Rainy Day Blues

Our son is graduating from high school in exactly 18 days. (Yay!) I have a list a mile long of things in the house I need to get done, other lists that need to be made, groceries that need to be shopped for, yard work that needs to be done…but this rain, oh this never-ending rain that we can’t see to get away from, well, it’s simply sucking the life right out of me. Maybe not completely…just the energy that I need to have to do the cleaning type of things.

I had deep cleaning plans when I got out of bed today. You know how the nicknacks on the top of your kitchen cupboards gather dust and other “stuff” from cooking? Well, that’s been bugging me for a while now. I’m finished filling in at my sister-in-law’s medical practice so I thought, why not tackle that today? As I was eating breakfast I was shuffling through recipes…a terrible thing to do if you are a foodie like me and want to accomplish something with your day. Next thing I knew I was whipping up a gluten-free, dairy-free version of Martha Stewart’s Cinnamon-Streusel Coffee Cake…and here I sit at 12:15 PM with not one thing dusted on the top of my cupboards and pretty much finding anything that will distract me from doing so. I have to tell you though, in the big scheme of things, what’s a little dust? More importantly, I absolutely LOVE that I can flip through a magazine or a cook book and pretty much convert anything to gluten-free and dairy-free.

The coffee cake is absolutely FAB as most things Martha Stewart are. And in true Martha fashion, the recipe has a gazillion steps but is worth every one. I was happy that this recipe didn’t have anything that I couldn’t pronounce or that I would have to order online from Timbuktu. I of course, had to de-dairy and de-gluten it, and then switched it up just a touch with the addition of dark brown sugar, dates, a little less butter (dairy-free), a little less nuts, xanthan gum, and I went without the glaze because it is plenty sweet enough without it. You won’t be disappointed.

~ 2/16/2012~ I made this recipe again a few days ago and edited it a bit. I noticed that I had left the xanthan gum out the first time I posted the recipe. Also, the streusel topping can be cut in 1/2 easily, there’s plenty. Or, you could use the topping on the top and in the middle and leave out the streusel center ingredients below. It all depends on if you want a little streusel with your cake or a little cake with your streusel. Enjoy!

**My Advice: Read through the entire recipe before starting.

Preheat oven to 350°

Cinnamon-Streusel Coffee Cake

For The Streusel Topping and Center (these are made separately see directions below):

1 3/4 Cups Mama’s Almond Blend All Purpose Gluten-Free Flour

1 Cup Packed Dark Brown Sugar

1 1/4 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

1 teaspoon Course Salt (I used sea salt)

3/4 Cup Dairy Free Butter (I use Earth Balance Soy Free)

1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans

1/2 Cup Chopped Dates

For The Cake:

3/4 Cup Dairy Free Butter, Plus More For The Pan

2 Cups Mama’s Almond Blend All Purpose Gluten-Free Flour

1 1/4 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon Kosher or Table Salt

1 Cup Granulated Sugar

1/2 teaspoon Xanthan Gum

2 Large Eggs

1 1/2 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract

1 Cup So Delicious (Dairy Free) Coconut Milk Yogurt

1.  Make the streusel topping: Mix together 1 3/4 cup flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp. cinnamon, and 1 tsp. course salt, and 1/2 cup nuts. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter or gently rub through with your fingers until small to medium clumps form. Refrigerate until ready to use.

2. Make the streusel center: Mix together 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup dates, and 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon.  Set aside.

3.  Make the cake:  Butter (with dairy-free butter) a 9 inch tube pan with removable bottom.

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and 1/2 tsp salt into a bowl.

4.  Beat butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla.

Beat in flour mixture in 2 or 3 additions, alternating with the coconut yogurt, beginning and ending with flour. Scrape down sides and beat until well combined.

5.  Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan.

Sprinkle the streusel center mixture evenly over the batter.

Top with remaining batter and smooth with a spatula.

Sprinkle streusel topping mixture evenly over batter.

6.  Bake until cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. About 55 minutes (mine took 53). Transfer pan to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

Remove cake from pan and serve.