Easter Redbud Sour-Cream Coffee Cake with Western Redbud

I've been really sick lately.  As in 'the herbs aren't doing it, I need a Doc' sort of sick.  I was down and out (well, as much as a person that takes care of their mother could be) for 5 days.  Yesterday, I was finally feeling good enough to actually start chomping at the bit to get outside.

It's been beautiful here.  Well, in a drought stricken sort of way.  Blue skies, light breezes, bees and flowers every where and not a drop of rain.  I really needed to get out in it.  But I didn't want to over do anything and end up back in bed.  So I walked down past the orchard to get some Redbud blossoms.

Redbuds (Cercis occidentalis) are native here.  They are a member of the huge legume family and I often use the seed pods in place of snow peas in recipes.  And the flowers taste like a sweet pea.  I always hear them described as 'sugar-sweet', but I can't get behind that.

I don't do a lot with them besides pickle them for later use and this coffee cake.  But it's good and just in time for Easter brunch.

Sour Cream-Redbud Coffee Cake

Mix 2 cups Redbud blossoms, 1/2 cup sugar, zest from 2 lemons and let sit for 30 minutes.

In a separate bowl blend 1.5 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Then add this dry mix to the flowers and fold.

Mix 1 beaten egg with 1/2 cup cream, one cup of sour cream, 2 tablespoons oil, add to the flower mixture.

Fold in 2 tablespoons chopped, candied ginger.

Pour into a greased loaf pan.  Mix  1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle over the batter.

Bake at 375 for about 45 minutes (until the cake springs back when touched).

Cool slightly before removing from pan.

Got Bud?

We don’t have a lot of redbud here, but you sure can’t miss the few that we do have. Next to the flowering quince,(Chaenomeles speciosa, which is edible too), it’s the most spectacular thing in bloom right now.


Here in the west, we are blessed with the native species (Cercis occidentalis), while folks in the east get its fraternal twin C. canadensis. The beautiful deep pink color of the redbud flower comes from the presence of large amounts of anthocyanins, which are known to be beneficial antioxidants in humans. Green developing seeds contain proanthocyanides, and high concentrations of the fatty acids linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid, (There is evidence that α-linolenic acid is related to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and certain types of epilepsy.)

And luckily, they’re yummy to boot.

Here’s a recipe for redbud-herb muffins for next Sundays brunch.

Redbud-Herb Muffins

2 cups redbuds
2 tablespoons minced fresh sage or rosemary leaves
½ cup sugar or sweetener of your choice.
Minced zest of 1 lemon
1 ½ cups unbleached or all-purpose
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Topping:
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375°
In bowl #1, combine redbuds, herb, sugar, zest. Let sit 30 minutes.
In bowl #2 Sift flour, powder, baking soda, salt large bowl.
In bowl #3 Combine egg, yogurt, milk, oil, lemon juice.

Pour #1 into #2 and toss.
Add #3, stirring just dry ingredients are moistened. Do not over mix.
Fill your muffin tins 3/4 full.
Combine sugar cinnamon the topping sprinkle some each muffin Bake for 25 minutes, or until tops spring back when lightly touched.
Remove form muffin pan and cool on a wire rack.