Author: Grace

Easter Brownies: mini egg topped

Easter Brownies: mini egg topped

Grace
Rich chocolate brownies with little surprises in each bite!
About this Recipe:
  • Rich chocolate brownies
  • topped with mini eggs just after pulled out of the oven
  • cake-like but almost fudgey consistency
  • even inside, nicely cracked crust on-top
  • makes one 9×13 inch pan *in pictures the recipe is halved*
The Method:
  • Firstly the flour, baking powder, and salt are sifted then set aside.
  • The remainder is on the stovetop.
  • Firstly in a large saucepan the butter is melted completely and the cocoa is added.
  • once no clumps of cocoa appear in the melted butter, the sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract are added,
  • *be sure to use a whisk for stirring and let cool before eggs are added to ensure there are no scrambled eggs!*
  • lastly the flour gets added to the saucepan with the chocolate mixture and stirred until no lumps of flour are present.
  • poured into the pan and baked , topped with mini eggs and ready to devour!

A little surprise in every bite

A Couple Quick Tips for Success

Make sure to prepare the batter on the stovetop on very low heat!

Constant stirring to ensure no burning inside saucepan

Do not put any mini eggs in the batter (they won’t bake well) just add them on-top after. Plus they are sweet enough! few eggs per slice will be enough!

The Recipe:

Easter Brownies: mini egg topped

Prep timeBake timeTotal time
15 mins~30 mins~45 mins
one 9×13 inch pan

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/3 cups all purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter *melted
  • 1 cup fry’s 
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F and line a 9×13 inch pan with parchment or butter the insides.

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

The remainder is on the stovetop. In a large saucepan, melt the butter on low heat and add the cocoa powder. Whisk until the butter is completely melted and cocoa has no clumps. Add the sugar and then turn the heat either extremely low, or remover from heat for a couple minutes before adding the eggs and vanilla. Consistent whisks needs to happen to ensure no burning to the sides of the saucepan. Once eggs and vanilla are in, turn off heat.

Once a thick chocolate consistency that runs smooth appears (like a thick chocolate sauce) add in the flour mixture to the saucepan and use a rubber spatula to fold in the flour. continue folding until no flour lumps appear.

Pour into the pan and bake for ~3o minutes on middle rack. They are done when a tooth pick comes out clean from the centre.

Right after removing from the oven place the mini eggs on-top and watch them melt deliciously!

let cool. slice. enjoy.

Happy Easter!

Blueberry Lemon Cake

Blueberry Lemon Cake

Grace
Fresh blueberries on top of lemony yogurt cake!
About this cake:
  • Both lemon juice and zest for a strong lemon flavour
  • Blueberries on top (not an upside-down cake, meaning you can see the blueberries as they bake on top of the cake)
  • Yogurt cake with a bouncy consistency
  • Strong lemon flavour!
  • Quick and easy to make
The Method: A quick overview of the steps
  • The yogurt, lemon juice, and lemon zest all get combined in one medium bowl
  • In another bowl the butter and sugar get whipped together until fluffy
  • The eggs and vanilla then get added to the butter/sugar mix
  • In a third bowl the dry flour mixture gets made and is then sifted into the butter mixture
  • The yogurt mix is now folded into the flour mixture
  • Poured into a lined/greased pan and topped with blueberries to be baked
  • Baked, cooled, and ready to enjoy!

The Recipe

Prep timeBake timeTotal time
15 mins~25 mins~50 mins
Yields: One 10 inch cake
Blueberry Lemon Yogurt Cake

Ingredients:

  • zest/juice of 2 lemons
  • 1 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter *softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 1/4 cups all purpose or cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup blueberries for topping!

Procedure:

Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees F and grease a 10 inch cake pan with butter, oil, or spray and set aside.

In a small bowl combine the lemon juice, zest, and the yogurt. Now in a medium sized bowl cream together the unsalted butter and sugar with an electric mixer, stand mixer or by hand and cream for 3 minutes or until fluffy and air incorporated.

In a third bowl, about medium size, sift together the dry ingredients; sift the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add the flour mixture into the butter/sugar bowl and mix until completely combined and no flour clumps are apparent. Now, fold the yogurt/lemon mix into this flour mixture and the batter is done!

Pour evenly into the pre-prepared cake pan and top with blueberries all around.

Bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick or knife comes out clean from the centre of the cake.

Dust with powdered sugar, slice, serve and enjoy!

Happy Baking

Peach & Almond Galette

Peach & Almond Galette

Grace
Sweet, soft peaches on crisp pastry topped with glaze and almond slivers!
About this Galette:
  • soft peaches (canned or fresh)
  • buttery crisp crust similar to pizza with crisp crust *only sweeter than pizza!*
  • simple icing sugar and peach juice/syrup glaze
  • topped with silvered almonds before baking
Tips / Tricks for success:
  • Prepare the dough then leave it in the freezer before rolling out *this ensures the butter is nicely chilled
  • Roll the dough quite thin, especially in the centre of the rectangle, to ensure it cooks all the way through
  • Do not worry about the moisture from the peaches during baking; rolling the dough thin enough will ensure it is crisp and not soggy
  • Cook on high heat 400 degrees F to achieve that crunchy crust!
  • Roll out the dough, then place it on your lined baking sheet before adding the peaches and almonds. If you try to transfer the already peach topped dough to a baking sheet, it will lose it’s thin shape you just rolled out.
  • If you’re using canned peaches save the liquid! it can be used for the glaze!
Almonds before baking for toasted slivers
The Recipe:

Peach Galette with Slivered Almonds

Prep timeBake timeTotal time
25 mins35-40 mins~1 hr 10 mins
One medium rectangle ~9×13 inch

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 7 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cold water
  • 4 medium peaches or 1 large can (6.6LB/106 oz/3kg)
  • 1/2 cup icing sugar
  • 1/2 cup silvered almonds
  • *egg or milk for egg wash

Procedure:

In a medium mixing bowl sift the flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Whisk the three together and set aside. Next, add the unsalted butter and cut in-to flour mixture with a pastry blender, a couple of butter knives, or two forks. The butter should be pea sized chunks.

In order to make the dough into a ball, pour the cold cold! water into the mixture gradually. The entire 1/2 cup may not be necessary! only add the water until a ball forms.

lightly flour a flat working surface and make the dough into a rectangle with your hands. (No rolling pin yet) wrap in plastic wrap and place in the freezer until oven is ready.

Preheat the oven to 400 Degrees F (204 C) and keep the dough in the freezer while waiting. Prepare your baking sheet with parchment.

Now the peaches. Slice the peaches into even quarters about 1/2 inch thick or use the canned ones!

Once the oven is ready, on your floured surface, roll out the dough quite thin into a large rectangle and transfer to your baking sheet.

Now, add the peaches in an arrangement as you desire and roll up the sides to create a wall around the peaches. Lastly top with slivered almonds.

Bake for 35-40 mins on the middle rack or until crisp bottom with cooked peaches appears.

Optional Glaze:

In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup powdered sugar and either 1 teaspoon of the syrup from the canned peaches or water. If you’re using fresh peaches a syrup can be achieved by boiling for a couple minutes and using the liquid as the liquid component of the glaze!

Enjoy!

Happy Baking

Chocolate Chip Scones: Buttery & Chocolatey

Chocolate Chip Scones: Buttery & Chocolatey

Grace

Simple scones perfect for tea time

About The Scones

  • buttery/ flaky insides
  • crisp outsides
  • plentiful in chocolate chips
  • simple ingredients

Why You’ll love these Scones

Tastes like chocolate chip cookies, but with that substantial (scone like) texture

Truly a sweet and childlike take on an elegant scone recipe!

Fun to make, only one bowl needed, and few simple ingredients!

Tips for Success

-Use unsalted butter and use a cheese grater to add it into the flour mixture. This method ensure equal chunks of butter in each scone; and, ultimately a perfect buttery texture when the butter melts upon baking.

-Sift the flour and dry ingredients. This will ensure the most flaky scones without dense patches.

-do not over mix. Scones are meant to be quick, one bowl and a bit messy!

-freeze for 15 mins before baking. I like to pop them in the freezer, and then, preheat the oven; while i wait for the oven, the scones have time to cool in the freezer. This just ensure the butter is quite cold so it melts nicely in the oven upon hot heat!

The Recipe:

Simple Chocolate Chip Scones: Buttery & Flaky

Prep timeBake timeTotal time
20 mins~30 mins~1 hr
Yields: 8 large Scones

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups  all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter *frozen
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream or buttermilk 
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Procedure:

In one large bowl, sift the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder; whisk until well combined. Next, grab your cheese grater and grate the frozen unsalted butter overtop of the flour mixture until all the butter is through the grater and used up. Now, using either a pastry blender, two knives, a spoon or your fingers, incorporate the butter into the flour by mixing until all the butter seems to have flour surrounding it.

Next, add the egg and the buttermilk and mix until a dough like bowl forms. Fold in your chocolate chips!

On a lightly floured surface crate a circle with the dough and cut 8 equal triangles. Or use a circle cookie cutter if circle scones are desired. Place the scones evenly spaced out on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Place the scones in the freezer and preheat the oven to 380 Degrees F. Let the scones stay in the freezer until the oven is ready. Once ready, brush buttermilk or an egg wash over each scone and pop in the oven!

Bake for 30-35 mins or until the scones are lightly golden!

Optional: Chocolate sauce

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream or buttermilk

Create a double boiler by placing a small saucepan on the stove with water inside to shimmer. Once the water is simmering place. bowl on-top as you would a lid. Place the chocolate and heavy cream inside and reduce to low. the steam will melt the chocolate into a sauce and all you need to do is gently stir. Once melted it is Complete!

Happy Baking!

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

Grace

Just like the cookies mother used to make! Soft buttery cookies that never get old!

About The Cookies:

  • buttery – unsalted butter makes these thick and delicious
  • rich- butter and lots of chocolate chips for a truly rich flavour
  • filling! – one or two will make you full enough … although, you’ll want more!
  • not a lot of spreading! similar size that goes in the oven comes out
  • crisp bottom for a bit of a snap
  • soft insides

Cookie Dough from your Dreams

Tips / Notes:

Unsalted butter will make for a sturdy, rich, and filling cookie that retains its size without completely flattening.

Add less chocolate chips in the dough for baking, then add more once out of the oven for ultimately the most chocolatey taste, plus the best esthetic pleasing cookies!

Use parchment paper! or else the cookies may burn

No cookie scoop is needed just roll the balls into approximately even sizes

Freezing not needed before baking. These cookies turn out nicely just after being prepared.

bake in the middle rack!

The Recipe:

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep timeBake timetotal time (making +cooling)
15 mins~10 mins35 mins
Yields: 24 medium cookies

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Procedure:

Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F.

In a medium bowl sift together the dry ingredients. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt and whisk them together until combined. Set aside.

In another large sized bowl, prepare the wet mixture. First, Cream the unsalted butter with an electric mixture or by hand for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the granulated and brown sugar and cream for another minute. Crack the egg and add the vanilla extract then mix thoroughly.

Add the flour mixture into the wet mixture and combine with a rubber spatula and fold in the chocolate chips.

Use a small cookie scoop or roll balls about 1 tablespoon in size and place about 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes and let cool.

Enjoy!

Happy Baking!

Key Lime Pie with Graham cracker Crust

Key Lime Pie with Graham cracker Crust

Grace

Freshen up your palette with this key lime pie that packs the punch with flavour!

Striking Sour lime, Crunchy Crust, & Creamy Filling

About this pie:

  • simple ingredients
  • no bake filling & Short baking of crust
  • strong lime flavour!
  • easy procedure

Why You’ll love this Recipe:

The Crust:

a mix of crushed graham crackers and granulated sugar with melted butter as the binding agent; this crust is sweet like honey and crunchy for great texture. Baked for only 15 mins in the pie dish, and it’s done! the only baking required in the entire recipe.

The Filling:

A mix of Greek yogurt and condensed milk with both lime juice and lime zest. Quickly mixed together and so so very fresh with the juice and zest of two limes; this filling tastes strongly of lime!

Poured into the cooled off crust, then popped in the freezer for ~3 hours to set and its complete!

Whipped cream/ topping:

With the pie complete all that is left is to serve and enjoy. The whipped cream is a simple recipe with straight forward steps. Make sure to top your pie with lime slices and enjoy your fabulous dessert!

This one won’t last… better get your slice before its gone !

The Recipe:

Key Lime Pie with Graham Cracker Crust

prep timeBake timeSet time
15 mins15 mins~3 1/2 hrs
One 10 inch Pie

Ingredients:

Crust

  • 1¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter (melted)

Filling

  • 2 cans of 14oz. sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup greek yogurt *vanilla
  • Zest of two key limes
  • juice of two key limes

Whipping Cream

  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • ¼ tsp vanilla extract

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 375 (Degrees F) and lightly butter a pie dish. Set aside. In a saucepan or in the microwave melt the butter until completely liquid and set for cooling. In a zip lock bag crush the graham crackers into very small crumbs.

In a medium bowl combine the granulated sugar and graham crackers *crushed* into small crumbs. pour the melted butter overtop and stir with a fork until an even texture appears. Press into pie dish evenly all around and up the sides.

Bake the crust for ~ 15 minutes in the oven and then take out and let cool.

For the filling, in a medium bowl combine the condensed milk and yogurt, along with the lime juice and zest. Stir until well combined and pour on-top of cooled crust. Place in the freezer for ~ 3 hours to set. However, if it sets in the freezer for about 1 hour it will be creamy if you prefer that texture over a more solid one!

For the whipping cream, combine all the ingredients listed and whip using an electric mixer for ~5 mins until peaks appear. Top onto the pie with the addition of limes and enjoy!

Happy Baking!

Dreamy Double Chocolate Bundt Cake

Dreamy Double Chocolate Bundt Cake

Grace

You’ll certainly be dreaming of this cake once you try it! you may just be drooling as well 🙂

About this Cake

Rich chcolate flavour

thick milk chocolate glaze

little chocolate chip surprises inside & on-top

The Recipe

Dreamy Double Chocolate Bundt Cake

prep timebake timetotal time
15 mins40-45 mins1 hour plus cooling time
yields one large bundt cake: ~8 servings

Ingredients:

The cake:

  • 2 cups all -purpose or cake flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter *softened
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup sour-cream or greek yogurt (plain)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/3 cup chocolate chips *optional*

Chocolate ganche:

  • 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

Procedure:

Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees F (177 C) and grease with butter or spray with non stick oil your bundt cake pan.

Next, in a large bowl sift together the dry ingredients. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer or stand mixer, cream the unsalted butter (room temperature) until it looks fluffy and whipped; About 3 mins. Add the granulated sugar and cream together for 3 mins. Next add the vanilla extract and eggs to the butter/sugar mixture. set aside.

Now combine both the butter/sugar mixture with the flour mixture. Use a rubber spatula to fold the two mixes together. While doing so, add the sour cream or yogurt to help the two combine. The sour-cream or yogurt are creamy and add moisture to help each mixture combine into the another. Aswell, add the water and mix until a smooth batter appears.

fold in chocolate chips if desired !

Pour the batter into the bundt cake pan.

Bake for 40-45 mins or until a knife or toothpick comes out clean from the cake.

For the ganache:

Create a double boiler by placing a small bowl overtop of a saucepan with boiling water inside. The steam that gets accumulated under the bowl will melt the chocolate inside. Whisk the chocolate and heavy cream until smooth, once the cake is cool pour over the bundt cake!

Enjoy!

Happy baking!

Brown Sugar Apple Bundt Cake

Brown Sugar Apple Bundt Cake

Grace

Brown butter sweet glaze on a moist apple cinnamon cake! With real apple chunks!

Apple Chunks & Brown Butter Glaze

About the Cake

This bundt cake is moist but firm and holds such treasures inside with each apple chunk; soft and sweet. there are flavours of cinnamon and brown sugar and of course that wonderful brown buttered apple glaze; thick and delicious!

This cake is for those who love apple pie filing flavours but maybe not the crust. Or for those who enjoy a lovely slab of cake with tea time, but want a change from typical vanilla and chocolate. The apple chunks will surely remind you of apple pie, and the moist texture will compliment any tea time dessert.

Can you see the apple chunks?!

The Method:

The Cake:

Firstly the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt are whisked together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Next, the oil, yogurt, brown sugar, granulated sugar and eggs are all mixed thoroughly with the addition of vanilla, and the wet mixture is made.

Then three apples are peeled and diced into about dime sized chunks and folded in as the flour and wet mixture are combined.

Brown sugar glaze:

While the cake cools the luscious sweet glaze is made. firstly the unsalted butter and heavy cream are melted and heated in a saucepan. Once simmering the brown sugar and confectioners sugar are added. after simmering for a few minutes the glaze thickens and is complete!

Can I use any Apples for this cake?

Absolutely. Granny smith apples are the type I used and I think they truly offer the most sweetness. However, any type will work -even green apples or red delicious. Please note that different apples provide different flavour outcomes. A green apple may be more sour than that of a red delicious being more tart. Choose your favourite apple and you will love this cake!

Do I really need glaze?

Well, No. This cake is splendid and sweet enough on its own. However, If you are going to make a delicious cake with cinnamon spice flavours, then why not make a glaze to make it taste even sweeter. Plus the glaze is just so much fun to pour on top! especially on a bundt cake. it provides that moisture, flavour, and fun we all need!

The Recipe: This wonderful recipe is originally from Sally’s Baking Addiction!

prep timebake timetotal time
15 miuntes40-45 miuntes1 hour + cooling time
yields one large bundt cake

Brown Sugar Apple Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cups canola oil
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 1/4 cups brown sugar *light or dark*
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 3 apples peeled and chopped

Glaze:

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 confectioners sugar

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F (177 c) and grease with butter or oil your bundt cake pan. Set aside.

In a large bowl prepare the dry ingredients. Sift and whisk together the flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt. Once mixed set aside.

In a medium bowl prepare the wet mixture. Firstly mix the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and oil. Add the eggs and vanilla. Combine well and make sure there are no clumps, particularly from the dark brown sugar.

Now combine the wet and dry mixtures. Use a rubber spatula to fold the wet into the dry. Now add the yogurt to help the batter become more smooth.

Finally, peel and chop the apples into a medium sized dice and fold into the batter.

pour the batter into your pre- prepared bundt pan and bake!

Bake for ~40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the cake looks golden!

The Brown Butter Glaze:

in a medium saucepan on the stove top start by melted the butter completely. add the brown sugar and confectioners sugar and bring to a boil. once at a boil turn to low and simmer for 5 minutes. After the shimmering, add the heavy cream and simmer for another 3 minutes on low. Pour into a cream pitcher or bowl! let cool!

Once the cake comes out of the oven let it cool until warm and pour that delicious glaze on-top.

slice. eat. enjoy.

Happy Baking!

Strawberry Cheesecake Bars with Oreo crust

Strawberry Cheesecake Bars with Oreo crust

Grace

Sweet Strawberry compote on creamy cheesecake with a crunchy Oreo cookie base! you’ll love these dessert bars just as much as you’ll love designing them with those swirls!

About this recipe:

do you ever just want to make cheesecake but dont want to buy roughly 30 oz of creamcheese? or do you crave cheesecake but know you do not need an entire ceesecake? Well, this recipe give you the best of both worlds! Cheesecake sraving solved (check) and a managable serving size that you’ll actually be able to finsh (check)

Cheesecake bars are for that cheesecake craving without having to make an entire cake size! portion control handled

What you will need:

–cream cheese and only one package! 8 0z (~226 g)

–yogurt: plain, strawberry, or greek all work well and about 1/2 is all that is needed. This ingredient allows us to use less cream cheese and make a creamier/smooth consistency

-granulated sugar: sugar is needed because cream cheese is quite tart and this addition will contour that taste! also it compliments the strawberry compote

–flour: with all this talk of creaminess we need a binding agent, thats where about 1/4 -1/2 cup flour comes in

–strawberries (fresh or frozen): for that delicious swirl!

–cornstarch/sugar : used to thicken that strawberries in the compote for the swirl

–vanilla extract: to sweeten the compote!

–Oreo cookies (in crumbs) / melted butter: to make that chocolatey cookie base for our cheesecake bars

To bake or not to bake? This recipe can be baked cheesecake or no bake. Your choice!

There are different flavours in baked cheesecake vs. no-bake. The cream cheese taste more sweet when it is a no bake recipe and that is why a lot of recipes are often “no- bake”. However, some like a subtle “New York style” cheesecake and that is where a baked option come in. This recipe can be either baked or none baked; your choice!

How Do I Get That Swirl?

Quite simply it just requires the compote to be placed in parallel lines which get swirled with a knife by dragging it in the opposite (perpendicular ) direction.

Tips for Success

-Use parchment paper to easily remove the bars. Otherwise the bars may burn and it may be challenging to cut them.

-Cream the cream cheese until fluffy and air incorporated do not skip this step!

-When baking the base it is okay if it seem under-baked, it will harder as it cools.

-Strain the compote to make sure the swirls are smooth not chunky with pulp

The Recipe:

Prep timebake or chill timeTotal time
15 mins2 hours2 hrs 15 mins
yields one 8×8 inch pan

Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake bars with Oreo Base

Ingredients:

the base:

  • 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 cups crumbs of crushed Oreo cookies
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar

the cake

  • 8 0z cream cheese (~226 g)
  • 1/2 cup yogurt (vanilla) *greek works too*
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

the compote

  • 1 1/2 cups frozen or fresh strawberries
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch

Procedure:

preheat oven to 350 Degrees f and line a 8×8 inch pan with parchment. set aside.

if you have whole Oreo cookies place in a plastic bag and hit with a rolling pin or with a sauce pan until into crumbs. you will need 1 1/3 cups worth.

in a saucepan or in the microwave melt the butter. in a medium bowl combine the Oreo cookie crumbs and sugar then add the melted butter and mix well.

press the cookie mix into the parchment pan and try your best to make sure it is even. Bake for 8-10 mins. Let cool completely.

In a large bowl beat the cream cheese using an electric mixer. beat until fluffy and smooth~ 5 mins.

Add the yogurt, sugar, vanilla and mix well until all are incorporated equally. add the flour and mix in completely. The batter is now complete!

Pour the batter onto of the cookie base once it is completely cooled. spread it around equally.

For the compote start by simmering the strawberries with about 1/4 cup of water (just enough to cover them) in a saucepan and shimmer on medium until soft. Using a fork or a masher, mash the strawberries until all their juice is extracted. Add the sugar and cornstarch and simmer for 5 minutes on low. Strain into a bowl and only use the strained (smooth) compote. the filling is now complete.

Now for the Swirl! firstly make rivets in parallel lines in the spots where you think the compote will go. Next pour the compote in to fill those small rivets. Perpendicular to those lines swirl with a knife. The patter is complete.

For No-Bake: place in freezer for 25 mins and the cheescake is complete!

For baked: place in the 350 Degrees F oven for 35-40 minutes or until the centre is only slightly soft to touch.

slice. eat. enjoy.

Happy Baking

The Best Banana Bread

The Best Banana Bread

Grace

Moist banana loaf cake with a crunchy sweet top!

About this loaf:

A one bowl recipe with the sweetest banana flavour, moist cake texture, crunchy crust and only one egg! All making this recipe truly THE BEST Banana bread!

If you look closely in the pictures you can see the brown strands from the bananas as this recipe uses 3 bananas. There is nothing worse than an underwhelming banana flavour, therefore this recipe uses 3 whole bananas to make sure that the Banana is truly the star of the loaf.

Only one egg, just over a cup of flour, a cup of sugar and a few other simple ingredients you would usually have on hand such a baking powder and baking soda. all mixed in one bowl and it could not be simpler.

This recipe has been my “go to ” banana bread for quite some time! this page is definitely the most dirty of all the pages in my recipe book! After making this I’m sure it will be one of your favourites as well.

The Method:

Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy

Add the mashed bananas and the vanilla extract

Crack in that egg!

Add in the flour, baking powder and baking soda

Mix well

Pour into a loaf pan and bake for ~1 hour at 350 degrees F

3 tips for success

  1. Use an aluminum or metal pan as the loaf tends to get the best rise and crust texture

2.Mash the bananas into small chunks if they are fresher more green bananas, otherwise they will not bake through and remain hard. But, for softer brown bananas leave in larger chunks as they are already soft.

3.Use your darker or even black bananas! they are sweetest!

Chocolate peanut butter banana bread? Absolutely.

Make this recipe into a chocolate peanut butter banana bread loaf

All that is required to make a chocolate peanut butter version is to reduce the flour from 1 1/2 cups to 1 cup. As well, add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder. Every other ingredients will stay the same quantity. Top or spread with peanut butter and it is complete! rich decadent peanut butter on sweet moist banana bread.

Prep timeBake timeTotal time
15 mins~ 1 hour~ 1 15 mins + cool time
Yields 1 loaf 8×4 inch

The recipe:

The Best Banana Bread

Ingredients:

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

Procedure:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 C) and grease or line with parchment a loaf pan ~8×4 inch. set aside.

In a large mixing bowl cream the softened butter and sugar for about 3 minutes until fluffy and air incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and mix for another minute.

Crack the egg into the mixture and beat until well combined. Now, peel and add all three bananas and use a fork, two knifes, or a potato masher to mash the bananas into small chunks.

Once the bananas are mash and all is well mixed, add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Once added use a spatula to fold the dry ingredients in.

Pour the batter into the pre-lined loaf pan and spread the batter evenly around the pan.

Bake at 350 Degrees F for about 1 hour or until golden on top!

Enjoy!

Happy Baking