Ingredient: baking powder

Honey Butter Pumpkin Cake

Honey Butter Pumpkin Cake

This subtly sweet, perfectly spiced, soft pumpkin cake, with a touch of honey, is perfect for those autumn pumpkin-spice cravings. The delicious honey butter glaze gives this cake the perfect balance and helps to keep it moist for days. The recipe is easy enough to make as a breakfast cake, but elegant enough for afternoon tea. I decorated my cake, fairy-style, with edible flowers and roasted, salted pumpkin seeds. It’s also delicious served with dollops of whipped cream.

Print Recipe
 Honey Butter Pumpkin Cake
Subtly sweet and perfectly spiced soft, moist single layer pumpkin cake topped with honey butter glaze
Course Brunch, Dessert
Keyword cake, honey butter, pumpkin
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake
Honey Butter Glaze
Course Brunch, Dessert
Keyword cake, honey butter, pumpkin
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake
Honey Butter Glaze
Instructions
Pumpkin Cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF (165ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg until well combined.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the sugar, oil, honey, eggs and vanilla, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until smooth and well blended, Beat in the pumpkin purée. Stir in the flour mixture by hand, 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 33-40 minutes. Do not over bake. Cool the cake in the pan for 10-12 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and transfer to a cooling rack.
Honey Butter Glaze
  1. In a medium-size saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in the orange juice, powdered sugar and salt until smooth and well blended. Add additional salt to taste if desired. Brush the glaze generously over the warm cake.

Chocolate Chip Strawberry Shortcakes

Chocolate Chip Strawberry Shortcakes

These Chocolate Chip Strawberry Shortcakes are Grandma’s classic tender strawberry shortcakes, but with a twist. The addition of chocolate chips makes them extra delicious! Top with a cloud of fresh homemade whipped cream and you’ll have the most delightful dessert to share with family and friends.

Print Recipe
 Chocolate Chip Strawberry Shortcakes
Soft tender chocolate chip shortcakes topped with fresh sweetened strawberries and homemade whipped cream.
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword chocolate chip, shortcakes, strawberry
Servings
shortcakes
Ingredients
Macerated Strawberries
Whipped Cream
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword chocolate chip, shortcakes, strawberry
Servings
shortcakes
Ingredients
Macerated Strawberries
Whipped Cream
Instructions
Macerated Strawberries
  1. Stir the strawberries and sugar together. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to a few hours.
Chocolate Chip Shortcakes
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together until well blended. Work the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or with your fingertips until small pea-size pieces are formed. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk and vanilla extract together. Stir this mixture into the dry ingredients just until a shaggy dough forms
  4. Turn the dough out into a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over into itself a few times. Do not overwork the dough! Form the dough into a 1-inch thick, 6-inch diameter round. Cut out 6 rounds with a 2 3/4-inch floured biscuit cutter. Place them about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. (It’s important to keep the dough cold. If your kitchen is very warm, freeze the rounds for 5-10 min. before baking.)
  5. Brush the shortcakes with heavy cream & sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake until golden, about 17-22 minutes. Immediately transfer the shortcakes to a cooling rack. Split the cooled shortcakes and top with strawberries and whipped cream.
Whipped Cream
  1. In a large bowl, mix the heavy cream and vanilla, with an electric mixer on low speed. Sift the powdered sugar into the heavy cream and mix until combined. Turn the speed up to medium-high and beat until medium peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Double Chocolate Banana Bread with Maple Espresso Icing


Print Recipe


Double Chocolate Banana Bread with Maple Espresso Icing

Tender, moist chocolate banana bread loaded with mini chocolate chips, topped with maple espresso icing by Brownie Mischief

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Keyword banana, chocolate, loaf

Servings
loaf


Ingredients
Double Chocolate Banana Bread

Maple Espresso Icing

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Keyword banana, chocolate, loaf

Servings
loaf


Ingredients
Double Chocolate Banana Bread

Maple Espresso Icing


Instructions
Double Chocolate Banana Bread
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8 x 4-inch or 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the inside of the baking pan with a mixture of equal parts flour and cocoa powder.

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

  3. In a large bowl, whisk together, by hand or with an electric mixer, the brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla and buttermilk until smooth and well blended. Stir in the mashed bananas. Stir in the flour mixture just until combined. In a small bowl, toss the mini chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon of flour, then stir them into the batter.

  4. Transfer the batter to the loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 45-55 minutes. If you hit melted chocolate chips, insert another toothpick in a different spot. You can also use an instant read thermometer to check for doneness. The internal temperature should be approximately 200ºF (95ºC). Let the banana bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove it from the pan and transfer it to a cooling rack.

Maple Espresso Icing
  1. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, 2 tablespoons of cream, the espresso powder and maple extract, until the espresso powder is dissolved. Gradually whisk in the powdered sugar and continue whisking until well combined. Add additional cream until the desired consistency is reached. whisk until smooth. Spread the icing over the top of the cooled loaf.


Recipe Notes

To find the loaf pan I used, click here.

Chocolate Biscoff® Cake

If you’re craving a rich, gooey piece of chocolate cake that’s so good you can’t stop eating it until you stuff yourself into a food coma, then this is the cake for you. The soft, moist chocolate cake is topped with a light silky Biscoff® mousse that’s so good, you may be tempted to eat it with a spoon straight out of the bowl. You can drizzle on the chocolate glaze or be like me and go all in by spreading the glaze all over the top. If you’re a true cookie butter fan, feel free to top your cake with more drizzles of Biscoff® and some Biscoff® cookies for crunch.

Print Recipe
 Chocolate Biscoff® Cake
Soft, moist single layer chocolate cake topped with light, silky Biscoff® mousse and rich chocolate glaze by Brownie Mischief
Course Dessert
Keyword Biscoff®, cake, chocolate
Servings
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
Biscoff® Mousse
Chocolate Glaze
Garnishes
Course Dessert
Keyword Biscoff®, cake, chocolate
Servings
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
Biscoff® Mousse
Chocolate Glaze
Garnishes
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a couple of inches of overhang. (If you would like to serve the cake directly out of the pan, skip the parchment paper and grease the inside of the pan, then sprinkle with a mixture of equal parts flour and cocoa powder. Tap out the excess.)
  2. In large bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt together until well combined. Stir in the granulated sugar and brown sugar.
  3. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the oil, egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract and sour cream until smooth and well blended. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and beat, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until combined. Gradually mix in the hot coffee and and beat until the batter is smooth.
  4. Transfer the batter to the baking pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out mostly clean or with a few moist crumbs attached, about 18-25 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove the cake and transfer it to a cooling rack.
Biscoff® Mousse
  1. In a medium bowl, beat the Biscoff® and cream cheese together until well blended. Do not over beat. Gradually beat in the heavy cream, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl. Continue beating until the mixture is smooth, fluffy and reaches medium peaks, being careful not to over beat.
Chocolate Glaze
  1. Melt the chocolate and butter together in a heat-safe bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
Assembly
  1. Spread the Biscoff® mousse over the top of the cake. Chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to set up the mousse. Meanwhile prepare the chocolate glaze. Spoon or drizzle the chocolate glaze over the top of the cake. Drizzle on melted cooke butter and add Biscoff® cookies if desired.

Pink Raspberry Almond Cake

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.

Print Recipe
 Pink Raspberry Almond Cake
Soft, fluffy, single layer almond cake topped with naturally pink raspberry icing by Brownie Mischief
Course Dessert
Keyword almond, cake, raspberry
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Almond Cake
Raspberry Icing
Course Dessert
Keyword almond, cake, raspberry
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Almond Cake
Raspberry Icing
Instructions
Almond Cake
  1. 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.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the cake flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well combined.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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
  1. In a small bowl, smash the raspberries with a fork. Press the smashed raspberries through a sieve to remove the seeds.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the raspberries with the powdered sugar, melted butter, salt and 1 tablespoon 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.
Recipe Notes

*To find 8-inch parchment paper rounds, click here.

Blueberry Crumb Cake Cookies

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.

Print Recipe
 Blueberry Crumb Cake Cookies
Vanilla cookies with a touch of lemon zest, topped blueberry filling, crumble topping and lemon icing by Brownie Mischief
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword blueberry, cookies
Servings
cookies
Ingredients
Blueberry Filling
Crumb Topping
Cookies
Icing
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword blueberry, cookies
Servings
cookies
Ingredients
Blueberry Filling
Crumb Topping
Cookies
Icing
Instructions
Blueberry Filling
  1. Set aside 1/4 cup (34g) of blueberries. Combine the remaining blueberries with the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice in a small saucepan.
  2. 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
  1. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar and salt until well combined. Work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it looks like sand with no large pieces of butter. Press the mixture together to form chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator while you make the cookie dough.
Cookies
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line 2 large cookies sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until well combined.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, salt, and 2 tablespoons 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.

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 by Brownie Mischief
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 the 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 the 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.  

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.

Raspberry Chocolate Crumble Bars

Raspberry Chocolate Crumble Bars

Crumb bars are easy-to-make, rustic dessert bars. These Raspberry Chocolate Crumble Bars might be the most sumptuous crumb bars I’ve ever made. They have a tender shortbread crust topped with a layer of raspberry jam, followed by chocolate chips, a generous crumb topping, then finished with a drizzle of icing. The raspberry jam and chocolate chips melt together in the oven creating a delicious filling that will remind you of raspberry truffles.

Print Recipe
 Raspberry Chocolate Crumble Bars
Tender shortbread crust topped with raspberry jam, chocolate chips, crumb topping and a drizzle of icing
Keyword bars, raspberry chocolate
Servings
2-inch bars
Ingredients
Crust
Crumb Topping
Filling
Icing
Keyword bars, raspberry chocolate
Servings
2-inch bars
Ingredients
Crust
Crumb Topping
Filling
Icing
Instructions
Crust
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper leaving a couple of inches of overhang.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, powdered sugar, baking powder and salt until well combined.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the butter, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until smooth. Add the flour mixture and beat just until the dough comes together.
  4. Press the dough evenly into the baking pan. Bake until the surface is light golden born, about 20-23 minutes.
Crumb Topping
  1. Meanwhile, in a medium-size bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar and salt. Work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it looks like wet sand, with no large pieces of butter remaining Press the mixture together to form chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Filling
  1. Spread the raspberry jam evenly over the warm crust. Top with the chocolate chips. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the filling. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the topping is golden brown and the filling starts to bubble, about 23-28 minutes. Let cool in the pan.
Icing
  1. In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, butter, extracts, salt and 1 tablespoon of milk together. Add more milk as needed to reach the desired consistency. Whisk until smooth. Remove the cooled bars from the pan and drizzle with icing. Cut the bars into 2 inch squares.