Tag: Baked Goods
Orange Olive Oil Bundt Cake
Need a dessert to feed a crowd? This Orange Olive Oil Bundt Cake with yogurt icing is just the ticket!
Every other Sunday for the last fifteen years, my husband and I have had Sunday dinner with his family. Coming from a New York Italian family as he does, Sunday dinner is almost more of a religious observance than a simple meal. Barring an act of God, it WILL happen. And it will probably involve sausage.
Over the years, as we’ve gotten together, the family has seen many changes. While Sunday dinner started out at his parents’ house every week, we’ve now transitioned to rotating between the homes of his mom and his siblings. And whereas, fifteen years ago, there were seven of us around the dinner table, there are now eighteen adults and kids. When it’s our turn to host, you can find me searching for recipes that feed a crowd.
I’ve assembled a handful of go-to entrees to serve for dinner, from chili to casseroles to barbecue chicken sandwiches (thank God for the Crock Pot). But sometimes the course that leaves me stumped is dessert. A single pan of brownies no longer suffices for this many people, and forget about a single pie–or even two. One dessert I come back to time and again is the ample, flexible bundt cake. It’s easy to slice and serve for any portion size, it doesn’t require the effort of frosting of a layer cake, and it always turns out so pretty. Plus, who doesn’t like cake?
I made this Orange Olive Oil Bundt Cake for our most recent Sunday dinner. Lately I’ve been digging in to a bit of “research” (aka baking and eating) on replacing butter or other fats with heart-healthier olive oil. This particular olive oil baking experiment was certainly a success! The cake turned out slightly–but not overly–dense, with a delightfully almost-crunchy crust. Drizzled with a yogurt icing with a hint of orange, each slice was a little bit of citrus heaven, especially when accompanied by a dollop of vanilla ice cream.
To complete a Mediterranean-themed meal, I served this after my Twice-Baked Spaghetti Squash with Sausage and Kale. (See? I told you sausage would be involved.) For Sunday dinner or to feed any crowd, I’d say you can’t go wrong with bundt cake–especially this one.
Orange Olive Oil Bundt Cake
Serve up a slice of citrus heaven with this orange olive oil bundt cake topped with yogurt drizzle!
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Total Time1 hr
Servings: 16
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 1/2 c. white sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2/3 c. high quality extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. orange extract (optional)
- 2 Tbsp. fresh orange zest
- 6 Tbsp. fresh-squeezed orange juice
- 2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
For the orange-yogurt glaze
- 2 c. powdered sugar
- 3 Tbsp. fresh-squeezed orange juice
- 1 Tbsp. full-fat plain yogurt
- extra orange zest for garnish
Instructions
Make the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and generously grease a 12-cup bundt pan.
- In a large bowl, mix sugar and eggs with a hand mixer on medium speed. Add olive oil, vanilla, and orange extract and mix until smooth, then repeat with orange zest and juice.
- Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and mix with hand mixer until no lumps remain.
- Pour into prepared bundt pan and bake 40-45 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cake cool completely before frosting.
Make the glaze:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, orange juice, and yogurt until smooth.
- Drizzle icing over cooled cake. Garnish with additional orange zest. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Adapted from Food Network, glaze my own recipe.
Blueberry Flax Seed Muffins
Oh, breakfast, I love you. How can anyone not eat breakfast everyday? I know there are those who say they feel nauseous in the mornings, or they’re just not hungry first thing, but breakfast is MY JAM. When my kids were really little, eating an entire breakfast for myself with no interruptions was something I’d fantasize about. Sitting there with my coffee steaming, a buttery muffin or crunchy bowl of cereal in front of me (and only me) sounded like pure bliss–the perfect start to the day.
Now, when I have a great breakfast to look forward to, it literally extends its joy to the night before. Last night, knowing I had these Blueberry Flax Seed Muffins to wake up to was enough to curb my late-night sweets cravings and make me wait until morning to eat. That’s right, I said NO to the COSTCO CHEESECAKE in my fridge for these things.
See, I’ve been kind of obsessed with flax seed lately. (And planning a post all about it and how to use it–so for now I’ll restrain myself for the moment from launching into accolades about its many benefits.) Suffice it to say, a switch has flipped in my brain and I am in full-on Flax Seed Mode. Energy balls, smoothies, and, of course, muffins make excellent vehicles for this mega-healthy–and, I think, mega-tasty–ingredient.
In light of recent evidence that more dietary fiber reduces the risk of numerous chronic diseases, I’m digging flax seed’s enormous fiber content. A single tablespoon of the stuff contains about 3 grams of fiber. Plus, flax seeds contain plenty of heart-healthy omega-3 fats. So even if they’re not a familiar ingredient for you, why not try something new?
These Blueberry Flax Seed Muffins are springy with flax seed, chewy with oats, and bursting with luscious blueberries. Maybe you can see why the thought of them sustained me when Costco cheesecake was calling.
Oh, and did I mention that each muffin has only 125 calories?
Oh. YEAH.
So whaddaya say? Gonna try flax seeds in your muffins? (And if you put them in your muffins, I have a feeling you’ll want to put them in everything.)
Blueberry Flax Seed Muffins
Ready for something a little different? These blueberry muffins use a combination of ground flax seed and oats to achieve their unique texture--and blueberries for juicy pops of flavor. Delish!
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time35 mins
Servings: 12 muffins
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1/4 c. brown sugar
- 1/4 c. maple syrup
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 3/4 c. plain Greek yogurt
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1/4 c. unsweetened almond milk
- 1/4 c. ground flax seed meal
- 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
- 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
- 3/4 c. quick-cooking or rolled oats
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 1/4 c. fresh or frozen blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine all wet ingredients: egg, brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, yogurt, oil, and almond milk.
- To the same bowl, add dry ingredients: flax seed meal, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, oats, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir until just combined. Fold in blueberries.
- Divide mixture among 12 muffin cups and bake 20-22 minutes or until browned on top. Store in an airtight container.
Notes
Adapted from Running With Spoons.
Red, White, and Blueberry French Toast Casserole
As far as food goes on the Fourth of July, it’s always the cookouts and barbecues that get all the glory. We think of char-grilled hot dogs and hamburgers, bright yellow corn on the cob, and wiggly-jiggly Jello salads served at lunch or dinner. Rarely do we think of breakfast as an opportunity to make (and eat) something patriotically themed. Well, it’s time to change that! This Red, White, Blueberry Overnight French Toast features a mix of raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries in a sweet-but-not-too-sweet custard that will start your Independence Day off right.
I served this up yesterday at a fun pajama party breakfast (soon to be blogged) that my kids and I hosted for a group of friends. As one item on a menu of several breakfast dishes, it was so nice to know that I could put this French toast casserole together quickly the night before and not stress on the morning of our event. All it really takes is a loaf of French bread, cubed and layered with frozen berries in a baking dish like so…
Then, whisk together a quick milk-and-egg mixture with a bit of brown sugar and a hint of cinnamon, stash in the fridge, and pull out to bake when you’re ready!
Our young guests–a dozen or so elementary-aged kids–certainly approved. And with just a half cup of sugar in the whole 9 x 13-inch pan, I felt pretty good about feeding it to them, too. For a special occasion breakfast treat, this comes in at a surprisingly modest 240 calories per serving (before maple syrup, anyway).
So if you’d like to spruce up your Fourth of July festivities by starting early in the day, don’t forget to whip up your Red, White, and Blueberry French Toast Casserole the night of the Third.
Have a wonderful Independence Day!
Check out these other Fourth of July recipes from A Love Letter to Food!
Red, White, and Blue Berry Cheesecake Parfaits
Dysfunctional Family Recipe Salsa
Red, White, and Blueberry French Toast Casserole
Bursting with berries, this French toast casserole is a special occasion breakfast that takes next to no time to prepare!
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time55 mins
Total Time4 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 loaf French bread
- 1 1/2 c. frozen mixed berries (raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries)
- 2 1/4 c. whole milk, or a mix of 2% and half and half
- 8 eggs
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
- maple syrup for serving
Instructions
- Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Slice French bread into 1-inch chunks and spread half of them in the pan. Sprinkle half the berries on top. Repeat with the remaining half of bread chunks and berries.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla, and brown sugar until smooth. Pour over bread, pressing down the top with a spatula to help bread soak up the milk mixture.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours (overnight is preferable). Bake in a 350 degree oven for 50-55 minutes. Serve with maple syrup.
Notes
Inspired by Sally's Baking Addiction.
Coconut Almond Muffins
The Monday after spring break has its ups and downs. In my case, having stayed home with my kids for the better part of ten days, I’d be lying if I said I weren’t a little grateful to have them headed back to school this morning. Like, if I hear one more “He hit me and I did NOTHING!” I might need to pack up and move to Aruba. On the other hand, I do treasure the concentrated time home with them doing fun activities like park play dates, library visits, and living room picnics.
And after almost a whole week or waking up without an alarm, it was a little hard to get out of bed this morning.
That’s partly why I made these Coconut Almond Muffins yesterday–to trick myself into the motivation needed to get up and go about regularly scheduled life. With the hearty texture of ground almonds and tropical sweetness of coconut, they’re a tasty treat that’s worth hauling myself into the kitchen for.
What I didn’t anticipate, though, was that my ten-year-old son (who took a sudden interest in cooking over spring break) would make me coffee, pour me a glass of water, and plate me two of these muffins–complete on a tray for breakfast in bed! Since our spring break was somewhat derailed by the bickering so common to school-aged kids, we’d had a long talk last night about service and kindness. Something must have sunk in.
I guess the only problem is that I didn’t actually have to get out of bed to eat them!
Coconut Almond Muffins
A classic combination of coconut and almond flavors these lovely muffins!
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time25 mins
Servings: 12 muffins
Ingredients
- 1 c. all-purpose flour
- 3/4 c. whole wheat flour
- 2/3 c. white sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 c. butter, melted
- 1/2 c. almond milk
- 1/2 tsp. almond extract
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 c. slivered almonds
- 1/2 c. shredded unsweetened coconut
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease 12 muffin cups.
- In a large bowl, combine all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center and add melted butter, almond milk, almond extract, vanilla extract, and eggs. Stir until just combined.
- Coarsely grind the almonds: pulse almonds in a small food processor or zap a few times with an immersion blender until broken into small pieces. Mix almonds and coconut into batter.
- Divide batter between 12 muffin cups and bake in preheated oven 14-18 minutes. Let cool and store in an airtight container.
Notes
Adapted from Bake or Break.
Red Velvet Cookie Cake
I’ve never really thought about it before, but cookie cakes have played kind of a major role in my life.
It started in high school. Junior year when my husband and I were dating, there was a Sadie Hawkins’-style dance called MORP (backwards prom). Everything about it was supposed to be the opposite of the regular protocol for school dances. Instead of dressing up in our fancy best, couples were supposed to dress exactly alike. (This was much trickier in the ’90s, before the age of gender neutralized clothing.) The dance was casual instead of formal; even the photo backdrop was a departure from the usual Grecian columns and silky fabrics:
Ah yes, here we are, dressed alike and casually hanging out on our garland-draped ATV. (Who comes up with this stuff?)
The final detail of MORP was that the girl was supposed to ask the guy to the dance in some clever way. I guess food has always been my love language, because I decided to present my then-boyfriend-now-husband with a cookie cake popping the question in frosting. Unfortunately, “Will you go to MORP with me?” was too long to fit on the cookie I ended up ordering, and instead, I remember it just had the word MORP with a giant question mark.
MORP?
Good thing he knew what I was talking about, or he probably would have thought I was suffering from some sort of delicious aphasic episode.
Fast forward several years. When we found out I was pregnant with our first child, we figured we’d break out the old cookie cake communication trick to inform my husband’s parents of their new grandparent status. We had been tasked to bring dessert to Sunday dinner. Imagine my in-laws’ surprise when they read the happy news in frosted lettering. Good memories.
With this history, cookie cakes have always held a place in my heart as special occasion desserts. So the other night when a friend and her daughter joined us for dinner, I decided a red velvet cookie cake sounded like just the delectable treat to serve after dinner.
When our visiting friend and I took our first bites, we looked at each other and went, “Oh. WOW.” The subtly flavored chocolate cookie dotted with white chocolate chips and covered with smooth cream cheese frosting made for an amazing finish to dinner. Cookie cakes for the win once again!
With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, or for any special occasion, consider this decadent dessert. You don’t even have to spell out any messages on it. It’s special enough all by itself.
Red Velvet Cookie Cake
Perfect for Valentine's Day, this frosted red velvet cookie cake is a decadent treat!
Servings: 12 small slices
Ingredients
For the cookie cake:
- 3/4 c. butter, softened
- 2/3 c. white sugar
- 1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 2 tsp. red food coloring
- 2 tsp. vinegar
- 1 3/4 c. flour
- 1/4 c. cocoa powder
- 2 tsp. corn starch
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 c. white chocolate chips
For the frosting:
- 4 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, softened
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 2 c. powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- colored sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 10-inch tart pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg, egg yolk, vanilla, food coloring, and vinegar and mix to combine.
- Add flour, cocoa powder, corn starch, baking powder, and salt and mix until just combined. Stir in white chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan, smoothing the top of the batter until even. Bake 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the frosting: In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, then vanilla and milk, until smooth and spreadable.
- When cookie cake has completely cooled, spread frosting in a smooth layer on top. Sprinkle with colored sprinkles, if using. Keep refrigerated.
Notes
Cookie cake adapted from Just So Tasty. Frosting from Betty Crocker.