Monday, November 5, 2012

Cinnamon Raisin Coffee Cake

I find that it isn't necessity being the mother of invention, but often it can be laziness that helps me create new recipes.  While I could have made a tradition coffeecake, I had some small currants already on the counter from me making homemade granola yesterday that spurred me to create this recipe variation.

I love raisins and the tiny currants I picked up have all the flavor and a little less sweetness than the tradition raisins or golden raisins I usually buy, but they are perfect for when you want that chew and taste of raisins without adding too much sweetness, and their size is ideal for having a hint of flavor.

I have made a few modifications to the standard sour cream coffee cake recipe - swapping in lowfat or fat free yogurt for the sour cream and unsweetened applesauce for the butter or margarine.  Each of these changes helps lower the fat in the recipe without compromising flavor.

If you want a great season twist, you can swap in chopped dried cranberries for the currants, add 1/4 tsp. nutmeg to the cake batter, and add in 2-3 T. of honey for a little more richness and the flavors of the honey and nutmeg really do a great job at complimenting the natural tart bite and tanginess of the cranberries.

1/2 C. unsweetened applesauce ($.15)
1 C. white sugar ($.20)
1/2 C. dark brown sugar ($.15)
2 eggs ($.20)
1 C. fat free vanilla yogurt ($.35)
2 T. coffee creamer (free after coupon)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract ($.10)
2 C. all-purpose flour ($.15)
1 tsp. baking powder ($.05)
1 tsp. baking soda ($.05)

Streusel Mixture:
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon ($.10)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg ($.05)
1/2 C. brown sugar ($.10)
1/4 C. chopped raisins or small currants ($.20)

1. In a large bowl, blend together margarine, white sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, sour cream, eggs, coffee creamer, and vanilla. Add to these ingredients the combined flour, baking powder, and soda. Blend until smooth.

2. To Make Streusel filling: Combine cinnamon, nutmeg, raisins or currants, and 1/2 cup brown sugar.

3. Grease and flour a large Bundt pan. Pour 1/2 of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon mixture on top of the batter in the pan, and cover with the remaining batter.

4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool. Remove from pan.

Yields: 14 servings
Cost: $2.00
Cost per serving: $.15

No comments:

Post a Comment