baking soda – Page 3 – Brownie Mischief

Chocolate Hazelnut Crunch Cake

Posted on July 15, 2024February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

Baking is considered to be a form of therapy for many people, myself included. It can help relieve stress and help you refocus your mind. Using your senses in a positive way can increase endorphins and we’ve all heard about the way chocolate is known to improve your mood. This Chocolate Hazelnut Crunch Cake is the ultimate baking therapy. Chopping the hazelnut chocolates for this recipe is extremely satisfying. Spreading this luxurious buttercream is so therapeutic. Don’t you love cakes like this, where you can swirl the frosting to your heart’s content?

The contrasting textures of the silky, smooth Nutella buttercream and the crunchy chopped hazelnut chocolates are divine. This soft, moist cake already stands on it’s own, but all of these delicious elements combined take it over the top!

Chocolate Hazelnut Crunch Cake

by Mari Vasseur

Soft, moist chocolate sheet cake with silky Nutella buttercream, topped with chopped hazelnut chocolates and toasted hazelnuts

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Course Dessert

Servings 9 servings

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

1 cup (128g) all purpose flour, sifted
½ cup (45g) Dutch process unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
2 tablespoons (18g) cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
⅓ cup (66g) packed brown sugar
⅓ cup (74ml) vegetable oil or neutral oil of your choice
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
⅔ cup (150g) sour cream
⅔ cup (156ml) hot coffee or espresso

Nutella Swiss Meringue Buttercream

4 large egg whites
⅔ cup (132g) granulated sugar
1 ½ cups (340g) unsalted butter cubed, room temperature
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup (148g) Nutella or any hazelnut cocoa spread

Topping

8 hazelnut chocolate candies, roughly chopped I used Ferrero Rocher
2 tablespoons chopped toasted hazelnuts

Instructions

Chocolate Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9-inch square baking pan* with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended. Stir in the granulated sugar and brown sugar.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the oil, egg, egg yolks, vanilla extract and sour cream. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients. Beat until combined, then on low speed, gradually mix in the hot coffee until the batter is smooth. 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 22-27 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove the cake and carefully transfer it to a cooling rack. Frost the cooled cake. Top with the chopped chocolates and hazelnuts right before serving.

Nutella Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Combine the egg whites and sugar in a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl. Whisk constantly until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture reaches a temperature of 160ºF (71°C) 
Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Whisk on low speed until frothy, gradually increasing to medium-high speed. Whisk until glossy, stiff peaks form and the mixture reaches room temperature. 
Turn the mixer to medium-low speed. Add butter, a few pieces at a time, allowing the butter to fully incorporate before adding more. Turn the mixer up to medium speed. If the mixture looks curdled, keep mixing and it will correct itself.  
When the buttercream is smooth and well blended, switch to a paddle attachment. On low speed, mix in the vanilla extract, salt. Gradually mix in the Nutella. Continue mixing on low speed for a few minutes until smooth.

Notes

*To find my favorite 9-inch square baking pan, click here.

Keyword cake, chocolate, hazelnut

Banana Chocolate Pecan Cookies with Salted Caramel

Posted on June 5, 2024February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

Many of us love chocolate chip cookies and banana bread so much, that I thought those two iconic bakes would be delicious combined in a cookie. Most of the banana cookies I tried were soft and cakey, which is fine, but I wanted a cookie with chewy centers and crisp, buttery edges. That end result was a challenge with bananas, because they add moisture and softness to baked goods. After a bit of trial and error, I came up with these incredibly delicious, rich, salty-sweet cookies with those coveted chewy centers and crisp edges.

Banana Chocolate Pecan Cookies with Salted Caramel

by Mari Vasseur

Banana cookies with chewy centers and crisp, buttery edges, filled with chocolate and toasted pecans, topped with salted caramel

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Course Dessert

Servings 18 cookies

Ingredients

Banana Chocolate Pecan Cookies

2 ⅓ cups (298g) all purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup (200g) packed brown sugar
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
⅓ cup (75g) mashed very ripe banana
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 3 1/2-4 oz bar of dark chocolate, broken into bite size pieces, plus extra for the tops
¾ cup (85g) roasted, salted pecans, coarsely chopped
Banana chips for the tops

Easy Salted Caramel Sauce

10 soft caramel candies I used Werther's
2 tbsp (30ml) heavy cream
1 generous pinch fine sea salt

Instructions

Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon until well blended.
Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan, over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the butter is deep golden and fragrant. When brown specks start to form in the bottom of the pan, immediately transfer the butter to a large bowl.
Add the brown sugar and the granulated sugar to the butter. Mix until well combined. Beat in the egg yolk, banana and vanilla extract. Stir in the flour mixture just until combined. Fold in the chocolate and nuts.
Form the cookie dough into 2-tablespoon-sized balls. I used a #30 portion scoop, tightly packed.* Top each dough ball with a banana chip and a piece of chocolate. Chill the dough balls in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Place the cookies about 3 inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Bake the cookies until the tops are set and the edges are golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately use a large round cookie cutter to shape the hot cookies. Place the cookie cutter onto the cookie sheet over each cookie and slide it around each one a couple of times to achieve round, crinkly cookies. Work quickly before the cookies set. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack. Spoon caramel sauce onto the warm cookies.

Easy Salted Caramel Sauce

Combine the caramel candies and the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir gently until melted and smooth. Add salt to taste.

Notes

*To find the portion scoop I used, click here.

Keyword banana, chocolate pecan, cookies

Raspberry White Chocolate Cookies

Posted on May 10, 2024March 27, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

These magical cookies were inspired by my viral Raspberry White Chocolate Scones. The flavors work so well together and the pretty pink sparkling sugar adds a nice crunchy texture, so I thought they would make excellent cookies too. And I was right! These cookies are everything I was dreaming about. In the scones, fresh raspberries were added directly into the dough. In this recipe, instead, I made a quick raspberry jam to fold into the cookies. Make sure to fold it in gently because if you over mix it, the dough will become too wet, which can lead to excess spreading. I also broke the chocolate into pieces, rather than chopping it. Chopping the chocolate makes too many small chards of chocolate which can also cause excess spreading.

Raspberry White Chocolate Cookies

by Mari Vasseur

Cookies with white chocolate pieces and fresh raspberry jam swirled into the dough and topped with pink sparkling sugar

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Course Dessert

Servings 18 cookies

Ingredients

1 ½ cups (198g) raspberries, divided
¾ cup (150g) plus 2 tablspoons (25g) granulated sugar, divided
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons (10ml) water
1 ¾ cups (225g) all purpose flour, sifted
¼ cup (30g) cake flour, sifted
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
1 4 oz (113g) bar of white chocolate, cut into bite size pieces, plus extra for tops or 2/3 cup (4 oz / 113g) white chocolate chips
Pink pearl coarse sparkling sugar optional

Instructions

Set aside 1/2 cup of raspberries. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the remaining 1 cup of raspberries with 2 tablespoons of sugar and the lemon juice. When the sugar has dissolved, turn the heat down and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture starts to thicken, about 3 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk the water & cornstarch together. Stir this mixture into the saucepan and continue simmering until the mixture reaches a jam consistency, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the reserved raspberries. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set aside to cool to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, the cake flour, salt and baking soda until well blended.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar, and the brown sugar, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg and the egg yolk in 2 separate additions until well incorporated. Beat in the extracts.
On low speed, stir the flour mixture into the batter, just until combined. Stir in the white chocolate pieces. Fold in the cooled raspberry mixture very gently. Do not over mix! You want to see raspberry swirls. Over mixing will change the texture of the cookies.
Place 2-tablespoon sized portions of cookie dough about 3 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets. I used a #30 portion scoop.* Top each cookie with a piece of white chocolate and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake until the tops of the cookies are set and the edges turn light golden brown, about 10-14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack.

Notes

If your cookies spread too much, you can try refrigerating the dough balls for 10-15 minutes before baking. Don't refrigerate the dough longer or your dough may become discolored. For best results, weigh your ingredients.

*To find the portion scoop I used, click here.

Keyword cookies, raspberry white chocolate

Deluxe Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Posted on May 7, 2024February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

This dreamy Cinnamon Swirl Bread is a perfectly soft, tender loaf with two layers of brown sugar cinnamon. It was already delicious on its own, but I’m sure Grandma wouldn’t mind that I upgraded it with a generous amount of crumb topping and a drizzle of cream cheese icing. This versatile loaf is enjoyable year round. During spring, it’s delightful served with a cup of blueberry tea. On summer mornings, it’s perfect with a glass of peach iced tea. And of course, during fall and winter, this comforting loaf is cozy served with a mug of hot coffee or cocoa.

To watch the Instagram video, click here.

Deluxe Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Soft, tender vanilla loaf cake with two layers of brown sugar-cinnamon swirl, topped with crumb topping and cream cheese icing

Print Recipe

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Servings 1 loaf

Ingredients

Crumb Topping

½ cup (65g) all purpose flour
3 tablespoons (38g) packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon (12g) granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch fine sea salt
3 tablespoons (43g) cold, unsalted butter, cubed

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar, divided
2 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 cups (255g) all purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¾ cup (177ml) whole milk
¼ cup (57g) sour cream

Cream Cheese Icing

2 tablespoons (28g) cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, melted
⅔ cup (79g) powdered sugar, sifted
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pinch fine sea salt
1-2 tablespoons (15-30ml) whole milk

Instructions

Crumb Topping

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon and salt until well combined. With your fingertips, work the butter into the flour mixture until it looks like wet sand with no large pieces of butter. Press the mixture together to form chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
In medium bowl, stir together 1/2 cup (100g) of brown sugar and the cinnamon until well combined. Set aside.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well combined.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar and the remaining 1/4 cup (50g) of brown sugar, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each one is fully incorporated. Beat in the vanilla extract.
In a small bowl or a glass measuring cup, whisk the milk and sour cream together. On low speed, beat the flour mixture into the batter in two additions, followed by half of the milk mixture after each addition. Mix just until combined.
Transfer half of the batter to the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle half of the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture over the batter. Swirl with a skewer. Add the remaining batter and repeat with the remaining brown sugar-cinnamon mixture. Sprinkle the crumb topping on evenly.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 50-60 minutes. (The toothpick may have some brown sugar or crumb topping on it, but not wet batter.) Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a cooling rack.

Cream Cheese Icing

In a small bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, salt and 1 tablespoon (30ml) of milk until smooth. Whisk in additional milk if needed to achieve your desired consistency. Drizzle the icing over the cooled loaf.

Notes

*To find my favorite cinnamon, click here.

Keyword cinnamon swirl, loaf

Chocolate Olive Oil Cakes

Posted on April 30, 2024February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

These soft, plush mini chocolate loaf cakes with a silky chocolate glaze are perfect for fairy picnics. They also make adorable Mother’s Day treats for moms who love chocolate. They’re easy to make and don’t require a mixer. I garnished them with edible pressed flowers for a magical finishing touch.

Chocolate Olive Oil Cakes

Chocolate olive oil mini loaf cakes with silky chocolate icing

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Course Dessert

Servings 8 mini loaf cakes

Ingredients

Chocolate Olive Oil Cakes

1 cup (128g) all purpose flour, sifted
⅓ cup (30g) unsweetened Dutch process or dark cocoa powder, sifted
¼ cup (28g) almond flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
⅔ cup (133g) granulated sugar
⅓ cup (67g) packed brown sugar
½ cup (111ml) olive oil or neutral oil of your choice
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup (113g) sour cream
½ cup (118ml) whole milk

Chocolate Glaze

6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, cubed
4 ounces (113g) semisweet or dark chocolate, chopped
2 teaspoons corn syrup or honey
24-30 small edible pressed flowers optional

Instructions

Chocolate Olive Oil Cakes

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease and flour the cavities of an 8-serving mini loaf pan,** I use a mixture of equal parts flour and cocoa powder to flour them. It's also helpful to line the bottoms of the cavities with parchment paper. I used a pan with eight 2 1/4-inch by 3 1/2-inch cavities.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well combined.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and sour cream.
Stir the flour mixture into 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 pan, filling the cavities half full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached, about 13-17 minutes. Be diligent and avoid over baking the cakes.
Cool the cakes in the pan for 7 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool.

Chocolate Glaze

Melt the butter, chocolate and corn syrup together in a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Spoon the glaze over the cooled cakes. When the glaze is almost set, garnish with edible pressed flowers if desired.

Notes

* I use a microwave flower press to make edible pressed flowers quickly. To find it, click here.

**To find a mini loaf pan, click here.

Keyword cake, chocolate, olive oil

Strawberry Swirl Cake

Posted on April 10, 2024February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

This soft, incredibly moist cake is a happy experiment that successfully combines my favorite strawberry cake with cinnamon roll cake. Instead of cinnamon sugar, it has a swirl of strawberry sugar. It’s bursting with fresh strawberry flavor and it’s so good it doesn’t even need frosting. But of course, I added strawberry cream cheese icing, in the tradition of cinnamon roll cake, which takes it over the top.

Strawberry Swirl Cake

Fresh strawberry cake with a strawberry sugar swirl and strawberry cream cheese icing

Print Recipe

Course Dessert

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

Strawberry Swirl

⅓ cup (10g) freeze dried strawberries Not dried strawberries
⅓ cup (66g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons all purpose flour
3 tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter, melted
Small dash fine sea salt
1 tablespoon (15ml) lemon juice

Strawberry Cake

¾ cup (170g) puréed strawberries
1 cup (128g) all purpose flour, sifted
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (55ml) vegetable oil or neutral oil of your choice
1 large egg
1 large egg white
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon pure strawberry extract
1 drop pink gel food coloring Optional
⅓ cup (75g) sour cream

Strawberry Cream Cheese Icing

2 tablespoons (28g) cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup (60g) powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons strawberry reduction Reserved from cake recipe
1 tablespoon (15ml) buttermilk or whole milk

Instructions

Strawberry Swirl

In a small food processor or a clean spice grinder, pulse the freeze dried strawberries to break them up a bit. Add the sugar and process to a fine consistency. Strain the sugar mixture through a sieve into a bowl. Mix in the flour, melted butter, salt and lemon juice until well combined.
Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a medium round tip. I used an Ateco #12 tip.** Alternately, you can snip the corner off a disposable piping bag or food storage bag, creating a 3/8-inch wide opening.

Strawberry Cake

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, simmer the puréed strawberries until reduced by half. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan*** with parchment paper. Grease and flour the inside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, beat the sugar, oil, egg, egg white, and extracts, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until smooth. Alternately, you can whisk the mixture together by hand until smooth. Stir in 1/3 cup of the cooled strawberry reduction and the food coloring. (Reserve the remaining strawberry reduction for the icing.)
Stir the flour mixture into the batter, in 2 additions, alternating with the sour cream. Mix just until combined. Transfer the batter to the cake pan.
Pipe the strawberry swirl mixture onto the batter in a spiral pattern. 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 transfer it to a cooling rack.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Icing

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and strawberry reduction and beat until smooth and well combined. Whisk in the buttermilk a little at a time until your desired consistency is reached. Drizzle over the cooled cake.

Notes

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

**To find the piping tip I used, click here.

***To find the cake pan I used, click here.

Keyword cake, strawberry

Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted on April 3, 2024February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

It’s nearly impossible to feel blue while you’re eating one of these cheerful Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies! They’re lemony, buttery and so delicious. I tested these over and over until I got the best lemon flavor and the perfect texture. You’ll love the crisp edges and soft, chewy centers. They don’t require any chilling time, but if your cookies spread too much, you can chill the dough balls for 20-30 minutes before baking. Weigh your ingredients for the best results.

For extra cuteness, I added small yellow chocolate flowers. I used melted white chocolate chips, but candy melts work too. The candy mold I used makes 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch flowers. To find the mold I used, click here. If you use that mold or a similar one, I recommend buying more than one so you can make more chocolate flowers at one time. If you want to skip the white chocolate flowers, then add a few white chocolate chips to the top of each cookie before baking.

Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Lemony cookies with white chocolate chips, crisp edges and soft, chewy centers, topped with white chocolate flowers

Print Recipe

Course Dessert

Servings 12 cookies

Ingredients

White Chocolate Flowers

½ teaspoon edible white or pearl luster dust optional
½ cup (85g) white chocolate chips
2 drops yellow oil based food coloring
½ teaspoon vegetable oil or neutral oil of your choice

Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 ¾ cups (223g) all purpose flour, sifted
¼ cup (28g) cake flour, sifted
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
Zest of 2 medium lemons
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon pure lemon extract
¾ cup (128g) white chocolate chips

Instructions

White Chocolate Flowers

Prep silicone candy flower molds by brushing a small amount of luster dust into the cavities with a small food safe brush. This step is optional, but it gives your chocolate flowers a sheen and helps them to release from the mold.
In a heat safe bowl, melt the white chocolate chips together with the vegetable oil over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Alternately, you can melt your white chocolate chips with short bursts in the microwave. Stir gently until smooth. Stir in the food coloring a little at a time until your desired shade is achieved.
Transfer the melted chocolate to a piping bag with a narrow round tip or snip the tip off of a disposable piping bag. Alternately, you can use a food grade squeeze bottle with a narrow tip. Fill the cavities of the flower mold. Scrape off any excess chocolate with a small offset spatula. Place the mold in the freezer for a few minutes until set. Turn the mold over and bend it slightly to release the flowers. Repeat the steps until you have about 24-36 flowers.

Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cake flour, salt and baking soda.
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 separate additions until well incorporated. Beat in the extracts until combined.
On low speed, beat in the flour mixture just until combined. Fold in the white chocolate chips.
Place 1/4 cup size portions of cookie dough onto the prepared cookie sheet, about 3 inches apart. I used a #20 portion scoop* and I placed 6 cookies on each cookie sheet. Bake one cookie sheet at a time. Bake until the tops of the cookies are set and the bottom edges begin to turn light golden brown, about 10-11 minutes. Do not over bake. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Apply the white chocolate flowers to the cooled cookies with a dab of melted white chocolate.

Notes

To find the flower mold I used, click here.

To find the portion scoop I used, click here.

Keyword cookies, lemon

Lemon Bundt Cakes with Blueberry Cream Cheese Icing

Posted on March 12, 2024February 20, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

Say hello to springtime in cake form. These soft, fluffy, little lemon bundt cakes are bursting with lemon flavor and topped with a beautiful, delicious blueberry cream cheese icing. The icing gets it’s natural beauty from fresh blueberries. The colors and flavors of these cakes remind me of sunshine and spring blooms. I decorated my cakes with tiny blue violas from my garden. They would also look pretty topped with fresh chamomile flowers.

I used a bundtlette pan with six 1-cup servings. To find the pan I used, click here. This recipe also works as cupcakes using a standard muffin pan. The baking time will be a bit shorter. If you’re not a fan of blueberry icing, you can glaze the cakes with lemon icing instead. To find my lemon icing recipe, click here.

Lemon Bundt Cakes with Blueberry Cream Cheese Icing

by Mari Vasseur

Soft, fluffy lemon bundtlette cakes topped with blueberry cream cheese icing

Print Recipe

Course Dessert

Servings 6 Bundtlette cakes

Ingredients

Lemon Simple Syrup

¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
Juice of one medium lemon plus enough water to make 1/4 cup (59ml)

Lemon Bundt Cakes

1 ¼ cups (142g) cake flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar preferably fine granulated sugar (not powdered sugar)
Zest of 2 medium lemons
½ cup (107 ml) vegetable oil or neutral oil of your choice
2 large eggs room temperature
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup (59 ml) whole milk room temperature
¼ cup (57g) sour cream room temperature

Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting

⅓ cup (57g) blueberries
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
½ cup (113g) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, softened
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup (60g) powdered sugar, sifted
2-4 tablespoons (30-59 ml) whole milk room temperature

Instructions

Lemon Simple Syrup

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, lemon juice, and water over medium-low heat. Cook and stir gently just until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool.

Lemon Bundt Cakes

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease and flour a bundtlette pan with six 1-cup servings. Make sure to thoroughly grease and flour all of the crevices. (To find the pan I used, see note below.*)
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well blended.
In a large bowl whisk together the sugar and lemon zest until well combined. Add the oil, eggs, and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth and creamy.
In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and sour cream. Stir the flour mixture into the batter in 2 additions, followed by half of the milk mixture after each addition. Stir just until combined.
Fill the cake pan wells half full with the batter. (If using a standard muffin pan, fill the wells 2/3 full.) Bake until the tops are springy and a toothpick inserted in the centers of the cakes comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached, about 14-16 minutes. Check for doneness a couple of minutes early to avoid over baking. (Baking time is shorter for a standard muffin pan.) Cool the cakes in the pan for 8 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack. Brush the warm cakes generously with lemon simple syrup.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Icing

In a small saucepan, combine the blueberries, sugar and lemon juice. Stir occasionally over medium heat, until the blueberries start to soften and the mixture starts to bubble. Smash the blueberries with a potato masher or the back of a spoon. Let the mixture simmer gently until thickened to a jam consistency, about 2-3 minutes. Strain the cooked blueberries through a mesh sieve for a smooth consistency. You can skip this step if you prefer a chunky consistency. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
In a medium-sized bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Don't over beat. Cream cheese tends to curdle if beaten too much.
Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and 2 tablespoons (30ml) of milk and beat until smooth and well blended. Stir in the cooled blueberries until combined. Stir in more milk as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Spoon or drizzle the icing onto the cooled lemon cakes.

Notes

To find the bundt cake pan I used, click here.

Keyword cake, lemon bundts

Chocolate Love Potion Cookies

Posted on January 28, 2024February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

You’ll fall in love with these bewitching double chocolate cookies with pistachios and rose petals. As if the chocolate chips weren’t enough, I topped them with pieces of dark chocolate which melt into heavenly little pools of deliciousness. You may have heard that chocolate is considered to be an aphrodisiac because it contains tryptophan and phenelethylamine. Tryptophen increases the mood booster serotonin in the brain. Phenelethylamine is released by the brain when you fall in love. Pistachios are also considered to be natural aphrodisiacs and these cookies contain plenty of pistachios! The rose petals add a touch of romance to finish off the perfect love potion cookies.

If you’re not a fan of pistachios, feel free to substitute your favorite toasted nuts. If you want to skip the nuts all together, make sure to replace them with another add-in, because the nuts help to provide structure to the cookies. I recommend dried cherries or white chocolate chips as a nice alternative.

Chocolate Love Potion Cookies

Double chocolate cookies with chocolate chips and pistachios topped with pools of melted chocolate, chopped pistachios and dried rose petals

Print Recipe

Course Dessert

Servings 18 cookies

Ingredients

2 cups (256g) all purpose flour, sifted
½ cup (48g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups (256g) semisweet or dark chocolate chips
½ cup (57g) roasted unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped
2 ounces (57g) semisweet or dark chocolate broken into pieces
Finely chopped, roasted unsalted pistachios for garnish
Dried rose petals for garnish

Instructions

Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt until well blended.
In a separate large bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until pale and fluffy.
Beat in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla in 3 separate additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. On low speed, mix in the flour mixture just until combined. Mix in the chocolate chips and pistachios.
Form the dough into 18 portions, about 2 ounces (57g) each. Form the portions into 2-inch heart shapes. (They don't have to be perfect, because the cookies are going to spread as they bake.) Place the heart shapes on a tray. Cover and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Place 6 dough portions on each cookie sheet, about 3 inches apart. Top each one with a piece of chocolate. I placed my chocolate pieces on the upper left of each cookie. Bake the cookies until the tops look set, about 10-11 minutes. Be careful not to over bake the cookies or they'll be more difficult to shape into hearts.
Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately use a large, metal heart-shaped cookie cutter to shape the hot cookies. Place the cookie cutter onto the cookie sheet over each cookie and slide it up and down, then side to side a couple of times. Work quickly before the cookies set. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 2-3 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack. Top the cookies with chopped pistachios and rose petals before the melted chocolate sets.

Notes

To find culinary rose petals, click here.

To find the cookie cutter I used, click here.

Keyword chocolate, cookies, love potion

Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Posted on October 29, 2023February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

An easy-to-make square cake, typically unfrosted, is what my family would consider a snacking cake when I was growing up. This easy apple cake qualifies as a snacking cake because it stands on its own as a moist, delicious cake, unfrosted. BUT…if you add the silky cream cheese frosting, then you have yourself something a little more special. This cake could easily appear at a Thanksgiving meal and upstage the pies. I added food-safe fresh flowers and a faux sprig of greenery to dress it up for autumn. If you’re using fresh flowers, make sure to use pesticide-free flowers and wrap your stems before placing them into the cake. This cake is also amazing topped with caramel sauce.

Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

A soft, moist apple cake with silky cream cheese frosting.

Print Recipe

Course Dessert

Servings 9 servings

Ingredients

Apple Cake

1 ¼ cups (159g) all purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, preferably freshly ground
¾ cups (150g) packed brown sugar
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
2 large egg
⅔ cup (148ml) vegetable oil or neutral oil of your choice
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
1 cup (227g) puréed apples or unsweetened applesauce*

Cream Cheese Frosting

½ cup (113g) cream cheese, softened
10 tablespoons (142g) unsalted butter, softened
3 cups (361g) powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
1/2-1 teaspoon heavy cream
1 pinch fine sea salt

Instructions

Apple 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-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined. Mix in the puréed apples until incorporated. Stir in the flour mixture 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 28-33 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan and transfer it to a cooling rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting

In a large 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.
Beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla, salt and heavy cream until smooth and well combined. Stir slowly with a spatula to smooth the frosting and remove bubbles.

Notes

*If you're using applesauce and your applesauce is watery, drain off excess liquid before measuring.

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

Keyword apple, cake

Double Chocolate Oreo Muffins

Posted on October 10, 2023February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

If you’re craving something sweet, decadent and intensely chocolate, these Double Chocolate Oreo Muffins might be just what you need. They were born when I had a craving for Double Chocolate Muffins, but I didn’t feel like driving all the way to my favorite cafe. I noticed the internet had an overwhelming number of chocolate muffin recipes, each one claiming to be the best. I said goodbye to the sea of chocolate muffin recipes and went to work on a muffin recipe that fulfilled my dream muffin wish. I used black cocoa powder to capture the Oreo essence, semisweet chocolate chips, for those little pools of melted chocolate throughout and a cookies and cream filling. I used tulip muffin liners* because they hold more batter so you end up with more generous sized muffins. They’re high recommended if you want to make the muffins exactly the way I made them.

The most challenging part of this recipe is testing for doneness, because you don’t want to over bake these. Insert a toothpick or a cake tester into the cake part of the muffins. If there are a few moist crumbs on it, that’s what you’re looking for. If there’s melted chocolate on it, you’ve likely hit a chocolate chip, so test again with a clean toothpick. If you see cake batter on the toothpick, the muffins need more time in the oven.

Double Chocolate Oreo Muffins

Dark chocolate muffins with semisweet chocolate chips and cookies and cream filling

Print Recipe

Servings 12 muffins

Ingredients

Cookies & Cream Filling

½ cup (113g) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons (25g) sugar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 Oreo chocolate sandwich cookies, coarsely chopped

Double Chocolate Muffins

2 cups (255g) all purpose flour, sifted
½ cup (56g) black or dark unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
⅔ cup (152ml) vegetable oil or neutral oil of your choice
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup (227g) sour cream, room temperature
⅓ cup (78ml) whole milk, room temperature
1 ⅓ cups (227g) semisweet chocolate chips
3 Oreo chocolate sandwich cookies, quartered

Instructions

Cookies & Cream Filling

In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Gently fold in the Oreos.

Double Chocolate Muffins

Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Line a 12-serving muffin pan with tulip liners*
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla extract, sour cream and milk until well combined. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined. Do not over mix. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Scoop the batter evenly into the muffin cups, about 3 1/2 oz (99g) in each one. Scoop or spoon a scant tablespoon-size dollop of the filling into the center of each muffin.
Bake for 5 minutes, then turn the oven temperature down to 350ºF (180ºC). Continue baking until a toothpick inserted into the cake part of the muffins comes out with a few moist crumbs on it, about 7-10 more minutes. If the toothpick hits a melted chocolate chip, reinsert a clean toothpick and test again. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Top each muffin with a quarter piece of Oreo cookie.

Notes

*Tulip muffin liners are preferred. To find tulip muffin liners, click here. You can also make your own by pressing 6-inch squares of parchment paper into the muffin pan cups. If you want to use standard muffin liners, fill them 3/4 full and use less filling. Standard muffin liners hold less batter so you'll end up with a a couple of extra muffins. Keep in mind that the baking time will be shorter.

Keyword double chocolate oreo, muffins

Blueberry Pecan Banana Bread

Posted on September 5, 2023February 15, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

This banana bread was a happy accident. One morning, I wanted to make banana bread but my recipe called for three over-ripe bananas. I realized that I only had two, so I changed my recipe, adding blueberries, toasted pecans, a pecan crumb topping and a brown sugar cinnamon glaze. The results were so tender, moist and delicious that I can confidently say this is the best banana bread I’ve ever tasted. And I’ve tasted a lot of banana bread. I’ve tried many different recipes and tasted loaves baked by other people. I also like picking up a slice of banana bread at bakeries and coffee shops sometimes, alongside my coffee or tea.

The three biggest problems I typically see with banana bread are rubbery texture, dry texture or bland flavor. Over mixing can cause a rubbery loaf, so when you add your dry ingredients to the batter, mix it just until the flour is incorporated, to avoid excess gluten formation. To avoid a dry loaf, make sure not to over bake it. Test it before you think it might be done. When measuring your dry ingredients, weigh them for the best results. Sometimes people inadvertently add too much or too little flour when using measuring cups.

For the best flavor and sweetness, make sure to use very ripe bananas when making banana bread. I like to use bananas that are soft and covered with brown spots. I avoid the black, oozing bananas, even though you may see people on social media recommending them for use. These are technically rotten bananas and can give your banana bread an unpleasant fermented flavor. The toasted pecans in this recipe add texture and a rustic nutty flavor. Even people who don’t like nuts tend to appreciate them in this banana bread. But you can certainly leave them out if you like. The addition of cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla also add lovely flavor to this loaf. This banana bread is quite delicious on its own, but the crumb topping and brown sugar glaze take it over the top!

Blueberry Pecan Banana Bread

by Mari Vasseur

Moist tender banana bread with blueberries and toasted pecans, topped with pecan crumb topping and brown sugar cinnamon glaze.

Print Recipe

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Servings 1 loaf

Ingredients

Crumb Topping

⅓ cup (1 1/2 oz 43g) all purpose flour
⅓ cup (67g) packed brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch fine sea salt
2 ½ tablespoons (64g) cold, unsalted butter, cubed
2 tablespoons (14g) chopped pecans

Blueberry Pecan Banana Bread

1 ½ cups (191g) all purpose flour, sifted (plus 2 teaspoons for the blueberries)
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, preferably freshly ground
1 cup (200g) packed brown sugar
⅓ cup (70ml) vegetable oil or neutral oil of your choice
2 large eggs
½ cup (113g) sour cream or full fat Greek yogurt
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¾ cups ( 175g) mashed over-ripe bananas (about 2 medium bananas)
½ cup (60g) coarsely chopped toasted pecans
Generous 1 cup (170g) blueberries
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Glaze

¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 pinch fine sea salt
2 tablespoons (30ml) heavy whipping cream
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon powdered sugar, sifted

Instructions

Crumble Topping

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Work in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks sandy with no large pieces of butter remaining. Mix in the pecans. Press the mixture to together to form chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Blueberry Pecan Banana Bread

Preheat the oven to 325ºF (165ºC). Line the bottom a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan* with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg until well blended.
In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, oil, eggs, sour cream and vanilla until creamy and well blended. Stir in the bananas until incorporated. Mix in the flour mixture just until combined. Do not over mix. Stir in the pecans.
In a small bowl, gently toss the blueberries with the lemon juice, then toss them with 2 teaspoons of flour. Fold 3/4 of the blueberries into the batter. Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan. Top with the remaining blueberries, then the crumb topping.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 55-60 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove the loaf from the pan and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Glaze

In a small saucepan, whisk the brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and salt together over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the edges start to bubble. Remove from heat and whisk in the heavy cream, vanilla and powdered sugar until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly. Drizzle over the cooled banana bread.

Notes

*To find the loaf pan I used, click here.

Keyword blueberry pecan banana, loaf