This apple butter snack cake is so perfect for fall! A sheet cake made with rich apple butter and grated honeycrisp apples, it’s baked until tender and then drizzled with brown butter icing. Incredible! It’s fall cake time! This apple butter cake is incredible. Loaded with spiced apple flavor, it’s tender and soft and drizzled […]
This apple butter snack cake is so perfect for fall! A sheet cake made with rich apple butter and grated honeycrisp apples, it’s baked until tender and then drizzled with brown butter icing. Incredible!
It’s fall cake time!
This apple butter cake is incredible. Loaded with spiced apple flavor, it’s tender and soft and drizzled with a brown butter icing. The perfect after school or weekend fall treat that everyone can enjoy!
We LOVE apple butter in this house. Especially Eddie. One of his favorite things to do is get a huge jar of apple butter, then have it on toast every night before bed. It’s so satisfying and sweet and spiced – and it tastes like fall. I love the american spoon apple butter, but Eddie doesn’t discriminate. He will pick up any variety at the grocery store!
So I was more than excited to find an apple butter cake recipe! See, I love using pumpkin butter, because it has such jam-packed flavor in a thickened, saucy little mix. I love using pumpkin butter in cookies and even oatmeal, and I really like how it brings the best spiced flavor to treats without making them super “cakey.” Apple butter is the same!
That may sound crazy, because this is a cake after all. But the apple butter has a more concentrated, rich flavor. It works wonders in a cake, especially compared to applesauce. Sure, applesauce is great and delivers a lot of moisture to baked goods, but it rarely brings tons of fall, apple flavor.
That’s why apple butter is here to save the day!
This cake also uses a grated apple, and of course, I love to use honeycrisp apples. Is there anything that screams fall more than honeycrisps? I think not. I used to wait for the day that they were available in the grocery store when I was growing up. Now, my kids love them too and they are so sweet, a little tart and refreshing.
I grate the entire honeycrisp and throw it right into the batter. The batter is simple! Butter, brown sugar, eggs, apple butter, and then the classic dry ingredients.
It takes about 40 minutes to bake and let me just tell you – your house will smell AMAZING. No need for a fall candle with this cake in the oven. It does all the work for you.
There are a few ways you can top this cake. A simple powdered sugar sprinkle works, but I also like to make a brown butter icing glaze to drizzle on top. Mostly because I can never say no to brown butter.
Who can?
It’s as simple as it sounds. I brown butter then mix it with some powdered sugar and it almost tastes like carmel. Then I drizzle the glaze over the cake. You could spread it on too – whatever works!
This is also an excellent cake to make if you go apple picking! Of course, you can always make your own apple butter too.
Such a feel good treat with some coffee or tea. (more…)
There’s never been such a humble recipe with so much gravitas as the Purple Plum Torte, a tender cake dotted with sunken soft sweet Italian plums. First published in The New York Times in 1983, the recipe, which came from Lois Levine and was written ab…
There’s never been such a humble recipe with so much gravitas as the Purple Plum Torte, a tender cake dotted with sunken soft sweet Italian plums. First published in The New York Times in 1983, the recipe, which came from Lois Levine and was written about by Marian Burros, became so wildly popular among Times readers that the paper published it annually for several years running, something they’d never done before or since. When I started working on the first edition of The Essential New York Times Cookbook in 2006, I surveyed Times readers for their favorite recipes, and the plum torte won by a landslide.
What is its secret? What has enabled it to hold up for decades, unscathed by food writers who love to iterate and tweak and transform classics? As I wrote in my book:
This zucchini brownies recipe comes out ultra moist with deep chocolaty flavor! Bookmark this one for a deliciously simple treat.
What do you make when you’ve made all the zucchini bread and zucchini muffins? Zucchini brownies, of course! Stop what you’re doing and gather the ingredients for this recipe that will have your friends and family running for another piece. The brownies come out ultra moist and gooey, with a deep, rich chocolaty flavor. They’re simple to make and you won’t believe the amazing flavor and texture!
Ingredients in this zucchini brownies recipe
The secret to rich and moist brownies? Zucchini! Turns out, adding shredded zucchini to brownies makes for an incredibly moist, gooey texture (which is what we prefer in a good brownie). It also lets you get away with not using eggs, which makes this zucchini brownies recipe accidentally vegan! Here are the ingredients in this recipe:
Granulated sugar
Neutral oil
Zucchini
Vanilla extract
Cocoa powder
Dutch process cocoa powder
Cornstarch
All-purpose flour
Baking soda
Kosher salt
Chocolate chips
The flavor key: Dutch process cocoa powder
This zucchini brownies recipe uses a combination of two types of cocoa powder to achieve the deep, dark chocolaty flavor. The key? Dutch process (dark) cocoa powder, a special type of cocoa powder is treated with an alkali to make it pH neutral. This gives it a darker color and milder flavor. It makes the flavor ultra chocolaty, with deep rich notes instead of the lighter fruity notes that you’ll get with regular cocoa powder.
Zucchini brownies are as straightforward as a standard brownies recipe! There are just a few things to note for success:
Use a metal pan for baking. This makes for the most consistent bake and a better rise than a glass pan.
Finely grate the zucchini. This allows this green vegetable to meld seamlessly into the texture of the brownies.
Do not drain the zucchini! This recipe is optimized for undrained zucchini, using the moisture in this vegetable (which is 94% water!).
Some notes on cooling and cutting
It’s important for recipes like brownies, muffins and quick breads to cool completely. This sets the texture and allows them to hold together better. The flavor is also generally better at room temperature. These zucchini brownies don’t hold together if they are very warm, so make sure to let them cool completely.
For best results, cool for 1 hour in the pan, then remove the brownies from the pan with the foil and allow to cool on a baking rack for another 1 hour until cooled.
To get clean slices, but through the brownies once they are cooled and clean off the knife after each cut.
Brownie variations
If you love non-standard brownies, you’ll love these zucchini brownies! A few other variations you’ll love:
These zucchini brownies hold up well over time! Store them refrigerated for up to 1 week. You can also store at room temperature, but they are so gooey that refrigeration is best: plus, they’ll last longer.
More zucchini bread and muffins
There are so many ways to mix up zucchini bread! This chocolate zucchini bread is our absolute favorite, but a close second is lemon zucchini bread: it’s zingy and bright! It’s the exact opposite of this bread but nearly as satisfying. Here are a few more zucchini recipes:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 9″ pan with a piece of aluminum foil.
Stir together the sugar and oil with a spatula. Then stir in the zucchini, vanilla, cocoa powder, Dutch process cocoa powder, cornstarch, flour, baking soda, and salt. Fold in ¾ of the chocolate chips. Allow the batter to stand for 5 minutes to allow it to thicken.
Pour the batter into the pan and top with the remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until a tester comes out with a few clinging crumbs. Cool for 1 hour in the pan, then remove the brownies from the pan with the foil and allow to cool on a baking rack for another 1 to 2 hours until cooled. Slice into 16 pieces and serve (wash the knife after each slice to make for clean cuts). Leftovers store up to 1 week refrigerated.
Happy June my dear friends! It’s wonderful to be back in the blog space, and to bring you this new and *very* luscious recipe for French Toast Cubes. Where did this divinity come from?! I have no idea, but I was pretty excited to receive…
Happy June my dear friends! It’s wonderful to be back in the blog space, and to bring you this new and *very* luscious recipe for French Toast Cubes. Where did this divinity come from?! I have no idea, but I was pretty excited to receive the download. It’s a real egg-celebration! And right at the height of the season here in Ontario, as we witness the forces of life unfolding, in every moment.
Since I’d like to focus on our star ingredient today, let’s talk about sourcing and buying eggs. There is so much to decipher when purchasing in regards to the grade, size, and raising claims, along with the nutritional, ethical, and environmental impacts of these varieties, so I hope that you find my guide to this highly nutritious and miraculous food helpful to you.
GRADE
Eggs are given grades (AA, A, or B) based on interior quality factors like defects and freshness, and exterior factors reflecting shell attributes. Grade A eggs have thick whites (Grade AA whites are slightly thicker) which do not spread easily, making them a preferred choice for frying. Meanwhile, Grade B eggs usually have thinner egg whites, making them ideal for baking, omelets, fresh toast cubes for example, and yes, custard.
SIZE
Eggs vary in size (Extra Large, Large, and Medium are the most common sizes in stores) based on their weight. The size markings on egg cartons tell the minimum net weight for a dozen eggs. If you are looking for more protein, you should choose a larger-sized egg.
RAISING CLAIMS
Many are concerned with the way egg-laying hens are raised. Here’s a quick definition for some popular claims.
Conventional
Conventionally-raised eggs typically come from chickens that are bred in large industrial facilities. These chickens are often confined to cages and given a diet of corn and soy, supplemented with vitamins and minerals. Conventional eggs are usually the least expensive option and are widely available, but many people have concerns about the welfare of the chickens and the environmental impact of this type of farming.
Organic
Organic eggs come from chickens that are fed an organic diet and are not given antibiotics or hormones. In order to be certified organic, at least by USDA standards, the chickens must be cage-free, and also have seasonal access to the outdoors. Organic eggs are typically more expensive than conventionally-raised eggs, but many people believe that they are healthier and better for the environment.
Fortified / Nutritionally-enriched
Fortified eggs come from hens who have been raised by conventional standards, but have been given feed that is enriched in some capacity. Typically, this can include anything from ground flax seeds, to sea kelp, sunflower oil, fish oil, alfalfa, or rice bran. Depending on the feed, fortified eggs may have more Omega-3s, vitamin D, vitamin E, folate, and iodine.
Pasture-Raised
Pasture-raised eggs come from chickens that are allowed to roam freely on pasture, scratch, forage, and eat a natural diet that includes grasses, insects, and other plants. Pasture-raised chickens are often considered to be the most humane and sustainable way to produce eggs, and many people believe that the resulting eggs are more nutritious and flavorful than conventionally grown eggs. This is true depending on, you guessed it; what they are eating!
So, what are the differences between these types of eggs? Here are some key factors to consider:
NUTRIENT CONTENT
There is some evidence to suggest that pasture-raised eggs may be more nutritious than conventionally grown eggs. Studies have shown that pasture-raised eggs can have higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, and antioxidants than conventionally grown eggs. However, the differences in nutrient content between different types of eggs can be small (and in some cases hard to track due to season, soil health, and the specific foods eaten) and may not be significant enough to make a major difference in overall health.
ANIMAL WELFARE
If you are concerned about the welfare of the chickens that produce your eggs, you may want to consider buying pasture-raised or organic eggs because these types of eggs come from chickens that are allowed to roam freely and are not confined to small cages. However, it’s worth noting that the regulations around organic and pasture-raised farming can vary, and some farms may have more humane practices than others. If you have the possibility to do so, ask your local egg provider how the hens are raised, what their physical environment is like, and even their slaughtering practices.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
All food production impacts the environment. To minimize the impact of egg production consider buying organic or pasture-raised eggs, as these types of farming practices often involve less use of or are free from pesticides and fertilizers, and may have a smaller carbon footprint than conventionally grown eggs. However, it’s worth noting that the environmental impact of egg production can be complex, and the specific practices used by each farm can vary. Again, ask your farmer!
In summary, the type of eggs you choose to buy will depend on your budget, priorities, and values. Organic and pasture-raised eggs may be more nutritious and have a smaller environmental impact, but they are often more expensive. Conventionally grown eggs may be easier to find and more affordable, but some people have concerns about the welfare of the chickens and the environmental impact of this type of farming. Ultimately, the best way to choose eggs is to do your research, read labels carefully, speak with your local egg provider if possible, and find the option that best suits your needs.
Okay, now to the recipe
Why French toast cubes, you ask? Because six sides of golden glory is way better than two, haha! I really wanted to create a standout dish, one that was both delectably indulgent and also visually stunning. Having this beauty placed in front of me would absolutely make my jaw drop!
The real star of the show here, however, is the custard, which is a completely new-to-me food, and one I’ve been curious to attempt! Also known as Crème Anglaise, it is the base of all ice cream (at least the really good stuff). That should already tell you that it is rich and satisfying – goddess food – as my dear friend Elenore puts it. I must say, I do feel exceptionally queen-like enjoying the ultra-creamy and luscious divinity. It’s like being kissed by an angel!
The custard was surprisingly easy to make once I understood the science behind it: real cream and high-fat milk are infused with vanilla, cooled down until it can be combined with egg yolks without curdling them (this process is called tempering), then slowly back brought up to temperature so that the yolks cook and thicken the sauce. Simple in theory, but it does require some patience and your full, undivided attention at times. I found a lot of recipes for custard call for starches and thickeners, but I wanted to go the whole food route and stick with just eggs. So glad I did! I also replaced the refined sugar with creamed honey. This not only imparts such a stunning flavour, but also serves to help thicken the custard.
Here are some recipe notes on the custard:
If you fumble and the eggs curdle or the sauce breaks, use an immersion blender to bring it all back together.
If you have access to organic eggs (or better yet, pasture eggs from free-roaming hens!) I highly encourage you to use them here since you’re really going to taste them. Same goes for the dairy products; find the best you can, bonus points for local and grass-fed. For the whipping cream, choose between 35-40% fat. The whole milk should be around 3-4% fat.
Do not try this with clear, runny honey as I cannot guarantee the same results.
The custard makes more than you need for this dish, but leftovers will keep in the fridge for 5 days. You can warm the custard back up by gently heating it in a double-boiler over just-simmering water, stirring frequently.
If strawberries aren’t in season, choose another fruit! The sky is the limit – you can even start with frozen if that is all you have.
I hope you love this recipe for French toast cubes as much I do. It is an ode to eggs, to cream, to vanilla, to joy! I am very certain it will put a smile on your face and everyone who is lucky enough to enjoy it with you.
Split the vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and place in a heavy-bottomed saucepan with the milk and cream. Turn on the heat to medium and stir every so often, just until the mixture begins to bubble around the edge of the pan for about 2 minutes. Do NOT let the mixture boil. Remove from the heat and let cool and infuse for about 20 minutes.
Separate the egg whites and yolks (set the whites aside for the french toast). Whisk the egg yolks and honey together.
Ladle 1 scoop of the cooled cream mixture into the egg yolks and swiftly whisk to combine. Add another ladle and whisk, repeating until you have no cream left. Clean the saucepan well, making sure there is no residue left.
Pour the tempered cream and egg mixture through a sieve back in to the clean saucepan and turn on the heat to medium. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon for about 8-10 minutes (do NOT leave the stove!). The custard is ready when the mixture coats the back of the spoon and you can draw a clean line through with your finger (see photo).
Once it has thickened, remove from the heat and strain once again through a sieve into a bowl or other heat-proof vessel. Immerse this vessel in an ice bath to stop cooking, remembering to stir every so often. Let the mixture cool. Season with salt, as desired. Serve and enjoy immediately, and store leftovers in the fridge for up to five days.
Hull and chop the strawberries into small cubes. Place in a bowl, sprinkle with salt, stir well to coat, then add maple syrup and fold to combine. Let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Cut the bread, roughly, into four, 3” / 8cm cubes. Remove the crusts.
Whisk the eggs and vanilla together in a small bowl. Crush the cardamom pod, discard the skin and pummel the seeds until broken up into very small pieces. Whisk into the eggs mixture.
One by one, dunk each bread cube into the egg mixture, allowing each side to bathe for 15 seconds or so, then turning until all six sides have been coated.
Melt your fat in a skillet over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and cook on each side for 1 minute, or until golden brown.
To serve, spoon as much custard as you like onto each dish (I used about 1/4 cup / 60ml per serving), then place the french toast cube on top, and spoon over some of the strawberry mixture. Say thank you and enjoy.
Notes
Serves 4
Sending you all love and abundance for this glorious season! May you be nourished and a little spoiled
Torta all’arancia di Sicilian Orange Cake Recipe Sicilian Orange Cake enjoys both taste and aroma. It fits perfectly during Christmas when the scent of orange spreads throughout the house. This is not a typical American cake, and therefore you will surprise your guests because of it. This cake is straightforward to prepare, not as complicated …
Sicilian Orange Cake enjoys both taste and aroma. It fits perfectly during Christmas when the scent of orange spreads throughout the house.
This is not a typical American cake, and therefore you will surprise your guests because of it.
This cake is straightforward to prepare, not as complicated as Panettone, and most importantly, it is less famous than this Italian pastry, although I wonder why?
It will also compose at any time of the year because it is perfectly juicy and, at the same time, very simple and quick to make.
Surprise yourself and your family with this simple idea for sweets.
Do you want to try other recipes from Sicily with oranges?
There are many recipes in Sicilian cuisine where we can taste oranges. On my blog, you will find a delicious and simple Salad of Oranges and Shallots recipe worth trying.
It fits perfectly as an addition to bread or as an addition to poultry.
The Sicilian whole orange cake recipe uses an entire orange, but I feel like making candied oranges peels later when I make an orange salad. Which we can use for various pastries, be it brioche or classic Panettone.
Sicilian Orange Cake is perfect for Christmas, although it may not be as popular as other Italian Christmas cakes. That’s why you can surprise your guests and serve this one.
Where does the Sicilian Orange Cake come from?
The Whole Orange Cake comes from Palermo and is known as PAN D’ARancio or PAN D’ARANCIA. There are different versions of this cake where whole oranges are used. It can be in the grandmother’s version or in the version I do, where it is decorated with entire orange.
I also know that in Sicily, housewives replace some of the flour with corn or potato starch or cacao powder, then you will get an even fluffier cake or a chocolate version.
However, I propose here the classics of the classics.
How to Choose the best ingredients for Sicilian Whole Orange Cake
Oranges: pick the best oranges you can get. You use the whole orange with the peel for the cake, so it would be nice if they were organic without chemicals.
Very sweet oranges are perfect for this cake, but we don’t always know what we are buying, and if we happen to buy less sweet ones, just more sugar for the cake.
For the Sicilian Whole Orange Cake, I recommend, of course, varieties of Sicilian oranges e.g. mandarin oranges. They are characterized by thin skin, and you can also meet with red flesh inside, making this orange cake even more enjoyable.
All purpose flour: you can use any wheat flour you have, as long as it is sifted before use to make it fluffier.
I wouldn’t replace the flour with almond or coconut flour with these proportions, but I can’t say I didn’t think about this cake version with these ingredients. You certainly can’t use the same amount.
More suggestions with almond flour cakes
I would be more inclined to use almond flour because it is very similar to the Apple cake by Natalia, where I used almond flour. You can also bake this one.
When I tested this cake, one of your opinions was: I can feel it is healthy and tasty. And it’s true because there are only natural ingredients here.
This is another variation of an interesting cake with my favorite Italian addition of amaretto liqueur and a coffee flavor that Italians love.
Cane sugar: gives a delicate caramel flavor, it is not spectacularly perceptible, but it fits perfectly with oranges.
Butter: you can replace this fat with, for example, coconut oil and vegetable oil at the same value, but for me, the taste of butter is unique because I like French cuisine, and butter reigns there.
Fat should be at room temperature.
Eggs: we choose the big-sized eggs and the best you can have. Or if you have fewer, you can use three pieces, which will be a good choice.
Eggs should be at room temperature.
Baking powder: it is essential in the orange cake recipe. It cannot be omitted because it moistens the Sicilian orange loaf.
How to store Sicilian Orange Cake
This cake is so delicious that it disappears from the table very quickly. However, if you want to prepare them for a show (the Christmas season is an example), you can store the cake in an airtight container for about a week.
You do not need to store this cake in the fridge; an airtight container is enough to keep it fresh.
This baking is perfect when we need time, and we want to prepare for some celebrations in advance, or we like to have such sweetness at home for longer.
Tips and Tricks for Moist Sicilian Orange Cake
To enhance the taste and smell of oranges, add one grated apple to the dough and then replace it with one orange.
You can add spices like ground cloves or cinnamon to the dough.
In this cake, we use whole oranges, but if you ever have excess orange peels, don’t throw them away because you can use them and make candied oranges peels.
To spice up the cake, you can add dark chocolate chips, which can also improve the taste better.
If using a food processor, in the last batch where you add the drained orange pieces, mix with a spoon or on low speed to preserve the orange structure.
So how to make a Sicilian Whole Orange Cake recipe?
The cake is very simple and always works. It will work even for those who start their adventure with baking.
Sicilian Orange Cake recipe is an amazingly moist, easy cake.
The moist orange cake recipe is a classic of Italian cuisine. All in all, it's a classic of Sicilian cuisine where these fruits ripen in the sun. It is juicy and very aromatic, and incredibly easy.However, this is the best whole orange cake I've ever had, delicious cake.Vanilla extract in this cake is unnecessary because the aroma of orange definitely dominates this cake recipe.If you want more scent cake you can add optional seasonic.
I often use a food processor/stand mixer to make cakes, but this it is so simple you can make it with a spoon and a large bowl which will be perfect for the mix.
If you use dough making machines, use medium speed for practically the whole dough, only after adding puree orange do you reduce the speed to the lowest. Those who use machines cook faster.
We don't have the opportunity to get oranges straight from the tree, so it's worth ensuring they are as healthy as possible when we use them for Sicilian Orange Cake.
Scrub the oranges thoroughly under cold running water. I use a natural bristle brush for this, which cleans best. Then, scald the washed oranges to finally get rid of the rest of the germs and chemicals.
We leave one orange on top of the cake and grate the peel from the rest (we can do it with a fine grater or a special zest). You do this before peeling the orange from the white skin called albedo. I like to eat it because it contains a whole range of minerals, vitamins, and pectin. However, I don't recommend adding it to the dough because it can taste bitter.
Then, peel each whole orange, remove the white pith, and place it in a strainer. The orange mixture needs just a few minutes to drain excess orange juice.
You can use orange juice for the orange glaze or drink it or bake Pumpkin Orange Muffins.
Start mixing the butter and sugar until fluffy in a bowl, then add the eggs one at a time. Once the fluffy mass has absorbed the eggs, add the rest dry ingredients (be sure to sift the flour with baking powder to give it lightness).
We add grated orange peel and drained orange puree at the end. Mix everything thoroughly with a spoon. The orange pieces mustn't be too smooth puree because I like how we feel these oranges in this orange cake.
If you are using a food processor, it is important to do this at the lowest speed. I like the delicately perceptible pieces of orange in the dough; only this treatment guarantees it.
The ingredients fit perfectly into the cake's round springform pan with a diameter 8-9 inches.
Now prepare the cake pan. Put parchment paper on the bottom of the baking tray, grease the bottom with fat, and sprinkle with a cane or granulated sugar. Arrange the orange slices as you like. I put them around and put one in the middle.
Pour the dough onto a springform pan and put it in the oven.
Pour the previous cake mixture and bake in a preheated oven to 180°C/350°F/ Gas mark 4s for about 40 minutes for the so-called dry stick. I always use a wooden skewer stick for this.
After baking, carefully remove the cake pan, put a plate or cake stand where we will lay out the cake, and turn it over so that the orange slices are on top.
If you want to sprinkle the cake with icing sugar, wait until let it cool completely, then, this treatment will give sweetness and beautifully decorate the cake.
This little treatment gives an amazing visual effect in a whole orange cake recipe.
Happy birthday, My New Roots! We’re celebrating 15 years strong with a Danish dreamcake, and I am so grateful to you, dear reader, for following along. Whether you’ve been here since the beginning, or this is your first post, thank you for being here and…
Happy birthday, My New Roots! We’re celebrating 15 years strong with a Danish dreamcake, and I am so grateful to you, dear reader, for following along. Whether you’ve been here since the beginning, or this is your first post, thank you for being here and supporting my vision of a healthier, happier world.
I could say something cliché, like “I cannot believe it’s been 15 years already” but I CAN! Haha, I’ve packed so much into this last decade-and-a-half, that I’m actually shocked it hasn’t been 30 years! Twocookbooks, countless international cooking classes and workshops, an online membership platform, a TV show, a TED talk, a wellness retreat business, and a global community of hundreds of thousands of fine folks just like yourself. WOW.
This space has seen me through two overseas moves, four restaurant jobs, a marriage, a baby, home renovations, major health challenges and triumphs, and the personal evolution that comes along with all of it! I knew I needed to create a recipe that celebrated all of it and I’m so excited to share this Coconut Dreamcake with you.
Honouring a Classic
It was pretty fun deciding what I was going to bake for this anniversary and how I was going to photograph it. Those over-the-toplayercakes I made for previous birthdays felt fun and celebratory, but I also wanted something nostalgic and reverent for this one.
I have been wanting to try making a Sarah B-version of the classic Danish dessert, drømmekage (translation: “dreamcake”) for a very long time. When I lived in Copenhagen, this was one of my favourite treats because it is just so darn delicious and satisfying. The sponge is a moist and tender vanilla cake, with a topping of gooey, coconut caramel. Typically baked slab-style, and served in squares at bakeries all over the country, dreamcake is one of the most ubiquitous and well-loved desserts for a good reason – it truly is a dream!
Playing with an a time-honoured recipe is challenging, because why mess with a good thing?! But I’ve built a career on making healthy-ish, more nourishing swaps in traditional dishes, so why not attempt a drømmekage of my own?
Happy Hemp
If you’ve been here a while, you know that one of my favourite ingredients to work with is hemp! These light-tasting and creamy seeds are the perfect addition to so many meals, boosting the Omega-3 fat and protein content. They also contain good amounts of magnesium, iron, and zinc, and we could all use more minerals! Best of all? They’re grown locally here in Canada!
I love hemp seeds sprinkled onto my Revolutionary Pancakes and granola, blended into a rich and delicious milk, made into a mock-parmesan cheese, and of course blended into hemp butter. I knew I had to include hemp seeds in this celebratory dessert since I feel it’s my *signature move*. So I incorporated them in two ways: first as part of the flour mix for the vanilla sponge; this adds a beautiful tooth and moisture to the cake, keeping it fresh for days! And I made a hemp cream to replace the dairy cream in both the cake and the topping (just for fun – nothing against dairy cream!).
Celebrating Coconut
Other notable variations include toasting the coconut for the topping, which really brings the coconut flavour to the max! I used two kinds of coconut, since I love having just a few larger pieces for a textural change-up, but if you only have finely desiccated coconut, that’s *fine* too Using coconut sugar in the topping adds an incredible depth of flavour and complexity that I suggest you don’t miss out on – it brings so much more to the party than plain old brown sugar.
Helpful Notes
I used unbleached cane sugar instead of coconut sugar in the dreamcake because I wanted to maintain the light colour of the cake. If you want to use another granulated sweetener, go for it! Substituting with a whole food liquid sweetener is a different ball game and I haven’t experimented with that yet. If you do, make sure to share in the comments and let us know how it goes!
You can use whole or light spelt, or a combination of those flours for the sponge – the combo was my favourite, a mix of half and half. You can substitute these with any other gluten-containing flours, or with a gluten-free mix that mimics all-purpose flour for baking (or make your own!).
Now I gotta tell you about the topping, because there is a moment when you’re making that caramel that I know will make you think you’ve failed and you haven’t! The butter and coconut sugar are stubborn to meld. The whole thing will split and look chunky and strange, and the excess butter will be oozing around, not wanting to play with anyone. THEN! it will magically come together if you just keep stirring. Make sure the heat is very low, and stick with it. If you’re going on 8 to 10 minutes even… just keep stirring – you got this (and it’s SO worth it)!
Start by preheating the oven to 400°F / 200°C. Prepare a 7” / 18cm round springform cake pan by greasing the interior with a little butter, and placing a parchment paper circle in the bottom (I find it easiest to trace the bottom of the cake form, then cut it out to fit perfectly).
Make the hemp cream by placing the hemp seeds and water in a blender and blend on high for 30 seconds, or until the cream is smooth. Set aside.
In a food processor, blend hemp seeds until they’re the texture of sand (but don’t blend too much or you’ll end up with hemp butter!). Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Pulse to blend and set aside.
Melt the butter over low heat and let cool. Meanwhile, beat the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy (either with an electric mixer or your arm muscles!). Stir in the flour mixture, then fold in the butter, hemp cream and vanilla. Pour batter into the prepared springform pan and place in the oven to bake for 20 minutes. Then reduce oven temp to 350, and bake for another 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
While the sponge is baking, make the topping by toasting the coconut in a large skillet over medium heat (work in batches if necessary, and toast the two types of coconut separately). Once golden and fragrant, set aside. Melt the butter over low heat, then stir in the coconut sugar. Stir frequently until they combine into a thick caramel (this make take a few minutes, but keep stirring!). Add the hemp cream and vanilla, stir to incorporate. Remove from the heat, then add the flaky salt, toasted coconut, and fold to thoroughly combine.
Once the sponge is baked, remove from the oven and spread the topping over as evenly as possible. Place back int the oven for another 5 minutes, just until the topping is bubbling. Remove from oven and let cool completely, then place in the fridge to firm up, at least 2 hours. Remove cake from the fridge, then using a sharp knife, cut around the edge to release caramel that is stuck to the sides. Unlock the springform to reveal! Slice, say thank you, and enjoy. Leftovers can be stored covered, at room temperature for about a week.
Photographing this dreamcake was just as much fun as eating it. Since I was re-creating a Danish recipe, and those flavours got me all nostalgic for my Copenhagen home, I decided to try emulating that very special Nordic light that I truly miss. I feel like I succeeded! This was not an easy feat, but after 15 years of teaching myself how to take photos of food, I think I figured it out. This is all to say, that I’m still challenged by this ongoing project, and in love with everything I’ve learned along the way. What a trip!
And one final thanks to you, for being here, for the time and energy you’ve spent here on the blog, engaging on social, on Grow, in my cooking classes and retreats, zoom hangs, or even those passing moments on the street when you come up and say hello (don’t ever NOT do that by the way. I love meeting you!). The thing I value most from the last 15 years of creating this space, is the people that I’ve had the privilege of connecting with inside of it. Words could not describe how big and full my heart feels when I remember the meaningful conversations, hugs, high-fives, tears and smiles that we’ve shared, while navigating this wild ride of life, and trying our best to look after our miraculous, individual bodies, together as one.
My dear ones! It’s been another while since being in the blog space and I’m happy to be here with you, in the glory of summer unfolding. I love having the time to craft these posts, since they are a true outpouring from my heart…
My dear ones! It’s been another while since being in the blog space and I’m happy to be here with you, in the glory of summer unfolding. I love having the time to craft these posts, since they are a true outpouring from my heart to yours, in the hopes that it will tether us to this time and place, land, season, and true nourishment. Strawberry Rhubarb Rose Crumble Bars is one of the special ones, that has been bubbling away in my consciousness since last summer.
I was cycling on the boardwalk at the beach near my home last August, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of fuchsia – the unmistakable pink of rose hips. Ahhh this gorgeous bushy plant is one that I first became familiar with in Denmark, where they bloom along the shores of every beach, punctuating the salty summer air with rose perfume. And here it was, at the water’s edge in Ontario, the very last petals dropping in the slanted summer sun. I knew I was too late to do anything with them at that point, so the idea-seed was planted for next year. Which is now, right on time!
They say what grows together goes together, so for this recipe I waited for the rose hip to bloom, and then checked out what the other plants were peaking in my garden; strawberries and rhubarb! What a divine and classic combination! I couldn’t wait to get to celebrating this triple-blessing of flavours.
Early Summer Stars
Peak-season strawberries are nutritional super stars. They’re loaded with vitamin C, and good amounts of manganese, folate, and fibre. Their total antioxidant capacity is extremely high, and as we learn more about this summer delight, there is evidence proving its positive effects on cardiovascular health. After consumption, there is less platelet aggregation, less lipid peroxidation and an increase in free-radical scavenging – meaning those antioxidants get to SNACK!
Rhubarb is also a high-fibre food, which is essential for digestion. Fibre is exclusively a plant nutrient, as plants grow it for structural support. Animals have bones, so fibre is not a significant part of their composition. Therefore, increasing our dietary intake of plants in comparison to animal-based foods means an increase in our fibre intake. Makes sense, right?
So much of our nourishment depends on the healthy passage of food through our digestive tract. Without the fibre in things like strawberries and rhubarb, it is impossible for our digestion to take place in a balanced way. With imbalanced digestion comes the risk of poor nutrient absorption, and along with that comes compromised metabolism, immunity, even our mental health. The risk of most chronic diseases is lowest when whole plant foods, like a simple serving of strawberries and rhubarb, are plentiful in the diet. These bars also contain high-fibre oats, almonds and almond flour, so basically what I am saying is eat a lot of these.
The Strawberry Rhubarb Rose Compote
I knew that I wanted the seasonal ingredient to really shine in this recipe, so I started by making a compote with the strawberries and rhubarb, adding a kiss of vanilla and rose. The results were like, mind-blowing, people. I’ve made this compote several times now, simply because it is delicious on everything and in so many ways. So far I’ve slathered it on the Revolutionary Pancakes with almond butter, hemp, salt, and even more fresh strawberries. I made popsicles with it (blended this with more strawberries and froze it). And warmed slightly over vanilla ice cream? Unreasonable. The fact that it comes together in under 15 minutes is also motivating for me – I know I’m not in for a huge project to make it, even though the end result *feels* like such a luxurious extra in my life. Make a triple batch now and freeze it I say!
If you want to get ahead, you can make the compote up to seven days in advance. And yes it lasts that long in the fridge. So convenient.
You can use store-bought, instead of homemade rosewater in this recipe to skip a step, but I understand that sourcing store-bought might be just as much of a challenge for some. Surprisingly, I can find bottled rosewater at my local, small-town grocery store, so check with an employee at your closest market since you might be surprised they stock it! Heath foods stores are a good bet too. And if you can find fresh rose / rose hip flowers, then harvest them sustainably and make your own rose water. Recipe and two methods here. As a last resort, order online!
The Crumble Bars
The top and bottom layer of these bars are a slight upgrade from my original crumble bar recipe with blackberries and hazelnuts, back in 2014 (!). This time I made more of a cookie base, kind of like a giant shortbread cookie with almond flour, which turned out to be more moist and easier to cut than the one just made with oats. I really love this change, and hope you will too! The crumble topping is exactly the same except for swapping out the brown rice flour for almond flour, since it’s yummier / fattier / moister. And since knowing that almonds are in the strawberry and rose family (Rosaceae!) it only made sense.
Enjoy this literal slice of summer, friends and lovers. These Strawberry Rhubarb Rose Crumble Bars are truly a moment, captured. And I hope you choose to savour it.
2cups/ 200g rolled oatsdivided (gluten-free if desired)
¾cup/ 70g almond flour
¾tsp.fine grain sea salt
1tsp.baking powder
60gexpeller-pressed coconut oilghee or butter
¼cup/ 60ml pure maple syrup
1tsp.vanilla extract
Crumble Topping
1cup/ 100g rolled oats
2Tbsp.pure maple syrup
2Tbsp.expeller-pressed coconut oilghee, or butter
⅔cup/ 100g almonds
¼tsp.fine sea salt
3Tbsp.almond flour
Instructions
Start by making the compote. Bring water and maple syrup to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Roughly chop rhubarb and add it to the pan, stir and cover. Simmer for 5 minutes, stir again and use the back of a wooden spoon to smash the rhubarb. If it’s still quite tough, cover and continue to cook until almost soft. While the rhubarb is simmering, wash and stem the strawberries, then roughly chop. Add them to the soft rhubarb, stir well and cook covered, for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, and smash the mixture with the back of your spoon, until it’s your desired texture. I like mine pretty chunky. Stir in the salt, vanilla and rosewater. Adjust the flavours to suit your taste. The compote will firm up as it cools. Measure out 2 ½ cups / 625ml of compote and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. In a food processor blend 1 ½ cups / 150 grams of oats on high until you have a rough flour, like coarse sand. Add almond flour, salt, and baking powder, then pulse to combine. Add maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla. Pulse until evenly moist, then fold or pulse in the whole oats. The dough will be quite firm and sticky.
Turn the dough out into a lightly greased, or parchment-lined 8" x 8” / 20 cm x 20 cm glass or metal pan and press firmly, especially around the edges – it helps to wet your hands so that the dough doesn’t stick to your fingers. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.
While the base is baking, make the crumble topping. Without cleaning the food processor, add the all the ingredients for the crumble, and pulse a few times to mix. You can chop the ingredients as finely as you like, but I like mine pretty chunky.
Remove the base from the oven, and spread the compote over top in an even layer. Crumble the topping over, and place back in the oven for another 30-35 minutes, until the top and bottom are golden brown, and the middle is a bit bubbly.
Let cool completely before cutting into bars. Say thank you and enjoy. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for five or six days. Freeze for up to 3 months and let warm for a few minutes before enjoying!
Hi friends. It feels good to be back in this blog space. Since the beginning of this year, I’ve been focusing my attention on my latest project, My New Roots Grow – an online universe of wellness education – which will launch soon. Grow…
It feels good to be back in this blog space. Since the beginning of this year, I’ve been focusing my attention on my latest project, My New Roots Grow – an online universe of wellness education – which will launch soon. Grow is the most energy-intensive and large-scale project since my cookbooks, and once again it feels like birthing something major. The blog has been on the back burner giving more space for Grow to, well, grow, but I thought I’d pop in with this stellar holiday dessert because ’tis the season for a White Chocolate Peppermint Torte!
I actually developed this recipe last winter, but wasn’t sure what to do with it. I thought about keeping it exclusively on Grow (since that is where a lot of my recipe content will live from now on!), but because it is so special and delicious, I felt that it should just be out in the world. Inspired by the Spiced Chocolate Torte that I make on the retreats in Mexico (remember places?!), I wanted to make a festive holiday version with white chocolate and peppermint… enter the White Chocolate Peppermint Torte.
The crust is dark chocolate and pecan, so rich and delicious with just the right amount of salt. The interior is velvety smooth and beguilingly creamy, made with cashews, coconut oil, and white chocolate. I love the kiss of peppermint in the filling, which is definitely present but not overwhelming. I didn’t want anyone to feel like they were eating dessert and brushing your teeth at the same time!
Some notes on the recipe…
If you’re using peppermint essential oil to flavour the filling, I find it helpful to measure it out on a spoon first, just in case the bottle is in a giving mood – one too many drops of this stuff will ruin a good torte with too much minty-ness! I like to use about 6 or 7 drops total, but if it comes out too fast, I have no way of controlling the amount. If you’re using peppermint extract, start at a quarter of a teaspoon and work your way up to the flavour that suits you.
If you eat a vegan diet, you can use maple syrup instead of honey in the filling, but the colour is going to be more brown / beige than creamy. Also, make sure to find dairy-free white chocolate, since the vast majority of commercially-made white chocolate contains milk solids. And then, if you do find vegan white chocolate, read the ingredient list to make sure that is doesn’t contain any hydrogenated oils or weird emulsifiers (or just pick your battles!).
The torte decorating is entirely up to you, although pomegranate seeds create a striking display of holiday cheer! Other options include fresh mint leaves, cacao nibs, or shaved dark chocolate. You could even include them all, if you’re feeling extra festive.
Store the torte in the freezer until you’re ready to enjoy it, then bring it out about 15-20 minutes before serving so that it’s not rock hard. It’s easier to slice and eat when it’s warmed up a tad. Use a smooth, very sharp chef’s knife, and run it under hot water before cutting into the torte to make it glide.
If you’re not in the mood to make a crust, you can turn this dessert into freezer fudge by preparing only the filling. Pour the filling into an 8-inch / 20 cm square pan lined with plastic wrap; top with ½ cup / 65g toasted pecans, cacao nibs, or chocolate shards, and freeze until solid (about 2 hours). Slice into squares and enjoy straight from the freezer!
1 ½cups/ 150g rolled oatsdivided, gluten-free if necessary
2Tbsp.cocoa powder
For the filling:
1 ½cups/ 200g cashewssoaked for at least 4 hours
¾cup/ 175 ml creamed honeysub with maple syrup, but be warned the colour of the filling will be brown
½cup/ 125 ml coconut oil
75g/ 2.6 oz. white chocolatemelted (dairy-free / vegan if desired)
2tsp.pure vanilla extract
½tsp.fine-grain sea salt
a few drops peppermint essential oil or extractto taste
pomegranate,mint, cacao nibs, shaved dark chocolate, for garnish, optional
Instructions
Make the Crust: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease a 9-inch (23 cm) spring form pan or pie dish with coconut oil.
In a food processor, blend ½ cup (50g) of the rolled oats on high until you have a rough flour, place a small bowl and set aside. Without cleaning the machine, process the pecans into a fine crumb with the texture of sand. Add the coconut oil, maple syrup, salt, oat flour and cacao powder, and process again until the dough comes together. Finally, add the remaining 1 cup of rolled oats and pulse until the oats are chopped, but still have some texture to them. The dough should stick together slightly when pressed between your fingers. If it doesn’t, try adding a bit more maple syrup or processing a bit longer.
Crumble roughly half of the dough evenly over the base of the pan. Starting from the middle, press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom, moving outward and upward along the side of the pie dish. The harder you press the crumbs into the dish, the better the crust will hold together. Taking a small section at a time, use the remaining crust to go up the sides, all around the form until complete. Poke a few fork holes into the bottom of the crust to let the steam escape.
Bake the crust, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes, until fragrant and slightly darker around the edges. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Make the filling: Drain and rinse the cashews. In a high-speed blender, combine the soaked cashews, honey, oil, melted chocolate, vanilla, salt, and peppermint, then blend on high until the filling is completely smooth. It can take a few minutes of blending to get it smooth, depending on your blender. If the blender needs more liquid to get it going, add a tablespoon (15 mL) of plant-based milk (or a bit more) to help it along.
Pour the filling into the prepared crust, smoothing out the top evenly. Place the torte on an even surface in the freezer, uncovered. Freeze for a couple of hours, and then cover the dish with foil and freeze overnight, or for a minimum of 4 to 6 hours, until the torte sets.
Remove the torte from the freezer and let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes before slicing. It is meant to be served cold. Garnish with mint leaves, pomegranate seeds, cacao nibs, melted or shaved chocolate, if desired.
I hope that wherever you are and whatever you’re celebrating this month, you are safe, healthy, and grateful. This year has thrown us all for the biggest loop of our lives, and finding the small joys and tiny triumphs (like getting out for some fresh air, putting dinner on the table) is enough to make me feel proud, anyway. The holidays will undoubtedly look different this year, but I know that I am just thankful to have a roof over my head and a torte to share with the ones I love. I hope the same for you, dear friend.
In light and love, best wishes for the season ahead.
I had to share this recipe as well. This is another family holiday favorite. It’s so easy to throw together, gets better with age, and feels festive and indulgent without any fuss. This recipe is also found in Let’s Stay In as part of our Christmas Tea menu where I usually serve it as cupcakes… Read more »
I had to share this recipe as well.
This is another family holiday favorite. It’s so easy to throw together, gets better with age, and feels festive and indulgent without any fuss.
This recipe is also found in Let’s Stay In as part of our Christmas Tea menu where I usually serve it as cupcakes with a hefty dollop of unsweetened whipped cream.
I’ve always loved the idea of Sticky Toffee Pudding. Tender cake sweetened with dates, served with a warm buttery toffee sauce. But I so often found the end result too sweet. Enter cranberries. Their vibrant color reinforce a seasonal flare and their tart bite cut through the sweetness in a way that has me pining for this cake long after the holidays are over. Thank goodness for frozen cranberries.
Salted Butterscotch Sauce (half the recipe from Bittersweet Chocolate Cake)
1/2 cup / 100 g dark brown sugar
1/2 cup / 120 ml heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons rum
Pinch sea salt
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8 inch cake pan then line the bottom with parchment paper.
Add the dates to a bowl then cover with the boiling water. Stir in the baking soda then let this mixture sit until the dates are soft enough to easily break up with a fork, about 5 minutes. Mash them up a bit then set aside.
In a large bowl stir together the melted butter and brown sugar then whisk in the eggs and salt. Add the flour and softened date mixture then stir well to combine. Stir in the chopped cranberries.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until the cake springs back slowly when gently pressed in the center.
For the toffee sauce:
Bring the sugar, cream, and butter to a boil in a large saucepan. Boil for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat then carefully stir in the salt and rum.
When ready to serve pour the warm toffee sauce over the cake. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
*This recipe also works well for cupcakes. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes.
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Using coconut sugar in the topping adds an incredible depth of flavour and complexity that I suggest you don’t miss out on – it brings so much more to the party than plain old brown sugar. 
