Double Blueberry Muffins

Here you have it. The first thing I baked in my new oven in our new home! Nothing fancy because I'm too exhausted to do much more than muffins right now. It was nice anyhow to fill the house with the smell of baking. Can't wait for the holiday season coming up and using my new gas oven to make all my goodies. The thing preheats so quickly. It's a dream!

We officially took possession Oct 24, 2013 but have been living without furniture until this last weekend when we rented a huge Budget truck and brought all my stuff down from Canada to our new home in Washington State.I am so excited not to be living in a condo anymore and more importantly to be living with my husband after more than a year of immigration hoops to jump through. Here are a couple pix of our house.



And now onto the recipe from Gale Gand - 2001 James Beard Pastry Chef award winner. They were fluffy, moist and tender.

Double Blueberry Muffins
Makes 12 | Gale Gand

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups fresh or thawed frozen blueberries
2 cups flour
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a muffin tin or line the cups with paper liners. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the butter until smooth. Add 1 cup of the sugar and mix. Add the eggs, vanilla, baking powder, and salt and mix. In a shallow bowl, mash 3/4 cup of the blueberries with the back of a fork. Add to the batter and mix.

2.With the mixer running at low speed, add 1/2 of the flour, then 1/2 of the milk, and mix. Repeat with remaining flour and milk. Fold in the remaining 1 3/4 cups whole blueberries by hand until well mixed. In a separate small bowl, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar with the cinnamon. Use an ice-cream scoop or large spoon to fill the muffin cups 3/4 full.

3. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar over the muffins and bake until golden brown and risen, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in the pan at least 30 minutes before turning out.

Lemon Loaf with Cream Cheese Frosting

So lemony and so tangy. You could serve this loaf without any frosting and it would still be delicious, but take my word for it - it is to die for when topped with cream cheese frosting.

The frosting recipe below is the best cream cheese frosting recipe I have ever tried. It has the perfect ratio of cream cheese to sugar and complements the tartness of the loaf. There is definitely no skimping on cream cheese here! If you're like my mom, you will eat this with extra frosting so it's pretty much equal parts cake and frosting :)



Lemon Loaf with Cream Cheese Frosting
Makes 1 loaf

Cake:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
Zest of 2 lemon
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk
2 large eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted
Juice of 1 large lemon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting:
1/2 pkg (4 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1. Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x5" loaf pan.

2. Whisk the flour, salt, sugar, lemon peel and baking powder together in a large bowl; set aside.

3. In a medium bowl beat eggs with milk, butter, lemon juice and vanilla. Add egg mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

4. Bake until the loaf is golden brown and a tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 to 50 minutes.

5. Frosting: Combine the butter and cream cheese with an electric beater until smooth. Add vanilla then add the powdered sugar to reach desired consistency. Frost the cake with the cream cheese frosting once cooled fully.

Awesome Apple Cake

I wasn't surprised when I was asked by several people for the recipe for this cake after I brought it to work. This is one of my favorite apple cakes! The recipe uses a generous amount of apples, making this cake incredibly moist and a good keeper. I love the slightly chewy, dark golden brown crust. Baked in a tube pan, it stands statuesque and proud.



Do not substitute a Bundt pan! This is not a cake you want to invert after baking. If you don't have a tube pan (with removable bottom), you could use a spring form 10" pan or bake it as a 9" x 13" cake, however, they will not be as tall. If you don't have pineapple juice, you can substitute orange juice.



Awesome Apple Cake
Makes 1 tube pan | adapted from Smitten Kitchen

5-6 tart apples (I like granny smiths)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
5 tablespoons sugar

2 3/4 cups flour
1/2 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tbsp baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup orange or pineapple juice
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional - I didn't use them)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a tube pan. Peel, core and chop apples into chunks. Toss with cinnamon and sugar and set aside.

2. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, orange juice, sugar and vanilla. Mix wet ingredients into the dry ones, then add eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.

3. Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Spread half of apples over it. Pour the remaining batter over the apples and arrange the remaining apples on top. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until a tester comes out clean.

Sour Cream Maple Walnut Muffins

Maybe it's because I'm Canadian... but when I'm looking for a comforting treat to bake, I often reach for the bottle of maple syrup in the pantry. It adds a lovely depth to any baked good, even if the maple flavor is not front and centre. Maple brings out the warmth in any cake or muffin. However, in these muffins, Maple is the star.



Sour Cream Maple-Walnut Muffins
Makes 12 small | adapted from food.com

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
6 tablespoons sour cream
6 tablespoons maple syrup
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tsp sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place paper liners in 12 muffin cups.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using an electric mixer, cream butter, 1/4 cup sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat well.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream and maple syrup. On low speed, add 1/2 dry ingredients to butter-sugar mixture. Pour in 1/3 sour cream mixture.

4. Add remaining dry ingredients in 2 batches, alternating with sour cream mixture then gently fold in first amount of chopped walnuts. Beat until just blended.

5. In a small bowl, stir together walnuts, cinnamon and sugar. Pour batter into muffin cups. Sprinkle top of each muffin with walnut mixture.

6. Bake until muffins are golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Raspberry Cream Coffee Cake

Some flavors are meant to be together. Peanut butter & grape jelly, maple & walnut, and here, raspberries & almonds. What are your favorite flavor pairings?



This coffee cake is elegant and easy. It starts off with your basic sour cream coffee cake with a layer of jam and a tangy cream cheese filling. Then it gets topped off with an almond crumb topping. The jam and cream cheese remind me of the Danish pastries I used to eat as a kid.



Raspberry Cream Coffee Cake
9" round cake | adapted from food.com

2 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 egg
8 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup raspberry jam
1/4 cup sliced almonds

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine flour and 3/4 cup sugar. Using pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 cup of crumbs.

2. To remaining crumb mixture, add baking powder, baking soda, salt, sour cream, almond extract, and 1 egg. Blend well. Spread batter over bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of greased and floured 9 inch springform pan. Batter should be about 1/4 inch thick on sides.

3. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 egg. Blend well. Pour in batter lined pan. Spoon jam over cream cheese mixture. In a small bowl, combine reserved crumbs and sliced almonds. Sprinkle over jam. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes.

Cranberry Walnut Orange Muffins

Here is yet another great recipe from Cook's Illustrated. Orange and cranberry flavors are natural partners, while the walnuts are outstanding little gems within the muffin. They were light and flavorful and smelled wonderful as they baked.

Remember, if you’re short on time, you can melt the butter, mix it with the eggs, and stir it into the dry ingredients. When thoroughly mixed, beat in the yogurt and proceed with the recipe. To cinnamon-coat muffin tops, dip warm muffins in melted butter, then in mixture of one-half cup granulated sugar and two teaspoons cinnamon.

Cranberry-Walnut-Orange Muffins
makes 12 | adapted from Cook's Illustrated, Jan/97

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
1 cup granulated sugar , less 1 tablespoon
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
1 1/2 cups chopped cranberries , fresh or frozen
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl; set aside.

2. Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add orange zest to butter-sugar mixture. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in one-half of dry ingredients. Beat in one-third of yogurt. Beat in remaining dry ingredients in two batches, alternating with yogurt, until incorporated. Fold cranberries and walnuts into finished batter.

3. Spray twelve-cup muffin tin with vegetable cooking spray or coat lightly with butter. Use large ice cream scoop to divide batter evenly among cups. Bake until muffins are golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Set on wire rack to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove muffins from tin and serve warm.

Cocoa-Nana Swirled Bread

For this week's TWD rewind, I made this bread because I had two overripe bananas in my freezer waiting to be turned into something delicious. (However, next time I will use 3 bananas or add some milk or yogurt because it wasn't quite as moist as I like it).

I chose to do a marbled version of this chocolate banana bread because it's prettier and because I was skeptical of the cocoa-banana combo. Turns out I had nothing to worry about. It tasted wonderful. The cocoa part isn't overpowering and it actually complements the banana part wonderfully. Because I made quite a few adaptations to the recipe, I have included it below with my changes. The original is on page 46 of Dorie's book: Baking.



Coco-Nana Swirled Bread
1 loaf | Adapted from Dorie Greenspan

2 1/2 cups flour, divided
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine 2 cups flour, salt, baking soda and powder.
2. Cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs, mixing well after each then add bananas, vanilla and buttermilk. Add flour mixture and mix just until combined.
3. Scoop 1/2 the batter into a separate bowl. Add 1/2 cup cocoa powder to one bowl of batter. Add 1/2 cup of flour to the other bowl and mix each by hand just to incorporate. Do not over mix.
4. Scoop batter into greased 9x5 inch pan, alternating spoons of white and chocolate batter. Run a thin knife through the batter in the pan a few times to marble. Bake for 60-75 minutes rotating halfway through (you may need to cover with foil if browning too quickly).

Cherry Upside-Down Cake

I'm so excited! Tomorrow I'm heading down South for my first US Thanksgiving with my boyfriend's family. Then right after dinner I will start chugging coffee in preparation for the all-night Black Friday shopping extravaganza!

This recipe was made using some cherries I had frozen from the summer. However, I bet it would be great with cranberries as a tribute to the fall harvest. I never have a problem with using frozen berries instead of fresh. Sometimes, especially with blueberries, I prefer the frozen ones because they don't squish and bleed when you are mixing them into the batter.

I love the rustic look of upside-down cakes and the thrill that you get when you flip it onto a serving dish. Will it stick? Will the fruit have baked evenly? Will it be pretty? I'm pretty happy with how this cake turned out - especially served with fresh whipped cream.



Cherry Upside-Down Cake
8" Cake | adapted from Martha Stewart Baking Handbook

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 lbs sweet cherries, stemmed, pitted, and halved
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup almond paste (not marzipan), crumbled
3 large eggs, separated
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/2 cup milk

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degreest F. Butter an 8-by-3-inch round cake pan, and line bottom with parchment paper. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 2 tablespoons butter with ¼ cup sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Spread evenly over bottom of prepared pan. Arrange apricot halves, cut sides down, in pan. Fit cherries into any gaps between apricots. Pack down the fruit slightly with your hands; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat remaining6 tablespoons butter until smooth, about 1 minute. Add almond paste and ¾ cup sugar, and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the egg yolks, and beat until well combined. Beat in vanilla and almond extracts. Add the flour mixture in two parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until combined, and set aside.In the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Gradually sprinkle in the remaining ¼ cup sugar, and beat until soft peaks form. Fold a third of egg-white mixture into the batter with a spatula. Gently fold in remaining egg whites.

3. Spread batter over fruit, smoothing with an offset spatula. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 60-70 mins. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Run a knife or small offset spatula around the edges to loosen, and invert cake onto a serving plate to cool completely. Cake can be kept at room temperature, loosely covered with foil, for up to 3 days.

Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Coffee Cake Muffins

I apologize for the strange looking colors in these photos. They were taken with my boyfriend's camera and I'm not used to the settings and color balance. I'm so glad that Black Friday is coming up in a couple of days. I always take that Friday off (I took it off way back in January in anticipation of this event). Sometimes I think it's more about the chase than the actual sales. Do I really need that $3 toaster? Probably not, but it is sure a lot of fun, not to mention an adrenaline rush, battling it out on the Target salesfloor.

If you are going to stand in shopping line-ups I recommend bringing one of these muffins with you. These muffins are made from a cinnamon coffee cake recipe with a bunch of chocolate chips thrown into the batter then baked in muffin tins. The hint of cinnamon plays well with the chocolate.



Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Coffee Cake Muffins
Makes 12 | adapted from NY Times

Cake
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup chocolate chips
1 1/4 cups sour cream


Topping
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 muffin tins.

2. Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla, beating well. Sift flour with baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add chocolate chips to flour mixture. Add the flour mixture alternately with sour cream.

3. Scoop into prepared muffin tins. Combine sugar, cinnamon and nuts and sprinkle evenly over the top of the cake. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Apple Cranberry Muffins

I haven't been posting much lately because my camera was stolen from my car last week. It is not so much the camera that I am sad about losing but rather the memory card with all my halloween photos and a whole bunch of baking photos. As my boyfriend said, "If you are going to steal a camera, at least leave the memory card!" So true... *sigh*... all those lost memories.

At least I had this photo downloaded to my computer before the camera got stolen. This is a great, easy recipe that features the delicious flavors of fall. Recipe is a "back of the box" recipe from Robinhood Flour. It has 2 of my favorite fall ingredients: apples and cranberries. Both bring just the right amount of tartness to these light and delightful muffins. I made them without the crumble topping and they were great. I can only imagine how much better the muffin tops would have been WITH the topping.



Apple Cranberry Muffins
makes 12 | adapted from Robinhood Flour

Topping
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup almonds, chopped
3 tbsp rolled oats
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp butter, melted

Muffin
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
1 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups peeled apples, diced
1/4 cup cranberries - fresh or dried

1. Combine all topping ingredients. Mix well. (Optional. I omitted the topping to save some fat and calories. They were great even without the topping!)

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line or grease muffin tins.

3. Combine flour, brown sugar and baking soda in large bowl. Combine egg, yogurt and oil in small bowl. Add to dry ingredients stirring just until moistened. Stir in apples and cranberries. Fill muffin cups with batter. Sprinkle with topping.

4. Bake for approx 25 minutes, or until tops are firm to touch.

Blueberry Cornmeal Cake

The recipe for this cake comes from the RSVP section (copycat restaurant recipes) of Bon Appétit Magazine. It has an appealing crunch from the cornmeal.

It isn't the prettiest cake, but for what it lacks in looks it makes up in taste. Because of how moist it is, it keeps well without drying out and is wonderful heated and served with ice cream on top.

Blueberry Cornmeal Upside Down Cake
10" Round | Bon Appetit

3/4 cup butter, room temperature, divided
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2-3 cups blueberries
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, separated
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and center a rack in the oven.

2. Stir 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, brown sugar, and vinegar together in a 10” ovenproof skillet with 2” tall sides. Mix over medium heat until the butter melts and the sugar is dissolved, around 2 minutes. Turn the heat up to high, toss in the berries, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat.

3. Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat remaining 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) butter in an electric mixer. Add the sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, around 3 minutes. Add the egg yolks and vanilla, beat until combined. Add half the flour mixture, then half the milk, then the remaining flour mixture, and the remaining milk, beating until just combined after each addition.

4. In a clean, dry bowl with clean, dry beaters (or a whisk) beat egg whites until foamy. Beat in the cream of tartar until the whites are stiff but not dry. Stir 1/4 of the whites into the cornmeal batter, then fold the remaining whites with a rubber spatula in 3 additions. Spread the batter over the cherries in the skillet, covering them completely.

5. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool the cake in the skillet for 5 minutes, then run the spatula around the edges of the cake to loosen it. Set a large plate over the skillet and firmly flip the two together. Leave the upside-down skillet on top of the plate for 5 minutes so that the cake and cherries completely separate from the pan. Lift off the skillet and let the cake cool for 45 minutes before cutting.

Blueberry Cornmeal Upside Down Cake
10" Cake | Bon Appetit

3/4 cup butter, room temperature, divided
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2-3 cups blueberries
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, separated
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and center a rack in the oven.

2. Stir 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, brown sugar, and vinegar together in a 10” ovenproof skillet with 2” tall sides. Mix over medium heat until the butter melts and the sugar is dissolved, around 2 minutes. Turn the heat up to high, toss in the berries, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat.

3. Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat remaining 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) butter in an electric mixer. Add the sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, around 3 minutes. Add the egg yolks and vanilla, beat until combined. Add half the flour mixture, then half the milk, then the remaining flour mixture, and the remaining milk, beating until just combined after each addition.

4. In a clean, dry bowl with clean, dry beaters (or a whisk) beat egg whites until foamy. Beat in the cream of tartar until the whites are stiff but not dry. Stir 1/4 of the whites into the cornmeal batter, then fold the remaining whites with a rubber spatula in 3 additions. Spread the batter over the cherries in the skillet, covering them completely.

5. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool the cake in the skillet for 5 minutes, then run the spatula around the edges of the cake to loosen it. Set a large plate over the skillet and firmly flip the two together. Leave the upside-down skillet on top of the plate for 5 minutes so that the cake and cherries completely separate from the pan. Lift off the skillet and let the cake cool for 45 minutes before cutting.

Spiced Applesauce Cake (Low Fat)

Happy Halloween! I'm quite disappointed that I didn't get around to doing ANY "Halloween Baking" this year... not even a batch of classic witch's finger shortbread cookies. I guess this just means that I have an excuse to do lots more baking AFTER Halloween. I like to chop up the mini chocolate bars and throw them into cookie batter instead of using chocolate chips.

In anticipation for all the UNhealthy baking I will be doing after halloween, this week I made a healthy, fall-inspired quickbread. This fragrant, spicy, wholesome loaf is a warm welcome to the rainy, cold fall weather. With only 2 tablespoons of butter, this is one of the healthier things you could bake this season. Of course, it is not as buttery as a full-fat cake, so don't bake this loaf expecting that kind of a texture. That being said, it is totally, without a doubt worth making and it definitely does not skimp on flavor. So moist and so snackable. Don't pass this recipe up!

For a touch more sweetness and indulgence, try adding a brown sugar streusel on top or serve with a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Spiced Applesauce Loaf (Low Fat)
1 loaf | adapted from allrecipes.com

1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 small apple, diced
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Add to applesauce mixture; mix well. Stir in the walnuts and diced apples and raisins (if using).

2. Pour into a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Maple Pecan Pound Cake

Despite its name "pound cake", this loaf is not heavy in the least. It cuts cleanly into beautiful, mouth-watering slices.

This is the perfect embodiment of fall flavors. The batter is infused with pure maple syrup and the flavors are heightened with maple extract both in the batter and in the glaze. Do not skip the glaze – it takes the cake from being great to AMAZING. It is the kind of glaze with an ever so faint crust on top that yields easily and melts on your tongue like the maple cream filling you find in some filled chocolates. Toasting the nuts is also an invaluable step to maximize flavor.

I bring baking to work at least once a week and I had several co-workers comment that this was one of their favorites. Another hit from "Cake Keeper Cakes" by Lauren Chattman. This is one gem of a book and this is one hell of a cake.



Maple Pecan Pound Cake
1 loaf | Cake Keeper Cakes

CAKE
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp maple extact
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
14 tbsps (1 3/4 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
5 tbsps pure maple syrup
1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

GLAZE
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsps heavy cream
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 1/2 tsps fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp maple extract

1. Cake: preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan and dust with flour.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Combine the eggs, maple extract and vanilla in a glass measuring cup and lightly beat.

3. Combine the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl; cream with an electric mixer on med-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes; stir in the maple syrup until smooth. Decrease mixer speed to med-low; pour the egg mixture into the bowl in a slow stream; mix until incorporated.

4. Decrease mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture, 1/2 at a time; after the last addition, mix for 30 seconds. Stir in pecans. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

5. Bake the cake until it is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, invert it onto a wire rack, and then turn it right side up on a rack to cool completely.

6. Glaze: combine the glaze ingredients in a bowl; whisk until smooth. Move the whisk back and forth across the cake, drizzling it over the top and letting it drip down the sides. Let stand until the glaze sets, about 1 hour. Store at room temperature.

Copycat Junior's Blueberry Muffins

The best part of my New York trip was going on a sort of bakery scavenger hunt. I looked up a list of bakeries and we hunted them down. My dear boyfriend is so patient with me. We went to Amy's Bread, Sarabeth's Bakery, Magnolia, and Junior's Cheesecake among others. It was a foodie's dream come true. These muffins I baked for breakfast also serve as a souvenir of our trip. berries didn't end up all at the bottom like with so many other recipes. These were light and fluffy with moist insides and a crunchy top. Perfect.

Simply amazing when eaten warm (with butter if you are feeling decadent). Just like Junior's awesome cheesecakes, these blueberry muffins are definitely memorable. Hot OR cold. With mashed berries in the batter, strewn through the muffin AND sprinkled on top, these are definitely meant for blueberry lovers. What I loved best is that the

Note: The recipe calls for fresh, not frozen, blueberries, but I made this with thawed blueberries successfully. I also added a tablespoon of lemon zest and it really added to the flavor. Definitely use muffin liners to get them out easily. Greasing the pan just won't cut it for these moist muffins.

Junior's Cheesecake Copycat Blueberry Muffins
6 jumbo or 12 regular | adapted from Junior's Cookbook

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tbsp lemon zest (optional, my addition)
2 extra large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups fresh blueberries (not frozen)
1/2 cup milk

1. Divide berries into three different batches: 2/3 cup portion for mashing, then divide the remaining berries into two equal portions- one portion for folding into the batter, and the remainder for dropping on top.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease 6 jumbo muffins tins or 12 regular size muffin tins well.

3. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

4. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well. Continue to beat until creamy and light yellow. Mix in vanilla and mashed berries until well combined. Lower speed to medium. Alternate adding flour mixture and milk in three portions each. Beat batter until just combined, about 1 more minute.

5. Gently fold in one of the portions of whole berries. Fill muffing tins almost all the way full. Drop the remaining portion of whole berries individually atop the muffin batter.

6. Bake about 10 minutes, then reduce oven temp to 375 degrees F and continue baking until golden brown and set in the center, about 15 minutes.

Orange Pecan Sour Cream Pound Cake

This is one flavorful pound cake. The edges are brown and crisp and melt in your mouth while the rest of the loaf is moist and tender. This recipe (adapted from the Sweet Melissa Baking Book) produces a tall loaf with bold orange flavor studded with plump, toasted pecans. It holds its shape so well that it can easily be cut into thin slices. Weird fact: I like to cut my food into tiny pieces before eating it, so this made me happy.

The original recipe was for a lemon walnut sour cream pound cake, but I subbed in orange zest and juice for the lemon and pecans for the walnuts. I'm sure the original is equally yummy!

Orange Pecan Sour Cream Pound Cake
adapted from Sweet Melissa Baking Book | 1 loaf

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp orange zest
2 tbsp orange juice
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Glaze:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x5" loaf pan. Combine dry ingredients and set aside.

2. Cream butter, shortening, sugar and zest until well combined and fluffy. Add juice and extracts to combine. Then add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl.

3. Mix in the dry ingredients alternating with the sour cream. Fold in walnuts, reserving some to sprinkle on top.

4. Bake for 75-90 minutes or until wooden skewer comes out clean. Cool in pan for 20 minutes before unmolding onto a wire rack.

5. Make glaze: Combine sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and summer for 2-3 minutes or until reduced by half. Brush hot glaze on warm, unmolded cake. Brush again 10 minutes later. Cool fully before slicing.

Lemon Ricotta Muffins

Much like an Italian cheesecake, these creamy, sweet-tart muffins were like a burst of sunshine. They are a great way to use up extra ricotta you may have from making lasagna. That's the reason I was led to these muffins in the first place - searching for a recipe that would help me use up my ricotta.

I was happily surprised to find that these were light, fluffy and sweet without being too sweet.



Lemon Ricotta Muffins
Makes 12 | Giada de Laurentiis

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar + 2 tbsp
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/3 cup milk
6 Tbsp butter, melted
2 eggs
2 tsp lemon zest

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper baking liners. In large bowl, stir together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt.

2. In medium bowl, with whisk mix together ricotta, milk, melted butter, eggs and lemon zest. Make well in center of flour mixture and pour in ricotta mixture; stir until just moistened.

3. Spoon batter into prepared muffin-pan cups. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over muffins. Bake 20 to 22 minutes, until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean.

Sour Cream Walnut Banana Bread

This tender banana bread keeps resists drying out as it gets its moisture from sour cream and mashed bananas. It is perfect for making ahead and freezing. I let the loaf cool for 10-15 minutes in the pan, then invert the pan and let the loaf finish cooling fully out of the pan on the cooling rack. Once completely cooled, cut into 1" thick slices, wrap individually in plastic wrap then place in a container and freeze. This way, they are pre-portioned and easy to thaw only as much as you need.

Don't skip dusting the pans with cinnamon sugar. The caramelized sugar gives the crust such a nice little crunch that it's worth the extra step. I have successfully substituted full fat yogurt for the sour cream, but full fat sour cream is my first choice. Omit the walnuts if you like. I usually add them but I ran out this time. I find that they add a nice textural contrast throughout the bread.



Sour Cream Banana Bread
Makes 2 loaves

3/4 cup butter
3 cups white sugar
3 eggs
6 very ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups (16 oz) sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking soda
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9 x 5" loaf pans. In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Dust pans lightly with cinnamon and sugar mixture.

2. In a large bowl, cream butter and 3 cups sugar. Mix in eggs, mashed bananas, sour cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix in salt, baking soda and flour. Stir in nuts. Divide into prepared pans.

3. Bake for 1 hour or more if needed, until a toothpick tests clean.

Orange Spice Whole Wheat Banana Muffins

Sorry, no TWD today as I am in New York. Instead, I am posting these muffins I made the week before I left.

This banana bread is spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg and has orange zest strewn through the batter. Beneath its shiny, crispy, caramellized crust is a moist and tender muffin bursting with flavor. It is a refreshing change from the classic recipe without being too deviant. While baking this bread your home will be filled with an amazingly fragrant aroma and if you are like me, you will be hovering around the oven waiting for it to be done so you can have a taste.

Orange Spice Whole Wheat Banana Bread
6 muffins | adapted from Baking Illustrated

1 cup flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp orange zest
3 very ripe bananas, mashed (1 1/2 cups)
1/3 cup sour cream
2 eggs
6 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped (optional - I left them out)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 6-9 cups of a muffin tin (depending on the size of your muffin tin).

2. Combine flours, sugar, soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and zest.

3. In a large separate bowl combine banans, sour cream, eggs, butter and vanilla. Whisk together until fully combined.

4. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in walnuts. Pour into prepared muffin pan and bake for approx 55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cappuccino Cheesecake Muffins

These muffins have a light hint of coffee flavor. They are a muffin-cheesecake hybrid. The base is a muffin/quickbread type mixture that gets topped with a cheesecake type topping. The whole thing bakes up into a batch of beautiful, elegantly domed muffins. Toasted, ground walnuts add a lot of flavor to this recipe but I think hazelnuts would also be fabulous! C'mon... what could be better than an excuse to eat cheesecake for breakfast?

Note: Don't over bake these or else the cheese filling becomes tough. Just as when you make a cheesecake, let them cool in the pans to set fully after removing from the oven. If you prefer a stronger coffee flavor I would increase the amount of instant coffee granules in the recipe.



Cappuccino Cheesecake Muffins
12 large muffins | adapted from Marcy Goldman, "A Passion for Baking"

Topping
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp flour
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Muffin
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp instant coffee granules
1 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup ground walnuts
Cocoa or cinnamon, for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line twelve large (not standard sized) muffin tins with liners (I highly recommend using liners rather than greasing the pans, because of the cheesecake layer on these muffins). Spread out liners to cover bottoms of pans.

2. Topping: Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth.

3. Batter: Cream butter and sugar until smooth. Beat together eggs, vanilla and coffee granules. Add to the butter mixture and blend well. Combine all remaining dry ingredients. Add too butter mixture alternating with buttermilk. Mix until just combined into a thick but soft batter.

4. Scoop batter into prepared muffin pans. Top each evenly with the cream cheese topping. Bake until topping is set, 30-40 minutes. Cool fully before serving. Store in fridge. Dust with cocoa or cinnamon just before serving if desired.

Perfect Pound Cake

This golden, statuesque pound cake is tender and moist. The crisp, caramellized crust hides a fine grained cake with a slightly firm texture that results from the use of cake flour. Delicious plain or served with lemon curd. It also freezes extremely well and takes well to flavoring with different extracts and lemon or orange zest. The recipe is from the classic book by Rose Levy Berenbaum - The Cake Bible. It is not as heavy on the eggs and butter as many other pound cake recipes yet just as delicious. The recipe below is for a loaf cake but I doubled the recipe and baked it in a tube pan.



Perfect Pound Cake
8 x 5" loaf | The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum

13 tbsp butter
3 tablespoons milk
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
13 tablespoons, softened

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl lightly combine the butter, milk, eggs and vanilla.

2. In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend. Add the butter and half the egg mixture. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium speed and beat for 1 minute to aerate and develop the cake’s structure.

3. Scrape down the sides. Gradually add the remaining egg mixture in 2 batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure. Scrape down the sides.

4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a spatula. The batter will be almost a 1/2" from the top of a 4-cup loaf pan. (If pan is smaller, use excess batter for cupcakes.)

5. Bake 55 to 65 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cover loosely with buttered foil after 30 minutes to prevent overbrowning. The cake should start to shrink from the sides of the pan only after removal from the oven. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes and invert it onto a greased wire rack. If baked in a loaf pan, to keep the bottom from splitting, reinvert so that the top is up and cool completely before wrapping airtight.