Tag: Baked Goods
Eggnog Quick Bread
When it comes to breakfast baked goods, my husband makes fun of me for “making cake for breakfast.” I can’t deny that muffins and quick breads have some of the same ingredients as cake–flour, sugar, eggs, etc., but you know what else has cake ingredients? Whole wheat bread! Tortillas! Granola bars! And nobody gets on their case, now do they? What Anthony doesn’t realize is that I’m actually a bit of a secret killjoy when it comes to breakfast baked goods. Typically, I tinker with recipes that call for mostly cake ingredients to decrease fat and sugar and add fiber. As a matter of fact, I spent last night adapting the heck out of a grapefruit poppyseed muffin recipe to make it reasonably healthy–applesauce for butter, white whole wheat flour for all-purpose, halving the sugar–and no one was the wiser. It turned out delish.
That being said, though, there are times when a special occasion calls for basically, well, making cake for breakfast. A special occasion like Christmas morning, perhaps. This eggnog quick bread is just the delightful kind of sweet treat a momentous breakfast or brunch needs. Rich and buttery with the signature nutmeg-laced rummy goodness of eggnog, it’s a unique way to enjoy a classic Christmas flavor in a different form. My husband enjoyed it so much, he asked me to make it for his entire company. And while it can be adapted to healthy it up (cutting back the sugar, subbing applesauce for butter, light eggnog for full-fat, white whole wheat for regular flour), just this once, I’m going to let it be what it is and….
P.S. Is it too late to add this mug to my Christmas list?
P.P.S. Merry Christmas to you and yours from A Love Letter to Food!
Eggnog Quick Bread
(Adapted from Allrecipes.com)
Ingredients:
scant 1 c. white sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 c. eggnog
1 1/2 tsp. rum extract
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 5″ loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, eggnog, rum extract, and vanilla and stir to combine.
- In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Add to wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Pour into prepared pan.
- Bake 45-55 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely and store tightly wrapped with foil. (This bread will keep either on the counter or in the fridge.)
Makes one 9 x 5″ loaf.
Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Muffins
I realize that if you’ve been going to restaurants and/or shopping at grocery stores these last few weeks as September has unfolded into October, you’ve probably been beaten over the head with pumpkin products at every turn (figuratively, not literally…unless you shop for groceries on a Japanese game show). And if you follow any recipe boards on Pinterest, I’ll bet you could fill a book with all the pumpkin-based recipes in your feed…an all-pumpkin cookbook, that is. But can I clutter up your brain with ONE more pumpkin recipe? I have a legitimate reason for doing so (in addition to having jumped on the pumpkin bandwagon long ago and never looked back). Tomorrow, my family departs for central Illinois to visit my dad, step-mom, and grandparents. What does central Illinois have to do with pumpkin recipes, you may ask? The answer: Morton, Illinois–the “Pumpkin Capital of the World.”
Some cities or towns like to self-apply “XYZ Capital of the World” titles a little too liberally. Like, is Corsicana, Texas really the “Fruit Cake Capital of the World”? I guess that depends on the people who live there. But Morton, Illinois lays claim to its title by rights. The Nestle/Libby canning plant in Morton produces 82% of the canned pumpkin in the world. Now THAT’S a LOT of pumpkin. The town also hosts an annual pumpkin festival that would make any die-hard pumpkin fan lose her orange-tinted mind. Pumpkin bingo, a pumpkin parade, the “Pumpkin Classic” 10k, and a “Pumpkin Idol” sing-off are just a few of the events. So since I’m visiting the legit Pumpkin Capital of the World tomorrow, I think I have earned the right to share these pumpkin chocolate swirl muffins today.
As you can probably tell by their name, these little breakfast treats are a yummy blend of hearty pumpkin and sweet chocolate. To me, there’s also something irresistible about the visual appeal of any swirled baked good, and these are no exception. Every bite yields a slightly different amount of pumpkin and chocolate. In fact, they kind of remind me of the old “box of chocolates” line from Forrest Gump. Life is like Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Muffins-you never know what you’re gonna get. Life is also just a little bit better with fresh-from-the-oven muffins on a fall morning.
So grab a mixing bowl (or two–this is one of the few muffin recipes I’m willing to use two bowls for) and give these a whirl–or a swirl, I should say. They would make a fun addition to a fall brunch, or a fitting breakfast for Halloween morning. And just remember, if you make them with canned pumpkin, there’s an 82% chance it came from Morton, Illinois.
Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Muffins
(Adapted from Love from the Oven)
Ingredients:
1/4 c. butter, softened
1/3 c. cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 c. white sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
scant 1 c. pumpkin puree (half a 15-oz. can)
2 eggs
1 1/3 c. white whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice
3 Tbsp. milk
1/3 c. cocoa powder
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 12 muffin cups with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, mix butter and yogurt with an electric mixer until thoroughly combined. Mix in sugars and beat until fluffy. Add vanilla, pumpkin, and eggs and mix until well combined.
- Make a well in the center of the batter. Pour in flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda and mix until just combined.
- Divide the batter equally into two bowls. Into one bowl add cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice and gently mix. In the other, add milk and cocoa powder and gently mix.
- Fill muffin cups with half chocolate batter and half pumpkin batter to about 2/3 full. Use a knife or toothpick to swirl batters together to your liking. Bake in preheated oven 15-17 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Makes 12 muffins.
Apple Cream Cheese Bundt Cake
Oh, boy. Here comes a dessert recipe, and it’s a big one. Do you have a special occasion handy? You’re gonna want to find one fast. Like, um, Columbus Day. Everyone celebrates Columbus Day with a giant cake, right? Let’s make that a thing. Or, according to this Bizarre Holidays calendar, just six days from now it’s “Moment of Frustration Day.” You’re definitely gonna need cake for that.
I’ve got you covered.
This Apple Cream Cheese Bundt Cake with Praline Frosting is an over-the-top delicious way to celebrate Columbus Day, or National Dessert Day (October 14th! Perfect!)–or just to savor the apple-cinnamon flavors we Northern Hemisphere-ites associate with fall.
Having loaded up on 15 pounds of apples at Date Creek Ranch during their apple picking festival last month, I’ve been on the prowl for apple recipes. It’s been applesauce/apple tart/pork chops and apples mania around here, and surprisingly, none of us seems to be sick of it yet. I actually made this special occasion apple cake for my mom’s birthday back in August, but am considering it for our hurrah with the one pound or so of Date Creek Ranch apples we have left.
This cake is dense, rich, and chock full of apples. The sweet praline frosting and cream cheese layer offset the density of the cake itself with a smooth sweetness. It would be delicious with or without the cream cheese layer, too, so feel free to leave that out if cream cheese isn’t your fave.
So however you need to justify it, I say make this cake. I mean, after all, National Count Your Buttons Day is only two weeks away. I think it should be obvious what that calls for…
…APPLE CREAM CHEESE BUNDT CAKE!
Apple Cream Cheese Bundt Cake with Praline Frosting
(Adapted from Southern Living)
Ingredients:
Cream Cheese Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Apple Cake Batter:
1 c. finely chopped pecans
3 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. white sugar
1 c. packed brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 c. canola oil
3/4 c. applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 c. apples, peeled and diced
Praline Frosting:
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. butter
3 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. powdered sugar
Extra pecans, for garnish
Directions:
- Make the cream cheese filling: in a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese, butter, and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Add egg, flour, and vanilla and beat until just combined. Set aside.
- Make the cake batter: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pecans in a shallow baking pan and bake 5-7 minutes until toasted, stirring once halfway through. In a large bowl, combine flour, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, baking soda, and salt. Stir in eggs, oil, applesauce, and vanilla and mix until just combined. Fold in apples and toasted pecans.
- Grease and flour a 14-cup Bundt pan. Spoon 2/3 of the apple cake batter into the pan, then top with entire cream cheese mixture, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges of the pan. Use a skewer, toothpick, or paring knife to swirl the two mixtures together slightly (or skip this step if you don’t care for a marbled effect.) Spoon remaining apple cake batter on top of cream cheese mixture.
- Bake in preheated oven 1 hour 15 minutes until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool to room temperature on the wire rack.
- Make the praline frosting: in a small saucepan, bring brown sugar, butter, and milk to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil and whisk 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Gradually whisk in powdered sugar until smooth. Stir gently for a few minutes until mixture begins to cool and thicken slightly. Drizzle over cake immediately. (For a cleaner look, pour the frosting in a squeeze bottle and use it to drizzle.)
Serves 12.
Blueberry Scones
As much as I love baked goods for breakfast, I tend to shy away from making scones. In my experience, scone recipes usually turn out a product I’ve come to think of as “Butter Bombs for Breakfast.” I’m all for using and enjoying butter (sometimes in higher quantities than I should), but when my breakfast leaves me feeling like there’s a lead weight in my belly, it’s not the greatest start to the day. When I was younger and less concerned about my health, I used to stop by Starbucks at least once a week for coffee and one of their scones–maple was always my favorite–for breakfast. Beyond savoring the super-sweet taste, however, I don’t recall ever actually feeling good on those mornings. In fact, there were several times I felt kinda nasty. No wonder, I guess, when you take in 55% of your daily saturated fat value at breakfast. As I’ve become more conscientious about my eating habits, I’ve dropped the Starbucks breakfast habit, and have almost never made scones at home…until now.
Not long ago I came across this recipe for blueberry scones using a mix of white and whole-wheat flour, Greek yogurt, and only 3 tablespoons of sugar and butter in the entire batch. Not bad compared to traditional scones, I’d say! No fist-sized-clump-of-fat-in-your-gut feeling after eating one of these. And it turns out they actually taste great, too. Chewy, full of blueberries, and just sweet enough: there’s a breakfast I can get behind.
So when your Starbucks scone craving rears its ugly head, give these a try–you may even prefer them.
Blueberry Scones
(Adapted from Ambitious Kitchen)
Ingredients:
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 c. white whole wheat flour
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 c. plain Greek yogurt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbsp. butter, softened or melted and cooled
1 egg
1/2 c. fresh or frozen blueberries
cooking spray
1 1/2 tsp. white sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, combine yogurt, vanilla, butter, and egg. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just moist but still slightly crumbly. Gently fold in blueberries.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead about 8 times with your hands. (I do this in the bowl, not on a floured surface, and it does just fine.) Form dough into a 8-inch circle and place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cut into 6 wedges and separate slightly.
- In a small bowl, combine white sugar and cinnamon. To top scones, spray tops with cooking spray, then sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Bake 20-25 minutes or until the scone tops are golden brown.
Makes 6 scones. For best results, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Perfect Cornbread Muffins
There are a few things everyone needs in their life. A friend who loves you no matter what. Chocolate cake. A car mechanic who doesn’t overcharge. And a recipe for perfect cornbread muffins. Cornbread is that all-American comfort food that goes with just about anything. Well, anything with the words “down-home,” “country-cookin’,” or “barbecue” in front of it. Not to mention soups, stews, and chilis. And Mexican-flavored dishes. And butter and jam. The more I make cornbread, the more multipurpose I realize it is. In fact, cornbread has a long history of satisfying American hunger.
Corn-based dishes have been made since time immemorial by the Native peoples of the Americas, but when European settlers arrived in the colonial era, they began using corn in place of wheat in breads. Throughout the Civil War, cornbread became especially popular because of its versatility and cheapness. Since then, it has remained a staple of Southern and Western food.
Whatever its history, this cornbread muffin recipe is my call-off-the-search gold standard. After experimenting with numerous other versions, I slightly modified this one from an unlikely place: a hand-me-down Better Homes and Gardens New Dieter’s Cookbook my mom gave me. (No, I don’t think she was trying to make a statement about my weight. Just downsizing. Her downsizing. From a house. Just digging the hole deeper here, aren’t I?) Despite being a little dated at 18 years old, it’s a cookbook that’s been a surprising resource for me. I’ve gotten numerous recipes I trust from it.
This particular recipe produces a muffin that’s a little dense, not too sweet, and—possibly most important to me—holds its shape beautifully. While some folks want their cornbread crumbs to mix and mingle with accompanying foods, I am more of a cornbread isolationist. A plate for everything and everything in its plate. While you could of course crumble these muffins up into a chili garnish, they’re not going to fall apart the minute you bite into them. They also fit squarely in the dinner category, not corn-flavored dessert.
So allow me to introduce you to your new stew-adorning, barbecue-loving, Mexican-dish-complementing favorite cornbread. (Complete with lots of pictures. It’s apparently quite photogenic.) I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Perfect Cornbread Muffins
(Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Dieter’s Cookbook)
Ingredients:
1 c. all-purpose flour
2/3 c. yellow cornmeal
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
2/3 c. milk
1/4 c. vegetable oil
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease 8 cups of a muffin tin.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a smaller bowl, stir together egg, milk, and oil. Add egg mixture to dry mixture, stirring until just smooth. Spoon into prepared muffin cups, filling about 3/4 full.
3. Bake about 12 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Remove carefully from pan and serve warm.
Makes 8 muffins.