Categories: Recipe

Healthy Coffee Cake with Strawberries

Can you believe that I’d never made a coffee cake in my life before this one?
I actually thought there was coffee in coffee cake. Ha, fool.

After doing a little research I discovered that there was, in fact, no coffee in coffee cake. Duh.
But it can be enjoyed alongside coffee. How lovely.
2 points for that.

But I also found out that most versions are incredibly unhealthy with sticks of butter,
multiple cups of sugar, strange additions and even cream cheese in some cases.
-2 points for that.

At that point, we were back to 0,
which meant I started from scratch.

I was now on a quest for healthy coffee cake, and healthy I found.
After realizing strawberries were the only fruit I had on hand,
strawberry coffee cake it was. Healthy strawberry coffee cake, at that.

Healthy Coffee Cake with Strawberries

Author: Dana

Recipe type: Dessert

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Serves: 9-12

1½ cups unbleached flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
3 Tbsp sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
½ cup walnut pieces
½ cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp butter softened
2 Tbsp canola or coconut oil (or sub apple sauce)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt (or sub fruit flavored)
3/4 cup strawberries, quartered

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch square cake pan with cooking spray.
Whisk together the flours, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, stir together the granulated sugar, cinnamon and walnuts.
In a large bowl, beat the brown sugar, butter and oil until fluffy, scraping down the sides when necessary. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until fully combined. Beat in the vanilla and yogurt. Add the flour mixture in two portions, stirring until just combined.
Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half of the nut mixture over the batter and top with the strawberries. Spoon the rest of the batter into the pan, smoothing the top. Sprinkle the remaining nut mixture over the cake, pressing gently.
Bake until a toothpick or knife inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool almost completely and serve warm, or cover to retain freshness. Should stay for a few days. Freeze of refrigerate for longer storage.

recipe adapted from ellie krieger

I am a coffee cake virgin no more.
I loved everything about this cake.

I loved that it had whole wheat flour, walnuts, cinnamon, and fresh, sliced strawberries.
I loved that it had just two tablespoons of butter and was plenty moist from the yogurt.
I loved that each bite was studded with cinnamon-sugar coated walnuts.
And I loved that it went perfect alongside my tea and iced coffee.

In other words, this cake has a new fan in me.

Enjoy,

Lee Hersh