Kate

If you like these sweet potato buns you should check out:

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls
Sweet Potato Meringue Pie
Pumpkin Yeast Bread
Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread
Cheesy Dinner Rolls

Sweet Potato Buns

These sweet potato buns are soft and chewy and barely sweet from the sweet potatoes!

Author: Kate Wood adapted from King Arthur Flour
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 25
Total Time: 240
Yield: 12 1x
Category: Bread

Scale

Ingredients

¾ cup (180 gm) lukewarm water
6 tablespoons (85 gm) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3 large eggs, divided
1 cup (250 gm) mashed sweet potato, cooled (no added ingredients!)
2 cups (275 gm) bread flour
2–1/2 cups (340 gm) all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2–1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
3 tablespoons sesame seeds, optional

Instructions

Combine the water, butter, TWO eggs, the sweet potato, bread, flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer. Mix to combine the ingredients. Switch to a dough hook and knead on medium speed for 4 minutes, adding a tablespoon or two of flour as needed (you can also knead by hand). This is a really soft and sticky dough, but it shouldn’t be so thin that you’re able to pour it. Once kneaded, put the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel, and allow to rise in a warm spot of the kitchen for about an hour and 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.
Once doubled, dump the dough onto a generously floured surface and portion into 12 equal-sized rounds.To form the rolls, see the video link in the text of the above post. Smooth the sides of each rolls, making the tops of each bun tight and smooth. Spread out on a lightly greased cookie sheet and cover again with plastic wrap or tea towel. Allow to rise and puff, about 45 minutes, while you preheat the oven to 350.
Once risen, lightly beat the remaining egg and combine it with a teaspoon of water. Use a basting brush to lightly brush each top with the egg wash and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Bake in the preheated oven about 23-25 minutes or until the tops are golden and the internal temp registers at 180. Allow to cool and enjoy!

If you like this banana bread cake you should try:

Caramelized Banana Pudding
Banana Crumb Cake
Bananas Foster Cinnamon Rolls
Banana Cream Pie Cake
Banana Coconut Chocolate Cream Pie

Banana Bread Cake

This banana bread cake is served with a fluffy peanut butter whipped cream and can be made for dessert or breakfast!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 60
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 10 Servings 1x
Category: Cake

Scale

Ingredients

For the cake:

¾ cup mashed ripe bananas (from about 2 large bananas)
2 tablespoons white vinegar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1–1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1–1/2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup whole milk

For the whipped cream:

1 cup heavy whipping cream
¼ cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (see notes)

For garnish:

Crumbled peanut butter cookies (like Nutter Butters), peanut granola, or chopped honey roasted peanuts

Instructions

To prepare the cake:

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Lightly grease a 9” springform pan and line the bottom of it with a sheet of parchment paper.
In a small bowl, combine the mashed bananas and vinegar. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until pale, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and extract and beat on low just to combine. Add in half of the flour as well as the baking soda and salt and stir on low until almost combined. Add half of the milk and stir to combine. Repeat this process to incorporate the remaining flour and milk. Do not overmix. Fold in the banana mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 1 hour. Allow to cool completely prior to topping with whipped cream.

To prepare the whipped cream:

Come all of the ingredients in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and whip on medium speed until fluffy, medium peaks form in the bowl. If you plan to serve and eat all of the cake at once, go ahead and top the cake with the whipped cream and garnish as desired, otherwise, I recommend just cutting slices and serving with whipped cream as you eat it. Cake is best eaten within 2 days.

Notes

You can add extra peanut butter for a more intense flavor- this is totally optional!
See text in blog post for pan options!

Mocha Brownie Ice Cream Cake

Leave a Comment / Cookies, Frozen Desserts

We need more hope. With all the loss, worry, loneliness, and inconvenience that riddles this new world we’re in, we need something of substance to set our hearts on. What are those positive truths, the bits of foundational goodness, swishing around your brain? What are the gentle reminders you can post at the forefront of your mind and hold onto when things feel uncertain?. I’ll be honest- I’m really grasping for straws here lately. I’ve discovered so much sweetness while sifting through the unfamiliar minutes of this time, but I also find myself intensely ready for a change of scenery. I want time to create and be still and to absorb the sound of my own thoughts. This is hard stuff we’re working through. I’ve seen so many blessings and rich opportunities coming out from the ashes of what was, but I also feel the weight of it all. It’s uncomfortable and foreign, and whether you’re celebrating the beauty of it all or seriously struggling, I want you to know that I hear you. Solidarity, y’all.

So here’s my social distanced hug- a smidge of love from one human to another. A reminder that we haven’t shared our last meal with friends or hired our last babysitter for a night out with our spouses. We haven’t walked into an office or stadium or church for the last time, and it won’t be long until we shake hands with colleagues or bump shoulders with strangers. We’ll soon be reminded of the smell of our best friend’s hair and our child’s classroom. My word to you this morning is the same one I hound myself with daily: this is all going to be okay. Our hope isn’t in a vaccine or a can of Lysol- we have so much more to set our sights on. Be gentle with yourself in the coming days and know you’ve got a friend here. And this friend just so happens to want to serve you mocha brownie ice cream cake.

I made this cake forever ago and have been waiting for warmer weather in which to share it. It stays ice cream weather in Alabama, but I totally get that my friends in Canada, Michigan, and wherever else are maybe not so keen on frozen desserts when it’s frozen outside. So here it is finally: a no-churn ice cream cake layered with brownies, sweet espresso-flavored cream, and a simple make-ahead method that literally anyone can do. It’s super easy, and I can’t wait for you to try it for yourself.

To make this mocha brownie ice cream cake, we start with our brownies. Eggs and sugar combine with butter, cocoa, and flour and are baked in a pan. Once cooled, prep your no-churn ice creams by whipping cream and sweetened condensed milk together Cocoa powder is added is added to the chocolate and espresso powder is dissolved into the coffee ice cream. Chocolate chips or bits are folded into the coffee ice cream and then the cake gets assembled. I decided to make my cake in a loaf pan. This means I ended up with an extra batch of brownies (save that stuff for later!), but it’s also super simple. I’ve also provided instructions for making a larger cake in a 9″ springform pan. Either works great!

This mocha brownie ice cream cake is a great treat for these warming days. Aren’t you so excited for a new season, like, in every sense of the phrase? Hang in there, keep calm, and make cake, okay? Happy Thursday, friends!

If you like this mocha brownie ice cream cake you should try:

Mocha Macarons
Jamocha Popsicles
Mocha Cookies
Hazelnut Mocha Cream Pie
No-Churn Mocha Brownie Fudge Ice Cream

Mocha Brownie Ice Cream Cake

This mocha brownie ice cream cake is layered with homemade brownies and two flavors of no-churn ice cream!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 45
Total Time: 360
Yield: 9 Servings 1x
Category: Dessert

Scale

Ingredients

For the brownie (see notes for shortcut):

4 large eggs
1 cup sugar, sifted
1 cup brown sugar, sifted
8 ounces melted butter (2 sticks)
1 1/4 cups cocoa, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the ice cream:

2 cups heavy whipping cream
2–1/2 teaspoons espresso powder or instant coffee
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 ounces finely chopped semisweet chocolate or mini chocolate chips
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cake topping:

1 cup crushed chocolate sandwich cookies
Either 1–8 ounce container of non-dairy whipped topping (Cool Whip) or
1 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

To prepare the brownies:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and spray your pan with baking spray. These brownies can be prepared in an 8” square/round pan, or, to prepare a loaf shaped ice cream cake as I did in my photos, bake in two bread loaf pans.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar and beat to combine, about 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients and stir on low until combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s) and bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. For an 8” pan, this will take about 40-45 minutes, and for two loaf pans, it will take about 20-25 minutes. Allow the brownies to cool completely before assembling the cake. You can speed up this process by cooling them in the fridge, or by preparing the day before.

To prepare the coffee ice cream:

Pour 1 cup of the heavy cream into a large bowl and sprinkle in the espresso powder. Stir and allow to dissolve, about 5 minutes. Add half (7 ounces) of the sweetened condensed milk to the mixing bowl beat the mixture until stiff peaks form. Fold in the chocolate and set aside in the fridge while you make the remaining elements.

To prepare the chocolate ice cream:

Pour half (7 ounces) of the sweetened condensed milk to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the cocoa powder and vanilla and beat until well combined and no lumps remain. Add the remaining one cup of the heavy whipping cream and beat the mixture until stiff peaks form. Set aside in the fridge while you prepare the remaining elements.

To prepare the cake topping:

In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl, whip the cream on low speed until it is frothy. Increase speed to high, beating until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and the extract and beat until stiff peaks form. Set aside until ready to assemble cake.

To assemble the cake:

Line a loaf pan or an 8” springform pan with plastic wrap, leaving several inches worth of wrap extending over the sides. This will make the removal process easier.
If preparing in a loaf pan, spread the coffee ice cream evenly over the bottom of the pan. Top with a layer of brownie (see notes). Spread the chocolate ice cream over top and smooth out. Cover with a layer of plastic wrap and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight, if possible. When ready to frost, remove the cake from the pan to a serving dish. Peel off all the plastic wrap and cover with whipped cream or topping. Drizzle the ganache over top and allow to freeze for 2-4 hours or until frozen solid, if desired. Alternatively, you can serve immediately, but keep in mind the hot ganache may melt the cake some. Serve frozen and keep covered with plastic wrap and foil to maintain freshness for up to a week.
If you want to prepare the cake in a round springform pan, I recommend layering as follows: brownies, coffee ice cream, chocolate ice cream. Then freeze your cake and frost with whipped cream as desired. Really you can assemble the cake in any manner you like, but the cake is easiest to cut when the brownies are toward the bottom.

Notes

Feel free to use boxed brownies or store-bought prepared brownies. I prefer Ghiradelli Dark Chocolate Brownie mix when using boxed brownies. Just remove the big chocolate chips from the powder mix before stirring together as the chocolate chips can make the brownie hard to cut once frozen.
I recommend preparing your brownies in the pan you plan to assemble the cake in so that the brownie is the same size as the cake. However, you can also crumble your prepared brownies into the cake. It won’t make a difference on the final outcome of the cake.

Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits

If you like these cinnamon raisin biscuits you should try:

Raisin Swirl Bread
Cinnamon Swirl Scones
Breakfast Danish
Honey Nut Biscuits
Maple Oatmeal Biscuits

Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits

These cinnamon raisin biscuits have a swirl layered throughout and a sweet butter glaze on top. Serve warm for a flaky Southern-style treat!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 20
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 12 1x
Category: Breakfast

Scale

Ingredients

For the biscuits:

2 cups (280 gm) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (50 gm) sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
4 ounces cream cheese
¼ cup (55 gm) unsalted butter, cold
2/3 cup cold buttermilk
½ cup raisins

For the filling:

2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

For the topping:

2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
1–1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

To make the biscuits:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Use the back of a fork or a pastry cutter to cut in the cream cheese and butter until large, pea-sized clumps exist throughout. Stir in raisins and then add the buttermilk, stirring to combine. Dump the shaggy dough out onto a floured surface and used floured hands to gently pat the dough out into a 1” rectangle. Fold the dough in thirds like a letter and then pat it out again into 1” thickness. Combine the sugar and the cinnamon for the filling and sprinkle half of it on the dough. Fold the dough in thirds again and sprinkle more filling. Fold once more and then pat the dough out into a 1” thick rectangle. Use a 2” biscuit cutter to cut out rounds of dough. Gently combine the scraps and then pat out that mixture to 1” thick again. Cut out additional rounds. Space the rounds out on a cookie sheet and bake for about 18 minutes or until the tops are puffed and turning almost golden. You may need to rotate the pan towards the end of baking if one size is darkening faster than the other. Allow the biscuits to cool briefly while you prepare the topping.

To prepare the topping:

Whisk together the ingredients in a small bowl. Rewarm as needed and add a tablespoon or more or milk to get the icing a smooth, spreadable consistency. Smooth a dollop on each biscuit and serve immediately! Biscuits are best eaten on day one and served warm.

Lavender Cake with Lemon Curd

If you like this lavender cake you should try:

Lemon Lavender Cookies
Lemon Lavender Icebox Cake
Lemon Berry Crumb Cake
Blueberry Lemon Bars
Lemon Olive Oil Pie

Lavender Cake with Lemon Curd

This lavender cake with creamy lemon curd and vanilla buttercream comes from Amy Ho’s new book, “Blooms and Baking.”

Author: Amy Ho
Prep Time: 45
Cook Time: 40
Total Time: 180
Yield: 1 Cake 1x
Category: Dessert

Scale

Ingredients

For the lemon curd:

1/3 cup (80 mL) fresh lemon juice
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, cubed

For the lavender Cake

3 cups (360 gm) all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon culinary-grade dried lavender ground
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
2/3 cup full-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1–3/4 granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature

For the vanilla buttercream:

1–1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 to 4-1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 to 4 tablespoons whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Flowers of choice, for decorating

Instructions

Make the creamy lemon curd. Whisk together the lemon juice, eggs, egg yolk, granulated sugar, and salt in a large nonmetal bowl (e.g. glass or porcelain). Place the bowl over a small pot of simmering water, making sugar the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Heat the mixture ,whisking constantly, until it starts to thicken, 5 to 7 minutes. The lemon curd should be thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. Once the lemon curd has thickened, remove the bowl from the double boiler and allow the curd to cool for 10 minutes. Add the butter, one cube at a time, and whisk constantly until all the butter has been combined. Strain the curd through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any clumps. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the curd and transfer the bowl to the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, until the curd is fully chilled.
Make the lavender cake. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease three 6” round cake pans, line them with parchment paper, and set them aside.
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, lavender, and salt. Set the flour mixture aside.
In a medium measuring cup, combine the milk, sour cream, and vanilla. Set the milk mixture aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until it is creamy, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and beat the ingredients for about 1 minutes, until the mixture if fluffy and pale in color. While the mixer is running, add the eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, making sure each egg is incorporated before adding the next. Stop the mixer and add half of the flour mixture and half of the milk mixture. Mix on low until the ingredients are just incorporated. Add the remainder of the flour mixture and the milk mixture and mix until they are just combined with the egg mixture, about 45 seconds.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans. Bake the cakes for 34 to 36 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean. Cool the cakes on a wire rack for about 15 minutes before removing the cakes from their pans to cool completely.
Make the vanilla buttercream. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until it is creamy, about 1 minute. With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Add the milk and vanilla. Beat the buttercream at high speed until it is fluffy, about 3 minutes. Transfer 1 cup of the buttercream to a pastry ag fitted with a large round piping tip.
To assemble the cake, trim off the tops of the cake layers with a serrated knife if the tops are rounded. Place the first layer of the cake on a cake stand or plate. Pipe a ring of vanilla buttercream around the top of the cake layer. Fill the center with some of the chilled lemon curd. Place the second layer of cake on top of the first and repeat this process, topping the second layer of filling with the third cake layer. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remainder of the buttercream. Decorate with flowers of choice.

Mini Cinnamon Rolls

If you like these mini cinnamon rolls you should try:

Chocolate Sweet Rolls
Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
Hazelnut Cinnamon Rolls
Swedish Cinnamon Rolls
Bananas Foster Cinnamon Rolls
Gingerbread Cinnamon ROlls

Mini Cinnamon Rolls

These mini cinnamon rolls have two filling and frosting options and can be made in advance or overnight to serve a crowd!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 30
Total Time: 240
Yield: 40 1x
Category: Pastry

Scale

Ingredients

For the dough:

1/2 cup (120 gm) milk, lukewarm
2 tablespoons water, lukewarm
1/2 tablespoon active dry yeast
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted but not too hot
1 large egg
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons sugar
1–1/2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup bread flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the filling:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons brown sugar

For the frosting (see notes for glaze alternative):

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup (55 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (115 gm) powdered sugar
2+ tablespoons of milk

Instructions

To prepare the dough:

In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, combine the milk and water and sprinkle the yeast over top of it. Allow the yeast to dissolve, about 5 minutes. Stir in the butter, egg, and brown sugar, and sugar until smooth. In a small bowl, combine the flour, bread flour, and salt. Dump about half of the dry ingredients into the yeast mixture and stir until combined. Pour in the remaining dry ingredients and knead in the bowl using the dough hook attachment until smooth and slightly tacky, about 7 minutes. If you notice your dough isn’t pulling away from the sides of the bowl or it’s too wet, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a little dough “tornado” around the dough hook. Once done kneading, place the dough into a large lightly greased bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap to double in size, about 1-1/2 hours.
Once the dough has risen, dump it out onto a lightly floured surface and cut it in half. Use a rolling pin to roll one half into a large rectangle about 6”x22” in size. Pour the melted butter and spread it out over top. Combine the cinnamon and brown sugar and sprinkle evenly over the buttered dough. Starting with one of the long ends, tightly roll the dough from end to end and pinch the edges together to seal. Cut the dough into about 20- 1” sections and lay them out pop each on spiral up in a lightly greased mini muffin tin. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise again, about 40 minutes.
In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Once preheated, bake in the oven for about 15-17 minutes or until the edges are barely golden and the internal temp of a roll is 190 degrees. Remove from the oven and prepare your frosting.

To prepare the frosting:

Cream the cream cheese and butter in large bowl at medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar and milk and beat to combine. Add additional milk to thin out the frosting or more powdered sugar to thicken it. You can also gently warm the frosting to pour over the rolls as a glaze. Cinnamon rolls are best enjoyed warm.

Notes

As an alternative to the, you can spread a thin layer of Nutella and proceed with the instructions.
As an alternative to the thick frosting, you can make a glaze for the rolls by combining 2 cups confectioner’s sugar with ¼ cup milk and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Dip the tops of each warm roll into the glaze and allow to set up.
You can make these overnight by putting the freshly spiraled cinnamon rolls into the fridge overnight and baking first thing in the morning!

Java Chip Muffins

8 Comments / Bread

In the three minutes since I sat down to write to you all, I’ve peeled someone’s banana, dissolved an argument, tended to one whining baby, and tied four shoes. Apparently toddlers don’t know the meaning of social distancing? Bless. Listen, I understand that I am the last person on earth that should be complaining. After all, I’m a work-from-home mom and get to be quarantined in the country with the 4 people I love most in this world. But the other day, my kids asked when the germs would be gone so they could see their friends, and I totally commiserate. We need some new faces. A changes of scenery. If this period of time has taught me anything, it is to be wholeheartedly grateful for the million and one things I take for granted on a normal basis, and that includes personal space. Sign me up for some of that, Dr. Fauci.

But enough about me- let’s talk about you. Are you still working? Are you primarily home? Did you pick up a new hobby, start a new book, or finish that show you’ve been binging? Have you given up on washing your hair? We’ve gotten into a decent routine of school, crafts, outdoor playtime, and work, and while some of this change has been hard, there’s also been some really fun parts. Case in point: these java chip muffins. I’ll be honest- I’ve baked like 6 batches in the past few weeks. My kids devour them almost immediately, and since food pyramids don’t count in a quarantine, I keep letting them. These java chip muffins are like a sassy grown up chocolate chip muffin, and man, they are good.

So to make these java chip muffins, we literally need one bowl. That’s it! The batter comes together with melted butter, sugar, an egg, and flour. Vanilla and espresso powder add flavor, and chocolate chips are folded in for extra oomph. The kicker here is the streusel. Mannnn, it is GOOD. Brown sugar, butter, and espresso meet a smidge of flour and salt to make a crumbly topping that adds extra flavor and texture to these toothy muffins. If you’re the person that’s like, “Man, I could really use an extra jolt of coffee this morning,” these muffins are going to be the bomb for you.

I hope you guys are doing well in light of all that is happening in the world. This will pass! We will arrive to a new normal, and my bet is it’s going to be good. Hugs to you from afar, and please, for the love, make these java chip muffins. You’re going to love them.

Java Chip Muffins

These java chip muffins are stuffed with chocolate chips, scented with espresso, and topped with a coffee streusel.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 20
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 12 1x
Category: Breakfast

Scale

Ingredients

For the muffins:

½ cup (113 gm) unsalted butter, melted
¾ cup milk
1–1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
¼ cup (50 gm) sugar
¾ cup (150 gm) brown sugar
2 teaspoons espresso powder
1–3/4 cup (230 gm) all-purpose flour
2–1/2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

For the crumble:

½ cup (100 gm) brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons espresso powder
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the glaze (totally optional):

½ cup powdered sugar
2–3 tablespoons coffee

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a 12-compartment muffin tin with liners. In a large bowl, stir together the butter, milk, vanilla, and egg. Add the sugars and stir to combine. Add the espresso, flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring just to combine. Fold in the chocolate chips. Use a large cookie scoop to fill the muffin tin. Each liner will be about 2/3 of the way full.
In a separate bowl, toss together the brown sugar, flour, and espresso powder for the crumble. Use the backs of two forks to cut in the softened butter until it has pea-sized clumps throughout. Sprinkle the crumble on top of the muffin batter. Bake in the preheated oven for about 17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
In the meantime, whisk together the powdered sugar and coffee until combined. Add more coffee to thin out or more sugar to thicken to your desired consistency. Drizzle on top of the cooled muffins and enjoy!

Sausage Kale Pinwheels

2 Comments / Food & Drink

Happy Friday!! Friend, can I just tell you how awesome you are? I don’t have to know your story to know you are a prize. Life is WEIRD right now, yet here you are still perusing the internet for food inspiration. You’re still at it. Sometimes we don’t need to wait for a big milestone or breakthrough in order to acknowledge ourselves and the significance of our stories- sometimes we need to celebrate the fact that we’re still standing. WE’RE STILL STANDING, Y’ALL! So let’s celebrate with some happy things. Today I’m going to share these sausage kale pinwheels as well as a few things on the internet that have been making me smile.

What I’m Reading:

My dear friend left a pile of books in my mailbox, and it has brought me endless amounts of joy. My guilty pleasure of the moment is “Meg and Jo,” a modernized, medium-trashy version of the classic “Little Women” that tells the tale of 4 sisters growing in life and love together. If you love the original and are a fan of pointless fiction, there’s a good chance this is the mindless read you need right now. For a shorter read, check out this comical article from Bon Appetit about food etiquette in the times of social distancing. The author answers questions about eating during ZOOM meetings, hiding food from your quarantine roommates, and more.

What I’m Eating:

Besides endless pans of no-churn ice cream, I have been eating the crap out of these Mediterranean turkey burgers from The Modern Proper. Like, we make them weekly. Also, my girlfriend recently sent me this recipe for simple summer corn chowder which sounds all kinds of comforting and delicious. Don’t we need more food like that? Normally in April I’m thinking about bathing suit season and getting right for the summer, but honestly, let’s just get cozy. I want food that feels like a hug.

What I’m Watching:

We have yet to really binge on any kind of TV, but I have been filling my brain with all sorts of funny Youtube videos. John Krasinski (Yes, that’s Jim from “The Office”) has started a little video series called “Some Good News,” and on a recent episode, the cast of “Hamilton” sang the intro song to their show via a ZOOM call. I cried actual tears. It was beautiful. You should watch the episode, but especially that song… so amazing. Also this video of 5 unexpected moments in Carpool Karaoke is hilarious. Happy viewing!

Sausage Kale Pinwheels:

Chalk these guys up as your new favorite savory snack. These little scone-like pastries are filled with spicy Italian sausage, sautéed kale, and Swiss cheese. You can easily adapt them to meet your preferences and they are great for a number of meals- breakfast, afternoon snack, dinner appetizers, etc. This dough is incredibly versatile and can be used for a number of fillings, so feel free to go wild! Sausage kale pinwheels are kind of a derivation from our normal train of thought here, but we need some salty to balance out all that sweet, right? This is just the ticket. Give these a spin sometime in the coming weeks and let me know what you think! Hugs to you guys from me to you and happy baking!

If you like these sausage kale pinwheels you should try:

Tomato Olive Rolls
Kale Swiss and Sausage Quiche
Roasted Summer Vegetable Quiche
Tomato Galette

Sausage Kale Pinwheels

These sausage kale pinwheels are filled with spicy sausage and Swiss cheese. The pastry is flaky and tender and serves as a great breakfast or appetizer option!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 20
Cook Time: 20
Total Time: 60
Yield: 15 1x
Category: Appetizer

Scale

Ingredients

For the dough:

1–2/3 cups (235 g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into chunks
1/3 cup (80 gm) heavy whipping cream, cold
1 large egg, cold

For the filling:

2 teaspoons olive oil
½ pound Italian sausage (I used mild)
½ yellow onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup chopped kale
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon thyme
½ cup shredded Swiss cheese
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Baking spray or canola oil spray

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Use a pastry cutter or the back of two forks to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until pea-sized clumps are present throughout and the butter is well integrated. In a separate bowl, whisk the whipping cream and egg. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir together until a shaggy dough forms. Dump the mixture out onto the counter and knead together just until a dry dough forms- do not overwork the dough. You can add an additional 1-2 tablespoons of cream if your dough won’t come together at all. Place the dough in the fridge while you prep your filling.
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the sausage and onions and brown to perfection, breaking up the sausage as you go. Once browned, add the garlic and cook for an additional minute, stirring regularly. Add the kale, red pepper, salt, pepper, thyme, and water and cook until kale has wilted. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the dough from the fridge. Once ready to roll, lightly dust a workspace with flour and use a floured rolling pin to roll out dough to a 8″x18″ rectangle, about 1/8” thick. Toss the swiss and parmesan cheese with the sausage mixture and sprinkle it all over the dough, leaving a 1” border around the perimeter of the dough.
Starting with the widest end closest to you, begin to roll the dough somewhat tightly away from you until you reach the end. When finished rolling, pinch to seal the dough seam at the end. Slice the log into ¾” rounds and arrange them on the sheet pan. Bake in the oven until the crust is golden brown, usually about 20 minutes depending on the size of your rolls. Allow to cool slightly before consuming. Rolls are best eaten the day they’re prepared but can be reheated the following day.

Notes

Feel free to sub in another cheese! A different variety of sausage! Another green!

Marble Layer Cake

8 Comments / Cakes

It’s been an eventful few weeks. It’s okay then it’s scary, there’s nothing to do but then it’s a lot of work. Weather gets hot then cold, my kids are happy and then insane. Can we just agree that things are kinda tumultuous? The political, health, financial, and relational climate of this world is a hodgepodge right now, so it seemed fitting to share a dessert equally nutso: Marble Layer Cake. This is the dessert you go when you’re craving both chocolate and vanilla, and because it’s a slightly smaller batch recipe than I normally share here, you can feel okay about making it during these more isolated times. Let me tell you all about it.

My first experience with marble anything was at a Starbucks. I was always obsessed with their marble loaf and even shared a copycat recipe on this site a few years ago. I think a cake like this is a fun twist on a traditional chocolate or vanilla cake and makes a great alternative for the plain Janes in your life. Maybe you have a fussy eater in your house who doesn’t love fancy flavors? They’ll adore this! Maybe you’re normally an adventurous eater but you’re really just craving something that feels comforting and familiar? Again, this marble layer cake is the perfect choice. Chocolate and vanilla is always a safe choice, and let’s be honest- we could all use a little of that, right?

I’ll keep it short (and sweet!) today, but I do want to fill you in on a few recipe details. First, this makes a smallish cake. I baked my batter in a 10″ square pan, cut the cake in half, and stacked the two layers on top of one another to form a 10×5″ 2-layer cake. Alternatively, you could bake the batter in two small round pans and stack in that manner. Cakes this size are super easy to store in the freezer, so if you can’t eat it all ASAP, save the leftovers for later! Second, you can basically use whatever cocoa powder you prefer her. I used regular unsweetened, but a dark or dutch processed one would be fine too. Finally, this chocolate fudge frosting is super good, but the consistency will totally change in the fridge. I recommend serving at room temperature.

Do you have any birthdays or special occasions coming up? We can still celebrate, even in the midst of quanrantine! Give this marble layer cake a try and celebrate the people you love even if it’s from afar. Happy Tuesday and happy baking!

If you like this marble layer cake you should try:

Marble Loaf
Chocolate Cake
Black and White Cake
White Chocolate Cake

Marble Layer Cake

This marble layer cake is a chocolate and vanilla swirled cake with a rich fudge frosting. Perfect for small batch baking!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 25
Cook Time: 45
Total Time: 120
Yield: 9 Servings 1x
Category: Dessert

Scale

Ingredients

For the cake:

1/3 cup (80 gm) hot coffee or water
1/3 cup (25 gm) cocoa powder
1–1/3 cups plus 2 extra tablespoons sugar, divided
¾ cup (170 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2–1/4 cups (270 gm) cake flour
1 tablespoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons (200 gm) whole milk, at room temperature
2–1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the frosting:

1 cup (230 gm) unsalted butter
4 ounces cream cheese
2 cups (230 gm) powdered sugar
1 cup (85 gm) cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons milk

Instructions

To prepare the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 10” square pan, lining it the bottom with a cut out sheet of parchment paper. In lieu of a 10” pan you could also use two round 7” pans.
In a small bowl, stir together the coffee (or hot water) and cocoa powder as well as 2 tablespoons of sugar. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and 1-1/3 cups of sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the eggs one at a time, stirring to combine each into the butter. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add half of the flour as well as the baking powder and salt. Stir on low and then add the vanilla and half of the milk. Add the remaining cake flour and then stir in the rest of the milk. Only stir until combined. Spoon out 1/3 of the batter and fold the cocoa powder mixture into it. Begin alternating dollops of the chocolate batter and the vanilla batter into your prepared pan(s) until all of the batter has been used. Smooth the top and bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean about 30 minutes for a 10” pan or 22-ish minutes for the two round pans. Allow to cool completely prior to frosting.

To prepare the frosting:

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until combined, about 1-1/2 minutes. Add in the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, and milk, and stir on low until smooth and combined. Increase the speed briefly to fluff it up.
Trim any dome off of the top of your cake(s). If you opted to bake your cake in a single 10” pan, cut the square in half to make two equal-sized rectangles. Spread frosting on one half of the cake and then top it with the remaining rectangle. Smooth frosting over the remaining cake and enjoy!

Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream (No-Churn!)

6 Comments / Frozen Desserts

Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream by Wood and Spoon. This is a no-churn ice cream with a strawberry sauce and bits of cake throughout. The no churn base has a bit of cream cheese to enhance the flavor and the strawberry sauce is a quick stovetop drizzle with a jam consistency. Learn more about the how to make ice cream at home without an ice cream machine and what to use leftover cake scraps for with this recipe on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

There’s going to be a few haters out there- I can hear the protests now. “ICE CREAM? IN APRIL? Are we even out of winter yet?” Look, I get it. We’ve had some crummy weather, and the opportunities for ice cream desserts are few here too, but how about we all just snuggle up in some warm clothes, throw on a Jimmy Buffet record, and pretend it’s a warm summer day so that we can enjoy this strawberry shortcake ice cream? Deal? Cool, because I’m positively starving.

No-churn ice creams like this strawberry shortcake ice cream are absolutely one of my favorite things to whip up. I love being able to use everyday kitchen appliances in lieu of the bulky occasional ones that I hide in the back of my pantry. With little more than a hand mixer you can have homemade frozen treats, and no-churn ice creams are so easy that I’ve basically given up making any other varieties.

This strawberry shortcake ice cream is conveniently timed, because the mini layer cake recipe I shared a few weeks ago will leave you with an extra bit of cake scraps to work with. While developing that recipe, I couldn’t stand to throw away those delicious little crumbs and decided a cake-loaded ice cream was just the ticket. After a bit of testing, I found this recipe to be as simple as it was delicious and I am thrilled to be sharing it with you today!

If you aren’t planning to make the mini layer cakes anytime soon you can also use leftover sweet biscuits, cake doughnuts, or those cute little strawberry shortcake shells. Anything soft and sweet that you can crumble will be great. I opted to soak the cake in a little milk and simple syrup too to make those bites of cake even more flavorful, but if your cake is super moist you can skip this. As the late Biggie Smalls used to say: More Flavor, More Better.

Give this strawberry shortcake ice cream a try and let me know what you think! I’ve slowly been chipping away at the freezer-full of it I have in my own home for the past month, and I am not mad about it. I feel like we need a bite of happiness, and this is definitely the ticket. I hope you all are well, safe, and finding contentment even in these days. All my love to you!

If you like this strawberry shortcake ice cream you should try:

Rhubarb Shortcake
Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberry Shortcake Macarons
Mini Victoria Cakes
Roasted Strawberry and Buttermilk Popsicles
Strawberry Almond Skillet Cake

Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream (No-Churn!)

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

This strawberry shortcake ice cream is a no-churn treat with strawberry sauce and bits of cake throughout!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 15
Total Time: 360
Yield: 1 Quart 1x
Category: Dessert

Scale

Ingredients

For the Strawberry Sauce:

2 cups (300 gm) halved strawberries
1/3 cup (70) sugar
Pinch of salt

For the cake:

1 cup (240 gm) whole milk
2 tablespoons simple syrup
2 cups cake crumbles (I used leftover white cake that I crumbled into dime-sized clumps but you could also use leftover sweet biscuits, vanilla dessert shells, or vanilla pound cake)

For the Ice Cream:

3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
14-ounces sweetened condensed milk
2 cups (480 gm) heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

To prepare the strawberry sauce:

Combine the strawberries, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Stir regularly bringing to a simmer and begin to smash the berries with a potato masher of the backs of forks. Continue cooking to break down the berries and thicken slightly, about 5-6 minutes. Pour into a heat-safe bowl and place in the fridge to cool completely.

To prepare the cake:

Combine the milk and simple syrup in a medium-sized bowl. Toss in the cake and allow it to soak up the mixture. Set aside while you prep your ice cream.

To prepare the ice cream:

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk just until smooth. Add in the whipping cream and vanilla extract and, using the beaters of a hand mixer or the whisk attachment on a stand mixer, whip the mixture until it thickens to the consistency of medium-stiff whipped cream. Fold in the cake crumbles and begin layering the mixture your freezer-safe container (I like to use a metal loaf pan!), alternating with swirls of the strawberry sauce. Once combined, place in the fridge to freezer completely, about 6 hours. Allow to sit out for 5 minutes prior to scooping and enjoy!