Snickerdoodle Muffins

I bookmark and print out a lot of recipes almost daily. There are so many fabulous bloggers and blogs out there that have appealing dishes, that my list is ever growing. Unfortunately, it also means there are not enough hours in the day to make all of these delicious sounding and looking dishes. If there was, I'd be in serious trouble and probably would be spending more time at the gym than in the kitchen anyway. Every once in a while though, I look through my piles of papers or bookmarks to try something new. This week was the perfect opportunity to make some muffins. The kids were on spring break and had been begging me to fix some muffins for breakfast. Looking for something that could be made quickly, I remembered a recipe for Snickerdoodle Muffins which I had printed out a while back from Tasty Kitchen.

I made Snickerdoodle Cupcakes almost a year ago and the entire family loved them, but they are hardly what I call breakfast appropriate. These muffins seemed to fit the bill a little more. Now, don't get me wrong, they are still not healthy, but they are a great occasional treat. The dough comes together quickly, butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla are mixed with flour, baking soda, baking powder and cream of tartar. The addition of sour cream and buttermilk are what makes these muffins light as a feather though. The dough is fairly stiff once it is all mixed together and this is were the real fun starts. You drop "blobs" of it (a 3 Tbsp. ice cream scoop works great) into a cinnamon sugar mixture and carefully roll the dough around in it to make sure it is coated on all sides before carefully placing it into a lined muffin tin. Then, another sprinkle of cinnamon sugar is applied on top before being baked.

These muffins bake up beautiful. The top starts to crackle and gets a nice little cinnamon sugar crust. The muffins itself aren't overly sweet, but have a great flavor because of their "bath" in the sugar mixture. The inside of the muffins are incredibly delicate and light, they literally melt in your mouth. Huge hit with the entire family and they are perfect with a cup of coffee, tea or cocoa, which is how my crew decided to enjoy them. This recipe got two thumbs up all the way around, or in the words of my 13 year old "Mom, these muffins are super duper delicious!"

Snickerdoodle Muffins

 ~makes 20 muffins~

(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup buttermilk

For the topping:
2/3 cups sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add half of the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the sour cream and buttermilk and mix to combine. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix until you have smooth batter, making sure not to overmix.

In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon for the topping. Use an ice cream scooper (I used a large 3 tablespoon one) and plop a scoop of batter into the bowl with the sugar and cinnamon. Gently roll the batter in the sugar and cinnamon. Place the ball into the muffin liner.

When you have completed all of the muffins, sprinkle the leftover cinnamon sugar onto the tops of all of the muffins.

Bake the muffins at 350 degrees F for about 15-18 minutes or until they are golden on top and just baked through.

Adapted from: Tasty Kitchen

Pumpkin Dip and Gingersnap Cookies

Fall in our house means pumpkins. Carved pumpkins for Halloween. Baked goods with pumpkin. Roasting pumpkin seeds. Watching "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown". And last but not least, decorating with pumpkins. The season would just not be the same without the round, orange squash. Autumn also brings cravings for more comfort foods throughout the day and with that, my kids start asking for more cookies, especially around snack time.

Being the sneaky mom that I am (even though I'm pretty sure my two older ones are on to me) I like to "trick" my kids into thinking they are getting a real treat, when in reality this snack is pretty healthy for them. Pumpkin dip falls right into this category, especially when served with plenty of fruit and a couple of cookies on the side. The fruit to cookie ratio is of course much higher, but they don't complain since it is presented in a fun way. The dip is nothing fancy, and can be found all over the internet. I happened to find a version on AllRecipes.com and made a few changes. Instead of regular cream cheese I used a low-fat version (you can't taste the difference in this dip) and also replaced the confectioner's sugar with brown sugar to add a little more flavor depth. Instead of pre-made pumpkin spice seasoning, I just added my own spices until I was happy with the end result.

While apples and pears are ideal for dipping, nothing beats these homemade gingersnap cookies. If your experience with these cookies has been like mine (I've only tried them years ago out of a box), I encourage you to try this homemade version. Believe me when I say, you will be hooked and never be able to return to the "break-your-teeth" store bought cookie again. The recipe for these cookies comes courtesy of David Lebovitz who is not just an ice cream genius, but also knows a thing or two about baking. I found the recipe on his website and was intrigued by the use of black pepper in the batter. The cookie dough is made quickly with every day ingredients before rolling the dough into logs and chilling it in the refrigerator. After that, the logs are sliced thinly, dipped in additional sugar (if desired) and then baked. The result was a perfectly, well rounded, subtly spiced cookie, that had crunch but at the same time melted in your mouth.

The dip, along with fruit and the cookies are pretty much the ultimate after school snack for my kids who absolutely fell in love with the dip and these cookies. Both of these recipes will be making repeat appearances throughout the season and as far as the cookies are concerned, they have earned a permanent spot as one of my favorites on my cookie list. I hope you'll give either one of these recipes a try, I'm sure there are plenty of opportunities throughout the season!

Pumpkin Dip
(adapted from AllRecipes.com)
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

8 oz. cream cheese (I used low-fat)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup solid pack pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash of ground cloves
Dash of allspice
Apples and Pears, for serving
Gingersnaps, for serving (Recipe to follow)

Preparation:

In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese and brown sugar until smooth. Gradually mix in the pumpkin. Stir in the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and allspice until smooth and well blended. Chill until serving! Serve with assorted fruit and gingersnaps!

Gingersnap Cookies
(adapted from David Lebovitz, who in turn adapted it from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters)
(Makes 40-50 cookies)
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

2 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1½ teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
11 tablespoons (150 g) butter, unsalted, at room temperature
2/3 cup (130 g) sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup (80 g) mild-flavored molasses (sometimes called ‘light’ molasses)
1 large egg, at room temperature
Coarse sugar crystals for coating the cookies (optional)

Preparation:

 Stir together the dry ingredients.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, or by hand, beat the butter just until soft and fluffy. Add the sugar and continue to beat until smooth, stopping the mixer to scrape down any butter clinging to the sides of the bowl.

 Stir in the vanilla, molasses and egg.

Mix in the dry ingredients gradually until the dough is smooth.

Divide the dough in two equal portions and roll each on a lightly-floured surface until each is about 2-inches (5cm) around. Don’t worry if they’re not perfect; you can neaten them up in a second.

Wrap each in plastic wrap then roll them lightly on the counter to smooth them out. Refrigerate, or better yet, freeze the cookie logs until firm.

To bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

 Slice cookie dough into 1/4-inch (a scant 1 cm) rounds with a sharp knife. Dip one side and press firmly in a bowl of coarse sugar if you want (you can also use granulated sugar instead), and place sugar-side up on a baking sheet, evenly-spaced apart. Leave a couple of inches, about 5 cm, between cookies since they’ll spread while baking.

Bake for 10-14 minutes, rotating the baking sheets midway during baking, until deep-golden brown. The cookies will puff up a bit while baking, then settle down when they’re done. Bake on the lower end of the range for softer cookies, and more for snappier ones, depending on your oven.

 Let the cookies cool two minutes, then remove them with a spatula and transfer them to a cooling rack.

Double Apple Bundt Cake

 
I love Fall. It is most certainly my favorite season. I've always loved everything associated with autumn and this hasn't changed over the years. The smells of cinnamon, and other spices, lighting candles, being able to wear jeans and boots, all those things are special to me. I had to give up a few things that I always enjoyed during this time of year by living in Arizona, like the changing of the leaves or dark, rainy days, but even here fall has it's benefits and there is certainly something to be said about sitting around a fire pit on cooler (like 70 degrees F) evenings and finally being able to enjoy the outdoors without melting.

One of the things I think of immediately when it comes to fall are apple desserts. I love, any and everything apple and always look forward to being able to come up with new recipes and ideas to incorporate them. Since apples harmonize so incredibly well with all of my favorite spices, you will be seeing quite a few apple recipes over the next few weeks. One of the challenges I face when it comes to apple desserts is that my two older ones don't care for the texture of traditional apple pie. With this in mind, I tend to look for recipes that incorporate the apples in a way so that my kids don't complain. 

Dorie Greenspan once again to the rescue. This recipe caught me eye right away because it was a pretty economic cake that only required what I already had in my fridge and pantry. The cake gets double the apple flavor by incorporating not only grated apples, but also apple butter into the batter. Warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger only enhance the cake without being overpowering. I left most of the cake as written but made a few tiny adjustments by dusting my Bundt cake pan with sugar instead of flour, soaking my raisins for about 30 minutes in a couple tablespoons of brandy before adding them to the batter, and last but not least, adding a couple of shakes of cinnamon to my glaze.

This cake ended up being the epitome of fall and everyone in the family loved it, even my "cooked apple challenged" kids. Most of all, I was impressed by my "I hate raisins" teenager who exclaimed that by soaking the raisins prior to baking they weren't half bad and she wasn't forced to pick them out of the cake before eating. Now that is what I call success! One small change that I would add the next time (and there will be a next time) is to reduce the sugar by about one third. I thought the cake almost bordered on being too sweet, but that's certainly nothing that can't be fixed. Great cake that will certainly make any cup of tea or coffee just a little bit better during autumn!

Double Apple Bundt Cake
(adapted from Dorie Greenspan)
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup store-bought apple butter, spiced or plain (I used spiced)
2 medium apples, peeled, cored and grated (I used Granny Smith Apples)
1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped (I used pecans)
1/2 cup plump, moist raisins (dark or golden), soaked in 2 tablespoons brandy for 30 min.

For the icing:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 - 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation:

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9- to 10-inch (12 cup) Bundt pan. Dust the interior of the pan with sugar, then tap out the excess. Set aside.

Whisk together the flour; baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt.

Working with a stand mixer; preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed, scraping the bowl as needed, for 3 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth, thick and pale. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for about 1 minutes after each addition; you'll have a light, fluffy batter. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the apple butter  don't' worry if it curdles the batter. Still on low, add the grated apples and mix to completely blend. Add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the batter. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the nuts and brandy soaked raisins. Turn the batter into the Bundt pan and smooth the top of the batter with the rubber spatula.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted deep into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for 5 minutes before unmolding and cooling the cake to room temperature. If possible, once the cake completely cool, wrap well in plastic and let it stand overnight at room temperature to ripen the flavors. Ice the cake just before serving.

To make the optional icing: Put the confectioners' sugar in a small bowl and stir in a squirt or two of orange juice. Keep adding the juice a little at a time until you have an icing that falls easily from the tip of a spoon. Stir in the ground cinnamon. Drizzle the icing over the top of the cake, letting it slide down the curves of the cake in whatever pattern it makes. Let the cake stand until the icing dries, a matter of minutes, before serving.

Applesauce-Spice Cupcakes

Our visitors left a couple of days ago and we are trying to get back into a routine. It is a weird time for me since I loved having my German family around and the first couple of weeks after they leave I always feel a little lost. We had a wonderful time and I'm already counting the months until I'm able to see everyone again. I'd also like to thank all of you for your nice comments and well wishes regarding my sisters wedding and my new profile picture, you guys are too kind and know how to make a woman feel good. So, the first order of business in trying to get some normality back into my life is to start posting and cooking again. I did cook most of our meals during the visit since I was able to control the ingredients for my sister who has celiac disease, but there just never seemed to be enough time to take pictures or write up posts.

First up are these wonderful Applesauce-Spice Cupcakes that are out of my favorite cupcake book; Martha Stewart's Cupcakes. I actually did make those the very first week I had visitors (but never got around to writing a post) and they were a huge hit with everyone. Wonderfully moist, with just the right amount of spice and with a great frosting, they are a fantastic fall treat. They come together pretty fast and make for a great presentation. The cupcakes, while very tasty on their own, would not be as good without the amazing frosting that tops these little treats. It is good enough to eat by the spoonful. In fact, I made double the amount of frosting and used it to frost some gluten free chocolate cupcakes as well and my sister loved the combination.

To make the cupcakes, you start by measuring flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves into a bowl. Butter, sugar and brown sugar are beaten until pale and fluffy before adding eggs and applesauce. The flour/spice mixture is then incorporated and finally, toasted chopped pecans are folded in before filling the batter into lined muffin tins. After the cupcakes are baked, they are frosted with the most divine brown-sugar cream-cheese frosting which isn't too sweet, and has more flavor depth than an ordinary cream cheese frosting that calls for confectioner's sugar.

Definite bulls eye with these delectable fall inspired cupcakes. They would be perfect for any bake sale or a casual get together with friends and family. I thought they were especially tasty when enjoyed with a cup of coffee or tea and so did my visitors. These did not last long in our house and were gone within the day and I already had give out the recipe to several people. I hope you'll give them a try during this fall season and love them as much as we did!

Applesauce-Spice Cupcakes

(adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes)

(makes about 18 cupcakes)

(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce

1 cup pecans (about 4 ounces), toasted and chopped

Brown-Sugar Cream-Cheese Frosting (Recipe to follow)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and both sugars until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add applesauce and then flour mixture, beating until just combined after each. Stir in pecans by hand.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

To finish, use a small offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting or for a fancier look pipe on frosting with a pastry bag fitted with a big tip. Frosted cupcakes can be refrigerated up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature before serving.

Brown-Sugar Cream-Cheese Frosting

(makes 2 1/2 cups)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

Preparation:

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter, cream cheese, and brown sugar until smooth. Use immediately, or refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container. Before using, bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth.

(My sister and her husband)

Apple Pie Bars

I don't know about you, but I crave comfort food when I'm sick, and I've been sick with a bad case of a cold since the weekend. Nothing is appealing to me food wise and I'm lucky to have an amazing husband who has jumped in and prepared most meals for the family. My taste buds aren't functioning and my hunger is pretty much non-existent, but it was Labor Day weekend and with all the kids at home for three days, I knew I had to come up with something that resembled some kind of dessert.

I looked in my fridge for inspiration since a trip to the store was out of the question and found apples. Not enough apples to make a quint-essential all American apple pie, but enough to make this recipe for Apple Pie Bars. I found the recipe in another Cuisine at Home magazine and it sold me right away for its ease of preparation. The crust does double duty as the streusel topping and makes assembling the dish a snap. The recipe calls for Granny Smith apples which are usually my go-to apple for baking anyway. They hold their shape nicely without getting mushy and make for a not too sweet dessert.

Flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon are whisked together in a bowl. Some of that mixture is removed and reserved for the streusel topping. After that, you cut cold butter into the mix before pressing it into a springform pan and baking it for about 15 minutes. Apples are peeled and diced, and then mixed with sugar, heavy cream, cinnamon, vanilla, and a bit of flour. The apple mix is immediately spread onto the hot crust before being topped with the reserved streusel mix that had melted butter added to it. The bars are then baked for another 30 - 40 minutes or until golden brown. 

These bars were a huge hit in our home especially when served with a dollop of whipped cream and vanilla ice cream. I will have to take my families word on how good they were since I couldn't taste much, but considering how fast they disappeared I would say they were delicious.  This recipe is a great alternative if you don't want to go through the hassle of making a pie, and it fits the approaching fall season perfectly!

Apple Pie Bars
(adapted from Cuisine at Home)
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 1/2 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, diced
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 10 inch springform pan with removable bottom with nonstick spray.

Combine 2 cups flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and slat for the base and streusel mixtures in a bowl. Transfer 3/4 cup of the mixture to a second bowl; set aside for the streusel later.

Cut 6 tablespoons cold butter and milk into the remaining dry ingredients using a pastry blender or your fingers. Mix until clumps form.

Pat the mixture evenly into the prepared pan, using a measuring cup to "tamp" down the dough. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until set and gold at the edges.

Stir melted butter into the reserved streusel mixture until sandy; set aside.

Toss all ingredients for the filling (apples, sugar, heavy cream, flour, vanilla, cinnamon and salt) together. Arrange over the hot base, pushing apple pieces to the edges of the pan to completely cover the crust.

Sprinkle apples with the streusel topping, and bake until apples are soft and streusel is golden, 30-40 minutes. Cool bars for at least 30 minutes before removing the side of the pan and cutting into wedges. Store bars at room temperature or chill.

Ice Cream Fridays: Aztec "Hot" Chocolate Ice Cream

Welcome to another edition of Ice Cream Fridays. Every Friday during the next few months (or until I get tired of it) you can look forward to a new ice cream recipe which will hopefully inspire you to break out your old dust covered ice cream maker that is hiding somewhere in a closet (yes, I'm talking about you). Since I'm always looking for inspiration and ideas, feel free to leave me a comment here on my blog or on my facebook page, and let me know what ice cream flavor you would like to see. Who knows, you might just get lucky and it will be featured the following week.

This week's featured ice cream was a little tougher to come up with. If you read my blog on a regular basis you have probably recognized the "south of the border" theme this week.  In true fashion, I wanted my ice cream pick to reflect this as well. I kept going back and forth between a few different ice creams, but in the end the Aztec "Hot" Chocolate Ice Cream won out, and boy am I ever glad I chose it.

This ice cream is one of the top 10 chocolate ice creams I have ever eaten in my entire life. It is creamy and satiny, has a wonderful rich chocolate flavor along with a slight hint of cinnamon, and it goes down oh so smooth. All of a sudden, it hits you, and you feel a little bit of heat in the back of your throat, but it is good, oh my is it ever good, in a fire and ice kind of way, it's simply amazing. You are probably thinking right now that cinnamon couldn't possibly be the source of the heat, and I'm saying you are correct! So, what leaves you with this warm feeling of spice that keeps you wanting more and more, and wondering what the secret to this incredible recipe is? It is................. chile powder.

At this point you are most likely thinking no way am I going to make this ice cream, but don't knock it, until you've tried it. It is truly one of the most amazing flavor combinations. The key to this frozen dessert are top notch ingredients. Don't use a cheap chocolate, buy a good quality one like Lindt, Godiva or even splurge on Scharffen Berger. So, please, please, please, do not use that old chile powder spice jar that you've had in your pantry for the last 3 years (you know who you are). Do yourself a "flavor" and purchase a fresh one, you will thank me later.

The ice cream is just as quick and easily made as the last few I have featured here on Ice Cream Fridays. The only difference is that you bring the cream, sugar and cocoa powder to a boil before adding the chocolate to melt (no custard making required). Milk and vanilla get added before mixing in the spices and finally giving it a good whirl in a blender will assure the smooth consistency of the finished confection.

Oh, and go ahead and make this ice cream this weekend, invite a few friends over and have a fiesta. Ole!

Aztec "Hot" Chocolate Ice Cream

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cup (560 ml) heavy cream

6 tablespoons (50g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

3/4 cup (150 g) sugar

3 ounces (85 g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 1/4 cup (310 ml) whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 to 3 teaspoons chile powder

2 tablespoons brandy

Directions:

Whisk together the cream, cocoa powder, and sugar in a large saucepan. Heat the mixture, whisking frequently, until it comes to full, rolling boil (it will start to foam up).

Remove from the heat and add the chocolate, then whisk until it is completely melted. Stir in the milk, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, chile powder, and brandy.

Pour the mixture into a blender and blend for 20 seconds, until very smooth.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Adapted from: The Perfect Scoop

Streusel Muffins

Memorial day has come and gone and we sure had a fun weekend. It also meant we had a few house guests. And as it goes, when you are hosting, you always try to make sure everyone is as comfortable as can be. It also means providing breakfast for guests that spend the night.

Sometimes I will just set out bowls of yogurt, fruit, and granola, and let everyone fix their own yogurt parfaits. Other times I make a breakfast casserole the day prior that only needs to be warmed up that morning. This time however, I decided on Muffins. I don't know a lot of people that will turn down fresh muffins with a nice cup of coffee or a glass of milk. 

When I was searching for a dish to make I was trying to decide between a few different recipes, but I couldn't resist the picture that accompanied these Streusel muffins in Martha Stewart's Cupcakes book, plus, I had all the ingredients on hand. I know I sound like a broken record by now, but again, there has not been one disappointing recipe in this book so far.

The muffins have a simple sour cream vanilla flavor that gets enhanced by adding a generous amount of cinnamon streusel on top. Think coffee cake meets muffin. The dough is made quickly, as is the streusel topping. Adding the streusel though without making a mess, is a bit of a challenge. Once baked, you make a simple confectioner's sugar and milk frosting, which then gets drizzled over the top to complete the muffin.

These muffins were the perfect wake up call, and our guests left the breakfast table happy and satisfied. I hope you'll give these muffins a try, I'm sure you will enjoy them for a breakfast or brunch treat as well!

Streusel Muffins

~makes 24~

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups sour cream

Streusel Topping (recipe follows)

Milk Glaze (recipe follows)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Stir in vanilla by hand. Add flour mixture and sour cream; stir until just combined.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups. Sprinkle half the streusel topping over muffins, gently pressing it into the batter. Sprinkle evenly with remaining topping. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing muffins.

To finish, place muffins on a wire rack set over a baking sheet; drizzle evenly with milk glaze. Glazed muffins can be stored up to 3 days at room temperature in airtight containers.

Streusel Topping

(makes enough for 24 muffins)

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar

2 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter

Whisk together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt; cut in the butter using a pastry blender, your fingertips, or two table knives until combined but still crumbly.

Milk Glaze

(makes enough for 24 muffins)

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

3 tablespoons milk

Whisk together ingredients  until smooth. Use immediately.

Adapted from: Martha Stewart's Cupcakes 

Ice Cream Fridays: Oatmeal-Raisin Ice Cream

Today I'm introducing you to Ice Cream Fridays. Every Friday during the next few months (or until I get tired of it) you can look forward to a new ice cream recipe which will hopefully inspire you to break out your old dust covered ice cream maker that is hiding somewhere in a closet (yes, I'm talking about you). Since I'm always looking for inspiration and ideas, feel free to leave me a comment here on my blog or on my facebook page, and let me know what ice cream flavor you would like to see. Who knows, you might just get lucky and it will be featured the following week.

To kick this series off I chose Oatmeal-Raisin Ice Cream, which is another amazing recipe from the incomparable David Lebovitz. This ice cream is so delicious, that once you have your first bite you might never consider eating any other frozen confection.

There are practically three components to this ice cream, but all of them are easy enough that you can work ahead and let them hang out for a few hours if needed. First you have your plumped up raisins, then the oatmeal praline and last but not least your ice cream base. Even though this recipe is more labor intensive then vanilla ice cream, I didn't mind the work. I made the oatmeal praline first, then started on the raisins, and while those got nice and fat I worked on the custard which then had to cool for a few hours before churning everything in my ice cream maker.

This ice cream took us all by surprise, and is probably one of the best ice creams I have had in the last year. It tasted just like an oatmeal raisin cookie but in ice cream form. My husband couldn't get enough of this one, and I'm already planning on making another batch soon. Please give this one a try, you won't regret it!

Oatmeal Raisin Ice Cream

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

Raisins:

1/4  cup (60 ml) water

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup (80 g) raisins

2 teaspoons dark rum

Ice Cream:

1 cup (250 ml) whole milk

1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream

1/3 cup (70 g) packed light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

5 large egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Oatmeal Praline (Recipe to follow)

Directions:

To prepare the raisins, heat the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Add the raisins and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until all but about 2 tablespoons of the syrup has been absorbed, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the rum.

To make the ice cream, warm the milk, granulated sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk the cream, brown sugar, and cinnamon together into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as your stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Mix in the vanilla and stir until cool over an ice bath.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. During the last few minutes of churning, add the raisins and Oatmeal Praline.

Oatmeal Praline

(makes 1 cup)

3/4 cup (75 g) rolled oats (not instant)

1/2 cup (100 g) sugar

Pinch of coarse salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with foil, spread the oats evenly on the sheet, and bake for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice while baking, until the oats are fragrant and nicely toasted. Remove from the oven.

Spread the sugar in a medium, heavy-bottomed skilled and cook over medium heat, watching it carefully. When it begins to liquefy and darken at the edges, use a heatproof spatula to stir it very gently, encouraging the heat of the liquefied sugar around the edges to moisten and melt the sugar crystals in the center.

Tilt the pan and stir gently until all the sugar is melted and the caramel begins to smoke. Once the mixture is deep golden, remove it from the heat and immediately add the oats to the skillet (lift the foil to guide them in quickly). Return  the foil to the baking sheet.

Stir the oats gently but quickly, coating them with the caramel. Scrape the oats onto the foil-lined baking sheet and spread them as well as possible. Sprinkle with the salt and let cool completely. Once firm, break the pralined oats into small pieces by pulsing them in a food processor or placing the pieces in a heavy-duty plastic bag and smacking them with a mallet or rolling pin. 

Adapted from: The Perfect Scoop

Hummingbird Cake

I found this recipe in my newest Food Network Magazine. On first glance I thought it was just another recipe for a carrot cake but after further examination I was hooked. I mean what's not to like with bananas, pineapple, pecans and a decadent cream cheese frosting? The name Hummingbird cake was also unusual so I went on a little hunt trying to figure out where this cake came from.

The history of the humming bird cake seems to go back to Southern Living magazine. It published the recipe in its February 1978 issue which was submitted by a Mrs. L.H. Wiggins. Unfortunately Mrs. Wiggins did not include an explanation as to the cake's unusual name. It is said though, that the name comes from the hummingbird being drawn to immensely sweet sources. The cake is also known under different names in the south such as "Nothing Left Cake", "Granny's Best Cake" and last but not least "Jamaican Cake".

It is a southern cake with the essence of the tropics and South American influence with it's banana, pineapple, and pecan nut flavors. The cake is reminiscent of a dense carrot cake, but more flavorful.

Food Network Magazine's version comes to together quickly. Their version yields a two layer cake but I've seen several recipes that incorporate three layers.

This is surely not a light cake but it is delicious, easy to make, and with a cream cheese frosting to finish it off, it is a cake kids and adults alike will love. I will most definitely make a Hummingbird Cake again, but next time I might explore the original version of this recipe by Southern Living Magazine.

Hummingbird Cake

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

Unsalted butter, for greasing

1 cup pecan pieces

1/2 cup pineapple, finely chopped

3 ripe bananas, chopped

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting pans

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

Cream Cheese frosting (recipe follows)

Toasted Pecans for decoration (optional)

Directions:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and dust with flour.

Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and bake until fragrant and toasted, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly, then roughly chop. Toss with the bananas, pineapple, and 1/2 cup flour in a medium bowl.

Whisk the remaining 2 1/4 cups flour, the baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in a bowl. Beat the eggs and granulated sugar in a separate bowl with a mixer on high speed until thick and light, 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the vegetable oil.

Sprinkle the flour mixture over the egg mixture, then gently fold to make a thick batter. Fold in the pecan-fruit mixture, then transfer the batter to the prepared pans. Bake until the cakes are firm and toothpick inserted in to the middle come out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Cool in the pans on a rack, 25 minutes, then invert the cakes onto the rack to cool completely.

Make the frosting. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread about half  of the frosting on top, then cover with the other cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with additional toasted pecans if desired.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, at room temperature

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 cups confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl with a mixer until fluffy, then gradually beat in the butter until combined. Sift the confectioners; sugar over the cream cheese mixture ad beat until smooth. add the lemon zest and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.

Adapted from: Food Network Magazine

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

 

 

I adore cupcakes. To me they are perfect in every single way. A tiny cake that can easily be transported anywhere you go. The best part about cupcakes is that you can easily feed a crowd and not worry about trying to figure out how to cut up a cake so everyone gets an equal piece. A good cupcake should have two components, a cake part that is light and almost fluffy, and the frosting which should be almost equal in size to the cake itself to get that perfect bite every time.

In an effort to send something with my husband to work that isn't your average cupcake, I went looking through my Martha Stewart's Cupcakes book and came across Snickerdoodle cupcakes.

The picture of the cakes caught my attention right away and after reading through the ingredients I knew this was the recipe I was going to make.

A quick check of the pantry and fridge confirmed I had everything I needed on hand. The cupcake plays on the old favorite, Snickerdoodle cookie. Essentially it is a yellow cupcake with a good amount of cinnamon added to the batter which gives it the typical Snickerdoodle flavor. The batter is composed of flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and milk. After everything is mixed you bake them for 20 minutes. Once the cakes have cooled, you proceed with the next step, the frosting. The topping is a creamy, fluffy seven minute frosting (see my post for Coconut Cupcakes for the same frosting) that gets piped on top of the cupcakes, then sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar.

These cupcakes were a true hit with the family and I'm sure this is another "winner" that I'll be adding to my regular rotations. You can find the recipe for this cupcake on Martha Stewart's website or buy her book.