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Pumpkin Spice Bars
It’s almost fall and that means it’s time to start baking warm, spicy autumn desserts. My absolute favorite spice cake recipe is for Pumpkin Spice Bars. To make the bars, you start out by baking a homemade spice cake in a sheet pan and savoring the smell of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves filling up your kitchen. The creamy, sweet topping is a light and fluffy cream cheese icing, made with real cream cheese. Once baked, cooled and frosted, you have the option of serving as a full cake or refrigerating it until set, and cutting it into rectangular “bars.” Either way, you will die for this mouth-watering dessert. Enjoy for dessert, breakfast or an anytime-of-day snack.
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Anzac Biscuits
Although wildly popular in Australia and New Zealand, Anzac biscuits have not caught on in the rest of the world, until now. I first tried Anzac biscuits at Peels, a hip new eatery on New York City’s Bowery. The delicious, crumbly texture of these sweet, nutty, granola-like biscuits was unlike anything I’d ever tried and I was determined to recreate this addictive confection. Anzac biscuits have a rich history. As the story goes, the biscuits were sent by wives of Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) soldiers abroad because the ingredients do not spoil easily and kept well during war. Brilliant!
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Sticky Bun Cake
As a lover of sweet breakfast dishes, I am always thrilled to find new and easy recipes for breakfast and brunch ideas. My boyfriend’s Mom makes a scrumptious Sticky Bun Cake that I look forward to every time I visit. The cake is made using plain frozen bread rolls that, when baked together, form a complete cake in the shape of a bundt pan. The fun begins the night before by preparing the frozen bread rolls and sweet topping in a bundt pan, and simply leaving the pan in a cold oven overnight.
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Six Week “Baptist” Bran Muffins
Love the taste of freshly baked, homemade, hot bran muffins every morning? I have found a recipe to make this happen. With this delicious and healthy recipe, you are able to make the muffin mix and keep the batter in the refrigerator for up to six weeks so you can bake the muffins as you wish! Frequently called “Baptist Muffins” or “Six Week Muffins,” this full-of-fiber recipe includes 2 popular types of cereal, Grape Nuts and Shredded Wheat, as well as buttermilk and a selection of your favorite sweet mix-ins to create a deliciously chewy, hearty muffin with a moist inside and textured top.
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Lemon Snack Cake
If you are looking for a light cake that doesn’t make a huge portion, look no further than this delicious Lemon Snack Cake. Tangy, moist cake is topped with a sweet, fluffy frosting and, best of all, it can all be made in one pan! Simply mix the dry ingredients in your 8-inch baking pan, and then add lemon zest, egg, and margarine to the mixture.
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Flourless Chocolate-Walnut Cookies
New York pastry chef François Payard is renowned for many dessert delicacies, but my all-time favorite is the divine Flourless Choolate-Walnut Cookie. If you have ever visited his chic Upper East Side pâtisserie, you most likely witnessed the sight (and cult-following) of these amazingly unique and delicious gooey chocolate cookies.
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Summer Strawberry Cake
If you are lucky enough to visit a farmer’s market in your hometown, you will most likely be able to find delicious, fresh-picked strawberries in the early months of summer. Local strawberries are nothing like store-bought varieties and one of my favorite ways to enjoy them is to make some delicious baked goods. Instead of the usual strawberry shortcake or strawberry pie, try making this light, airy strawberry cake.
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Homemade Lemonade
Ever since I got back from the Caribbean this spring, I have been trying to recreate the light and refreshing, fresh-squeezed lemonade I enjoyed daily at a St. Martin resort. Although making lemonade from scratch may seem easy (squeeze some lemons and add some sugar and water?), there is truly an art to creating the perfect sweet, but not too sweet, lemonade.
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Mini Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
I love oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, but they are usally too big and loaded with lots of unhealthy ingredients, so I decided to shake it up a bit. I started with a classic Betty Crocker Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, changed a few ingredients around to boost flavor, and formed them into irrestible bite-sized treats that are the perfect, portion-controlled snack. As you know, there are many different variations on chocolate chip cookies – some are light, crisp and airy, others are thick, chewy and moist. I wanted both, so I made a combination of the 2 – a moist, chewy center with slightly browned, crunchy sides and a thick texture. Perfection!!
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Chocolate Covered Banana Pops Recipe
This weekend my Mom and I made Chocolate Banana Pops for a delicious and healthy summertime dessert. Not only are these pops easy and fun to make, but they are a fabulous way to get a chocolate fix while enjoying fruit at the same time! The pops can be served refrigerated or frozen for an ice-cream-like treat. Try both ways and see which one you like best. Either way, you will keep coming back for more!!
