strawberry cake with strawberry cream cheese glaze.

Here's a homemade cake recipe for you that truly has a strawberry punch. 

Since I have been hoarding strawberries from the grocery store recently, I have found myself craving strawberry baked goods. I didn't just want to make a white cake with strawberries mixed in- I wanted a pretty pink cake that was packed with strawberry flavor. And this recipe was exactly what I was hoping for. The cake is soft, very strawberry-y, and pink! And the strawberry cream cheese glaze tops it off perfectly.

I hope you try it and enjoy it as much as we did!

~

strawberry cake with strawberry cream cheese glaze

from the girl who ate everything & martha stewart

cake ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar (I used half granulated, half stevia)
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups cake flour (see notes for substitute)
2 tablespoons instant strawberry-flavored gelatin (uncooked- just the powder)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk (see notes for substitute)
2/3 cup diced fresh strawberries

glaze ingredients:

1 cup powdered sugar

1-2 cups sliced strawberries

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 tbsp butter, softened

4 tbsp cream cheese, softened

instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Liberally grease a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with shortening.  Line with parchment paper, if desired. Lightly grease parchment. 
2. Beat butter and sugar for 4 to 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, until well blended. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, strawberry-flavored gelatin, baking soda, and salt; Add the flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low until ingredients are just barely combined. Stir in the strawberries. Spread batter in prepared pan.
4. Bake at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. After 30 minutes, cover the cake with foil so the top doesn't brown too much. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack 30-60 minutes. 
5. To make the glaze, I used a food processor. Beat butter and cream cheese until combined. Beat in vanilla and powdered sugar. Start by mixing in about 1 cup sliced strawberries to butter/cream cheese/powdered sugar/vanilla mixture. Keep adding strawberries until you like the consistency. Pour over cooled cake. 
6. Because of the cream cheese glaze, we stored ours in fridge.

notes:

An easy cake flour substitute is just flour + cornstarch. For each cup, measure 1 cup of flour. Remove 2 tbsp flour and replace it with 2 tbsp of cornstarch. 

An easy buttermilk subsitute is milk + vinegar or lemon juice. For each cup of buttermilk, add 1 tbsp of vinegar or lemon juice to a measuring cup and fill milk to the 1 cup line. 

blueberry banana doughnuts.

I got a doughnut pan for Christmas and I have been dying to use it. 2 months later, I finally got around to using it. 

We had a very ripe banana just begging to be baked and tons of frozen blueberries packed away in the freezer from this summer. Therefore, this was the perfect recipe to inaugurate this doughnut pan. (Did I use that word correctly? Hmph, probably not- oh well!)

If you go to the original doughnut recipe, I made several changes. I used different flour, sugar, and yogurt. I also made a delicious blueberry glaze which I highly reccommend. If you don't have enough blueberries or you prefer a more traditional glaze, you can't go wrong with vanilla glaze! Just go to whole and heavenly oven to find it. I hope you enjoy this health(ier) doughnut recipe as much as we did!

~

blueberry banana doughnuts {with blueberry glaze}

Ingredients

• Doughnut recipe from whole and heavenly oven
• 2 cups flour (I used all purpose)
• 1/2 cup sugar (I used 1/4 cup stevia, 1/4 cup granulated sugar)
• 3 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 medium ripe banana, mashed
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup yogurt (I used strawberry greek yogurt)
• 3/4 cup buttermilk (I used 1% milk+lemon juice)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries 
• 
  
• Glaze recipe from blahnik baker
• ½ cup blueberries
• 1-1½ cups powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a doughnut pan. Set aside.
2. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, mix mashed banana, eggs, yogurt, buttermilk, and vanilla until smooth. 
3. Gently fold dry mixture into liquid mixture until just combined. Gently fold in blueberries.
4. Fill greased doughnut pan 3/4 full of batter. Bake donuts at 350F 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool doughnuts in pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
5. In a small bowl, mash blueberries (or stick them in a food processor). Add powdered sugar to blueberries until smooth. You want the glaze fairly thick so add powdered sugar as needed.
6. Once doughnuts are cooled, transfer to wax paper (for easier clean-up). Dip them into the glaze or spoon glaze over doughnuts. 
7. We left doughnuts out for 2 days then transfered them to freezer. Pop in the microwave as desired  and enjoy!

no yeast cinnamon rolls.

Sometimes I think I should have called my blog "The Lazy Baker". Why you ask? Because let's just face it, I am so lazy sometimes!

Example A: I stopped making pizza crust that has to rise because I hated waiting for it to rise and I felt like I screwed it up half the time.

Example B: I wanted to make cinnamon rolls for Mother's Day today but I didn't want to wait for the yeast to rise and to possibly find that maybe it didn't even work! 

Catch my drift? Well anyway, I come with good news! I found this awesome no rise, no yeast cinnamon roll recipe. You're welcome.

These were a serious hit. They were everything a cinnamon roll should be: warm,  gooey, and bursting with cinnamon goodness. They also drip with cream cheese frosting goodness. I already ate one today and my mouth still waters thinking about it. Go make these now or the next time you need a good brunch accompaniment! 

~

no yeast cinnamon rolls from  Back for Seconds Blog

Ingredients

Dough

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cups buttermilk*
• 1/4 cup canola oil

Filling**

• 1/4 cup butter, soft or melted
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Icing

• 4 tablespoons butter (softened)
• 4 tablespoons cream cheese (softened)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons milk

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Put all dough ingredients in a stand mixer.  Mix together until dough forms. I used my dough hook attachment.
3. Sprinkle flour onto your rolling surface. Roll out dough into a rectangle. Make sure dough is about 1/8" thick.
4. Spread 1/4 cup butter evenly onto rolled out dough. Mix sugars and cinnamon together in a separate bowl. Evenly distribute cinnamon-sugar mixture onto rolled out dough.
5. Roll up the dough and slice (with floss or a knife) into 12-14 rolls. Place into greased baking pan, allowing enough room for rolls to expand.***
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until rolls are brown and puffy. 
7. While rolls are baking, make the icing. Start by beating the 4 Tbsp butter and 4 Tbsp cream cheese together. 
8. Next, add vanilla, powdered sugar, and milk until creamy, or until it is at your desired consistency.
9. Once the rolls are out of the oven, pour icing over them.
10. Enjoy!!

*I put ~3/4 T lemon juice in measuring cup and filled the rest of the way with milk.

**The original recipe uses 1/3 c sugar, 1/3 c brown sugar, and 1/2 cup butter.

*** I stopped at this point, covered the rolls in plastic wrap and waited until the next day to bake them.

chocolate donut holes with oreo glaze.

Are you ready to blow to some minds today? 

Yes? Ok good. I'll help you.

These beyond simple donut "holes" are made in mini muffin tins. You can make them in a real donut pan if you have one, just adjust the baking time. 

First, you whip up some plain (but flavorful, I promise) chocolate donut batter and let 'em bake. While they are baking, make the glaze. There is an estimated ratio of milk to powdered sugar given in the recipe. Feel free to add more if you'd like to because you can always double dip those bad boys ;) Just don't forget the chopped up Oreos!

After they are out of the oven and mostly cooled, dunk 'em all the way in to that thick, yummy glaze. If they are being consumed at home, they are ready to eat! If they are going somewhere, I recommend waiting to store them until the glaze is hardened. 

I also recommend lining the cooling rack with foil/wax/parchment. This makes for a super easy clean up.  Also, please read my notes under the recipe to see my substitutions. :)

Ingredients:

For the donuts:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup buttermilk*
1 egg**
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, browned***
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Oreo glaze:
1 and 1/4 cups powdered (confectioners) sugar, sifted
2-4 tablespoons milk****

Finely chopped Oreos (I probably used 6-8 double stuffed)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a mini donut pan (or mini muffin tins) with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and brown sugar. 
3. In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, butter, and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients into dry and slowly, stir together until everything is just combined.
4. Transfer batter to a Ziploc bag or a piping bag (I didn't do this, I just spooned it). and cut the tip off. Squeeze the batter into each mold, filling it about 2/3 full.  Bake for 7 minutes (a little longer if you are using a muffin tin, I left mine in around 10 minutes). Let the donuts rest in the pan for 2-3 minutes before removing and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 
5. Repeat process until all the batter has been used.
6. While the donuts are cooling, prepare the glaze. In a medium-sized bowl, beat together powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and chopped Oreos until well-combined. The glaze should be thick, but still pourable. Add milk as needed to get it to the right consistency.
7. Dip the entire donut into the glaze (you won't be sorry) with a spoon or other utensil.  Place on a wire rack. Glaze will harden after some time. 

*I put 1/2 tbsp lemon juice into glass measuring cup and filled the rest of the way up with half and half. Also, you might need 1/4 cup more milk (or half and half, cream, almond milk, etc.). My batter was thick like dough but was perfect after I added more liquid.

**I didn't have an egg so I substituted 1/4 cup vanilla greek yogurt.

***I am lazy and therefore, I didn't brown my butter. I melted it.

****I used a combo of half and half and milk. The result? A thick, rich, creamy glaze.

Recipe (slightly tweaked) from Culinary Couture

Enjoy, friends & please let me know what you think!!

biscuits & sausage gravy.

Biscuits and gravy is often my go-to meal when I go to Cracker Barrel or other breakfast places. This is mostly because it was the only time I got to eat this deliciously, comforting food.  I always figured sausage gravy was a difficult meal to make but I was amazed at how easy and simple this recipe was to make. If you've ever felt this way too, give this recipe a shot!

Biscuits:

Ingredients

• 2 C. flour*
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1/2 t. salt
• 8 T. COLD butter 
• 1 C. buttermilk

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a blender (or food processor). Cut the butter into chunks and add it with the dry ingredients. Pulse a few times until the butter resembles crumbs.
3. Pour in the buttermilk and pulse until combined. Turn out onto a well floured surface. Use well floured hands to pat the dough into a 1 inch thick round. Fold on top of itself several times and press down to 1/2 inch thickness.
4. Using a round cookie cutter, or a glass cup, cut out your circles. Place onto a greased pan and bake 10 minutes. Make sure you watch them closely so they don’t over bake.

*I used 1 cup AP and 1 cup white whole wheat

_______________________________________________________

Sausage Gravy:

Ingredients

• 1 lb breakfast sausage 
• 2 C. milk**
• 1/4 C. flour

Instructions

1. Brown your sausage in a medium sized skillet.
2. Stir in the flour. Slowly mix in the milk. Cook on a low simmer until thickened.
3. Add pepper to taste.

**The recipe recommends whole milk but I either used skim or 1%; sorry I can't remember!

Enjoy, my friends!


Recipes Adapted from: 

http://onesweetappetite.com/ingredient-sausage-gravy/ 
& http://onesweetappetite.com/easy-homemade-biscuits/

banana chocolate chip coffee cake.

[adapted from http://www.letsdishrecipes.com/2012/09/banana-cinnamon-chip-coffee-cake.html#.UTOOxnz5mIc]

 

Grant's sister came over one Sunday and since we both like baking and I had been dying to make this, we decided to give this a shot.  It turned out to be so delicious, especially while it was still warm.  The chocolate chips tasted all melty delicious in your mouth.  

The original recipe called for cinnamon chips but I couldn't find them :( I'm a huge fan of the taste combo of bananas and chocolate though so it turned out just right.  I can't wait to try this again, but with cinnamon chips.  The recipe also called for 3/4 cup chopped pecans to put in the streusel, I also left that out.

Ingredients
1 cup chocolate chips 
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 mashed bananas
3 tablespoons buttermilk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

2. Spray an 8 or 9-inch square baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.  

3. In a medium bowl, stir together chocolate chips, brown sugar, and cinnamon to make streusel; set aside.  

4. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. 

5. Using an electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, egg and vanilla until fluffy.  Beat in mashed bananas and buttermilk.  Add dry ingredients and mix well.  

6. Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan.  Sprinkle with half of the streusel.  Repeat with the remaining batter and streusel.  

7. Bake 45-50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

8. Serve and devour!