Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Apple Blueberry Coffee Cake + book #giveaway from author @DarylWoodGerber




I'm offering a book #giveaway below just because... Because you guys are so sweet! See details below...

So I think many of you know I adore coffee cake. I really like a sweet in the morning when I'm writing. Right around 10:30, my internal clock seems to go off, and I have a craving. I think there's something about sugar that gives me a boost. Yes, I know we shouldn't eat that much sugar, but my body seems to do fine with it. So far. Lucky me! 

Anyway, a few weeks ago, I wanted to make something that would use what was in my refrigerator: apples and blueberries. I just had too many of both in my fruit drawer and wondered how they might go together. I'd already frozen blueberries from the week before, so I had plenty of those on hand for the future. 

Honestly, I couldn't figure anything out in my feeble brain, so I went searching on the Internet and found what looked like a delicious recipe on a food blog.  That must be how many of our fans have found us, right? Searching for something and LANDING on MLK?

Well, on A Latte Food, I found this recipe. The one on the site uses regular flour. It's not gluten-free, and since, alas, I must eat gluten-free, I always need to tweak. By the way, the photos on this blog are beautiful. I learned a lot about setting up a shot from the writer. Kudos! So, all in all, it was a great learning experience.

I've now made this coffee cake three times since I first discovered the recipe.  Yes, in less than a month. Each time...so delicious! I now have my go-to coffee cake. How cool is that?

By the way, I found it interesting that the sugar went in with the dry ingredients. Usually sugar goes with the wet. It certainly didn't make a difference, which just goes to show why "dump" cakes work!  (Most of them, anyway.) I know, I know - chemistry matters, but isn't it interesting?


APPLE BLUEBERRY COFFEE CAKE 
Gluten-free version
Serves 6-8

Cake:
1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour (1 cup sweet rice flour, 3/8 cup tapioca flour, 2 tablespoons whey flour)
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon all spice
1/2 tablespoon lemon zest
1/4 cup oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk          
3/4 cup chopped apples (peeled) (whatever you have on hand is fine, however the firmer the better)
1/2 cup blueberries

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons gluten-free flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons melted butter
           
Icing Drizzle:
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and either grease or line a 9" circular cake pan or an 8x8 square baking pan with parchment paper. (First time, I used a circular cake pan and it was hard to get it out. On my second try, I used a 9” inch spring-form pan. Loved it. On my third try, I used a square baking pan and that came out easily, too. On all, I used parchment paper!)

In a small bowl, mix together gluten-free flour, xanthan gum, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and lemon zest.



In a separate mixing bowl, lightly mix together oil, egg, vanilla extract, and milk.


Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture.  Do not over mix.

Once combined, fold in chopped apples and blueberries. Pour into your pan and set aside.



In a small bowl, mix together the topping ingredients until combined. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter in the pan.  



Bake for 25 minutes or until your cake tester comes out clean.


While the cake is cooling, make the icing by stirring together the powdered sugar and milk. Drizzle over the top of the coffee cake.


Serve warm, or cool. Enjoy!

Really yummy. Mine had a darker interior than the one on the food website.

The lemon zest really makes it shine!!!



Made another time without icing. Delicious and not as sweet!
GIVEAWAY
I'm offering a book giveaway today -- any one of my cozy mysteries or an e-book of my suspense -- to one commenter. Simply tell me what your favorite breakfast treat is. Remember to include your email (cryptically, if necessary) so I can contact you if you win! Thanks for being fans. We at MLK love you!

PS Are you signed up for my newsletter? I've got some important news coming out in the next couple of weeks. Don't miss out! Sign up here

Savor the mystery!

Daryl Wood Gerber aka Avery Aames
Tasty ~ Zesty ~ Dangerous!

*
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Plus check out my website.


GRILLING THE SUBJECT, the 5th Cookbook Nook Mystery, is out!
The Wild West Extravaganza has come to Crystal Cove.
Click here to order.




FOR CHEDDAR OR WORSE, the 7th Cheese Shop Mystery is out!
Finally there's going to be a cheese festival in Providence!
Click to order.




GIRL ON THE RUN, a stand-alone suspense is out!
When a fairytale fantasy night becomes a nightmare, 
Chessa Paxton must run for her life...but will the truth set her free? 
Click to order












71 comments:

  1. My favorite breakfast treat is overnight oats made with dark chocolate peanut butter. Wholesome decadence. EMS591@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yum! How do you make that? Sounds great. ~ Daryl

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    2. Hi! Here's the recipe I use as a guideline (I make some substitutions):
      http://minimalistbaker.com/peanut-butter-overnight-oats/

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  2. Cranberry creme cheese scones! Donamaekutska7@gmail.com

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  3. Cinnamon rolls! I rarely have any on hand because I would eat them all
    patdupuy@yahoo.com

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    Replies
    1. I remember, back when I could eat gluten, having a Cinnabon at the airport and getting such a sugar high I felt pretty awful in the air. Oops. But so tasty going down. ~ Daryl

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  4. I love freshly made coffee cake :)
    newenglandcoolautumnbreeze@yahoo.com

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  5. Favorite breakfast treat is scone with boysenberry jam...Oh, yeah!
    kat8762(at)aol(dot)com

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    Replies
    1. Oh, yeah! Nothing like boysenberry jam! I used to make this when I lived with my dad. We had an acre of fruit trees and berry vines. ~ Daryl

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  6. I love big, fat, warm cinnamon rolls!
    Florence.evans60(at)gmail(dot)com

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    Replies
    1. Yes!!! I finally learned to make them gluten-free. So delish! ~ Daryl

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  7. Replies
    1. You bet. And nut free. Very important for my health and many people I love, too. Enjoy, Tonya. ~ Daryl

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  8. Blueberry pancakes! and this may be second, It looks delicious! annelovell12@yahoo.com

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    Replies
    1. Blueberry pancakes with blueberry syrup. Yum, Anne! ~ Daryl

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  9. Sweet breakfast treat would have to be Mickey waffles at Disney World! Savory would be the breakfast quiche we make in our Demarle sunflower mold talk about yummy and pretty at the same time! If I'm lucky enough to win I would love any of the Daryl/Avery cozies! barbie17 (at) gmail (dot) com

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    1. Aw, happiest place on earth, Tari. What's not to like about the waffles. Wish they would start making some gluten-free. Such a lure! ~ Daryl

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  10. Favorite breakfast treat are blintzes. So delectable. love this coffee cake and the flavors. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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    Replies
    1. They are so good. With a great filling? Yum. ~ Daryl

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  11. First of all - yum! Thanks for sharing that delicious recipe, Daryl! My favorite breakfast (which I have every morning) is a thick slice of toasted bread with cream cheese, and a mug of hot cocoa. Like you, however, I get hungry in the middle of the morning so I like to have a sweet bread handy, usually it's some sort of variation including bananas and applesauce (which I use to substitute for the fat in the recipe) and whatever else I decide to add, be it berries, chocolate chip or nuts. Nicole:-)

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    Replies
    1. Nicole, sounds like a perfect morning to me! ~ Daryl

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  12. Daryl, just slide that plate through the screen to me -- good, good -- got it! Thanks for a great morning treat!

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    Replies
    1. You bet. Here's your slice. It's fresh. I made another one last night! LOL ~ Daryl

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  13. My favorite treat is very good sticky buns (with nuts of course). My second is a very good -not dry cinnamon roll

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  14. Looks like a great recipe. My favorite breakfast treat is a chocolate croissant. Love them! Really enjoy your books. mcastor07@gmail.com

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  15. I really love cinnamon rolls! Your apple blueberry coffee cake sounds really good, too! Thank you for the chance to win one of your books! mittens0831 at aol dot com

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  16. My favorite breakfast is my brother-in-law's homemade cinnamon rolls. My favorite breakfast that I can eat now is fresh blueberries and raspberries in coconut milk. Not a very good comparison I know. finn.matt.kim@gmail.com

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    Replies
    1. Sounds like your BIL is a keeper, Kimberly! ~ Daryl PS Blueberries and raspberries in coconut milk sounds good to me!

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  17. I love cinnamon buns. elainehroberson@gmail.com

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  18. I love to indulge in A just baked whole wheat croissant. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

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    Replies
    1. Whole wheat croissant? I've never heard of one. How great for you! ~ Daryl

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  19. Made from scratch caramel-pecan rolls. YUM
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

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  20. This recipe looks so yummy! I love breakfast everything! I have 2 favorites, one is very rare and I savor it when I do - my grandma's blackberry rolly-poly the other I get a little more often and that is my mom's peach junk. I think as a kid the names made me giggle which made them taste even better. The rolly-poly was only in blackberry season because we always pick our own and it's like a pie crust pastry with blackberry filling rolled up in a long spiral, topped with cinnamon sugar and baked. Peach junk is like peach cobbler. I'm drooling on my keyboard now.
    awilcox1182@gmail.com

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    Replies
    1. Oh, Amanda, I want a rolly-poly right now! Yum! ~ Daryl

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  21. My favorite breakfast treat is lemon poppyseed scones. I love both of your book series! aut1063@gmail.com

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    Replies
    1. Autumn, thank you so much. I'm glad you do. I love lemon poppyseed muffins, so I would imagine I'd love scones, too. ~ Daryl

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  22. I game for almost anything with streusal on top!
    libbydodd ast comcast dot net

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  23. I love warm blueberry muffins with butter for breakfast
    marypopmom (at) yahoo (dot) com
    Maryann

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  24. a freshly made scone with butter is heaven in the morning. embam1969@comcast.net

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  25. My favorite breakfast treat is when my son makes waffles. I don't care what flavor they are, I just like waffles, or pancakes.
    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

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    Replies
    1. And you like that your SON makes them. :) Delicious. ~ Daryl

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  26. cream cheese strudel..love it..
    greeneyes2755(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    Replies
    1. Oh, wow, yes, one of my favorites. I love cheese cake and cheese streusel reminds me of that. ~ Daryl

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  27. Challah french toast with fresh berries

    jtcgc at yahoo dot com

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  28. I love hot cinnamon rolls, I love the recipes & would love to win this book. Thanks for this generous chance. lindamay4852@yahoo.com

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  29. Cinnamon roll flavored waffles are my favorite. norbert8bubba(@)yahoo(dot)com

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    Replies
    1. Oh, that's new to me. Sounds great, Jamie. ~ Daryl

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  30. My favorite breakfast treat/sweet is a pumpkin muffin or fresh pumpkin bread. Savory, a broccoli cheese omelet. servedogmomATyahooDOTcom

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    Replies
    1. I adore pumpkin flavored sweets. I make tons off them starting in October through Christmas. I also adore a savory omelet. I eat those for lunch~ ~ Daryl

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  31. Oh my! I don't know if I could choose just one but I guess I'd have to say cinnamon rolls hot out of the oven! Haven't had them in ages but now I'll be thinking about them! njcar22@aol.com

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    Replies
    1. Nicole, you've got to be careful of the sugar on a hot out of the oven roll, right? Ouch! LOL And now I'm thinking about them, too. ~ Daryl

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    2. Nicole, you're the winner of this giveaway. I'll email you. Congrats! ~ Daryl

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  32. This looks great. My body doesnt accept food until close to lunch time so no special breakfast treats for me. I am such a candy fan most people think I love cakes and cookies and such, but I really hardly ever eat them. I have read all of your books and absolutely loved them, so no need to enter the contest!

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    1. Kay, you are so sweet to "recuse" yourself. We'll see. In the meantime, you are one of the few people I know who doesn't eat breakfast. Fascinating. I couldn't go through the morning without my stomach having something to work on. LOL ~ Daryl (PS I mostly do protein milk with fruit, but then 10:30 rolls around...)

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  33. Cinnamon rolls from Poul's Bakery. vlhcats@gmail.com

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  34. My favorite breakfast treat is puff pastry waffles. My sister made them at Christmas and they were so good and so easy.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

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    Replies
    1. I'm dying to know what these are, Dianne. Care to share a recipe? ~ Daryl

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  35. The winner of this giveaway, by random number selector, is Nicole G. Thanks to all for chiming in! ~ Daryl

    ReplyDelete