Coffee and treats sweeten Sweet Auburn market

Cafe Campesino turns out fresh muffins, scones, cookies daily

By C.W. Cameron (For the AJC)

The popularity of a neighborhood coffee shop often has as much to do with its sweet treats as the quality of the coffee. Standing next to the pastry case while you’re waiting to order, it’s hard not to be tempted by something you see on display. How about a muffin with that cappuccino? A scone with your chai latte? A cupcake with your hot chocolate?…

(Cocoa Mocha Love Cakes are a vegan creation by Cafe Campesino owner Maria Moore-Riggs.)

(Hummingbird bran muffins, which play off hummingbird cake, are flavored with coconut, banana and pineapple.)

(Chai spice scones deliver spicy chai flavors in a baked treat.)

Cafe Campesino is one of the newest coffee shops in town, open since November at the Sweet Auburn Curb Market in downtown Atlanta. Owner Maria Moore-Riggs has a background in professional baking and massage therapy and a master’s degree in psychotherapy. She says running a coffee shop calls on all her professional skills because it’s all about building relationships and nurturing people.

One of the ways she nurtures her customers is by freshly baking scones, cookies, biscotti and more each day. She turns out a surprising number of treats from a 2-by-3-foot counter and a microwave-size convection oven in a tiny corner of the shop.

Cafe Campesino is a partnership with the Americus-based coffee roaster of the same name. The 100-percent organic and fair trade coffee comes from a green coffee importing cooperative. The folks in Americus roast coffee every day, and once a week Moore-Riggs gets a delivery of freshly roasted beans…

For the complete article from Access Atlanta, click here.

Maria’s original recipes for the delectable treats you see above can be found by clicking here, or by clicking “Continue Reading” below…

(Photo credit: Elissa Eubanks, eeubanks@ajc.com)

Hummingbird Bran Muffins

Hands on: 15 minutes Total time: 35 minutes Makes: 12 muffins

These moist muffins play off the theme of that Southern favorite, the hummingbird cake made with coconut, banana and pineapple.

1 medium ripe banana

3/4 cup crushed pineapple with juice

1/2 cup plain nonfat or low-fat yogurt

1/3 cup agave nectar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla or coconut extract

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted

1/2 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened

2 cups wheat-bran flakes

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line cups of a standard muffin tin with paper liners. Lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, mash banana to a smooth texture. Stir in pineapple, yogurt, agave nectar, eggs and extract and mix thoroughly. Add coconut oil and shredded coconut and stir until thoroughly combined.

In a large bowl, whisk together bran flakes, all-purpose flour, whole- wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pour banana mixture over dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until tops are golden brown and muffins spring back when touched. Remove to a rack to cool.

In a small bowl, stir together powdered sugar, vanilla extract and water. Using a pastry brush, lightly glaze the top of each muffin.

Adapted from a recipe by Cafe Campesino

Per muffin: 204 calories (percent of calories from fat, 35), 5 grams protein, 32 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams fiber, 9 grams fat (7 grams saturated), 36 milligrams cholesterol, 355 milligrams sodium.

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Cocoa Mocha Love Cakes

Hands on: 10 minutes Total time: 25 minutes Makes: 8 cakes

This vegan recipe makes an intensely chocolate treat that’s a cross between a cupcake and a brownie. Maria Moore-Riggs’ interesting take on classic chocolate ganache uses espresso instead of cream to make a shiny glaze for the cakes while staying away from dairy, and she tops each love cake with a tiny pink fondant heart. We tested this recipe with several kinds of chocolate chips, and grocery store staple Hershey’s worked best.

4 teaspoons espresso powder, divided

1/2 cup water, divided

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 cup agave nectar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour

1/2 cup cocoa

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 8 cups of a standard muffin tin with paper liners. Lightly coat with non-stick cooking spray.

In a small bowl, stir 2 teaspoons espresso powder into 1/4 cup water. Add oil, agave nectar and vanilla extract and stir until thoroughly combined.

In a medium bowl, mix together all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add in espresso mixture and 1/2 cup chocolate chips and stir until just combined. Divide mixture evenly among the 8 muffin cups. Smooth tops, if necessary. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until just done. Do not overbake. Remove cakes to a rack to cool.

In a 1-cup heatproof measuring cup, dissolve 2 teaspoons espresso powder with 1/4 cup water. Heat for 1 minute in microwave. Stir in chocolate chips and let sit for 1 minute, then stir to melt chocolate. If chips aren’t completely melted, microwave in 20-second bursts and stir until mixture is smooth. Dip tops of the cooled cakes into the glaze.

Adapted from a recipe by Cafe Campesino

Per cake: 359 calories (percent of calories from fat, 50), 4 grams protein, 45 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 21 grams fat (6 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 157 milligrams sodium.

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Chai Spice Scones

Hands on: 10 minutes Total time: 30 minutes Makes: 10 scones

Get your favorite spicy chai flavors in a baked treat. Don’t overwork the dough or you’ll end up with tough scones.

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream

1 egg

3 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, salt, cloves and cardamom. Cut butter into 1-inch pieces and use a pastry blender to cut into flour mixture until butter pieces are the size of small peas.

In a small bowl, beat 3/4 cup cream, egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Pour over flour-butter mixture and use a fork to combine. Add additional cream, if needed, to make the mixture hold together.

Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces, form into 3-inch rounds and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to a rack to cool.

In a small bowl, stir together powdered sugar, remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and water. Using a pastry brush, lightly glaze the top of each scone.

Adapted from a recipe by Cafe Campesino

Per scone: 279 calories (percent of calories from fat, 46), 4 grams protein, 34 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 14 grams fat (9 grams saturated), 64 milligrams cholesterol, 371 milligrams sodium.