Mango Kuchen- a German Breakfast Cake

If you're like me, you probably have one or two sets of dishes that you got for a wedding present, or picked up along the way for... you know, those special occasions.

But then, when it came around to those special occasions, you were either too worried they'd get chipped, or just too lazy to use them.  Opting for your dishwasher-safe dishes over the thought of hand washing a stack of the good china.  So, they sat.  And got dusty.  And sat some more.  Until almost fifteen years later, you wondered where the time went... and if those dishes were even your style, anymore.

It's time to dust off your dishes. And not only bring out those special occasion dishes, but also experiment with new and fun dishes, even if it's just dinner plates for two. Stores like World Market, Pier 1, TJ Maxx and Marshalls, often have great quality dishes for less- especially if you check the markdown section. And what better way to show off your culinary works of art then by plating them on… anything but a plain, old, boring white dish.

So, this week, as I looked down the sale list, I knew just the right breakfast treat for just the right dish. A treat that came from my Bed and Breakfast days, using ingredients that are probably already in your pantry and fridge, and named after the German word for cake. And in this case I switched out the traditional peaches for mangoes- since they were on sale.

Simple to make. Beautiful to look at. And at just 33 cents a serving, boy does this kuchen take the cake. Even without a pretty plate.

Mango Breakfast Kuchen

1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. + 1-1/2 Tblsp. sugar, divided
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 mango, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a springform pan (you can also use a 9x9 glass baking dish) with non stick spray and set aside. In a bowl, add the butter, 1/4 cup sugar, vanilla, egg, flour, baking powder and salt. Cut together with a pastry cutter or a fork. Then stir gently to combine.

Pour into the greased pan, spreading to the sides with your fingers (I dampen them a bit with cold water to help the batter not to stick). Arrange the sliced mango over the batter. Then mix together the remaining 1-1/2 Tblsp. sugar and ½ tsp. cinnamon. Sprinkle on top of all.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned and the center is set.

Serves 6

.33 cents per serving
*Note: all costs are approximate due to regional sale prices, amounts needed just for this specific recipe, and ingredients on hand. This recipe was created to utilize sale ingredients listed for the current week in Raleigh, NC stores.