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Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake

Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake by Wood and Spoon blog. This is a simple buttery pound cake brightened up with the fresh taste of lemon juice and zest and summer blueberries. The cake is iced with a lemon glaze and serves well as a summery breakfast or dessert. Learn how simple it is to make this Southern pound cake on thewoodandspoon.com

Greetings to you all from beautiful Orange Beach, Alabama, one of my favorite gulf coast beaches. I know, I know- if you’re not from Alabama, you probably haven’t ever associated the Southern state with white sand and crystal waters, but since moving to the deep South, this Florida girl has softened to this place. If you’ve yet to travel to the Gulf coast, consider this a call to action: DO IT. You won’t regret it.

Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake by Wood and Spoon blog. This is a simple buttery pound cake brightened up with the fresh taste of lemon juice and zest and summer blueberries. The cake is iced with a lemon glaze and serves well as a summery breakfast or dessert. Learn how simple it is to make this Southern pound cake on thewoodandspoon.com

My family and I have been lucky enough to spend a few days here swimming, visiting with extended family and friends, and eating an abundance of incredible seafood. After a year (or more) with little travel, this week has felt like a luxury, and truly, I’m so grateful. I’ve really been taking strides to make the most of these summer days this year, and this week has reminded me how valuable time away spent intentionally for the benefit and enjoyment of your family is. Every bit of the- from the laughter and fun to the meltdowns and swim diaper blow outs- has been 100% worth the effort, and I can’t wait to do it again soon.

What are your family summer traditions? Are there places where you feel at rest and connected to the people you love? The beach seems like an obvious spot for R&R, but I’d encourage you to embrace that happy place of your own, whether it’s the ocean, the mountains, or a little bench in your backyard. Take time, even just a few minutes, to recharge and enjoy the people within your reach this summer. It’s an investment worth making.

Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake by Wood and Spoon blog. This is a simple buttery pound cake brightened up with the fresh taste of lemon juice and zest and summer blueberries. The cake is iced with a lemon glaze and serves well as a summery breakfast or dessert. Learn how simple it is to make this Southern pound cake on thewoodandspoon.com
Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake by Wood and Spoon blog. This is a simple buttery pound cake brightened up with the fresh taste of lemon juice and zest and summer blueberries. The cake is iced with a lemon glaze and serves well as a summery breakfast or dessert. Learn how simple it is to make this Southern pound cake on thewoodandspoon.com

Making Homemade Pound Cake

And speaking of investments worth making: This blueberry lemon pound cake. I’m usually not so eager to turn on the oven during the summer, but when I found myself with an abundance of fresh-picked blueberries, I knew I had to make the most of them. This southern-style pound cake is simple enough to make and serves as a yummy breakfast cake to share with family or friends. Lemon zest and fresh-squeezed juice adds brightness to the cake batter that is moistened with unsalted butter and whole milk. With the addition of a few eggs and more than enough sugar, this cake is a summery twist on the classic pound cake we all know and love.

Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake by Wood and Spoon blog. This is a simple buttery pound cake brightened up with the fresh taste of lemon juice and zest and summer blueberries. The cake is iced with a lemon glaze and serves well as a summery breakfast or dessert. Learn how simple it is to make this Southern pound cake on thewoodandspoon.com

To make this blueberry lemon pound cake, we start by creaming butter and sugar until it is pale and fluffy. Whipping the butter well incorporates air into the batter, yielding a softer cake. Next comes the eggs and extracts followed by the dry and liquid ingredients. Once the blueberries have been folded into the finished batter, it is all spooned into a greased and floured tube pan before being baked, just until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake by Wood and Spoon blog. This is a simple buttery pound cake brightened up with the fresh taste of lemon juice and zest and summer blueberries. The cake is iced with a lemon glaze and serves well as a summery breakfast or dessert. Learn how simple it is to make this Southern pound cake on thewoodandspoon.com

I like to enjoy this blueberry lemon pound cake as a breakfast item, but it certainly is decadent enough to double as a dessert too. The addition of a tangy lemon glaze offers additional sweetness that helps to qualify it as a dessert for sure. If you dare to turn your oven on this summer, I hope you’ll give this pound cake a try! Happy Saturday to you and Happy Baking!

If you like this blueberry lemon pound cake you should try:

Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins
Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins
Blueberry Cornbread
Cherry Pound Cake
Peaches and Cream Trifle
Lemon Pound Cake

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Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake

This blueberry lemon pound cake is a bright and summery take on a traditional southern pound cake made with fresh lemon juice and zest and blueberries!

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 60
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 9 Servings
  • Category: Cake

Ingredients

For the pound cake:

  • 21/2 cups (420 gm) all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups blueberries
  • 1 cup (230 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 21/4 cups (450 gm) sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup Whole Milk, at room temperature

For the icing: 

  • 3 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 12 tablespoons Whole Milk

Instructions

To prepare the cake:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease and flour a bundt pan.
  2. In a small bowl toss the flour and blueberries together. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla, zest, and lemon juice. Add about half of the remaining flour and the baking powder, soda, and salt. Stir on low until almost combined and then add the milk. Scrape the sides of the bowl and then stir in the remaining flour, just until combined. Use a rubber spatula to fold in any unincorporated bits as well as the floured blueberries. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven until the cake has risen and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Allow to cool for 20 minutes in the pan and then invert the pan onto a cooling rack to cool completely pior to icing.

To prepare the icing:

  1. Once the cake is cooled, stir together the butter, sugar, and extract and add milk a teaspoon or two at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. Spoon the icing over the cooled cake  and enjoy!

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Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins

Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins by Wood and Spoon blog. These are soft and fluffy blueberry muffins swirled with a tangy cream cheese filling. These breakfast pastries make for an interesting spin on the normal morning muffin and taste delicious served warm! Learn how simple it is to make these butter muffins on thewoodandspoon.com

We’re a week or so into this summer business, and I’m starting to see what our pace will look like over the coming weeks. Having a house full of kiddos and little to no agenda at hand presents both blessings and challenges: How will we fill our days? How do we keep everyone kind and engaged? How do I balance working from home and being present? Last year, during the hardest moths of the pandemic, I learned quickly how tricky it can be to teeter-totter work and playtime, and this summer is proving to be no different. Work from home moms: how do you do it!?

Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins by Wood and Spoon blog. These are soft and fluffy blueberry muffins swirled with a tangy cream cheese filling. These breakfast pastries make for an interesting spin on the normal morning muffin and taste delicious served warm! Learn how simple it is to make these butter muffins on thewoodandspoon.com

My most helpful back-pocket tactics so far has been to 1.) have a few small goals planned for each day and 2.) to stretch out every fun activity as much as I can. Case-in-point: these breakfast treats. Instead of pouring another bowl of cereal or popping a slice of toast in the toaster, we’ve been taking time for slower breakfasts, allowing the kids to get their hands dirty and help whenever possible. Muffins are a favorite in our home and these blueberry ones filled with fresh summer produce and a swirl of sweetened cream cheese filling are absolutely delightful. They’re just the kind of thing that make a random summer weekday morning feel extra special.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins by Wood and Spoon blog. These are soft and fluffy blueberry muffins swirled with a tangy cream cheese filling. These breakfast pastries make for an interesting spin on the normal morning muffin and taste delicious served warm! Learn how simple it is to make these butter muffins on thewoodandspoon.com
Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins by Wood and Spoon blog. These are soft and fluffy blueberry muffins swirled with a tangy cream cheese filling. These breakfast pastries make for an interesting spin on the normal morning muffin and taste delicious served warm! Learn how simple it is to make these butter muffins on thewoodandspoon.com

Making the Muffins

Start with the batter. Softened butter and two kinds of sugar are creamed together until smooth. Next comes the liquid ingredients: eggs, vanilla, sour cream and milk. Once combined, the dry ingredients follow and the batter is set aside. The filling is a simple mixture of cream cheese, sugar, and egg yolk. Once combined, it’s dolloped into the prepared baking tin with the batter and the blueberries and baked until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins by Wood and Spoon blog. These are soft and fluffy blueberry muffins swirled with a tangy cream cheese filling. These breakfast pastries make for an interesting spin on the normal morning muffin and taste delicious served warm! Learn how simple it is to make these butter muffins on thewoodandspoon.com

If you don’t love cream cheese, you can opt out of the filling on these blueberry cream cheese muffins, or feel free to check out my whole wheat blueberry muffins! Both ways are hugely delicious and worth the squeeze in the kitchen. In the meantime, I hope you have an awesome weekend complete with a killer breakfast treat like these little babies! Happy Friday and Happy Baking!

If you like these blueberry cream cheese muffins you should try:

Blueberry Brioche
Whole-Wheat Blueberry Muffins
Blueberry Cornbread
Chamomile Blueberry Scone
Blueberry Babka

Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins by Wood and Spoon blog. These are soft and fluffy blueberry muffins swirled with a tangy cream cheese filling. These breakfast pastries make for an interesting spin on the normal morning muffin and taste delicious served warm! Learn how simple it is to make these butter muffins on thewoodandspoon.com
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Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins

These blueberry cream cheese muffins feature ripe summer fruit and a tangy swirl of cream cheese filling!

  • Author: Kate
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 20
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 14
  • Category: Breakfast

Ingredients

For the muffins:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 21/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 11/2 cups fresh blueberries (see notes)

For the cream cheese filling:

  • 4 ounces of cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 12-compartment muffin tin with liners (or lightly grease if you plan to use no liners).
  2. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the softened butter, sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until well-combined, about one minute. Add in the eggs, vanilla, sour cream, and milk and stir to combine. Scrape the sides of the bowl and stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt on low, just until combined. Fold in the blueberries
  3. Use a medium cookie scoop to fill the muffin tins about 1/3 of the way full (see notes). Spoon a teaspoon-sized dollop of the cream cheese on top. Use the cookie scoop to spoon another dollop of muffin batter on top of the cream cheese and swirl another teaspoon of the filling on top. Bake in the preheated oven about 17-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted just barely comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin briefly before removing and cooling on a rack.

Notes

  • You can substitute frozen blueberries here but it will chill the batter and make it difficult to stir. Just keep that in mind. 
  • I like to use barely wet fingertips to pat the dollops of batter into the bottom of the pan so the cream cheese filling won’t seep out the sides. Flatten the first part of batter and make a divit. Add the cream cheese and continue assembling.

Did you make this recipe?

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Cinnamon Sugar Cake

Cinnamon Sugar Cake by Wood and Spoon blog. This is a fluffy brown sugar cake with a salted cinnamon brown sugar filling and vanilla bean frosting. This spiced dessert is perfect for fall birthday parties or holiday gatherings or anyone who loves good cozy flavors. Learn more about this cake on thewoodandspoon.com

Today’s recipe has been one of the most requested recipes via social media lately. About a month ago, we hosted a small, family-only wedding at our home. The bride and groom had a hard time selecting a flavor for their wedding cake, but we eventually settled on cinnamon sugar. After a few test runs, I landed a recipe I felt comfortable serving for their tiny, two-tiered cake, and WOW. It did not disappoint. Since that time, I’ve made the cake a few times, and finally, I get to share it with you today! So without further ado, here’s the cinnamon sugar cake!

Cinnamon Sugar Cake by Wood and Spoon blog. This is a fluffy brown sugar cake with a salted cinnamon brown sugar filling and vanilla bean frosting. This spiced dessert is perfect for fall birthday parties or holiday gatherings or anyone who loves good cozy flavors. Learn more about this cake on thewoodandspoon.com

Cinnamon Sugar Cake by Wood and Spoon blog. This is a fluffy brown sugar cake with a salted cinnamon brown sugar filling and vanilla bean frosting. This spiced dessert is perfect for fall birthday parties or holiday gatherings or anyone who loves good cozy flavors. Learn more about this cake on thewoodandspoon.com

My best description of this cake is cinnamon toast crunch. There’s something very comforting and cozy about the flavors represented in this cinnamon sugar cake, and I think what it most reminds me of is a bowl of that nostalgic cereal. Here, fluffy cake layers (a rendition of my bourbon caramel cake!) sandwich a thick schmear of salted cinnamon and brown sugar buttercream filling, and the whole thing is slathered with a whipped vanilla bean buttercream. The brown sugar in the filling lends a certain grit that textures the otherwise fluffy and smooth cake, and that addition of salt offers the balance that a lot of other layer cakes lack. In short, this cake is the bomb, and if you make it you’ll know why.

Cinnamon Sugar Cake by Wood and Spoon blog. This is a fluffy brown sugar cake with a salted cinnamon brown sugar filling and vanilla bean frosting. This spiced dessert is perfect for fall birthday parties or holiday gatherings or anyone who loves good cozy flavors. Learn more about this cake on thewoodandspoon.com

A few things about this cake are different from our standard approach: first, this is a two layer cake. I know: so weird. We normally stick with three layers around here, but with COVID, what do we need that third layer for? Second, this is kinda a tiny cake too! Just 6″. In keeping with the theme of these days, less in more. But not to worry: if you’re wanting to serve a larger crew, you can easily double this recipe. Just double and bake the cake in two deep 9″ pans. Easy peasy!

Cinnamon Sugar Cake by Wood and Spoon blog. This is a fluffy brown sugar cake with a salted cinnamon brown sugar filling and vanilla bean frosting. This spiced dessert is perfect for fall birthday parties or holiday gatherings or anyone who loves good cozy flavors. Learn more about this cake on thewoodandspoon.com

I know November is ordinarily the month for pies, pies, and more pies, but this cinnamon sugar cake had to make it out into the world. I really think you’ll like it. Give it a shot and let me know what you think! Not to worry- we’ve got some Thanksgiving-ish stuff coming in soon. Happy Monday and happy baking!

Cinnamon Sugar Cake by Wood and Spoon blog. This is a fluffy brown sugar cake with a salted cinnamon brown sugar filling and vanilla bean frosting. This spiced dessert is perfect for fall birthday parties or holiday gatherings or anyone who loves good cozy flavors. Learn more about this cake on thewoodandspoon.com

If you like this cinnamon sugar cake you should try:

Cinnamon Sugar Scones
Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits
Brown Sugar Apple Bundt
Coffee Cake Muffins
Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

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Cinnamon Sugar Cake

This cinnamon sugar cake has fluffy layers, a salted brown sugar cinnamon filling, and a whipped vanilla buttercream frosting the outside!

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 30
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 120
  • Yield: 7 Servings
  • Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
  • 13/4 cups cake flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup milk, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the filling:

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 11/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 11/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons milk or cream

For the buttercream:

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 12 tablespoons milk or cream

Instructions

To prepare the cake:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly grease two 6” round pans and cut out parchment paper rounds to fit into the bottom of them. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, canola oil, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth, about a minute and a half. Add the egg and yolk and stir until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl and stir in any unincorporated bits. Add half of the cake flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt and stir on low to combine. Add ¼ cup of the milk as well as the bourbon and vanilla. Stir on low. Add the remaining cake flour and milk and stir on low just until combined. Fold in any unincorporated bits. Divide the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake in the middle of the oven for about 30-33 minutes or until the cake has puffed, turned golden, and a toothpick inserted just barely comes out clean. Don’t overbake! Set aside to cool completely.

To prepare the filling:

  1. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar on medium until smooth, about one minute. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until smooth and combined, about 1 minute. Set aside in a different bowl while you prepare your buttercream.

To prepare your buttercream:

  1. In the same bowl as you made your filling, cream the butter on medium speed until smooth and slightly pale, about 3 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and salt and whip and additional minute. Add the cream and beat until smooth and fluffy, about an additional minute. Assemble your cake by spreading a small amount of buttercream on a 6” cake board. Level your cake layers using a serrated knife and place the first layer on the board. Use an offset spatula to spread the filling on the top of that first layer and place the second on top. Use an offset spatula to spread the buttercream on the outside and decorate with any remaining frosting. I like to mix the remaining filling and buttercream together to pipe décor on top! Enjoy!

Notes

  • For a larger cake, simply double all the ingredients and bake the batter in 2 9″ pans! Bake time may be longer.

Did you make this recipe?

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Pineapple Ginger Rum Punch (and a Short Summer Recipe Round-up!)

Pineapple Ginger Rum Punch by Wood and Spoon. Beachy flavors of pineapple, rum, lime, and ginger combine over ice to make a sweet and boozy beach day drink perfect for your summer days. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and make a big batch to serve a crowd. Learn how to make this poolside cocktail on thewoodandspoon.com

This is it! The summeriest week of the year! If you guys aren’t already knee-deep in ice cream cones and barbecue and watermelon slices, it’s time. Since I already shared one recipe earlier this week, I thought I’d keep it short and sweet today with this pineapple ginger rum punch. This is a seriously beachy cocktail- perfect for all of y’all spending the holiday weekend in the sand or on the water. In addition, I wanted to pass along some of my personal favorite recipes to make during these toasty months. There’s still time to make each and every one of these, so get after it!

Pineapple Ginger Rum Punch by Wood and Spoon. Beachy flavors of pineapple, rum, lime, and ginger combine over ice to make a sweet and boozy beach day drink perfect for your summer days. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and make a big batch to serve a crowd. Learn how to make this poolside cocktail on thewoodandspoon.com

Favorite Summer Desserts

Pineapple Ginger Rum Punch by Wood and Spoon. Beachy flavors of pineapple, rum, lime, and ginger combine over ice to make a sweet and boozy beach day drink perfect for your summer days. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and make a big batch to serve a crowd. Learn how to make this poolside cocktail on thewoodandspoon.com

Favorite Summer Savories

  • Despite its name, this Texas Hot Sauce is not too hot or from Texas, but it is the BEST hotdog topping ever.
  • This tomato galette is the perfect way to use up all those fresh tomatoes from the farmer’s market.
  • This corn dip is the best appetizer/snack for those outdoor summer gatherings, especially this time of year when the corn is extra sweet!
  • I use this pan-roasted fish recipe for basically any fresh seafood I get my hands on during the summer.
  • I almost always grill burgers outside on the fourth, but these classic smashed burgers are my indoor rain plan. Make them yours too!
Pineapple Ginger Rum Punch by Wood and Spoon. Beachy flavors of pineapple, rum, lime, and ginger combine over ice to make a sweet and boozy beach day drink perfect for your summer days. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and make a big batch to serve a crowd. Learn how to make this poolside cocktail on thewoodandspoon.com

Favorite Summer Cocktail Recipes

  • Summer water meets summer fruit with these rosé popsicles!
  • By far, one of my favorite marg recipes is this honey basil margarita. Perfectly sweetened and seriously refreshing!
  • If you took a mojito and added tequila and grapefruit, these grapefruit tejitos would be the product. They’re delightful!
  • Bourbon doesn’t usually go hand in hand with summer cocktails, but this recipe for a Bufala Negra is great on warm weather days!
  • Summer Brew is maybe the first cocktail I ever made, and guess what- it’s still great. Make a batch of these for the holiday weekend!

Pineapple Ginger Rum Punch

While we’re talking cocktails, let me introduce the pineapple ginger rum punch. This is a boat drink if I’ve ever had one- sweet summer pineapple combines with rum and the bright zesty flavors of ginger liquor and lime. Together, the end product is a great make-ahead cocktail that you can pour over a Yeti cup filled with ice ALL DAY LONG. It’s sweetness is balanced by the addition of citrus, and if you’re feeling extra fancy, you can muddle some mint in there too! The world is your oyster! Have a terrific holiday weekend. Stay safe, stay cool, and definitely enjoy one of the summery recipes on this list. Happy 4th, friends!

Pineapple Ginger Rum Punch by Wood and Spoon. Beachy flavors of pineapple, rum, lime, and ginger combine over ice to make a sweet and boozy beach day drink perfect for your summer days. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and make a big batch to serve a crowd. Learn how to make this poolside cocktail on thewoodandspoon.com
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Pineapple Ginger Rum Punch (and a Short Summer Recipe Round-up!)

Pineapple juice, lime juice, ginger liquor, and rum combine to make a beachy cocktail perfect for summer days!

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1
  • Category: Cocktail

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces pineapple juice
  • ½ ounce lime juice
  • 1 ounce ginger liquor
  • 1 ounce rum
  • Whipped cream, if desired

Instructions

  • In a tall shaker, combine pineapple juice, lime juice, ginger liquor, and rum and top with ice. Shake for 20 seconds and then pour into a short glass. Top with a dollop of whipped cream! For a stronger cocktail, skip the ice shaking and pour directly over ice.

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Peaches and Cream Trifle

Peaches and Cream Trifle by Wood and Spoon blog. This trifle features homemade pound cake, a cream cheese whipped cream, and fresh sugared summer peaches. Add a few berries or you other favorite summer fruit to make this a festive and colorful dessert to serve a crowd for warm weather gatherings. You can make this ahead or use store-bought pound cake! Find more about the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

I was laughing about sourdough starter on a Zoom call the other day. During quarantine, it was interesting to see what fads picked up. There was banana bread, Ina Garten’s hilarious midday cocktail, and, of course, bread-baking. Much to the demise of America’s supply of yeast, people all across the country swarmed their baking aisles to pick up necessary items for their kitchen adventures. Among those I never dared to attempt is sourdough.

Peaches and Cream Trifle by Wood and Spoon blog. This trifle features homemade pound cake, a cream cheese whipped cream, and fresh sugared summer peaches. Add a few berries or you other favorite summer fruit to make this a festive and colorful dessert to serve a crowd for warm weather gatherings. You can make this ahead or use store-bought pound cake! Find more about the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

I think I’m in the phase of life where I just can’t keep one more thing alive. It’s like that time my mother tried to convince me to start making Kefir water– I can’t be responsible for one more active growing thing. Just like a baby, it requires feeding and burping and cleaning and so on… just way too much for someone who can barely keep a small pot of ferns alive. It’s been super impressive to see so many people step out into new activities and become adventurous in the kitchen. These past few months have been notably lonely, but I’m encouraged that I now have a slew of new friends that are excited about something I’m super passionate about. We never quit getting the opportunity to learn new things, and even though sourdough is NO WHERE NEAR my list of priorities, I’m happy to see us old dogs learning new tricks.

Peaches and Cream Trifle by Wood and Spoon blog. This trifle features homemade pound cake, a cream cheese whipped cream, and fresh sugared summer peaches. Add a few berries or you other favorite summer fruit to make this a festive and colorful dessert to serve a crowd for warm weather gatherings. You can make this ahead or use store-bought pound cake! Find more about the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

Peaches and Cream Trifle

So here’s a peaches and cream trifle. No sourdough or fancy techniques involved, but this trifle is a fun way to tiptoe into baking. Here, a homemade Southern pound cake is layered with a cream cheese whipped cream and cinnamon sugared peaches. The end result is a fancy little layered treat that serves a crowd, tastes great the next day, and will show off all your fabulous summer fruit. The fantastic part is that you can totally skip the homemade pound cake if you feel like it. Those store-bought ones are super yummy, so don’t let me make this troublesome if you don’t have the time. The homemade whip and fresh fruit is the only thing completely necessary, because fresh fruit and perfectly tangy dairy is really necessary for this dessert to shine.

Peaches and Cream Trifle by Wood and Spoon blog. This trifle features homemade pound cake, a cream cheese whipped cream, and fresh sugared summer peaches. Add a few berries or you other favorite summer fruit to make this a festive and colorful dessert to serve a crowd for warm weather gatherings. You can make this ahead or use store-bought pound cake! Find more about the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

Peaches and Cream Trifle by Wood and Spoon blog. This trifle features homemade pound cake, a cream cheese whipped cream, and fresh sugared summer peaches. Add a few berries or you other favorite summer fruit to make this a festive and colorful dessert to serve a crowd for warm weather gatherings. You can make this ahead or use store-bought pound cake! Find more about the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

This peaches and cream trifle is prettiest made in a trifle dish, but you can also make it in a large glass bowl or some other kind of serving dish. Maybe you have a slew of mason jars and would prefer to make individual desserts. YOU DO YOU, HONEY. Work with what you have and make this dish shine! I do hope you’ll give this peaches and cream trifle a try, and don’t hesitate to throw in some other varieties of fruit! Strawberries! Plums! Blood oranges! The possibilities are endless. Just make sure it’s ripe and juicy! Stay tuned for a second dessert later on this week. I can’t wait to share it with you!

Peaches and Cream Trifle by Wood and Spoon blog. This trifle features homemade pound cake, a cream cheese whipped cream, and fresh sugared summer peaches. Add a few berries or you other favorite summer fruit to make this a festive and colorful dessert to serve a crowd for warm weather gatherings. You can make this ahead or use store-bought pound cake! Find more about the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

If you like this peaches and cream trifle you should try:

Peaches and Cream Biscuits
Peach Lattice Pie
Peach Muffins
Honey Peach Pie

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Peaches and Cream Trifle

This peaches and cream trifle features homemade Southern pound cake, cinnamon sugared peaches, and a cream cheese whipped cream!

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 25
  • Cook Time: 60
  • Total Time: 120
  • Yield: 12 Servings
  • Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the pound cake (you can substitute store-bought too!):

  • ½ cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 11/2 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 13/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • ½ cup whipping cream, at room temperature
  • 11/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the peaches:

  • 11/2 pounds peaches, pitted and sliced (peel if desired)
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt

For the brown sugar cream:

  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

To assemble the trifle:

  • Blackberries, blueberries, or candied nuts, if desired

Instructions

To prepare the pound cake:

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and lightly grease an 8” square or round cake pan. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter for 2 minutes until smooth. Add the sugar and cream on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing briefly after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Add half of the flour and a pinch of salt and stir on low to combine. Scrape the sides of the bowl, add half of the whipping cream and the vanilla, and stir barely to combine. Repeat this process to use up the remaining flour and cream. Stir only until almost incorporated and then scrape the sides of the bowl and fold the remaining ingredients in to incorporate. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out barely clean. Be sure to not overbake. Allow to cool completely.

To prepare the peaches:

  1. Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Stir and set aside while you prepare the cream.

For the brown sugar cream:

  1. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the cream on medium speed until it thickens to stiff peaks. Move the whipped cream to another bowl and then put the softened cream cheese and brown sugar into the stand mixer bowl. Beat on medium speed, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed for 1-2 minutes or until the sugar is incorporated and smooth. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese until smooth and then begin to assemble your trifle.

To assemble the trifle:

  1. Cut the pound cake into small cubes. Begin alternating layers of pound cake, fresh fruit, and cream. Be sure to arrange the components evenly so that each bite has a good sampling of the different flavors and textures. If you prefer a more moist (less cake) trifle, add fewer cubes of pound cake and save those for snacking on. Scatter in berries or candied walnuts or pecans if desired. Cover the trifle and keep refrigerated prior to serving. Trifle is best consumed with 1-2 days.

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Banana Bread Cake

Banana Bread Cake with Peanut Butter Whipped Cream by Wood and Spoon blog. This is a moist one bowl banana bread made in a cake pan and topped with a fluffy peanut butter whipped cream. The cake can be made in a loaf or round pan and can be frozen, made ahead, and served as breakfast or dessert.

My favorite things about quarantining? Pajamas all day. Naked babies in the backyard. Cocktails at 4, coffee at noon, and drawn-out breakfasts that turn into lunch and dinner. I’ve loved the limited options, an excuse to stay in, and those few weeks where my husband was home to play with the kids more; we’ve had extra time for snuggling, playing, reading, and doing absolutely nothing. We’ve baked cookies and sandwich loaves and batches of banana bread cake for absolutely no reason at all. I know I’ve complained some about the isolated minutes of these days, but don’t let me fool you- sometimes I kinda like it.

Banana Bread Cake with Peanut Butter Whipped Cream by Wood and Spoon blog. This is a moist one bowl banana bread made in a cake pan and topped with a fluffy peanut butter whipped cream. The cake can be made in a loaf or round pan and can be frozen, made ahead, and served as breakfast or dessert.

One thing that has absolutely tickled me is the number of you who have taken up baking during this time. It is AWESOME. Being able to navigate the kitchen, to serve people we love yummy things we’ve made with our own two hands, is such a huge and wonderful thing. It’s not silly or a waste of time or limited to just a few crafty homemaker types- everyone has a place in the kitchen, and it makes me happy to no end to see so many of you find your space. For that reason, I’ve found myself making simple homemade treats and special twists on familiar classics to share on this site, because I know that’s better for everyone right now. Case in point: this banana bread cake.

Banana Bread Cake with Peanut Butter Whipped Cream by Wood and Spoon blog. This is a moist one bowl banana bread made in a cake pan and topped with a fluffy peanut butter whipped cream. The cake can be made in a loaf or round pan and can be frozen, made ahead, and served as breakfast or dessert.

Banana Bread Cake

Banana bread has got to be one of the most basic baked goods ever. Combine that with the fact that I almost always have 2 or 3 bananas dying on my counter, and you have yourself a winning combination for a shoo-on recipe. This banana bread cake is just that, a cakey bread, and it’s topped with a peanut butter whipped cream that is, and I kid you not, to DIE FOR. So good. Why have we not been doing this all along?

Banana Bread Cake with Peanut Butter Whipped Cream by Wood and Spoon blog. This is a moist one bowl banana bread made in a cake pan and topped with a fluffy peanut butter whipped cream. The cake can be made in a loaf or round pan and can be frozen, made ahead, and served as breakfast or dessert.

To make it, we need a single bowl, some grungy bananas, and a few other staple ingredients: flour, sugar, eggs, and so on. They all get mixed together and poured into a round cake pan. I used a 9″ springform pan, but you could opt for an 8″ round pan, a square pan, or even a big loaf pan! I’ve baked this in several different pieces of bakeware. Keep in mind that your bake time will differ depending on your pan size, so just bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. The top will have risen a bit and will no longer look wet.

Banana Bread Cake with Peanut Butter Whipped Cream by Wood and Spoon blog. This is a moist one bowl banana bread made in a cake pan and topped with a fluffy peanut butter whipped cream. The cake can be made in a loaf or round pan and can be frozen, made ahead, and served as breakfast or dessert.

Once the banana bread cake has cooled, we top it with the peanut butter whip! If you’re not planning to eat this cake all at once, I highly recommend just serving individual slices with the cream as you go. It’s best to keep the whipped cream stored covered in the fridge as opposed to on top of the cake. If you’re hoping to serve this as a dessert instead of a breakfast or brunch option, I’d recommend also throwing in a drizzle of salted caramel, some candied peanuts, or maybe even some caramelized bananas- something to up the sweet a bit and elevate this from a breakfast food to a dessert.

Banana Bread Cake with Peanut Butter Whipped Cream by Wood and Spoon blog. This is a moist one bowl banana bread made in a cake pan and topped with a fluffy peanut butter whipped cream. The cake can be made in a loaf or round pan and can be frozen, made ahead, and served as breakfast or dessert.

Keep baking, y’all! You’re doing awesome, and I love following along. Maybe consider making this banana bread cake? Give it a try and let me know what you think! Happy baking, friends!

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

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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
  • Category: Cake

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
  • 11/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 11/2 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:

  1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Lightly grease a 9” springform pan and line the bottom of it with a sheet of parchment paper.
  2. 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:

  1. 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!

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Lactation Cookies (aka Healthyish Chocolate Chip Cookies)

Lactation Cookies by Wood and Spoon blog. These are healthy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies that help stimulate milk production in nursing moms. Cookieshave flaxseed, chia seeds, oatmeal, and brewer's yeast that helps to increase milk supply. Read about the recipe and learn how to make these delicious cookies that don't taste weird on thewoodandspoon.com

There’s a lot they don’t tell you when you get pregnant. We hear a lot about the lack of sleep, the stretch marks, and the infinite loss of personal space. We’re prepared for birthing classes and diaper changing, we hear whispers of the terrible twos, and some of us can even sing “Rockabye Baby” in three-part harmonies by the time the kid arrives. But there’s other things, things people don’t tell you about, and that’s the kind of stuff that keeps me up at night.

People don’t mention legs cramps and night sweats and that weird upper lip discoloration that looks like a mustache. They don’t tell you that everything, even your little pinkies and nose, will swell, or that postpartum hair loss might leave you looking a little like Danny DeVito. There is a very real dying to self in motherhood, and there’s very little that can prepare you for the inner draining and temporary identity confusion that can ensue post-baby. Some of the most terrifying unmentionables are the ones surrounding nursing. Just brace yourself for the mystery there.

Lactation Cookies by Wood and Spoon blog. These are healthy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies that help stimulate milk production in nursing moms. Cookieshave flaxseed, chia seeds, oatmeal, and brewer's yeast that helps to increase milk supply. Read about the recipe and learn how to make these delicious cookies that don't taste weird on thewoodandspoon.com

Moms Need Cookies?

If you’ve ever nursed a child, you’ve heard of lactation cookies. There’s something about subjecting yourself to be a human chew toy that will send you deep into a black hole of the internet to read anything that will make that process easier. For some, milk production is an easy feat that flows in abundance, but for others it’s a daily struggle that can be incredibly stressful (as if we needed more of that, right?) I made these oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (aka, lactation cookies that don’t suck) for the baby mamas who need their sweets to be dual-purpose: delicious and healthyish.

These lactation cookies are loaded with the stuff that encourages milk production in nursing Mamas but has enough of the goodness (read: butter, sugar, and chocolate chips) to make them not taste like garbage. If you’ve ever made lactation cookies before, forget that recipe and keep this one forever. These lactation cookies are the actual bomb.com and will be the only one you’ll want for yourself and your gal pals with kiddos.

Lactation Cookies by Wood and Spoon blog. These are healthy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies that help stimulate milk production in nursing moms. Cookieshave flaxseed, chia seeds, oatmeal, and brewer's yeast that helps to increase milk supply. Read about the recipe and learn how to make these delicious cookies that don't taste weird on thewoodandspoon.com

What’s a Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie, Anyways?

So what’s so healthyish about these cookies? The star ingredients here are chia seeds, flaxseed meal, brewer’s yeast, and oats. All of these have milk producing properties that will help spur on that Vitamin D. More good news: MEN CAN EAT THESE TOO. Would you believe these are actually some of Brett’s *Favorite* cookies? No, your guy won’t start leaking if he eats these, but you have my full support in telling him that they will. After all, the nursing mom shouldn’t have to share these with anyone. (Sidebar: I know most of the guys have already stopped reading by now. I’m sorry that you’ve somehow made it this far, but to be fair there’s only, like, 2 of you anyways.)

Now I know someone is going to write me and tell me these aren’t healthy because of the processed sugar or all-purpose flour or yada yada yada. I hear you, but that is not how we’re rolling, okay? I tested a million versions of this cookie, and this is the one my heart desires. Feel free to bypass this for some other cookie that may or may not (read: will not) taste as good.

Lactation Cookies by Wood and Spoon blog. These are healthy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies that help stimulate milk production in nursing moms. Cookieshave flaxseed, chia seeds, oatmeal, and brewer's yeast that helps to increase milk supply. Read about the recipe and learn how to make these delicious cookies that don't taste weird on thewoodandspoon.com

Next week we will get back to posting everyday recipes that won’t feel totally weird for everyone. Just be glad I didn’t get into any uncomfortable boob talk, okay? Make these lactation cookies for yourself or any of your nursing friends and let me know what you think! Happy baking and happy lactating!

If you like these lactation cookies you should try:

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Almost-Paleo Coconut Almond Chocolate Cookies
Flaxseed Bread
Morning Glory Muffins
Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

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Lactation Cookies

These lactation cookies are healthy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies containing ingredients that help stimulate milk production!

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 48
  • Category: Dessert

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup brewer’s yeast
  • 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and fluffy, about 1 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat on low to combine. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the flour, yeast, flaxseed meal, chia seeds, baking soda, and salt, stirring on low just until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl again and add the oats and chocolate chips. Scoop 1-1/2 tablespoon sized balls of dough (I use a medium cookie scoop) onto the baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for about 11 minutes or until the edges of the cookie are golden and the centers are set. Cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes and then remove them to a cooling rack to cool completely. 

Notes

  • If you prefer an even healthier cookie, these can be prepared with 1/2 cup LESS granulated sugar and 1/2 cup LESS chocolate chips. The Brewer’s yeast has a strong flavor, so I prefer to cover it up a bit. 🙂

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Creme Brûlée Cake

Creme Brûlée Cake by Wood and Spoon. This is a fluffy vanilla bean butter layer cake with a vanilla bean custard and a burnt sugar frosting. The cake has all the flavors of classic creme brûlée in layer cake form! Learn how to make this and assemble this stacked cake on thewoodandspoon.com

Happy Sunday, Friends! It’s been a while since I checked in on a Sunday, but I figured your day of rest on this long weekend may need a little reading and recipe inspiration. Cue this creme brûlée cake.

I made this cake a few weeks ago for a friend’s birthday, and it was a reminder of why I’m so head-over-heels in love with baking. He called to thank me for the cake and instead of just saying, “It was good!” or “Thanks for the cake!” he told me that the gesture made him feel special. He was just grateful. Y’all, THIS is why we share our gifts with people. It’s not to show off or fill a slot on a birthday menu- it’s to love people! It’s to let them know they were worth your time and resources. To give them a big hug in the form of whatever your gifting is. We share those skills and the things we’re good at to remind people they matter to us. We do it to love them.

Creme Brûlée Cake by Wood and Spoon. This is a fluffy vanilla bean butter layer cake with a vanilla bean custard and a burnt sugar frosting. The cake has all the flavors of classic creme brûlée in layer cake form! Learn how to make this and assemble this stacked cake on thewoodandspoon.com

If you’re on this site, I have to believe you’re into baking and that you just might need a little push to get out there and share your stuff with the world. Can I just sign up to be the one to encourage you to do it? Who cares if your frosting looks weird or if the cookies are a little burnt? What does it matter if your pie lattice is short of perfect? Take the initiative to share whatever it is you’re working with to the people around you and just wait till you see the difference it makes.

“Love only grows baby sharing. You can only have more for yourself by giving it away to others.” -Brian Tracy

Reciprocating love that we’ve been on the receiving end of is a natural thing. When we extend ourselves on behalf of another person, it does something for them- it let’s them know you value them, and that pipeline of love becomes a revolving door of kindness within the relationship and to others that are in proximity. In a world where it’s increasingly common to be ugly to one another, don’t you kinda want to be the person who’s just out there sharing the love? I do. I want to be the person that loves big. If that happens to involve macarons and pies and creme brûlée cake, well, I’m all the more for it.

Creme Brûlée Cake by Wood and Spoon. This is a fluffy vanilla bean butter layer cake with a vanilla bean custard and a burnt sugar frosting. The cake has all the flavors of classic creme brûlée in layer cake form! Learn how to make this and assemble this stacked cake on thewoodandspoon.com

Creme Brûlée Cake

This creme brûlée cake has fluffy butter cake layers, a creamy vanilla bean custard, and a flavorful burnt sugar buttercream frosting. The flavors, when blended together, sing of the traditional creme brûlée dessert they were inspired by, and the soft textures yield a creamy mouthfeel that is similarly representative. This cake is best made slightly ahead of time as the custard benefits from chilling in the fridge and the frosting requires a few extra steps. When broken down, the cake is complex, yes, but still very attainable even for new bakers.

Creme Brûlée Cake by Wood and Spoon. This is a fluffy vanilla bean butter layer cake with a vanilla bean custard and a burnt sugar frosting. The cake has all the flavors of classic creme brûlée in layer cake form! Learn how to make this and assemble this stacked cake on thewoodandspoon.com

This creme brûlée cake also has a bit of a choose your own adventure kind of vibe too. I initially set out to utilize the egg whites leftover from making the custard, so a burnt sugar Swiss meringue buttercream was born. But look, y’all- I am TERRIBLE at making Swiss meringue buttercream. Like, terrible. So I also tested this cake with a simple burnt sugar American buttercream too, because I have a feeling I’m not the only one. You can use whichever you please- they’re both terrific tasting.

Creme Brûlée Cake by Wood and Spoon. This is a fluffy vanilla bean butter layer cake with a vanilla bean custard and a burnt sugar frosting. The cake has all the flavors of classic creme brûlée in layer cake form! Learn how to make this and assemble this stacked cake on thewoodandspoon.com

Give this creme brûlée cake a try and let me know what you think! Shout out to the creme brûlée lovers who are going to be really into this treat. Happy long weekend and happy baking!

If you like this creme brûlée cake you should try:

Tiramisu Cake
Bruleed Key Lime Pies
Pumpkin Cake with Burnt Sugar Frosting
Creme Brûlée Frozen Custard

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Creme Brûlée Cake

This creme brûlée cake has burnt sugar frosting, a vanilla bean custard filling, and fluffy butter cake layers!

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 60
  • Cook Time: 40
  • Total Time: 180
  • Yield: One 8″ layer Cake
  • Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 1 cup (230 gm) unsalted butter
  • 13/4 cup (350 gm) sugar
  • 1 large egg plus 4 large egg yolks, at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups (410 gm) cake flour
  • 1 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 11/4 (300 gm) cups whole milk, at room temperature

For the custard:

  • 11/2 cups (360 gm) half and half (or a mix of whole milk and heavy cream will work!)
  • ½ vanilla bean (or ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract)
  • 2 large egg yolks (Save the whites for the buttercream!)
  • 6 tablespoons sugar
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch

For the burnt sugar crunch:

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 cup (200 gm) sugar
  • ¼ cup (60 gm) water
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda

For the Swiss meringue buttercream (See notes for alternative buttercream!):

  • 6 large egg whites, at room temperature
  • 13/4 cups (350 gm) sugar
  • 15 tablespoons of unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 11/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon cream

Instructions

To make the cake:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease three 8” round cake pans and line the bottoms with a round of parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for 5 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the egg and egg yolks one at a time, mixing until combined after each addition. Add the vanilla. Scrape the sides of the bowl and stir in half of the dry ingredients on low speed. Add half of the milk and scrape the bowl again. Repeat this process with the remaining dry ingredients and milk. Fold in any unincorporated bits and divide the batter between the three pans. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20-22 minutes OR until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely.

To prepare the custard:

  1. Pour the half and half into a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat and add the vanilla bean, scraping the insides into the liquid. Bring to a simmer and then turn the heat off and allow the vanilla to infuse into the liquid for 15 minutes. Be sure to stir occasionally.
  2. Meanwhile, vigorously whisk or beat the yolks with the sugar on medium speed until it lightens in color and becomes slightly fluffy. Add the cornstarch and stir to combine. 
  3. After 15 minutes of infusing the half and half, remove the vanilla bean and carefully pour about ¾ cup of the warm liquid into the egg mixture, whisking or mixing quickly all the while to prevent the eggs from curdling. Pour the egg mixture plus the ¾ cup of added liquid back into the saucepan with the remaining half and half. Whisk to combine and then turn the heat to medium-low. Keep stirring until the mixture comes to a low bubble and begins to thicken. Once thickened to a runny mayonnaise consistency, quickly remove from heat. Feel free to strain the mixture with a fine wire strainer as needed. Set aside in a heat-safe bowl and cover with a piece of plastic wrap to cool completely. The custard can be made a day or two in advance. 

To prepare the burnt sugar crunch:

  1. Liberally butter a half sheet pan with rimmed sides that is lined with a full sheet of foil.
  2. In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan combine the sugar and water over medium heat, stirring together occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Once the mixture gets hot enough it will begin to bubble. Increase the heat to medium-high and avoid stirring it any more. You can gently swirl the pan occasionally to keep the mixture from burning in one spot. Continue cooking over heat until the mixture turns amber colored, about 10 minutes. It may barely begin to smoke. Remove the pot from heat and carefully whisk in the baking soda quickly. Dump the mixture out onto the pan and barely spread it out with a spatula. Don’t overwork it though as this will deflate all the bubbles. Allow the mixture to cool completely prior to breaking and using in the custard. You’ll want to make the crunch within a day of frosting the cake and keep it in a sealed bag as the crunch will absorb moisture from the air and get chewy/sticky over time.

To prepare the buttercream and assemble the cake:

  1. Prepare a double boiler. Place a small to medium-sized saucepan with an inch of water on the stove. The pot needs to be slightly smaller than the bowl of your stand mixer to ensure that the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water in the pan. Clean the bowl of your stand mixer well to ensure no trace of fat or grease is in the bowl- this can prevent your egg whites from thickening. I like to squeeze the juice of a half of a lemon into the bowl and use a paper towel to wipe down the insides of the bowl as well as the whisk attachment. Once the bowl is clean, add the room temp egg whites and sugar to the bowl. Turn the burner on to medium heat and station yourself at the stove to stir the eggs regularly. Over the course of about 3-5 minutes, the sugar in the egg whites will dissolves. Once the mixture reaches about 160 degrees farenheit (or when you notice the sugar has dissolved in the eggs- you can carefully feel for this as well!), remove the bowl from the double boiler and place it on the mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whip the egg mixture on medium speed (I use 6 on my Kitchen Aid) for about 15 minutes or until the eggs have developed STIFF peaks. The bowl should be room temperature to the touch and glossy peaks should stand up on the end of the whisk when you scoop them out of the bowl. (Note: sometimes my mixer overheats and the warm eggs have a hard time standing up perfectly straight. Use your best judgment. If the bowl is cool and the eggs are standing up but the mixer is really hot it can make your whites droopy. But don’t underbeat! You frosting will not come together if so!) Scrape the whisk clean and then put the paddle attachment on the machine. Running on medium speed, add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Once the butter has all been added whip for an additional 3 minutes until the mixture has fluffed up. Here’s where things can get dicey: If your butter is too cold, you can end up with a curdled lumpy looking mixture in your bowl. You’ll know if it’s not right. Remove a cup of the mixture from your bowl and put it into another. Microwave that cup of liquid for about 15 seconds to carefully warm and then add it back to the mixer. Whip again to see if it comes together and repeat if it continues to look the same. If your mixture is runny and loose, it could be your meringue or butter was too warm. Place the entire bowl in the fridge to cool down for about 30 minutes and then rewhip. It should come together but repeat as needed. Once light and fluffy, add the vanilla and salt. Then, break off about half of the burnt sugar crunch and process it in a mini chopper or blender until it’s reduced to a sandy powder- avoid clumps! Add ¼ cup of the sandy powder to the buttercream and whip until combined. Feel free to add a tablespoon of cream as needed if the mixture is too thick. Frosting is best use immediately, so get started assembling! 
  2. When ready to assemble the cake, use a serrated knife to level the tops of the cakes. Place a small bit of buttercream on an 8” cake board or plate and then place your first layer of cake on top. Put about half of the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (alternatively you can use a quart-sized Ziploc with the end snipped off) and pipe a dam of frosting about 1/2” tall around the perimeter of the cake. Be sure the ends of the dam meet well so that your filling doesn’t squish out the sides of the cake. Spread half of the custard into the center of the dam and then top it all with a second layer of cake. Repeat this process and then use the remaining frosting to ice the cake. Decorate as preferred and enjoy! Cake is best served the day it is assembled and should be stored in the fridge. Allow the cake to come to rom temp before serving. 

Notes

  1. To be honest, Swiss meringue buttercream always feels like a lot of work for me, but I love finding use for all those extra egg whites. If you’re uncertain, you CAN do this cake with a traditional American buttercream too! Cream 2 cups of room temperature unsalted butter until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes on medium speed. Add 1 cup of burnt sugar powder (made by processing the burnt sugar crunch!) and 4-1/2 cups powdered sugar. Add this slowly, on low speed, over the course of a minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add ¼ teaspoon of salt and a tablespoon of cream as needed to smooth it out. You can add additional powdered sugar to thicken it up or additional cream to thin it out. Enjoy!

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English Muffin Bread and Homemade Apple Butter

English Muffin Bread and Apple Butter this simple no knead one bowl quick rise yeast bread is a loaf form of the classic breakfast dish. Serve it with homemade maple apple butter made in a slow cooker/ crock pot. This is a simple make ahead baked good perfect for the fall. Read more at thewoodandspoon.com

Do you ever have those days that seem to glue themselves to your brain? A set of moments that hang out in your memories like they’ve lived there forever? Earlier this week, the kids convinced me to relinquish my indoor post at the nursing chair to come play outside. Surprised by the unseasonably cool weather, I sat in the grass with Charlie laid back on my lap. He kicked his little feet and looked upward with wide eyes that I could tell were taking in the noises and sights before him. Birds chirping. The wind in the trees. A lone cricket singing somewhere far off. We’d kept inside for most of the summer, so the outdoor elements were new to him. I followed his cue and tried to take it all in too.

English Muffin Bread and Apple Butter this simple no knead one bowl quick rise yeast bread is a loaf form of the classic breakfast dish. Serve it with homemade maple apple butter made in a slow cooker/ crock pot. This is a simple make ahead baked good perfect for the fall. Read more at thewoodandspoon.com

A few yards away, Aimee and George were playing games in the yard. They’d disappear into the garage and return with various balls and rocks they found along the way. When they tired of the toys, they raced around the yard chasing each other’s shadows until they ran out of grass. “Mama, look at us! Look how fast we are!” The sight of them running toward me, legs flailing and heads tossed back in laughter, was akin to something you’d see in the movies.

“Play is the work of the child.” – Maria Montessori

I started to get my phone to take pictures but hesitated for fear that I’d disrupt the beauty that was unfolding. It was the single most peaceful and pure moment we had experienced all summer. I knew it was something special and immediately tried to lock it all into my brain: Aimee’s eyes glittering in the glare of the sun;  the way Charlie smacked his lips when his searching eyes caught mine; the hair at the crown of George’s head that flopped up and down as he ambled about the yard. This was my entire world making magic in our backyard, and I took in the details of the scene with wonder that I got to be apart of it all.

English Muffin Bread and Apple Butter this simple no knead one bowl quick rise yeast bread is a loaf form of the classic breakfast dish. Serve it with homemade maple apple butter made in a slow cooker/ crock pot. This is a simple make ahead baked good perfect for the fall. Read more at thewoodandspoon.com

To be fair, someone was crying within minutes. We eventually went back inside, ate supper, and resumed the bedtime circus, but for just a second, the near-fall air and a patch of grass afforded me a memory I plan to hold onto for a while. This past summer gave us a lot, but I’m still longing for the change of pace that fall will bring. So maybe that’s why you’re getting English muffin bread and homemade apple butter today. Yes, there’s still room for summer berries and ice cream cones, but I’m hoping this small peek into autumn recipes will spur on the shift I’m longing for. So let’s talk about the recipe.

English Muffin Bread

Do you love English muffins? Apple butter? I can remember disapproving of both as a child. The dry texture of the muffins seemed far less acceptable that a toasted slice of white bread, and apple butter came in second to the option of store-bought jelly. Now, as an adult, I adore the way an English muffins’ deep nooks serve as a pool for whatever topping you’ve slathered on and I appreciate the rich apple and cinnamon flavor in the apple butter. Both elements are cozy and seem appropriate for fall.

English Muffin Bread and Apple Butter this simple no knead one bowl quick rise yeast bread is a loaf form of the classic breakfast dish. Serve it with homemade maple apple butter made in a slow cooker/ crock pot. This is a simple make ahead baked good perfect for the fall. Read more at thewoodandspoon.com

English muffin bread is surprisingly simple to make. It’s a no-knead recipe that is stirred together in a bowl and dumped in loaf pans for a short rise. The whole process takes less than an hour, so you can have fresh crannied bread within the length of a lazy Saturday morning. The apple butter is similarly simple although it does take a bit longer to prepare. Apples, maple syrup, and a generous amount of spice are cooked low and slow in a crock pot until the mixture is soft enough to puree. After a quick whiz in a blender or food processor, I like to cook it down even more to thicken the mixture. The blend keeps well in the refrigerator and serves as a great alternative to your morning peanut butter or jelly toast.

I’m sharing today’s recipe with my friends at Stemilt. Stemilt is is a leading Washington state grower, packer, and shipper of fruit including apples, pears, cherries, and more. Each quarter, I’ve been developing recipes for their blog using their best in-season fruits. This month, I got my hands on their fuji apples, and thought a sweet and simple apple butter would make for a delicious treat to spread all season long. Head to their site at the link below to read all about it and give the recipe a try! I can’t wait to hear what you think. Enjoy this change of season and happy baking!

CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE FOR THIS ENGLISH MUFFIN BREAD AND APPLE BUTTER

English Muffin Bread and Apple Butter this simple no knead one bowl quick rise yeast bread is a loaf form of the classic breakfast dish. Serve it with homemade maple apple butter made in a slow cooker/ crock pot. This is a simple make ahead baked good perfect for the fall. Read more at thewoodandspoon.com

If you like this english muffin bread you should check out:

Buttermilk Bread

Pumpkin Yeast Bread

Flaxseed Bread

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

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English Muffin Bread

Just like the original English muffins, but in loaf form!

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 20
  • Total Time: 60
  • Yield: 2 loaves
  • Category: Bread

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup (60 gm) lukewarm water
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 4 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 21/4 cups milk, lukewarm
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • Cornmeal

Instructions

  1. Combine the water, honey, and yeast in a large bowl of a stand mixer. Allow the yeast to dissolve. Add in one cup of flour and the milk, stirring to combine. Add in the remaining flour, the salt, and the baking soda, and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
  2. Lightly grease two 8”x4” loaf pans and dust them with cornmeal. Dump half of the thin dough into each prepared pan. Cover with a tea towel and allow to rise in a warm spot in the kitchen until the loaves dome an inch outside of the pan.
  3. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Once the loaves have risen, bake in the preheated oven about 20-22 minutes or until the tops are golden and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from oven and cool about 15 minutes in the pan. Remove from the pan and cool completely. Serve bread toasted and sliced.

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Apple Butter

This apple butter is made in a slow cooker and sweetened with maple syrup!

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 240
  • Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
  • Yield: 2 cups
  • Category: Condiment

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds of apples (I used fuji), peeled, cored and roughly sliced
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Pinch of cloves
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

  1. Combine the apples, maple syrup, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a slow cooker and set to high for 4-5 hours, stirring hourly until the apples are soft and juices are starting to get sticky around the edges of the pot. Carefully remove the mixture from the slow cooker and puree in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return the apple mixture back to the slow cooker and cook for an additional 1-2 hours or until desired consistency is reached. Add the vanilla extract and taste for sweetness. Add an additional tablespoon of maple syrup if desired. Allow to cool prior to use.

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Kale Swiss and Sausage Quiche

Kale Swiss and Sausage Quiche by Wood and Spoon blog. An all butter pie crust filled with a smoky Italian sausage, kale greens, and Kerrygold swiss cheese. topped with fresh tomatoes, balsamic glaze, and herbs. perfect for breakfast brunch or supper. find the simple fresh recipe on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

Full disclosure: I’m writing this post a week in advance. With baby just around the corner, I can’t really afford to do anything in real time, so if I happen to give birth in the next few days you’ll just have to forgive any inconsistencies in my life status, okay? Or at least pretend I’m Marty McFly and I just took a trip into the future to prepare this recipe in advance. 

I’m slowly losing my mind. 39 weeks pregnant, near-100 degree temps that have kept us indoors, and two little crumb-snatchers under my feet most days of the week has me slowly turning into a crazy person. In an effort to make our last few days as a family of 4 special, I’ve been extremely lenient with the kids, allowing extended bedtimes, extra dessert, and more than enough summer movie watching. Unfortunately, I think they’ve identified I’m a giant sucker now and have been running WILD ever since. If I had any control or say-so in my house a month ago, it’s completely gone now, so just pray for me, okay?

Kale Swiss and Sausage Quiche by Wood and Spoon blog. An all butter pie crust filled with a smoky Italian sausage, kale greens, and Kerrygold swiss cheese. topped with fresh tomatoes, balsamic glaze, and herbs. perfect for breakfast brunch or supper. find the simple fresh recipe on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

Kale Swiss and Sausage Quiche

I have been taking shortcuts along the way to make life easier in a lot of other ways, including making leftover-friendly meals and treats that reheat beautifully. Today’s kale Swiss and sausage quiche is one such recipe, and I am thrilled to share it with you! Quiche is a kitchen workhorse, easily doubling as breakfast, brunch, snack, or dinner, and it reheats as deliciously as it tastes at room temperature. That means when my husband shows up late from work or my kids dawdle at the table and end up eating cold food it still tastes good. #GOALS.

Kale Swiss and Sausage Quiche by Wood and Spoon blog. An all butter pie crust filled with a smoky Italian sausage, kale greens, and Kerrygold swiss cheese. topped with fresh tomatoes, balsamic glaze, and herbs. perfect for breakfast brunch or supper. find the simple fresh recipe on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

I’m sharing today’s recipe with my friends at Kerrygold! Yes, there’s butter in the pie crust, but the filling is also loaded with their nutty Swiss cheese. Along with Italian sausage, kale, and loads of herbs and seasoning, the makings of this simple egg and milk pie transform into a flavorful meal that will please just about anyone. Even my husband, a self-proclaimed carnivore who turns up his nose to anything containing greens, said the quiche was delicious. If that doesn’t speak volumes then I know nothing.

Kale Swiss and Sausage Quiche by Wood and Spoon blog. An all butter pie crust filled with a smoky Italian sausage, kale greens, and Kerrygold swiss cheese. topped with fresh tomatoes, balsamic glaze, and herbs. perfect for breakfast brunch or supper. find the simple fresh recipe on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

Making the Quiche

To make this kale Swiss and sausage quiche, we start with the crust. Cut the Kerrygold unsalted butter into flour and salt. This creates an all-butter crust to par-bake in the oven until golden and flaky. The filling is made with browned sausage, caramelized onions, and wilted kale. Swiss cheese adds extra buttery notes and loads of flavor. The egg mixture which contains little more than milk, salt, and pepper, is poured on top before the whole thing gets baked in the oven. This is a recipe you want smell-o-vision for because it is divine fresh from the oven.

Kale Swiss and Sausage Quiche by Wood and Spoon blog. An all butter pie crust filled with a smoky Italian sausage, kale greens, and Kerrygold swiss cheese. topped with fresh tomatoes, balsamic glaze, and herbs. perfect for breakfast brunch or supper. find the simple fresh recipe on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

This kale Swiss and sausage quiche is a simple make-ahead dish that is great for any occasion! Although these flavors tend to be wintery, I love that this quiche is hearty enough even for my meat-eater hubby. Many thanks to my friends at Kerrygold for sponsoring this post. Please be sure to check out their ridiculous selection of butters and cheese next time you’re at the store. Happy Sunday and Happy Baking!

Kale Swiss and Sausage Quiche by Wood and Spoon blog. An all butter pie crust filled with a smoky Italian sausage, kale greens, and Kerrygold swiss cheese. topped with fresh tomatoes, balsamic glaze, and herbs. perfect for breakfast brunch or supper. find the simple fresh recipe on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

If you like this Kale Swiss and Sausage Quiche you should try:

Roasted Summer Vegetable Quiche

Tomato Olive Rolls

Tomato Galette with Basil Pesto and Feta

Cheddar Cornmeal Chicken Pot Pie

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Kale Swiss and Sausage Quiche

Kale Swiss and sausge quich is an all-butter pie crust filled with a Italian sausage, kale greens, and swiss cheese!

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 60
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: 9
  • Category: Brunch

Ingredients

For the dough:

  • 11/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons ice water

For the filling:

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1/2 pound ground Italian sausage
  • 1 small Vidalia or yellow onion, sliced
  • 4 ounces roughly chopped kale (about 6 cups)
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 5 large eggs, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 11/4 cup grated Swiss cheese

Instructions

To prepare the dough:

  1. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl and use a pastry cutter or the backs of two forks to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until pea-sized clumps exist throughout. Add the ice water and gently fluff together until the mixture can come together into a dough that isn’t too wet but packs. You may need an additional couple teaspoons of water. Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until chilled, at least an hour.

To prepare the filling:

  1. Heat one teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown and break up the sausage until cooked through and browned. Remove from skillet, leaving any grease that may exist in the bottom of the pan. Add an additional teaspoon of oil and then cook the onions over medium heat until they are translucent. Add the kale, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the pan and cook until the kale is wilted and no longer producing moisture, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the pan.

To prepare the quiche:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 and roll out the chilled pie dough on a lightly floured surface until the dough is approximately 1-1/2 inches larger than your tart pan with a removable bottom on all sides. Roll the dough back onto the floured rolling pin and unroll the dough into the pan. Leave a 1” border on all sides and trim off any excess. Fold the sides under and pinch together, leaving 1/4” of dough extending over the sides of the pan. Place a crumpled piece of parchment paper into the bottom of the pan on top of the pie dough and fill the pan with pie weights, dried rice or beans. Par-bake in the oven for 10 minutes, then remove the weights and parchment and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the bottom no longer looks wet. In the meantime, whisk together the milk, 4 of the eggs, remaining 3/4 teaspoon of salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Once the pie crust is baked, crack the egg into a small bowl without breaking the yolk and use a pastry brush to brush the entire insides of the pie with egg white.  Sprinkle 1 cup of swiss cheese into the bottom of the baked crust and top with the browned sausage crumbles and the kale and onion mixture. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of swiss cheese and then carefully pour the egg mixture on top. Whisk together the egg you brushed on the pie crust and brush the entire rim of the pie crust with a thin layer. Bake in the preheated oven for about 35 minutes or until the top is golden and the insides are no longer jiggly. Cool slightly and enjoy!

Notes

The egg wash is entirely optional. The brushed egg white serves as an extra layer of protection for the crust and the whisked whole egg helps with browning. Neither are necessary so feel free to skip this step if needed.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

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