Maple Apple Cake

July 14, 2019July 14, 2019 ~ Max ~ Leave a comment

Canada is a great country, and aside from free healthcare we have a few other things going for us – for example maple syrup. This cake is filled with apples, and has maple syrup in both the cake itself and the glaze. This cake will be sure to sweeten up your week.

Ingredients:

For the Apple Filling:

1.5 tbsp butter or margarine
3 tbsp brown sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp cinnamon
3 Granny Smith apples, chopped

For the Cake:

1 1/3 packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda

For the Glaze:

2 tbsp butter or margarine
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cinnamon
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

For the Apple Filling:

On medium low heat melt butter or margarine, add brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix well and add apples. Cook for 5 minutes.

For the Cake:

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray.

In mixer, beat brown sugar, melted butter or margarine, maple syrup and vanilla extract.

Beat in eggs. Add flour, salt and baking soda. Mix well.

Add apples and mix with a spatula. Pour batter into the pan.

Bake for 30-40 mins. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.

For the Glaze:

Melt butter on medium low heat, add maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix well. Add powdered sugar and mix until dissolved. Allow glaze to cool for 10 minutes before pouring over cake.

Putting it Together:

Using a fork, poke holes all over the cake. Pour the glaze overtop.

Allow to cool, cut and enjoy.

Raspberry White Chocolate Muffins

June 16, 2019April 19, 2019 ~ Max ~ Leave a comment

These muffins are based on The Best Blueberry Muffins from just over a year ago.

This recipe is originally from Smitten Kitchen. I changed the flavours to make this raspberry white chocolate (a delicious combination)

NOTE: Don’t worry about the dough being too thick, it is supposed to be (similar to cookie dough) and feel free to use frozen blueberries.

I used made this without muffin liners this time to try and get a nice over filled muffin top, which to be honest, I don’t recommend! Try the fluted muffin liners from the original recipe.

Ingredients:

1 stick and 2 tbsp (10 tbsp) butter, melted
1 cup sugar
zest of 1 lemon
1 and 1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups raspberries (I used frozen)
1 cup white chocolate chips
12 tsp turbinado sugar (sugar in the raw)

Directions:

Heat oven to 375˚F and line a muffin tin with 12 liners.

Put melted butter, sugar, zest, sour cream and eggs in a bowl and mix well.

Add baking powder, baking soda, salt and flour, mix well.

Fold in raspberries and white chocolate.

Divide batter between muffin cups (let it be a lot) and add 1 tsp turbinado sugar to the top of each muffin.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until the tops are perfect, crunchy and golden brown.

These freeze very well and are a great go to muffin recipe. Serve to a crowd or throw them in your lunch to brighten up your day.

Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread

May 19, 2019April 19, 2019 ~ Max ~ Leave a comment

This recipe is a little different from the usual. I’ve been making cornbread for a couple years now as a delicious pairing to chilli. It’s crispy on the outside and crumbly on the inside, made perfect by using a cast iron skillet. Give it a try as an addition to chilli or another side dish. I made this non-dairy so it could be more versatile.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup almond milk
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp kosher salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup unsalted margarine, melted
1 tsp vegetable oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425˚F. Place 9 inch was iron skillet in oven to warm it.

Mix almond milk and cornmeal – let soak for 10 minutes.

Mix flour, baking powder, salt in large bowl.

Add cornmeal and almond milk mixture, eggs, and melted margarine. Mix until smooth.

Remove skillet and pour vegetable oil into the skillet. Brush around with a silicon brush or paper towel.

Pour batter into skillet and bake for 18-20 minutes.

Homemade No-Rise Donuts

January 27, 2019January 5, 2019 ~ Max ~ Leave a comment

I made these for a holiday party and they were a huge hit. Simple to make, don’t take time to rise and are lightly fried instead of deep fried. These will be a go to favourite that remind you of a classic bakery donut. Special thanks to VLK for being the master frier and helping make these donuts.

This recipe comes directly from Bigger Bolder Baking and is completely unchanged. It worked perfectly completely unchanged (I successfully doubled it)

Ingredients

For the donuts:

3 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup melted butter
2 eggs
vegetable oil for frying (I used Grapeseed oil)

For the Glaze:

Chocolate:
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Vanilla:
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
3 tbsp milk
1 1/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Cinnamon Sugar:
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp cinnamon

Directions:

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl combine buttermilk, melted butter and eggs. Mix well and add to dry ingredients

Whisk or combine dough using your hands and transferred to a lightly floured work surface. Roll out the dough to be approximately 1/2 inch thick.

Heat 1 inch of oil in a large frying pan. Should take 5-7 mins to heat on medium low.

Prepare glazes (as instructed below)

Using a 1 large and 1 small circle cookie cutter (size of your choice) cut out donuts.

Place donut (and donut hole) in the frying pan for approx. 2 minutes per side or until golden brown. Once flipped and fried on the other side remove from pan and place on rack to cool.

Glaze donut. For chocolate glaze one side, and vanilla and cinnamon sugar glaze both sides.

These keep well in a container for a day. They are best served immediately.

For the Glazes:

Chocolate: Combine powdered sugar and cocoa powder in a bowl. Add milk and vanilla extract. Mix well.

Vanilla: Combine powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract. Mix well.

Cinnamon Sugar: Combine sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.

Carrot Oat Muffins

December 9, 2018December 5, 2018 ~ Max ~ Leave a comment

This recipe is originally from Canadian Living. I altered it to be made in one bowl in the food processor and non-dairy. This muffin is easy to make, and a nice lighter alternative to carrot muffins found in coffee shops. These also make a great grab and go breakfast.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup salt
1 cup milk (almond milk if non-dairy)
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large carrot, grated

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375˚F.

In the bowl of a food processor with a blade attachment, mix dry ingredients (flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt).

Add milk, egg, oil, and vanilla.

Mix well.

Switch blade attachment for the medium size grater. Grate the carrot into the mixture.

Mix with a spatula.

Divide into 12 lined muffin tins (about 1/4 cup each).

Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with oats and turbinado sugar (raw sugar)

Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

This recipe makes 12 muffins. They freeze well and can be stored in the freezer for 3 months, or an airtight container for two days.

It can also be made as a loaf (bake 35-45 minutes)

Apple Pear Crisp

November 25, 2018November 21, 2018 ~ Max ~ 1 Comment

With winter arriving in the form of snowstorms, it is time to swap the peaches and blueberries for apples and pears.

This topping recipe is thanks to my friend EG. It is delicious, but can be swapped with the version from the Peach Blueberry Crisp. Special thanks to LR for her help making this and cutting the apples and pears perfectly.

Ingredients:

For The Fruit Base:

4-5 apples (I used Granny Smith)
4 pears (I used Bosc)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

For the Topping:

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup butter, cut into small pieces
1/8-1/4 cup melted butter