We Must Have Coffee Cake Once In Awhile!

I just want to mention that the cardiologist in my life, the couch potato, has really gotten into swimming the last few months.  Finally he has found some exercise that he doesn't want to skip, that he enjoys doing and which doesn't strain his terrible knees.  (Three ACL tears + a torn meniscus + four surgeries = terrible knees)  To give him credit, he also enjoys the Latin dancing we do every week and has gotten really good. It more than qualifies as exercise.  But he swims on his own, not because I drag him there and has is pretty obsessed with doing it on a regular basis.  Kudos to Barry!  Just goes to show that we all can find some type of exercise we'll enjoy and do it often enough to reap the benefits.

But what about the coffee cake you ask?  That sounds more interesting than Barry's exercise routine!  Now you know that while I advocate avoiding sugar, fat and excess calories most of the time, I do indulge once in awhile.  I was very pleased to find this recipe recently which wasn't terribly high in sugar, (something I'm trying to cut way back on!) or fat, if you use non fat plain yogurt or sour cream.  My family all gave it a thumbs up and it was easy to throw together for a nice Saturday breakfast.  It also doesn't make a very large cake which I like because then I don't have cake for days.  A treat one morning is fine, to snack on it all day or for several days not so fine.   Best of all, it has fresh raspberries in it, a real treat!

  Raspberry Coffee Cake
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
Mix dry ingredients and set aside.
1 egg
1/2 cup plain non fat yogurt or sour cream
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix egg through vanilla in a separate bowl and stir well.  Add to dry ingredients and stir till combined.
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 cup fresh raspberries
Gently toss brown sugar with raspberries.  Grease an 8 inch round cake pan and spread 2/3 of the bater in it. Sprinkle brown sugar/raspberries over the batter, then top with the remaining batter.  Bake for 35 to 40  minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Make a glaze of 1/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp. milk and 1/4 tsp. vanilla.  Drizzle over cooled cake.  I actually thought there was a bit too much sugar in it so next time I will cut it back a bit.  I won't tell my family though.  Sam's Club has had very good raspberries all winter.  You could substitute frozen but thaw first and drain well before using.