Category Archives: Baking

Kenzies Yummy Fruit Filled Muffins

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Our amazing Nanny came up with these muffins, and they are fabulous …. Thanks Kenzie!

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2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 stick butter melted and cooled
1 cup milk
1 cup fruit of choice

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt, and baking powder in a bowl.
3. Beat eggs and butter in a separate bowl then mix in milk.
4. Mix wet and dry ingredients until just mixed then fold in fruit.
5. Bake for 20 minutes.

For a little extra fun topping, scatter a bit of your fresh fruit on top of the muffin, and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

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This cake just keeps getting better – didn’t have quite enough banana, but I had made some apple sauce for baby Stella Rose, just enough to bump up the fruit to the 3 cups – so moist and delicious!

Chatty Kathy's avatarchattykathychatsandcooks

P1110037 P1100740 This was one of those favorite school box recipes. The kids loved it for years – and it was one of Meghan’s favorites so when she got married this year, I made it once again and it was just as popular.

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups bananas

3 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs, one at a time – beating well with each until the battery is light, creamy and fluffy.  Add vanilla and banana.  Mix until smooth. 

Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda.  Add to butter, egg, banana mixture alternately with the sour cream. 

Combine brown sugar and cinnamon

Spread half in a greased and floured 9×13 baking pan. Sprinkle half the brown sugar, cinnamon mixture over…

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Banana Blueberry Bread Pudding

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It is not often that we EVER have banana bread left over, but surprisingly enough, we did and I was wondering how to use it up. Also have never made bread pudding … and always wanted to.
Blueberry Banana Bread Pudding

Cube up leftover banana bread, and toast it until slightly crunchy and dried out.

About 4 cups of bread cubes work with:

3 eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 cup cream
1 tbsp vanilla
1/3 cup sugar

Whisk all ingredients together.

In greased baking dish place the banana bread cubes, top with blueberries (or whatever fruit you have on hand – fresh or frozen) and pour the egg/milk mixture over. It should just cover the bread cubes and fruit.

Bake at 350 degrees for between 45-60 minutes. A knife inserted in the middle should come out clean.

Serve warm or at room temperature with a dollop of whipped cream.
Blueberry Banana Bread Pudding with whip cream

Banana Loaf

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Just in case the little ones around your house leave you enough bananas to work with … make banana loaf!

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3 ripe bananas

1 cup white sugar

1 beaten egg

1/2 cup melted butter

2 tbsp sour milk

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

(If you need sour milk stir some lemon juice or vinegar into fresh milk  – let sit for a few minutes and stir)

Sift dry ingredients together:

Mash bananas, blend in sugar and add egg.  Mix and add milk and butter.  

Stir banana mixture into dry ingredients, only until just mixed – do not over mix!

Pour into greased loaf pan and bake for 50 min at 350

Citrus Loaf

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The sweet/tangy glaze drizzled over this citrus loaf adds the perfect touch!

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1 medium lemon – zest and juice

1 medium orange – zest and juice

2 1/4 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup butter

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

Grate 1 tbsp peel from lemon, and squeeze 1 tbsp juice – set aside

Grate 1 tbsp peel from orange, and squeeze 5 tbsp juice – set aside – separately from lemon juice

In large bowl combine dry ingredients, then cut butter in, stir in lemon and orange zest.

In separate bowl beat eggs, milk and 4 tbsp orange juice.

Stir liquid into flour just until mixed, do not over mix.

Turn into greased and floured 9×5 inch loaf pan.  (I like to use parchment paper so it is easy to lift out)

Bake 1 hour, at 350 degrees – cool for 10 minutes in pan, then remove to a cooling rack.

Once you take the loaf out of the oven, combine the remaining  1 tbsp lemon juice, 4 tbsp orange juice and 2 tbsp sugar in small saucepan.  Bring to a boil and allow to gently boil until reduced slightly and thickened.  Once loaf has cooled a bit, drizzle glaze over top.  

Try to resist cutting the loaf until it has cooled quite a bit ….

 

Mexican Chocolate Snow Caps

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These delicious little bites were waiting for Hayley, Sloan, Stella and I when we arrived at big sister Meghan’s house – you can’t have just one!  She made them as peppermint, and they are fabulous.  Gluten free too!

 

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8 oz semi sweet chocolate, chopped

2 tbsp butter

1 1/4 cup ground almonds

1/4 tsp salt

2 large eggs (room temperature)

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tsp ancho chile powder 

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Sifted icing sugar to roll cookies

In a heatproof bowl (over pan of gently simmering water) melt chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth.  Remove from heat.  Stir in almonds and salt.

in a mixing bowl, whisk eggs and sugar until pale and thickened, about 2 minutes.  Add in chocolate mixture and spices.  Fold until well blended.  Cover and put in the fridge until very firm – about 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 350.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Form dough into 1 1/4″ balls.  Roll balls in icing sugar.  

Place 2″ apart on trays.  Bake until puffed, starting to crack on top and the edges are firm – about 12 minutes.

So easy to switch these up and make them into Peppermint Caps – substitute the chile powder and cinnamon for 1 tsp peppermint extract.

Chocolate Butter Cream Icing

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Pictured here on a moist delicious chocolate cake made with applesauce and buttermilk, it is a perfect (not too sweet) topping. Go ahead and mix it up though – instead of chocolate use raspberry jam for flavoring!

Chocolate Butter Cream Icing

1 cup salted butter

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 one ounce squares of melted semi sweet chocolate (make sure to cool it!)

1/2 tsp instant coffee

1-2 tbsp cream

3 – 3 3/4 cups icing sugar

Melt chocolate squares in microwave carefully, until they are smooth – stir and set asdie to cool

Whip the butter until light anf fluffy

Add cocoa powder, beating well

WHEN CHOCOLATE IS COOL, add to butter

Add instant coffe to 1 tbsp cream, then add to butter mixture

Now, add in enough icing sugar, 1 cup at a time until you have reached the consistency you are looking for – fabulous!

Chocolate Cake (your new favorite!)

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This cake is enough on it’s own, so moist and delicious with the buttermilk and applesauce – with a little chocolate butter cream icing on top, but if you are feeling fancy, go ahead and dress it up!  I have photos of this cake a couple of ways – always a hit!

Moist Delicious Chocolate Cake
2 cups butter milk (If you don’t have any buttermilk use regular milk, adding 2 tsp vinegar per cup)

1 cup apple sauce

2/3 cup oil

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

Blend well and set aside

In a separate bowl sift together:

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 cup cocoa powder

2 tsp baking soda

Gently stir dry ingredients into wet, do not overmix.  When combined, pour into prepared (greased and floured)  baking dish –  9 x 13 baking pan, or 2 layer cake rounds.

Bake at 350 for 35 minutes – check to make sure it is well set before removing from oven.

When I want to fancy this up and make a special occasion cake, I like to use a vanilla cream in between the layers, and also pipe it on top with fruit and a dusting of icing sugar. (Vanilla cream is featured on my Boston Cream Pie recipe) 

I was really fortunate to get this recipe from Gayle – our office works closely with hers, and as a treat, she dropped off this cake to us one day … we were all hooked!

Peanut Butter Cookies

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This is THE ONLY peanut butter cookie recipe you will ever need – deliciously addictive!  My good friend Jean gave me this family recipe, from her Aunt Grace, and we have always called them “Jean’s Aunt Grace’s PB Cookies” … 

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup butter (or margarine)

1 cup crunchy peanut butter

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

Beat butter, peanut butter and sugars until light, fluffy, creamy and smooth.  Add eggs, vanilla and beat until a little frothy.

In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients together.  

Combine dry ingredients with butter sugar mixture and incorporate – you may have to work the last bit with your hands until the batter is smooth and holding together.

Form small balls and place on cookie sheet. (I like to use parchment paper) Press a fork (dipped in flour) both ways on the cookie to create a cross pattern.

Bake at 350 for 10-16 minutes.

Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes

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Warm desserts are perfect on cold nights, and warm chocolate oozing out of these cakes with a bit of vanilla ice cream are a real treat – add a few raspberries for a bit of tartness.

Chocolate Molten Lava Cake

4 ounces semi sweet baking chocolate

1/2 cup butter

1 tbsp good red wine (I like Cab Sauv)

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup icing sugar

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

6 tbsp flour

1/4 tsp ground Saigon Cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp ground cloves

Preheat oven to 400

Butter 4 6 oz custard cups and place on baking sheet

Microwave chocolate and butter in bowl at 30 second intervals just until butter is melted and you are able to melt the chocolate into it smoothly.  Stir in wine, vanila, and icing sugar until smooth.  Stir in eggs and yolk.  Add flour and spices.  

Pour batter into custard cups.

Bake for 13 minutes (until sides are firm but they are soft in center).  Let stand 1 minute.  

Carefully loosen edges (with knife if necessary) and invert onto serving plate.  Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve with fresh raspberries and a small bit of vanilla ice cream.