Chocolate Coffee Cake

Yes.

Chocolate.

Coffee Cake.

Doesn't just the name sound good? :)

I found this recipe a few days ago and - unlike many recipes that I find and want to try - I actually made this one! The original recipe comes from Passionate Homemaking (a blog I always enjoy), and I only played around with it a little bit. *grin*

I was glad that the recipe included soaking instructions, because I've been getting interested in grain-soaking recently. That's too big of a topic for this little post, but consider yourself warned that I might be writing more about it in the future.

Now for that recipe! I'll write it out the way I did it. Incidentally, I LOVE make-ahead dishes. That's my kind of convenience food!

Sorry the pic. isn't too glamorous.
Best I could do on an empty stomach!
(...Unless you count those nibbles of chocolate batter...)

Chocolate Coffee Cake

3/4 - 1 cup natural sweetener (I was naughty and used brown sugar! But it was only 3/4 cup, and not packed.)
1/2 cup butter
1-2 Tbsp cocoa powder (as desired, I used 2 heaping Tbsp!)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 TBS ground flax seed
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking powder
dash of salt
dash of allspice
1 1/2 cups whole white wheat flour
1 cup cultured buttermilk, kefir, whey, yogurt (or your preferred acid medium for soaking) (I used buttermilk)
1/2 cup nuts, if desired (I used chopped walnuts)

The night before you want the cake, prepare recipe as follows:

In a small bowl, combine all dry ingredients except flour with a fork. Cut in butter until mixture is...well, not like bread crumbs, but well mixed. It will be like very stiff cookie dough, and evenly colored. (WARNING: THIS STUFF TASTES REALLY GOOD! DO NOT SAMPLE IF YOU WANT ANY LEFT WITH WHICH TO MAKE THE CAKE!) Cover this bowl and place in refrigerator until morning.

SOAKING STEP: In another bowl, combine flour and buttermilk. Stir with a fork until lumps are gone. Cover, and let sit at room temp. all night.

Next morning, pull your chocolate mixture out of the fridge and let it soften. ...Or, be like me, and forget to do this, and stick it in the microwave for 15 seconds to soften it to the perfect consistency. Pour the flour mix over the chocolate mix, and combine well, with firm but gently strokes. Stir only until the batter is evenly colored.

Pour into a greased glass 8 x 8 pan and cover with chopped nuts, if desired. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. (I baked mine for 45-50 min., because it was still wet in the middle, but looking back on it, I think it would have been better had I cooked it only 40 min. - kinda like brownies; good when moist and wet!)

That's all. It was SO easy to just combine the contents of the two bowls, pour it in the pan, and bake this morning! And mmmm, the chocolate taste! Not too sweet - I like a cocoa taste, but you could add more sugar, to taste - but just sweet enough.

Did I mention I like chocolate?

Thanks, Passionate Homemaking, for a great recipe!