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.

Special Shavuot Edition: Dulce De Leche Cheesecake Squares

June 6, 2019June 6, 2019 ~ Marvin ~ Leave a comment

This easy to make, delicious caramel flavoured cheesecake is sure to impress.

Ingredients:

CRUST:

2 1/2 cups finely ground graham crackers
3 tbsp. granulated sugar
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¾ cup coconut oil (or 1 stick butter, melted)

FILLING:

3 8-oz. bricks light cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup dulce de leche (store bought)
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

GLAZE:

2/3 cup dulce de leche
2-3 tbsp heavy whipping cream/Nutriwhip

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9-x13-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and cinnamon until well combined. Drizzle the coconut oil over the crumb mixture and pulse until it resembles wet sand. Transfer the batter to the pan and bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool.

Reduce oven temperature to 325F.

Cube the cream cheese and place it in the cleaned bowl of the food processor. Process until creamy and smooth, scraping down the bowl as necessary. Add the sugar and process again. Add the eggs, one at a time, blending after each addition.

Add the dulce de leche and vanilla and process until well combined.

Spread batter evenly over cooled crust.

Fill a small glass bowl with boiling water and place in the oven beside the baking pan (acts as a water bath and reduces cracking). Bake until just set in center and edges are puffed and slightly cracked, about 30 minutes.

Turn the oven off and prop the door open for 15 more minutes before removing the cake allowing it to cool to room temperature.

Warm dulce de leche and 3 tbsp cream until melted. Stir to blend, adding more cream by teaspoonfuls if too thick to pour. Pour glaze over cooled cheesecake; spread evenly. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until ready to serve.

Funfetti Cake with Vanilla Buttercream and Cookies and Cream Frosting

October 28, 2018July 31, 2018 ~ Max ~ 1 Comment

So.. you have a celebration coming up and don’t know what to bake? Well, We’ve got you covered. This cake is perfect, and is sure to impress a crowd. This comes from Sugar Spun Run and was a little more complicated to make, but well with the effort. Also – a tip for you, don’t double this recipe because it will not fit in your electric mixer. I learned that the hard way.

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

1 stick + 1 tbsp butter, softened
3 cups sugar
1 cup canola or grapeseed oil
4 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
4 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup milk
9 egg whites (use the package of egg whites)
1/2 cup sprinkles

For the Frosting:

1.5 cups butter, softened (3 sticks)
6 cups powdered sugar
1-2 tbsp milk
2 tbsp heavy cream
8-10 oreos, crushed

Directions:

For the Cake:

Preheat oven to 350˚F and spray 3 8 inch round pans with canola oil spray.

Cream butter.

Add sugar and oil and mix until well-combined and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add in vanilla.

In a separate bowl combine flour , baking powder and salt.

Alternate adding flour and milk.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk egg whites until they form stiff peaks.

Fold into batter with sprinkles.

Pour evenly into three pans.

Bake for 35-45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean and cakes are light golden brown.

Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting.

For the Frosting:

In bowl of electric mixer cream butter and slowly add powdered sugar. If too thick, add milk.

Transfer out 3/4 of icing into a separate bowl.

Add heavy cream and crushed Oreos. Mix well

Putting it Together:

Trim the edges of the cake to ensure that they are all the same size.

Place a little bit of icing on the bottom to hold the cake in place.

Place the first layer down. Put a layer of cookies and cream icing on top. Place the second layer down. Put another layer of cookies and cream icing. Put the third layer on top.

Cover in a thin layer of the plain icing.

Freeze for 15 minutes. Add another layer of icing on top and smooth with an icing spatula.

Pumpkin Pecan White Chocolate Biscotti

September 30, 2018July 2, 2018 ~ Max ~ Leave a comment

I have to admit, I over-baked these a little (you can tell from the colour) but dip them in your morning coffee or a glass of milk and they are perfect!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp butter
1 1/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup white chocolate chips, separated