieces and separate on your baking sheet.
10. If the scone wedges have excess flour on the tops of them, brush off with a pastry brush. Brush the finished scones with a little cream or milk to get good color as they bake.
11. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a deep golden brown in color. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

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3.2.1682

I saw this recipe somewhere in the Pinterest maze, as I see many others. But, this recipe from Jessica’s My Baking Heart  blog, really stood out as something I had to make, NOW! I am totally glad I listened to my inner voice on this one! This coffee cake is UNBELIEVABLE!!! That is all I can say. I did vary the original recipe. The original called for Bourbon in the icing. I didn’t have any, so I substituted 1/2 teaspoon vanilla for the Bourbon.

I think it would be fantastic with the Bourbon as well, but turned out excellent with the vanilla. This recipe is great for a morning treat, because you make the batter and topping the night before, and top and bake in the morning.

Thanks Jessica, for a really good recipe!

Overnight Crumble Coffee Cake with Vanilla Drizzle

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

35 mins

Total time

50 mins

 

This coffee cake is all around delicious. Moist, vanilla coffee cake, topped with a cinnamon, nutty crunch topping and sweet vanilla icing.

Author: A Foodie Affair

Recipe type: Breakfast/Brunch

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

• For the Coffee Cake:
• ¾ c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 c. granulated sugar
• 2 lg eggs
• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. Kosher salt
• 1 c. low-fat buttermilk
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• For the Cinnamon-Nut Crumble:
• ½ c. coarsely chopped pecans
• ½ c. coarsely chopped walnuts
• ½ c. slivered almonds
• ½ c. firmly packed brown sugar
• 6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• For the Sweet Vanilla Drizzle:
• 2 c. Confectioners’ sugar
• ½ tsp. vanilla
• 2 to 3 Tbsp skim milk

Instructions

1. Stir together all ingredients of the Cinnamon-Nut Crumble and set aside.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
3. With an electric mixer, beat butter at medium speed until creamy, then gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in vanilla.
4. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13″ x 9″ pan. Cover tightly, and chill 8 to 24 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Let cake stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Sprinkle with Cinnamon-Nut Crumble. Bake 32 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
6. While the cake is baking, prepare the Vanilla Drizzle, by stirring together confectioners sugar, vanilla and 2 Tbsp. milk. Stir in remaining 1 Tbsp. milk, 1 tsp. at a time, until desired consistency.
7. Cool cake completely, then spoon drizzle over the cake.

Notes

Prep time does not include overnight refrigeration time. Make sure to use fresh nuts for this recipe. Shelf life for nuts is not too long and the nutty taste really stands out in the topping. Old nuts would really ruin this recipe.

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2.2.8

I noticed this pound cake on Pinterest from Sweet Peas Kitchen, and saved it in my “Want to Make” board. The concept of a not so sweet cake with a hint of orange zest in a very moist, buttery pound cake just appealed to me after the holidays that were filled with extra sweet desserts. After baking, you brush on a mixture of fresh orange juice and sugar (which can be adjusted according to taste) that has been cooked to reduce slightly.

It came out delicious. I will say though, the original recipe called for baking at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes. After the 45 minutes, the outside was very brown, but the inside was still jiggling slightly. So, I would probably recommend baking at 325 degrees F for a longer time, perhaps an hour or so. This way, the inside bakes without browning the outside too much. It still tasted very good, but I think it has a better appeal if it isn’t so browned.

Try this. It’s a great recipe for a breakfast, dessert or snack. And really not to overly sweet.

Ricotta Orange Pound Cake

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

60 mins

Total time

1 hour 15 mins

 

A not too sweet pound cake bursting with orange flavor.

Author: A Foodie Affair

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• For the Cake:
• 1-1/2 c. cake flour
• 2-1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• ¾ c. (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1-1/2 c. whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1-1/2 c. sugar, plus 1 tablespoon, divided
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 orange, zested
• 2 Tbsp Amaretto (or ½ tsp. almond extract)
• For the Orange Syrup:
• ⅓ c. freshly squeezed orange juice
• ⅓ c. sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease bottom and sides of one 9 x 5-inch loaf pan; dust with flour, tapping out excess. Line the pan with a parchment paper sling for easy removal.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together cake flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, ricotta and 1-1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. With the mixer still running on low, beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla, orange zest, and Amaretto or almond until combined.
4. Add the dry ingredients, a small amount at a time, until just incorporated.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a cake tester or knife comes out clean, and the cake is beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 60 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing loaf to a wire rack on top of a baking sheet.
6. While the loaf is cooling, make the orange syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir together the orange juice and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once dissolved, continue to cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat; set aside.
7. Use a toothpick to poke holes in the tops and sides of the warm loaf. Brush the top and sides of the loaf with the orange syrup. Let the syrup soak into the cake and brush again. Let the cake cool completely.

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2.2.8