Easter Cookie Cake

Easter 2020 might not look and feel the way we might have anticipated or hoped it would be, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t still make it special. With the current “shelter in place” that we are experiencing, I have found myself in the kitchen more than ever. And more specifically, baking more than ever. But I have had to be a bit more selective on recipes, based on the items I have in the pantry. This cookie cake uses simple pantry staples yet is SO good! It is the best world of a soft baked cookie in a cake form. If you don’t have these chocolate Cadbury Easter eggs on hand, you can definitely use M&M’s, chocolate chips, or even sprinkles!

Growing up, the second the Valentine’s Day candy was cleared out and the Cadbury chocolate eggs were out on the shelves, we always had a bowl of them in our house. So it was an easy choice to add these to this cookie cake. Next time I would also add some mini chocolate chips or cut up some additional Cadbury eggs to add to the batter to even out the cookie dough to chocolate ratio- but that’s just my preference!

Our Easter plans this year include making Eggs Benedict for breakfast, eating a bite (more like slice) of this cookie cake every time we pass by it in the kitchen, FaceTiming with family and friends, and hopefully getting our veggie garden planted. It sure is the little, and simple things. How are you planning to celebrate Easter this year?

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Easter Cookie Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 1 Tbs vanilla

• 2 eggs, room temperature

• 3 cup flour

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1 cup Cadbury eggs (or M&M’s, chocolate chips, etc.)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a tart/pie dish or baking sheet (I used a tart pan- if you used a pie dish or deeper dish, it will make for longer cook time).

2. Combine butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Add eggs until just blended.

3. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Combine.

4. Scoop dough into baking dish, press until smooth. Bake 11 minutes, remove from oven and press candies into top and return for 5-7 minutes, or until the top of the cookie cake is lightly golden brown.

*This recipe was adapted from this original recipe.

Almond Butter Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread

Do you ever look over at your fruit bowl and see your bananas start to get just a little bit brown? And then choose to ignore them so you can bake something with them? I hate to admit I do this more often than not. I have made a lot of baked goods with bananas in them (remember these?), however I had never tried putting almond butter in the batter before. What a game changer! Combined with chocolate chunks, the flavor and texture is amazing. You are going to want to let your bananas get brown just so you can make this recipe! 

I cleaned up the ingredients for this bread so that it fits most allergy restrictions, and you don't have to feel bad about eating it. To insure each bite has that amazing chocolate flavor, I used my favorite semisweet chocolate chunks. A good quality chocolate makes a big difference in this recipe. 

When my husband got home from work the day I made this, he walked in the door saying how amazing the house smelled! After dinner we enjoyed a few too many slices of the bread for dessert and had some for breakfast the next morning. This bread did not last long in our house! In fact, I see some bananas on our counter that are turning brown and I am thinking of making another loaf. It's that good! 

I hope you give this recipe a try and enjoy it as much as we do! Be sure to let me know how you like it below or on my Instagram. Happy baking :) 

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Almond Butter Banana Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup real maple syrup
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 cup overripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1 1/2 cup extra fine almond flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chocolate chunks
• 1/2 cup creamy almond butter

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, combine the maple syrup, almond milk, egg, vanilla, banana, and coconut sugar until well combined. Beat in the almond flour, baking soda and salt until just combined.

2. Stir in the chocolate chunks. Now take the almond butter and add it to the batter in teaspoon full size dollops and then gently swirl it into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle with chocolate chunks if desired...you may also now push in a few extra teaspoons of almond butter too!

3. Place loaf pan on a baking sheet and set in the oven. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until center is set. If the top begins to brown (mine did after about 45 minutes), tent the bread with aluminum foil. Remove and let cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting. Bread will keep (covered) for 3-5 days. Serve and enjoy! 

* This recipe was adapted from this original recipe.

Brown Butter Ghee Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I have always loved trying different variations of chocolate chip cookie recipes. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that my husband absolutely loves chocolate chip cookies. I stumbled upon the idea of making gluten free chocolate chip cookies that called for ghee instead of butter, coconut palm sugar instead of white sugar and almond flower instead of white flour in the recipe. I have to admit, I was skeptical of the cookies tasting like anything other than cardboard (just keeping it real here!). However, these cookies turned out incredible! So incredible that my husband who is the cookie cridic in our house, was completely blown away and really enjoyed them! I brought some over to our neighbors and they had the same reaction. You have to give this recipe a try! 

There are so many good things to say about this cookie dough. It is incredibly easy to make, especially if you buy brown butter ghee already prepared. The dough also taste amazing by the spoonful! But then again, what cookie dough doesn't?! 

The key to these cookies is the mix of chocolate chunks and chocolate chips that I used. They gave the cookies amazing flavor and also prevented them from being really thin and flat.

When I pulled the cookies out of the oven, I immediately sprinkled them with some flaky sea salt. It really elevated the flavors! Even though the ingredients might not be traditional to chocolate chip cookies, you still get that incredible smell when you bake them!

These cookies taste amazing fresh out of the oven when they are still slightly warm yet crispy around the edges. I love the nutty flavor from the brown butter ghee and of course the gooey chocolate. I piled the cookies onto a platter and my husband and I enjoyed one too many of them with a tall glass of milk!

These cookies also make great gifts, especially if someone has dietary restrictions. I like to cut small squares of natural parchment paper and place them in between the cookies. You can either package them up in a cute bag or jar and make someone very happy :)

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Brown Butter Ghee Chocolate Chunk Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup brown butter ghee
• 1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups fine almond flour
• 1/2 cup arrowroot starch
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks
• 1/3 cup milk or dark chocolate chips
• Additional sea salt for topping

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a silpat baking mat (what I used). 
2. In a stand mixer (or handheld beaters), beat the brown butter ghee and coconut palm sugar for 2-3 minutes, or until lighter in color and smooth.
3. Add the maple syrup, egg yolks and vanilla extract and beat for another 2 minutes.
4. Add the almond flour, arrowroot starch, and sea salt and beat until well incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl a couple times.
5. Stir in the chocolate chunks and chocolate chips.
6. Using an ice cream scoop, drop 6 cookies onto each prepared baking sheet. Bake for 9-10 minutes, or until just starting to brown around the edges.
7. Remove the cookies from the oven and sprinkle with sea salt. Allow them to cool before removing from the pan (if you can wait that long!). Serve and enjoy. 

*This recipe was adapted from this original recipe. 

Peach & Blueberry Greek Yogurt Cake

I get so nostalgic when I think about the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Growing up, it not only meant kicking off the Summer season but also that school was almost out. As I have gotten older, I look forward to the holiday weekend to kick off grilling season, lots of outdoor entertaining and taking advantage of the amazing produce that's in season. I got excited when I saw that peaches and blueberries were back in season at my farmer's market, and I knew I wanted to put them into a dessert for the holiday weekend. This peach and blueberry greek yogurt cake is perfect to enjoy over the Memorial Day weekend or anytime throughout the Summer months. 

I started by picking out some of the sweetest and juiciest peaches at the farmers market. It's important to use fresh ripened peaches and blueberries in this recipe (but not overly ripe) so that it gives the cake a natural sweetness and keeps the cake moist. 

I used two different kinds of peaches which gave it a nice flavor and texture but you could certainly use whatever kind of peaches you'd like.

With just a few simple ingredients, the batter comes together really quickly! I poured it into a 9x3 springform pan lined with parchment paper. From there I layered the peaches in a spiral design and topped it off with the fresh blueberries. 

I love how colorful this cake looks both before and after you put it in the oven. The fruit cooks down a bit and the cake rises nicely to fill in the gaps. The cake holds up well to the fruit and compliments it without being too sweet. 

Once the cake was completely cooled, I sprinkled lots of powdered sugar over the top since everything just looks prettier with a little dusting of sugar, right? 

The cake is amazing on its own, and you could also serve it at a brunch or summertime lunch. I made this for our friends who came over for our first BBQ of the season, and topped ours with some fresh vanilla ice cream. All of the flavors brought me back to the Summer nights I so loved as a child growing up.  

Whether you are staying home for the holiday weekend or heading out of town, I hope you add this recipe to your weekend BBQ's! My husband and I are looking forward to heading out of town to enjoy lots of pool time and of course to eat lots of cake :) 

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Peach and Blueberry Greek Yogurt Cake Recipe 

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 stick butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, brought to room temperature
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 2 peaches, sliced into wedges
• 6 oz blueberries
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Grease the side and the bottom of the pan with butter or cooking spray. Line the bottom of a 9x3-inch springform pan (or 9 inch round cake pan) with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper too.
2. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, together into a medium bowl and set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, beat butter, sugar, and 2 eggs until very light in color and fluffy, 2-3 minutes on high speed. Add vanilla and Greek yogurt and continue beating until very creamy and light in color, for about 1 more minute.
4. Keeping the mixer speed low, mix in the flour mix until combined. Do not over mix.
5. Transfer the cake batter to the springform pan. Top with sliced peaches, and scatter blueberries evenly on top in the spaces between the peach slices. Sprinkle the fruit with 1 teaspoon granulated sugar.
6. Bake until cake turns golden, and the tester comes out clean in the center, about 35-40 minutes, depending on your oven. 
7. When the cake is done baking, let it cool (still in the baking pan) on a wire rack. After cake has cooled completely, release the cake from the springform pan. Slide your hand under the cake, between the parchment paper and the bottom portion of the springform pan and move the cake with the parchment paper attached to its bottom onto a cake plate easily. 
8. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and top with vanilla ice cream (optional). Serve and enjoy!

* This recipe was adapted from this original recipe. 

Pumpkin Bars →

With Halloween in a few short days and Thanksgiving just a month away, it is time that I break out my favorite pumpkin bar recipe to share with all of you! This is not just any pumpkin bar recipe, it is my Mom's famous recipe that I grew up on. She used to make these bars multiple times through out the Fall season, especially around Halloween and Thanksgiving time. 

I have to be honest that I am not a fan of pumpkin pie (I have tried to like it for years) but I love to mirror the flavors in other dessert forms. This recipe includes the perfect mix of pumpkin pie spice and fresh canned pumpkin smothered in the most amazing cream cheese frosting. 

As these were baking in the oven, the house was filled with the aroma of pumpkin spice and brought me right back to my childhood. My Mom used to bake these on a crisp Fall day, with the intent of feeding a crowd. I was either putting the last touches on my Halloween costume, or counting down the days until Thanksgiving break. These bars were always the hit at any party we brought them to, and that's how they quickly became my Mom's famous recipe.  

In my opinion, you can never go wrong with cream cheese frosting! It is so easy to make, and it takes this dessert to the next level. Once the pumpkin bars have cooled completely, I like to use an offset spatula to spread the frosting evenly across the pan of pumpkin bars.

I recommend baking these on a sheet pan, so they are easy to transport if you are taking them to an event and they yield at least two to three dozen bars (depending on how you cut them). 

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as our family does this Fall season! 

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Pumpkin Bar Recipe

Ingredients For the Bars:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
•  1 2/3 cups sugar 
• 1 cup oil
• 4 eggs, brought to room temperature
• 2 cups canned pumpkin (non-spiced)
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice  

Ingredients for the Frosting:

• 1- 3oz. package of cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter 
• 2 Tbsp. cream 
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups powdered sugar 

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 13x18 sheet pan. Mix all of the bar ingredients together until well incorporated. Pour the batter onto the greased sheet pan and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a tooth pick comes out clean. Set on a wire rack and let the bars cool completely.
2. To make the frosting, mix the cream cheese and butter together. Combine with the other ingredients and mix well. Spread the frosting over the cooled bars with an offset spatula. Cut the bars into rectangles and enjoy! 

Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Do you ever feel like baking cookies just because? Or rather, do you ever feel like eating cookies just because? I'm sure we can all relate on some level when it comes to cookies. It is no secret that my husband has a very strong love for chocolate chip cookies. So much so that they even made it into our wedding vows.

My Husband recently hinted (more like made it known) that he was craving chocolate chip cookies. I wanted to try a new recipe so I turned to one of my favorite food bloggers that happens to have a plethora of amazing cookie recipes and practically ran to the kitchen to make her brown butter chocolate chunk cookie recipe.

The brown butter gives the cookies an amazing depth of flavor with a crispy crunch on the outside of the cookies, leaving them nice and soft in the middle. That is my favorite kind of cookie to bite into!

I used a mix of chocolate chunks that I chopped off of a block of semi-sweet chocolate combined with milk chocolate chips. Whenever I bake chocolate chip cookies of any kind, I always like to have a combination of chocolate to give it a nice richness in flavor. 

There is nothing more that I love than the baking process and surprising the ones you love with a sweet treat! My husband came home from work and proclaimed that it was one of the best chocolate chip cookies he's ever had, and I would have to agree with him. The next time you feel like baking cookies or just eating them, be sure to give this recipe a try! 

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Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients: 

Yields 24 servings

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup chocolate chunks
• 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat liner.
2. Place butter into a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook and swirl pan often until butter is browned. Brown bits will form at the bottom of the pan and butter will turn golden. Transfer to a heat proof bowl to cool for 10 minutes.
3. Place butter and sugars into a large mixing bowl. Stir until well combined. Add egg and vanilla, stirring until well combined. Slowly stir in flour, pudding mix, salt, baking soda and chocolate chunks until just combined. 
4. Use a small to medium size cookie scoop and scoop dough onto prepared cookie sheet placing 1 inch apart. Bake for 12 minutes, until edges just turn golden. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring. Enjoy room temperature.

* Recipe from Picky Palate

Pound Cake & Meyer Lemon Curd Dessert

Whenever we have friends or family over for dinner, I either decide to cut corners somewhere in the meal or with dessert. Since I love to bake, it's usually somewhere in the meal. But this time, I decided to cut corners on dessert and no one would have known if I didn't tell them! This dessert is so simple to make, I almost can't believe I'm writing a blog post about it. 

I took my Meyer lemon curd that I made and spooned it over the top of a pound cake I bought at the store and really good vanilla bean ice cream. The richness from the buttery pound cake was balanced out with the tang from the lemon curd and the creaminess of the ice cream. The best part about this dessert is that it is really simple to assemble so you don't have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen after dinner which allows you to spend more time with your guests :)