Almond Crunch Coffee Cake

Blend flour, sugars, salt, ginger, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon; blend in oil until evenly mixed.

Remove ¾ cup mixture and combine with 1 teaspoon cinnamon and almonds; set aside for topping. To remaining flour mixture, thoroughly blend in baking powder and soda. Blend in egg and buttermilk until smooth. Pour into a buttered 13" x 9" baking pan. Sprinkle with reserved nut mixture evenly over surface of batter.

Bake 350° for 35-40 minutes.

Changes

1) substituted whole grain flour for the white flour

2) reduced the amount of sugar, using a more wholesome source

3) reduced the amount and selected higher quality fat

Use whole wheat pastry flour which gives a lighter texture than bread flour since the gluten content is lower. Cut the sugar in half. Either honey or fructose are about twice as sweet as white sugar. Since this cake has a crumbly topping, use granulated fructose in it to retain the crumbly texture. For the cake itself - honey.

As for the fat, leave it out altogether in the first trial, hoping that the natural oil of the whole grain flour will be sufficient for a pleasing texture. You'll need a little to hold together the crumbly topping, and found that a tablespoon would do the trick. Next, cut the amount of nuts in half - that was plenty for nutty enjoyment. The remaining ingredients may be left as is except for the addition of an extra egg.

Almond Crunch Coffee Cake (Flour Version)

AMOUNT: 11.5" x 8" Pan (12 to 18 pieces)

Bake: 325° for 35-40 minutes

1. Preheat oven and grease or spray baking pan.

2. For topping blend first 3 ingredients with a fork and stir in the nuts; set aside:

3. Thoroughly blend dry ingredients in small mixing bowl:

4. Thoroughly blend liquid ingredients together with a wire whisk in a large mixing bowl:

5. Alternately blend dry ingredients into liquid ingredients with:

1 cup buttermilk or nonfat yogurt

6. Pour batter into pan. Spread topping evenly over top. Press topping slightly into batter with tines of a fork.

7. Bake at 325° for 30-40 minutes or until knife comes clean out of center.

Nutritional Comparison of Original and Revised Recipes

Amount: About 2" Square (18 per pan)

-	Original	Revised
Calories	261	150
Protein	3.6 grams	3.5 grams
Fat % of Calories	13.6 grams 47%	3.6 grams 21%
Calories of Sugar	77	48
Vitamins/ Minerals	60-65% removed from the refined flour	60-65% more retained in the whole grain flour

Blender Batter Coffee Cake

The blender batter version of this recipe goes one step further toward making the assembly more convenient. It also avoids the possibility of rancid flour because it uses the whole grains in the blender, a nutritional plus.

This Breakfast favorite was converted from the Los Angeles Times award winning "Cafe Beaujolais' Buttermilk-Cinnamon Coffecake." Fat was reduced from 45% (of total calories) to 24%, calories dropped 44%, and sugar fell 36% while fiber increased. Whole grain coffee cakes are easy to make in the blender. To make this recipe by hand without a blender use 2 cups whole grain flour. This recipe is very successful with gluten-free brown rice!

This whole grain blender batter recipe is so light and tender that even those accustomed to the fluffy white stuff will be pleased.

AMOUNT: 11.5" x 8" Pan Bake: 325° - 30 to 40 minutes
________

1. Place in blender; blend on high speed 3 minutes:

2. Meanwhile, blend topping with a fork until crumbly; set aside:

3. Cover blender; let stand at room temperature for several hours for improved nutrition

4. Just before baking, add and reblend on highest speed for 1 -3 minutes or until smooth: 2 eggs

5. Blend in thoroughly, but briefly, "sifting" these through a small strainer (assist with rubber spatula, if needed):

6. Pour batter into greased baking pan. Distribute topping evenly over top with fingers, pressing it slightly into batter with a fork.

7. Bake at 325° about 30-40 minutes until knife comes clean out of the center.

ILLUSTRATIONS:

STEP #1 Place in blender; blend on high speed 3 minutes:

 1 cup buttermilk or nonfat yogurt