Ingredient: ground nutmeg

Wild Blueberry & Maple Breakfast Cake

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Wild Blueberry & Maple Breakfast Cake

My personal eating philosophy is to eat everything in moderation. As you may know, I love enjoying desserts on occasion, but in my daily life I try to eat a variety of foods, mostly plants. One of my favorite plant foods, which happen to be loaded with antioxidants, are blueberries. Wild blueberries are especially rich in antioxidants. Wild blueberry season is during the summer, but luckily the frozen ones are available year around. I can happily eat a handful of blueberries, but it’s so much fun to make blueberry recipes too! I reached for my bag of frozen wild blueberries to make this subtly sweet breakfast cake. It reminds me of blueberry muffins or fluffy blueberry pancakes. For this recipe, I topped the cake with whipped cream and homemade Blueberry Maple Syrup, which is perfect for a weekend breakfast or brunch. For a more simple, cozy breakfast, try this cake served warm with butter and maple syrup. So delicious and comforting!

Wild Blueberry & Maple Breakfast Cake

Subtly sweet, rustic wild blueberry and maple cake, topped with whipped cream and homemade blueberry maple syrup by Brownie Mischief
Print Recipe
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Servings 9

Ingredients
  

Cake

  • 1 â…” cups (212g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure maple extract or natural maple flavoring
  • ½ cup (118ml) whole milk, room temperature
  • â…“ cup (75g) sour cream, room temperature
  • 1 cup (142g) wild blueberries, fresh or frozen See note below*

Blueberry Maple Syrup

  • 1 cup (142g) wild blueberries, fresh or frozen
  • ¼ cup (60ml) real maple syrup
  • 1 pinch fine sea salt
  • â…“ cup (78ml) plus 1 tablespoon (15ml) water, divided
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Sweetened Whipped Cream

  • ¾ cup (177ml) cold heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons (15g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions
 

Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch square cake pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar together, with an electric mixer on medium speed, until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and maple extract in three additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and sour cream until well blended. Stir the flour mixture into the batter by hand, in two additions, followed by half of the milk mixture after each addition. Mix just until combined. Do not over mix. Gently stir in the blueberries.
  • Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Do not over bake. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan and transfer it to a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Blueberry Maple Syrup

  • In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the blueberries, maple syrup, salt and 1/3 cup (78ml) of water until the blueberries are softened, about 3-4 minutes. In a small bowl, create a slurry by whisking together the cornstarch with the remaining 1 tablespoon (15ml) of water. Stir the slurry into the blueberry mixture. Continue cooking and stirring until thickened, about 1-2 more minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Sweetened Whipped Cream

  • In a large bowl, whip the heavy whipping cream, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until frothy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Continue whipping, at medium-high speed, until medium peaks form. Do not over whip. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Notes

*If you're using frozen blueberries, there's no need to defrost them first. Just gently pat them dry with paper towels before adding them to your batter. If your blueberries are very icy, rinse them with cold water, then gently pat them dry with paper towels.
Keyword blueberry, cake

Brown Butter Ginger Spice Cookies

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Brown Butter Ginger Spice Cookies

Sometimes when I imagine a recipe idea, it takes a few tries to get it right. Then, when I finally achieve what I imagined, it’s satisfying to enjoy and share my creation. In this case, I was craving big, soft, buttery ginger cookies, not necessarily gingerbread cookies though. I wanted them to have crisp, golden brown edges with soft, chewy centers. These cookies hit the mark with the warm combination of spices, the rich nuttiness of the brown butter and just a touch of molasses. Baking the cookies until almost done, then letting them finish baking on the baking sheet gives them the perfect texture. They will spread, but don’t panic. Grab a large round cookie cutter or a small bowl and slide it around each hot cookie on the cookie sheet to shape them into perfectly round, cracked, bumpy beauties.

These cookies keep their soft texture for days, so they’re perfect for gift giving. Store them in a covered container at room temperature. You can also make the dough the day before, roll the cookies into balls, cover and refrigerate until ready to use. So helpful during the holidays.

Brown Butter Ginger Spice Cookies

Big, soft ginger spice cookies with crisp, buttery edges
Print Recipe
Servings 16 large cookies

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ¼ cups (280g) unsalted butter, cubed
  • 2 ¼ cups (290g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • 2 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg preferably freshly ground
  • â…› teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 pinch ground star anise preferably freshly ground
  • 1 cup (200g) packed brown sugar
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (75g) granulated sugar, divided
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) unsulphured molasses

Instructions
 

  • In a medium-size light-colored saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and cook until it's deep golden and fragrant. When brown specks start to appear, remove it from the heat and immediately transfer the butter with the brown specks to a small bowl. Let it sit until it reaches room temperature, then refrigerate it until firm. (I like to do this step the day before.)
  • Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cloves and star anise until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, beat the brown butter, brown sugar and 1/4 cup (50g) of the granulated sugar, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until pale and creamy. Beat in the egg and the egg yolks in 3 separate additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. Beat in the vanilla extract until combined followed by the molasses. Stir in the flour mixture by hand.
  • If your cookie dough is very soft, refrigerate it until it's easier to work with, about 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Place the remaining 2 tablespoons (25g) of granulated sugar into a small shallow bowl. Divide the cookie dough into 16 equal portions, about a generous 2 1/2 tablespoons each. I used a #24 portion scoop.* Roll the portions into balls, then roll the balls into the granulated sugar, coating them all over. Place the cookies at least 3 inches apart onto the cookie sheets.
  • Bake the cookies until the edges are golden brown and the centers are still a bit pale but no longer shiny and just beginning to crack a bit, about 10-12 minutes. The cookies will spread. Remove the cookies from the oven. Immediately use a large round cookie cutter to shape the hot cookies by sliding it around each one in a circular motion a couple of times. Work quickly before the cookies set. Cool the cookies on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack

Notes

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

Honey Butter Pumpkin Cake

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Honey Butter Pumpkin Cake

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

Honey Butter Pumpkin Cake

by Mari Vasseur
Subtly sweet and perfectly spiced soft, moist single layer pumpkin cake topped with honey butter glaze
Print Recipe
Course Brunch, Dessert
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

Pumpkin Cake

  • 1 cup (128g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg preferably freshly ground
  • â…” cup (132g) granulated sugar
  • â…” cup (150ml) avocado oil or neutral oil of your choice
  • 2 tablespoons (42g) honey
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (227g) canned pure pumpkin purée not pie filling

Honey Butter Glaze

  • ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons (42g) honey
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) orange juice
  • ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar
  • â…› teaspoon fine sea salt or to taste

Instructions
 

Pumpkin Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 325ºF (165ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, beat the sugar, oil, honey, eggs and vanilla, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until smooth and well blended, Beat in the pumpkin purée. Stir in the flour mixture by hand, just until combined.
  • Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 33-40 minutes. Do not over bake. Cool the cake in the pan for 10-12 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and transfer to a cooling rack.

Honey Butter Glaze

  • In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in the honey, orange juice, powdered sugar and salt until smooth and well blended. Add additional salt to taste if desired. Brush the glaze generously over the warm cake.
Keyword cake, honey butter, pumpkin

Blueberry Carrot Cake

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Blueberry Carrot Cake

Spring is here and it’s the season to eat carrot cake! Many people have strong opinions about which add-ins are best to use in carrot cake. Some popular ones, besides the carrots themselves, include nuts, pineapple, raisins, and even coconut. My Blueberry Carrot Cake came about when I was thinking about making a breakfast carrot cake. I replaced the typical add-ins with blueberries and the results were so delicious. I originally made this cake with a maple-butter glaze which was perfect for a breakfast cake. For Easter brunch, I opted to dress up the cake with Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting, fresh blueberries and lilacs. This combination is magical.

Blueberry Carrot Cake

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

Ingredients
  

Blueberry Carrot Cake

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

Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting

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

Instructions
 

Blueberry Carrot Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger and nutmeg until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar and oil together until well blended. Beat in the eggs and vanilla, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until smooth and well incorporated. Stir in the carrots. Add the flour mixture and stir just until combined.
  • In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with 1 teaspoon of flour. Fold the blueberries into the batter. Transfer the batter to the cake pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 37-43 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a cooling rack.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting

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

Notes

To use fresh blueberries for the frosting, place the blueberries in a small saucepan with a teaspoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice or water. Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar is dissolved and the blueberries start to soften. Smash the blueberries with a potato masher. Press this mixture through a sieve into a small bowl and let cool to room temperature.
Keyword blueberry, cake, carrot

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel

Banana bread is typically everyone’s go-to when we have overripe bananas on our countertops. There’s something so wholesome and comforting about a slice of homemade banana bread. This Banana Cake recipe gives you all of those heart-warming flavors, but it’s a little more rich and satisfying. The cake is moist, soft and fluffy. The silky Cream Cheese Frosting pairs beautifully with the spices in the cake. A swirl of salted caramel adds the perfect, decadently delicious finishing touch.

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel

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

Ingredients
  

Banana Cake

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

Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel

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

Instructions
 

Banana Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch square cake pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter, with an electric mixer on medium speed, until pale and creamy, Add the brown sugar and oil. Continue beating until creamy and well blended, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract in 3 separate additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the mashed bananas. Add the flour mixture in two additions, followed by half of the sour cream after each addition. Mix just until combined.
  • Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and place it on a cooling rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel

  • In a medium-sized bowl, stir the cream cheese with a spatula until smooth. Beat in the butter, with an electric mixer on low speed, until smooth and well blended.
  • Beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla, salt and heavy cream, on medium speed, until smooth and well blended. Stir slowly with a spatula to smooth the frosting and remove bubbles.
  • Spread the cream cheese frosting on the cooled cake. Drizzle with a couple of tablespoons of salted caramel sauce and swirl it into the frosting with a spoon, adding more if desired.

Notes

*For my homemade caramel sauce recipe, click here.
For my easy caramel sauce recipe, click here.
To find premade salted caramel sauce, click here.
Keyword banana, cake

Sweet Potato Cake with Marshmallow Cream Cheese Frosting and Salted Caramel

Posted on by Mari Vasseur

This incredibly easy-to-make cake is like a sleeper that takes you by surprise. The two-ingredient frosting is an unlikely winner, but will end up pleasantly surprising you, especially when the salted caramel is added as a finishing touch. The combination of sweet potatoes and marshmallows is a classic pairing that will remind you of a sweet potato casserole in cake form. My family adores it and I think you will too. If you’re not a fan of marshmallows you can frost this cake with my silky cream cheese frosting instead. Click here for the recipe.

 

Sweet Potato Cake with Marshmallow Cream Cheese Frosting and Salted Caramel

by Mari Vasseur
Soft moist, single layer sweet potato cake topped with a luscious 2-ingredient frosting and drizzled with salted caramel
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Servings 9 servings

Ingredients
  

Sweet Potato Cake

  • 1 cup (128g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg preferably freshly ground
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
  • â…” cup (148ml) vegetable oil or neutral oil of your choice
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240g) mashed cooked sweet potatoes*
  • 1 batch Marshmallow Cream Cheese Frosting recipe below
  • 1/3-1/2 cup (98-148g) salted caramel sauce homemade or store bought

Marshmallow Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 8 ounces (227g) cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 7.5 ounce (213g) jar of Marshmallow Fluff

Instructions
 

Sweet Potato Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch square cake pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger and nutmeg until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla, with an electric mixer or whisk by hand until creamy and well blended. Stir in the sweet potatoes 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 23-28 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.

Marshmallow Cream Cheese Frosting

  • In a large bowl, stir the cream cheese with a spatula until smooth. Add the Marshmallow Fluff and beat with an electric mixer just until smooth and well blended. Don't over beat. Over beating can cause the cream cheese to curdle.
  • Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. Drizzle the caramel over the top of the cake or top each piece of cake with a spoonful of caramel.

Notes

*It's okay to use canned sweet potatoes if you don't have fresh ones. Make sure to rinse them before using.
Keyword cake, sweet potato

Maple Blueberry Buckle

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
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.

Maple Blueberry Buckle

Tender maple brown sugar cake topped with blueberries, crumb topping and maple icing
Print Recipe
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 9 servings

Ingredients
  

Crumb Topping

  • 1 cup (128g) all purpose flour
  • ½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • â…› teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 6 tablespoons (85g) cold, unsalted butter, cubed

Cake

  • 1 â…” cup (213g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg preferably freshly ground
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure maple extract
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (118ml) whole milk, room temperature
  • â…“ cup (75g) sour cream, room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups (234g) fresh or frozen blueberries, divided

Icing

  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, melted
  • ½ teaspoon pure maple extract
  • 1 dash fine sea salt
  • 1-2 tablespoons (15-30ml) whole milk, room temperature

Instructions
 

Crumb Topping

  • In a medium-size bowl, mix 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. Press the mixture together to make chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line a 9-inch square cake pan* with parchment paper, leaving a couple of inches of overhang.
  • In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg until well blended.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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

  • 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.

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.
Keyword buckle, cake, maple blueberry

Mini Pumpkin Bear Muffins

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Mini Pumpkin Bear Muffins

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
  • â…“ cup (1 3/8 oz or 38g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • â…› 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

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cakes

Posted on by Mari Vasseur

Summer was such a happy season for me as a child that I didn’t want it to end. I still love summer, but now that I’m an adult, I begin to anticipate fall right around the time when I’m tired of harsh, hot temperatures, rumbling air conditioners and flies buzzing around at cookouts. Now is that time for me. It’s so hot where I live right now, that I’m welcoming the cool, crisp fall weather and all it brings.

The beautiful warm flavors of fall are perfectly captured in these Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cakes. The moist, perfectly spiced cakes are topped with a cinnamon swirl which is basically cinnamon roll filling. I topped them with Vanilla Bean Icing, but you can also make it cream cheese icing by swapping out 1 tablespoon of the melted butter for 1 tablespoon of softened cream cheese, if you prefer. The optional addition of meringue powder helps the icing set up and gives it that crunch we love on glazed donuts. To find meringue powder, click here.

I used a shallow jumbo muffin pan to make these cakes. The muffin cups are 4 inches wide and 1 inch deep. A hamburger bun pan for 4-inch buns or six 4-inch cake pans will also work. To find the pan I used, click here.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cakes

Moist pumpkin cakes with cinnamon swirls and vanilla bean icing
Print Recipe
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Servings 6 4-inch cakes

Ingredients
  

Pumpkin Cakes

  • 1 cup (4 1/2 oz or 128g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg preferably freshly ground
  • 1 cup (7 oz or 200g) sugar
  • â…” cup (4 5/8 oz or 145ml) vegetable oil or neutral oil of your choice
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (8 1/4 oz or 234g) pure pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)

Cinnamon Swirl

  • ½ cup (3 1/2 oz or 100g) packed brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
  • 2 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • pinch fine sea salt
  • ¼ cup (2 oz or 57g) unsalted butter, melted

Vanilla Bean Icing

  • 2 tablespoons (1 oz or 28g) unsalted butter, melted
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • ½ cup (2 1/8 oz or 60g) powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon meringue powder optional
  • pinch fine sea salt
  • 2-3 tablespoons (30-45ml) whole milk

Instructions
 

Pumpkin Cakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line a 6-serving shallow jumbo muffin pan with jumbo muffin liners.* (The liners will fit by pressing them in around the inside bottom edges.) The muffin pan I used has cups that are 4-inches across by 1-inch deep. A hamburger bun pan for 4-inch buns or six 4-inch cake pans will also work.
  • In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg until well combined.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla until smooth and well combined. Mix in the pumpkin purée. Stir in the flour in two additions, just until combined.
  • Transfer the batter to the muffin cups, evenly dividing the batter among the cups. Pipe the cinnamon swirl mixture in a spiral on the top of the batter of each one.
  • Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake part comes out clean, about 23-27 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Cinnamon Swirl

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. Add the melted butter and whisk until well combined.
  • Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a 1/4-inch wide round tip.

Vanilla Bean Icing

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the butter, vanilla bean paste, powdered sugar, meringue powder, salt and 1 tablespoon (15ml) of milk until well combined. Whisk in more milk as needed to reach your desired consistency.
  • Brush the icing on the cooled cakes with a small pastry brush or make the icing a little thinner and drizzle the icing on if you prefer.

Notes

*To find jumbo muffin liners, click here.
To find the baking pan I used, click here.
To find 4-inch cake pans, click here.
To find meringue powder click here.
Keyword cake, pumpkin cinnamon roll

Harry Potter Inspired Pumpkin Pasties

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Pumpkin Pasties

Even though the weather is warm where I live at the moment, I’m dreaming about all the delicious fall treats I’ll be baking this year. Let’s look forward to cool, crisp weather, the smell of pumpkin or apples baking, and sipping a warm mug of something spicy while we wait for our bakes to come out of the oven.

Inevitably, every fall, the Harry Potter movies come on at my house and it’s nice to have some popcorn and sweet treats to enjoy while watching the movies. And these Harry Potter Inspired Pumpkin Pasties are perfect for that! If you’ve read the Harry Potter books, you may remember the Pumpkin Pasties being mentioned. There are many interpretations out there, but I imagined them to be crispy and flaky on the outside with a sweet pumpkin filling. I included a delicious flaky pie crust recipe here, but feel free to use store bought pie dough if you want to streamline the process. I sprinkled mine with raw turbinado sugar before baking which provides a sweet delicious crunch. You can also use maple sugar or sparkling sugar. To find the sugar I used, click here. And as a magical touch, I added some edible gold star glitter. To find the edible gold stars, click here.

Pumpkin Pasties

Harry Potter inspired sweet pumpkin filled hand pies
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Servings 12 hand pies

Ingredients
  

Pie Crust

  • 2 â…” cup (340g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons (25g) sugar
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ cup (50g) vegetable shortening
  • ¾ cup (170g) cold, unsalted butter, cubed
  • ½ cup (118ml) ice water
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) apple cider vinegar

Pumpkin Filling

  • ¾ cup (170g) canned pure pumpkin purée Not pie filling
  • â…“ cup (66g) sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) heavy cream
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • â…› teaspoon ground nutmeg preferably freshly ground

Assembly

  • egg wash 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon (15ml) of water
  • coarse sugar

Instructions
 

Pie Crust

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Work the shortening into the flour mixture with your fingertips until evenly dispersed throughout.
  • Work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips, creating flat dime size pieces.
  • Mix the ice water and vinegar together. Sprinkle over the flour mixture a little at a time, stirring until dough comes together. You may not need all of the water depending on your climate.
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over onto itself a few times. Do not overwork the dough! Form the dough into two disks. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least two hours or up to overnight.

Pumpkin Filling

  • In a medium-size bowl, mix together the pumpkin purée, sugar, egg, heavy cream, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg until well combined.

Assembly

  • Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut the dough into twelve 5-inch* rounds, re-rolling the scraps as needed. Place the dough rounds a couple of inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets.
  • Place about 2 tablespoons of filling on each round, leaving a half-inch border. Apply egg wash to the edges of the rounds.
  • Fold the dough over and press the edges together. Crimp the edges with a fork. If any filling oozes out, wipe it up with a paper towel or it will burn.
  • Brush the pasties with egg wash. Cut a half-inch slit into the top of each pastie. Sprinkle with coarse sugar.
  • Bake until golden brown, about 18-20 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack.

Notes

*To find a 5-inch round cutter, click here.
Keyword pastry

Blueberry Donut Holes with Homemade Blueberry Sugar

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Blueberry Donut Holes with Homemade Blueberry Sugar

If you landed here from one of my social media accounts, welcome! I’m really glad you’re here. I love to create fun, pretty and sweet treats like these delicious blueberry donut holes! The thing that really makes these special is the homemade blueberry sugar, which adds a burst of blueberry flavor. Freeze dried blueberries are combined with sugar to create a beautiful, flavorful sugar that you can use for many other things. It can also be used in tea, lattes, lemonade, cocktails or sprinkled on cookies or scones. Keep in mind that freeze dried blueberries are not the same as dried blueberries. Dried blueberries still contain some moisture, so they won’t work for this purpose.

The donut hole batter comes together quickly and easily. The most challenging part for me is frying them. I found that using a thermometer and testing one donut hole first, helps you determine the perfect oil temperature. Using a small portion scoop helps you get uniform donut holes. Make sure the outside of the scoop is clean between each donut to help them keep the round shape and avoid pointy tails.

Blueberry Donut Holes with Homemade Blueberry Sugar

Print Recipe
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Servings 24 donut holes

Ingredients
  

Blueberry Sugar

  • ¾ cup (3/4 oz or 21g)) freeze-dried blueberries*
  • ½ cup (3 1/2 oz or 100g) granulated sugar

Blueberry Donut Holes

  • 2 cups (9 oz or 255g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ cup (3 1/2 oz or 100g) granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons (1 oz or 28g)) unsalted butter, melted
  • ½ cup (4 oz or 118ml) whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cups chopped fresh blueberries
  • oil for frying
  • ½ cup (3 1/2 oz or 100g) blueberry sugar

Instructions
 

Blueberry Sugar

  • Process freeze dried blueberries and sugar in a food processor or a clean spice grinder until finely ground. Be careful not to over process or you may end up with powdered sugar.

Blueberry Donut Holes

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, beat sugar, eggs, melted butter, milk and vanilla extract until well combined.
  • Add flour mixture and mix just until combined. Do not over mix. A few lumps are okay.
  • Fold in chopped blueberries.
  • In a heavy saucepan, heat 1 1/2 inches of oil to 340ºF.
  • Drop tablespoon size portions of batter into hot oil. I used a #60 portion scoop.** Don't overcrowd the pan.
  • Cook donut holes until golden brown on all sides, about 2-4 minutes, flipping halfway through. If donut holes cook too quickly on the outside, turn heat down.
  • Briefly drain donut holes on paper towels, then toss warm donut holes in blueberry sugar. Serve immediately.

Notes

Success tips: Use a small ice cream scoop sprayed with nonstick spray to drop donut holes into oil. Make sure the outside of scoop is clean between each donut hole to keep the round shape and avoid tails on your donut holes.
*To find freeze dried blueberries, click here.
**To find the portion scoop I used, click here.

The Nutcracker Land of Sweets Cupcakes

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Nutcracker Land of Sweets Cupcakes

The tradition of enjoying the Nutcracker Ballet at Christmastime has been in my family for over 20 years. The Nutcracker Land of Sweets is a magical theme that has me mesmerized. Gingerbread, candy canes, gumdrops and billowy clouds of pink frosting are what dreams are made of. And that’s exactly what these dreamy cupcakes are made of. The cupcake flavor is a subtle spice cake. The recipe is adapted from a Martha Stewart cake recipe I made last summer. The original cake was paired with blackberry jam, but I knew plum jam would be perfect for these cupcakes. I topped them with a mildly sweet, fluffy Swiss meringue buttercream.

Part of the fun of making these cupcakes began at the store as I collected the sweets to decorate the cupcakes. Another perk of the job is taste testing the candy. I discovered that purple spice drops are licorice flavored and red spice drops are cinnamon. Who knew?

You might also like my Nutcracker Land of Sweets inspired candy bark. It’s a delightful holiday bark I designed that is often imitated. To view it, click here.

The Nutcracker Land of Sweets Cupcakes

Spice cupcakes filled with plum jam, topped with fluffy pink frosting, gingerbread men and Christmas candy, and dusted with sugar snow
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Servings 12 cupcakes

Ingredients
  

Spice cupcakes

  • ¾ cups (3 1/4 ounces) all purpose flour, sifted
  • ¾ cups (3 ounces) cake flour, sifted
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • small pinch ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (6 1/8 ounces) fine granulated sugar or regular granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg white
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
  • â…” cup whole milk
  • ¾ cup plum jam I used red plum jam

Pink Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream

  • 4 large egg whites
  • 1 â…“ cups (9 3/8 ounces) fine granulated sugar or regular granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ cups (12 ounces) softened, unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract or pure vanilla etract
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 drops pink gel food color I used Americolor deep pink

Decorations

  • small gingerbread cookies
  • mini candy canes
  • assorted candies such as spice drops, gumdrops, peppermints,
  • sprinkles or sugar pearls
  • powdered sugar

Instructions
 

Spice Cupcakes

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a 12 serving muffin pan with disposable baking cups. (I used silver foil liners.)
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, spices and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
  • Add egg, egg white, and vanilla, one at a time, mixing until well combined.
  • Add flour mixture in two additions, alternating with milk. Mix until combined.
  • Divide batter evenly into wells of prepared muffin pan, filling about 2/3 full.
  • Bake until light golden and toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 16-18 minutes.
  • Let cool in muffin pan for 5 minutes. Gently transfer cupcakes to cooling rack to cool completely.
  • Core the center of each cupcake, removing a 3/4-inch deep circle. Fill with jam and replace the circle top.
  • Frost cupcakes with pink Swiss meringue buttercream. Decorate with cookies and candies. Lightly sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Pink Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercreamgue Buttercream

  • Combine egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl. Set over a pan of gently simmering water.
  • Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and temperature of 160ºF is reached.
  • Transfer mixture to the bowl of a stand mixture with a whisk attachment. Whisk on low speed, gradually increasing to medium-high speed. Whisk until glossy, stiff peaks form and mixture reaches room temperature.
  • Turn mixer to medium-low speed. Add butter, a few pieces at a time, allowing the butter to fully incorporate each time before adding more.
  • Switch to paddle attachment. On low speed, mix in vanilla, salt and food color. Continue mixing on low speed for a few minutes until smooth.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Spice Cake
Keyword cupcakes