Apricot Orange Crumb Bars - Mabrousheh (Vegan)

If you need a fast and quick dessert recipe for a special occasion or holiday (like, Eid!), this recipe is it!  Nothing can go wrong with a beautiful crumb top, apricot jam, orange zest, and a lightly sweet pastry dough.  Go for it, my friends!  

Ingredients:

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons orange zest
1 "Flax Egg"

• 1 tablespoons flax seed meal
• 3 tablespoons water

1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup apricot jam (normal or sugar-free)
Powdered sugar for sprinkling on top

Instructions:

Following these instructions exactly will provide the best results.

1. In a bowl, prepare your flax egg by combining the flax seed meal with water.  Let sit for five minutes.
2. In a mixing bowl, mix the sugar, coconut oil, vanilla, orange zest, and flax egg.  The mixture should be well beaten.
3. Add the flour  and baking powder and mix with your hands or a spatula until a thick dough forms.
4. Roll 1/3 of the dough into a ball, wrap in saran wrap, and freeze for 10 minutes.
5. On a greased 8x8 pan or an 8x8 pan with parchment paper, spread the remaining 2/3 of the dough evenly throughout the pan.  Make sure the dough is spread into a smooth and thin layer.  
6. Spread the apricot jam evenly over the thin layer of dough in the pan.  Make sure that the jam does not touch the sides of the pan.
7. Remove the reserved 1/3 of the dough from the freezer.  Evenly grate the dough over the top of the apricot jam so that you get a streusel-like look.
8. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes at 350 degrees.  For the last 5 of those 35 minutes, use the broil function of your oven to ensure that you get a slightly golden crumble on top  (watch the bars carefully so that they don't burn!).  
9. Remove the bars from the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes.  Sprinkle powdered sugar on top of the bars and cut into squares.
10.  Enjoy!  If you have any leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

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Apple Sour Cream Coffee Cake

This coffee cake is apple-packed, moist, and deliciously soft. To be honest, this cake was only made so I could use up some extra sour cream and apples in my fridge. And, guess what? Amazing-ness. If you like this cake, try out some of my other recipes like this One Bowl Apple Walnut Cake or this Traditional Sour Cream Coffee Cake!

Ingredients:

For the cake:
1/2 cup (or 1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup white table sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 teaspoon salt
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sour cream
2 cups apples, peeled and diced into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces


For the topping:
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or, other nuts like almonds or pecans)
2 tablespoons cinnamon (optional: more cinnamon) 
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white table sugar (optional: more white table sugar)
2 tablespoons butter

Instructions:

Following these instructions exactly will provide the best results.

1. For the cake, beat the butter for about 2 minutes until it is smooth and creamy with a hand mixer. Add the sugar and continue beating for another 2 minutes. Add in the eggs and beat thoroughly.
2. Then, mix in the vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
3. Sift and then beat in 1/2 of the flour into the wet ingredients until just combined. Add in 1/2 of the sour cream and mix until incorporated. Then, sift and add in the remaining flour. Mix until combined. Finally, add in the remaining sour cream and beat until just incorporated. Do not over mix!
4. Stir in the diced apples.
5. Now, in a separate bowl, make your topping. Do this by combining the sugars, cinnamon, and walnuts in a bowl. Cut the butter into the mixture so that you have small to medium sized crumbs.
6. Sprinkle the topping over the cake batter. Optional: sprinkle more cinnamon and plain white table sugar on top for additional flavor.
7. Bake the cake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees. An inserted toothpick in the middle of the cake should come out clean.
8. Enjoy!

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Sour Cream Coffee Cake

This coffee cake is thick, soft, and crumbly on the top. I can imagine making this for breakfast whenever guests are in town or for a complimentary side to go with tea. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do! Note: My recipe is a slightly modified version of Sally's Baking Addiction's recipe.

Ingredients:

For the cake:
1 and 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (or 1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream

For the topping:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
4 tablespoons unsalted refrigerated butter

Optional Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons milk

Instructions:

Following these instructions exactly will provide the best results.

1. For the cake, whisk the dry ingredients (all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl). Set aside.
2. With a hand mixer, beat the butter for about 2 minutes until it is smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and continue beating for another 2 minutes. Add in the eggs and beat thoroughly. Then, add in the vanilla and sour cream and beat until well combined.
3. Beat in 1/2 of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Add in the remaining dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not over mix!
4. In a square 8x8 greased pan, pour half the cake batter into the pan. 
5. Now, make your topping. Do this by combining the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut the butter into the mixture so that you have small to medium sized crumbs.
6. Sprinkle half of the topping over the batter in the pan and make sure that the topping is at every corner of the cake. Then, pour the remaining cake batter into the pan. Use a spatula to make sure the top layer is spread evenly. Sprinkle the top with the remaining topping, making sure that the top of the cake is fully covered with topping.
7. Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes at 350 degrees. An inserted toothpick in the middle of the cake should come out clean.
8. Allow the cake to cool, while you make your optional glaze. To make the optional glaze, whisk all the glaze ingredients together until smooth (and there are no clumps of powdered sugar). I recommend sifting the powdered sugar first. 
9. Drizzle the cake with the glaze and serve!

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