Hemp Week Recipe: Michele's Lemon Ginger Hemp Coffee Cake

Did you know that the first full week of June is Hemp History Week? We think there's a lot to celebrate:

• Hemp hearts are a nutritional powerhouse with heart-healthy essential fatty acids, fiber and protein
• Hemp is an environmentally sustainable solution for literally thousands of products, from plastics and paper, to building materials
• Hemp is delicious! Hemp hearts are a key ingredient in our uniquely delicious, industry-award winning Ginger Hemp granola.

Our Ginger Hemp Granola--loaded with nutrient-rich hemp, sunflower, flax, pumpkin and sesame seeds--makes a perfect snack right out of the bag or in your cereal bowl, but Michele baked it into a fantastic coffee cake with a punch of extra ginger and lemon. Let us know if you give this recipe a whirl:

Michele's Lemon Ginger Hemp Coffee Cake

¼ c. unsalted butter [make it vegan by using Earth Balance buttery sticks]
⅓ c. milk or non-dairy milk of choice
1 T ground coffee
2 T finely grated ginger root
2 large eggs [make it vegan with a Neat Foods egg]
1 c. white sugar*
½ c. sunflower oil
⅓ c. Michele’s Ginger Hemp Granola
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
¼ t. salt
½ c. unsalted butter [make it vegan with Earth Balance sticks]
8 oz. cream cheese [make it vegan with Kite Hill]
zest of 1 lemon
2 t. lemon juice
¾ c. confectioner’s sugar*
¼ c. Michele’s Ginger Hemp Granola

Grease an 8” square baking dish and pre-heat the oven to 350F.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In a small saucepan, melt ¼ c. butter over low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the milk, coffee and ginger. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until foamy, then beat in the coffee mix and oil.
Stir in ⅓ c. granola, then gently fold in the sifted flour mixture.
Spread batter in pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
For the icing, beat ½ c. butter until smooth, then beat in the cream cheese, zest and juice, followed by the confectioner’s sugar.
Spread icing on cooled cake and sprinkle with ¼ c. granola.

* Make sure your sugar is certified vegan if that’s a concern for you and your guests.