Category Archives: Breakfast

What’s shakin bacon?

Fresh Apple Breakfast Cake

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Graduation is this week. EEEEK!

Fresh Apple Breakfast Cake | Beautiful Disasters

We’ve been having senior-ey stuff going on at school all week and today we have our practice for graduation. I’m excited to graduate..but there is something I really am not looking forward to.

Fresh Apple Breakfast Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Those graduation caps. SERIOUSLY. Who started the graduation cap tradition??! Whoever it was certainly needed to consult a fashion expert or something because I certainly am not a fan of those things. I feel like they give people a fabric widows-peak. Just very unflattering.

Fresh Apple Breakfast Cake | Beautiful Disasters

I propose that we all wear crowns!

Fresh Apple Breakfast Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Fresh Apple Breakfast Cake

3 cups apples (about 2 medium-large sized ones), peeled and diced

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup chopped walnuts

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour (or all-purpose)

1 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

2 cups white sugar

1 1/4 cups vegetable or canola oil

3 eggs

  1. Preheat oven to 325˚F and spray a large tube pan or bundt pan with cooking spray
  2. In a medium bowl, combine peeled and diced apples with cinnamon, vanilla extract, and walnuts. Set aside.
  3. In a separate medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, cream together white sugar, oil, and eggs. Mix in dry ingredients. Fold in apple mixture using a rubber spatula. Spread thick batter into the prepared pan.
  5. Bake in preheated oven for 90 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for about 1 hour, then turn onto plate and enjoy!

Fresh Apple Breakfast Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Fresh Apple Breakfast Cake | Beautiful DisastersRandom Fact of the Day: The warmest temperature ever recorded on Antarctica was 3 degrees F.

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Banana Crumb Cake

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Over this past week I have realized how much I truly appreciate my family.  I love my parents with all my heart but, as I have gotten older, I have grown to be increasingly thankful for my brother and sister.

Banana Crumb Cake | Beautiful Disasters

This past weekend was the last weekend I was able to visit my sister at college (the same college that I will be attending next year). She is graduating in just a couple short weeks and even though I have already visited her twice by myself for “fun visits” (without parents), I wanted to squeeze in one more visit before we both graduate and I head off to the University of Illinois. Brooke is always a great host, she always lets me borrow whatever clothes I want, and  we hardly ever argue anymore like how we did when we were younger. She’s my best friend in the world, who I know I will always be able to trust.  I am super thankful to have a sister. My mom always says, “Friends come and go, but sisters are forever”, and that is certainly something I believe in full-heartedly.

Banana Crumb Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Now that I have gushed over my sister, Brooke, I think it is time to rave about my big brother, Jack.  Let me start out by saying that my brother was not the most organized guy when he was a teenager.  Birthday presents from him usually went something like him driving me over to Borders and me picking out some books, or maybe a gift card of a place I picked out. Teenagers are busy (as I know very well of right now in my life) and birthday presents often seem silly or too much effort to try and be creative.

Banana Crumb Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Fast-forward to present day and now my brother is Mr. Organized with birthday gifts.  It was my mom’s birthday recently and even though he lives across the country in LA, HE bought the present for my mom (which I still need to pay him back for) and had it sent to a local Best Buy, where all I had to do was drive over and pick it up!

When I got home from my visit at U of I with my sister this weekend my mom told me that my Jack had a surprise for me. I was kind of like ok…what kind of joke is this going to be?  The surprise? These gorgeous BCBG earrings that he bought for me to wear to my prom. Yes, feel free to cry everyone. I mean..what?!  I was not expecting that one at all!! Anyways, I owe a big ‘ol THANK YOU to Jack and Brooke for being rockstar siblings. Love you both with all my heart!

Banana Crumb Cake | Beautiful Disasters

On to banana crumb cake!  I am super pumped to share this recipe with you all. Oh my gosh…so good! The night I made it, my dad ate probably about 1/4 of the 13″ x 9″ pan!!! I KNEW he would like this one, as he is the banana king and loves basically anything associated with bananas (food-wise).

However, this was actually a request from my mom, so I guess I am just trying to make the whole family happy with this post today. Must be that I am getting close to high school graduation and starting to feel sentimental and stuff… yikes.

Banana Crumb Cake

(Makes one 13″x9″ cake)

3 bananas, ripened

2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup milk (I used skim)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

CRUMB TOPPING:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup brown sugar

  1. Preheat oven to 350˚F and spray a 13″x9″ baking pan with cooking spray, set aside.
  2. Using a mixer, beat bananas and sugar until liquidy and combined. Mix in butter, eggs, and vanilla extract. Add in flours, baking soda, and salt. Mix in milk until thoroughly combined.
  3. In a smaller separate bowl, mix together crumble toppings with hands or fork until crumbly.
  4. Pour half the batter into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, sprinkle half the crumb mixture on top, pour remaining batter over top, add final layer of remaining crumb mixture. Bake in preheated oven for about 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out mostly clean. Let cool and enjoy! Cover leftovers in container or with plastic wrap.

Banana Crumb Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Random Fact of the Day: There are more than 1,000 chemicals in a cup of coffee. Of these, only 26 have been tested, and half caused cancer in rats.

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Apple Layer Coffee Cake

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Talk about a disaster. I wish I took a picture of this cake when it got totally defaced. It would have been a perfect picture to go next to “disaster” in the dictionary.

Apple Layer Coffee Cake | Beautiful Disasters

This cake took me about 2 hours to bake. Yes, 2 HOURS!

Apple Layer Coffee Cake | Beautiful Disasters

I originally thought it would take just about 1 hour, but nooo, you have been warned.

Apple Layer Coffee Cake | Beautiful Disasters

All my talk really should not deter you from this cake, because despite the trouble it gave me, it may be one of the most delicious things I have ever put in my mouth.

Apple Layer Coffee Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Holy apples. I put just about as much apple in here as it could take, which is why I think it took so long for mine to bake, because the apples were so juicy and the moisture was just not letting the batter bake. Granny smiths may be better for this recipe, but I used a mix of gala and honey-crisp and it was prime.

Apple Layer Coffee Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Apple Layer Coffee Cake

(Makes 1 Large tube cake)

4 Tablespoons brown sugar

5 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups white sugar

pinch of salt

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup vegetable or canola oil

1/3 cup apple cider

4 eggs

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

5 small-medium apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thin

  1. Preheat oven to 325˚ F and grease and flour a large tube pan.
  2. In a small bowl, with a fork, mix cinnamon and brown sugar until fully combined and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Mix in oil, apple cider, and vanilla extract. Add the eggs, beating well after each addition.
  4. Slice peeled and cored apples and set aside. Spread a third of that batter into the bottom of the prepared tube pan. Arrange a layer of the apples over the spread batter, sprinkle 1/3 of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over apples. Add another layer of the batter of cinnamon-sugar mixture, then another layer of apples and another layer of the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Add the final layer of batter, then sliced apples, then generously sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar over top.
  5. Bake cake in preheated oven for 90-100 minutes, or until heavy, set, and the batter is baked up. Try sticking a toothpick through to see if batter comes out on the toothpick tester. Because the apples can have quite a bit of moisture, it can be difficult to tell when the cake is done, so it may actually take a lot longer than the given time. Mine took 2 hours to bake up, it all depends on your oven and how juicy your apples are. Let baked cake cool for about 10 minutes in pan on wire rack, then place cake pan on top of a long neck bottle (like a wine bottle) to let cool for about 30 minutes. Slide a knife around the edges of the pan and invert cake onto serving plate. Enjoy! When not eating, cover with plastic wrap.

Apple Layer Coffee Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Random Fact of the Day: The venom of a small scorpion is much more toxic than the venom of a large scorpion.

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Sour Cream Bundt Coffee Cake

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When I was younger and my mom did all the baking in the house, it was always such a treat whenever she made her sour cream coffee cake (my grandma’s recipe).  You would smell the baking cake with cinnamon and a toasted nutty aroma.

Coffee Cake Bundt Cake | Beautiful Disasters

It certainly is something that will make you jump out of your bed in the morning!

Coffee Cake Bundt Cake | Beautiful Disasters

I decided to try something new and bake it in a tube pan…er…but found out later it was actually one of my grandma’s old jello molds. It was actually kind of a funny accident but only because, thankfully, it was oven-safe! I made one larger-mediumish cake and then one smaller cake. But this recipe would fit one regular, large tube pan.

Coffee Cake Bundt Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Cakes in bundt form are just more exciting than the classic ‘ol rectangular coffee cake, am I right?? Enjoy the layered goodness in this coffee cake because, trust me, it is worth savoring.

Sour Cream Bundt Coffee Cake

(Makes 1 large bundt cake)

1 cup white sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

3 eggs

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup sour cream

FOR TOPPING:

1 cup chopped walnuts

3/4 cup white sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  1. Preheat oven to 350˚ F and spray a large tube or bundt pan with cooking spray, set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs and vanilla extract. Slowly add in flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat in sour cream just until combined, be sure to scrape down the sides for everything to be completely incorporated.
  3. In a small, separate bowl, combine chopped walnut, 3/4 cup sugar, and ground cinnamon with a fork or whisk until evenly combined.
  4. Pour half the batter into the bottom of the prepared pan, then half the topping mixture, then the remaining batter, finish with the remaining topping mixture. Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool on wire rack for about 20 minutes, then use a knife to loosen the cake around the edges, invert onto cooling rack and allow the cake to cool completely. Enjoy! When not eating, cover with plastic wrap or in sealed container to avoid dryness.

Coffee Cake Bundt Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Random Fact of the Day: There are more than 50,000 earthquakes throughout the world every year!

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Pumpkin Oat Muffins

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I really should not attempt watching new shows. Once I start, it is like I disappear into a black hole.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins | Beautiful Disasters

I recently started watching Friday Night Lights and literally have stopped to go to the bathroom and that is basically it. It is just TOO GOOD!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins | Beautiful Disasters

Any fellow Friday Night Lights fans? It makes me crave to have that high school football season back…and then I remember that I’m a senior, and there won’t be any more high school football seasons as a high schooler fan *tear*

Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins | Beautiful Disasters

Football season is the best time of the year. Being a senior was the best, I was always first row in the student section, dressed in whatever crazy theme we had, screaming my face off. We broke out some giant speakers this year and would blast music in the stands and it was OUT-RAGE-OUS! Soo much fun, we would dance and cheer our little butts off even when we were losing. It makes me so sad to think of how much I’ll miss it, but then again, I have college football season to look forward to!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins | Beautiful Disasters

Speaking of football and Fall things, these pumpkin muffins are a nice little bite of Fall. I absolutely love all the flavors that go along with Fall time, but I like to enjoy them all year long! These muffins are chock-full of pumpkin and oats, super healthy and flavorful!!

Pumpkin Oat Muffins

(Makes about 16 muffins)

15 oz. canned pumpkin

2 eggs

t’1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil

1/2 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon allspice

pinch of salt

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup oats

  1. Preheat oven to 350˚F and line muffin tins with liners. 
  2. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, eggs, and oil. Mix in white sugar, baking soda, baking powder, ground cloves, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, allspice, and salt. Add in flours and oats.
  3. Scoop batter into prepared muffin tins and bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for about 5 minutes then let finish cooling completely on wire rack.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins | Beautiful Disasters

Random Fact of the Day: Baby whales grow at an average rate of 10lbs per hour

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