Heather Baird's Blog, page 31
April 4, 2020
Strawberry Jam Muffins with Cinnamon Oat Streusel
These eggless muffins have a tender crumb and a pocket of strawberry jam baked inside. The cinnamon-oat streusel topping makes them so perfect for breakfast!
I'm not sure why, but when I wake up in the morning it takes a while for my appetite to kick in. My husband on the other hand, is ready for breakfast the moment his feet hit the floor. His preference is something sweet - waffles, pancakes, English muffins with jam or cream cheese pastries. Those recipes usually require a good amount of eggs, butter, and milk. Since we're still carefully conserving those items, I turned to pantry staples once again - and these muffins are the result!
Continued, click to read more...
I'm not sure why, but when I wake up in the morning it takes a while for my appetite to kick in. My husband on the other hand, is ready for breakfast the moment his feet hit the floor. His preference is something sweet - waffles, pancakes, English muffins with jam or cream cheese pastries. Those recipes usually require a good amount of eggs, butter, and milk. Since we're still carefully conserving those items, I turned to pantry staples once again - and these muffins are the result!
Continued, click to read more...
April 1, 2020
Flourless Brownie Cookies
These Flourless Brownie Cookies are absolutely irresistible with their crisp, crackled exteriors and chewy, fudgy centers.
I think we all should stop and give ourselves a pat on the back for making it through the strange and turbulent month that was March. It seems we are in for more social distancing this month, and I am ready to comply. The next 30 days will surely have its challenges, but whenever I feel stressed or anxious I like to put on my metaphorical Mr. Spock ears - it's time to be logical. Or at least try to be as much as possible. With level heads and strong hearts, we can do this!
Although I have some flour on hand (and bread recipes are sure to follow) I'm still favoring flourless recipes. I wonder, what are you baking right now? And what ingredients are you having trouble finding? Today I'm sharing this deeply chocolaty cookie recipe that only requires one fresh ingredient: egg whites. (Or, fresh- ish egg whites, the carton of liquid whites I had in the back of my fridge worked perfectly in this recipe!)
Continued, click to read more...
I think we all should stop and give ourselves a pat on the back for making it through the strange and turbulent month that was March. It seems we are in for more social distancing this month, and I am ready to comply. The next 30 days will surely have its challenges, but whenever I feel stressed or anxious I like to put on my metaphorical Mr. Spock ears - it's time to be logical. Or at least try to be as much as possible. With level heads and strong hearts, we can do this!
Although I have some flour on hand (and bread recipes are sure to follow) I'm still favoring flourless recipes. I wonder, what are you baking right now? And what ingredients are you having trouble finding? Today I'm sharing this deeply chocolaty cookie recipe that only requires one fresh ingredient: egg whites. (Or, fresh- ish egg whites, the carton of liquid whites I had in the back of my fridge worked perfectly in this recipe!)
Continued, click to read more...
March 28, 2020
Flourless Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies
These flourless cookies are a quick fix and packed with big peanut butter flavor. They're soft-baked for your ultimate snacking pleasure!
Hello! I hope everyone reading this is doing well and feeling fine. I'm still baking on the practical side, trying to conserve and stretch ingredients, although yesterday's post might make you think differently. However, the Easter Bunny Cake was created weeks ago when my kitchen life was different. Now it feels like an extravagance to have enough butter to whip up a big batch of buttercream frosting!
Until life gets back to normal (and it will!), I'm leaning into easy recipes that rely on fewer ingredients, and that give us happiness and comfort . These cookies fit that description.
Continued, click to read more...
Hello! I hope everyone reading this is doing well and feeling fine. I'm still baking on the practical side, trying to conserve and stretch ingredients, although yesterday's post might make you think differently. However, the Easter Bunny Cake was created weeks ago when my kitchen life was different. Now it feels like an extravagance to have enough butter to whip up a big batch of buttercream frosting!
Until life gets back to normal (and it will!), I'm leaning into easy recipes that rely on fewer ingredients, and that give us happiness and comfort . These cookies fit that description.
Continued, click to read more...
March 27, 2020
Easter Bunny Cake
Hippity-hoppity, Easter's on its way! Celebrate with this charming bunny-shaped carrot cake, complete with edible Easter grass and candy eggs.
Easter is arriving earlier than usual this year (April 12th - last year it was on the 21st!), so now's the time to commence the making of bunny and egg-themed treats. I was so happy when Wilton invited me to make a spring-themed cake with their products, I couldn't reply YES fast enough! Soon a box of tools and colorful ingredients arrived at my doorstep, and they inspired this funny bunny cake.
Continued, click to read more...
Easter is arriving earlier than usual this year (April 12th - last year it was on the 21st!), so now's the time to commence the making of bunny and egg-themed treats. I was so happy when Wilton invited me to make a spring-themed cake with their products, I couldn't reply YES fast enough! Soon a box of tools and colorful ingredients arrived at my doorstep, and they inspired this funny bunny cake.
Continued, click to read more...
March 24, 2020
Vanilla Crazy Cake
This deliciously easy Depression era recipe makes a single vanilla cake layer and requires no eggs or dairy. It's made with simple pantry staples and tastes terrific!
As promised, I'm delivering the vanilla version of the Chocolate Crazy Cake I posted last week. I'm just so pleased that many of you made the chocolate version and found it to be delicious and helpful during this time of scarce ingredients.
This vanilla version is just as simple as its predecessor. It's a one-bowl wonder that whips up with no electric mixer and the baked cake keeps well at room temperature.
Continued, click to read more...
As promised, I'm delivering the vanilla version of the Chocolate Crazy Cake I posted last week. I'm just so pleased that many of you made the chocolate version and found it to be delicious and helpful during this time of scarce ingredients.
This vanilla version is just as simple as its predecessor. It's a one-bowl wonder that whips up with no electric mixer and the baked cake keeps well at room temperature.
Continued, click to read more...
March 20, 2020
Chocolate Crazy Cake
This vintage cake recipe requires no eggs, milk, or butter, and instead relies on pantry ingredients for its success. Make it when you're fresh out of fresh ingredients!
Hello friends! I hope everyone is navigating this strange season of life with hope and optimism. Since baking is my happy place, I've been making small batches of essentials I know we'll eat up with no waste ( these are next for breakfast!). I've also been cleaning my kitchen and taking pantry inventory. My husband and I have made the decision to self isolate and make the best of what we've got on hand for as long as possible.
That's why this recipe is so timely! It requires nothing from the refrigerator and whips up by hand - you won't even need an electric mixer.
Continued, click to read more...
Hello friends! I hope everyone is navigating this strange season of life with hope and optimism. Since baking is my happy place, I've been making small batches of essentials I know we'll eat up with no waste ( these are next for breakfast!). I've also been cleaning my kitchen and taking pantry inventory. My husband and I have made the decision to self isolate and make the best of what we've got on hand for as long as possible.
That's why this recipe is so timely! It requires nothing from the refrigerator and whips up by hand - you won't even need an electric mixer.
Continued, click to read more...
March 16, 2020
Wild Strawberry and Lemon Verbena Layer Cake
Alternating flavors of wild strawberry and lemon verbena are stacked, filled, and frosted with tangy lemon Swiss meringue buttercream in this spring-inspired cake.
I think we're all in need of some happy colors and springtime flavors just about now. This cake is absolutely bursting with beautiful, bright flavors thanks to some special, new-to-me ingredients. A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to try products by Amoretti , makers of artisan flavorings. I absolutely loved the results, so I had to share them here!
Continued, click to read more...
I think we're all in need of some happy colors and springtime flavors just about now. This cake is absolutely bursting with beautiful, bright flavors thanks to some special, new-to-me ingredients. A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to try products by Amoretti , makers of artisan flavorings. I absolutely loved the results, so I had to share them here!
Continued, click to read more...
February 18, 2020
Cannoli Cake
Sweet ricotta cheese filling separates three moist yellow cake layers in this Italian pastry-inspired cake. It's frosted with a duo of mascarpone buttercream and rich chocolate ganache, and crowned with six irresistible mini cannoli.
One of my favorite jobs as a recipe developer is planning a new layer cake. Although I love pies, cookies, and pastries, for me, cake has always provided a very rich well of inspiration from which to draw. I can piece together my favorite components and flavors, stack them high and make them pretty with swirls of frosting. Sometimes those flavors come with the added ingredient of nostalgia, and that is the case here; mascarpone buttercream I once tasted on wedding cake and orange-ricotta filling from a cannoli enjoyed while on vacation.
The finished cake is rich yet deceptively light, and its ricotta filling speckled with mini chips makes the inspiration unmistakable. One thing is for certain, there can be no improvement upon classic Italian cannoli, but we can celebrate the pastry in a larger and more slice-able way with this delicious cake.
Continued, click to read more...
One of my favorite jobs as a recipe developer is planning a new layer cake. Although I love pies, cookies, and pastries, for me, cake has always provided a very rich well of inspiration from which to draw. I can piece together my favorite components and flavors, stack them high and make them pretty with swirls of frosting. Sometimes those flavors come with the added ingredient of nostalgia, and that is the case here; mascarpone buttercream I once tasted on wedding cake and orange-ricotta filling from a cannoli enjoyed while on vacation.
The finished cake is rich yet deceptively light, and its ricotta filling speckled with mini chips makes the inspiration unmistakable. One thing is for certain, there can be no improvement upon classic Italian cannoli, but we can celebrate the pastry in a larger and more slice-able way with this delicious cake.
Continued, click to read more...
February 14, 2020
Mini Pastel Party Cakes
These Mini Pastel Party Cakes are sure to bring lots of fun and color to your next event. Soft and fluffy white cake is covered with buttercream and festooned with lots of sprinkles and candy lollipops.
It's been so rainy and bleak here for most of this month, so I've been craving sunshine and lots of color! This inspired me to whip up some pretty, eye-popping party cakes.
Continued, click to read more...
It's been so rainy and bleak here for most of this month, so I've been craving sunshine and lots of color! This inspired me to whip up some pretty, eye-popping party cakes.
Continued, click to read more...
February 10, 2020
Mardi Gras King Cake
King Cake is a glazed and sugared yeast bread ring that is a New Orleans tradition for Mardi Gras. Serve this cake to revelers throughout the Carnival season and on Fat Tuesday.
This was my first foray into King Cake territory. It's been on my baking bucket list for as long as I've been blogging - more than 10 years now! I'm not sure how it slipped through the cracks, but I believe it has something to do with how quickly January and February seem to slip away before I know it. I decided to make it a priority this year. I love a confection with a story, and this bread comes with a rich history of tradition.
Louisiana-style king cake is usually decorated in the colors associated with Mardi Gras: green, gold, and purple which represents faith, power, and justice. It's served from Epiphany in January throughout the Carnival season which ends on Fat Tuesday in late February. A small plastic baby (representing the Christ child) is hidden inside, and the guest who finds the trinket in their piece of cake gets to be king for the day - and also has to host next year's celebration!
Continued, click to read more...
This was my first foray into King Cake territory. It's been on my baking bucket list for as long as I've been blogging - more than 10 years now! I'm not sure how it slipped through the cracks, but I believe it has something to do with how quickly January and February seem to slip away before I know it. I decided to make it a priority this year. I love a confection with a story, and this bread comes with a rich history of tradition.
Louisiana-style king cake is usually decorated in the colors associated with Mardi Gras: green, gold, and purple which represents faith, power, and justice. It's served from Epiphany in January throughout the Carnival season which ends on Fat Tuesday in late February. A small plastic baby (representing the Christ child) is hidden inside, and the guest who finds the trinket in their piece of cake gets to be king for the day - and also has to host next year's celebration!
Continued, click to read more...
