Little Flourless Chocolate Cakes Recipe

Chocolate is my weakness, and these little cakes had me going slightly crazy, that's how good they are. If you love over the top, rich and chocolaty desserts, you'll love this recipe.

I've always wondered how a flourless chocolate cake would taste because I've never made a cake without flour before. I guess I just thought it was an odd concept, no flour in a cake?

Well, this cake needs no flour at all because it's filled with moist, and chocolaty goodness. I made it in six ramekins, though the recipe says to use ten smaller sized ones. You can do either, but I liked the idea of a bigger serving.

The recipe comes from the cookbook Sheet Pan Suppers by local Seattle author Molly Gilbert. Of course the supper recipes are amazing but when I was looking through the book, my eye caught the Flourless Chocolate Cakes.

You can either sprinkle them with powdered sugar or do what I did, which is to add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Either way, they are just so good.

Recipe for Flourless Chocolate Cakes

Ingredients:

1/2 pound ( 2 sticks) unsalted butter
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 large eggs

Confections' sugar, or vanilla ice (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with a rack in the center position. Place ramekins (6 larger or 10 smaller) on a sheet pan.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the semisweet chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is smooth and fully melted. Add the vanilla and stir to combine.

Whisk together the granulated sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the eggs and whisk until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and whisk until well incorporated.

Divide the batter among the ramekins, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake until a skewer inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs, 30-40 minutes.

Let the cakes cool slightly- they will fall a bit in the center-  before serving warm, dusted with confections' sugar or a scoop of ice cream.

The cakes will keep, wrapped in plastic, in the fridge for 3-4 days. Eat them cold or rewarm them in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes.

Pear Crisp and Vanilla Ice Cream

Fruit crisps and crumbles are one of my favorite desserts to make. They are super easy and let you take advantage of whatever fruit is in season. Pears have always been a favorite in my family because when they are perfectly ripe, their sweet taste is just so delicious.

I made this easy Pear Crisp the other night for dessert and teamed it with vanilla ice cream. My family couldn't get enough of it. I thought there would be enough left over for my breakfast the next morning, but no such luck. That's ok though because there's not a bigger compliment to my baking and cooking than when my family eats every bite.

This recipe is inspired by an old one from The Pioneer Woman's blog. She's fabulous of course, and has been the inspiration for many a wonderful dish on my table.

I really love all types of pears, but I've found that Bosc pears hold up the best while cooking and don't get mushy the way some types can. Store any leftovers in the fridge and I think this tastes best right out of the oven or the next day. And topping it with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream makes it all the yummier in my book!!

Recipe for Pear Crisp with Vanilla Ice Cream

Ingredients:

For filling:

4-5 large Bosc pears
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

For topping:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
1 stick butter melted

Good quality vanilla ice cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Peel, core, and dice pears. Put into a bowl and add 2/3 cup sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir together, then set aside.
In another bowl, combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped pecans. While stirring ingredients, drizzle in melted butter and stir together until combined. Place pears in baking dish, spread crumb topping over pears evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Makes 4-5 servings.

Enjoy!!

Sour Cream Pumpkin Cake Recipe

I'm so happy to see everything is in full pumpkin mode!! The grocery stores and farmer's markets are bursting with beautiful colored pumpkins, and it just makes my heart happy seeing them all.

The same thing is true about cookbooks and magazines, they are filled with so many amazing and mouthwatering photos of delicious fall inspired foods.

A few years ago, I stopped buying many of my favorite magazines because the prices of some of them was just getting beyond what I could afford. But I do buy some of the seasonal issues, especially the fall themed ones. And this is where this delicious Sour Cream Pumpkin Cake recipe comes from.

It's in the Taste of Home Fall Baking magazine, and the magazine is really worth every penny, and one I'll be keeping for a long time to come.

In this cake, there is a spiced streusel center that perfectly complements the cinnamon and pumpkin flavors. The sour cream in it makes it moist and delicious. This cake makes about 12 serving, depending on how you slice it. It was a big hit with my family, and the recipe is one I'll be making again for Halloween.

Recipe for Sour Cream Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients:

2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 1/2 teaspoon cold butter

Batter:

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and allspice. Cut in butter until crumbly, set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the sour cream, pumpkin and vanilla. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture.

Pour half of the batter into a greased 10 - inch fluted tube pan. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture; top with remaining batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Combine glaze ingredients, drizzle over cooled cake.

Chocolate Mini Bundt Cakes Recipe

A Bundt cake is one of my absolute favorite cakes to make, and so I couldn't resist the mini Bundt pans I found while at the thrift store the other day.

Specialty cake pans can be expensive, and most of us don't really use them very much so it can be hard to justify spending the money. But for a couple of dollars, these were well worth it.

Chocolate was my first choice (it usually is!!) for the kind of minis I would make. This recipe has a delicious, rich flavor that I really like. And feel free to drizzle on as much glaze as you like, the more the better I think.

One thing I did notice is that a couple of the cakes did get stuck in the pan, so be sure to use plenty of baking spray so that they come out easily. These mini cakes can be made in so many different ways, and for so many different occasions. I'm going to try a vanilla pound cake recipe next.


Recipe for Chocolate Mini Bundt Cakes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk

For the glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoons milk
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat 2 mini Bundt pans (or repeat twice for one pan) with nonstick spray, place on a cookie sheet and set aside. With a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the remaining cake ingredients one at a time, making sure to mix thoroughly in between each addition. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides as needed until thoroughly incorporated. Divide the batter evenly between the Bundt pans and bake for 16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely on a wire rack before removing from the molds.

To make the glaze, place powdered sugar. milk and vanilla extract in a bowl and whisk together until completely smooth. Add another tablespoon or 2 of milk if needed. Spoon glaze over cooled cakes.

Makes 12 mini cakes.

Enjoy!!

Making Memories and a Blackberry Pie

Last week my daughter, and my  grandchildren and I went blackberry picking. A ferry ride away from Seattle is a small town called Bainbridge Island. The island is filled with wild blackberry bushes and August is the best month to pick berries.

We ended up with a whole lot of berries, and even after eating a big bowlful, we had plenty left over for a blackberry pie.

My grandson Jayden is almost eight, and he loves cooking in the kitchen. He helped out so much in making this pie, from stirring the berries in the sugar, rolling out pie dough, and even brushed on the egg wash.

I love sharing this time with him, and I know he'll remember the day that he and Nana made a pie together. Cooking with children not only teaches them how to cook, but builds memories that last a lifetime. I look forward to making many, many more pies with him in the years to come.

Picking berries is so much fun, and you can't get any fresher that just picked off the bush.

The recipe that I used for the pie dough is the same one I use to make a fruit galette, but it's doubled.

This is absolutely the best dough recipe I have ever found, and it always comes out flakey and delicious. Even after we handled the dough much more than if I had made the pie alone, the crust was still so, so good.

Recipe for Blackberry Pie

Ingredients for pie crust:

4 cups all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 large egg yolks
6 tablespoons ice-cold milk

1 egg
1 tablespoon water (to make egg wash)

Ingredients for berry filling:

4 cups fresh blackberries
1/2 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons, divided
1/2 flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Mix in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk together egg yolk and milk, pour into flour mixture, stirring just until dough starts to form a ball.
Press together with lightly floured hands, and form into a flat round. Cover with plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Lightly spray a pie plate with baking spray. To make the egg wash, mix together 1 egg and 1 tablespoon milk, set aside.
Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 piece of dough into a circle, about 10 inches round. Fit into pie plate, Roll out the second piece into another round, set aside.
To make the filling, in a large bowl combine berries, sugar and 1/2 flour. Stir gently to combine.
Spoon the fruit mixture into the unbaked pie shell, cover with top crust.
Seal and crimp the edges, then make small cuts in the top crust to make vents for the steam to escape.
Brush the top with the egg wash, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake for 50-55 minutes, and until top is golden brown.
Cool on wire rack.

Recipe For Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

I seem to be having a little obsession with peanut butter lately. Recently, I've made 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Bites, Chocolate Cupcakes With Whipped Peanut Butter Frosting, and today I made these Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies.

Yes, I do love peanut butter, and it certainly goes together with chocolate to make some of our favorite desserts. These brownies are packed with delicious flavor, and if you are a peanut butter fan like I am, you'll love them.

After making one of my favorite brownie recipes, I simply stirred two tablespoons of peanut butter into the batter, and poured it into the pan. Then I dotted the top with peanut butter, and took a knife to swirl it through the batter. So easy, and so good!!

For extra peanut flavor, you can also add some chopped peanuts to the batter. These are perfect for kids and adults, and I'm taking them to a friend's potluck dinner for everyone to enjoy.

Recipe for Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

Ingredients:

baking spray
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
8 tablespoons melted butter
1-1/4 cups cocoa powder
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup, plus 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x9 inch baking pan with foil, with foil hanging over 2 sides.
Spray foil lightly with baking spray.
In a large bowl, beat eggs at medium speed for 1 minute. Add both sugars. Add remaining ingredients and beat until combined. Add the 2 tablespoons of peanut butter and stir in well. Pour the batter into the pan. Drop small blobs of the remaining 1/3 cup peanut butter evenly on top of the batter. With a table knife, swirl the peanut butter into the brownie batter. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean.
Let cool completely before cutting.

Makes about 12 brownies.

 

Raspberry Brownie Parfaits, Yummy Snacks For Back To School Fun

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #AddCoolWhip #CollectiveBias

September is just around the corner, and that means back to school for my grandchildren. It's an exciting time for them, and they have been busy shopping with their mom and dad for school clothes, new backpacks, and school supplies. I thought it would be fun to surprise them with these delicious kids desserts that I knew they would love.

As I was making them, I couldn't help but feel nostalgic about using Cool Whip and Jell-O Pudding to make desserts for my own kids for so many years. The time seems to have flown by, and now I'm making them for a whole new generation of our family.

I know that life means change, but one thing that hasn't changed is how much kids love pudding and Cool Whip. I decided to get a little fancier that usual, so I made these Raspberry Brownie Parfaits, and it only took a couple of minutes to put them together.

There are so many delicious recipes that you can easily make with Jell-O Pudding and Cool Whip. When I'm buying my weekly groceries at Walmart, I always make sure they are on the shopping list.

These Kraft products have always been very friendly to my budget, and right now you can get $1.00 off when you buy one (1) tub of Cool Whip and two (2) boxes of Jell-O Pudding, while supplies last. Just click HERE for the coupon.

For these Raspberry Brownie Parfaits, you can make them from your favorite brownie recipe, or use a high quality mix.

It's super simple to put these parfaits together, and you could even have the kids make their own. Just start with a layer of chopped up brownies on the bottom, a layer of Cool Whip, some chocolate pudding, and a layer of raspberry jam. Add some more Cool Whip, and top with a few fresh raspberries.

Use medium size dessert dishes for making these parfaits. I used these cute mini Mason jars that I picked up at a flea market, and they were perfect for kid sized desserts.

My grandson Jayden loved his surprise snack. I enjoy making the kids treats, it's a part of being a grandmother that really gives me a lot of pleasure.

He asked me if I could make this as an afterschool treat when they are back in school, and of course I said I would.

You can easily find Cool Whip and Jell-O Pudding at your local Walmart. I think they have the biggest selection of pudding flavors available. You can also find Cool Whip there in various sizes and varieties.

 

It's been a great summer so far, and I'm glad we have a little while left before the busyness of fall takes over, and the days begin flying by.

I'd love to share my super easy recipe for Raspberry Brownie Parfaits. And the adults love them just as much as the kids, trust me.

Recipe for Raspberry Brownie Parfaits

Ingredients:

1 - 3.4 ounce box Chocolate Jell-O Pudding Mix
2 cups cold milk
1 container of Cool Whip Topping
1 cup already-baked, chopped brownies
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
1 cup fresh raspberries

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine pudding mix and milk, blend with a wire whisk for 2 minutes.
Place a generous layer of the chopped brownies in the bottom of a dessert dish or glass. Put on a layer of Cool Whip, chocolate pudding, a layer of jam. Finish with a generous layer of Cool Whip.
You may also alternate layers as you please.
Add fresh raspberries on top of Cool Whip.


Enjoy!!

Chocolate Cupcakes With Whipped Peanut Butter Frosting

One of my very favorite food combinations is chocolate and peanut butter. I love it so much but wanted something more that just my favorite candy to enjoy.

Cupcakes are always welcomed by friends and family, so these were the perfect answer to a quick dessert, and also satisfied my chocolate and peanut butter craving.

The peanut butter frosting on these cupcakes is made with cream cheese, a frosting that I enjoy making and my family really loves.

The chocolate cupcakes is an easy recipe, and I always think homemade tastes so much better than boxed mix.

And if you keep the baking essentials well stocked in your pantry, you can be ready to bake so many yummy treats as a moments notice.

I made these cupcakes just for fun to have for dessert. My family loved them, and this recipe is definitely a keeper.


Recipe for Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Peanut Butter Frosting

Ingredients for cupcakes:

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk

Directions for cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tin with paper liners.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla.
Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk. Beat well. Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full.
Bake in preheated oven 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Ingredients for frosting:

1/2 cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped

Directions for frosting:

With an electric mixer on low speed, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, and confectioners' sugar in a bowl until smooth, about 2 minutes.
With a small spatula, frost cupcakes and sprinkle with peanuts.

Makes 18 cupcakes.

Apple Fruit Galette

I can see that making fruit galettes could easily become my passion. What I love about them is that they are rustic looking, taste so delicious, and look like they are much more difficult to make than they really are.

I discovered this recipe for the delicious crust from one of my favorite magazines, Cottage Living. Unfortunately, the magazine folded a few years ago, but I have held onto every old issue, and recently ran across the recipe.

I guarantee you will adore this apple galette, and it could become your go-to dessert for a delicious dessert at home, or to bring to a picnic, or to someone you really like.

There is no worrying about making a perfect pie crust with a galette, and you can use differ kinds of fruit, or a combination.

It totally impressed my family, and there wasn't a crumb left over.


Recipe for Apple Fruit Galette

Ingredients:

For pastry crust:

 2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 large egg yolk
3 tablespoons ice-cold milk

1 egg
2 tablespoons water


Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Mix in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk together egg yolk and milk, pour into flour mixture, stirring just until dough starts to form a ball.
Press together with lightly floured hands, and form into a flat round. Cover with plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

For fruit filling:

2 pounds apples (4-5) Golden Delicious, Pink Lady, Granny Smith
3 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Peel and core apples; cut each in to 8 wedges. In a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter. When butter is foamy, add apples and stir frequently until they are slightly softened, about 10 minutes.
Sprinkle brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg over apples. Stir into fruit, and continue cooking about 5 minutes, until liquid is syrupy and bubbling.

Remove dough from refrigerator. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface into an approximate
10-inch round. Place on a large, lightly greased baking sheet. Scoop fruit mixture into center of round.
Fold about 1 inch of dough all the way around to form a rim. Combine egg and water, brush outside of tart with the egg wash.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool on pan 10 minutes, then move to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Can be served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

Makes about 6 servings.

Enjoy!!

Summer Fruit Galette

I'm going to be honest and tell you that this is the very first fruit galette I've ever made.

I have wanted to try making one for years, but just never got around to it. With all the gorgeous summer fruit in the markets now, I decided to give it a try.

Blackberries and raspberries are the fruits I used, and I just love the way it turned out. The one tip I have is to thoroughly let the galette cool before cutting into it. That way all the fruit mixture has thickened, and will be firmly set. This doesn't have the firmness of a regular pie shell, so I think this is important.

And I really treasure a recipe that is fairly easy to make, but is impressive enough to serve at a dinner, or to bring to someone else's home. This is definitely one of those recipes.

Recipe for Summer Fruit Galette

Ingredients for pastry crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 large egg yolk
3 tablespoons ice-cold milk


Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Mix in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk together egg yolk and milk, pour into flour mixture, stirring just until dough starts to form a ball.
Press together with lightly floured hands, and form into a flat round. Cover with plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.


Ingredients for fruit filling:

2 cups fresh blackberries
1 cup fresh raspberries
1/3 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling on top
3 tablespoons corn starch
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons of butter, cut into pieces
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine blackberries, raspberries, 1/3 cup sugar, and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl.
Remove dough from refrigerator. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface into an approximate
10-inch round. Place on a large, lightly greased baking sheet. Scoop berry mixture into center of round, top with butter.
Fold about 1 inch of dough all the way around to form a rim. Combine egg and milk, brush outside of tart with the egg wash. Sprinkle all over with 2 tablespoons of sugar.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool on pan 10 minutes, then move to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Can be served with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream,

Makes 6-8 servings.


Enjoy!!

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Making a fruit crisp is one of my very favorite ways to enjoy the summer season.. Whether served plain, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, it's always a delicious dessert my family and I love.

While I'm not really a big rhubarb fan, I do like the unique flavor it gives to this crisp. And this was one of my favorite dessert growing up, so it has a bit of nostalgic meaning for me.

I like this dessert best when it's still warm from the oven, with that scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of it. But it's also great for breakfast. Either way, it's pretty yummy.

Recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Ingredients:

For the fruit filling:
1 pound fresh strawberries, cut into slices
6 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon lemon zest

For the topping:
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup brown sugar, well packed
2/3 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, toss together the strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, cornstarch, zest, and ginger. Place the mixture in a shallow 8-cup baking dish. Loosely cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

While the fruit mixture is baking, make the crisp topping. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, oats, salt, cinnamon, ginger and butter, until the butter is distributed evenly.

After the fruit has baked for 30 minutes, remove the foil and cover with the crisp topping. Return to the oven and bake, uncovered, for an additional 30 minutes.
Serve warm, or at room temperature. Top with vanilla ice cream or whipped topping.

Makes 8 serving.

Old-Fashioned Banana Cake Recipe From The Barefoot Contessa

It's almost summer, and that means there are lots of family celebrations, barbeques, and picnics coming up.

It's nice to be able to bring a cake that is moist and delicious, and everyone asks for the recipe. This cake is all three of these things, and another one of my favorite Barefoot Contessa recipes. It is from the How Easy Is that? cookbook.

Yes, I have had an Ina Garten crush for many years. She is just the most warm and gracious person on her Food Network TV show, and a fabulous cook, of course.

All of her recipes that I have tried have always come out great, and her books are always so beautiful, and filled with so much helpful information that the home cook will find useful.

So, if you need a delicious cake, filled with banana and walnut yumminess, this recipe for Old-Fashioned Banana Cake is one I really recommend making.


Barefoot Contessa Recipe for Old-Fashioned Banana Cake

Ingredients:

3 very ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
grated zest of 1 orange
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, divided to use 1/2 cup on top of cake

For Cream Cheese Frosting

6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups sifted confectioners, sugar


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 2-inch round cake pan.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the bananas, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on low speed until combined. With the mixer still on low, add the oil, eggs, sour cream, vanilla, and orange zest. Mix until smooth.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. With mixer on low, add the dry ingredients and mix just until just combined. Stir in the chopped walnuts. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, turn out onto a cooling rack, and cool completely.

To make the frosting, mix the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low speed until just combined. Don't whip. Add the sugar and mix until smooth.

Spread the frosting thickly on top of the cake and decorate with remaining walnuts.

Glazed Strawberry Cookies

Seeing all the strawberries that are available is inspiring me to want to start baking with them. These cookies are one of my favorites, and are really delicious.

They are perfect with a cold glad of milk at home, but also great to pack up for a picnic. Moist and flavorful, they didn't last long at my house.

Recipe for Glazed Strawberry Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup diced strawberries
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
zest of 1 lemon

For glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

 1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Place strawberries, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons flour, and 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar into a small mixing bowl and toss together until well coated. Place in refrigerator and set aside.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the remaining flour, remaining sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in the butter until a fine/even, grainy texture forms.
4. Stir in the Greek yogurt and vanilla and mix until just combined. Fold in the strawberry mixture and lemon zest and mix until well combined.
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment and spoon on 2 tablespoons of dough at a time, about 1 inch apart.
6. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes or until the cookies have barely started to brown on top. Remove from the oven and transfer cookies onto a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
7. While the cookies cool, make the glaze: Place the sugar, milk and vanilla into a small bowl and gently stir together with a fork until no lumps remain. Drizzle glaze over cookies and serve or allow to set, about 30 minutes, before serving.

Makes 20-24 cookies.


Inspired by Spoon Fork Bacon