Parents as Facebook Friends: Raspberry Breakfast Cake Recipe

Ever since I started blogging, my mother has taken an invested interest in the Internet. Even though computers have been around for quite some time, I'm sure I'm not the only person from my generation whose parents are...well, how should I say this, less than tech-savvy?

In high school, I taught my parents how to text message shortly after I started driving because it was an easier way to communicate. Instead enduring the humiliation of calling after school to say I'd be late, I could send a text, easy-breezy. It was shortly after the Text Message 101 that I started receiving texts such as: "Dear Maris, How are you? Love Dad."

When I went to college I taught my mother how to instant message, a tool she primarily used on Saturday and Sunday mornings when I would get a phone call: "Where are you? How come you haven't changed your away message since last night?"

Now, my mother is on Facebook and knows what it means to follow someone on Twitter. Of course, I still get the occasional can-you-post-these-pictures-to-my-Facebook-wall-because-I-don't-know-how phone call, but hey, she's learning. She even reads blogs.

Not only does she read blogs, but she spends a significant amount of time perusing her favorites and sending me recipes to file away for the next time she visits. The most recent one was a recipe for raspberry breakfast cake from Janice and Liz at the Meal Makeover Moms. (I did a podcast with Janice and Liz this summer at their studio in Massachusetts. If you haven't heard about it yet, you should take a listen!)

Now, I'm not sure if you know me or what, but if you do, then you'll also know that any breakfast recipe with "cake" in the title is likely to acquire my seal of approval. And if it's healthier cake, well, then we have a winner.

Raspberry Breakfast Cake
Serves 8

Ingredients:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup 1% lowfat milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup fresh raspberries

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, wheat germ, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, 1/2 cup of the sugar, and the canola oil until well combined. Whisk in the milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.

4. Mix the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, smoothing the top. Arrange the raspberries evenly over the top and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar.

5. Bake until the cake is golden and a toothpick insert in the center comes out clean, about 22 minutes. Cool in the pan and serve.

If you want to learn more about the health benefits of honey, stop by Diets in Review today. I've even shared one of my favorite archived recipes: Honey Drizzled Cheese Toasts.

Comments

[cakes philippine]

I will try doing this later it looks so delicious perfect for a breakfast,yummy!

vee

[Meal Makeover Mom Janice]

I recently asked my mom to take a look at my blog and post a comment and she said something snarky like "well it took me a half hour to get a recipe off this dumb blog". Nice to have admin control to delete comments that mom thinks only I will read!

[Liz - Meal Makeover Mom]

Maris, Janice and I are so excited you had a chance to make our Raspberry Breakfast Cake. We're glad your computer-savvy mom sent it your way. We have to give credit to Gourmet Magazine (June issue) where we first saw a recipe for raspberry cake. Of course, given our obsession with nutrition, we changed it quite a bit -- replacing the butter with canola oil and half the flour with whole wheat, reducing the sugar, and adding wheat germ. PS: My mom wouldn't know a blog if she stepped on one.

[Jackie]

Your parents sound adorable. My mom recently joined Facebook and I get calls every few weeks asking how to do something or if she can have permission to post something on my page. Of course she can't figure out text messaging so I think yours is a few steps ahead.

[Erin]

Your mother is LIGHT YEARS ahead of mine!!

And this cake looks yummy!

[Eralda (The Split Pea)]

What a delicious cake. Great flavor combinations. I would eat the whole thing :)

[Dana]

My mom doesn't even read my blog because she can't figure out how to get to it. I explain it to her but she is such a techno-phobe. I'm surprised she can use a cell phone! Love the look of that cake.

[Melissa]

yes- cake for breakfast- we have a winner!

haha. it cool that your mom is so interested in finding foods blogs. my mom is still rocking her hotmail account like it's 1998. She logs in once a week and promptly forwards all the FW and chain emails she gets from the ladies at work. my mother in law on the other hand, waded into facebook and that can sometimes be awful.

[Jessica]

Oh my gosh your mom is adorable!! I think it's cute she checks in with you like that. I mean, she said I sounded very mature. I love her already

[Crystal]

My Hubby would love having that for breakfast, I always get mad at him when he has 'dessert' for breakfast (jokingly of course.)

[Kalyn]

If only you had been my daughter, maybe I could have learned how to text! As it is, I've only been able to do it for about a year now and I'd have to say my texting skills are not really first rate yet.

I'll never forget when I was visiting my 85 year old day and he said "So what is this Twitter thing on the internet all about?" Try explaining that to someone who's not really tech-saavy!

BTW, your mom seems cool! Love to meet her sometime, since we're the same age.

[thatShortChick]

LOL-ing at the "Dear Maris" text from your dad, it's so sweet yet funny.

thankfully, my parents have no desire to learn how to use the computer or anything else involved with it. but my dad is convinced that everything I do on my blackberry involves twitter somehow. he is obsessed with the concept but doesn't get it. AT ALL.

[Kate @ Savour Fare]

Ha. My parents can barely read my blog, let alone someone else's. They're sending my Giada de Laurentiis recipes (my dad has a hug crush on Giada).

[Laurie]

Isn't it nice to know your mom is still looking out for you? This recipe looks great --I can't wait to try it.

[mandy]

I think cake for breakfast is a wonderful idea!

My mom is navigating the facebook waters too. Its odd.

[Natalie]

yum! i'm always looking for ways to use up my wheat germ, this looks great!!

[Kristen]

LOL - oh how I can relate to this! I think my nieces and nephews are less than thrilled that Grandma is on Facebook though!
Your mom sounds adorable!

[Lydia (The Perfect Pantry)]

I think it's great that your mom reads and supports your blog (and I love when she visits mine, too!). I keep wondering what my parents and grandparents would have made of instant publishing, text messages, Twitter, etc.

[grace]

for some reason, it really tickles me that your mom is so into blogs and such. good for her! this cake looks to be a great find. three cheers for the raspberry!

[kat]

When I was working I had to leave my IM on away so my dad wouldn't try to chat all the time!

[ToKissTheCook]

This looks delicous...I'm a sucker for cake OR pie for breakfast. Bring on the healthy and wellness!

[Shannon (The Daily Balance)]

Just found your blog and I LOVE it! I am also a PR/advertising professional, so I feel ya ;)

Can't wait to read more ;)

[Cate]

My dad is friends with me on facebook, and sometimes I'm not totally sure how I feel about it. I still get really weirded out when my mom's church friends request me as a friend, but I'm sure I'll get over it. And in other news, this cake looks PERFECT for breakfast (or any time, really!)

[megan]

I can barely get my friends to understand Twitter so I say "Right On Mom!" She sent ya a good looking recipe with this cake too!

[Sarah Caron]

Cake for breakfast is a favorite of mine too. The are especially good when the air starts to get a little chilly ... The kids and I sometimes whip up a blueberry breakfast cake that is delish.

[Daryl]

And it was a good as it looks! And oh boy I look back on your college days and say "What was I thinking!" BUT you turned out pretty good in spite of me!

[elra]

Gosh, I wouldn't say no to have cake for breakfast. What a delicious idea.