FUNFETTI CAKE

Is there anything more fun than funfetti cake? I have yet to meet a child (or adult or that matter) that does not love to see multi-colored sprinkles inside their cake. I made this cake for our annual First Day of School dinner party. I always make a big deal about going back to school. I feel like going to back to school is almost like a new calendar year. New beginnings, new routines, and a fresh start. I think that making a big deal about going back to school lets your children know that it is a really big deal. Almost every year, William requests spaghetti and meatballs. I always make a cake, but every year, I do change it up. This cake was a huge hit.

2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
4 egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 stick butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon lemon extract
3/4 cup rainbow sprinkles

Marshmallow Buttercream (plus a teaspoon of lemon extract)

Sift together cake four, baking powder, and salt.

Whisk together buttermilk and egg whites.

Put the sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of the mixer and rub it together with your fingers. Dorie says to do this, so I do.

Add the butter and beat together until creamy, 3 minutes.

Add the lemon extract.

Add 1/3 of the flour mixture.

Add 1/2 of the buttermilk mixture. Repeat until all of the ingredients are added.Add the sprinkles and fold until combined.

Pour batter into 8 or 9-inch pans that have been sprayed with cooking spray with flour. Bake at 350 degree for 30 to 35 minutes.

Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out and cool completely.

Ice with frosting. I used my Marshmallow Buttercream with lemon extract instead of vanilla bean.

Slice and enjoy!

Funfetti Cake

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups cake flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 4 egg whites
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1 stick butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• 3/4 cup rainbow sprinkles
Marshmallow Buttercream (plus a teaspoon of lemon extract)

Instructions

1. Sift together cake four, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together buttermilk and egg whites.
2. Put the sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of the mixer and rub it together with your fingers. Dorie says to do this, so I do. Add the butter and cream together until creamy, 3 minutes. Add the lemon extract. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture. Add 1/2 of the buttermilk mixture. Repeat until all of the ingredients are added. Add the sprinkles and fold until combined.
3. Pour batter into 8 or 9-inch pans that have been sprayed with cooking spray with flour. Bake at 350 degree for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out and cool completely.
4. Ice with frosting. I used my Marshmallow Buttercream with lemon extract instead of vanilla bean.

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Shelly's Pancake Bites

Shelly's Pancake Bites

Shelly's Pancake Bites

1/2 cup Multigrain Pancake Mix, dry
1/3 cup Soy Milk (any milk would do)
1/4 cup Torani Sugar Free Caramel Syrup
Assorted Toppings: Cooked Sausage, Crumbled Cooked Bacon, Fruit (I used frozen blueberries but banana slices or apples are yum too)

Mix pancake mix, milk, syrup together till thoroughly combined. Pour batter into a non-stick 12 cup mini muffin tinthat has been sprayed with Pam. Fill about 3/4 way up.

Top each muffin with sausage, bacon or fruit. Make all one flavor or a combo. If you set the ingredients out family members and whippersnappers can make their own... banana blueberry bacon surprise.

Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes or until golden. Serve with warmed Sugar Free Maple Syrup. 

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Chocolate Peanut Butter cake

Chocolate Peanut Butter cake

I first blogged this recipe a few years ago after dubbing it the Ultimate Chocolate Cake. That claim then got validated when this very recipe won the title for SA’s Best Chocolate Cake in one of our local glossy magazines. And since then it’s been a constant at many of our family birthdays and events. It’s a guaranteed way to impress your guests.

The cake is incredibly rich and dark filled with chocolate and peanut butter flavours which are complimented by the faint hint of coffee. The coffee is something I wouldn’t dream of leaving out of this recipe because it  makes the chocolate taste more chocolatey and it makes the peanut butter taste nuttier all while not overpowering either of them. Just incredible. I also decided to add a bit of pistachio praline to the filling of this cake to add some crunch but this is completely optional. Top this cake with a delectable fudgy frosting and you have a cake to swoon for.

RECIPES AND IMAGES FROM MY NEW BOOK, COOK FROM THE HEART – FOOD FOR EVERY MOOD. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter cake

 

Prep time

45 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 45 mins

 

Recipe type: Cake, Baking,

Serves: 10

Ingredients

for the cake

• 400g sugar
• 275g flour
• 50g cocoa powder
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 250ml buttermilk
• 100g butter, melted
• 250ml strong, hot black coffee
• 150g smooth peanut butter

for the icing

• 100g butter, room temperature
• 100g dark chocolate
• 50g cocoa powder
• 400g icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons strong coffee

for the pistachio praline

• 225g caster sugar
• 50ml water
• 100g salted pistachios

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°c and grease and line 2x20cm cake tins with butter and baking paper.
2. Sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl.
3. In a jug, combine the eggs, buttermilk and melted butter and mix well.
4. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix well.
5. Dissolve the peanut butter into the hot coffee and pour into the cake batter and mix well.
6. Divide the batter between the prepare pans and place in the pre-heated oven.
7. Allow to bake for 30-35 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before removing from the tins.
9. To make the icing, melt the chocolate then beat with the butter until well combined.
10. Sift in the icing sugar and cocoa powder and beat until light and fluffy.
11. Add the coffee and mix well.
12. To make the praline, bring the water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, whisking over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Turn the heat up and allow to boil, washing down the sides of the pot with a pastry brush and clean water to prevent the syrup from crystallising.
13. In the meantime, line a baking tray with baking paper and place the pistachios on top.
14. When the syrup has reached a deep amber colour (approximately 10 minutes of cooking), pour it over the pistachios.
15. Allow the praline to cool completely and harden before blitzing in a food processor to create the pistachio praline.
16. Spread a little of the icing onto one of the cakes followed by some of the pistachio praline then place the other cake on top, then using the rest of the icing, cover and decorate the entire cake.
17. Serve.

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Blueberry Vanilla Muffins

These light and airy muffins are the perfect way to start your mornings, loaded with plump, juicy blueberries and extra vanilla goodness!

I hope you all had a great 3 day weekend. Jason and I made a short trip up north past Sacramento to take a look at one of the puppies we are going to adopt. Yes, we are expectant corgi parents! I’ve been trying to keep it under wraps but with a face like this, how could you keep it to yourself?

This little guy definitely made his way to my iPhone home screen, and every time I see his cute little face, my heart melts just a little bit. He’s only 6 weeks old right now but we’ll be able to take him home at the 9 week mark. It’s only 3 weeks away but this may just be the longest 3 weeks of my life! But before I go on and on and on about my new love for this puppy, let’s talk muffins.

I’m pretty sure you’ve all had a blueberry muffin. It’s pretty much one of those standard muffins, whether you pick one up at the grocery store, at Starbucks, or those massive Costco-ones. I’ve made several blueberry muffins myself – from a granola topping to ablueberry jam swirl.

But this one here – this may just be my favorite blueberry muffin creation yet. There’s nothing really fancy going on here except for one very special ingredient – vanilla bean paste. You can find this either at Williams-Sonoma or Amazon.com. I prefer the latter because I’m too lazy to leave the house and with Amazon Prime, everything gets to your door in 2 business days. But I digress.

Now these muffins – they’re loaded with juicy, plump blueberries in the most light and fluffy muffin just blooming with vanilla goodness. And with a sprinkling of sparkling sugar on top, you get a nice crunch every time you take a bite into these. They’re perfect for breakfast-on-the-go or even as a snack when you need to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Either way, just be prepared to have at least 3 of these muffins in a single serving – you won’t be able to stop at just one!

BLUEBERRY VANILLA MUFFINS

Prep Time15 minutes

Cook Time20 minutes

Total Time35 minutes

Yield12 muffins

These light and airy muffins are the perfect way to start your mornings, loaded with plump, juicy blueberries and extra vanilla goodness!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
• 1 cup blueberries
• 2 tablespoons sparkling sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners or coat with nonstick spray; set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
• In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, sugar, butter and egg. Stir in vanilla bean paste. Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir using a rubber spatula just until moist. Add blueberries and gently toss to combine.
• Scoop the batter evenly into the muffin tray. Sprinkle with sparkling sugar. Place into oven and bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

NOTES

Adapted from Will Cook for Smiles

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