egg – Page 2 – 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

Print Recipe

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

Pink Lemonade Cookie Bars

Posted on July 8, 2024February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

These cheerful Pink Lemonade Cookie Bars are sweet, summery and nostalgic. They remind me of the pink lemonade cake my elderly neighbor used to make. She shared her recipe when I was about 10 years old. It was so easy and it was one of the first things I baked on my own. These cookie bars have that same delicious, vibrant flavor, but in the form of a soft, tender cookie and they’re just as easy to make.

Pink Lemonade Cookie Bars

Soft, lemony cookie bars topped with silky, smooth pink lemonade frosting and pink sprinkles

Print Recipe

Course Dessert

Servings 16 2-inch bars

Ingredients

Cookie Bars

1 ½ cups (191g) all purpose flour, sifted
2 tablespoons (20g) cornstarch
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (200g) sugar
Zest of 2 medium lemons
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Frosting

¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons (28g) cream cheese, softened
1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon pure cherry extract
1 dash fine sea salt
1 tiny drop pink gel food coloring I used Americolor deep pink*
Pink confetti sprinkles

Instructions

Cookie Bars

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a couple of inches of overhang.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch and salt.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg until incorporated, then beat in the extracts. Beat in the flour mixture just until combined. Do not over mix.
Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake until the top is set and the edges start to turn light golden brown, about 18-20 minutes. Let cool in the pan.
Once cooled, remove the bars from the pan using the parchment paper as handles. Frost and add sprinkles. Cut into squares.

Frosting

In a medium bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese together just until smooth and combined. Add the powdered sugar, lemon juice, cherry extract and salt. Beat until smooth. Mix in the food coloring a little at a time, with the tip of a toothpick, until your desired shade of pink is achieved.

Notes

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

Keyword bars, pink lemonade cookie

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

Print Recipe

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
1 tablespoon (15ml) 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

Strawberry Blondies

Posted on April 19, 2024April 9, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

These golden, buttery bars have soft, chewy centers and crisp edges. They’re studded with fresh strawberry chunks and white chocolate chips. They’re perfectly delicious as is, but I drizzled them with fresh strawberry icing, which is the supreme finishing touch. They contain the perfect amount of salt which balances the sweetness of the white chocolate chips. Macerating the strawberries before baking draws out the excess liquid and helps to prevent soggy blondies, so don’t skip this step.

Strawberry Blondies

Golden, buttery blondies with fresh strawberries and white chocolate chips

Print Recipe

Course Dessert

Servings 16 2-inch squares

Ingredients

Strawberry Blondies

1 cup (142g) chopped strawberries 1/2-inch pieces
¼ cup (50g) plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, divided
1 ½ cups (193g) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
¾ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (200g) packed brown sugar
¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ cup (85g) white chocolate chips

Strawberry Icing

3 medium or 2 large strawberries, hulled
¾ cup (90g) powdered sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Tiny dash fine sea salt

Instructions

Strawberry Blondies

Place the chopped strawberries in a medium-sized bowl. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of sugar and mix well. Let stand for 30-45 minutes, then drain the excess juices.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a couple of inches of overhang to serve as handles to lift the blondies out of the pan.
In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until well blended.
In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup (50g) of sugar, the brown sugar, melted butter and vanilla until smooth. Add the egg and the egg yolk and whisk until smooth and well combined, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the flour mixture, just until combined. Fold in the white chocolate chips and the strawberries.
Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan. Bake until the top looks golden brown all over and a toothpick inserted into the center of the blondies comes out with a few moist crumbs on it, about 28-33 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan. Remove the cooled blondies from the pan and cut into squares.

Strawberry Icing

Finely chop, then mash the strawberries. Press the mashed strawberries through a sieve, using the back of a spoon or press the strawberries through a food mill. Whisk together the strawberries, powdered sugar, melted butter, lemon juice and salt until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled brownies.

Keyword blondies, strawberry

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

Confetti Crumb Cake Cookies

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

Just when you thought confetti cookies couldn’t get any more fun and cute, Confetti Crumb Cake Cookies have arrived! I took confetti cookies, also known as birthday cake cookies, over the top by adding confetti crumb topping and a drizzle of pale pink icing. For top level fun, I finished them with edible glitter.

Confetti Crumb Cake Cookies

Vanilla cookies with white chocolate chips, rainbow sprinkles, crumb topping and icing drizzle

Print Recipe

Course Dessert

Servings 15 cookies

Ingredients

Confetti Crumb Topping

¾ cup (96g) all purpose flour
7 tablespoons (87g) granulated sugar
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
4 ½ tablespoons (64g) cold, unsalted butter, cubed
1 tablespoon rainbow sprinkles

Confetti Cookies

2 cups (255g) all purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
¾ cup (128g) white chocolate chips or chunks
¼ cup (44g) rainbow sprinkles

Icing

½ cup (60g) powdered sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, melted
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons (15-30ml) whole milk
pink gel food coloring or any color of your choice optional
edible glitter optional

Instructions

Confetti Crumb Topping

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it looks like sand with no large chunks of butter. Stir in the sprinkles. Press the mixture together to form chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator while you make the cookie dough.

Confetti Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line 2 large cookies sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and brown sugar, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and egg yolk in two additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. Beat in the extracts.
On low speed, beat in the flour mixture into the batter, just until combined. Stir in the white chocolate chips and the sprinkles.
Form the cookie dough into 2-tablespoon size balls. Place them about 3 inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Flatten the dough balls slightly. Top each one generously with the crumb topping.
Bake until the cookies are set 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, butter, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk. Add additional milk as needed to achieve your desired consistency. Using the tip of a toothpick, gradually add a tiny bit of food coloring and whisk until incorporated.
Drizzle over the cooled cookies. Top with edible glitter if desired.

Notes

If your cookies spread too much, chill the dough for 20-30 minutes, then proceed with the recipe.

Keyword birthday cake, confetti, cookies

Strawberry Crumb Cake

Posted on February 12, 2024April 19, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

One of my favorite ways to use fresh springtime strawberries is in this delicious Strawberry Crumb Cake. A tender, moist subtly sweet vanilla cake is topped with fresh strawberries and plenty of crumb topping. A drizzle of naturally pink, fresh strawberry icing adds a perfect finishing touch.

Strawberry Crumb Cake

by Mari Vasseur

Tender vanilla crumb cake topped with fresh strawberries, plenty of crumb topping and fresh strawberry icing

Print Recipe

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Servings 8

Ingredients

Crumb Topping

¾ cup (96g) all purpose flour
⅓ cup (66g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (25g) packed brown sugar
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
4 ½ tablespoons (64g) cold, unsalted butter, cubed

Cake

1 ¼ cups (160g) all purpose flour, sifted
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
⅜ teaspoon fine sea salt
6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
1 large egg room temperature
1 large egg yolk room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
⅓ cup (78ml) whole milk room temperature
¼ cup (57g) sour cream room temperature
1 cup (142g) chopped strawberries (1/2-inch pieces)
Fresh strawberries for garnish optional

Fresh Strawberry Icing

½ cup (60g) powdered sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon puréed or smashed strawberries
1 tablespoon half and half

Instructions

Crumb Topping

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

Cake

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan with a removable bottom or an 8-inch springform pan, with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides or line with a strip of parchment paper.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until well blended.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar, with an electric mixer on medium speed, until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla in 3 separate additions, making sure each addition is incorporated before adding the next.
In a small bowl, whisk the milk and sour cream together. On low speed, mix the flour mixture into the batter in two additions alternating with half of the milk mixture. Beat just until combined.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Smooth the batter with a spatula. Place the strawberries evenly on top of the batter. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the top.
Bake until the topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 48-55 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.

Fresh Strawberry Icing

Pass the strawberries through a sieve. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and strawberries. Add the half & half a little at a time until the desired consistency is achieved. Whisk until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cake.

Notes

To find the cake pan I used, click here.

Keyword cake, strawberry

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

Mini Pumpkin Bear Muffins

Posted on September 1, 2023February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

These cute little bear-shaped pumpkin muffins are almost too cute to eat. But if you try one, it’ll be gobbled up without hesitation because they’re so moist, fluffy and delicious! The cinnamon sugar coating gives them the perfect fall flavor and a subtle crunch. I used cream cheese icing to form the snouts and melted chocolate for the eyes and noses. You can also use melted chocolate chips or candy melts to decorate their faces if you prefer. I used a bear-shaped mini muffin pan, which is also called a Madeleine pan or a financier pan. To find a bear mini muffin pan, click here. A standard mini muffin pan will also work, but the muffins won’t be bear-shaped. If you end up using a standard mini muffin pan, you can add round, flat candies to form the ears.

To watch the TikTok video of Mini Pumpkin Bear Muffins being made, click here.

To watch the Instagram video of Mini Pumpkin Bear Muffins being made, click here.

Mini Pumpkin Bear Muffins

Moist, fluffy bear-shaped pumpkin mini muffins with cream cheese icing snouts

Print Recipe

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Servings 18 mini muffins

Ingredients

Mini Pumpkin Bear Muffins

1 cup (4 1/2 oz or 128g) all purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg preferably freshly ground
½ cup (3 1/2 oz or 100g) packed brown sugar
¼ cup (1 3/4 oz or 52ml) vegetable oil or neutral oil of your choice
1 large egg
¾ cup (6 oz or 170g) pure pumpkin purée not pie filling

Cinnamon Sugar

½ cup (3 1/2 oz or 100g) sugar
1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ cup (2 oz or 57g) melted butter

Bear Faces

1 teaspoon butter, softened
1 teaspoon cream cheese, softened
⅓ cup (1 3/8 oz or 38g) powdered sugar, sifted
⅛ cup melted chocolate, chocolate chips or candy melts
1/2-1 ½ teaspoons whole milk

Instructions

Mini Pumpkin Bear Muffins

Preheat the oven to 325ºF (165ºC). Grease and flour a bear-shaped mini muffin pan. (This recipe also works in a mini muffin pan but the muffins won't be bear shaped.)
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, oil and egg until smooth and well combined. Mix in the pumpkin purée until incorporated. Stir in the flour mixture just until combined.
Scoop or pipe the batter into the muffin pan, filling the cups 2/3 full (about 3/4 oz or 21g in each). Use a small offset spatula to smooth the top of the batter, making sure to get batter into the ears.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean, about 9-11 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes then remove them from the pan and transfer to a cooling rack.
Clean the pan and repeat with the remaining batter.

Cinnamon Sugar

In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon until well combined. Brush the warm muffins with with melted butter using a small pastry brush. Coat them with the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Bear Faces

In a small bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of milk until smooth. Add more milk as needed.
Transfer the icing to a piping bag fitted with a medium round tip or snip off the end of the piping bag making a 1/4-inch wide opening. Pipe a small blob of icing onto each bear's face to form the snouts.
Transfer the melted chocolate to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip or snip off the end of the piping bag making a 1/16-inch wide opening. Pipe dots of chocolate onto the snouts to make the noses. Pipe dots or curved lines to make the eyes. Alternately you can apply the melted chocolate dots with the tip of a toothpick

Notes

*To find a bear-shaped mini muffin pan, click here.

Keyword muffins, pumpkin

Double Strawberry Mini Muffins

Posted on June 21, 2023April 9, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

These cute little pink muffins are the strawberriest muffins ever. I had to use a word that’s not even in the dictionary to describe them because these little gems are bursting with strawberry flavor. They’re made with fresh strawberry purée and finished with homemade strawberry sugar. The strawberry purée helps to make the muffins soft and moist on the inside and the strawberry sugar gives a nice crunchy texture and a bright strawberry flavor on the outside.

The strawberry sugar is made by pulverizing freeze dried strawberries together with sugar. Freeze dried strawberries are not the same as dried strawberries. You can find freeze dried strawberries at grocery markets, gourmet stores and online. They’re typically located near the nuts and dried fruit in most markets.

To watch the Instagram video of Double Strawberry Mini Muffins click here.

Double Strawberry Mini Muffins

by Mari Vasseur

Strawberry Mini Muffins Coated in Homemade Strawberry Sugar

Print Recipe

Servings 24 mini muffins

Ingredients

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (225g) sugar, divided
½ cup (14g) freeze dried strawberries not dried
1 ½ cups (190g) all purpose flour, sifted
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
⅓ cup (74ml) vegetable oil or any neutral oil of your choice
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon pure strawberry extract
½ cup (118ml) strawberry puree
2 pea size drops pink gel food color optional
6 tablespoons (85g) butter, melted

Instructions

Combine the freeze dried strawberries and 2 tablespoons (25g) of sugar in a small food processor or a clean spice grinder. Process until finely ground. Add 1/2 cup (100g) of sugar and pulse a few times until well combined. Place the strawberry sugar in a shallow bowl and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease and flour a 24-serving mini muffin pan.** Do not skip this step and do not use liners. The muffins need to form a crust on the outside so they don't soak up too much butter in the final step.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until well blended.
In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup (100g) of sugar with the oil, egg and extracts until smooth & creamy. Whisk in the strawberry purée until well combined. Stir in the flour mixture with a rubber spatula, just until combined. The batter will be thick.
Transfer the batter to the muffin pan, filling the wells about 3/4 full.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean, about 10-12 minutes. Do not over bake! Be diligent, since over baking can happen very quickly with mini muffins.
Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Turn the muffins out onto a cooling rack. Place the melted butter in a small bowl. Dunk the warm muffins briefly in the melted butter or brush the butter on with a pastry brush, then roll them in the strawberry sugar.

Notes

To find the gel food color I used, click here.

To find the mini muffin pan I used, click here.

Keyword muffins, strawberry