I have been an avid reader since I was a kid. My love of books comes from my parents and Granny, no doubt, and even when I didn’t like a book I had to read for school, I had a spare book with me during the school day at all times. That way I could dive into a book I loved for a quick escape when I had a few moments of unexpected free time.
Lately I have added audiobooks to my repertoire. I always have a physical book in progress but audiobooks hit different. They bring a book to life in a unique way that can make some of the words and plot points hit different.
One of my favorite times to listen is currently in the shower. I like noise, other than the exhaust fan, while I am showering, and books are a fantastic way to pass the time. My mind is fully free to listen and absorb the story. It passes the time so quickly and has me looking forward to hearing more the next day and the day after that and the day after that.
While I like routine, I find more and more, I want to shake up my routine, and listening to audiobooks has been a bit of a revelation. If you have favorite audiobooks, leave them in the comments and I will check them out. So far my favorite is probably The Dead Romantics. I highly recommend it!
I also highly recommend this walnut coffee cake. It’s not a coffee cake how we have come to think of them. It is actually a cake made with coffee and walnuts, topped with a glaze. It’s light and delicate, perfect for breakfast or with a cup or tea or coffee. I actually made it to celebrate my birthday a little more than a week ago and it was the perfect little festive treat. No it’s not a towering layer cake or time consuming pie or bread, but sometimes the simple things are really the best.
Like this cake. And listening to books.
Walnut Coffee Cake
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 15 servings 1x
Description
A delicate cake featuring walnuts and coffee, topped with a delicate glaze. Perfect for breakfast or with coffee or tea.
Ingredients
Cake
1 ½ cups paleo flour blend (2 cups almond flour, 1 ¼ cup tapioca starch, ¾ cup coconut flour) or all-purpose flour
½ cup almond flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
¾ cup coconut oil
¼ cup olive oil
¾ cup maple sugar
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
4 large eggs
½ cup unsweetened almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder
1 tablespoon espresso powder
Glaze
2/3 cup coconut butter
½ cup unsweetened almond milk, plus more if needed
¼ cup honey
½ teaspoon vanilla bean powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder
Instructions
Make the cake. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/ 325 degrees F convection. Oil a 9 by 13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, cream the coconut and olive oils, maple sugar, vanilla, and espresso until well combined and light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the flour, followed by the milk. Finish the batter by stirring in the almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and walnuts.
Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake about 25 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs. Cool completely in the pan.
Make the glaze once cool. In a medium microwave safe bowl, place the coconut butter, almond milk, honey, vanilla, and espresso. Microwave on high in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until fully melted. If it is too thick, stir in more milk until it reaches the desired pourable consistency. Pour over the cake, slice, and serve.
Cake may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or frozen, wrapped in parchment and foil and placed in a zipper bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the microwave about 30 seconds.
Notes
Recipe adapted from The Kitchn
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
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