When I was a kid, I wouldn’t eat coffee cake because I thought it was made from coffee… (what kid likes coffee?)

Kind of makes sense, doesn’t it?

Well, after 17 years as a journalist, five kids and too many late nights, you’ve got to believe I love coffee. And to drive home the point, here’s a recipe for coffee cake actually MADE with coffee.

And it is amazing.

The coffee and chocolate combo offers a delicious depth of flavor. I also used sour cream in this recipe, which makes for a rich, dense cake, perfect for holding the pecan and brown sugar swirl in the middle.

Even better… this is a totally gluten free recipe, made with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour. I also tested it using All-Purpose flour, so you’ll get the same perfect results with either type of flour.

One other thing… this recipe calls for a ½ cup of brewed coffee, so I used the Single-Serve side of my Hamilton Beach 2-Way FlexBrew® Coffeemaker. When I was ready to serve the cake, I brewed a large pot of coffee on the Carafe Side. My pals at Hamilton Beach sent me the FlexBrew® Coffeemaker to try out… it’s great being able to make a big old pot of coffee OR a just a cup!

So here’s my recipe for the Best Gluten Free Coffee Cake Ever… made with coffee. Funny how things sometimes come full circle.

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Homemade chocolate cake makes me swoon. Homemade chocolate cake with cherries… well, that’s a whole other rodeo.

Make this tempting Chocolate Cherry Cake in a Bundt pan so that when you cut into it at the table… voilà! Beautiful cherries will come spilling out. The cherry pie filling (please, don’t judge) keeps the cake moist.

Oh, and this cake has a secret ingredient: I used freshly brewed coffee to really punch-up the dark chocolate taste.

This is really an easy cake to pull together. Melting the chocolate is probably the most difficult part of this “dump” cake recipe.

So make this recipe tomorrow after you buy the ingredients today… and then saddle-up for the rodeo.

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If you’re obsessed with Cherry Pie Filling like me, you’ll love these recipes:

Cherry Pie Ice Cream 

Cherry Pie with Vodka Crust

Absolutely thrilled to learn that one of my (many) vices may actually be good for me… COFFEE!

Coffee has always gotten a bum rap because the caffeine in it is a stimulant, which doesn’t exactly go hand-in-hand with a healthy lifestyle. But according to the New England Journal of Medicine, coffee is rich in antioxidants and may actually decrease the likelihood of your dying early or developing Type 2 diabetes.

But what I’m REALLY excited about is that another study says coffee drinkers are less likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer’s disease later in life. This is comforting because as I’ve gotten older, I feel like I’m forgetting more and more.

Now, where was I…

Oh, yes… coffee. A few other findings:

• Helps you sleep better at night (if consumed earlier in the day)
• Lowers the risk of developing some forms of skin, oral and prostate cancers.
• Speeds recovery after colon surgery.

This is all great news because my good friends at Barnie’s CoffeeKitchen just sent me some samples of Pronto!, their new line of single serve, cold brewed liquid coffee concentrate made with 100% Arabica beans.

I’ve never really cared for instant coffee, but one little “brewstick” in 10 ounces of hot water changed my mind. This tastes like freshly brewed coffee, but with the plus of speed, portability and convenience.

Pronto! Is single origin, Fair Trade, Organic and Rainforest Alliance Certified and comes in seven flavors like French Roast, Hawaiian Hazelnut and Crème Brulée. It’s sold in a container of six sticks and can be found at Walmart or on Amazon.

Now… how about another cup of Java?

Finished your shopping?

Don’t stress… here are a few last-minute, under-$30 food-related items that, if you order today, are guaranteed to get there (and fit perfectly!) before Christmas.

Disclaimer: I’m going by the promises made on the company’s website… Mama doesn’t take responsibility for wayward packages!

Harry and David’s $29.95 “Merry Mix-Up” classic gift box first appeared in their catalog in 1962… and they offer free shipping if you order today.

Got a chocolate lover on the list? There are two ways you can go: upscale or family favorites. Fancy chocolate lovers will flip for the unusual offerings of Vosges Mix ‘n Match Exotic and Organic Mini Chocolate Bars for $12.50. For those who prefer the more familiar, you can get a Vintage Oval Tin filled with Hershey’s Chocolate Kisses for $21.95.

Argo Tea has a couple of great gift ideas for $19.95 that tea-sippers can take to the office (or enjoy anywhere). If its coffee drinkers you need a gift for, check out Green Mountain Coffee’s Bagged Coffee, Mug and Canvas tote for $16.92.

Want a more unusual gift? How about Goode and Company’s “Hall of Flame” BBQ Sauce gift set for $24.95? Or the Heirloom Bean Sampler from Rancho Gordo for $27.50.

Of course, you can always fall back on the classic Holiday Food Gift: a Fruitcake from Swiss Colony for $18.95. Enjoy!