Hello blog, it's been awhile...

I have definitely neglected this poor blog! Let me just say, by way of excusing my laziness, I have been sick almost without a break from November until January. I am now doing much better and hope to get back into the swing of things. Some days I just feel so tired that even getting my camera out and trying to take a picture seems like too much work. But here I am and I am excited to get back in the swing of things.

Okay onto the reason for the post.

I am a few days late but I did make the Cake Slice cake for this month and I even did it on time (just lost track of the fact that Sunday was the 20th, the day to post, oops). This months cake was Coffee Heath Bar Crunch Cake. It was okay but not a favorite of mine. My family liked it and it was eaten pretty quickly but for me it was just so-so. I did sub out the coffee (we don't drink coffee) with Pero and the flavor of the batter was really good (I know, naughty me) but it was a little downhill from there. This probably sounds more negative than I mean for it to. It wasn't bad tasting, and it was really simple to make, just not good enough to tempt me to make it again. I took my cake out 5 minutes early when I realized it was looking slightly overdone. Check out the other Cake Slice Bakers, some of them really liked it so maybe it is just personal preference. Anyway, without further ado here is the recipe-

Coffee-Heath Bar Crunch Cake (Recipe from Cake Keeper Cakes)

(Printer Friendly Recipe)

Ingredients - Cake

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour (I added an extra ¼ cup of flour)
• 1 tbsp instant espresso powder (I used same amount of Pero)
  
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk

Ingredients - Streusel

• 4 Heath bars (1.4ounces each), chopped or 1 cup of pre-chopped Heath Bits
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp butter, softened

Preparation – Streusel

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Grease a 9inch round springform pan.
3. Combine the Heath bars, brown sugar, flour and butter in a medium mixing bowl.
4. Work the mixture with your fingers until it resembles large crumbs.
5. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Preparation – Cake

1. Combine the flour, espresso powder, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
2. Combine the butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. With the mixer on low speed, add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla.
3. With the mixer on low speed, add a third of the flour mixture and then half the milk, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Repeat, alternating the flour and milk, ending with the flour.
4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer with a spatula.
5. Scatter the streusel onto the batter, distributing it evenly over the cake.
6. Bake the cake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, approximately 50 to 60 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
7. Release the sides of the pan and use a large spatula to slide the cake from the pan bottom to onto a wire rack.
8. Cool completely, cut into wedges and serve.
9. Store uneaten cake in a cake keeper or wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
10. Makes one 9 inch round cake.