The Secret Ingredient

Here’s the twist, there are no grated carrots in these carrot cake cupcakes. Sometimes the best ingredients come from unexpected places. Like the baby food aisle. We use carrot baby food, straight from the jar. I assure you, this is not a lazy shortcut but a genius move. Baby food keeps the carrot cake cupcakes moist with a smooth texture, no stringy or chewy surprise bits.

Quick Tips

1. Don’t overmix the batter. When you combine with wet and dry ingredients, stir until just combined.
2. Use room temperature eggs. Warm eggs incorporate easier into batter making it smoother and more stable.
3. Cool completely before frosting. No one likes a melted topping.

 

Add a Pop of Color with a Carrot Topper

Choose your Carrots: Fresh & firm, full size carrots. Bigger surface area will give you more options.

Slice: Use a steady hand with a sharp knife or a mandoline to make long thin slices.

Soak to Soften: Place slices in a bowl of cold water with a splash of lemon juice. Soak for 15-20 minutes. This will help the colors pop and softens them just enough to curl.

Shape:  Once almost dry, you can curl them into little spirals, I wrapped mine around the end of a pen.

It’s an easy, edible decoration that gives your cupcakes a homemade touch without going overboard.

Whether you’re baking for Easter, or just a weekday that needs improving, these cupcakes deliver every single time. Grandma knew what she was doing! And now, so do you.

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Some tips for making these sticky and delicious treats.

1. Use fresh mini marshmallows: forget the stale bag of marshmallows buried in the back of the pantry. Fresh marshmallows melt better, giving you that irresistible smooth-stretchy-gooey-texture.
2. Be prepared: It’s a quick process, so having everything out, measured and ready to go before you turn on the burner is key. Having a buddy to help never hurts.
3. Butter everything, like… for real. Melted marshmallows are the definition of a sticky situation. Prep the pots, pan and utensils with butter or cooking spray when you’re ready to start. Keep this nearby if you plan to use your hands to press the treats into the pan.
4. Melt marshmallows low and slow: you don’t want to burn those bad boys so keep the heat on low and stir constantly for best results.
5. Layers: For clean lines in your layers, let the bottom layer cool slightly before adding the top. If it’s too hot they will melt together.
6. Press firmly but not too hard: You can use a buttered utensil or your buttered hands to shape your treats flat in the pan. To avoid them becoming too dense or tough, press down gently and quickly to keep that light and chewy texture.
7. Let them cool before cutting: The hardest part of making these is waiting to eat them. Give them about 30 minutes to cool down and firm up before cutting.

How to Store Rice Krispie Treats

If they don’t disappear within the first day, be sure to store them in an airtight container to keep them soft and chewy. They’ll stay fresh for up to three days. If you need to keep them longer, you can freeze them! Wrap each treat in plastic wrap or separate them with wax paper and place them in a freezer-safe bag. When you’re ready to eat, let them thaw for about 15 minutes at room temperature.

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Elevate Your Pumpkin Bars with Spices

Cinnamon is a must in the winning combo of pumpkin and spice, but why stop there?

Consider adding:

• Nutmeg: 1/2 teaspoon for a warm nutty spice that screams fall
• Clove: a pinch to add a a sweet spicy flavor
• Ginger: 1 teaspoon for a subtle kick

Quick Tips

1. Use Pumpkin Puree, not Pumpkin Pie Filling, double check the label.
2. Don’t overmix, stir until just combined to avoid dense or tough bars.
3. Line the pan with Parchment Paper for easy removal and clean up.
4. Cool Completely Before Frosting, warm bars will melt your frosting.

Pumpkin bars are a perfect fall treat for a festive gathering but you can make them for a cozy night any time of year. If you like this recipe, try my fan favorite 3 Ingredient Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins.

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The best part for YOU, is that the recipe is simple, which is great for a beginner baker. No fancy ingredients or complicated techniques required. Just mash up those ripe bananas that have been sitting on the counter for a little too long, add in a few baking staples, and you’re good to go. The batter comes together in minutes. The hard part is waiting for it to finish baking, while the smell entices you to take it out early so you can dig in.

This cake is so moist and flavorful you don’t even need frosting. The sweetness of the bananas shine through. However, I won’t stop you if you want to add some homemade whipped cream. I learned how to make this easy recipe from a long time friend. It only takes 3 ingredients and about 5 minutes from start to finish.

Homemade Whipped Cream

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 -3 tablespoons powdered sugar (adjust to taste)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl. Using your electric mixer, starting whipping the cream on low speed (to prevent splattering) for about a minute. Gradually increase the speed to medium-high as the cream begins to thicken. Continue whipping until soft peaks form.

Tips for Baking

Embrace the brown spots: The uglier the banana, the sweeter the cake!

Don’t overmix: When combining the wet and dry ingredients, mix until just combined to avoid tough texture.

Use a metal pan: Metal pans help distribute heat evenly and efficiently preventing undercooked spots. I used a glass dish the first time I made this and the middle of the cake wouldn’t rise or cook all the way through.

Whether enjoyed at breakfast with a warm beverage, as an afternoon pick me up, or a sweet dish after dinner, banana cake is more than just a dessert, it’s a testament to the versatility of the humble banana.

Happy Baking!

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The Flavor:

The Beer

The beauty of this recipe is that the type of beer you choose affects the flavor of the loaf. I’ve tried a couple of options but I lean toward a lighter flavored beer for a subtle taste. If you’d like a more robust flavor, go with a stout beer.

The Butter

I cannot stress enough the importance of using a good quality butter, I highly recommend Kerrygold. I’ll go as far as saying… bake it with Kerrygold or don’t bake it at all

The Honey

Honey is perfect for adding a little sweet to the savory.

The Bubbly Science

Skip the traditional yeast and opt for a bubbly alternative: beer. But how does it work? The carbonation, which is simply carbon dioxide dissolved into the beer, becomes the leavening agent which causes the dough to rise.

The Versatility

This Honey Beer Bread is delicious and pairs well with a variety of vittles anytime of day. For breakfast, my neighbor likes to toast it and add some of my Raspberry Freezer Jam, while other friends use butter and/or honey. For a nice comfort food in the afternoon, I dip it in a bowl of warm chicken noodle soup. A dinner favorite is breaking up a piece in the bottom of a bowl and smothering it with steaming Irish Stew.

If you brew up some of this deliciousness, let me know what YOU pair it with.

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Not only are they delicious, they are fun to make. When forming the cookies, the texture feels like playdough, making it a great excuse to play with your food. As soon as they emerge from the oven, you get to add the final touch by plunging in the Hershey Kiss giving them their iconic look.

* You can make this recipe your own by swapping out your favorite chocolate candy: M&M’s, Reese’s Pieces, etc…

Quick Tips:

Use a no-stir creamy peanut butter. Jif is tried and true.

Use a cookie scoop for same size cookies to ensure they cook evenly.

Keep your eye on the oven from 8 minutes for puffiness and cracking in the dough.

Have the Hershey Kisses unwrapped and at the ready when the cookies come out of the oven.

What are you waiting for, don your apron, make these Hershey Kiss Cookies, and spread some sweetness!

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Picking The Apples

When you head to the produce isle, you might find yourself staring down a sea of overwhelming apple choices. Have no fear, stick with firm and crisp apples and keep in mind that sweet and/or tart apples are a great pairing with gooey decadent caramel. Of course it comes down to personal preference but my best suggestions are:

Pink Lady: sweet apple with a hint of tart

Honeycrisp: good balance of sweet and tart

Granny Smith: tops the charts of the tart scale

Making The Caramel

If you can throw measured ingredients into a saucepan and you can stir, you can make this caramel. It just takes a little patience to heat up. A couple things to be mindful of:

Be sure to use a heavy duty saucepan.

This is a STICKY molten substance so take care while boiling and stirring

Use a candy thermometer and be patient while it heats to 240 F

Dipping The Apples

Once the caramel is made, let it sit for 10-15 minutes to thicken. If it’s still too runny, give it 5-10 more minutes and then try again, slow and steady wins the race. Even if they don’t look prefect, the person eating it really just wants it to taste good.

Add Toppings

You can either roll your apple in the topping or put candies on by hand but do it soon after the apple is dipped. If you’re doing this with a few people or some kiddos, you could have a few options available. I experimented with 3. Rolling the apples in fall sprinkles was the easiest. I put some Reece’s Pieces on by hand, this turned out the tastiest. The candy corn test was a fail, they were too heavy and slid down the apple after a few minutes. There is no wrong answer here. Just pick a topping you think sounds good and give it a whirl.

There are a few other options out there. You can buy caramel apple kits, wraps or you can melt caramel candies and dip your apples. I did enjoy making these at home and after all was cooled, set and done I took my first bite and was glad I gave it a try. One of my taste testers said I’m hired as the Official Caramel Apple Maker. I suppose it’s safe to say if you want to give homemade caramel apples a whirl, this recipe is a good place to start.

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The secret ingredient with this pumpkin bread is patience while it’s baking. Your house will smell like the very essence of fall is bottled up in the oven, ready to be unleashed. But don’t rush the process, good things come to those who wait.

Another thing I love about this is, it’s versatile. Feel like having it for breakfast? Slather it with butter. Need an afternoon pick-me-up? Pair with with your favorite hot beverage. Craving a midnight snack? Pumpkin bread doesn’t judge, it will always welcome you with open crumbs. Who are we kidding calling this bread though, it’s more like cake in the shape of bread.

Whether you’re knee deep in the fall leaves or like to revel in pumpkin spice all year long, this pumpkin bread recipe will fill your home with warmth and deliciousness, a bonus money can’t buy. Happy Baking!

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This recipe is easy to remember: a box + a can + a cup! Grab a box of spice cake mix, a can of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix), a cup of your favorite chocolate chips and you’re off! The chocolate chips can be any kind you like… dark, semi-sweet, chunks, you can even use mini chocolate chips.

A few tips:

1. Run the box cake mix through a sifter.
2. Add a few chocolate chips to the top of the muffins before you bake.
3. Eat them warm.

If you make these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins, let me know if you love them as much as I do!

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1. Easy
2. Delicious
3. In season

Pears are naturally sweet, so if you want a delicious desert but are trying to pare down on sugar, this one is for you. On the other hand, you can pair it with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

This recipe is very versatile. It can be served hot or cold. You can add more cinnamon or try adding a pinch of nutmeg. You could even swap out the honey for maple syrup. Play with the ingredients you love! Oh and there’s no need to peel the pears!

If you like these honey cinnamon baked pears, try another one of my favorite fall recipes, Easy Slow Cooker Apple Butter.

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