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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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Rich Hot Chocolate
Velvety hot chocolate thick enough to coat a spoon is decadent enough to qualify as dessert. This version is so rich and flavorful that you might serve it in the demitasse cups often used for espresso. Consider it a cure for all the unsatisfying experiences you’ve had with thin, bland hot cocoa. Since this recipe requires a great deal of chopped chocolate, select your favorite bars as they will determine the resulting flavor. A combination of semisweet and milk chocolate lends just the right amount of sweetness, with no additional sugar needed. Before the milk melts all that chocolate, it receives some special treatment in the form of cinnamon sticks…
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Carrot Cake
Whipping up this dessert involves an extra step that takes traditional carrot cake to new levels of deliciousness. If that isn’t enough to tempt you, consider that it adds yet another wave of scents that will overtake your kitchen in the best way possible. A knock on the door while this was in the oven led to being asked what seasonal candle I was burning, but the answer was simple: I’m just baking. In a season of bubbling fruit pies and pumpkin everything, this carrot cake overtook everyone who enjoyed a slice with its scent and flavor. Traditional favorites with a twist remind us of the warmest food memories while…
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