Today's post is dedicated to my amazing mom, and all the moms, god-moms, and aunts out there. Most people get their mother flowers, or other odds and ends with a card for Mother's Day. Those are great and all, but nothing beats a tasty treat. A good home-made anything satisfies all the senses while allowing for creativity. This is my personalized "mom" cake, consisting of a lightly sweetened ginger-cinnamon banana cake topped with a maple-walnut crumb. It is everything a good coffee cake should be and them some.
While I was baking this cake, I was looking out over the back deck at my lilac bush that just recently burst into bloom. The flowers are gorgeous and smell amazing! It is as though they are blooming just for Mother's Day. So because nature had the flowers covered, I focused making a cake that would make my mom smile.
I decided I wanted a brunch type cake, because brunch and Mother's Day go hand in hand. My family loves coffee cake, and my mom is no exception. Because in my house we always have at least a dozen bananas ripening (everyone here LOVES their smoothies!), I chose to make a banana coffee cake. What pairs with bananas? Maple syrup and walnuts of course! Now that I had a general idea of what the cake was going to be, it was time to get creating in the kitchen.
My first try at this recipe was sent home with my boyfriend to bring to his mom. I didn't have time to make another one, so I crossed my fingers that it turned out good. Of course, this morning when I made this recipe again for my mom, I tweaked it and it is now perfect. I hate it when I realize that something I baked was sub-standard: I'm a bit of a perfectionist and settle for nothing but the best! Luckily, Nick is also going home with mini raw-chocolate lover's cheesecakes for his mom, so I feel slightly better. Nothing says "Happy Mother's Day" like cute chocolate cheesecakes in pink polka-dotted cups!
After making these treats for Nick to bring home, I went to the store to buy a card to go with them (because Hallmark tells me that's what I have to do). Problem was I couldn't find the appropriate card to get her! The only cards I could find were cards from a daughter, or a daughter-in-law. I decided cards are silly anyway, and hopefully my goodies would be speak for themselves to wish her a happy Mother's Day.
When I was in the card aisle, I looked for a card for my mom as well. Not one of the cards even came close to summing up my love and appreciation for her! Here is my online card to my mom, because I want the world to know how amazing she is:
Dear Mom,
You are my role model. You are the most strong-willed, loving, nurturing, and caring person I know. You are my biggest inspiration and number one fan, always pushing me to go after my dreams and never letting me settle for anything but the best. I learned how to be a strong and independent woman from your example, and one day hope to pass everything I learned from you on to my kids. Thank you for everything you do. I love you to the moon and back <3
Your loving daughter,
Margaret
P.S. Enjoy the cake!
Banana Maple Nut Coffee Cake
Replace the butter with coconut oil, the Greek yogurt with coconut cream, and the egg with a flax-egg to make this recipe vegan!
Yield: 9" coffee cake
Dry:
1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 Tbsp flax-seed, finely ground
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
Wet:
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 medium bananas)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 large free-range egg
For the crumb topping:
1/2 cup maple sugar (or brown sugar)
3/4 cup almond flour
4 Tbsp butter, melted
1 Tbsp cinnamon
maple sugar, for sprinkling
cinnamon, for sprinkling
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9" springform pan.
2. Whisk together dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, beat the wet ingredients with a hand-held mixer (or whisk vigorously until well blended.) Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ones, and blend until just combined. Spoon evenly into the prepared spring form pan, and spread it around so the entire bottom is covered.
3. To make the crumb topping, mix the maple sugar, almond flour, and butter until is starts to stick together in small balls. Evenly sprinkle the topping over the batter in the pan. Sprinkle with additional maple sugar and cinnamon.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before taking the side off the spring form pan and serving. Happy Mother's Day!
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