Coffeecake Muffins-Guest Post

Today Kristen from Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker brings her wonderful recipe for Coffeecake Muffins.  If you haven't visited her blog, please go check it out.  She has lots of wonderful stuff there.  I have been a follower for several years.  Tell you a little secret about this recipe.  When it arrived, I just couldn't wait to make it so I have a batch of these with me to snack on while we're on vacation.   Here's Kristen!

Hello! I am so pleased to be here at Grandma Loy's today. She has been a long time participant in my monthly Improv Cooking Challenge and has been a guest on my blog, so I am so happy to be able to return the favor. I blog over at FrugalAntics of a Harried Homemaker with the motto: delicious doesn't have to be expensive. I just sent my oldest son off to college and have four kids left at home ranging from 11^th grade to 2^nd grade. I am all about saving money and still enjoying life.

Today, I brought you a batch of Coffee Cake Muffins. Portable breakfasts are a big hit with my teenage boys. They like to sleep as long as they can on school days, hopping out of bed with only a few minutes to get out the door. I always feel better when they at least grab a muffin or two to eat on the way to school. These muffins were adapted from The Muffin Tin Cookbook by Brette Sember. I do a handful of cookbook reviews every year and this one was a favorite.

Coffee Cake Muffins:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour

1/2 cup sugar + 1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup melted butter

2/3 cup milk

1 tsp cinnamon

Preparation:

Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease or line 12 regular muffin cups.

Combine flour, ½ cup sugar and salt in a bowl.

In another bowl, combine egg, vanilla, melted butter and milk.

Add dry ingredients to the wet, mixing well.

Divide the batter between the 12 muffin cups.

Combine the cinnamon and 1/4 cup sugar.

Sprinkle it evenly over all of the muffins.

Bake 12-15 minutes or until they test done with a toothpick.

I hope you like them!!

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Hey, everyone, do make these, they are delicious.  Thanks Kristen for coming by and sharing such a great recipe.

Improv Challenge-Banana Nutmeg Squares

This ingredients for January Improv Challenge hosted by Kristen from Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker are bananas and nutmeg.

It seems I always buy one or two bananas more than I can eat so they end up in the freezer waiting to be made into something.  This month I was aiming for a bar cookie, and the squares could be cut small and served that way; but the recipe really produced a cross between a cake and a coffeecake so serve it as you wish.

I used a stresuel topping, but stirred the batter to swirl it into the dough.  I thought some of the topping would stay on the top, but it all sank into the batter.  That left me needing to do something with the top so I used a little powdered sugar glaze to finish the recipe off.

Banana Nutmeg Squares
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 c. sour cream, low fat is OK
1 t. vanilla
1 c. mashed bananas, about 3 small
2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 c. chopped, toasted walnuts
1/3 c. flour
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. powdered sugar, sifted or put through a sieve
4 t. milk
sprinkle of nutmeg

Cream butter and sugar together until well blended.  Stir in eggs, sour cream, vanilla and bananas.  Stir with wire whisk until well blended.   Mix together flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.  Stir into banana mixture, mixing well.  Add walnuts.  Spread into greased and floured 9x13-inch baking pan.  Combine flour, brown sugar and nutmeg in a small bowl.  Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse corn meal.  Sprinkle mixture over batter in pan.  Swirl a knife back and forth from side to side and end to end to swirl topping into batter.  Bake at 350 degrees about 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean.  Remove from oven.  Combine sifted powdered sugar, milk and a sprinkle of nutmeg until well blended.  Drizzle and spread glaze over top of cake.  This can be done either when the cake is warm if serving as a coffeecake or when cool if served as a cake.  Makes 15 servings.

Next month's challenge is Hearts and Flours (pun intended).  This is a challenging and fun link party.  I encourage you to join us.  All the information can be found on Kristen's Improv Page.

Check out the links below to see what other bloggers have posted using bananas and nutmeg.

Raspberry Almond Coffee Cake

This week's Saturday sweet is coffeecake, which I really like, and don't know why I don't make it more often.  Recently I had some buttermilk that I needed to use up so turned to one of my favorite coffeecake recipes that came from a Sunset cookbook many years ago.

This an easy and simple coffeecake made with vegetable oil and buttermilk.  I like this one in that part of the dry ingredients are used to make the topping.

I wanted to change things up a little this time and decided to add a layer of raspberry jam in the middle of the cake.  This turned out to be a "good thing/bad thing."  The jam sunk to the bottom of the cake creating more of an upside down situation.  Everyone I shared this with, however, didn't care about that and loved the addition of the jam.  So, if you make this, use the jam, or not as you wish.  Putting the jam in a glass measuring cup and heating it in the microwave for a minute made it easier to spread.

To make the original coffeecake use coarsely chopped, toasted walnuts instead of the almonds and leave out the jam and almond extract.

 Raspberry Almond Coffee Cake
adapted from Sunset Ideas & Recipes for Breakfast and Brunch
2 1/4 c. all purpose flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. slivered almonds, toasted
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 c. buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 t. almond extract
1 c. raspberry jam

In a medium-size bowl, mix together flour, salt, the 1/2 t. cinnamon, brown sugar, sugar, and vegetable oil.  Beat with an electric mixer or a wire whisk until well blended.  Remove 3/4 c. of this mixture for the topping and blend into it the nuts and the 1 t. cinnamon; set aside.  To the remaining flour mixture, add soda and baking powder and mix until well combined.  Combine buttermilk, egg and almond extract and mix well.  Add to flour mixture and mix until smooth.  Pour half of batter into a greased 9x13-inch baking pan.  Place jam in a glass measuring cup and microwave for 1 minute.  Spoon over batter and gently spread out evenly.  Top with remaining batter.   Sprinkle the reserved topping evenly over batter and pat it lightly into the batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until golden brown. Cool slightly and cut into squares.  Makes about 12 to 15 servings.  May be served warm or at room temperature.

Linking to these great parties:
Strut Your Stuff
Seasonal Inspiration
Weekend Potluck
I'm Lovin' It
Saturday Nite Special
Weekend Bloggy Reading

DIY Groceries-Snack Cake Mix

Back in the late 70’s and into the 80’s Snack Cakes were all the rage.  There were Snack Cake mixes from all the commercial bakers on the store shelves.  The appeal of these mixes was being able to make the cake right in the baking pan.  Women loved it if they had just one less item to wash.

In 1982 Woman’s Day put out a homemade version of this popular dessert.  I still have the clipping from the magazine and make this mix often.  It makes it so easy top whip up and bake dessert in about 40 minutes.  There were many variations in the magazine article which I will post here, but one can easily think of more.   Since the whole idea of these cakes was to bake something fast, they were not usually frosted but certainly can be.  This is also just the right size cake for a couple or small family.

Snack Cake Mix
Woman's Day 10/82
Snack Cake Mix
6 c. flour
4 c. sugar
3 T. baking powder
2 t. salt
1 1/2 c. shortening

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Cut in shortening with
a pastry blender until mixture resembles cornmeal.  Store in
airtight container in cool, dry place.  Makes 13 cups.  Use
within 3 months.

NOTE FOR ALL CAKE VARIATIONS:
Use rubber spatula to mix ingredients to avoid scratching baking pan.
Scrape down sides of pan before baking.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into center of cake.
Cool cake in pan on rack.

Everyday Cake
2 c. Snack Cake Mix
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. milk

Place all ingredients in an 8-inch layer-cake or square pan  stir
until well blended.  Scrape down sides of pan.  Bake at 375 degrees 30 minutes or until done.  Makes 8 servings.  190 cal. ea.
This makes a great shortcake topped with sliced fresh fruit.  Canned or thawed frozen fruit may also be used.  Can be topped with sauces of your choice.  Chocolate and butterscotch are very good.

Chip and Nut Cake:  Add 1/3 c. chips of your choice and 1/3 c. toasted nuts of your choice to above recipe.

Pecan Glazed Cake
Ingredients for Everyday Cake above
/4 c. butter or margarine, softened
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 T. flour
1 t. vanilla
1 T. flour
3/4 c. chopped pecans

Prepare and bake Everyday Cake as above.  Meanwhile in small bowl mix butter, sugar, flour, vanilla, and milk.  Fold in pecans.  When cake is done, remove from oven: spread with butter-nut mixture; return to oven and bake a minute or two until glaze is bubbly.  Remove from oven and run a thin-bladed spatula around edges to loosen cake.  Makes 8 servings. 346 cal. ea.

Other nuts can be used:  walnuts and almonds are very good in this also.

Chocolate Cake
2 c. Snack Cake Mix
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 t. vanilla
3/4 c. ice water
Confectioners' sugar for dusting (optional)

In 8-inch layer-cake pan or square pan stir cake mix and cocoa until well blended. Briskly stir in egg, vanilla, and iced water until well mixed. Bake and cool.  Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar if desired.  Makes 8 servings.  191 cal. ea.

Gingerbread
2 c. Snack Mix
1 t. each cinnamon and ginger
1/4 t. each cloves, nutmeg, and baking soda
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 c. each dark molasses and milk
Whipped cream or topping

In 8-inch square pan stir cake mix, spices, and baking soda.  Stir until well blended.  Briskly stir in eggs, molasses and milk until well mixed. Bake and cool.  Top with whipped cream if desired.  Makes 8 servings.  319 cal. ea.

Easy Carrot Cake
2 1/2 c. Snack Cake Mix
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 c. chopped toasted walnuts or pecans
1/3 c. raisins (leave out if you don't like)
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 jar (7 1/2 oz.) junior baby-food carrots
1 T. lemon juice
Confectioners' sugar for dusting (optional)

In 8-inch square pan stir cake mix, cinnamon, nuts and raisins until well blended.  Stir in egg, carrots, and lemon juice until well blended.  Bake and cool.  Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, if desired.  Makes 8 servings.  298 ca. ea.

Crumb-Top Cake
2 1/2 c. Snack Cake Mix, divided
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 c. milk
1 t. vanilla
1/4 c. chopped pecans or other nuts.
1 t. cinnamon

In 8-inch square pan stir 2 c. cake mix, the egg, milk and vanilla until well blended.  In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/2 c. cake mix, nuts, and cinnamon.  Sprinkle over batter.  Bake and cool.  Makes 8 servings.  259 ca. ea.


Applesauce Cake with Almond-Sugar Topping
2 c. Snack Cake Mix
1/2 t. each nutmeg and cinnamon
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 c. applesauce
1/3 c. sliced almonds
1 t. sugar
1/4 t. nutmeg

In 8-inch layer-cake or square pan stir cake mix, nutmeg and cinnamon until well blended.  Stir in egg and applesauce.  Combine almonds, sugar, and nutmeg.  Sprinkle over cake batter.  Bake and cool.  Makes 8 servings.  216 cal. ea.

Swedish Coffee Cake
2 C. Snack Cake Mix
1 t. ground cardamom (or cinnamon)
1 egg, slightly beaten
2/3 c. milk
3 T. chopped nuts
1 T. sugar
1 t. cinnamon

In 8-inch layer-cake or square pan stir cake mix and cardamom until well blended.  Stir in egg and milk until well blended.  Combine nuts, sugar and cinnamon.  Sprinkle over batter.  Bake and cool.  Makes 8 servings.  213 cal. ea.

Tomorrow:  Cooking with the Journal-Swedish Meatballs