Course: Dessert

Pink Raspberry Almond Cake

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Pink Raspberry Almond Cake

My mother was allergic to strawberries so my father would make her raspberry desserts instead. He frequently made her a white cake topped with raspberries, which she adored. My parents are no longer with us, but baking this delicious cake brings back happy memories for me. This soft, plush almond cake is topped with naturally pink raspberry icing. The soft pink color makes it so lovely and perfect for Mother’s Day. It looks delightful topped with fresh raspberries and sliced almonds, which is an effortless way to add a touch of spring or summer.

 

Pink Raspberry Almond Cake

Soft, fluffy, single layer almond cake topped with naturally pink raspberry icing by Brownie Mischief
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

Almond Cake

  • 1 cup (113g) cake flour, sifted
  • â…“ cup (37g) almond flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons (43ml) avocado oil or neutral oil of your choice
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 large egg white, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon pure almond extract
  • ¼ cup (57g) sour cream, room temperature
  • ½ cup (118ml) whole milk, room temperature

Raspberry Icing

  • 8 large raspberries
  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 small dash fine sea salt
  • 1-2 tablespoons (15-30ml) whole milk, room temperature
  • Fresh raspberries for garnish optional
  • Sliced almonds for garnish optional

Instructions
 

Almond Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan with a parchment paper round.* Grease and flour the insides.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the cake flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the oil until incorporated. Beat in the egg and the egg white in two separate additions, beating until smooth and well combined. Beat in the extracts.
  • In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream and milk together until well blended. On low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter in two additions, followed by half of the milk mixture after each addition. Beat just until combined.
  • 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, making sure not to over bake. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out and transfer it to a cooing rack to cool completely.

Raspberry Icing

  • In a small bowl, smash the raspberries with a fork. Press the smashed raspberries through a sieve to remove the seeds.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the raspberries with the powdered sugar, melted butter, salt and 1 tablespoon (15ml) of milk until well combined. Add additional milk as needed to reach an easily spreadable consistency, but not watery. Whisk until smooth. Spread the icing over the cooled cake, letting it drip down the sides. Top with fresh raspberries and sliced almonds if desired.

Notes

*To find 8-inch parchment paper rounds, click here.
Keyword almond, cake, raspberry

Blueberry Crumb Cake Cookies

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Blueberry Crumb Cake Cookies

Over the holidays, my Cranberry Orange Crumb Cake Cookies went viral, so I thought it was time to introduce a spring version of the popular cookies. Blueberry Crumb Cake Cookies have homemade blueberry filling with crumble topping and a touch of lemon zest in the dough to brighten them up. The sweet-tart lemon icing gives them the perfect balance. These delightful blueberry cookies are perfect alongside a cup of tea or a glass of lemonade.

 

Blueberry Crumb Cake Cookies

Vanilla cookies with a touch of lemon zest, topped blueberry filling, crumble topping and lemon icing by Brownie Mischief
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 14 cookies

Ingredients
  

Blueberry Filling

  • 6 ounces (170g) blueberries, divided about 1 1/4 cups
  • 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon corn starch
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Crumb Topping

  • ¾ cup (96g) all purpose flour
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons (38g) packed brown sugar
  • â…› teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 4 ½ tablespoons (64g) cold, unsalted butter, cubed

Cookies

  • 2 cups (255g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
  • Zest of 1 medium lemon
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
  • 1 ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (85g) white chocolate chips optional

Icing

  • â…” cup (80g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 small dash fine sea salt
  • 2-3 tablespoons (30-45ml) lemon juice

Instructions
 

Blueberry Filling

  • Set aside 1/4 cup (34g) of blueberries. Combine the remaining blueberries with the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice in a small saucepan.
  • Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the blueberries are softened and the sauce is a thick jam consistency, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the reserved 1/4 cup (34g) of blueberries and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.

Crumb Topping

  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar and salt until well blended. Work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it looks sandy with no large pieces of butter remaining. Press the mixture together to form chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator while you make the cookie dough.

Cookies

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line 2 large cookies sheets with parchment paper.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and lemon zest, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and egg yolk in two separate additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. Beat in the vanilla extract. On low speed, beat the flour mixture into the batter, just until combined. Stir in the white chocolate chips, if using.
  • Form the cookie dough into 2-tablespoon size balls. Place them about 3 inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Press a 1-inch wide indentation into each cookie using your thumb or a pastry tamper. Fill each indentation with a generous teaspoon of the blueberry filling. Top each one generously with the crumb topping. Gently press the topping onto the cookies.
  • Bake until the topping and the edges start to turn light golden, about 11-13 minutes. (Be careful not to over bake to avoid drying out your cookies.) Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then transfer them to a cooling rack.

Icing

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, salt, and 2 tablespoons (30ml) of lemon juice until well combined. Add additional lemon juice as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Whisk until smooth. Drizzle the icing over the cooled cookies.
Keyword blueberry, cookies

Blueberry Carrot Cake

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
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.

Blueberry Carrot Cake

Moist, subtly spiced carrot cake studded with blueberries and topped with blueberry cream cheese icing by Brownie Mischief
Print Recipe
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

Blueberry Carrot Cake

  • 1 ¼ cups (159g) all purpose flour, sifted plus 1 teaspoon for the blueberries
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar
  • â…” cup (148ml) avocado oil or neutral oil of your choice
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup (80g) finely shredded carrots
  • 1 cup (142g) blueberries plus extra for the top of the cake

Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 3 ounces (85g) cream cheese, room temperature
  • 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 ¼ cups (150g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch fine sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons (14g) frozen defrosted blueberries, with the liquid To use fresh blueberries instead of frozen, see notes below.
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) whole milk or half & half, room temperature
  • Food-safe or edible pesticide free flowers optional

Instructions
 

Blueberry Carrot Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger and nutmeg until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar and oil together until well blended. 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.
  • 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

  • Smash the blueberries with a fork and press through a sieve into a small bowl.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, stir the cream cheese with a spatula until smooth. Add the butter and beat, with an electric mixer on low speed, until smooth.
  • 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 the desired consistency is reached. Stir with a spatula to smooth out any bubbles.

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.
Keyword blueberry, cake, carrot

Orange Vanilla Bean Loaf Cake

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
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 for instructions to make the lemon cake. To keep the soft, fluffy texture of this cake, I don’t recommend add-ins.

Orange Vanilla Bean Loaf Cake

by Mari Vasseur
Soft, fluffy vanilla bean and orange scented loaf cake topped with silky vanilla cream cheese frosting by Brownie Mischief
Print Recipe
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

Orange Simple Syrup

  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) lemon juice
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar

Orange Vanilla Bean Loaf Cake

  • 1 â…“ cups (170g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (175g) granulated sugar
  • Zest of 2 medium oranges
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter cubed, room temperature
  • ¼ cup (57g) sour cream, room temperature
  • ¼ cup (59ml) whole milk, room temperature
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • ½ teaspoon pure orange extract

Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 2 tablespoons (28g) cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups (180g) powered sugar, sifted
  • 1 pinch fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • 1-3 tablespoons (15-45ml) whole milk or half & half, room temperature

Instructions
 

Orange Simple Syrup

  • 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

  • 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.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until well blended.
  • 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 sandy.
  • In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla bean paste and orange extract together until smooth and creamy. 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.
  • 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

  • In a medium-sized bowl, stir the cream cheese with a spatula until smooth. Add the butter and beat, with an electric mixer on low speed, until smooth.
  • Gradually mix in the powdered sugar. Add the vanilla bean paste, salt and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of milk and beat until smooth. Add additional milk, if needed, until the desired consistency is reached. Stir with a spatula to smooth out any bubbles.

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 the zest of 3 medium lemons or 2 large lemons. 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.
Keyword cake, orange

Bakery Style Marble Confetti Cookies

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
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.

Bakery Style Marble Confetti Cookies

by Mari Vasseur
Large marbled bakery style cookies with rainbow sprinkles
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Servings 8 large cookies

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups (255g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 tablespoon (9g) cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 10 tablespoons (142g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • â…” cup (132g) granulated suger
  • ¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
  • 3-4 drops pink gel food coloring I used Americolor deep pink
  • ½ cup (75g) rainbow sprinkles, divided

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder and baking soda until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until pale 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Notes

To find the pink food coloring I used, click here.  
Keyword birthday cake, confetti, cookies

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
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 flavors, but it’s a little more 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.

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel

by Mari Vasseur
Moist, flavorful banana sheet cake topped with silky cream cheese icing and salted caramel sauce
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Servings 9 servings

Ingredients
  

Banana Cake

  • 1 ¼ cups (142g) cake flour, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg preferably freshly ground
  • ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar
  • â…“ cup (70ml) avocado oil or neutral oil of your choice
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanila extract
  • 1 cup (227g) mashed very ripe bananas about 3 small or 2 large bananas
  • ¼ cup (57g) sour cream, room temperature

Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel

  • ½ cup (113g) cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 ½ cups (300g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1-2 teaspoons heavy cream, room temperature
  • 1 pinch fine sea salt
  • ¼ cup (70g) salted caramel sauce store bought or homemade*

Instructions
 

Banana Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch square cake pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter, with an electric mixer on medium speed, until pale and creamy, Add the brown sugar and oil. Continue beating until creamy and well blended, 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.
  • 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

  • In a medium-sized 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 blended.
  • Beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla, salt and heavy cream, on medium speed, until smooth and well blended. Stir slowly with a spatula to smooth the frosting and remove bubbles.
  • 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.

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.
Keyword banana, cake

Blackberry Dark Chocolate Blondies

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
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.

Blackberry Dark Chocolate Blondies

by Mari Vasseur
Rich golden blondies made with brown butter, swirled with a quick homemade blackberry jam and pools of melted dark chocolate
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Servings 9 blondies

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ¾ cups (240g) blackberries, divided
  • 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1 ½ cups (192g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 ¼ cups (250g) packed brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 3 ounces (85g) dark chocolate, broken into bite size pieces

Instructions
 

  • 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.
  • In a medium-sized 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.
  • Preheat the oven to 325ºF. (165ºC). Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a couple of inches of overhang.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder until well blended.
  • Add the brown sugar to the browned butter. Whisk until smooth. Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and well blended. Stir in the flour mixture just until combined.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Notes

Feel free to use frozen blackberries if fresh blackberries are unavailable.
Keyword bars, blackberry, blondies

Sunshine Picnic Cake

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Sunshine Picnic Cake by Mari Vasseur

Out here in Southern California we have picnic weather in the middle of winter. Even if it’s snowing where you live, 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.*

Sunshine Picnic Cake

by Mari Vasseur
Soft, plush, moist orange scented cake with citrus icing
Print Recipe
Course Brunch, Dessert
Servings 9

Ingredients
  

Cake

  • 1 ½ cups (192g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • Zest of 1 large orange
  • ½ cup (111ml) vegetable oil or neutral oil of your choice
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • ¼ cup (59ml) orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon pure orange extract**
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup (170g) sour cream room temperature

Icing

  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) lemon juice
  • 1-2 tablespoons (15-30ml) orange juice
  • 1 pinch fine sea salt

Instructions
 

Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, beat the sugar, orange zest, and oil, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until smooth and creamy. Add the orange juice and the extracts and beat until blended. 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.
  • 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

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, butter, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon (15ml) of orange juice and the salt until well blended. 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.

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.
Keyword cake, orange

Chocolate Hedgehog Cookies

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
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.

 

Chocolate Hedgehog Cookies

by Mari Vasseur
Chocolate thumbprint-style hedgehog cookies with chocolate sprinkles and white chocolate filling
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Servings 16 cookies

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups (255g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • ½ cup (44g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
  • 1 ½ tablespoons (15g) cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
  • â…” cup (132g) packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg white
  • ¼ cup (48g) chocolate sprinkles
  • 6 ounces (170g) white chocolate, finely chopped or 1 cup (170g) white chocolate chips
  • Black gel food coloring

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar together, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until pale 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.**

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.    
Keyword chocolate, cookies

Little Chocolate Donuts

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
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.

Little Chocolate Donuts

Print Recipe
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Servings 14 mini donuts

Ingredients
  

Little Chocolate Donuts

  • â…” cup (85g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons (17g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ¼ teaspoon fine seat salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup (115ml) vegetable oil or neutral oil of your choice
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup (128ml) buttermilk
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Strawberry icing or chocolate glaze recipes below
  • Pink sparkling sugar, optional

Pink Strawberry Icing

  • 1 ½ cups (181g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) puréed strawberries, strained fresh or frozen
  • 1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 pinch fine sea salt
  • 1-2 tablespoons (15-30ml) whole milk, room temperature

Chocolate Glaze

  • 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter
  • 4 ounces (113g) semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons light corn syrup

Instructions
 

Little Chocolate Donuts

  • 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.)
  • In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda until well combined.
  • 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.
  • 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

  • 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

  • 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.

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.
 
Keyword chocolate, donuts

Teddy Bear Sugar Cookies

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
"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 and I just know that you’ll love them beary much!

 

Teddy Bear Sugar Cookies

by Mari Vasseur
Teddy bear cookies with baby bear cookies in vanilla, cinnamon and chocolate variations
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Servings 24 cookies

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (85g) cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
  • 3 cups (383g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Black gel food coloring
  • Pink edible luster dust
  • Small candy hearts
  • Icing or melted chocolate

Instructions
 

  • 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 pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg until well incorporated, then beat in the extracts. On low speed, beat in the flour just until combined.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Notes

*To find the bear cookie cutter I used, click here.
**To find mini bear cookie cutters click here.
Keyword cookies, sugar

Totoro Inspired Blueberry Tarts

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
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.

Totoro Inspired Blueberry Tarts

Totoro-shaped blueberry tarts with vanilla icing
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Servings 10 tarts

Ingredients
  

Crust

  • 2 ¾ cups (351g) all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon (14g) sugar
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ cup (46g) vegetable shortening
  • ¾ cup (170g) cold, unsalted butter, cubed
  • ½ cup (118ml) ice water
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) apple cider vinegar

Filling

  • 2 ½ cups (312-340g) blueberries, fresh or frozen, divided
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 6 tablespoons (75g) sugar
  • 4 teaspoons (13g) cornstarch
  • 1 dash fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanila extract

Icing

  • 1 ½ cups (180g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 ½ tablespoons (21g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 2-3 tablespoons (30-45ml) milk
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 dash fine sea salt

Decor

  • 1 tablespoon (11g) chopped semisweet chocolate or mini chocolate chips, melted

Instructions
 

Crust

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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

  • 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.
  • Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºCº). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • 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.
  • 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

  • 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.

Notes

*To find a Totoro cookie cutter, click here.
**To get the free printable Totoro pattern, click here.
Keyword pastry, pie, pocket pies, tarts