Vegetarian Cinnamon Coffee Cake

This is a classic chocolate  "Crazy Cake" recipe I  modified to be a cinnamon coffee cake.  Vegetarian - no animal products.  It turns out moist and very good.

Vegetarian Coffee Cake

Ingredients

3 cups cake flour, sifted
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons white vinegar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
.2 cups cold water

Topping

1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 350° F.

In small bowl, combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 TBSP flour, 1 TSP cinnamon and set aside

In mixing bowl, combine cake flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in bowl.   Make 3 holes in mixture. Into the first hole, pour the vanilla extract, into the second hole, the vinegar and into the third hole, the vegetable oil. Pour cold water over all. Mix with fork or wire whisk until well blended; do not over beat. Mixture may contain some small lumps.

Pour into ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan and spread evenly.

Sprinkle 1/3 of the topping evenly over the batter, with knife, swirl slightly into the batter.  Sprinkle the rest of the topping evenly.

BAKE for 35 to 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

Home Made Block Chocolate

Excellent chocolate for eating or for dipping.  Using 100%  pure food grade cocoa butter (found in many health food stores) gives the chocolate a "snap" due to cocoa butter's 100^F melting point.  For a softer chocolate, use a little bit of coconut oil in place of some of the cocoa butter (coconut oil melts at 76^F)

• 9 TBSP (125g) 100% pure food grade cocoa butter (or part coconut oil)
• 9 TBSP (125g) confectioner's sugar (powdered or icing sugar)
• 6 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 4 tablespoons powdered milk
• Pinch of salt

Method

1.  Line a cake pan or pie plate with wax paper.

2.  Sift the icing sugar, cocoa powder, powdered milk and salt into a bowl.

3.  In a small saucepan, melt the cocoa butter over a low heat.

4.  Pour the melted  cocoa butter into the sugar mixture and mix until it becomes smooth and thick.  Must start to thicken before pouring.  If it isn't getting thick right away, let it sit for a few minutes and stir again.  Continue until it starts to thicken.

5.  Pour chocolate mixture into the prepared  pan or pie plate and flatten out the top using a spatula or the back of a spoon. Score the chocolate while it's soft so it can be broken easy when it hardens.

 6.  This chocolate makes an excellent coating for home made truffles (Chocolate Truffle Recipes - EASY!!!)

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