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.

Cranberry Orange Coffee Cake Loaf

There are certain things in life that are just meant for each other…

Coffee and cookies.

Messy-buns and yoga pants.

Chocolate and peanut butter.

Pigs and southern accents. 

Paris and rain. 

Me and Justin Bieber.

And cranberries and orange.

The freshness of the orange zest and the sweet pop of cranberries. Yum.

And of course, what's a coffee cake without some crumble topping? A very very boring

coffee cake, I tell you. 

Cranberry Orange Coffee Cake Loaf

1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) butter, melted

1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp of sugar

1 egg

1/3 cup of milk

1 scant cup of flour

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2/3 cup of cranberries

zest from one whole orange

dash of orange juice

Crumble Topping 

2 tbsp. butter, melted

1/4 c. brown sugar

2 tbsp. flour

1/2 c. oats

dash of cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.  

To prepare the crumble, mix all ingredients together until the texture of wet sand; set aside.

In a bowl whisk together the butter, sugar, egg, orange juice, and milk.  Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add that, plus the oats, to the wet ingredients and stir until combined.  Fold in the cranberries and orange zest.  Spray an 8X4 pan with nonstick spray and pour the batter inside, making the top as even as you can.  Evenly top with the crumble topping.  Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out evenly.  Let cool completely before removing from pan and slicing. 

Coffee Cake Muffins

Don't forget to link up to Sweet Saturdays! link party {1}

I made these amazing muffins for a girls bible study we had at our

house yesterday... Everyone loved them and by the time the girls left,

there were only 2 muffins that survived! ;)z

Coffee Cake Muffins

Muffins:

2 1/2 c. flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

 1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/4 c. sour cream

2 tbsp. butter

1 c. sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Topping: 

2 1/2 c. flour

1 tbsp. cinnamon

2 tbsp. butter

3/4 c. brown sugar

3/4 tsp. salt

Glaze:

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

3 tbsp. milk

1. Make topping; refrigerate for half an hour.

2. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 24 muffin cups.

3. make muffin batter by creaming together the butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla.Stir in dry ingredients. Gently fold in the sour cream.

4. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Sprinkle with topping.

5. Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing the muffins from pan.

6. While muffins are cooling, whisk together the glaze. PLace muffins on a wire rack over a baking sheet and drizzle with glaze. 

Coffee Cake In-A-Cup

{FROM HERE}

This stuff is SO good! This was from the second time I made it...

The first time I used half an egg and I liked it WAY better. This time I 

used a whole egg and as you might be able to tell from the pictures, it was

a little to eggy for my liking! 

Other than that, it's cakey, cinnamon-sugary, crunchy goodness! 

Coffee Cake In-A-Cup

{Mix everything together in a coffee cup}

1 tbsp. melted butter

2 tbsp. sugar

1/2 egg

2 tbsp. sour cream

a few drops of vanilla

1/4 c. flour

1/8 tsp. baking powder

Mix it all up!

If you want some crumb topping... 

{You know you do!!!} 

1 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. flour

1 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

Smoosh it up and add it to the cup.

Microwave for about 1 minute and add ten second increments to your liking...

ENJOY!!! :) 

Also, the link party is ending tomorrow! Please be sure to link up

your last minute goodies! Thanks! :)

-Sophie