NESCAFE Memento + Cinnamon Apple Spice Cake Recipe

Momma Told Me: I want the coffeehouse without the coffeehouse price.

Momma was never one for fancy coffeehouse beverages; for the most part, she bought her morning cup of Black coffee from Starbucks on grocery shopping days. However, there was one weakness in her line of defense, a good, frothy, Cappuccino. Among the many single use gadgets that made their way through our household's kitchen, growing up, a Cappuccino machine was one of them, and a prized possession at that. This was back in the day, before 'single serve' wonder machines existed, to brew our every whim at the push of a button and pop of a pod. But even the marvelous single serve technology so many American households cling to is still on the expensive side. Paying per cup, or per pod, can still average near $2 a serving for specialty beverages such as a steaming cup of Cappuccino. So, when NESCAFE, trusted name in hot brewed beverages, announced the release of their new MEMENTO range of Cappuccino pouch products I was tickled.

Right away the concept reminded me of a similar product the brand had released in my childhood, Cappuccino powders in resealable tins (think Cocoa Powder container). I'd spoon those out every morning during the summer and slowly sip away the foamy head, leaving a frothy mustache full of giggles. Nescafe Memento offers all of the flavor of your favorite coffeehouse beverage in 3 traditional varieties, Caramel Latte, Mocha, and Cappuccino. Each box contains 8 single serve packets to be blended with 8oz of steaming water; though I've found that one pouch efficiently serves 2 people in a traditional Cappuccino cup. Of the 3, a choco-holic myself, the Mocha is the sweetest, while the Cappuccino has a low sugar content, and the Caramel Lattee seems to offer the smoothest, and tallest foam. The Caramel Latte also builds beautifully with my favorite Vanilla Soy Milk, for a little additional texture that adds a smooth  drink rarely found in powder based beverages.

Skepticism is natural anytime someone proclaims that a beloved 'specialty' food or beverage is about to be presented with extreme convenience. After all, if they can make something so genuine and indulgent come from a packet, why are so many going to the big brand coffeehouses to pay 6-9x as much? Just one packet of NESCAFE MEMENTO averages $.70 per serving at the suggested retail price, and can be found in the instant coffee aisle of your local Kroger chain. And the freedom to build your beverage at home allows for limitless control of calories, sweeteners, and added syrups or 'extras,' that truly help bring the custom coffee house experience home. One thing I have noticed when sampling the MEMENTO range is that the instructions specify to add hot water to the mix; the order of this step is crucial in creating a genuine head and avoiding that messy powder cloud sometimes found when stirring light powders with liquid. While I didn't achieve a photo worthy head such as the brand's images seem to convey, using the entire packet will yield a much bigger froth than splitting it, as I tend to do for portion control. Now if I could only find authentic coffee house cups, I'd be in business! NESCAFE MEMENTO truly helps my escape without all of the fuss, or cost, of a trip to the coffee house!

What Daughter Says: Indulge with NESCAFE MEMENTO packets and my recipe for Cinnamon Apple Spice Cake!

Cinnamon Apple Spice Cake

Ingredients:

* 3C All Purpose Flour

* 1 1/2 C Granulated Sugar

* 1 1/2 TSP Baking Soda

* 1 1/2 TSP Ground Cinnamon

* 1/4 TSP Ground Nutmeg

* 1 C Chopped Nuts (Pecans and Walnuts Preferred)

* 1/2 C Golden Raisins, or Dried Currants

* 1 1/2 C Oil

* 3 Large Eggs, Beaten

* 1 TSP Vanilla Extract

* 3 C Chopped Apples, Cored and Peeled

* 4 TBS Lemon Juice

Directions:

Preheat Oven to 350F

1.) Combine Dry Ingredients in Large Bowl and set aside.

2.) Prepare Baking or Bundt Pan with cooking spray and set aside.

3.) Toss Appled with Lemon Juice to prevent darkening.

4.) Make a well in the center of mixed dry ingredients and add extract, oil and eggs. Stir until well combined.

5.) Fold in the apples until well combined. 

6.) Pour the batter into prepared pan and bake at 350F for 1 Hour and 10 Mins, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool and top with a light glaze or icing. Serve warm alongside your favorite coffee beverage.

As Required by the FTC: I received MEMENTO samples as part of a campaign for BzzAgent, with NESCAFE. Regardless all content is original, and all opinions are mine alone.