My friend alerted me to the fact that double-acting baking powder acts twice: once when it hits the wet batter and again when the heat is applied. So, I can mix up a coffee cake and hey presto, 8 or more hours later it can begin baking with no adverse effects!
Truly, this is wonderful news for anybody who
a. has hectic mornings
b. likes a hot breakfast
c. likes coffee cake, baked oatmeal, & muffins but can't bear the thought of setting the alarm 45 minutes earlier to have them.
How useful this would have been when I was a teacher tearing out the door with toast and coffee in hand. Now my morning rush is children who wake up sobbing with hunger. I like going to bed knowing at least one important thing is tidily taken care of for the morning. I have done this method for over a year now with muffins, various coffee cakes, baked oatmeal, and oven french toast, so I feel confident that this tip could make your mornings more pleasant too.
Blueberry Coffee Cake from Recipes from the Old Mill
Mix together until smooth:
1 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
scant 1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. oil
1/2 c. milk
1 egg
Pour into greased 8" baking pan. Sprinkle batter with:
1.5 c. blueberries (frozen are fine, but you can thaw and drain them too; can also use fresh berries)
Cut together (I use the batter bowl):
1/3 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. nuts
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbs. butter
Sprinkle topping over all. Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes OR do like I did tonight: set in cold oven, set time bake to come on at 6am at 375 for 35 minutes. Hooray for double-acting baking powder!
Updated to add: 1/2 cup milk to the recipe (ooops! and my friend A discovered my omission by baking this coffee cake for Christmas morning - so sorry, A!) The recipe is now correct.
This recipe sounds delicious
ReplyDeleteand i'd like to try it,
but i'd be nervous about
leaving milk and egg in there for so many hours overnite.
Wouldn't the milk sour and the egg produce botulism?
i'm new to this method of cooking.
hi Bria, thanks for your question. The baking heat would kill any bacteria, good or bad, that grow. I find our modern kitchens, advised by the government, are much fussier than necessary for health. I appreciate their standards and regulations for public health in restaurants, however.
ReplyDelete