The Baking of a Tradition

Our Family Christmas Morning
Cinnamon  Coffee Cake

Spray your baking pan well with non stick cooking spray before pouring in the batter

A sprinkling of powdered sugar right before serving gives the look of snow on the trees

Years ago when I married my husband and we began to celebrate both our families holiday traditions, my mother in law served a cinnamon breakfast cake before we would open our gifts. Years later my husband and I began hosting Christmas morning in our home and the traditional Christmas morning cake is still being baked every year. Over the years, I have transitioned into baking it in a Christmas tree pan I bought from Wilton. It can also be baked in a 13" x 9" pan and cut and served in squares. I remember the year this cake didn't come out of the pan as easily as I had hoped.  My solution was to cut into small pieces and serve in small glasses sprinkled with powdered sugar. Tasted great and I pretended I had it planned that way all along! I have modified it the past several years and now use a gluten free yellow cake mix as my base so it can be enjoyed by family members on a gluten free diet.  No one else in the family is onto this because it tastes as delicious as ever. This recipe is filled with cinnamon, sugar, sour cream and baked with a lot of love. I can feel the love of my wonderful mother in law each time I bake her recipe and know she is smiling! I love that I have my original hand written recipe that is kept in my spiral bound holiday recipe book . It makes me happy when I bring the book out in mid November to begin making my shopping list for ingredients so I can plan baking day with my girls. This cake is great all year long with hot chocolate or coffee. My recipe is shown above and I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.  

May you and your family and friends have a safe and Blessed holiday as we gather together.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HEALTHY NEW YEAR

Holiday Traditions

~Traditions~

December has arrived and suddenly we are busy writing holiday cards, decorating our trees, putting lights on our houses, and baking goodies. It is important to remember those who have played an important role in our lives, past and present. Holiday traditions provide comfort and meaning to families and individuals.    

Here are a few of our favorite traditions I'd like to share with you . 

Passing down the family recipes...this is the Christmas cake my mom in law always made when hosting, and now I make and serve every Christmas morning.  *Can be made gluten free if you substitute gluten free cake mix.

Attending the town tree lighting and singing Christmas songs.

The traditional family Christmas morning cinnamon coffee cake.  I bought this baking pan from wilton so my cake is shaped like trees.  Sprinkle powdered sugar on top for a snowy look.

St. Nicholas Day (Stocking Day)

grandgeneva in Lake Geneva sets up Christmas in the Country attracting visitors far and near for years.

The annual visit to take pictures in front of the house in the movie Home Alone with brunch after.
It's one of my favorite times of the year with my daughter Kaitlyn Kait-Lately

We like to visit the local zoo's Festival of Lights with our entire family.  From the time I was younger and our children were young to the present time, we have always loved taking drives in the evening to admire decorated homes for the holidays.

What are your family traditions? 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and yours

Traditions are important this time of year. I bake the same Christmas coffee cake for our family Christmas morning breakfast that my mother in law baked for years, and I will pass the recipe on down to my family. On Christmas day morning, we sit down to brunch, say grace and count our blessings together before we indulge in our holiday morning meal.   

 Even in the absence of our loved ones we have lost over the years, we have each other to lean on and it helps us through.  Do you have traditions you look forward to each year?

Merry Christmas  and Happy Holidays!  I appreciate you taking the time to share my passion of hosting family and friends by reading my blog. Take time to connect with friends and neighbors safely distanced.  The New Year will be full of promise and positivity.

Gift of Christmas

What do you remember about the holidays when you were younger? Was it expensive gifts and extravagant meals?  Or was it spending time with the ones you love?  More and more each year, I realize it's the experiences leading up to the holiday that I will remember. I remember driving with my family in the evening looking at houses decorated with a cup of hot chocolate in hand. Each year we attended Christmas morning mass, then rush home to open our gifts before going to my Grandma and Grandpa's for our Christmas meal and to share my Grandma's birthday who was born on Christmas. My Dad taking each of his children (5 of us) on our own to buy Mom her Christmas gift from us.  One year I still remember he let me pick out bath oil beads for Mom at Walgreen's and at the time, our store had a small restaurant in it with red leather booths.  My Dad and I each had a hot chocolate topped with whipped cream. 

 My favorite ornament on our Christmas tree growing up was the church pictured above, though it used to have a small dome over it.  Each year after my husband and I were married, my Mom would show me where my favorite church was on she and Dad's tree.  My Mom passed away nearly 10 years ago, and my Dad still has all of his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren to celebrate Christmas.  My husband and I now have my favorite little church on our tree where I pack it away safely each year until the next Christmas.  It warms my heart seeing it and fills me with memories of Christmas's past.  

We have a beautiful artificial tree now, but growing up until nearly 10 years ago, we enjoyed the ritual of finding the most perfect Christmas tree.  I consider my memories a true gift and remember them more vividly than anything else.  Spending time with your family and friends and visiting those who have lost a loved one or spending the holidays alone will be the true gifts of Christmas.