Heather Baird's Blog, page 60

Chocolate Glazed Coconut Flour Doughnuts and a Fair Trade Giveaway!

October is Fair Trade Month, and if you've been reading this blog for very long, then you know each year I join the efforts of Fair Trade USA to help promote this worthwhile cause. Buying Fair Trade means you’re getting high quality products and the people who grow, sew and craft them get fair compensation for their hard work.

Today I have an awesome giveaway of Fair Trade Certified products for one lucky reader, along with something for everyone - a recipe for these sweet mini chocolate-glazed donuts!
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Caramel Pecan French Toasted Angel Food Cake

Who doesn't love bread fried in butter - right? French toast is one of my favorite breakfast foods (second only to Belgian waffles) and I especially enjoy thinking up new ways to serve it.

This recipe is so easy because you start with ready-made angel food cake. It gets the complete French toast treatment with a dip in whisked eggs, then it is sizzled golden brown in a well-buttered frying pan. I finished the cake with homemade caramel sauce and chopped pecans, which makes it truly decadent and fair game for an after dinner sweet treat!
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Pumpkin Crescent Rolls

I enjoy dining out occasionally, and if there's a complimentary bread basket involved then I'm the person who descends upon it with much zeal. I've often said that I could live on bread and sweet tea (the latter is a southern habit) and that sentiment rings truer than ever after I made these pumpkin crescents. Gosh, are they ever soft and buttery!
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Dream Catcher Lollipops

I've had the idea for these Dream Catcher Lollipops since last December. That was when I started having a recurring dream about a giant praying mantis. In the dream I wear a fuzzy sweater and no matter how much I try to shoo the bug away, it clings to my sweater. I do not like this dream. After a few months of complaining, my husband said "you need a dream catcher".

I purchased one and hung it over my bed. I didn't expect it to work, which is a good thing because it didn't work, but it sure is pretty!  I especially like the ones I've been seeing recently on Etsy, where makers are using doilies in the centers instead of the usual webbing. They inspired these lollipops.
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State Fair Sampler Cake

Last week I went to the Tennessee State Fair. It always brings genuine childlike joy to my soul. I love to get my face painted and gawk the giant prize-winning pumpkin. And the food! I must have tried one of everything. It inspired me to create this layer cake, which is an homage to many of my favorite fair foods.
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Fairy Bread Cookies for The Etsy Blog!

Once upon a time buttered white bread topped with rainbow sprinkles sounded like an odd food combination to me, but its magical name drew me in. Fairy Bread. I first tasted this Aussie treat years ago, and since then I've become its biggest fan (along with its Dutch cousin, Hagelslag .) You can find additional proof of my affection in this Fairy Bread Party Cake blog post.

I was also inspired to cookie-ify it!
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Eight Ways to DIY Naked Cakes for Food Network

I want to share something fun with you today - a 'Naked Cakes' gallery! This un-frosted cake trend gained popularity in 2013 and has hit its stride in the following years. It's all about the beauty of simplicity; uncovered cakes showing off their delicious fillings. The main decorative component is usually on top of the cake. A sprinkle of powdered sugar is the unfussiest decor, or you can go all out with food-safe flowers and sugared berries.
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My Favorite Pumpkin Bread

Here's a great little baking project that won't take up much of your weekend!

This no-frills spiced pumpkin bread is tops in my book. It's sweet, tender and speckled with walnuts throughout. The recipe makes two big loaves, which means you can share the love by giving one away to your neighbor. I think that's important. Even if we can't cure the world's ills we can still give a loaf of pumpkin bread to our neighbor, and that's a step in the right direction.
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Layered Apple Harvest Cake

September marks the beginning of apple season and as a baker that makes me so happy ! I have a surplus of apples on hand so you can expect lots of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp confections this month.

I'm kicking things off with a recipe that is old fashioned in the best way possible. It's a cake your grandmother might've made. I call it Layered Apple Harvest Cake, because it's usual name - 'Apple Bundt Cake' - seems a bit generic and says too little about it.
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Pimento Cheese Quick Bread

Today's post introduces a whole new category in Sprinkle Bakes' recipe index - Savory Bakes !

Now, I don't want anyone worrying that I've fallen off the sugar wagon - quite the opposite! My main focus is still very much on all things sweet, but ever since I posted my trusty unsweet southern cornbread recipe, I've felt encouraged to share more of my of my favorite savory recipes. You can still expect to see mostly dessert recipes tempered with a few new savory bakes limited to breads and pastry (my specialty!).
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