I’ve always been a fan of coffee cakes. They’re usually a breeze to throw together, using only a few ingredients and taking just a few moments of your time. My favorite recipe that I’ve made to date incorporates blackberries, so when I came across Sally’s raspberry version that included dark chocolate I knew it had to be a winner!

One of my cravings this time around has been fresh berries – strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries. Whatever looks good that day at the store, and isn’t astronomically priced this time of year! So I’ve had plenty on hand for baking with. But, if you have frozen on hand – by all means, use those. I also think this cake would be delightful with any berry you wanted to add to it, in lieu of raspberries.

It baked up beautifully, and was moist and delicious for a few days – another perk of a coffee cake. This would be a great breakfast (or anytime!) treat to have on the counter for Thanksgiving  – to nibble on with a cup of coffee or tea,  and get you going without filling you up before the big dinner!

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Raspberry Dark Chocolate Coffee Cake

For the streusel topping:
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, cold
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup slivered almonds

For the cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 and 1/2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) raspberries

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.

To make the streusel topping, mash up 3 tablespoons of cold butter in a small bowl. Add 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and 1/4 cup sugar and mix around with a fork, and mash until chunky and crumbly. Add the almonds and mix to combine. Set aside.

In a large bowl or in a stand mixer, add 2 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup butter, milk, vanilla extract, baking powder, salt, and egg. Beat on low until everything is smooth and combined – about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Do not over-mix.

Spread half of the batter into the prepared baking pan. Layer with half of the streusel, then most of the raspberries and chocolate chips. Repeat with the rest of the batter and the streusel. Top with remaining raspberries and chocolate chips.

Place in preheated oven and bake for 45-50 minutes. Cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool on the counter for 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Source: barely adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction

I always love to find a new recipe to give my boys for breakfast in the morning. And, muffins always fit that bill. All of us love raspberries, but I’d yet to try them in a muffin. So when I came across this recipe, I knew all of us would enjoy them!

Muffins are always a joy to make in the kitchen, at least in mine. Quickly come together with a few simple ingredients, and they last for 3 days on the counter…available for a quick and easy breakfast or after-school snack whenever. These baked up tall and beautiful, honestly some of the prettiest muffins I’ve ever baked.

And speaking of baking things in an oven, I want to just go ahead and let the cat out of the bag – we’re baking a little something of our own!

Needless to say, this is why things have been a little slow here on the site lately. For the past couple months, it’s all I can do to prepare a meal for my family – much less photograph it and blog about it. So, thanks for bearing with me guys! I’m already getting back into the swing of things, and I can’t wait to see where my pregnancy cravings and crazy ideas lead me in the kitchen this time! Excited to meet this little one in May…due the same day I was with Andrew, our first. What are the odds? Such a great time of year to have a baby!

I hope your family will enjoy these muffins as much as our did. They’re absolutely delicious!

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Raspberry-Lemon Streusel Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup (8 oz) lemon or vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp lemon zest
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)

For the streusel topping:
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 400. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners and set aside.

In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Combine eggs, yogurt, oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Mix well.

Stir into the dry ingredients until moistened. Gently fold in the raspberries.

Fill the liners 3/4 of the way full.

For the topping, combine sugar and flour. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle about 1 Tbsp over each muffin.

Bake at 400 for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick insterted into the muffins comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yields about 1 dozen muffins.

Source: adapted from Taste of Home

Fall baking is now in full swing in my kitchen – how about with you guys? One of my favorite ingredients to use when baking in the autumn months is apple butter. It’s rich, it adds a ton of flavor and moisture to whatever it is your cooking. One of my best friends and her husband gifted me with a homemade jar last Christmas, they do it the old fashioned way up North – with a big pot and a party that lasts all day! As good as it was, you know it didn’t last anytime in our house. Luckily, Musselman’s makes a really tasty version that’s available in your local grocery store year round.

They were good enough to send me a fall baking gift set – with some disposable decorative liners to gift baked goods in, some great recipe cards, as well as a big jar of their apple butter. I was immediately drawn to this spiced apple cake (predictable much?) that’s topped with a sweet orange glaze. The cake is delicious and moist, without being too dense…and has all my favorite warm flavors of fall. Topped with the simple glaze that carries a punch of freshness from the addition of fresh orange juice and zest.

You can either bake as one large loaf, or do as I did and bake 4 smaller loaves to give as gifts. We have a freebie gift set to giveaway to one lucky reader too! Just leave a comment telling me what’s your favorite recipe to make with apple butter? My friend Annie posted a panini earlier this week that is next on my hit list! So many good things to do with the stuff. Contest will run today through next Thursday (10/10/13) at 11:59 PM. I hope everyone has a great weekend!

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Spiced Apple Cake with Orange Glaze

2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup apple butter

For the glaze:
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp orange zest
2 Tbsp fresh orange juice

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves to a medium bowl. Whisk to combine.

Cream sugar and softened butter in large bowl.  Add eggs, beating thoroughly.  Beat in dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk.  Stir in apple butter.

Pour into a greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan (or 4 smaller loaf pans).

Bake in 350°F oven 55 to 65 minutes or until cake tests done (I cooked the mini-loaves for 40 minutes). Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Make orange glaze by combining powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange peel. Spoon glaze over warm cake.

Source: adapted from Musselman’s