August 26th, 2009
Coffee Cake
A loyal reader, Jessica, said on our Facebook fan page that she has been craving coffee cake. Well, Jessica, here it is as promised, and it’s a beaut!
I consider recipes like this one to be penny wise, and not the least bit pound foolish. It doesn’t call for too much flour. I try to create recipes that use about 2 cups of gluten free flour or less (this one has a hair more), which means they are also lighter on xanthan gum, the two most expensive ingredients in gluten free baking, by a mile. Most of the other ingredients can be had for not too much dough (pun intended). Get it?
Blueberry Coffee Cake
Topping Ingredients
1 cup Bob’s Red Mill GF All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
Cake Ingredients
1 1/4 cups Bob’s Red Mill GF All-Purpose Flour
heaping 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1 cup blueberries (frozen are just fine)
1. Let’s make the topping first. In a medium sized bowl, beat the butter and sugars, but good, until they’re light and fluffy. Add the cinnamon, flour and xanthan gum and mix to combine. Place this bowl in the refrigerator to chill while we make the cake batter.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9″ round springform pan and set it aside.
3. Now on to the cake. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light & fluffy. “This is like déjà vu all over again” (Yogi Berra was a genius). Add the eggs and blend well. Add the vanilla and sour cream. Blend well. Now add the flour mixture, reserving a few tablespoons of flour mixture. Stir to combine. Add the blueberries (or whatever else you like, really) to the reserved flour mixture, and toss to coat. Fold the blueberries in to the batter until they are evenly distributed.
4. Pour the cake batter into the greased pan, and spread evenly. Remove the topping from the ice box and crumble it with your fingers evenly over the batter.
5. Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Check the cake after 35 minutes or so. If the topping is browning too quickly, tent with foil and continue baking until done.
6. Slice and enjoy. Savor with a cup o’ joe.
Warmly,
Nicole
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Posted By : Nicole
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 11:00 pm
WOW! This looks awesome and as a fairly new CD person, I love it when I actually know what the ingredients are!!
Nothing too out of my *new* ordinary to stock up on. Thx for the recipe!
Posted on August 27th, 2009 at 12:34 am
I just found your blog recently, Nicole, and am glad to find another source on GF food prep. My husband was diagnosed with celiac about a year ago. I notice you use Bob’s Red Mill GF flour in all the recipes I’ve seen to date. I like the Red Mill products, especially their bread mix, hot cereals and GF oats, but I’m wondering if you’ve tried Tom Sawyer’s GF flour. It can be used cup for cup for the flour in regular recipes — no need to add xanthan gum. I haven’t tried to make bread with it, and the one time I tried baking powder biscuits it bombed, but everything else I’ve tried has worked great. If you’ve tried it, how has it worked for you?
Posted on August 27th, 2009 at 12:42 am
Hi, Jill,
Thanks so much for the kind words. I try to keep the ingredients as mainstream as possible. I find it really helps keep the cost down. I hope you’ll keep reading!
Warmly,
Nicole
Hi, Karen,
I have not heard of Tom Sawyer’s GF flour. I will check that out. I only use Bob’s Red Mill GF All Purpose Flour, but I don’t use any of his mixes. Baking from scratch saves so much money, and I like the control it gives me. Bob’s GF All Purpose has been foolproof for me. Nothing has failed because of the flour (if there has been failure, it’s been all mine!). I also like being able to modify the amount of xanthan gum per cup of flour, but that’s not essential. Keep reading, and thanks for posting!
Warmly,
Nicole
Posted on August 27th, 2009 at 2:41 am
I really love your site here and really feel what you are saying is truly helpful. I have a site and blog which has the sole intention to help others and inform others about the diagnosis of Celiac Disease and information about Gluten Intolerance etc. I also review companies and products, interview companies and write Articles on these topics. I’d love you to visit my Gluten Free site and blog and write me back. I would be interested in having you as one of MY recommended links and maybe you can do the same for me. What do you think? The more of us out there helping the better! Tina Turbin http://www.GlutenFreeHelp.info
Posted on August 28th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Hi, Tina,
Thanks for posting, and for the kind words. I visited your site, and it seems to be full of useful information. I have included you in my Blogroll. Keep up the good work!
Warmly,
Nicole
Posted on August 29th, 2009 at 10:39 pm
OH.
MY.
OINK.
I’m so making this. RIGHT NOW. I want something warm and cakey for dessert and I know I’ll be tempted by the cinnamon rolls my kids want for breakfast so it’d be good to have this all ready to go in the morning, right? Assuming there are leftovers after tonight, that is.
THANK YOU! Keep up the yummy work!
Posted on August 30th, 2009 at 2:17 am
Hi, Brittany,
This is definitely warm and cakey. Perfect description! I hope you love it.
You always make me smile.
Warmly,
Nicole
Posted on August 31st, 2009 at 9:12 pm
Hi, i love your site and have tried several of your recipes. all with great success and my daughters ahve sever food allergies and its hard and expensive always buying things in the natural food shops. i have tried making this coffee cake twice, last night and this morning, followed the recipe to a T, but its comming out dense. i have even let it bake for an hour this second time..toothpick came out clean, and its still dense. is it possible that there is too much sour cream or missing 1/4 cup more of flour?
it does taste good, but its gooey n dense…not cakey
i do love your other recipes and ideas.
thank you for thinking outside of the box..
susy
Posted on August 31st, 2009 at 11:07 pm
Hi, Susy,
Thank you for the kind words. I really appreciate it.
I’m sorry that you’re having a hard time with this recipe. Which all purpose gluten free flour are you using? What is the climate like where you live? Is there a chance your baking powder or baking soda has gone bad? What consistency is the batter when you put it in the pan? It should be relatively thick. Don’t worry. We’ll figure this out. I’m glad you posted. I hate to waste ingredients, as I’m sure you do, too!
Warmly,
Nicole
Posted on August 31st, 2009 at 11:23 pm
This coffee cake is just amazing! Mine came out a bit dense too but still totally delicious! I make my own gf flour mix since I don’t enjoy bean flours.
Can’t wait to make it for the next function I have to attend!
Posted on August 31st, 2009 at 11:50 pm
Hi, Denise,
It’s nice to hear from you. I’m so glad you enjoyed this!
Warmly,
Nicole
Posted on June 20th, 2010 at 9:23 pm
I was wondering if you could use any cake recipe, and then just add the topping. Would it still be the same, or is there something in the cake recipe that changes the flavor of the cake.
Posted on June 20th, 2010 at 10:54 pm
Hi, Emily,
Yes, definitely. This is a basic crumble topping, and it is great on almost anything! Thanks for posting your question…
Warmly,
Nicole