(Gluten/Soy Free, Vegan) Chocolate Pear Coffee Cake with Hazelnut Streusel

Ingredients

• 3/4 Cup Softened Earth Balance Butter
• 1 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 1 (16 oz) Package of Non-Dairy Sour Cream. *See note above
• 3 tablespoons Apple Sauce
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 cup Sorghum Flour
• 1/4 cup Coconut Flour
• 3/4 cup Tapioca Flour
• 1 teaspoon Xanthan Gum (Or Guar Gum if you need to avoid Corn)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 3 TBS (dry) Ener-G Egg replacer
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 cup Dark Cocoa Powder
• 2 cups Peeled and Chopped Ripe Pears (this is roughly 3 pears)

297

• 1/2 cup Hazelnut Meal (OR Finely Chopped Hazelnuts)
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 2 tablespoons Sorghum Flour
• 2 tablespoons

Directions

This Coffee cake has been a bit of a project- evolving over the last several months. I wanted to somehow combine the flavors of Pear, Chocolate and Hazelnut. Wonderful flavors that I had a strong feeling would marry well in the right format. I made them once as a Quick Bread, again in a Cake Form and Finally last evening I decided to take it in the route of Coffee Cake.  The Streusel was a little tricky too- I found that without enough sugar its flavor became overbearing. So this- is the end result. One I’m happy with

I made a commitment this year to myself to move away from all refined sugar. This recipe will be one of the last hurrah in the full on sugar department.. (Once I run out- I’m not allowing myself to buy more) However- I encourage you to put your creative caps on to use natural sugar instead- even just go for the unrefined Variety. You might also try using Xylitol in its place. The possibilities are endless really with all the wonderful things emerging on the market these days.

Speaking of which- might I plug really quick: Coconut Nectar. from Coconut Secret.  Its our latest favorite.  Im not thinking its for this recipe per say.. But I just really wanted to mention it. Worth Checking out. Amazing in Smoothies.

*Another goal I have this year is to move away from soy as much as possible- so my quest for a Soy Free Sour Cream lead me straight to Wayfare’s “We Can’t Say its Sour Cream” Its comprised of Oats- and its Gluten/Dairy/Soy Free. How great is that? The flavor.. ehh.. It’s a little different. BUT I found it worked A- OK in this recipe. If you can’t find it- or are not concerned with Soy- Feel free to use one of the Soy Sour Cream’s out there.  (Or of course Regular Sour cream- if dairy is your friend)

1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees. Prep a 9 by 9 Square pan with Oil and Flour to prevent sticking.
2. In the bowl of a Stand Mixer or Using a Hand Mixer Cream the Butter and Sugar. Mix in the Sour Cream, Applesauce and Vanilla Extract.
3. Stir in the Flours, Xanthan, Baking Powder, Salt, and Cocoa Powder.
4. Peel and Cut Pears and gently fold them into the batter. Pour mixture into prepared pan.
5. Make Streusel- Combine the Hazelnut Meal, Sugar And Sorghum- Mix in the melted Butter and using your fingers combine until it comes together. Sprinkle the Streusel evenly across the top of the Coffee cake.
6. Bake for 1 1/2 Hours or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Note- that this batter is on the thicker side. Don’t second guess yourself! If you begin to add more liquids you will end up with an extremely moist coffee cake. (Moist is good- but you don’t want the level of moist that you could end up with in this situation!)

This recipe has been linked to this weeks  Slightly Indulgent Tuesday