FRUIT SWIRL COFFEE CAKE

FRUIT SWIRL COFFEE CAKE

This is one of my favorite fast and easy and yet elegant cake recipes.  It falls into my category of ‘maximum taste for minimum fuss.” It also happens to be one of Raizel’s favorites. Since yesterday was my birthday, Raizel asked me to make this for my birthday cake.

The origin of this recipe has not been confirmed. One place said that it came from an old Gold Medal Cookbook. But I have also seen the recipe attributed to a vintage Monarch Flour recipe. I have been looking at vintage cookbooks available online and I have yet to find the original recipe. If anyone finds the original source for this recipe, please let me know. I love looking at old recipes!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup oil

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. almond extract (I use vanilla extract only)

4 eggs — I used 5 medium eggs instead of 4 large eggs

3 cups flour (I use spelt)

1 can apricot, blueberry or cherry pie filling, 21 oz.

GLAZE

1 cup powdered sugar

1-2 tablespoons of milk (I use a plant-based milk to keep it parve)

Instructions:

 By hand: cream together oil, sugar, and vanilla. Add eggs until well blended. Stir in sifted together dry ingredients until blended.

 With a hand mixer: Follow the directions above.

With a food processor: Mix eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla in food process for 1 minute. Add flour, and baking powder and pulse until just blended.

Pour 2/3 of the batter into a greased, sprayed or parchment lined pan. Spread pie filling over batter. Drop remaining batter by tablespoons over the pie filling. I am careful to always put in the corners to hold the cake together.

This can be made as cupcakes, although I usually don’t like the affect, or in any shaped pan you like. When making one large cake, I use a 9″x 13″ rectangular pan. Sometimes I divide the batter into smaller pans.

Bake in a preheated 350°F/180*C oven until done and when inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Instructions for glaze: Pour icing sugar in a bowl. Add the liquid 1 teaspoon at a time and stir until desired consistency.

Drizzle with glaze while slightly warm. I have done when it has cooled as well. It is not quite as smooth, but it still looks good.

This cake also freezes well.  

I divided the batter into 3 loaf pans. Here they are without glaze.

Here it the final outcome.

Ironically, everyone was so full from the BBQ, that no one had room for much dessert. If you try this, please let me know how it came out. 

Enjoy!

Love, 

Carol & family

ADAPTABLE SHABBAT TORTE

ADAPTABLE SHABBAT TORTE

This recipe is a variation of the cranberry torte that I have already posted on the blog. It is a staple in our home. When Raizel got engaged, I made it for the vort. I have it down to a science, so it takes practically no time to put together.

This torte is endlessly adaptable. It is possible to use almost any type of fruit and vary the flours as well. As listed below, it is even possible to use frozen or canned fruit. Just add extra flour to the fruit to absorb the extra liquid. You can substitute almond, cornmeal, whole wheat, spelt, rice flour or gluten-free flour blends in any combination. It may change the texture, which could make it more interesting. Normally, when I want to switch things up, I only replace half the flour with something else, such as cornmeal or almond flour. However, I usually make it with spelt.

I am including how to adapt a recipe to make it kosher for Passover at the end of this post.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup oil

1 cup sugar (can drop to ¾ cup instead, depending on the sweetness of the fruit)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Optional: you can use other flavorings such almond, lemon, etc. depending on the fruit

1 cup flour

Optional: you can substitute almond, cornmeal, whole wheat, spelt, rice flour or gluten-free flour blends in any combination. It may change the texture, which could make it more interesting. I usually make it with spelt. See my post below for Passover adaptions.

Optional Variation: Chocolate cake: substitute 1/4 cup cocoa for 1/4 cup flour. This might go great with cherries.

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

Fruit options: 1-pint blueberries OR  12 plums OR 12 apricots, halved OR 3 to 4 apples, sliced OR 3 to 4 peaches, sliced OR a mixture of these fruits.

Frozen or canned fruit: Drain any liquid and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of flour to absorb the juices

Garnish: lemon juice (to taste)

Garnish: cinnamon (to taste)

Garnish: sugar (to taste)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 F / 180 C. Spray a 9-inch springform (8-inch can also work) with non-stick cooking spray. I line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper that I cut to measure.

By hand: cream together oil and sugar and vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in sifted together dry ingredients until blended.

With a food processor: Mix egg, sugar, oil and vanilla in food process for 1 minute. Add flour, salt and baking powder and pulse until just blended.

Pour batter into greased or parchment lined pan. Cover the batter with fruit. Sprinkle top with lemon juice, cinnamon, and sugar according to taste.

Bake for 1 hour in preheated oven or until done and when inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Sometimes I find that it can take a long time to cook. If that happens, cover with tin foil so that the cake will not get too brown.

This also freezes well.

Here are the pictures:

I cut parchment paper to measure. I also greased the pan using a pastry brush. My new favorite technique.

Here it is all ready to bake.

Voila! Here is the final result.

Passover Adaption:

I often promise myself that I will try and adapt this recipe for Passover.  Here are the basic formulas.

When trying to adapt a recipe for Passover, one of the first things is to find a recipe that doesn’t have too much flour. Fortunately, this recipe is small enough that it meets this criterion.

Below are my lists of substitutions. There are fortunately several different options.

1 cup of flour = ½ cup matzah cake meal plus ¼ – 1/3 cup potato starch sifted together

1 cup of flour = substitute 5/8 cup matzo cake meal or potato starch, or a combination sifted together

1 cup of flour = 1/3 cup of matza meal + 1/3 cup of potato starch + 1/3 cup of almond flour.

I have used all three formulas. For this recipe, I am inclined to try ½ cup almond flour and ¼ cup potato starch. I think that cake meal would probably be better, but too many people avoid gluten, so I probably wouldn’t use it.

Coconut flour adaptions for Passover

1 cup of flour = ¼ cup coconut flour plus ¼ cup liquid plus 1 egg

Banana flour adaptions for Passover

1 cup of flour = 2/3 or ¾ cup banana flour

In general, banana flour is a bit dry, so I would only use it for half the flour and use something else for the other half.

Passover GF Adaption Formula: A friend on a cooking chat shared this with us.

1 cup almond flour

¾ cup potato starch

¼ cup tapioca

Plus, ½ teaspoon of xanthan gum per ½ cup of “flour.”

My problem with this recipe is that unless you are in the food industry, (she was), I have no idea where to get Kosher for Passover xanthan gum.

Passover GF Adaption Formula For 1 Cup of Flour:

Using this calculation, the ratios per 1 cup would be: ½ cup almond flour, 2 tablespoons tapioca, 6 tablespoons potato starch.

To keep it simple, my usual preference is to use half almond flour and half potato and tapioca starch in any combination, sifted together. I am not so particular as the women on my chat, many of whom are cookbook authors, or sisters of cookbook authors. So, they are a group of high-level foodies.

In conclusion, I think that any recipe that calls for only a small amount of flour could be converted to gluten free using the gluten free substitutions above.

If anyone does try the Passover “flour” substitutions, please let me know how they turn out! I am very curious.

Enjoy!

Love,

Carol & family

References:

I have been searching for the origin of this recipe. The first cookbook I found with this recipe is from The Complete American Jewish Cookbook by The Homemakers Research Institute (1952) The World Publishing Company, Clevland, USA.

I inherited a copy of this book from my mother-in-law. I consider this book to be a classic, and I refer to it all the time!

Online, I also found the recipe as a PDF document, that I am also posting here.

AdaptableShabbatTorteParve

Finally, just for fun, I found this very charming and uplifting message in one of the vintage cookbooks that I found. I like it so much, I am posting it here, even if it is slightly off topic. There can be a lot of homespun wisdom in a cookbook.

I hope everyone enjoys learning a little bit about this wonderful recipe.

Carrot Cake Chronicles

 

Carrot Cake Chronicles or Carrot Cake Redemption

I am calling this post, “Carrot Cake Chronicles” however, my husband suggested that I call this recipe “Carrot Cake Redemption.”

Since the winter holidays are here, I have been attempting to bake more. This carrot cake was my contribution to our department holiday party.

The recipe is a variation of my 1-2-3-4 Cake. The only difference is, less flour, since carrots are added for bulk, and no liquid.

I tend to do the bulk of my cooking when I wake up in the morning before going to work. Nevertheless, baking while distracted is not a good thing to do. I did that the first time I made this recipe and I unfortunately had to make this cake twice.

The first time, I accidentally added too much flour. Although I tried to rescue it by adding some orange juice and a half cup more oil, I am afraid the end result was something that resembled a quick bread rather than a cake, and a dried out one at that.

Ever tenacious, I added a wonderful orange glaze, in a second attempt to rescue my poor dried out cake.

Despite my heroic gestures, the first cake was not as successful as I would have liked. No matter how I sliced and diced it, the cake was still too dry, despite having a wonderful flavor. If anyone has any good ideas for how to rescue adding too much flour to a recipe, I would appreciate the feedback.

Once I paid more attention, the second cake came out much better. I also baked it in 2 smaller pans, and checked the temperature using my oven thermometer.

Happily, the second time around, this carrot cake was redeemed.

The lesson learned for me is: be in the moment and avoid multitasking while baking.

One Bowl Carrot or Zucchini Cake

Ingredients 

2 cups sugar (white or brown or a combination)

1 cup oil

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

2 cups grated carrots (about 3-4 carrots)

Optional/Variation: 2 cups grated zucchini instead of carrots

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Optional: ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Optional: 1/4 teaspoon allspice

Optional: 1 cup chopped nuts

Optional: 1 cup raisins

Optional: 1 cup drained crushed pineapple

Optional: orange zest

Instructions:

By hand: Beat the oil, sugar, salt, eggs together. Mix the flour, spices, baking soda and baking powder together and stir into the wet ingredients. Add the carrots, nuts, and any other optional ingredients and mix until just blended. Pour into greased, sprayed or parchment lined pan.

In the food processor: Mix eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla in food processor for 1 minute. Add flour and baking powder, spices and pulse until blended. Next add the grated carrots and any other optional ingredients and pulse until blended. Pour into greased, sprayed or parchment lined pan.

This can be made as two 9″ layers, one 9″x13″ rectangular cake, a Bundt pan or 24 cupcakes.

Bake in a preheated 350°F oven until done and when inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Orange Glaze

Ingredients

1 orange, zested and juiced, this could be about ¼ cup of juice, but I didn’t measure.

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups icing sugar, more or less depending on desired thickness

Instructions

Zest and juice the orange into a bowl. Add the vanilla, and then add the icing sugar until desired consistency.

Spread over cake. This cake freezes well.

 

Here are the picture:

 

 

Grate the carrots and place in a separate bowl.

 

Mixing in a bowl to stir in nuts.

 

Yaffa took this picture of me all by herself!

Cake number 1 ready to bake.

Cake #1

Cake # 2 — Redeemed!

Beautifully glazed — better to look good than to taste good?

My final words of wisdom with respect to my carrot cake chronicles:

Enjoy!

Cranberry Torte

As I shared on my last post, I had lots of cranberry relish leftover from Thanksgiving. 

Rather than let it go to waste, I thought I would use it to make this fruit torte. 

This cake recipe is very flexible and it has endless variations. Feel free to adapt the recipe for whatever fruit you have available — fresh or canned. It can even be adapted for various flours with success. 

Ingredients:

4 eggs

2 cups sugar (white or brown or a combination)

1 cup oil

1 tsp. vanilla

Optional: you can use other flavorings such almond, lemon, etc. depending on the fruit

2 cups flour

Optional: you can substitute almond, cornmeal, whole wheat, spelt, rice flour or gluten-free flour blends in any combination. It may change the texture, which could make it more interesting. I usually make it with spelt.

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt (a “pinch”) 

Optional Variations:
Chocolate cake: substitute 1/2 cup cocoa for 1/2 cup flour

2 cups cranberry relish 

Optional Variations: Add 2-4 cups fresh or canned fruit on top and sprinkle with sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon. It amount depends on the size of the pan. 

Instructions:

By hand: cream together oil and sugar and vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in sifted together dry ingredients until blended.

With a food processor: Mix eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla in food process for 1 minute. Add flour, salt and baking powder and pulse until just blended.

Pour batter into greased or parchment lined pan. Place cranberry relish on top.

If using fresh or canned fruit, sprinkle with sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon, if desired, over fruit.

Bake in a preheated 350°F oven until done and when inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Here are the pictures:

Cake batter on the bottom.

Ready to be baked.

Fresh out of the oven!

The final product. Voila!

Raizel and her friend Kayla said, “this is awesome!” I cut them both a piece before freezing it.

Enjoy!

References:

This recipe is adapted from my ubiquitous 1-2-3-4 cake and the apple cake recipe from Classic Kosher Cooking. 

As I have shared, all my cake recipes are basically an adaptation of the 1-2-3-4 cake. I then adjust the liquid or the sugar if using fruit, or adding pie filling. Sort of like mix and match. In Classic Kosher Cooking the apple cake recipe called for 2.5 cups cake flour and 1/4 orange juice. I eliminated the liquid and decreased the flour, since I generally use spelt or regular all purpose flour.

I have since, however, seen this recipe published on various sites all over the internet using different proportions. 

Most recently, my friend Malka introduced me to the recipe which is published annually in The New York Times as a Plum Torte. 

Here is the link:

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/3783-original-plum-torte

So, this recipe is practically no fail and VERY versatile!



The Only Cake Recipe You Will Ever Need: The 1-2-3-4 Anything Cake & Optional Glaze

The Only Cake Recipe You Will Ever Need: The 1-2-3-4 Anything Cake

The road to parenthood was not simple one for us. So, when we granted the blessing of children, I was eager to celebrate their birthdays with a homemade cake, decorated with roses.

Just before their first birthday, with great excitement, I enrolled in a local cake decorating class.

The class was definitely a learning experience. But, not in the way one might expect.

I learned that cake decorating is really sugar art. The cake functions similar to the canvas of a painting.

The greatest lesson I learned, however, was that I do not like decorating cakes. I found it very time consuming and very labor intensive.

So, my days of cake decorating came quickly to an end. I have not touched an icing tip since.

This was the cake recipe that I used for my class. It is the perfect cake for the time challenged cook. It is fast and easy, only uses one bowl, and it is easily adaptable.

I have included all the multiple variations, so you see how this is really the only cake recipe that you will ever need.

The marble cake I just posted is also one of the many variations.

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar (white or brown or a combination)

1 cup oil

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla, almond, lemon, etc.

1 cup liquid (water, juice, milk, coffee, etc.)

3 cups flour — I used spelt, but you can use a gluten-free flour blend, almond flour, corn meal or any other flour too. The texture, however, may be slightly altered.

3 tsp. baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt (a “pinch”)

Optional Variations:

Chocolate Chip Cake: stir in 1 cup chocolate chips when mixed

As You Like It Cake: stir in 1 cup chopped nuts, dried fruit, etc.

Chocolate Cake: 1/2 cup cocoa for 1/2 cup flour for a chocolate cake

Spice Cake: add 2 to 3 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoons nutmeg, dash white pepper to dry ingredients

Lemon Spice Cake: add 2 to 3 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, dash white pepper to dry ingredients and, add 1 lemon zested to the wet ingredients. Do not add lemon juice for the liquid because then the baking powder will work differently. You could try adding baking soda instead, but I have never personally tried that.

Almond Spice Cake: add 2 to 3 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, dash white pepper and 1/4 cup ground almonds when adding flour.

Lemon Poppy Cake: Add 1 lemon zested to the wet ingredients and ¼ cup of poppy seeds to the dry ingredients.

Marble Cake: Pour ¾ of batter into the pan. Then, with the remaining batter, add 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder. Pour over vanilla batter in stripes. Gently swirl with a knife. Do not over mix!

Instructions:

By hand: beat eggs, and sugar. Add oil and vanilla. Alternate adding the liquid and the dry ingredients until blended.

With a food processor: Mix eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla in food process for 1 minute. Slowly add liquid until well blended. Add flour, salt and baking powder and pulse until just blended.

Stir in nuts, chocolate chips or dried fruit if using.

Pour batter into a greased, sprayed or parchment lined pan.

This can be made in a greased and lightly floured Bundt pan, or two 9″ layers, one 9″x 13″ rectangular cake or 24 cupcakes.

Bake in a preheated 350°F oven until done and when inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Although I didn’t intent to add a glaze, Raizel made a special request. How could I say no?

Optional Glaze

Ingredients:

1 cup icing sugar

4 teaspoons of milk or liquid (I use rice milk, but lemon juice also works)

Instructions:

Pour icing sugar in a bowl. Add the liquid 1 teaspoon at a time and stir until desired consistency.

Drizzle over cake, while slightly warm.

This cake also freezes well, with or without a glaze.

Here are the pictures:

 

Yaffa decided to help take pictures and took this one all by herself.

This is my picture, attempting to avoid shadows.

 

Fresh out of the oven, ready to frost😉

 

Raizel REALLY wanted it frosted.

Raizel approved!

 

Raizel, as you can see loved it. I gave her a piece fresh out of the oven.

After not baking a cake for quite a while, Raizel has come to the realization that homemade, from scratch cakes are REALLY yummy!

Raizel said, “I really missed homemade cakes.”

I am also very grateful for my trusty oven thermometer. It is making such a big difference!

Hurrah!

Enjoy!

Shabbat Marble Cake With Optional Glaze

Shabbat Marble Cake With Optional Glaze

When the girls were little, I baked almost everything from scratch. As Raizel was on the Feingold Diet, I made everything with all natural ingredients, and without dyes, additives or preservatives. With time, I have collected a small repertoire of fast and easy baking recipes. Nothing fancy, but I figure, “done is better than undone.”

Ironically, the highest compliment that I usually receive from Raizel is, “this tastes as good as store bought,” rather than the other way around!

My oven is also still not working properly. To compensate,  I have started using an oven thermometer, which I am finding very helpful. 

Armed with my trusty thermometer, and with the day off for Thanksgiving, I had time to make this Shabbat Marble Cake. This is the first cake that I have baked since we moved to our new house.

For those who may not be familiar, a Shabbat cake is simple, fast and easy cake that one makes especially for Shabbat and those moments when one has a lot of cooking to do and limited time. Perfect for the time challenged cook.

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 cup oil

1 cup liquid – I used rice milk but juice is also good

2 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups flour: I used spelt, but you can use a gluten-free flour blend, almond flour, corn meal or any other flour too. The texture, however, may be altered slightly.

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt (a “pinch”)

3 tablespoons cocoa powder: Add at the end to only 1/2 – 1/3 of the batter

Instructions

By hand: beat eggs, and sugar. Add oil and vanilla. Alternate adding the liquid and the dry ingredients until blended.

With a food processor: Mix eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla in food process for 1 minute. Slowly add liquid until well blended. Add flour, salt and baking powder and pulse until just blended.

To assemble marble cake:

Pour ½ – ¾ of batter into a greased or parchment paper lined pan, or use a Bundt pan.

If using a Bundt pan, lightly flour the pan after it is greased to prevent sticking.

Then, with the remaining batter, add 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder. Pour over vanilla batter in stripes. Gently swirl with a knife. Do not over mix!

This can also be made as two 9″ layers, one 9″x 13″ rectangular cake or 24 cupcakes.

Bake in a preheated 350°F oven until done and when inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Optional Glaze

Ingredients:

1 cup icing sugar

4 teaspoons of milk or liquid (I use rice milk, but lemon juice also works)

Instructions

Pour icing sugar in a bowl. Add liquid 1 teaspoon at a time and stir until desired consistency.

Drizzle over cake, while slightly warm.

Since I am time challenged, I was only able to take 2 pictures:

 

Fresh out of the oven.

I took  this picture just before Shabbat.

Although she will never admit it, I think that Raizel is finally missing home baked goods. She said, “this is great! It is even better than store bought!

I am happy to say that between her, Yaffa, and her friend Kayla, I have only 2 pieces left. I consider that to be a ringing endorsement.

Enjoy!

 

Lemon Cake In A Mug

Lemon Cake In A Mug

School started just this past week and things have been very hectic in our home.

Among our many changes, Raizel started high school in our new town. To say she has been nervous is an understatement.

Yaffa’s bus route has yet to be finalized as well. Everyday is a new bus adventure: when she will be picked up? When she will be dropped off? And, will she even be picked up at all?

All of this in a typical day, while working and managing a household. I truly feel that God is carrying me. There is no other explanation for how so much can be done with so little time.

Dolly, from koolkosherkitchen.wordpress.com suggested that we make a little celebration in honor of our new and many transitions to ease the level of tension and anxiety.

Unfortunately, I was only able to follow up with her suggestion a few hours before Shabbat last week.

With even greater time challenges than usual, it struck me as a perfect time for a microwave cake.

As I have shared before, these microwave 1 cup cakes are a perfect solution for those moments when you want something sweet, without too much fuss.

I decided to adapt the vanilla cake in a mug recipe and make it into a lemon cake instead. I substituted lemon juice for milk and added lemon zest too. I did not use lemon extract, but I think that could have worked nicely as well.

As a bonus, this cake also does not have eggs. Spelt flour can easily be substituted, for those who do not eat wheat.

I am happy to say that it came out really well!

Ingredients

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup lemon juice. I used freshly squeezed

Zest from 1 lemon

3 tablespoons oil

1/2 teaspoon vanilla (1 capful)

Optional: lemon extract could be good too.

Optional: sprinkle icing sugar over the cake, after it is baked and while it is still warm.

Instructions

In a large mug, combine dry ingredients until well mixed. Add oil, vanilla lemon zest, and liquid, and mix until well blended.

Microwave for 90 seconds.

If you are uncertain about the power of your microwave, start with 1 minute and increase the time as necessary.

Sprinkle icing sugar on top if desired after it’s baked, and while it is still warm.

Here are the pictures. I am happy to say that some where taken by me, others by Raizel, and one was even taken by Yaffa, with Raizel’s assistance.

Raizel guided Yaffa to take this picture. Please forgive the mess in the background, but, you get a good idea of what preparing for the Sabbath is all about.

Getting ready to mix.

Mixing it up. Raizel took the picture.

About it go into the microwave.

Final product. Voila!

Raizel says, “it’s good! In fact it’s very good. In fact, it’s delicious!”

Yaffa says, “it’s good! I like it!” In a full sentence no less.

I am happy to say that it was eaten before the night was over. It’s not chocolate, but definitely still a hit.

Enjoy!

Brownie in a Mug

Brownie in a Mug

Raizel is a budding foodie. She often surprises me with her interest and awareness of food and food trends. She also has a natural flare. Raizel occasionally will suggest a recipe, and it usually works!

Somehow, Raizel discovered microwave 1 cup cakes.

Cakes made in the microwave are usually about 1-2 portions. They are perfect for when you have a craving for sweets and need instant gratification. They are fast, easy, all natural and simple to assemble.

Their texture is different than cakes baked in an oven. But, a 1 cup cake is small. Leftovers are unlikely.

Raizel and I found this recipe on-line.

According to the author of the site, I can post it as long as I rewrite the recipe using my own words and use my own pictures. The direct link to the site is posted on the bottom.

So, that is what I am doing here.

Brownie in a Mug

Ingredients

¼ cup flour

¼ cup sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa

2 tablespoons oil

Pinch of salt

Dash of cinnamon

Optional: a pinch of instant coffee

1-2 drops vanilla

¼ cup water

Instructions

In a large mug, combine dry ingredients until well mixed. Add oil, vanilla and water, and mix until well blended.

Microwave for 1 minute 40 seconds.

If you are uncertain about the power of your microwave, start with 1 minute and increase the time as necessary. I think I read that the timing is for a 1000 watt microwave.

Here are the pictures:

all mixed up & ready to go.

fresh out of the microwave

no leftovers here!

The gimmick of this recipe is that you make it in a coffee mug. I was concerned, however, that my mug would be too small. So, I used a bowl instead.

Raizel, and Yaffa (with a little assistance from Dawn) devoured the whole thing!

Raizel declared that it is “scrumpt-deli-licious.”

It was really very fast, easy and required very little to clean up.

Perfect for those moments when you want an almost instant dessert.

Below is the link to the site where I got this recipe. It is a very nice site, full of tips to live more healthfully and naturally.

Check it out!

Enjoy!

Reference

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/brownie_in_a_mug/3.2.1269

 

Chocolate Cake

This recipe calls for no eggs, and it works with spelt flour too, so it can be wheat free and vegan too.

Ingredients 

1 1/2 cups flour 

1 cup sugar 

1/3 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons oil

1 tablespoon vinegar 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup cold water 

Instructions 

Using a food processor, blend dry ingredients together. Add remaining ingredients and process until just blended.

Bake in greased 8×8 pan in a 350*F oven for 30 minutes or until done.

This recipe is fast and easy and can easily be made in a bowl.

Perfect for baking with children.

Also can use for trifle recipe that was just posted.

Enjoy!