Cinnamon-Streusel Coffee Cake - 100th Post!!!!

So who doesn't like coffee cake or a breakfast pastry now and then??? Well when I found this recipe I couldn't wait to make it, luckily I found it right before Nicole's pot-luck brunch. I have to tell you Martha Stewart really knows what she is talking about, this cake was amazing and a great recipe for my 100th post!!!! It will be a real crowd pleaser any where you serve it. I followed the recipe almost exactly, I just used extra butter when greasing the cake pan. In the end I was really glad I did because it wasn't entirely easy to get out of the pan. Besides that there wasn't anything difficult about this recipe and was relatively quick too. If you served it as a desert I can only imagine what it would taste like with a little scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Cinnamon-Streusel Coffee Cake

Martha Stewart Living

Serves 12

Ingredients

For the streusel topping and center:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Coarse salt

1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped toasted pecans

For the cake:

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Coarse salt

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

For the glaze:

1 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons whole milk

Directions:

1. Make the streusel topping: Mix together flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cut in butter using a pastry cutter or rub in with your fingers until small to medium clumps form. Mix in 1/2 cups pecans. Refrigerate until ready to use.

2. Make the streusel center: Mix together remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 cup pecans.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the cake: Butter a 9-inch tube pan with removable bottom. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a bowl.

4. Beat butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour. Continue to beat until well combined.

5. Spoon half the batter into pan. Sprinkle streusel center mixture evenly over batter. Top with remaining batter, and spread evenly using an offset spatula. Sprinkle streusel topping mixture evenly over batter.

6. Bake until cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Remove cake from pan, and transfer to parchment.

7. Make the glaze: Mix together confectioners' sugar and milk. Drizzle over cake, and let drip down sides. Let set for 5 minutes before serving.

Kick A$@ Peanut Butter Cake with Chocolate Peanut Butter Icing

This might be one of the best dessert recipes I have ever tried. It is actually called Peanut Butter Cake with Chocolate-Peanut Butter Icing but it is Kick A$@! So I sort of changed the name. I made it for Denis's birthday celebration and it was a big hit. It is so moist and just the right sweetness with a rich peanut-buttery chocolate icing. I pretty much followed the recipe but made small additions and changes, I added some extra peanut butter, used Milk chocolate instead (because I love it), added a 1/4 cup of milk and I didn't add chopped peanuts. Below is my recipe but I've included the link for the original recipe too.

Kick A$@ Peanut Butter Cake with Chocolate Peanut Butter Icing

Bon Appetit

Serves 12

Ingredients

1 18.25-ounce package yellow cake mix

3 cups creamy peanut butter (do not use old-fashioned or freshly ground)

3/4 cup chocolate syrup

8 ounces milk chocolate, chopped

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup milk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 3/4-inch-high sides. Prepare cake according to package directions, beating in 1 cup peanut butter. Divide between prepared pans. Bake until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely.

Combine chocolate syrup and milk chocolate in heavy saucepan. Stir constantly over low heat until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Transfer chocolate mixture to large bowl. Stir in remaining 2 cups peanut butter, then powdered sugar, then milk. Continue stirring until smooth. Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread top with 1 1/2 cups icing. Top with second cake layer. Spread top and sides of cake evenly with remaining icing. (Can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cover.) Cut into wedges and serve.

Note: To make a nice and clean presentation on the stand or platter, place 2 or 3 pieces of wax paper under the cake. Place them so they are under all edges of the cake, but close to the edge so it is easy to slide out. Once you have finished icing the cake pull out the pieces of wax paper so you have a clean platter or stand.

Sweet Baby Jack Carrot Cake

For Easter along with the cookies, I made my first carrot cake. I picked Paula's Sweet Baby Jack Carrot Cake because I didn't need to shred any carrots. I wasn't sure how the baby food would work but it made the cake really moist. For a little garnish I sprinkled cinnamon around the outside. After tasting the carrot cake, it confirmed for me that Paula Deen can not go wrong with deserts, she is definitely my go-to desert lady.

Sweet Baby Jack Carrot Cake

Paula Deen

Serves 16

Ingredients

Butter, for greasing the pans

Flour, for dusting the pans

For the cake:

2 cups self rising flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 cups granulated sugar

2 (4-oz.) jars strained carrot baby food

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

For the icing:

1/2 cup (1/2 stick) of butter, softened

1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, softened

1 (16 ounce) box of confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 3 (8 of 9 inch) cake pans.

For the cake:

Mix together the flour, cinnamon and sugar in a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and blend well with a hand held electric mixer for about 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes. Invert into lint free dish cloth or waxed paper (I used wax paper) and allow to cool completely.

For the icing:

Mix all ingredients with an electric hand held mixer until smooth and creamy.

Frost layers, top and sides of cake.

Note: The icing just makes it all over the cake, so I think when I make this again I would possibly double the icing recipe. Plus the icing is amazing!