Monday, March 19, 2018

A Look Back to Five Years Ago... and Cinnamon Swirl Cake

Jan here, suffering from a little bit of spring fever....

Last Wednesday our temperatures reached 60° with sunshine, birds singing, and beautiful blue skies. Then on Friday, we got nearly a foot of snow.

MUCH needed moisture, so I'm not complaining...

Wynter loves the snow. This is in April 2013, during
a lull in a record-setting spring blizzard.
But it made me think of other spring snow storms, especially the one five years ago. That was the beginning of a beautiful summer with plenty of rain...and led up to our October 2013 blizzard that was so devastating.

And that took me to thoughts of what else happened five years ago...


This was Thatcher on his "choosing day," when we visited the breeder and picked out our my puppy. Wasn't he a cutie? He shares a birthday with Ruthy's Jeter, and both pups are turning five years old at the end of the month. Time flies!!!

Thatcher now - I love how his face
has changed!


What else happened five years ago?

You can order the e-book here:
The Prodigal Son Returns

My first book was released! Yes, time flies!

It was also five years ago this spring that I shared this recipe. I was looking for it the other day, wondering if I should make it for Easter brunch. I hadn't realized that it had been so long since I shared it here!

This is a gooey, buttery, almost pastry-like cake that is absolutely delicious! Expect to wow your friends :)

Cinnamon Roll Swirl Cake (Pampered Chef recipe)


Ingredients:

For the batter -
3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup butter, melted

For the cinnamon swirl (think Cinnabon....mmmmm.....):
1 cup butter, soft to the point of being almost melted
1 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons flour
2 Tablespoons cinnamon

For the glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
5 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla


In a large bowl, mix all the batter ingredients together except the butter. Once mixed, pour the melted butter slowly into the batter, stirring as you go (I had my mixer running on low as I poured the butter in). Pour the batter into a 9x13 baking dish.

Combine the ingredients for the cinnamon swirl, and drop onto the batter, then swirl with a knife.





Bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes. Mine took the whole 40 minutes to become brown and done in the center. Don't try the toothpick test for doneness - the cinnamon swirl will remain sticky. Look for slightly browned cake on the tops and sides.



After the cake cools slightly, but while it's still warm, drizzle the glaze on top. 


And the best thing about this recipe? It only took a few minutes to put together!


Can you remember five years ago? What's the best thing that happened?





Jan Drexler lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota with her husband and growing family. When she isn't writing, she loves hiking in the Hills or satisfying her cross stitch addiction.

You can find Jan on Facebook, Jan Drexler, author, or her website, Jan Drexler.com.

6 comments:

  1. Five years ago? I contracted I January for my first book with Love Inspired, which would release in August. It was a good year, indeed.

    Jan, this recipe sounds AMAZING. I am printing it out how and wracking my brain to come up with an event to make it. Because if I make it just because then I'm liable to eat it all myself. And while that may be enjoyable while it's happening, I will soon regret it.

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    1. LOL! Yes! I only make things like this when I'll have a crowd to share it with me!

      I made the "Chocolate Lasagna" that you shared last week for a carry-in at church yesterday. It was our "Pasta and Music" night, so I thought it would fit right in! BTW - It's a good thing I sneaked a taste while I was making it, because the dish was scraped clean by the time I got to the dessert table!

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    2. Yes, 2013 was a very good year. Debut novels are so much fun!

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  2. First off -- are you sure you took the right puppy home?! I;ve never seen a complete colour reversal like that! He's a handsome boy either way.

    We had unusual spring like weather in February but winter has returned with a vengeance in March. Even had frost bite warnings this weekend! Brrrrr. But it's sunnier!

    Wow, five years ago I got a definitive diagnosis which was the start (very slow start) towards health improvements. Night and day difference in pain levels from then to now so that's good. Progress still seems like it's at a snail's pace but I'll take it!

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    1. Watching your progress has been so inspiring! Has it really been five years????

      And yes, it's the same puppy. The breeder told me that Thatcher's mom looked just like him when she was a pup, so I was expecting all that black fur to turn red. Officially he's a "red-headed tri-color," like his mom. His dad is a "black-headed tri-color," but all of Thatcher's litter mates look like their mom.

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  3. I'm a day late! And I'm so glad I remembered to drop by. This looks amazing!! I adore cinnamon rolls.

    Love the trip down Memory Lane too! :) Sweet little Thatcher.

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