First 2013 Baking

I haven't really baked anything this year. I have to admit to a lethargy of spirit at this time when it comes to baking or, really, cooking in general. I just can't get into creating food for myself. I know it's tied to a general feeling of tiredness associated with the arthritis. I know I should cook for myself, but it's just easier to either not eat, scrounge about the kitchen or pick something small up on the way home. None of those options is conducive to good health.

But, I found myself wanting to try this Sour Cream Coffee Cake recipe I found in Cooking Light magazine. It would be a nice break from cereal in the morning. I needed to make oat flour for this and, to do that, I needed to toast oatmeal and then process it in a food processor. Food processor. Yes. I have one of those. It's behind the microwave.

My dad got this at the end of the 1990's. When he passed away, mom didn't want it and I could certainly use a "modern" convenience like a food processor. For a while, I used it quite a bit. Quite a bit turned into occasionally which became rarely. My counter makes an "L" shape and the microwave sits diagonally across the corner of the "L". The food processor sits behind the microwave.

In order to get it out, I had to move the microwave and, oh wow, what a mess was behind it. If I used the food processor more than once a year, I'd move the microwave and there wouldn't be a mess behind it because I'd keep that area clean. As it is, I found matches (!?), recipes (So THAT'S where that recipe went), dead insects (Guess there were spiders back here) and just general dust. Plus the machine itself was very lightly dusty. All the parts were tossed in the sink and washed and the area behind the microwave thoroughly cleaned. You should look behind your microwave. No, really. Go ahead. I'll be here when you get back.

It was with a bit of trepidation that I assembled the thing, tossed the toasted oatmeal into the bowl and pushed down on the button. It worked. It did an beautiful job of making oat flour from the toasted oatmeal. I've washed the pieces and, tonight, the whole thing goes back behind the microwave. I don't have a need for it at the moment.

Here's the cake before baking.

It's baked in a springform pan and that's a sort of strudel topping. There aren't as many nuts in it as I usually associate with strudel. Here's the baked cake.

And a cut-away view.

This cake is extremely moist, owing to the cup of sour cream in the recipe. The batter was delicious and yes, I always taste the batter of things I bake. The cake was, I think, not as flavorful as the batter. I had high hopes but it's just kind of cakey. It tastes like flour. There is flavor in the topping, cinnamon and brown sugar and butter and walnuts, but that's about it. And probably the death knell for this recipe, it didn't really make my house smell cozy like other coffee cake recipes that I have.

I cut it into quarters and froze what I didn't eat. It will be fine for mornings when I don't want cereal or as an accompaniment to lunch. But, I won't be making this again. I do have to give it props for making me clean behind the microwave.

Beverage:  Darjeeling tea

Deb