instruction and inspiration for the home cook
Jump to Banana Pecan Mini Bundt Cake Recipe
How cute are mini bundt cakes?! These are no exception. Super cute and made with pretty good-for-you ingredients, so the indulgence is even sweeter.
Continue reading “Banana Pecan Mini Bundt Cakes (Gluten-Free)”
Jump to Double Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe
Ella and Hailey turned thirteen last weekend, so I took the opportunity to improve my double chocolate cupcake game. In the past, they’ve been good but not great, and they needed some thought and effort beyond just using my standard chocolate layer cake recipe. I’m happy to report, the slight tweaking of ingredients and the addition of the mini chocolate chips did the trick. Super chocolatey and moist (sorry, I know moist is a cringy word for some, but there is no better synonym – I looked), they passed the Ella test with ease.
Jump to Cocoa Buttercream Frosting Recipe
This recipe isn’t new, it’s in the post for Mom’s Chocolate Cake, but I think it deserves a page of its own. After reviewing several years of posts, I’ve decided to do some updating and refreshing. In the early years, I produced a lot of my favorite recipes, but the pictures are abysmal, and, in many instances, the ingredients lists need to be simplified. Also, as is the case here, there are frostings, sauces, dressings, etc. that I doubled up with other recipes that need to stand alone.
Rich toasted hazelnuts and the unique punch of cardamom make these cookies a perfect, not too sweet accompaniment to your morning coffee or afternoon tea. Continue reading “Hazelnut Cardamom Shortbread Cookies”
Jump to Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe
I love frosting. Don’t tell my husband or my dog but I kind of want it to be my Valentine. It shouldn’t be too fancy. I like a smooth European buttercream as much as the next person but give me a fluffy, sweet, powdered sugary American buttercream and I simply can’t stop eating it. It completes me. Continue reading “Peanut Butter Frosting”
Jump to Bourbon Pecan Pie Recipe
Hi. Apparently, I took the summer (and most of the fall) off. It wasn’t planned, I’m just letting life take me where it needs to these days. Yesterday it took me to this Bourbon Pecan Pie with Dark Chocolate, just in time for a Thanksgiving post. Continue reading “Bourbon Pecan Pie with Dark Chocolate”
Happy Sunday! I’m going to open with a smallish rant as I’m currently laid up with an injured knee which has most inconveniently interfered with my past week and threatens to put a quite a damper on my upcoming plans. Continue reading “Strawberry Pie Bars with Dark Chocolate”
I have to admit I never really understood the red velvet cake obsession. I mean, a touch of cocoa in the cake and red food coloring? Why ruin what could be a perfectly good chocolate cake? Continue reading “Red Velvet Cupcakes”
I really shouldn’t make these. Oh, but I do… I made them yesterday and I will have to make them again because they are almost gone now. Ella just reported there are four left then said, “You didn’t hear it from me, but I saw Hailey sneak one earlier.” (Pretty rich coming from the girl who routinely sneaks chocolate then leaves the wrappers on her bedroom floor.) Continue reading “Spritz Cookies”
A crostata (aka galette if you’re in France) is basically a free-form pie that is a little less sweet and a little heavier on crust, both features that suit my tastes well. It’s also easier than pie, literally, and I feel like it doubles as a breakfast pastry. (Okay, I feel like pie doubles as a breakfast pastry too but this really is less sweet.) You can use just about any kind of fruit; apples, berries, cherries, pears… I recently made a sweet/savory one with pluots and figs that I topped with blue cheese and pecans, big hit with the book club. This recipe showcases fresh peaches, in season now! Continue reading “Peach Crostata”