Raspberry Chocolate Coffee Cake

.  Spring has sprung!

Or I guess you can call it Summer at this point.

But regardless, the heat has arrived and I won't ever complain about the humidity [very much...].  I mean, it took April snow storms for this weather to get here.  So I'll just shut up and be happy about it!

So to kick off my summer baking [yay!], I picked out a real doozy.  Whatever a doozy is.  But I picked it.  And you'll want to get your chompers on this one.  I.  Promise.

I made this luscious Raspberry Chocolate Coffee Cake last weekend for Robbie's mom for Mother's Day.  His family lives in Omaha, so we're able to see them much more often than my own family.  And they also get the honor of testing out any of my baked goodies I force pass on their way.  Don't know if that's a good or bad thing though...

Anywho, Robbie and I picked out a lovely floral display for his mom and I made this breakfast treat for he and his family to enjoy on Mother's Day.  We don't want her making her own breakfast Mother's Day morning, right?!  I didn't get a chance to taste my creation but word on the street is that it was spot on.  And let's be real...my pictures don't do this sucker justice {cough, I need a real camera, cough], so you can only imagine the [subtle] decadence this recipe produces.  Layers and layers of summery, chocolatey goodness, to be exact.

So here's the gist of it.  Three layers of soft, uber moist, classic vanilla coffee cake.  Three layers of chocolate streusel.  And three layers of plump, tart, fresh raspberries.  Hmm...that's a no brainer.

Gather those ingredients and get bakin'!  

P.S. I do want to fill you in on the Mother's Day present my family got for our beloved mamacita because I'm oh-so-excited about it!  So you may have read that Robbie and I finally made the big jump and got engaged, which obviously leads to a wedding.  And lots of wedding planning.  

So first things first, Robbie and I decided that we'll be getting married in Arizona where his parents have a house in Desert Mountain.  There's a beautiful clubhouse there that I'm beyond excited about, so for Memorial Day weekend Robbie, Robbie's parents, and I are trekking down South to meet with the venue coordinator and a couple of different wedding planners.  Well of course I want my parents involved in this whole process more than anything, but we all have a lot going on in our lives at the moment so we initially thought they wouldn't be able to make the trip.  But after some discussions with my loving dad, we decided to surprise my mom with a plane ticket to AZ to take part in all of this crazy planning!  So for Mother's Day, that's what my mom got.  Which was followed by lots of happy tears and laughter.  So needless to say, I can't even wait for the next two weeks to go by and to spend some quality time with my best friend during such a special time.

So wish us luck!  And if any one knows of any wedding planners they'd recommend, suggestions are SO welcomed!  .

P.S.S. check out our wedding website at The Knot, I updated the About Us section so you can read a little about how Robbie and I first met!  .

My Notes:

• Don't be intimidated by the layering, it's very simple and you can't really mess it up!  
• I chose to use milk chocolate for my topping but for pure eye appeal I'd probably use semisweet chocolate next time.  The darker chocolate would look so pretty against the light cake!

Adapted from Cooking Melangery

Ingredients:

Vanilla Coffee Cake:

3 c. all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature

1-1/4 c. sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 c. sour cream

1 c. semisweet or milk chocolate, melted

Raspberry Chocolate Filling:

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. packed light brown sugar

1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 c. fresh or frozen raspberries

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F.  Butter or spray with nonstick cooking spray a 9- or 10-inch bundt pan.  
2. For cake, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).  Add eggs, one at a time, until completely combined.  Add vanilla extract and beat until combined.
4. On low speed, in alternating additions of 3 each, add in dry ingredients and sour cream just until blended (do not over mix the batter).
5. For the filling, combine the sugar, light brown sugar, and cocoa powder.  Scoop 1-1/2 cups of batter into prepared pan and spread evenly to cover bottom.  Sprinkle 1/3 of the cocoa mixture over the batter and 1/2 cup of raspberries.  Scoop 2 cups of batter over filling to cover and repeat steps with the 1/3 of the filling and 1/2 cup of raspberries.  Repeat one last time with the remaining ingredients to make 3 layers.  Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Let cake cool for 30 minutes before unmolding.
6. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate and pour over the bundt cake.  Use the remaining 1/2 cup of raspberries to decorate the top of the cake.  

Yield: 10 servings

Lucky Leaf Winner and 'Tunnel of Fudge' Bundt Cake

.  And we go onward with my Valentine's Day inspired chocolate recipes.  I told you I had a few up my sleeve and you do not want to miss this one in particular.  Trust.

But first things first.  I do believe it's about time I announced the winner of the Lucky Leaf giveaway I posted a few weeks back.  Drum roll pleaseeeeeeee....

Congratulations to Amelia!!

I'll be sending you [Amelia] an e-mail to get all of the deets I'll need to get you your prize.  And thanks again, everyone, for entering!

But let's get back to this here cake.  I started the month out with the Cosmic Brownies, moved on to Deep Dark Chocolate Muffins [link above], and now we have the 'Tunnel of Fudge' Bundt Cake [like my play on words there?].  Now, each of these decadent goodies are simply great in their own right, but this recipe has got to be my favorite.  It was by a narrow, narrow margin, but the bundt cake pulled it out in the end.

And why is that, you ask?  Well...look at it.  My pictures by no means do this rich cake any justice, but you're just going to have to go with me on this one.  The cake itself is wonderfully moist and that 'tunnel of fudge' I referenced?  Yeah, it's really there.  In some magical fashion, the center of the bundt cake turns into an almost gooey-like, but fudgey consistency.  A.k.a, a tunnel of fudge. Get it now?

But why stop there?!  To add to the decadence I just described, lets go ahead and add a shiny, smooth chocolate ganache that runs gracefully down the curves of the cake.  The ganache is simply the quintessential topping to this perfection of a bundt cake.  Yep, I just said it.

So grab some bars of chocolate and get bakin'!  .

My Notes:

• Please be sure to check out Sweet Tooth's Fudge Tunnel Bundt Cake post, which is where I got the recipe, because her pictures do do this recipe justice.  You can't quite see the fudgey-ness in my pictures, so just take a quick gander and you'll see what I'm talking about.
• The ganache ingredients make a good amount of ganache, and I actually didn't end up using it all.  But I would save it for serving, just in case some people want a little extra chocolate.

From Sweet Tooth

Ingredients:

For the Pan:

1 tbsp. Dutch processed cocoa powder

1 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Bundt Cake:

1/2 c. boiling water

2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 c. all purpose flour

3/4 c. Dutch processed cocoa powder

2 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. salt

5 large eggs, at room temperature

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

1 c. sugar

3/4 c. packed light brown sugar

1-1/2 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature

Chocolate Ganache:

3/4 c. heavy whipping cream

1/4 c. light corn syrup

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350F.  In a small bowl, combine the cocoa powder and melted butter and using a pastry brush, evenly coat the inside of a 12-cup bundt pan; set aside.
2. In a small bowl, pour the boiling water over the chopped chocolate and whisk together until smooth.  In medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and salt.  In another small bowl, lightly beat the eggs and vanilla extract.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together sugar, light brown sugar, and butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).  Turn down the speed to low, add the egg mixture, and mix well.  Add the chocolate mixture and mix until incorporated.  Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
4. Bake 45 minutes or until the edges of the cake begin to pull away from the pan.  Let the cake cool in the pan for one hour before unmolding to serving platter.  Let cool for two hours.
5. For the ganache, combine the heavy whipping cream, light corn syrup, and chocolate in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Stir frequently until completely smooth.  Add vanilla extract and stir to combine.  Set the mixture aside for 30 minutes to thicken.  Using a spoon, drizzle the ganache over the top of the bundt cake.  Let ganache set for 10 minutes before slicing.

Yield: 12 servings

Apple Butter Monkey Bread and a Musselman's Giveaway!

.  And the giveaways keep on comin.'

How fun, huh?!  And you can only thank yourselves because the more support and views LSM receives, the more opportunities I get to share some wonderful products with everyone.  Win-win situation if I do say so!

So what do I have for you today?  Well, you guessed it.  Apple Butter*.  But not just any apple butter paired with just any recipe.  But Musselman's Apple Butter paired with a caramelly mixture poured atop fluffy cinnamon-sugar biscuits.  A.k.a a caramel apple-like Monkey Bread.  GAH!

But maybe I should back up a bit and give you some deets [that would mean details in my world] about how this all started.

About a month ago, I received an e-mail asking if I'd like to receive a kit from Musselmans filled with a surprise kitchen gadget, a jar of apple butter, and various recipes using the infamous product.  Uhh, heck yeah!  I mean really, who wouldn't?

I received my lovely package in the mail and so here we are.  Baking away with Musselman's.

I'd actually never used apple butter before aside from the one time I bought some from a local farmer's market and proceeded to make cheesecake bars.  But not gonna lie, my bars were just average. Nothing really special, hence, I never made them again.  So going into this project I was probably a bit skeptical.  Shame on me.

Like I said previously, this monkey bread is pure heaven.  And you would never guess that this immaculate creation took a whopping 10 minutes to put together.  No joke.  Impressive, flavorful, and a sure crowd pleaser.  Couldn't ask for much more, right?!

So now that I've gabbed away about how wonderful apple butter truly is and that monkey bread is a must-make recipe [especially for beginner bakers or anyone in a rush], let's get into this giveaway.  Remember that package I received?

WELL YOU COULD WIN ONE!

And just to recap, here's what you'd receive:

1 jar of Musselman's Apple Butter

3 recipe cards (I received Monkey Bread, Apple Butter Marinade for Chicken, and Sweet Potato Apple Butter Casserole)

1 Spurtle

So all you have to do to get a chance to win this fun and unique package is leave a comment at the bottom of this post telling me about your favorite apple butter recipe.  Simple as that!  You have until November 11, 2012, to make your entry, so why don't you go ahead and just enter now?  And like most giveaways, you can gain additional entries by following Musselman's on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.  Just be sure to leave extra comments for each one you do.

So now that you've entered this delicious giveaway, and I know you're drooling from these pictures, head on over to Musselman's recipe page for the Apple Butter Monkey Bread recipe as well as other apple butter recipes!  

Get bakin'!  .

*For those of you who don't know what apple butter is, it's very similar to [but thicker than] apple sauce but has a much deeper flavor and color.  It's a non-dairy product typically used for spreading on toast or baking.  You can typically find apple butter in the jam/jelly aisles of your grocery store. 

Improv Cooking Challenge: Streuseled Zucchini Bundt Cake

.  What a crazy busy week for LSM, huh?  Three posts in one week?  We're coming up on the limit.

But for one reason or another [apparently I felt ambitious] I decided to participate in all three clubs this month: SRC, TWD, and featuring in today's post, ICC.  And they all happened to be due the same week.  Go figure.

Most of you have probably forgotten I'm a part of ICC [or maybe you even forgot what ICC is] because it's literally been months since I last participated.  And to be honest, this is probably my most favorite club because it forces you to get those creative juices flowin'.  And who wouldn't have fun with that?!

Anywho, this month's ingredients were a bit tricky...

Zucchini and Brown Sugar

Not gonna lie, I initially thought I would sit out again for this month because it appeared like this would be a savory challenge.  But then I thought 'Hey!  This is called a challenge for a reason!' [and yes, I really did think that].  So here we are!

I wouldn't say I came up with anything ground breaking, but I guess this recipe is a bit different!  I actually had a hard time finding any recipes that used both zucchinis and brown sugar, but thanks to my tried and true Taste of Home Cookbook, I bring you Streuseled Zucchini Bundt Cake.  Nom, nom, nom.

The cake itself is rather simple, a plain vanilla cake made uber moist due to the addition of the zucchini.  But the fun and flavor comes from the cinnamon-raisin streusel ribboned throughout the bundt.  A simple glaze drizzled across the top serves as 'the cherry on the top.'  And together, these elements make a wonderful, comforting breakfast treat paired perfectly with a piping hot cup of coffee.  Can the weekend be here, already?

Gosh, I love ICC.  Can't wait to see what next month brings!  .

My Notes:

• I omitted the walnuts from the original recipe but after tasting, they definitely are needed.  The cake was still great but it could have definitely used that crunch.  If you don't have to, I wouldn't leave them out.

Adapted from Taste of Home Cookbook

Ingredients:

Cake:

2 c. (about 1-1/2 medium zucchinis) shredded zucchini

1-1/3 c. vanilla-flavored yogurt

3/4 c. sugar

2 egg whites

1 egg

1/3 c. canola oil

3 tsp. vanilla extract

3 c. all purpose flour

1-1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. dry bread crumbs

Streusel:

1/3 c. packed light brown sugar

1/3 c. chopped walnuts

1/3 c. raisins

1 tbsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground allspice

Glaze:

3/4 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 to 3 tsp. milk

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F.  In a large bowl, beat zucchini, yogurt, sugar, egg whites, egg, oil, and vanilla extract until well blended.  Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; gradually beat into zucchini mixture until blended.
2. For streusel, combine brown sugar, walnuts, raisins, cinnamon, and allspice; set aside.
3. Sprinkle bread crumbs into a greased 10-inch bundt pan.  Add a third of the zucchini batter to the pan.  Sprinkle half of the streusel mixture over the batter.  Top with another third of the batter and sprinkle with remaining streusel mixture.  Top with remaining batter.
4. Bake 55 to 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes and remove from pan to wire rack to cool completely.
5. In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and enough milk to achieve desired consistency.  Drizzle over cake.

Yield: 14 servings

Double-Apple Mini Bundt Cakes

. This last weekend was complete craziness.  And when I stop to think about the next month [literally], the craziness will not be dying down.  But who's to complain about actually having things to do?!

So here's the run down: end of an audit at work [always hectic] and the beginning of another, throw in a wedding shower, bachelorette party, Robbie traveling for work, football [I know, sad I have that scheduled], and two weddings.  Whew!  Maybe that's nothing for you, but I'll tell you that for Robbie and I, that's a JAM. PACKED. SCHEDY.  Seriously, we've never had this many things to do in a row...and it feels like I may be leaving something out?  (Couple minutes pause while I think...) Oh yeah, practicing wedding cupcakes!

But I'll say that there's not one thing on that list that I'm not looking forward to.  Well, maybe one.

Anywho, I spent this last weekend shopping for an insane amount of gifts, cleaning the house, laundry, and working.  And yes, I made time for a little baking sesh Saturday night.  And thank the good Lord I did, otherwise these uber cutesy cakes wouldn't have made the table.  Aren't they A. Dorable?!

I was going for something incredibly Fall-feeling.  I stopped at the Farmer's Market early Saturday morning before heading to Starbucks to work for a bit, and spotted quite a number of apples.  They were a little small and had a couple worm holes, so I figured I'd give the vendors a couple more weeks to ripen that apple crop.  But I couldn't get the apples out of my head.  Once an idea is in this brain of mine, there's no talking me out of it.  Fact of life.

But back to these mini bundt cakes.  The flavors of Fall are oh-so-abundant in these little lovelies.  Cinnamony, nutmeggy, and gingery.  Chock full of apple bits, raisins, and pecans.  And topped with a simple citrusy icing that truly sets this cake apart.  The texture reminds me much of a banana bread loaf yet extremely moist and soft from the applesauce.  Nom, nom, nom!  I.  ❤.  Fall.  I think I need a t-shirt with that on it .

My Notes:

• I found this recipe in my new book, Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan.  Yes, THE Dorie.  Bloggers, you know who I'm talking about!  I barely adapted the recipe [except for below, but that was a matter of circumstance] because I've heard how wonderful Dorie's recipes are.  You don't mess with the best, especially the first time around.  And she did not disappoint.  But I also started thinking that mashed bananas would be to die for in this recipe as well.  Hmm...
• I couldn't find any apple butter at the grocery store [I'm still kicking myself for not buying some at the Farmers Market], so I substituted the apple butter with applesauce.  I was on the verge of throwing the whole batter away during the first batch because I thought I botched it, but the cakes turned out perfect.  So feel free to use either ingredient!
• The original recipe does call for a 9- to 10-inch bundt pan, however, I wanted to use my brand new William's Sonoma mini bundt cake pan.  So I did!  But if you use a regular-sized pan, bake the cake for 50 to 55 minutes at 350°F.

From Baking: From My Home to Yours

Ingredients:

Cake:

2 c. all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. salt

10 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

1-1/2 c. sugar

2 large eggs

1 c. apple butter or applesauce (spiced or plain)

2 medium apples, peeled, cored and grated

1 c. pecans or walnuts, chopped

1/2 c. raisins (dark or golden)

Icing:

1/3 c. powdered sugar

2 tbsp. orange or lemon juice

Directions:

1.  Heat oven to 350°F.  Butter pan using a pastry brush.  If pan is nonstick, also dust interior with flour.

2.  Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.  Set aside.

3.  In mixing bowl, beat butter ad sugar on medium speed until mixture is smooth, thick and pale (about 3 minutes).

4.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating for about 1 minute after each addition (batter will be light and fluffy).

5.  Reduce mixer to low and beat in apple butter or applesauce (batter will most likely curdle).

6.  Add in grated apples and mix to completely blend.

7.  Add in dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the batter.  Using a spatula, fold in  nuts and raisins.

8.  Spoon batter into mini bundt pan, filling each cup about 3/4 full.  Smooth tops of the batter with a spatula.

9.  Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Transfer to rack to cool for 5 minutes before unmolding.  

10.  While cakes are cooling, for glaze, whisk together sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl.  Continue adding lemon juice until icing falls easily from the tip of a spoon.  Drizzle icing over tops of the cakes.  Let cakes stand until icing dries (about 1 minute).

Yield: 1 dozen mini bundt cakes