Fall back

Daylight savings is ridiculous, but I don’t mind the extra hour of sleep.  I’d give it up if it meant it wouldn’t start getting dark at 2:00 soon though.  Now that the SoCal weather is finally starting to feel like fall (at least our definition of fall), it was a perfect weekend to pretend I didn’t sleep through my extra hour and be somewhat productive.  I gardened, I ran errands, I cleaned the kitchen – twice.  I was generally disgustingly domestic.  I’ve been thinking about making this cake since I read the recipe, so my self-imposed Donna Reed day seemed like a good time to whip it up.  It makes a whole lot of cake, though, so my co-workers will be having it for breakfast.

This resembled cookie dough more than cake batter.  All the better for eating raw with a a spoon.

All that white stuff on top?  I put too much of the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top and not enough in the middle.  Still tasted great, but it didn’t make the sugary crust it should have.

Steaming hot

No disrespect to Smittenkitchen.com, I LOVE that site, but when I make this again (there is no if, it will happen), I think I’ll add some more cinnamon and maybe some nutmeg just to give it a little more spice.  Or you can, and let me know how it comes out!

P.S.  I haven’t overlooked Jackie P.’s comment about posting some healthy recipes…stay tuned, I’ll be healthier tomorrow.

Cinnamon chocolate chip sour cream cake
(from http://www.smittenkitchen.com)

1 stick unsalted butter (4 ounces or 8 tablespoons) at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs, separated
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
16 ounces sour cream (I used lowfat – NOT fat free)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

12 ounces chocolate chips (I didn’t weigh…2 handfuls about did it for me)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, cream butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar, then mix in the egg yolks and vanilla. Sift flour, baking soda and baking powder together into a separate bowl. Alternately add sour cream and then dry ingredients into butter mixture. Beat eggs whites until stiff, then fold into batter. Mix last 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon together in a separate, small dish.

In a greased 9″x13″ pan, pour in half of the cake batter. Sprinkle the top with half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture and half of the chocolate chips. Pour remaining batter on top, sprinkling the top with the remaining cinnamon-sugar and chocolate chips.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.  Mine took at least 50.