chocolate chip cinnamon swirl coffee cake

Oh my lanta, you guys. MY THIIIIIIIIIIIIGHS! They hurt. I wish I could tell you my thighs hurt because I went on a kick-butt run this morning. Or because I did like a hundred lunges. But nope and nope. They're flipping SUNBURNT! Poor leggies of mine, so red and painful are ye.

I went on a little picnic with my friendlies earlier. This was a legit African-style picnic… We didn't go out to to a green grassy park, lay out a red and white checkered blanket, and munch on grapes and egg salad sandwiches. UHH no. At noon, we met at my house and walked to the grocery store to get food… About a mile or so. Then we walked AAAAAAAAAALL the way back over by my house and our fearless leader lead us into the bush. Like the. bush. In the middle of nowhere land. 

While we were walking, I was just wanting to cry. You guys! It's like 100 degrees minimum in the sun. Now, Namibia is not necessarily the most green and lush place on the planet. It's dry and sandy and hot. And the sand was burning the crap outa my feet. I'm not really the type for adventure-y stuff like this. I mean, I love adventures. I just find adventures more enjoyable when they take place in air conditioning. I'm sure I was super annoying. Just ask my friends… I'm sure they'd say yes.

I kept trudging along, whining about the heat and yelling to my friend, "WALLARD! {That's not his real name. His name is really hard to pronounce so let's just go with Wallard. Close enough.} Are you dragging us out here to DIE!? You know, there's cobras and pythons out here. {no joke.} And my feet are going to blister! Can we please just stop nooooooooooooooow! Pleeeeeeeeeeeease Wallard! PLEEEEEASE!" No response. He just kept walking while us girls are yelling at the top of our lungs for him to stop. After all, he was the one with the FOOD! 

Life words, people- never take a woman's food. Especially when there's fancy cheese involved. Just… Don't do it. 

Anyways, after like what seemed like an ETERNITY {in real life, it was like 15 minutes.}, we decided to set up camp by a dried up riverbed. We then preceded to eat apples, crackers, some daaaang good cheese, and peach iced tea. Yup, this is how we party it up in Africa, people. 

I thoooought we were sitting in the shade. Apparently we weren't. Why is that, when you think you're in the shade, but all the while you're obliviously burning yourself to a crisp? Lesson learned, when you go on a picnic in the middle of the bush… Wear sunscreen. 

What does this have to do with coffee cake? Hmm… Let me think. 

 Nothing. 

chocolate chip cinnamon swirl coffee cake 

{adapted from Smitten Kitchen}

cake: 

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 1/2 c. sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c. plain yogurt

1 c. buttermilk

3 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 c. chocolate chips

cinnamon swirl:

1/2 c. sugar

3 tsp. cinnamon 

Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease a 9x13 pan. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add in the eggs, vanilla, yogurt, and buttermilk. Combine the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix together the dry and wet ingredients until smooth. Pour 3/4 of the batter into greased pan. Evenly spread the cinnamon sugar on top, and swirl with the rest of the batter. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.