Ingredient: eggs, 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.

Maple Blueberry Buckle

Maple Blueberry Buckle

A “buckle” is a single layer cake made with fruit. It often has a crumb topping similar to a crumb cake or a coffee cake. My version of a buckle is made with blueberries and maple icing. Although blueberry desserts are typically made when blueberries are in season, this delicious cake can be made year around, because the recipe also works well with frozen blueberries. The maple flavor pairs beautifully with the blueberries and brown sugar in the cake and gives it a cozy autumn feeling.

Print Recipe
 Maple Blueberry Buckle
Tender maple brown sugar cake topped with blueberries, crumb topping and maple icing
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword buckle, cake, maple blueberry
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
Cake
Icing
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword buckle, cake, maple blueberry
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
Cake
Icing
Instructions
Crumb Topping
  1. n a medium-size bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Work in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks like wet sand with no large pieces of butter remaining. Press together to make 1/2-inch chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line a 9-inch square cake pan* with parchment paper, leaving a couple of inches of overhang.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg until well blended.
  3. In a large bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar, with an electric mixer on medium speed, until light and fluffy. Beat the eggs into the butter mixture in two separate additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. Beat in the extracts until combined.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk the milk and sour cream together. On low speed, beat the flour mixture into the batter in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture. Mix just until combined.
  5. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Set aside 1/4 cup (38g) of blueberries. Top the cake batter evenly with the remaining blueberries, then the topping mixture. Top with the reserved blueberries. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Do not over bake. Cool the cake in the pan. Remove the cake from pan and transfer it to a serving platter.**
Icing
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, maple syrup, butter, maple extract, salt and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of milk until well combined. Add additional milk as needed to reach the desired consistency. Whisk until smooth. Drizzle the icing over the cooled cake.
Recipe Notes

*To find the 9-inch square cake pan I used, click here.

**To remove the cake from the pan, tilt the cake pan and lift one end of the cake using the parchment paper as a handle. Gently slide the cake onto a serving platter or cutting board. You can also serve the cake directly out of the pan if you prefer.

Cherry Lemon Muffins

Cherry Lemon Muffins

Blueberry and lemon are a classic muffin flavor combination, but have you tried cherry and lemon? They complement each other beautifully in lemonade, so why not muffins? Cherries are plentiful at the moment so I came up with these pretty and delicious Cherry Lemon Muffins that are perfect for summer breakfast, brunch or picnics. They have a lovely soft, moist crumb that’s the quintessential muffin texture. Although I’ve been baking muffins since childhood, I learned to refine my muffins in culinary school. Here are a few helpful tips:

~ Muffins with big hole or tunneling may have too much leavening or it wasn’t mixed in evenly. Whisk the leavening agent into the flour thoroughly. Tunnels can also be caused by mixing the batter too aggressively.

~ Dry muffins were likely over baked or have too much flour.

~ Rubbery muffins were likely over mixed.

~ Soggy or gummy muffins were either underbaked or too much wet fruit was added. Try macerating the fruit first to release excess juices. This helps to prevent soggy spots in your muffins.

~ If you want tall, domed muffins, keep in mind that, although they look nice, domed muffins tend to be chewier and less tender. To get domes, try letting the batter rest a few minutes before baking if the muffins contain baking powder. You can also try giving the muffins a boost of high heat by starting them out with a higher temperature 400ºF (200ºC) then drop the temperature to 350ºF (180ºC) after a few minutes.

~ To keep crumble topping from sinking, make sure to work the cold butter into the flour mixture thoroughly, until it looks like wet sand and no large pieces of butter remain. Press the mixture together to form chunks, then chill it in the refrigerator before topping the muffins.

~ To keep fruit from sinking, lightly coat it with flour. Thick, voluminous batter is best for adding fruit.

Print Recipe
 Cherry Lemon Muffins
Tender, moist lemon muffins studded with fresh cherries, topped with crumb topping and pink cherry-lemon icing
Course Breakfast, Brunch
Keyword cherry lemon, muffins
Servings
muffins
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
Cherry Lemon Muffins
Icing
Course Breakfast, Brunch
Keyword cherry lemon, muffins
Servings
muffins
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
Cherry Lemon Muffins
Icing
Instructions
Crumb Topping
  1. In a medium-size bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together. Work in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks like the consistency of sand with no large pieces of butter. Press the mixture together to make chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Muffins
  1. In a medium-size bowl, combine the cherries and 1 tablespoon (13g) of sugar. Let stand 30 minutes, then drain the cherries, reserving the juice.
  2. Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Line a 12-serving muffin pan with tulip muffin liners.* (You can also use standard muffin liners. They hold less batter so you'll end up with a couple of extra muffins.)
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together until well combined.
  4. In a large bowl, beat the butter, 1 cup (200g) of sugar and lemon zest with an electric mixer at medium speed, until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Beat in the extracts. On low speed, mix in the flour mixture in two additions, followed by half of the sour cream after each addition. Beat just until combined. Do not over mix. Reserve a couple of tablespoons of the chopped cherries. Coat the remaining cherries with 2 teaspoons of flour, then gently fold them into the batter.
  5. Divide the batter evenly into muffin liners. (If using standard muffin liners, fill 3/4 full.) Top with the reserved cherries and the crumb topping. Bake at 375ºF (190ºC) for 5 minutes. Turn the oven heat down to 350ºF (180ºC) and continue baking the muffins until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 12-17 more minutes. Do not over bake.
  6. Transfer the muffins to a cooling rack to cool completely. Drizzle with icing and top with cherries if desired.
Icing
  1. In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, cherry juice, heavy cream, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice together until smooth. Add additional lemon juice, if needed, until your desired consistency is reached.
Recipe Notes

*To find  tulip muffin liners, click here. To find floral tulip muffin liners, click here.

Triple Berry Crumble Cheesecake Bars

Triple Berry Crumble Cheesecake Bars

Snacking on fresh summer berries is a treat I look forward to every year. Making desserts with berries is even more anticipated! So I decided to share my dreamy Triple Berry Crumble Cheesecake bars. The cheesecake filling is so creamy and silky. I used a combination of blackberries, blueberries and raspberries with plenty of crumb topping. Feel free to use any combination of berries you like. If you use strawberries, just cut them into chunks. The raspberry sauce is a bonus. You can also make the sauce using strawberries instead if you like. These cheesecake bars are so stress-free. There’s no water bath required and you don’t have to worry about cracking.

Print Recipe
 Triple Berry Crumble Cheesecake Bars
A creamy cheesecake filling on a graham cracker base, topped with berries and a generous crumb topping. Served with raspberry sauce.
Course Dessert
Keyword bars, cheesecake, triple berry
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Berries
Crumb Topping
Graham Cracker Crust
Filling
Raspberry Sauce
Course Dessert
Keyword bars, cheesecake, triple berry
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Berries
Crumb Topping
Graham Cracker Crust
Filling
Raspberry Sauce
Instructions
Berries
  1. Combine the berries, sugar and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Let stand 30 minutes, then drain the juices.
Crumb Topping
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar and salt.
  2. Work the butter in with your fingertips until it looks like wet sand and no large pieces of butter remain. Press the mixture together to form chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Graham Cracker Crust
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Spray an 8-inch (20.3cm) square baking dish with nonstick spray. (I used a ceramic baking dish.*)
  2. In a medium bowl, mix the crumbs, sugar and cinnamon together until well combined. Stir in the melted butter until evenly distributed. Press this mixture into the baking pan. Bake until set, about 5 minutes.
Filling and Assembly
  1. Turn the oven temperature down to 325ºF (165ºC).
  2. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with the sugar and salt until well combined. Gradually beat in the heavy cream, then the vanilla extract. Beat in the eggs one at a time, just until smooth and combined. Don't over beat.
  3. Pour the batter into the baking dish over the crust. Spoon the drained berries over the batter. Sprinkle on the crumb topping. Bake until the topping is golden brown and the cheesecake center is wobbly but not runny, about 45-50 minutes. The internal temperature should be 145º-150ºF (63º-66ºC).
  4. Run a small offset spatula or a knife along the perimeter edges of the cheesecake to separate it from the pan. Let the cheesecake cool to room temperature, about 1 1/2 hours. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Cut into squares and serve with raspberry sauce.
Raspberry Sauce
  1. Purée the raspberries n a blender or small food processor. Pass the purée through a mesh sieve.
  2. Place the raspberries, sugar and 1/2 cup (118ml) of water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon (15ml) of water. Add this mixture to the saucepan and whisk until smooth. Continue cooking until thickened, about 2-3 more minutes. Remove from heat. Transfer the raspberry sauce to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. The sauce will thicken a bit as it cools.
Recipe Notes

*To find an 8-inch ceramic baking dish, click here.

Blueberry Muffin Upside Down Cake

Upside down cakes are so much fun and slightly exciting when you flip the pan over and cross your fingers. This blueberry version tastes like a soft, moist blueberry muffin in cake form. It’s heavenly served warm from the oven with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on top.

Print Recipe
 Blueberry Muffin Upside Down Cake
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Keyword blueberry upside down, cake
Servings
Ingredients
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Keyword blueberry upside down, cake
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Spray an 8-inch round cake pan* with nonstick spray.
  2. In a small saucepan, melt 6 tablespoons (85g) of the butter with the brown sugar and a pinch of salt. Simmer for 1 minute, then transfer the mixture to the cake pan. Arrange the blueberries on top.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
  4. In a medium bowl, beat the remaining 10 tablespoons (142g) of butter and the granulated sugar, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and the egg yolk in 3 separate additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. Beat in the vanilla extract until well combined. On low speed, beat in the flour mixture in 2 separate additions, followed by half of the milk after each addition. Beat unit combined.
  5. Gently spoon the batter into the cake pan over the top of the blueberries. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out nearly clean, about 45-50 minutes. You don't want to see raw batter on the knife, but a little moisture is okay. Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the perimeter and invert the cake onto a serving platter. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Recipe Notes

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

Strawberry Iced Madeleines


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Strawberry Iced Madeleines

Perfect heart-shaped madeleines with fresh strawberry icing

Course Dessert
Keyword madeleines, strawberry

Servings
madeleines


Ingredients

Course Dessert
Keyword madeleines, strawberry

Servings
madeleines


Ingredients


Instructions
  1. In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup (113g) of the melted butter with the lemon zest and vanilla extract. Set aside.

  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside

  3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and granulated sugar, with an electric mixer at medium-high speed, to ribbon stage, about 8 minutes. The batter should look thick, voluminous and light in color.

  4. Sift the flour mixture into the egg mixture in 2 additions, gently folding it in just until combined.

  5. Gently fold the butter mixture into the batter in 3 additions. Cover and refrigerate the batter for 30-45 minutes.

  6. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Brush the molds of a heart-shaped madeleine pan* with melted butter, making sure to get butter into all of the crevices.

  7. Scoop about a generous tablespoon of batter into each of the molds. Bake until the tops are puffed and springy and the edges start to turn light golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer the madeleines to a cooling rack.

  8. To make the icing, whisk the powdered sugar together with 1 tablespoon of melted butter and 2 tablespoons of puréed strawberries in a medium bowl. Add more of the puréed strawberries until your desired consistency is achieved.

  9. Brush the scalloped side of the cooled madeleines with the strawberry icing, using a small pastry brush. (Alternately, you can thin the icing with a bit of milk and dunk one side fo the madeleines into the icing.


Recipe Notes

To find the heart-shaped madeleine pan I used, click here.

Double Chocolate Oreo Muffins

Double Chocolate Oreo Muffins

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.

Print Recipe
 Double Chocolate Oreo Muffins
Dark chocolate muffins with semisweet chocolate chips and cookies and cream filling
Keyword double chocolate oreo, muffins
Servings
muffins
Ingredients
Cookies & Cream Filling
Double Chocolate Muffins
Keyword double chocolate oreo, muffins
Servings
muffins
Ingredients
Cookies & Cream Filling
Double Chocolate Muffins
Instructions
Cookies & Cream Filling
  1. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Gently fold in the Oreos.
Double Chocolate Muffins
  1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Line a 12-serving muffin pan with tulip liners*
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
Recipe 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.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars


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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

Course Dessert
Keyword bars, peanut butter chocolate chip

Servings
2-inch bars


Ingredients
Bars

Glaze

Course Dessert
Keyword bars, peanut butter chocolate chip

Servings
2-inch bars


Ingredients
Bars

Glaze


Instructions
Bars
  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, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt until well combined.

  3. In a large bowl, beat the butter and peanut butter together, with an electric mixer, until smooth and well blended. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat until combined. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract in 3 separate additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the flour mixture just until combined.

  4. In a small bowl, toss the chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon of flour then fold them into the batter. Transfer the batter to the baking pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the bars comes out with a few moist crumbs on it, about 20-25 minutes. Let cool in the pan. Spread the chocolate glaze over the cooled bars.

Glaze
  1. Combine the glaze ingredients in a heat-safe bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth.

White Chocolate Peach Muffins

I have strong opinions about muffins. Maybe a little controversial too. When baked correctly, muffins should be soft, fluffy and tender. I get a little sad and disappointed when I buy a big, domed bakery muffin and the inside is rubbery. Many of the pretty muffins I see on social media are painfully rubbery too, as the creators break open a muffin in a dramatic moment of triumph. The muffin recipe I’m sharing here is tender and delicious if baked correctly.

One of the most important ways to achieve tender muffins is by not over mixing your batter once the flour is added. Muffins are technically cake, not bread, so we don’t want gluten formation. Another way to get tender muffins is to use an acidic ingredient such as sour cream, yogurt or buttermilk. Lastly, and very importantly, don’t over bake or under bake your muffins. Baking times in recipes are a guide and not necessarily exact because everyone’s ovens and baking pans are different. Keep an eye on your muffins and test them for doneness with a cake tester or a toothpick. My grandma used to say that when you start to smell them, they’re probably done or close to being done.

Soggy muffins also make me run the other way. Muffins loaded with too much fruit or fruit that hasn’t been macerated can make your muffins soggy or dense. In this recipe, I macerated the peaches to draw out some of the moisture, so it helps to avoid creating soggy spots in your muffins. The waiting time goes by fast as you prep the rest of your ingredients.

Print Recipe
 White Chocolate Peach Muffins
Tender muffins with white chocolate chips and chunks of fresh peaches.
Course Breakfast, Brunch
Keyword muffins, white chocolate peach
Servings
muffins
Ingredients
Macerated Peaches
Crumb Topping
Muffins
Course Breakfast, Brunch
Keyword muffins, white chocolate peach
Servings
muffins
Ingredients
Macerated Peaches
Crumb Topping
Muffins
Instructions
Macerated Peaches
  1. In a medium bowl, toss the peaches with lemon juice. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon and stir to combine. Let stand 30 minutes.
  2. Drain the peaches well and toss with flour. Reserve 1/4 cup of peaches for the muffin tops.
Crumb Topping
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.
  2. With a pastry blender, or with your fingertips, work the butter into the flour mixture until it looks like wet sand. Press together to form chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Muffins
  1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Line a 12-serving muffin pan with tulip muffin liners.* (Tulip muffin liners are preferable because they hold more batter, but you can also use standard muffin liners.)
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and extracts in 3 separate additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next.
  4. Mix in the flour mixture with a wooden spoon or spatula, in two additions, followed by half of the sour cream after each addition. Mix just until combined. The batter will be thick.
  5. Toss the white chocolate chips with flour, then fold them into the batter. Gently fold in the drained peaches.
  6. Transfer batter to the prepared muffin pan, equally dividing the batter among the muffin cups. (If you're using standard muffin liners, fill them 2/3 full.) Top with the reserved peaches and the crumb topping. Optional: Top each muffin with a piece of white chocolate.
  7. Bake muffins for 5 minutes. Turn down the oven heat to 350ºF (180ºC). Continue baking until the muffins are light golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centers of the muffins comes out clean, about 15-20 more minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove the muffins from the pan and continue cooling on a cooling rack.
Recipe Notes

*To find tulip muffin liners, click here.

 

Glazed Lemon Muffins

Glazed Lemon Muffins

However your day is going today, it’s about to get better. I can confidently say these lemon muffins are some of the best you will ever taste. Follow the recipe exactly, weigh your ingredients and you’ll be enjoying these soft, tender muffins in no time. These delightful muffins are perfect for breakfast, brunch or an anytime snack. I love enjoying one with a cup of strawberry green tea or chamomile tea.

Print Recipe
 Glazed Lemon Muffins
Soft, tender lemon muffins glazed with lemon icing
Course Breakfast, Brunch
Keyword lemon, muffins
Servings
muffins
Ingredients
Muffins
Icing
Course Breakfast, Brunch
Keyword lemon, muffins
Servings
muffins
Ingredients
Muffins
Icing
Instructions
Muffins
  1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Line a 12-serving muffin pan with tulip baking liners.* (You can also use standard muffin liners. They hold less batter so you may end up with a couple of extra muffins.)
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well combined.
  3. In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar and lemon zest, with an electric mixer, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until well incorporated. Add the extracts and beat until combined.
  4. On low speed, mix in the flour mixture in two additions, alternating with half of sour cream after each addition. Mix just until combined. The batter will be thick.
  5. Divide the batter evenly into muffin liners. (If using standard muffin liners, fill 3/4 full.) Bake at 375ºF (190ºC) for 5 minutes. Turn the oven heat down to 350ºF (180ºC) and continue baking the muffins until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 12-16 more minutes. Do not over bake.
  6. Transfer the muffins to a cooling rack to cool completely. Brush icing onto the muffin tops with a small pastry brush.
Icing
  1. Whisk the powdered sugar, melted butter, and 1 tablespoon (15ml) of lemon juice together until smooth. Add additional lemon juice until your desired consistency is reached.
Recipe Notes

*To find  tulip muffin liners, click here.

To find floral tulip muffin liners, click here.

Chocolate Gingerbread

Chocolate Gingerbread

Chocolate gingerbread is gingerbread’s elegant sister. It has the warm spices we love in gingerbread combined with the earthy depth of chocolate. Topping this rich, tender loaf with silky cream cheese frosting is the best possible choice to take it over the top. It’s a lovely loaf to enjoy during the holiday season and beyond. Enjoy it with a hot drink for a cozy, comforting winter treat.

Make sure to check out my method for making sugared cranberries below. No raw eggs required!

Print Recipe
 Chocolate Gingerbread
Course Dessert
Keyword cake, chocolate gingerbread
Servings
loaf
Ingredients
Chocolate Gingerbread
Cream Cheese Frosting
Course Dessert
Keyword cake, chocolate gingerbread
Servings
loaf
Ingredients
Chocolate Gingerbread
Cream Cheese Frosting
Instructions
Chocolate Gingerbread
  1. Preheat oven go 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Grease the insides and dust with a mixture of equal parts flour and cocoa powder.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cloves until well blended
  3. In a large bowl, beat the brown sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla together until smooth.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and milk.
  5. Add flour the mixture to the batter in two additions, alternating with the milk mixture, beating just until combined.
  6. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 38-45 minutes.
  7. Cool the loaf in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the loaf out onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
  1. In a medium bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth.
  2. Add the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of milk, the vanilla and salt. Beat until smooth. Add additional milk, if needed, until your desired consistency is reached.
Recipe Notes

To make sugared cranberries and rosemary for garnish:  Mix 1 teaspoon of meringue powder* with 1 tablespoon of water. Place 1 cup of fresh cranberries in a bowl and coat them in the meringue powder mixture. Drain any excess liquid then coat the cranberries with granulated sugar.  Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet to dry at room temperature for at least 1 hour. Use the same method for sprigs of rosemary.

*To find meringue powder, click here.

Grandma’s Apple Crumb Cake

Grandma's Apple Crumb Cake

I remember my grandma making coffee cakes and sweet muffins for breakfast, along with eggs, sausages, hot coffee and a big pitcher of milk on the table. Why do most of our grandmothers cook and bake so well? Because they’ve had decades of trial and error to perfect their recipes, tweaking them here and there until they’re approved and loved by their families, neighbors and friends. This cake has had its share of trial and error. She has earned her place as a well-loved, delicious, beautiful queen of coffee cakes.

A classic coffee cake is usually a subtly sweet cake with cinnamon, crumb topping and maybe some icing. They’re called coffee cakes because they go so well with a cup of coffee, not necessarily because they contain coffee. This Apple Crumb Cake has the elements of a classic coffee cake, but so much better! The cake is fluffy and soft, the crumb topping is chunky and plentiful, and the apples are perfectly tender. And don’t get me started about the icing!

Print Recipe
 Grandma's Apple Crumb Cake
Tender vanilla cake with generous crumb topping and vanilla icing
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Keyword apple, cake
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Apples
Crumb Topping
Cake
Icing
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Keyword apple, cake
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Apples
Crumb Topping
Cake
Icing
Instructions
Apples
  1. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the apples, sugar and cinnamon.
  2. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender, about 7-10 minutes. Transfer the apples to a bowl and let cool to room temperature.
Crumb Topping
  1. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon and salt.
  2. Work in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks like wet sand with no large pieces of butter remaining. Press together to make 1/2-inch chunks.
Cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF (165ºC). Line a 9-inch cake pan with a removable bottom*, or a 9-inch springform pan, with parchment paper. Wrap the bottom of the cake pan with aluminum foil and place pan on a baking sheet.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until well blended.
  3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar, with an electric mixer on medium speed, until light and fluffy. Beat the eggs and vanilla into the butter mixture in three separate addition, making sure each addition is incorporated before adding the next.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk the milk and sour cream together. On low speed, beat the flour mixture into batter in three additions, alternating with milk mixture. Mix just until combined.
  5. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Drain any excess liquid from the apples. Top the cake batter evenly with apples, then the topping mixture.
  6. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 50-60 minutes. Cool the cake in pan for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from pan and transfer it to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Icing
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, melted butter, vanilla, salt and 2 tablespoons (30ml) of half & half. Add additional half & half until the desired consistency is reached. Drizzle over the cooled cake.
Recipe Notes

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