Banana Rum Coffee Cake w/Brown Sugar Topping & Rum Icing

I like bananas. I really do. So imagine my surprise when I opened up the cupboard and found a bunch of brown-spotted bananas. Lucky for my family, I know how to use up brown bananas. Why don't I keep them on the counter you ask? It's a long story. Anyway, I'm continuing with the rum theme because I need to use up the rum extract that I bought for the previous coffee cake. If you don't like rum, you can always use vanilla or maple extract. Also, I opened up my brand new fridge and realized that I had no buttermilk and no sour cream. So, I used some honey flavored Zoi Greek yogurt because that's what I had on hand. It's called "rummaging-through-the-fridge-and-the-cupboards-and-using-what-I-find" method of baking.

Good Morning Carrot Coffee Cake w/Cream Cheese Icing

This coffee cake is based on the Morning Glory muffins, which have lots of healthy stuff...at least that's what I tell myself. Yes, the ingredients list is long. But, honestly, the bulk of the prep work is shredding the carrot and the apple and mashing the banana. Some may say, "This is really a carrot cake posing as a coffee cake." And? ☺

Pineapple Coffee Cake w/Macadamia Coconut Topping and Orange Icing

If I had called this coffee cake the Hawaiian Coffee Cake, then that would have sounded like such a cliche. I mean really just because it has pineapple, macadamia nuts, and coconut doesn't necessarily make it Hawaiian, does it? And besides, it's not like Hawaiian Coffee Cake is any easier to say than Pineapple Coffee Cake with Macadamia Coconut Topping and Orange Icing. ☺

Granola Bar Coffee Cake

This coffee cake is a variation of the Coconut Coffee Cake w/Chocolate Icing. I like granola bars that have chocolate chips and coconut in them. So, I used the basic cake recipe from Coconut Coffee Cake and I tweaked the topping. While I don't necessarily think that granola bars are healthy, I do enjoy them every so often with yogurt. I think a dollop of Greek yogurt would be perfect with this cake.

Coconut Coffee Cake w/Chocolate Icing

Today, I decided to make a simple, not-too-sweet coffee cake with coconut. I don't bake with coconut nearly enough and that needs to change.  In my opinion, the coconut gives this plain old simple vanilla coffee cake an added flair and extra sweetness. That's why I called it Coconut Coffee Cake instead of Plain Ol' Vanilla.  ☺

Orange Coffee Cake w/Sugared Almonds & Orange Chocolate Icing

Yes, yes I do like orange and chocolate together. My kids don't; but I do. Besides, I can't always cook just for the kids. Sometimes I have to cook for me, and in so doing I broaden their horizons whether they like it or not. :-) If they don't like it, well that just means more for me! It's a win-win. Sugared almonds are the crunchy topping for this coffee cake. Believe it or not, they add just a little spice. Also, notice that I don't list "orange juice" as an ingredient, meaning that I didn't use reconstituted orange juice that you buy from the store. I actually squeezed the juice from a couple of oranges. I had some time to kill.

Buttermilk Banana Coffee Cake w/Maple Icing

I like bananas, but when it comes to banana in baked goods, I admit that I only make them so as to placate my conscience by not throwing away really ripe bananas. This time, I deliberately saved a banana to make a coffee cake. All kidding aside, a mashed banana makes for a moist cake. The key is a really ripe banana. As you look at it you should be thinking to yourself, "If I don't use it today, I'm gonna toss it tomorrow."