Paleo Brunch: Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake

We were supposed to have our last speech tournament before regionals today. Needless to say, we didn’t go. In fact, no one in northern Illinois went to any IHSA events today because they postponed everything due to the predicted snowfall. When the Weather Channel says there’s a 100% chance of snow and is predicting 10-18 inches of total accumulation, you don’t bust out the busses to head to your events. You stay home. Which is exactly what I’m doing today.

There’s just something about snowy days that makes me really want carbs. Maybe it’s a Christmas-ey feeling (and we all know how I feel about food and holidays), or maybe it’s just me wanting to actually feel full for five minutes – which is hard to do on the Paleo diet.

Whatever the reason, I woke up today really craving some coffee cake. I don’t usually eat coffee cake, even when I’m cheating, and I almost never crave sweet things. Today was different, though. Mysterious.

I don’t often question my motives when it comes to food cravings. I feel that when you want something, your body probably needs it for some reason, so you should eat it. So when I want coffee cake, I will have coffee cake.

Of course, it’s snowing like a beast right now and none of the roads are plowed, so I hit up Pinterest to find a Paleo recipe I could make without having to go to the store. I found lots of recipes, but this one from Gluten Free Homemaker caught my eye. I’m not a huge fan of honey flavor, so I made some substitutions, but it turned out absolutely amazing. This is definitely going to be my new go-to for brunch with the ladies in my book club along with my cheeseless, crustless quiche, for sure. It’s filling, moist, and sweet without being too sweet. Plus, no sugar, dairy, or wheat makes it guilt-free, too!

Paleo Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake
adapted from Gluten Free Homemaker

Ingredients:

For the Topping:
1 cup pecan pieces
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 tablespoons honey

For the Cake:
1 cup almond flour (using almond meal would probably work, but almond flour gives the cake a nice, smooth texture and color)
3/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with extra coconut oil and set aside.
2. Combine all of the topping ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, and salt.
4. In a small bowl, whisk eggs and coconut milk together.
5. Add egg/milk mixture to the dry ingredients. Then add coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer until all ingredients are combined.
6. Spread the batter evenly in the cake pan. This may take some work as the batter will be very dense.
7. Add the topping over the batter and spread evenly.
8. Bake for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for a few minutes and serve warm.