Thursday, April 26, 2012

Cinnamon Roll Cake

I woke up early today so I decided to try a new recipe spotted on Pinterest thanks to my co-worker Mindy. It's called Cinnamon Roll Cake. Since it makes such a huge pan of cake it's going to the office with me to share this morning. (Cake results? Very good! Like a soft cinnamon roll!)

Cinnamon Roll Cake
This recipe has three parts. The batter, then the streusel that goes on top before baking, then the glaze that goes on after the cake has finished baking.

Batter
3 C all-purpose flour
1/4 t kosher salt
1 C sugar
4 t baking powder
1 1/2 C milk
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
1/2 C butter, melted

Streusel-like Topping
1 C butter (softened)
1 C brown sugar (I used Splenda brown sugar)
2 T flour
1 T cinnamon

Mix all batter ingredients together (without the butter. Once the ingredients are combined add the melted butter in little "bursts" and combine. Pour into a prepared 9x13 pan.
Combine all of the streusel ingredients in a separate bowl. I used a pastry cutter. Then using two spoons "Drop" the streusel mixture like very small drop cookies evenly over the batter and swirl with a knife as best as you can. I couldn't exactly "swirl" it, but that's okay because I think the effect is similar to a coffee cake. Bake at 350 for 28-32 minutes then toothpick test to see if it's done.

Glaze
2 C powdered sugar
5 T milk
1 t vanilla

Drizzle the glaze over the cake while the cake is still warm.

Recipe Source: Cookin Up North: Cinnamon Roll Cake (who said they got the recipe from Life as a Lofthouse)

Enjoy!

Suzanne
Cookbook Bites
Subscribe to Cookbook Bites (Google, Twitter, Yahoo!, AIM) 
Get posts right to your inbox (Subscribe right below my pic)

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Hot Cocoa Mix (Dairy Free)

This version of the Hot Cocoa Mix gives you the choice of what milk you want to use in your hot cocoa. I'm pretty sure you could use soy, almond, hemp, coconut, etc. At our house milk free of rBGH (a.k.a. recombinant bovine growth hormone), pesticides and antibiotics means one less migraine trigger. I recently had another awareness that staying away from milk free of hormones meant sour cream, yogurt and cheese too. Totally obvious. Sigh.
The brands of milk that currently seem safest for us (being rBGH, pesticide and antibiotic free) are Horizon and Tillamook. A few years ago we took a tour of the Tillamook Cheese factory in Oregon. Their farmers are part of a co-op. They make great cheese and the factory staff made one mean chocolate shake!

Some other milk producers state they're rBGH free, but they don't say they're free of pesticides or antibiotics. I've noticed an asterisk on the label that takes you to the fine print assuring consumers that there's no problem with rBGH. So, no problem unless you're sensitive or allergic to it? Scientific proof in the way of hypothesis, multiple tests with various brands--result: when we cut out dairy with rBGH (hormones), pesticides and antibiotics, there are less migraines. If you've ever had a migraine... less migraines=awesome! I had just made the cocoa mix from Alton Brown with, you guessed it--milk powder, when I realized I needed to make a hormone free version.

Hot Cocoa Mix (with No Milk Powder)
2 C powdered sugar
1 1/8 C cocoa powder Dutch process
2 t corn starch
1 (scant) t salt
1/4 C Splenda brown sugar
1/4 C mini chocolate chips (really good*)

Mix ingredients together with a spoon or fork. To make a mug of cocoa, combine two heaping spoonfuls of mix (to taste) with hot milk.

*The tiny chocolate chips melt at the bottom of your mug, for a last hit of chocolatey goodness.

Recipe Inspiration/Source: Alton Brown's Hot Cocoa Mix

Suzanne
Cookbook Bites
Subscribe to Cookbook Bites (Google, Twitter, Yahoo!, AIM) 
Get posts right to your inbox (Subscribe right below my pic)

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...