Blog - Wood & Spoon

Brown Sugar Apple Bundt Cake

Posted on October 31, 2018

Happy Hump Day, you crazy baking fools. I hope you're crushing this week, so much so that you've earned yourself a slice (or three) of this brown sugar apple bundt cake.If you follow me on Instagram, you may know that last week I made a wedding cake. It wasn't my first time preparing a wedding cake, but because this was the biggest one I've made to date I was also pretty nervous. Like any cautious amateur would do, I prepared the layers a week in advance, froze them in plastic wrap, and traveled with the unassembled cakes in a sub-zero temperature car to Atlanta where the wedding was being held. Some of you are probably thinking that this is not a big deal. Maybe you think that I do this all the time or that I'm a professional cake maker. Maybe you assume that tasks like this come naturally to me...

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Pumpkin Danishes

Posted on October 25, 2018

by Kate

Pumpkin Danishes Recipe by Wood and Spoon. These are fluffy buttery pastries with a simple pumpkin filling and a brown butter glaze. Each danish is small and each batch makes enough to share with a crowd. These are flavored with fall spices and make a really special autumn breakfast baked good. Find the recipe and how to for these danishes on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood.

So you might recall that last weekend was my birthday. We spent Friday and Saturday in Birmingham with friends and family, but the actual day-of was rather standard procedure. Leading up to the day of, Aimee became fixated on preparing me breakfast in bed, and much to her delight, Brett was more than willing to help facilitate.I wish I had a picture of her face as she tiptoed into my room that morning. Aimee had filled her tiny plastic tea party tray with miniature cups of orange juice and unicorn cereal, Mickey Mouse waffles and French toast sticks. There were cinnamon rolls and fresh coffee, even a couple of cards and those neon colored daisies that they sell at the grocery store. The whole operation just screamed “ AIMEE DID THIS,” and honestly it was one of the sweetest moments of my motherhood thus far.In that moment it was clear...

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Mint Chocolate Souffles

Posted on October 19, 2018

by Kate

Mint Chocolate Souffles by Wood and Spoon blog. These are fluffy rich dark chocolate souffles with a mint creme anglais. From the Staub cookbook by Amanda Fredrickson. Served in mini cocottes or ramekins, these desserts are perfect for fancy or holiday dinner parties, birthdays and other special events. Find the how to on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

I can't tell you how antsy I have been for Friday. Just envision me with a frizzy pony tail, wearing smelly gym clothes and about half of my children's breakfast. Then envision the unsettling//crazy look in my eyes as I survey my home covered with a mess of toys, a sink full of dirty dishes, and a never-ending pile of laundry. The overwhelming mix of to-do lists and anxious sweating is the essence of who I have been this past week, so I could not be more thrilled that Friday is now here. Please, someone get me a cocktail.Admittedly, we've been busy. There's been house-building stuff to tend to, tons of bloggy content to create, and a pretty constant flow of meetings, house guests, and packing. On top of that, I made the scholarly decision to potty train George this week, and can we all just LOL at that one....

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Pumpkin Pecan Tart with Maple Whipped Cream

Posted on October 15, 2018

by Kate

Pumpkin Pecan Tart with Maple Whipped Cream by Wood and Spoon. This is a graham cracker and pecan salted crust baked and filled with a no bake pumpkin cream cheese filling. Flavored with brown sugar and cinnamon, this pie is cool but totally fall. Top the whole thing off with toasty pecans and maple whipped cream. Give this autumn dessert a try for Thanksgiving or upcoming dinner parties! Recipe by Kate wood on thewoodandspoon.com

Let's cut to the chase: it's high time that we get started on this fall thing. In the spirit of turtlenecks and jewel tones and crunchy leaves, today I'll be chatting about this super simple pumpkin pecan tart that just screams, "AUTUMN!" As a bonus, we're also going to share some recipes from a number of other bloggers who are sporting pumpkin goods on their sites today. Talk about a happy Monday, huh!?So first up is the pumpkin pecan tart. I'm all for recipes that can be thrown together in a pinch. There's something very satisfying about taking on a baking challenge, but sometimes we need a few recipes in our back pocket that taste terrific without hours of stressful work. I have a feeling that this pumpkin pecan tart will be your go-to for the fall. Let's get started with the crust. Here, we use a simple graham cracker crust...

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Brown Butter Bourbon Madeleines with Dark Chocolate Ganache and Pecans

Posted on October 9, 2018

by Kate

Brown Butter Bourbon Madeleines with Dark Chocolate Ganache and Pecans. These are buttery French cookies filled with booze, butter, and topped with decadent rich bourbon ganache. Each little treat is fluffy, like a cake meets cookie and it topped with yummy toppings. These make terrific fall treats for cocktail parties or gifts. These traditional bakes are sweet and elegant and a fun treat to learn how to make! Learn more on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood!

It's no surprise that I like desserts.I like cakes with buttery icing and cookies that leave your fingers gooey with chocolate. I like golden-crusted pies with sweet, bubbling insides. I like drippy ice cream cones, eating dough off the beaters, and pastries that leave flakes all over the kitchen, but there's still one thing that's sweeter than all of the treats in the world.In my world, it's seeing little eyes peer over the edge of the counter. It's the little hands that paw at the back of my apron, begging for a handful of marshmallows or chocolate chips. It's kissing pairs of cinnamon sugar coated lips and the look of joyful surprise on those faces when they come home to the smell of fresh baked cookies or loaves of bread. Just like with anything else we might partake in, the food we make in our kitchens is only as special as...

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Salted Maple Pie

Posted on October 3, 2018

by Kate

Salted Maple Pie by Wood and Spoon. This is a decadent chess pie recipe from Sister Pie in Detroit! Made with eggs, maple syrup, and a buttery flaky crust, this pie is a sweet and salty lover's dream! Perfect for the fall and holidays, this pie would be at home on any Thanksgiving table. Find the recipe and how to for par-baking crust and knowing when this pie is done on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate wood.

I can't claim the recipe for this salted maple pie as my own, but I love it so much that it feels like my child. This pie, straight from a brand-spanking new book called "Sister Pie" is a winning treat that your falls need. Trust me. Something I've been learning about over the last five or so years of my life is how to celebrate others. There was a period of time in my life where my own insecurity prevented me from whole-heartedly cheering on the people around me. I guess I thought that if someone else was successful, hitting milestones faster than me, or achieving things I wanted in my own life it would somehow diminish my own gifts and the good things in my life. Like someone else's advancement meant I was stuck behind. Obviously that type of mentality was gross and damaging for a number of reasons, but...

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Pecan Apple Dutch Baby

Posted on September 28, 2018

by Kate

Pecan Apple Dutch Baby by Wood and Spoon. This is a cinnamon flavored skillet pancake topped with cinnamon spiced apples and maple glazed pecans. This one bowl recipe can be make in a pinch and is a fun breakfast to make with kids. Watch this simple treat rise In the oven and top it with fall-flavored fruit and crunchy, sweet and salty nuts. Find the recipe and how-to on thewoodandspoon.com

One of my favorite things about Southern food is how deeply intertwined it is with tradition. Of course I love a fresh twist on a recipe of old, a modernized nod to something from years ago, but there's something really special about doing things the same way the generations before you did. Souteherners have mastered the art of honoring food traditions, and I'm so grateful that this way of living is slowly rubbing off on me. Kinda like Saturday morning breakfasts. Growing up, I don't remember my Mom spending a whole lot of time in the kitchen. She'd whip out costumes for school recitals or little crafty projects for she and I to complete on the weekend, but cooking was not her forte. Despite this, I have distinct memories of a dish she would occasionally make on Saturday mornings for the family. Equal parts food and science experiment, Mom's "Pancake Surprise"...

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