For the last few months I’ve been baking with Vanilla Bean Paste. Oh. my. word. It has changed my world of baking. Vanilla Bean Paste is a cheaper and easier alternative to use when a recipe calls for whole vanilla beans, but I’ve been using it in my every day baking too. Cookies and cakes that call for vanilla extract get ramped up with flavor when you use vanilla bean paste. It’s amazing!
Lucky for you the kind people at Lorann Oils, Inc sent me THREE bottles of their Natural Madagascar Vanilla Bean Paste to give to three of my readers! Just leave a comment below to enter the giveaway. Giveaway ends Thursday, June 29th at 12:00pm MST. Winner will be announced Thursday evening!
I used my Madagascar Vanilla Bean paste just yesterday to make this Vanilla Bean Coffee Cake.
When you look closely, you can see the tiny specks of vanilla bean.
I could wake up to the smell of coffee cake every morning! This cake is thick, dense, and moist, but gives you a crisp, sweet crunch with the brown sugar and graham cracker crumble on top. Perfect for breakfast or dessert.
Vanilla Bean Coffee Cake
Cake:
1/3 cup of butter, soft
1 cup of sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp of vanilla bean paste
1 3/4 cups of flour
2 tsp of baking powder
1/4 tsp of salt
1 cup of milk
3 Tbs whipping cream
Topping:
3/4 cup of packed brown sugar
2 Tbs of flour
2 tsp of cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs***
1/4 cup of melted butter
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350.
Mix all of the topping ingredients together well and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs and vanilla bean paste, mix well. Add dry ingredients, mixing well on medium speed. Add milk and whipping cream, mixing on low until combined, and then mix on high for a few minutes.
Pour mixture into greased 9 X 9 in. cake pan. (My square cake pan recently shattered to pieces, so I used an 8″ round pie pan and it worked too). Sprinkle the topping evenly over the cake batter and bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes. You can also use muffin pans filling 3/4′s full.
***You can use pecans or walnuts here. I used crushed graham crackers because I wanted a little crunch to the cake but didn’t want to use nuts.
slightly adapted from Vanilla Bean Baker
Check out LorAnn Oils, Inc for other great gourmet flavors and baking supplies!
Oo, oo, I’d LOVE to win this and test it out! I don’t think I’ve actually ever seen vanilla bean paste? I know my boyfriend would thoroughly enjoy it.
P.S. your cake looks wonderful! I would definitely try that out using the paste!
Kristy..oh that Coffee Cake looks DIVINE!
And I bet the Vanilla Bean Paste “kicked” it into “Over Drive”!
I would love to try the Vanilla Bean Paste!
I can never seem to remember to order “beans” before I run out. Do you keep it in the Fridge after opening it?
Kristy..oh that Coffee Cake looks DIVINE!
And I bet the Vanilla Bean Paste “kicked” it into “Over Drive”!
I would love to try the Vanilla Bean Paste!
I can never seem to remember to order “beans” before I run out. Do you keep it in the Fridge after opening it?
The Vanilla Bean Paste sounds great to try.
I LOVE coffee cake!!! I have never found the “perfect” recipe though. I think this is worth a shot!!!! and vanilla bean paste, WOW! that would make life a little easier (and cheaper)
oh my gosh that cake looks amazing. i want it now. (i’m a dessert junky 🙂
never tried vanilla bean paste, but would love to.
Mmmm. I, too, love coffee cake, especially the tops. If coffee cake tops could be bought, I would buy them all 😛
The vanilla bean paste seems interesting and it would be fun to try. I didn’t think it was actually vanilla bean seeds, I thought…well I didn’t know what I thought it was. 😛
I’d LOVE to try that vanilla bean paste!! I’m sure it would be delicious in cookies!
I would love to wing and try this Vanilla Bean Paste! It sounds like it would be perfect in many of my desserts that I make.
I’m mildly obsessed with all things vanilla – but I have yet to use vanilla paste… I’d love to win!
I love coffee cake, and that one looks amazing! I would love to win a bottle of the vanilla bean paste!
mmmm looks sooo good! i have never see vanilla bean paste… looks awesome though and packed with flavor!
fingers crossed!
Yum, that looks fabulous and I love the vanilla flavor.
I would LOVE to win this vanilla bean paste. I love a good coffee cake.
I’ve never even heard of this, but I would love to try it!
It looks perfect! I’ve never baked with vanilla bean paste but heard it’s excellent! (email sarahepardee@gmail.com)
Oh wow! Real vanilla makes a receipe! Sign me up!!!
oh my word is right!!! I’m usually a vanilla extract girl, but would love branch out and try this paste!!! I imagine it would be outta this world!!
oh my word is right!! That coffee cake looks redonkulous!! I haven’t tried vanilla bean paste but would love to!!
I would just love to play in the kitchen with Vanilla Bean Paste! The Coffee Cake looks Yummy=)
Luvdaylilies at bellsouth dot net
That sounds delicious! I am fairly new to reading your blog and have fallen in love with the recipes and your style of baking. It is so fresh and new to what I am used to. You bet I want that vanilla paste and I wouldn’t let you down whenever I use it.
I would love to try this. My secret to get cookies is extra vanilla so this would really give them a kick.
That coffee cake looks amazing. I love vanilla flavor and scented anything!
I absolutely LOVE the specs of vanilla you can see from the paste!! Your coffee cake looks delish!
I love it when recipes are perfect for breakfast or desert. Sounds like my kind of breakfast. Oh and this paste sounds amazing! I often avoid recipes that use actual vanilla beans because they are so expensive so this sounds perfect!
I would love to try vanilla bean paste. That coffee cake looks like a great breakfast!
I heard about vanilla bean paste at the MN state fair last summer and have wanted to try it ever since! That coffee cake looks beautiful!
I’ve always wanted to try vanilla bean paste! I’d love to win this giveaway 🙂
zuminyourself@hotmail.com
Wow! That Coffee cake looks great!
~merstar
oooh oooh oooh! PICK ME! I would buy it, but I LIVE IN THE BOONIES and if it’s not buffalo meat, I’m sure my grocer doesn’t carry it! Cake looks AH-MAZE-ING….
Wow! This looks amazing! I’m hankering for some right now!
I’d love to try it when making ice cream…
blueblanket@hotmail.com
I wish I could be your neighbor so I could try all your goodies (and for other reasons, of course 🙂 That coffee cake looks scrumptious!
I’d love to try the vanilla bean paste!
I have ALWAYS wanted to try this!!
mmm! love coffee cake and would love to try vanilla bean paste!
Goodness me, i would have commented even without the wonderful giveaway, this looks so yummy and extremely moorish! Coffee cakes are so simple but delicious, i am yet to actually make one myself though so am bookmarking this recipe and will definitely use it if i do 🙂
Let’s try again – blogger wasn’t working – I would love to win.
jenhartin @ optonline dot net
I am known for putting way more vanilla extract in my recipes than it calls for because I love the flavor. So if this paste can amp up the flavor, I am all for it! I’d like to be eating a piece of your coffee cake right now for breakfast!
I love vanilla bean paste! It is so hard to find actual vanilla beans in my area that don’t cost an arm and a leg so I tend to use the paste! Your cake looks amazing. Can’t wait to give it a try.
I LOVE vanilla, and vanilla bean paste sounds awesome. And that coffee cake looks DIVINE – I would love a giant slice of it for breakfast right about now! 🙂
love vanilla bean paste! It’s a choice for it’s foral frangant and taste… yum!
Lovely coffee cake!
Happy baking!
LeeYong rolfmester@yahoo.com
Love vanilla paste, the cake looks great. I’m going to make it asap! Thanks!
Oh my, that looks so good! I want some with my morning coffee right now 🙂
Oh WOW… I would end up putting this in everything!! Thanks for the chance!
I would love to win this. This would be perfect to use in so many things. Thanks for a wonderful giveaway.
rrudnick@netnet.net
Oh my! My mouth is watering. Bring on the vanilla bean paste. Genius!
i’ve never heard of Vanilla Bean Paste! love to try!
kolpin4680 at gmail dot com
That coffee cake looks incredible!
I know a lot of folks who don’t eat eggs (they’re allergic, for health reasons, or concerns about animal cruelty). Here’s an awesome site that gives tips on cooking and baking without eggs: http://EggFreeLiving.com
I’ve never thought to put graham cracker crumbs on top, that looks great!
What a simple recipe! I have a divine vanilla cranberry coffee cake recipe. Vanilla bean paste could only make it better!
Looks wonderful! I would love to try some of that vanilla bean paste.
I may be a noobie baker in my kitchen but i know the difference between vanilla bean paste and vanilla beans.. And that is, no difference! I would absolutely enjoy every baking moment with this magadascan elixer.
The coffee cake is such a diet killer.. Smokin’!
That looks like the best coffee cake EVER. Oh my. This is going in the “Make ASAP” file.
I would love to try it. I’m pretty sure I’d make that exact coffee cake, too!
I would love to try this. PICK ME 🙂
Oh my goodness! This cake looks so delicious. I can’t wait to try it!
chellord@gmail.com
I love crumb cake like that. I usually make blueberry, but a simple vanilla sounds so good right now.
THis stuff looks amazing! I would love to give it a try…..
I love vanilla, I hope I win it would be so fun to try this!
Oh, I’m so glad you told me about this! I’ve never used vanilla beans (but would love to) because of the $$$.
That sounds AMAZING!! I want to win!!!! Have you ever tried the Coffee Cake at the Doh Doh? My favorite, but this might be right up there, i’m going to have to try! Thanks for sharing!
I would love to try vanilla bean paste! Vanilla beans are just too darn expensive!
catharine.ellie [at] gmail [dot] com
Sounds delicious! No surprise, all of your recipes do!
This would be great to have in the pantry!!
I would love some. It will be easier than scraping vanilla bean seeds. The cake looks amazing. -Tien
This is at the top of my must-bake list, and I so want ot win some vanilla bean paste!
What a beautiful cake and what a wonderful giveaway! I would LOVE to try vanilla paste in my baking!
karenreichmann@hotmail.com
WOW! Vanilla Bean Coffee Cake, YUM! Thank you and Lorann Oils, Inc. for giving me a chance to win.
Cindy
cindyskitchen@yahoo.com
I would LOVE to win this and try it!!! I just got a new kitchen aid 😉 need to make something!!!
This Coffee Cake looks AMAZING! Can’t wait to make ti!
I would love to try the vanilla bean paste!
yum! i can always use some more vanilla. 🙂
I would love to try this!
I think I’m going to make a coffee cake first thing in the morning 🙂
This looks amazing. I’m a huge fan of vanilla bean paste. It’s much easier than scooping out a vanilla bean.
I would so so love to win a bottle of this vanilla bean paste-I’m almost all out!
would love to try bean paste! coffee cake looks delicious, too 🙂
raj shah srs AT hotmail (dot) com
i looooooove vanilla and coffee cake! this looks sooo delicious
Yum yum!! That looks delicious! I hope I win so I can try it out!
mmmm! Sometimes I try to bake like you and I would love to try this out. p.s. missed you and owen tonight!
Oh, I love coffee cake. I can’t wait to try this!
This coffee cake looks delicious! I LOVE vanilla, I’ve never used a paste before, but would love to try it out 🙂
I would love this. I love to use vanilla beans and they are so hard to use and expensive. I love your blog!
I never used the Vanilla Bean Paste before but I would love to try it. The cake looks very tasty!
elena.cacahuete(at)gmail(dot)com
I got some vanilla years ago in Mexico and have not been able to get anything as good since. I would love to try this. That coffee cake looks amazing!
YUM! I am Abbey Zmoos’ sister and thought this was a great time to say hey! I love your blog and all your yummy food!
That cake looks delicious!
This looks delicious!! I can already think of what I’d make with that stuff if I win.
Thanks for the ideas!
I would live to win that vanilla bean paste! I have wanted to try it for while now. Pick me! Pick me! 🙂 Love your blog!
that cake looks AMAZING! i would love to try the vanilla bean paste, sounds like you’ve had a lot of success with it!!
I would LOVE this! I do a lot of baking, but frankly I just can’t afford vanilla beans 🙂
adrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com
The cake looks so yummy! Please count me in for the Vanilla Bean Paste!
bingomamanorma(at)gmail(dot)com
drooling over your cake photos! would love to try the vanilla bean paste!
I’d love to get the chance to try vanilla bean paste! I’ve heard it’s amazing from more than one person. My first attempt would be that yummy looking coffee cake that you shared 🙂
Yum! Between this and the cookies you just posted I definitely want to try out this paste!!
I’ve tried vanilla bean paste from Trader Joe’s. I wonder how the two bottles compare in flavor.
The cake looks yummy. I’d like to try some, too.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
That is a gorgeous coffee cake! I’ve never tried vanilla bean paste, but for some reason..I always wanted to eat it out of the jar (but learned my lesson when I chewed on a vanilla bean..needs sugar lol) Would love to win this! My giveaway would go well with vanilla bean paste!
I can’t wait to make this! I love using vanilla bean paste (so much easier than scraping pods!) I also have a fantastic vanilla bean pound cake that I use vanilla bean paste in. The smell of vanilla brings back memories of my Grandma who taught me to bake! <3