sour cream, room temperature – Brownie Mischief

Wild Blueberry & Maple Breakfast Cake

Posted on January 15, 2026February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

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 ⅔ 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
⅓ 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
⅓ 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

Pink Raspberry Almond Cake

Posted on May 2, 2025March 25, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

My mom was allergic to strawberries so my dad would make her raspberry desserts instead. He frequently made her a white cake topped with raspberries, which she loved. They were one of the cutest couples ever and they adored each other. My parents are no longer with us, but baking this delicious cake brings back happy memories for me. This soft, velvety almond cake is topped with naturally pink raspberry icing. The soft pink color makes it so lovely and perfect for Mother’s Day or any spring celebration. It looks delightful topped with fresh raspberries and sliced almonds, which is an effortless way to add a touch of spring or summer.

Pink Raspberry Almond Cake

by Mari Vasseur

Soft, velvety, single layer almond cake topped with naturally pink raspberry icing

Print Recipe

Course Dessert

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

Almond Cake

1 cup (113g) cake flour, sifted
⅓ cup (37g) almond flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
3 tablespoons (43ml) avocado oil or neutral oil of your choice
1 large egg, room temperature
1 large egg white, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon pure almond extract
¼ cup (57g) sour cream, room temperature
½ cup (118ml) whole milk, room temperature

Raspberry Icing

8 large raspberries
1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, melted
1 small dash fine sea salt
1-2 tablespoons (15-30ml) whole milk, room temperature
Fresh raspberries for garnish optional
Sliced almonds for garnish optional

Instructions

Almond Cake

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan with a parchment paper round.* Grease and flour the insides.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the cake flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well blended.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the oil until incorporated. Beat in the egg and the egg white in two separate additions, beating until smooth and creamy. Beat in the extracts.
In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream and milk together until well blended. On low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter in two additions, followed by half of the milk mixture after each addition. Beat just until combined.
Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes, making sure not to over bake. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out and transfer it to a cooing rack to cool completely.

Raspberry Icing

In a small bowl, smash the raspberries with a fork. Press the smashed raspberries through a sieve to remove the seeds.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the raspberries with the powdered sugar, melted butter, salt and 1 tablespoon (15ml) of milk until well blended. Add additional milk as needed to reach an easily spreadable consistency, but not watery. Whisk until smooth. Spread the icing over the cooled cake, letting it drip down the sides. Top with fresh raspberries and sliced almonds if desired.

Notes

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

Keyword almond, cake, raspberry

Orange Vanilla Bean Loaf Cake

Posted on April 8, 2025February 24, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

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 for instructions to make the lemon cake. To keep the soft, fluffy texture of this cake, I don’t recommend add-ins.

Orange Vanilla Bean Loaf Cake

by Mari Vasseur

Soft, fluffy vanilla bean and orange scented loaf cake topped with silky vanilla cream cheese frosting by Brownie Mischief

Print Recipe

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Servings 8

Ingredients

Orange Simple Syrup

2 tablespoons (30ml) orange juice
2 tablespoons (30ml) lemon juice
¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar

Orange Vanilla Bean Loaf Cake

1 ⅓ cups (170g) all purpose flour, sifted
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (175g) granulated sugar
Zest of 2 medium oranges
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter cubed, room temperature
¼ cup (57g) sour cream, room temperature
¼ cup (59ml) whole milk, room temperature
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
½ teaspoon pure orange extract

Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

2 tablespoons (28g) cream cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ½ cups (180g) powered sugar, sifted
1 pinch fine sea salt
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1-3 tablespoons (15-45ml) whole milk or half & half, room temperature

Instructions

Orange Simple Syrup

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

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.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until well blended.
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 sandy.
In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla bean paste and orange extract together until smooth and creamy. 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.
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

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 bean paste, 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.

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 the zest of 3 medium lemons or 2 large lemons. 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.

Keyword cake, orange

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel

Posted on March 16, 2025February 27, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

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
⅓ 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

Maple Blueberry Buckle

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

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
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
6 tablespoons (85g) cold, unsalted butter, cubed

Cake

1 ⅔ 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
⅓ 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

Apple Fritter Cake with Brown Butter Icing

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

If you love apple fritters, you’ll adore this moist, tender cake that’s loaded with fresh apples and topped with rich brown butter icing. This is the best Apple Fritter Cake recipe I’ve ever tasted! A couple of simple steps give it the most flavor and the best texture. The apples are cooked briefly on the stovetop before being added to the batter. This gives the apples a better flavor and texture and prevents soggy spots in your cake. The juices that the apples release during this step are saved to add to the icing. The browned butter in the icing adds a rich, nutty flavor that takes this cake over the top.

Apple Fritter Cake with Brown Butter Icing

A moist, tender, subtly spiced cake loaded with fresh apples and topped with rich brown butter icing

Print Recipe

Course Brunch, Dessert

Servings 9 servings

Ingredients

Apples

2 tablespoons (28g) butter
3 cups (340g) peeled, chopped apples (1/2-inch pieces )
2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon

Cake

1 cup (128g) all purpose flour, sifted
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, preferably freshly ground
¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (25g) packed brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanila extract
2 tablespoon (28g) sour cream, room temperature

Icing

3 tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, sifted
1 ½ tablespoons (22ml) reserved juices from the apples
1-3 tablespoons (15 ml-45ml) whole milk, room temperature
1 pinch fine sea salt

Instructions

Apples

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter starts to bubble, add the apples. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon over the apples and cook, stirring occasionally until the apples release their juices and start to become tender, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
Drain the cooled apples, reserving the juice for the icing.

Cake

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease an 8-inch square baking dish. (I used a ceramic baking dish.*)
In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg until well combined.
In large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg until incorporated, then beat in the vanilla extract.
Stir in the flour mixture in 2 additions, followed by half of the sour cream after each addition. Mix just until combined. Do not over mix. Fold in the cooled, drained apples.
Transfer the batter to the baking dish. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake until the cake is golden brown and springs back when lightly touched. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake will be clean or have a few moist crumbs attached, about 23-28 minutes. Do not over bake.

Icing

In a small 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 it to a small bowl. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
In a medium bowl, mix the cooled brown butter with the powdered sugar, reserved apple juice, 1 tablespoon (15ml) of milk and the salt until well combined. Add additional milk as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Whisk until smooth. Spread the icing over the cooled cake.

Notes

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

Keyword apple, cake

Cherry Lemon Muffins

Posted on July 21, 2024May 13, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

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.

Cherry Lemon Muffins

by Mari Vasseur

Tender, moist lemon muffins studded with fresh cherries, topped with crumb topping and pink cherry-lemon icing

Print Recipe

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Servings 12 muffins

Ingredients

Crumb Topping

¾ cup (96g) all purpose flour
6 tablespoons (75g) sugar
1 pinch fine sea salt
¼ cup (57g) cold, unsalted butter, cubed

Cherry Lemon Muffins

1 cup (200g) plus 1 tablespoon (13g) sugar, divided
1 ½ cups (255g) pitted and chopped fresh cherries 1/4-inch to 3/8-inch pieces
2 ¼ cups (288g) all purpose flour, sifted plus 2 teaspoons to coat the cherries
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, room temperature
Zest of 2 medium lemons
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
½ teaspoon pure vanila extract
1 cup (227g) sour cream, room temperature
12 Cherries with stems for garnish optional

Icing

¾ cup (90g) powdered sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon (15ml) reserved cherry juice
1 tablespoon (15ml) heavy cream
1-2 tablespoons (15-30ml) fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Crumb Topping

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

Muffins

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the cherries with 1 tablespoon (13g) of sugar. Let stand 30 minutes, then drain the cherries, reserving the juice.
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 they'll yield a couple of extra muffins.)
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together until well blended.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, 1 cup (200g) of sugar and the lemon zest, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until pale 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 2 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.
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.
Transfer the muffins to a cooling rack to cool completely. Drizzle with icing and top with cherries if desired.

Icing

In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, cherry juice, heavy cream, and 1 tablespoon (15ml) of lemon juice together until smooth. Add additional lemon juice, if needed, until the desired consistency is reached.

Notes

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

Keyword cherry lemon, muffins

Double Chocolate Oreo Muffins

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

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

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

Double Chocolate Oreo Muffins

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

Print Recipe

Servings 12 muffins

Ingredients

Cookies & Cream Filling

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

Double Chocolate Muffins

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

Instructions

Cookies & Cream Filling

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

Double Chocolate Muffins

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

Notes

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

Keyword double chocolate oreo, muffins

White Chocolate Peach Muffins

Posted on July 15, 2023February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

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.

White Chocolate Peach Muffins

Tender muffins with white chocolate chips and chunks of fresh peaches.

Print Recipe

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Servings 12 muffins

Ingredients

Macerated Peaches

8 ounces (227g) chopped, ripe but firm peaches (about 1 1/3 cups)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon all purpose flour

Crumb Topping

½ cup (2 1/4 oz or 64g) all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 ½ tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cubed

Muffins

2 ¼ cups (10 1/8 oz or 287g) all purpose flour, sifted, plus 1/2 teaspoon for the chips
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
⅜ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, preferably freshly ground
¾ cup (6 oz or 170g) unsalted butter, softened
1 ⅛ cups (8 oz or 227g) sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon pure almond extract
1 cup (8 oz or 237ml) sour cream, room temperature
¾ cup (4 1/2 oz or 128g) white chocolate chips
1 or 2 squares white chocolate, broken into pieces optional

Instructions

Macerated Peaches

In a medium bowl, toss the peaches with lemon juice. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon and stir to combine. Let stand 30 minutes.
Drain the peaches well and toss with flour. Reserve 1/4 cup of peaches for the muffin tops.

Crumb Topping

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.
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

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.)
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
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.
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.
Toss the white chocolate chips with flour, then fold them into the batter. Gently fold in the drained peaches.
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.
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.

Notes

*To find tulip muffin liners, click here.

Keyword muffins, white chocolate peach

Blueberry Lemon Crumb Cakes

Posted on June 14, 2023February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

The texture and flavor of these cute Blueberry Lemon Crumb Cakes is immaculate. You’ll love them so much, you won’t want to share, but this recipe makes six 4-inch personal crumb cakes, so you’ll have one all to yourself. You’ll understand once you taste the soft, fluffy lemon scented cake with juicy blueberries, a generous amount of sweet crumb topping and a lemony cream cheese icing. I was a bit hesitant to share this recipe. But I was taught to share recipes by my two grandmothers who were amazing cooks and bakers. They shared their knowledge and recipes with anyone who asked. Recipes are a legacy that should be passed on to family and friends. If you’re reading this, I consider you a friend. So enjoy this recipe that’s especially dear to me, because it’s based on my Grandma’s Apple Crumb Cake recipe.

I used a six serving shallow jumbo muffin pan to bake the cakes. The muffin cups are 4 inches across by 1 inch deep. To find the pan, click here. A hamburger bun pan for 4-inch buns will work too. If you happen to have six 4-inch cake pans, those work nicely. I used jumbo muffin liners to line the muffin cups, which fit perfectly by pressing them in around the inside bottom edges.

Blueberry Lemon Crumb Cakes

Fluffy, soft lemon cakes with blueberries, crumb topping and lemon cream cheese icing

Print Recipe

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Servings 6 4-inch crumb cakes

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

Crumb Cakes

1 ¼ cups (159g) 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
Zest of two medium lemons
1 large egg, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon pure lemon extract
⅓ cup (78ml) whole milk, room temperature
¼ cup (57g) sour cream, room temperature
1 cup (170g) blueberries
1 teaspoon all purpose flour for blueberries

Cream Cheese Icing

1 tablespoon (14g) cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, melted
¾ cup (85g) powdered sugar, sifted
1 pinch fine sea salt
2-3 tablespoons (30-45ml) fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Crumb Topping

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, brown sugar and salt together.
Work in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks like the consistency of wet sand. Press the mixture together to make chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Crumb Cakes

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line a 6-serving shallow jumbo muffin pan* with jumbo muffin liners.** Jumbo muffin liners will fit by pressing them around the inside bottom edges.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar and lemon zest with an electric mixer on medium speed, until light and fluffy.
Beat the egg and egg yolk into the butter mixture in 2 separate additions, making sure each addition 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, mix the flour mixture into the batter in 2 additions alternating with half of the milk mixture after each addition. Beat just until combined.
Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan, evenly distributing the batter and filling the cups about half full.
In a medium bowl, toss the blueberries with 1 teaspoon of flour and place them into the cups on top of the batter, about 1 ounce (28g) in each. Top each one with crumb topping.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Icing

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, melted butter, powdered sugar, salt and 1 tablespoon (30ml) of lemon juice. Add additional lemon juice, a little at a time until your desired consistency is reached. Drizzle over the cooled cakes.

Notes

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

**To find jumbo muffin liners, click here. To find 4-inch cake pans, click here.

Keyword blueberry lemon, cake

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bread

Posted on March 17, 2023February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

This is the ultimate chocolate chip bread! There are no cookies in this recipe, but it tastes so much like freshly baked chocolate chip cookies that Chocolate Chip Cookie Bread is the perfect name for it. Brown sugar, vanilla and semisweet chocolate chips really help to mimic that beloved chocolate chip cookie flavor. I love the big pockets of chocolate that come from using jumbo chocolate chips, but of course you can use regular or mini chocolate chips if you prefer.

I typically wait until a loaf is cooled off before slicing it, but in this case, I wanted to capture the melted pools of chocolate for the video. The fresh baked chocolate chip aroma was so heavenly, that it took all of my willpower not to immediately devour the entire loaf! It’s easier to slice a fresh baked loaf when it’s cooled off. But if you want to experience the melty chocolate chips, warm your slice in the microwave for 8-10 seconds.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bread

A moist, tender loaf cake with brown sugar and chocolate chips that tastes just like chocolate chip cookies

Print Recipe

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Servings 1 loaf

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups (223g) all purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (200g) packed brown sugar
1 large egg, room, temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ cup (118ml) whole milk, room temperature
½ cup (113g) sour cream, room temperature
1 ½ cups (9 oz or 255g) semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon all purpose flour

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Line the bottom of a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the 1 3/4 cups (223g) flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla in 3 separate additions, making sure each one is fully incorporated before adding the next.
In a small bowl, whisk the milk and sour cream together.
Add the flour mixture to the batter in two additions, alternating with half of the milk mixture after each addition. Beat just until combined. Do not over mix.
Set aside a handful of chocolate chips for the top of the loaf. In a small bowl, toss the remaining chips with 1 teaspoon flour, making sure to coat them all, then fold them into the batter. This will help to prevent them from sinking. Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan. Top with the reserved chocolate chips.
Bake for 10 minutes. Turn the oven temperature down to 325ºF (165ºC) and continue baking until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 45-50 more minutes. Cool the loaf in pan for 10 minutes then turn the loaf out onto a cooling rack.

Notes

*If you want to use mini chocolate chips, use one cup (6 oz or 170g)

Keyword cake, chocolate chip

Glazed Lemon Muffins

Posted on March 3, 2023February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

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.

Glazed Lemon Muffins

Soft, tender lemon muffins glazed with lemon icing

Print Recipe

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Servings 12 muffins

Ingredients

Muffins

2 ¼ cups (288g) all purpose flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (198g) sugar
Zest of 2 medium lemons
2 large eggs, room temperature
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon pure lemon extract
1 cup (8 oz or 227g) sour cream, room temperature

Icing

1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon (14g) melted butter
2-3 tablespoons (15-45ml) fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Muffins

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.)
In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well combined.
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.
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.
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.
Transfer the muffins to a cooling rack to cool completely. Brush icing onto the muffin tops with a small pastry brush.

Icing

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.

Notes

*To find tulip muffin liners, click here.

To find floral tulip muffin liners, click here.

Keyword lemon, muffins