This sour cream coffee cake is my favourite coffee cake of all time. This tender and moist cake is filled with a scrumptious brown sugar and cinnamon streusel. This same streusel tops the cake.
Cakes made with the addition of sour cream are always lovely, tender and moist. This cake is no exception. You may use full fat sour cream or low fat sour cream without any problems.
You may also substitute plain yogurt for the sour cream if you wish, or even use a vanilla flavoured yogurt if that is what you have!
The original recipe is one that was written in my Big Blue Binder. For those of you who have not been reading me for long, the Big Blue Binder is an old blue vinyl covered binder which has travelled the world with me.
I have been collecting recipes since I was a very young girl. Always the foodie. At first it was only recipes clipped from out of the pages of my mother's True Story magazines. Then I started copying recipes out of my mother's cookbooks.
Mom only ever had three cookbooks. One was an old cloth covered cookbook that had been put out by the Co-op in the town my mother grew up in.
The other was a little paperback book entitled, the Martha Logan Meat Cookbook. I have copied just about every recipe out of that one through the years.
Finally she had a book which was a part of a housekeeping encyclopedia she owned, which is a part of my own collection and I hope with every breathe of me that I remembered to put it in with the few boxes that my church shipped over for me when I moved back to Canada last November.
I really hope and pray that my Big Blue Binder is in there also. I have been lugging that thing with me all over the world. Across and back and across Canada again and again,
And then across the ocean. It is filled with all of my tried and trues. Recipes shared with me from friends and family. Recipes collected from books and magazines that caught my eye, etc.
It is like a history book of my culinary journey from childhood and is precious to me. When you have only 9 boxes to pack your life into and only 3 days to do it in, there is no telling what made it into those boxes.
I really hope and pray that these things did. My mind was all over the place and I am now second guessing what exactly I DID put into those boxes. I have not been able to open them to check yet. That pleasure awaits me still.
I will be devastated all over again if I neglected to pack them. But it won't be the end of the world I guess. There were other things it was much harder to leave behind.
Anyways, I found these photos in a folder on my old computer this morning and I had not shared this with you yet so thought there was no time like the present. I hope you don't mind! I strongly suspect I hadn't shared them because the photos are a little on the yellow side and not perfect.
This really is a lovely cake and was a favourite with my family the whole time they were growing up. I have no idea really where the recipe came from. I suspect it was from a book I got out from the library in the early 1980's, but I don't remember for sure.
I can't give it's true attribution. It may even have come from a friend, although normally I did include my friend's names when copying out one of their recipes. If it was from any friend at all it would have been Leona.
Leona was a woman I met at a Bingo on the armed forces base that I moved to with my husband and family in 1981, so 40 years ago this year. She was quite a bit older than myself, but we got on like a house on fire.
She liked to cook and so did I. I was missing my mom and she was old enough to be my mom. We liked to craft, etc. We are still friends to this day. I learned a lot from her about cooking and life. I really don't think this is her recipe however.
Regardless of the source, this is a fabulous recipe for a fabulous cake. My children always loved it and no small wonder. That streusel is fantastic. Nice and cinnamony.
And there are nuts in it as well. I usually use walnuts, but pecans also work very well. Whichever nuts you use, toast them first and then chop. Toasted nuts just taste nuttier!
Just spread them onto a baking sheet and toast in a hot oven (375*F/190*C) for about 8 minutes or so or until you can smell them. It makes the world of difference.
Make sure you let them cool before you use them however. I usually toast my nuts a whole bag at a time and then I keep them in a tightly closed container in the freezer, ready for me to use at any give time.
The batter for the cake gets spread into your baking tin in layers with the streusel in the middle and then on top.
This creates a lovely ribbon of streusel running right through the middle, as well as a nice and crunchy sweet and nutty topping.
The batter is somewhat thick however, so the second layer which needs to go on top of a streusel covered bottom layer can be a bit difficult to apply.
This works best if you dollop it over the middle streusel layer in bits and then smooth it out with the back of a metal spoon you have sprayed with a bit of non-stick cook spray.
Works a charm.
Sometimes I add some chocolate chips to the streusel which adds a tiny bit of indulgence. I mean . . . chocolate and cinnamon. Why not! My children always loved it when I did this small thing.
Also, if you are feeling especially indulgent, you can add a drizzle icing to the top as well. I only ever did this if I was going to be having company over to serve it to.
Its fairly easy to do, simply whisk 1 cup (130g) icing/powdered sugar together with a few drops of vanilla and just enough milk to make a smooth drizzle icing.
Just flick this over the top and you have gilded the lily perfectly.
This cake is wonderful with a nice hot drink. In the old days it would have been a cup of hot coffee for me, but I have not imbibed in regular teas or coffee for over 20 years now. Hot chocolate is also very good as are herbal teas.
And my children always enjoyed it with glasses of cold milk. One thing is certain, no matter who you choose to bake this for, it WILL be enjoyed. You can trust me on that!
This has always been a real favorite of everyone I have ever baked it for. Its one of those recipes which I have been asked to share and share again. I really, truly hope that you will bake it and that it will become a firm favorite in your house as well! Happy Baking!
Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Yield: one 9-inch square cake
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 55 Min
I have been making this delicious moist coffee cake for years and years. I like to add chopped walnuts and chocolate chips to the streusel from time to time. This cake is a cake that is always very well received.
Ingredients
- 8 TBS (115g) butter, softened
- 1 cup (195g) granulated sugar
- 2 large free range eggs, at room temperature
- 2 cups (180g) all purpose/plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup (225g) dairy sour cream (or yogurt) at room temperature
For the streusel filling and topping:
- 1/2 cup, packed(100g) soft light brown sugar
- 1 TBS ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup (60g) finely chopped toasted walnuts (occasionally I will also add a handful of semi sweet chocolate chips)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/gas mark 4. Butter a 9 inch square baking tin and line the bottom with baking parchment.
- Whisk the flour, soda, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
- In another bowl beat together the eggs, butter, and sugar.
- Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, alternately with the sour cream/yogurt, mixing well after each addition. You should have a smooth thick batter.
- Mix together all of the streusel ingredients until they form and even, crumbly mixture.
- Spread half of the cake batter in the prepared tin. Sprinkle half the streusel topping over the batter. Repeat with the remaining batter and streusel.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs stuck to it.
- Leave to cool in the pan.
- Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into squares.
- Wrap any leftovers airtight with some aluminum foil or pop into a cake tin. This cake keeps well for several days.
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Fluffy, creamy and tangy, this old fashioned Lemon Icebox Pie recipe is an old family favourite that goes way back. I think I probably got the original recipe from off a tin of Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed many years ago.
This recipe has sat in my Big Blue Binder for probably over 40 years. It is a fabulously delicious lemon icebox pie recipe that is no bake. Quick, easy and yes, delicious. It also uses no eggs, unlike many of the lemon icebox pie recipes I have seen out there and there is no cooking at all involved.
It basically uses only three ingredients, aside from the crust. Fresh lemon juice and zest. Sweetened Condensed Milk. Pure Vanilla extra, if you are so inclined.
Its optional, but I always add it because lemon and vanilla are perfect partners.
It does use a lot of lemon juice. 1 tsp of the rind and I used the juice from 5 smallish lemons yesterday to get enough. Some lemons are juicier than others.
One way to get a lot of juice from your lemons is to make sure they are at room temperature. I also roll them really well between the palm of my hand and the countertop before juicing them. Works a charm and I always get plenty of juice from each lemon.
This is a fabulous pie to make in the summer months when you are not wanting to heat up your kitchen. I happen to think its a fabulous pie to make any time of the year that you are wanting a quick, easy and delicious lemon dessert!
We love lemon pie in our family, but I don't always have the time or want to be faffing about with a cooked filling. This has to be the easiest lemon filling to make of all time.
If you can stir things together you can make this! The filling is done in about five minutes once you have all of the ingredients assembled.
I always, always squeeze my own lemons to get the juice for this pie. I would never use the lemon juice that comes in those little lemon squeezers. I don't think they would give you the same flavour.
Maybe it is just me, but they always taste artificial and lack the clean fresh taste of freshly squeezed lemon juice. I have a wooden lemon reamer that works very well to squeeze the juice.
I also have a metal juice squeezer which works even better, plus it catches any seeds that might escape.
Aside from fresh lemon juice (and some zest) the other main ingredient in this is sweetened condensed milk. This is NOT the same thing as evaporated milk, even if they are found in the same section in the grocery store and are both made from milk which has been treated to remove 60% of its water.
One is sweetened and one is not. One is just milk. This is the one with added sugar and it is a lot thicker and creamier because of this. I usually have both kinds in my cupboard.
The evaporated milk comes in handy for making all sorts of things. Creamy sauces for one thing. I always use the low fat one and it makes an excellent substitute for cream in these recipes, especially when you are wanting to reduce your calorie and fat intake.
I like to use it when I make mac and cheese.
The sweetened condensed milk is very handy for making quick and easy desserts such as this one and I also like to use it to make fudge. Both are just really handy ingredients to have on hand.
Lemon juice is essential in helping the pie filling to set up properly. It works just like magic. Just as when making a Lemon Posset, it somehow works to thicken the condensed milk to the perfect consistency.
You do need to leave it to chill in the refrigerator for several hours, four is perfect. At that time, you will see that it cuts like a dream. You get perfect slices and wedges every time.
I used a ready made crust for mine this time. A graham cracker crumb crust. That made for a really convenient dessert to serve with our Easter Dinner.
Yes, this is the perfect dessert for entertaining, not that many of us are able to entertain at the moment. Its perfect for several reasons.
One it is made ahead of time so you don't need to be worrying about it at the last minute when you have about a bazillion other things to do. Second its so easy to make that you can almost make it in your sleep!
Using a ready made crust adds to the ease and simplicity of it.
You can of course, use a prebaked pastry crust if you wish, or make your own crumb crust, using graham crackers or cookie crumbs.
To make a crumb crust simply mix together two cups of crumbs (chocolate cookie, vanilla wafer, graham cracker or gingersnap) with 3 TBS sugar, and 6 TBS of melted butter. Press this mixture into a 9 inch pie dish and bake it at 350*F/180*C for about 8 minutes and then chill until it is completely cold.
Personally I have to say that this pie is really REALLY good when made with gingersnap cookie crumbs. Lemon and ginger are PERFECT partners after all!
But then again, all are good and even a baked pastry crust is very good. Just make sure it is a 9-inch crust. Anything larger and you won't have enough filling.
This pie can also be frozen. I know some people who keep one of these in the freezer to have on hand whenever unexpected company drops by.
Chilled, tightly wrapped in cling film and then aluminum foil, this pie will keep in the freezer for up to two months.
In the refrigerator it will keep for 3 to 4 days. Not that you will have it around that long. Its so delicious that it is bound to be inhaled I guarantee!!
I love to serve it cut into wedges, each cold sweet wedge topped with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream. I got so used to having cream which wasn't sweetened at all when I was living in the UK, that I really can't abide overly sweetened cream now.
Just sweetened it to your own taste. I don't add the cream until I am ready to serve. For Easter I decorated it with a few sprinkles, but they really aren't necessary!!
In the summer months I like to top it with whipped cream and fresh berries. Its delicious!!
Lemon Icebox Pie
Yield: 8
Prep time: 5 Mininactive time: 4 HourTotal time: 4 H & 5 M
This original sweetened condensed milk Lemon icebox pie recipe uses only three ingredients. Its as simple to make as stirring them together and pouring the mixture into a ready made pie crust!
Ingredients
- 2 cans ( each one being 14 oz/375g) sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)
- 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla (optional)
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) fresh lemon juice
You will also need:
- 1 (9-inch) prebaked pastry or crumb crust
- Whipped cream to serve
Instructions
- Open the milk and pour it into a bowl. Whisk in the lemon zest and vanilla if using.
- Add the lemon juice and whisk until the mixture becomes thick.
- Pour into the prepared pie crust. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least four hours or overnight.
- Serve cut into wedges with a dollop of whipped cream on top.
Chicken Breasts are something I always have in the freezer. Chicken was not something we had very often when I was growing up. It was expensive and considered to be a real treat.
That is something which has changed quite a bit in recent years. Chicken is much more available these days, and is quite often one of the most affordable proteins we can buy for ourselves.
Chicken is a very versatile meat. I do prefer the thighs over the breasts as far as flavour goes, but the breast meat is healthier, so we eat that most of the time.
People can and do struggle quite a bit with Chicken Breasts however. Whether you are lacking in inspiration or even seeking to find ways to cook it where it doesn't turn out dry and lifeless, I have the perfect solutions for you!
Chicken breast meat is an incredible canvas that you can use for layering on other flavors. When I see a piece of chicken breast meat I am inspired because, to me, they hold a world of opportunity and flavor.
Here are some of my favorite ways of preparing them. Always delicious, never dry, always exciting.
Tender and juicy chicken breasts with a lush lemon sauce. With a few simple ingredients and about 45 minutes in time from start to finish you can be eating this incredibly tasty dish, and with a few tweaks it can also be relatively low in fat and calories. With lemon juice, parmesan cheese and some cream or evaporated milk, this is pure and simple deliciousness. Click on the recipe title to go to the complete recipe.
Deliciously tender and flavour filled crisp coated chicken breasts, baked atop a flavourful mix of spaghetti and marinara, and topped with oozing mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
Although this delicious dish is sized for two it is very easy to multiply the recipe to feed more people. Quick, easy and delicious. Click on the recipe title to go to the complete recipe.
I can tell you that this is even better than my mom’s Maryland Fried Chicken! That's why this is called Heavenly Chicken. When something is called heavenly, you better believe that it is!
Chicken breasts are pounded lightly to an even thickness before coating in a flavourful mixture of sour cream and some seasonings. You then roll the coated breasts in fine round buttery cracker crumbs, before baking to perfection. Always tender. Always moist. Always incredibly delicious.
Click on the recipe title to go to the complete recipe.
This is really fresh tasting and delicious! In recent years we have all embraced Mediterranean flavours and tastes. Not only is the cuisine from this area of the world delicious but it is also much healthier for us.
This quick and easy entrée is no different, filled with fresh tomatoes, capers and sage. Its quite simply lovely. Click on the recipe title to go to the complete recipe.
This fabulous chicken curry is a very simple dish to make. Cutting chicken breast meat into cubes or strips always renders it tender. In this case chicken strips are seasoned in a spice mixture and then lightly sautéed.
It boasts a fabulous sauce of onion, aromatic spices, coconut milk, mango chutney, mint, and orange juice. Quick and easy to make this fabulous curry always goes down a real treat with whoever I serve it to.
We like it with rice and crisp poppadum's. Click on recipe title to go to the delicious recipe.
This is a low carb entrée that will have everyone smacking their lips. Chicken breasts are stuffed with a lush cheese filling. This delicious filling combines cream cheese and cheddar cheese, and not a lot of each actually. Just enough to keep the chicken nice and moist.
Because the chicken is split the cook time in diminished and the splitting actually helps to keep the chicken tender and moist. If you are a fan of tender moist chicken, filled with flavour you are sure to love this! Click on recipe title to go to the full recipe.
CHICKEN STRIPS WITH HONEY & MUSTARD DIP
If you are a fan of sheet pan dinners, prepare yourself to fall in love. This simple sheet pan dinner is composed of tender crispy coated chicken breasts, crisp buttery roasted potatoes, green beans, and sweet baby plum tomatoes all roasted together to perfection on one pan.
Simple to make, easy to clean up after, with incredibly wonderful Italian flavours. Click on recipe title to go to the full delicious recipe.
Not sure how it works, but the addition of sour cream to this chicken dish always renders it beautifully moist and tender. Juicy and never dry.
Careful timing and the addition of layers of flavour are your friend. In this dish the flavour comes from a tasty layering of textures and flavours. First the chicken, then a layer of cheese.
Finally some sour cream and herbs, before baking to perfection. This is quite simply scrumptious. See the full recipe by clicking on the recipe title above.
Do you love chicken burgers as much as I do? They are one of my favourite sandwiches to eat and when we are eating out in a burger place, I always, always have the chicken burger rather than the beef.
These spicy chicken burgers are exceptional. The chicken is marinated in a mix of beaten egg, oregano, chili powder, hot sauce and a bit of salt before coating in a fabulously tasty crumb made from pulverised tortilla chips.
Baked to perfection and served in a toasted bun with a homemade coriander lime mayo and plenty of melted pepper Jack cheese, what's not to love! See recipe link by clicking on the above recipe title.
Perfectly cooked chicken with a luxurious velvety sauce. The rich and creamy sauce is flavoured with lemon and pesto and is meaty with plenty of sliced mushrooms. I serve this with mixed vegetables and rice for a supper dish that always pleases.
You can amp up the pesto if that is a flavour you really enjoy. Myself I prefer the flavour to be more subtle rather than slap you in the face. You can find this delicious recipe by clicking on the recipe title above.
I think Caesar Salad is one of my absolute favourite salads, next to the Cobb Salad and when you add some grilled chicken it becomes even more so! I create my own Montreal Chicken seasoning to coat the chicken with before grilling it.
The cooked chicken is sliced on the diagonal and served atop a bowl of tasty romaine lettuce, and adorned with little heart shaped garlic croutons, crisp bacon, and grated parmesan cheese before being drizzled with a lush caesar dressing
Whats not to love? See full recipe by clicking on the recipe title above.
These chicken strips I am sharing are really, really good. Nicely flavoured and spiced and made from real whole chicken breast which has been sliced into strips.
Coated, fried to crisp perfection they are delicious served with a wonderful homemade honey and mustard sauce for dipping. Easy peasy.
For full recipe click on recipe title above.
The sauce for these crisp, yet tender chicken breasts could not be any simpler . . . it uses only a few ingredients.
Butter, garlic, cream, lemon juice and zest, and some grated Parmesan cheese. Simple. Rich and creamy, and yes . . . something you would only want to make once in a blue moon as it is rather high in fat and calories . . . but oh boy, is it every tasty!
For the delicious recipe simply click on the recipe title above.
I love Asian flavours and I quite simply adore this Grilled Peanut Chicken! This recipe is for a delicious marinade that you can make for marinating chicken. You could also marinate other proteins, like pork, fish or even tofu in this tasty mixture.
It is the perfect mix of salty and sweet. The Asians do that combination so very well. I served it with some sesame noodles and broccoli for the win.
For the easy recipe click on the recipe title above.
This is a chicken marinade that I like to use which gives the chicken a really nice flavour. Its filled with lots of lovely chopped herbs, lemon and other seasonings that results in a well flavoured juicy piece of chicken.
I often marinade chicken breasts and then cook them on my electric grill to have in the refrigerator for use in salads and sandwiches. Click on the recipe title above to go to the simple and delicious recipe.
So now that you have a few recipes to tempt you as far as cooking chicken breasts go, here are some handy tips that you can apply every time you are cooking chicken breasts that will go a long ways towards preventing you from having dry and flavourless chicken even when you are cooking them in the simplest ways!
1. If you are cooking your chicken plain, it is always better to cook your chicken breasts with the skin on rather than it off. The skin helps to protect the meat and keep it from drying out. You can always peel it off and discard after cooking if you don't want the extra calories.
2. Chicken breasts can be a bit dry. This is because they are much leaner than other parts of the bird. A marinade, brine or rub goes a long way in adding flavor to the meat and keeping it moist. A basic salt and pepper rub is just fine if you want to keep things simple.
3. Pounding chicken breasts with the flat side of a meat pounder always tenderises them a bit. Even if you are not going for larger flatter pieces of chicken, a bit of pounding helps to even out the pieces and breaks down the tissues a bit rendering that tiny bit more succulent.
4. Keeping them all as much the same size as you can. You can do this by pounding, or by slicing them into smaller thinner pieces. They will also cook faster this way.
5. Overcooking. This is the main culprit when it comes to producing chicken breasts which are dry and unpalatable. You need only cook them until the juices run clear. Bear in mind, that they will continue to cook when you remove them from the pan. Let them rest, lightly covered for a few minutes and you will achieve perfection.
So there you have it, my hints and tips towards chicken breast perfection and some of my most favourite ways of cooking it!
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