Course: Dessert

Blueberry Carrot Cake

Blueberry Carrot Cake

Spring is here and it’s the season to eat carrot cake! Many people have strong opinions about which add-ins are best to use in carrot cake. Some popular ones, besides the carrots themselves, include nuts, pineapple, raisins, and even coconut. My Blueberry Carrot Cake came about when I was thinking about making a breakfast carrot cake. I replaced the typical add-ins with blueberries and the results were so delicious. I originally made this cake with a maple-butter glaze which was perfect for a breakfast cake. For Easter brunch, I opted to dress up the cake with Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting, fresh blueberries and lilacs. This combination is magical.

Print Recipe
 Blueberry Carrot Cake
Moist, subtly spiced carrot cake studded with blueberries and topped with blueberry cream cheese icing
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword blueberry, cake, carrot
Servings
Ingredients
Blueberry Carrot Cake
Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword blueberry, cake, carrot
Servings
Ingredients
Blueberry Carrot Cake
Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Instructions
Blueberry Carrot Cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger and nutmeg until well combined.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar and oil together until well combined. Beat in the eggs and vanilla, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until smooth and well incorporated. Stir in the carrots. Add the flour mixture and stir just until combined.
  4. In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with 1 teaspoon of flour. Fold the blueberries into the batter. Transfer the batter to the cake pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 37-43 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a cooling rack.
Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting
  1. Smash the blueberries with a fork and press through a sieve into a small bowl.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, stir the cream cheese with a spatula until smooth. Add the butter and beat, with an electric mixer on low speed, until smooth.
  3. Gradually mix in the powdered sugar. Add the vanilla, salt and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the smashed blueberries and beat until smooth. Add milk, if needed, until your desired consistency is reached. Stir with a spatula to smooth out any bubbles.
Recipe Notes

To use fresh blueberries for the frosting, place the blueberries in a small saucepan with a teaspoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice or water. Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar is dissolved and the blueberries start to soften. Smash the blueberries with a potato masher. Press this mixture through a sieve into a small bowl and let cool to room temperature.

Orange Vanilla Bean Loaf Cake

Orange Vanilla Bean Loaf Cake

If you search loaf cakes on the internet, you’ll find an abundance of “copycat” recipes. For some reason, everyone is trying to copy a loaf cake from a popular coffee shop. Maybe it’s just me, but I’m not a fan of the rubbery neon slice. I’d rather have a slice of soft, fluffy cake with a burst of fresh citrus flavor and buttery frosting. If that sounds good to you too, you’ll love this recipe. I used the reverse creaming method to make this cake, which produces a soft, velvety crumb. Brushing the cake with orange simple syrup keeps it moist and flavorful. This recipe is for an orange-vanilla bean cake but it can also be made into a lemon version. See the notes below.

Print Recipe
 Orange Vanilla Bean Loaf Cake
Soft, fluffy vanilla bean and orange scented loaf cake topped with silky vanilla cream cheese frosting by Brownie Mischief
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Keyword cake, orange
Servings
Ingredients
Orange Simple Syrup
Orange Vanilla Bean Loaf Cake
Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Keyword cake, orange
Servings
Ingredients
Orange Simple Syrup
Orange Vanilla Bean Loaf Cake
Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting
Instructions
Orange Simple Syrup
  1. Combine the orange juice, lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.
Orange Vanilla Bean Loaf Cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until well combined.
  3. In a large bowl, mix the sugar and orange zest, with an electric mixer or by hand, until incorporated. Add the flour mixture and beat until well combined. On low speed, beat in the butter until the mixture looks like sand.
  4. In a separate medium-size bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla bean paste and orange extract together until smooth and well combined. On low speed, gradually beat this mixture into the sugar mixture until incorporated. Beat at medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Do not over mix.
  5. Transfer the batter to the loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes. Do not over bake. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a cooling rack. Brush the warm cake all over with orange simple syrup. Let the cake cool completely, then frost with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting.
Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting
  1. In a medium-size bowl, stir the cream cheese with a spatula until smooth. Add the butter and beat, with an electric mixer on low speed, until smooth.
  2. Gradually mix in the powdered sugar. Add the vanilla, salt and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of milk and beat until smooth. Add additional milk, if needed, until your desired consistency is reached. Stir with a spatula to smooth out any bubbles.
Recipe Notes

To find an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan, click here

To make a lemon version of this cake, replace the orange zest with lemon zest. Replace the vanilla bean paste with 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and replace the orange extract with 1 teaspoon of pure lemon extract. For the simple syrup, replace the orange juice with lemon juice.

Bakery Style Marble Confetti Cookies

Bakery Style Marble Confetti Cookies

I think of April as one of the most festive months; spring flowers begin to bloom, we celebrate Easter and it’s also my birthday month. It’s a good time to make my big Bakery Style Marble Confetti Cookies. They have the perfect texture with soft, centers and crisp edges. The pretty pink cookie dough and the rainbow sprinkles make them so cheery and fun. They’re ideal for birthday parties and spring celebrations.

My method of adding in extra sprinkles gives the tops of the cookies extra sprinkles without hiding the pretty pink marbling. You can change up the colors of the dough to match your event. You can also add mix-ins, such as white chocolate chips, Easter candy or spring-themed sprinkles if you like. The possibilities are endless.

Print Recipe
 Bakery Style Marble Confetti Cookies
Large marbled bakery style cookies with rainbow sprinkles by Brownie Mischief
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword birthday cake, confetti, cookies
Servings
large cookies
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword birthday cake, confetti, cookies
Servings
large cookies
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder and baking soda until well-combined.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and egg yolk in 2 separate additions until well incorporated. Beat in the extracts. On low speed, beat in the flour mixture, just until combined.
  4. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions, using a kitchen scale for accuracy. Place the dough into 2 separate bowls. Mix the food coloring into one of the dough portions, a little at a time until your desired shade is achieved.
  5. Place 3 tablespoons of sprinkles into a small, shallow bowl and set aside. Divide the remaining sprinkles in half. Mix each half of the sprinkles into the 2 separate dough colors.
  6. Divide each color of dough into 16 portions, approximately 1 tablespoon each. Roll them into balls. Dip each dough ball into the reserved bowl of sprinkles, pressing gently to adhere the sprinkles to the bottoms of the dough balls.
  7. Take 2 balls of each color of dough (4 total) and arrange them in a checkerboard pattern, sprinkle side up. Roll them together to form a large ball. Repeat this process to make 8 large dough balls. Form the dough balls into cylinder shapes and place them sprinkle side up onto the cookie sheet, about 3 inches apart. You may need to bake them in 2 batches.
  8. Bake until the cookies are slightly puffed and the tops are set, about 10-12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack.
Recipe Notes

To find the pink food coloring I used, click here.  

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel

Banana bread is typically everyone’s go-to when we have overripe bananas on our countertops. There’s something so wholesome and comforting about a slice of homemade banana bread. This Banana Cake recipe gives you all of those heart-warming feelings, but it’s a little more flavorful, rich and satisfying. The cake is moist, soft and fluffy. The silky Cream Cheese Frosting pairs beautifully with the spices in the cake. A swirl of salted caramel adds the perfect, decadently delicious finishing touch.

Print Recipe
 Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel
Moist, flavorful banana sheet cake topped with silky cream cheese icing and salted caramel sauce by Brownie Mischief
Course Dessert
Keyword banana, cake
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Banana Cake
Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel
Course Dessert
Keyword banana, cake
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Banana Cake
Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel
Instructions
Banana Cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch square cake pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg until well combined.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the butter, with an electric mixer on medium speed, until light and creamy, Add the brown sugar and oil. Continue beating until creamy and well incorporated, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract in 3 separate additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the mashed bananas. Add the flour mixture in two additions, followed by half of the sour cream after each addition. Mix just until combined.
  4. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and place it on a cooling rack.
Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel
  1. In a medium-size bowl, stir the cream cheese with a spatula until smooth. Beat in the butter, with an electric mixer on low speed, until smooth and well combined.
  2. Beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla, salt and heavy cream, on medium speed, until smooth and well combined. Stir slowly with a spatula to smooth the frosting and remove bubbles.
  3. Spread the cream cheese frosting on the cooled cake. Drizzle with a couple of tablespoons of salted caramel sauce and swirl it into the frosting with a spoon, adding more if desired.
Recipe Notes

*For my homemade caramel sauce recipe, click here.

For my easy caramel sauce recipe, click here.

To find premade salted caramel sauce, click here.

Blackberry Dark Chocolate Blondies

Blackberry Dark Chocolate Blondies

This past January and February were rough months. I insist that March will be much better. I’m starting this month off on a strong positive note by sharing my incredible, Blackberry Dark Chocolate Blondie recipe with you. This is one of the most uniquely delicious, perfectly balanced blondie recipes I’ve ever tasted. These rich, golden blondies are made with brown butter which makes the best blondies. The extra step of browning the butter is so worth it! And, rather than tossing a few blackberries into the batter, a quick homemade blackberry jam intensifies and elevates the blackberry flavor to another level. The fresh blackberry jam swirls together in the oven with pools of melted dark chocolate, creating a wildly delicious flavor experience.

Print Recipe
 Blackberry Dark Chocolate Blondies
Rich golden blondies made with brown butter, swirled with a quick homemade blackberry jam and pools of melted dark chocolate by Brownie Mischief
Course Dessert
Keyword bars, blackberry, blondies
Servings
blondies
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Keyword bars, blackberry, blondies
Servings
blondies
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Set aside 3/4 cup (100g) of blackberries. Combine the remaining 1 cup (140g) of blackberries with the granulated sugar, lemon juice and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute. Turn the heat down to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the blackberries soften and break down, about 6-8 minutes. Smash the blackberries with the back of a spoon as they cook. Pass the blackberries through a sieve or a food mill to remove the seeds. Stir in the reserved blackberries and set aside to cool to room temperature.
  2. In a medium-size light-colored saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and cook until it's deep golden and fragrant. When brown specks start to appear, remove it from the heat and immediately transfer the butter with the brown specks to a large bowl. Set aside.
  3. Preheat the oven to 325ºF. (165ºC). Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a couple of inches of overhang.
  4. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder until well combined.
  5. Add the brown sugar to the browned butter. Whisk until smooth. Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and well combined. Stir in the flour mixture just until combined.
  6. Set aside a few of the larger chocolate pieces for the top of the blondies. Stir the remaining chocolate pieces into the batter. Spread half of the batter into the baking pan. Spoon generous 2 tablespoon-size portions of batter into the pan, distributing them all over the surface. Spoon the blackberry mixture in between the batter portions. Top with the reserved chocolate pieces.
  7. Bake until the top of the batter is set and light golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the bars comes out with a few moist crumbs on it, about 25-30 minutes.
Recipe Notes

Feel free to use frozen blackberries if fresh blackberries are unavailable.

Sunshine Picnic Cake

Out here in Southern California we have picnic weather in the middle of winter. Even if you don’t have picnic weather yet, you might be craving something deliciously bright, like this Sunshine Picnic Cake made with fresh orange juice and orange zest. The soft, moist cake is topped with a subtly tart citrus icing. It’s perfect for a spring or summer picnic, a tea party, weekend brunch or even an anytime snack. This recipe is so versatile that you can easily switch it up to make it a lemon cake if you wish.*

Print Recipe
 Sunshine Picnic Cake
Soft, plush, moist orange scented cake with citrus icing
Course Brunch, Dessert
Keyword cake, orange
Servings
Ingredients
Cake
Icing
Course Brunch, Dessert
Keyword cake, orange
Servings
Ingredients
Cake
Icing
Instructions
Cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the sugar, orange zest, and oil, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until smooth and well combined. Add the orange juice and the extracts and beat until combined. With the mixer on low speed or by hand, beat in the flour mixture in two additions followed by half of the sour cream after each addition. Mix just until smooth and combined.
  4. Transfer the batter to the baking pan. Bake until the top looks golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Do not over bake. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and transfer it to a cooling rack. Alternately, if you want to transport the cake in the pan, you can let it cool in the pan.
Icing
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, butter, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon (15ml) of orange juice and the salt until well combined. Add additional orange juice as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Whisk until smooth. Spread the icing on the cooled cake, letting it drip down the sides.
Recipe Notes

*To make a lemon version of this cake, replace the orange juice with lemon juice. Replace the orange zest with the lemon zest of two medium lemons. Replace the orange extract with pure lemon extract. Reduce the vanilla extract to 1/2 teaspoon.

**To find pure orange extract, click here.

Chocolate Hedgehog Cookies

Chocolate Hedgehog Cookies

Hedgehogs are such charming creatures that I just had to make a cookie in their honor. They come out of hibernation in early spring so it’s the perfect time to share these cookies as we anticipate spring’s arrival. These delightful cookies are made of a chocolate cookie dough which is similar in texture to shortbread. It makes a delicious base for the white chocolate filling. Chocolate sprinkles make perfect hedgehog “fur’ and dabs of white chocolate make cute snouts and paws. The finished cookies are 2 1/2 inches wide which makes them a bit easier to decorate, but you can make them smaller if you wish. Baking times will be shorter for smaller cookies.

Print Recipe
 Chocolate Hedgehog Cookies
Chocolate thumbprint-style hedgehog cookies with chocolate sprinkles and white chocolate filling by Brownie Mischief
Course Dessert
Keyword chocolate, cookies
Servings
cookies
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Keyword chocolate, cookies
Servings
cookies
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt until well combined.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar together, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks one at time until incorporated, followed by the vanilla extract. Gradually beat in the flour mixture just until the dough comes together. The dough will seem crumbly at first, but it will come together.
  4. Divide the dough into 16 equal portions and roll them into balls. It's helpful to use a kitchen scale for accuracy. The balls should be about 1 1/2-inches (3.8cm) wide. Place the dough balls about 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Using your thumb, press an oval indentation into the center of each dough ball. Brush the perimeter of the cookies with egg white.
  5. Place the sprinkles in a small bowl. Dip the tops of the cookies into the sprinkles, pressing gently to adhere the sprinkles to the egg white. Bake until the cookies are set and slightly puffed, about 9-11 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 1-2 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack.
  6. Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave for short bursts. Transfer the melted white chocolate to a piping bag. Pipe the white chocolate into the indentations of the cooled cookies. Swirl each cookie gently to settle and smooth out the melted white chocolate. When the white chocolate centers have set up, reheat the remaining white chocolate. For the hedgehog paws, pipe 4 small blobs on each cookie. For the snouts, pipe a blob on each one. Use a toothpick dipped in black food coloring for the eyes and noses.**
Recipe Notes

*To find chocolate sprinkles, click here.

**For the eyes and noses, it's helpful to snip the pointed tip off of the toothpick to create a blunt end.

For all baking recipes, I recommend using a kitchen scale for the best results. To find one, click here.    

Little Chocolate Donuts

Little Chocolate Donuts with pink icing

Little chocolate donuts are a fun, nostalgic treat from my childhood. I’m talking about the ones at the local market that come in a plastic sleeve. I remember sharing the waxy little donuts with a friend, and at the time we thought they were delicious. Now that I’m an adult, I realize that homemade ones taste soo much better and they’re surprisingly quick and easy to make. They’re delicious with either naturally pink strawberry icing or chocolate glaze. I shared the recipe for both options below.

For Valentine’s Day, I used a heart-shaped mini donut pan for the donuts shown in the photo, but a standard round mini donut pan works too. A sprinkle of pink sparkling sugar makes them extra special, especially for Galentine’s Day.

Print Recipe
 Little Chocolate Donuts
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Keyword chocolate, donuts
Servings
mini donuts
Ingredients
Little Chocolate Donuts
Pink Strawberry Icing
Chocolate Glaze
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Keyword chocolate, donuts
Servings
mini donuts
Ingredients
Little Chocolate Donuts
Pink Strawberry Icing
Chocolate Glaze
Instructions
Little Chocolate Donuts
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Spray a mini donut pan with nonstick spray. (I used a heart-shaped mini donut pan** but a standard round mini donut pan***works too.)
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda until well combined.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, oil, egg, buttermilk and vanilla until smooth. Add the flour mixture and stir just until combined.
  4. Transfer the batter to the donut pan, using a piping bag or a plastic food storage bag with the corner cut off. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers of the donuts comes out clean, about 6-8 minutes. Do not over bake or the donuts will dry out. Transfer the donuts to a cooling rack. Clean the pan and repeat with the remaining batter.
Strawberry Icing
  1. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, pureéd strawberries, melted butter, salt and 1 tablespoon (15ml) of milk until well combined. Add additional milk as needed to reach your desired consistency. Whisk until smooth. Dunk the top surface of the cooled donuts into the icing.
Chocolate Glaze
  1. In a heat safe bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, melt the butter, chocolate and corn syrup together, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly. Dunk the top surface of the cooled donuts into the glaze or spoon it over the tops.
Recipe Notes

*To find pink sparkling sugar, click here.

**To find the heart-shaped mini donut pan I used, click here.

***To find a standard mini donut pan, click here.

 

I Love You Beary Much Cookies

"I Love You Beary Much" sugar cookies shaped like bears with bear cubs

Have you seen those cute Teddy bear cookies on social media with the bear holding an almond or a heart? I’m not sure where they originated but they’re sometimes called Pinterest cookies because so many people have found them there. I had an idea to have the Teddy bears hold baby bear cookies instead of nuts and I was going to save them for Mother’s Day. But then I thought they would also be so cute for Valentine’s Day. I made them in three different flavors to represent our beautiful human diversity.

Print Recipe
 I Love You Beary Much Cookies
Teddy bear cookies with baby bear cookies in vanilla, cinnamon and chocolate variations
Course Dessert
Keyword cookies, sugar
Servings
cookies
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Keyword cookies, sugar
Servings
cookies
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese together, with an electric mixer on low speed, until smooth. Add both sugars and the salt and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg until well combined then beat in the extracts. On low speed, beat in the flour just until combined.
  2. Divide the dough into 3 equal portions, using a kitchen scale for accuracy. Mix the cinnamon into one portion of dough. Mix the cocoa powder into another portion of dough. Form the dough portions into disks, wrap them with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
  3. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Roll the dough to a scant 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out 24 bears using a 3 1/2-inch cookie cutter* and 24 mini bears using a 1 3/4-inch or smaller cookie cutter.** (Re-roll the dough scraps as needed, letting the dough rest in the refrigerator until chilled before cutting again.) Place the bears onto the cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Top each one with a mini bear. Fold over one or both arms of each bear. Chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 20 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Bake the cookies until set and the edges barely start to brown, about 9-11 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes then transfer them to a cooling rack.
  5. Using food coloring and a toothpick, draw the bears faces. With a small food safe paintbrush apply luster dust to make rosy cheeks. Use a dab of icing or melted chocolate to apply the candy hearts.
Recipe Notes

*To find the bear cookie cutter I used, click here.

**To find mini bear cookie cutters click here.

Totoro Inspired Blueberry Tarts

Totoro Inspired Blueberry Tarts

If you’re a fan of the movie, My Neighbor Totoro, you’ll love these cute little tarts with bellies full of blueberry filling. I watched this movie multiple times over my break from Christmas to New Year’s Day. 2024 was such a roller coaster, that I needed something that brings happiness and comfort. I hope these yummy little cuties will bring you happiness too!

I shared my flaky pie crust recipe below along with the filling. If you want to streamline the process, you can certainly use store bought pie crust. But I must say that that I’ve made them both ways and the homemade crust tastes so much better! You can use a 4 1/2-inch Totoro cookie cutter* to make the pies or you can use the free printable pattern** I provided below. For best results, make sure your dough is nice and cold when cutting it out. You can also use any leftover pie scraps to make tiny Chibi Totoros if you like. Brush them with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for a few minutes until light golden brown.

Print Recipe
 Totoro Inspired Blueberry Tarts
Totoro-shaped blueberry tarts with vanilla icing
Course Dessert
Keyword pastry, pie, pocket pies, tarts
Servings
tarts
Ingredients
Crust
Filling
Icing
Decor
Course Dessert
Keyword pastry, pie, pocket pies, tarts
Servings
tarts
Ingredients
Crust
Filling
Icing
Decor
Instructions
Crust
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Work the shortening into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it's evenly distributed. Work in the butter until flat, dime-size pieces are formed.
  2. In a glass measuring cup, stir the ice water and the vinegar together. Sprinkle it over the flour mixture a little at a time, stirring the dough until it comes together. You may not need all of the liquid, depending on your climate.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over onto itself a few times. Do not over work the dough. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Use a kitchen scale for accuracy. Form the portions into disks, wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
Filling & Assembly
  1. Set aside 1/2 cup of blueberries. In a medium-size saucepan, over medium heat, stir together 2 cups of blueberries and the lemon juice. Add the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir gently until the sugar melts and the mixture starts to bubble. Let the mixture simmer gently until thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a shallow bowl. Stir in the reserved 1/2 cup of blueberries and the vanilla extract. Let cool to room temperature.
  2. Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºCº). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  3. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out 9-10 Totoro shapes out of each dough portion using a 4 1/2-inch Totoro cookie cutter* or cut with a paring knife using the provided pattern.** You should get 20 Totoro cut-outs out of the homemade dough, only re-rolling the dough scraps once. Store bought dough will yield about 18 cut-outs, re-rolling the scraps once. (Let the re-rolled dough scraps rest in the refrigerator until firm before cutting.) Place half of the Totoro cut-outs, about 2 inches apart, onto the baking sheets.
  4. Brush the edges of the Totoro cut-outs with egg wash, using your finger or a small pastry brush. Place about 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center of each one. Place a second cut-out over each one. Press the edges together with your fingers, beginning at the bottom and working your way up the sides. Wipe up any excess blueberry drips with a paper towel. Crimp the edges with a small fork. Brush the pies with egg wash. Cut a small ventilation slit into the center of each tart. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling starts to bubble, about 23-28 minutes. (If the ears start to brown too fast, you can cover them with small pieces of aluminum foil during the last few minutes of baking.) Transfer the tarts to a cooling rack.
Icing & Decor
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, butter, 1 tablespoon of milk, the vanilla and salt until well combined. Add additional milk as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Whisk until smooth. Spread the icing onto the bellies of the cooled Totoro tarts. Pipe dots for the eyes. When the icing has dried, you can use melted chocolate to make the eyeballs, noses and decorate the bellies.
Recipe Notes

*To find a Totoro cookie cutter, click here.

**To get the free printable Totoro pattern, click here.

Evangeline Butterscotch Star Cookies

Evangeline Butterscotch Star Cookies

These star-shaped sugar cookies with pretty butterscotch windows are often called stained glass cookies. The center of the cookie is cut out and filled with crushed hard candy. It melts in the oven, creating a beautiful glass-like effect. They’re perfect for the holiday season.

I named my star cookies after Evangeline from the Disney movie, The Princess and the Frog. When my mom passed away, my dad used to say that he dreamed of her as a beautiful lady in the stars. Recently, I lost my dad too. I like to think that my mom and dad are reunited up there somewhere. The story of Ray the firefly and Evangeline the star from The Princess and the Frog reminds me of them. I made these cookies as a small holiday tribute to my cherished parents.

Print Recipe
 Evangeline Butterscotch Star Cookies
Vanilla sugar cookies with butterscotch candy windows
Course Dessert
Keyword butterscotch, cookies, stained glass, sugar
Servings
4-inch cookies
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Keyword butterscotch, cookies, stained glass, sugar
Servings
4-inch cookies
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and salt until smooth and well combined. Beat in the egg and vanilla until incorporated. Mix in the flour until combined.
  2. Form the dough into a disk and wrap it with plastic wrap. Chill it in the refrigerator until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
  3. Preheat the oven tp 350ºF (180ºC). Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  4. On a lightly floured surface (or between parchment sheets), roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out 18-20 star shapes using a 4-inch cookie cutter.* Place the stars about 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Cut the center out of each star using a 2-inch cookie cutter.* Place the small star cut outs on a separate cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sanding sugar. Fill the cut out section of the large stars with the crushed butterscotch candy. I recommend chilling the cut cookies in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to prevent excess spreading.
  5. Bake until the candy melts and the edges of the cookies start to turn light golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet. Bake the small stars for 6-8 minutes. Transfer them to a cooling rack.
Recipe Notes

*To find 4-inch and 2-inch star-shaped cookie cutters, click here.

Fudgy Chocolate Crumb Cake

Fudgy Chocolate Crumb Cake

This moist, fudgy chocolate cake with a generous amount of melt-in-your-mouth chocolate crumb topping and powdered sugar snow is perfect for frosty mornings with a cup of hot coffee or tea. It’s also perfect for a holiday breakfast or brunch served with fresh raspberries and/or raspberry sauce.*

Print Recipe
 Fudgy Chocolate Crumb Cake
Rich, moist, fudgy chocolate cake with melt-in-your mouth crumb topping and sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword cake, chocolate, crumb
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
Cake
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword cake, chocolate, crumb
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
Cake
Instructions
Crumb Topping
  1. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder and salt until well combined. Work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it looks like dirt, with no large pieces of butter remaining. Press the mixture together to form chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line an 8-inch square cake pan** with parchment paper, leaving a couple of inches of overhang to serve as handles to lift the cake out of the pan. If you want to serve the cake directly from the pan, you can skip the parchment paper and simply spray the pan with nonstick spray.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt together until well combined.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar together, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until light and fluffy. Beat in the oil until combined. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla in 3 separate additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next.
  4. On low speed, beat the flour mixture into the batter in 2 additions, alternating with half of the sour cream after each addition. Beat just until combined. Gradually beat in the hot coffee just until smooth and well combined. Fold in the mini chocolate chips.
  5. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Top the batter evenly with the crumb topping. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes with a few moist crumbs attached (not wet batter), about 28-37 minutes.
  6. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan and continue cooling on a cooling rack. Sprinkle powdered sugar over the cooled cake.
Recipe Notes

*To find my raspberry sauce recipe, click here.

**To find my favorite 8-inch square cake pan, click here.