Baking
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Apple Bundt Cake
One of the best parts of apple picking is stopping by the market stand to take in the scent of freshly baked apple desserts. When I want to bring that scent and all those delicious flavors right into the kitchen, I whip up this apple Bundt cake. Made with apple butter and grated fresh apples, plus a pecan apple butter filling, this is my ultimate apple dessert recipe of the season. I love serving cakes that have their goodness laced throughout, as they stand on their own with minimal or no decoration. A Bundt pan takes things even further, as its ridges create a cake that looks just like an…
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Strawberry Peach Galette
A galette in French, a crostata in Italian, use either name to refer to this rustic pocket of strawberries and peaches. Where tarts and pies assume the form of their pan, the galette takes shape as you pleat and fold thinly rolled dough around its filling. As it bakes in the oven, the crust will become flaky, the fruit will bubble, and some may even nestle into a buttery fold or spill over the side. Not to worry. Neither a galette nor a crostata will be ruined by a bit of bubbling strawberry juice that escapes. If you peek through the oven door, you might even catch these little eruptions.…
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Banana Pudding
Topped with lightly sweetened crème fraîche whipped cream, my twist on banana pudding is perfect for serving in individual dessert cups. In place of traditional vanilla wafers, I whip up a thin vanilla cake, which is then cubed to form the bottom layer. Next come layers of sliced bananas and homemade vanilla pudding. The slightly tangy topping makes for a dessert that has just the right amount of sweetness. If you’re prepping ahead, you can make the pudding and cake in advance then assemble just before serving. Unlike vanilla wafers, which need to soften a bit before serving, the soft cake layer needs no such waiting time. When you’re ready…
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Baked Chocolate Donuts
Breakfast in bed may be a Valentine’s Day staple for some, but if you let me sleep in then wrap me in a fluffy robe, I’m happy to whip up a treat like these baked chocolate donuts. Skip the hot oil and heat up the oven instead to fill the kitchen with the rich scent of cocoa in the morning – or make them the night before and set the table in advance for the most indulgent breakfast, one that simply requires plating. Steeped in lore and made from the seeds of a tree whose scientific name is equally romantic – food of the gods – chocolate sets the tone…
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Gingerbread Loaf
If you’re going to make a gingerbread loaf, I say use the fresh version of the namesake ingredient instead of the ground. Finely grated ginger and its juices wend their way throughout the batter, imparting a bit more warmth without overpowering the overall flavor. As the oven heats up the spices and molasses too, your house will smell more and more like the holidays. Ingredients 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon nutmeg ½ cup milk ⅓ cup unsulphured molasses (not blackstrap) 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger ¼ cup canola oil 6 tablespoons unsalted butter…
