Chocolate Bundt Cake

I don't often bake bundt cakes, but I did get a nice pan finally in the past couple years, which was perfect for making this cake from I am Baker. I had forgotten about this blog and was pleasantly surprised to find it again. This chocolate bundt cake captured my attention, particularly with the Russian piping tips.

So, not that I really needed them, but I tossed a pack of Russian piping tips into my Amazon cart and baked the cake. Here's the recipe, as I tweaked it.

Chocolate Bundt Cake
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup hot water
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. chocolate extract

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the eggs, water, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.

Pour batter into a greased and floured bundt pan. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Frost as desired. pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chai Cupcakes

This recipe from Sprinkle Bakes caught my eye and was reproduced rather quickly in my kitchen, using a bake sale at my son's school as an excuse. These are full of chai flavor, which if you're not familiar, is a really nice combination of what you'd think of with fall spices. Both the cupcakes and the buttercream carry the flavors for a simple, flavorful cupcake.

Here is the recipe with my slight adaptation of subbing milk for buttermilk. Note: I doubled the recipe for cupcakes and had enough frosting without doubling the frosting recipe.

Chai Cupcakes
Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cadamom
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup milk
Vanilla Chai Buttercream
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
6 cups powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. vailla
Milk or cream
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cardamom
1/4 tsp. cloves
Pinch of pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with 12 to 14 liners.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and black pepper. Whisk together until the spices are well dispersed.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream sugar and butter on medium speed. Add the egg, and mix until incorporated. Mix in vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk, alternating, to the creamed mixture, starting and ending with the flour.

Divide mixture evenly among cupcake liners. Bake 20 to 24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely.

For the frosting, beat together butter and powdered sugar until combined. Add the extract and milk until the desired texture is achieved. Add the spices, and mix on high until fluffy. Frost, ideally with a piping bag. Makes 12 to 14 cupcakes.

Miso Kale Chips

I know I've posted a lot of recipes with kale. I waited until way too late in the season and then attempted to eat all my kale from my garden before it froze. The last of the kale I could salvage was made into my second batch of these kale chips from Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow. because I find them strangely addictive.

Miso Kale Chips
1 large bunch kale, stems removed
1/4 cup raw cashews
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. miso paste
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika

Preheat oven to 300°F. Line 2 baking sheets with silipats or parchment. Wash and dry the kale, and rip into pieces.

In a food processor or blender, combine the remaining ingredients. Pulse until the mixture forms a thick paste. In a large bowl, work the paste into the kale pieces, using your hands to work it evenly onto the kale.

Spread the kale pieces on baking sheets, but do not overlap. Bake 10 minutes, rotate the pan, and then bake another 7 to 10 minutes or until crispy. I usually pull off the ones that are crispy and keep popping the rest back in the oven for another few minutes until the crispy. Cool completely, and enjoy! These don't hold up well for long, but they also don't last long!

Mimosa Cupcakes

Last week at work, one of my co-workers joked about needing a mimosa. Another co-worker extrapolated that idea by saying that I should make mimosa cupcakes. I just laughed but thought, "Challenge accepted."

I found this recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction and liked the frosting recipe. I was actually going to mimic the whole recipe but was lacking a few of the cupcake ingredients. In hindsight, given how her cupcakes looked compared to mine, I wish I would have tried her recipe. The flavor is solid in my cupcakes but just lacks the nice dome. They are a slightly more dense, flat cupcake, but no one complained. I had tweaked my tequila sunrise orange cake for my cupcakes.

Mimosa Cupcakes
Cupcakes
Substitute champagne for tequila in this cake recipe
Frosting
1 1/2 cups champagne
4 sticks butter, room temperature
8 cups powdered sugar
2-4 drops orange essential oil

Prepare cupcakes, and let them cool completely before frosting. While baking the cupcakes, simmer champagne in a small pan until reduced to about 1/3 cup. Let cool completely before proceeding to make frosting.

To make the frosting, beat the butter 5 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Add the champagne slowly, beating until desired consistency. Add orange oil, and beat to combine. Makes 24 cupcakes.

Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

The neat thing about these muffins from I am Baker is that they contain no processed sugar aside from the chocolate chips I added. They are sweetened with honey and banana, yet they were a huge hit with my son. In fact, he requested we make them for Christmas because they are the best muffins ever. (Wrong, child. I think these are probably my favorite muffins. But these blackberry cobbler biscuits are probably what I'll make around Christmas. So delicious.)

I'll be repeating these, though, as they're healthy enough for me to feel good about my child eating more than one throughout the day. Here's the recipe with the tweak I made for the top of the muffins instead of the glaze.

Peanut Butter Banana Muffins
1 cup flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 pinch of salt
2 medium bananas
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips, optional
1 Hershey's candy bar, optional

Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, mash the bananas. Then add the peanut butter, honey, yogurt, almond milk, egg and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and mix until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Divide mixture among 12 muffin tins, either greased or lined. Bake 14 to 18 minutes or until done. (The top should spring back if you gently touch it.) Makes 12 muffins.

Everything Spiced Nuts

There was a section in my most recent Food Network magazine about everything bagel seasoning, which I've almost snagged when I saw it on a rare trip to Trader Joe's. Instead I threw together my own seasoning with minced onion, minced garlic, sesame seeds, poppy seeds and salt.

Then I proceeded to make these nuts, which are completely addictive. These are perfect for a heart-healthy holiday snack or as a gift around the holidays. Or for shoving into your mouth every time you walk by your kitchen. (And, they fit into Whole 30, which makes them a perfect snack that feels like a special treat. Yes, after 30 days of no chips, nuts like these feel like a special treat. Don't judge.)

Everything Spiced Nuts

4 cups unsalted, raw nuts (ideally use a mix)

1 egg white, beaten until foamy

2 Tbsp. everything bagel seasoning

Everything Bagel Seasoning

1 Tbsp. poppy seeds

1 Tbsp. sesame seeds

1 Tbsp. dried minced garlic

1 Tbsp. dried minced onion

1 1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a large baking sheet with a silicone liner. Toss the mixed nuts with the egg white. Add 2 Tbsp. of the everything bagel seasoning, and stir to mix well. Spread the nuts in an even layer on the baking sheet. Bake 25 minutes, stirring once, until toasted. Cool, and break apart if needed. Store in an airtight container. Makes 4 cups.

Miso Fast Greens

Never did I ever think I'd cook a batch of kale as a side dish. I've embraced kale in soups and even a few salads, but to cook it on its own? This recipe, though, from Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow. really does make a pretty tasty side dish in a matter of minutes. Now, they're not like the bacon-drenched delicious greens from that South Carolinian restaurant Twelve Bones that are insane, but they're also much healthier.

Miso Fast Greens
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large bunch of kale, stems removed and chopped
2 Tbsp. miso butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
Miso Butter
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 Tbsp. white miso paste

First, make the miso butter by mixing the butter and miso until combined. This can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the kale, and cook until wilted. This should take just a few minutes with frequent stirring. Add the miso butter and garlic. Saute for one minute, and then serve warm. Makes 3 servings.

Sunday Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes were served about once a year when I was a child, at Thanksgiving topped with melted marshmallows. The only part of the sweet potatoes that I really liked was the marshmallows.

Times have changed. I've turned to sweet potatoes the last several years as I've worked at incorporating more vegetables into my life and cleaner energy sources for my runs. And I've discovered that I really enjoy them. I think this is still my favorite variation, but this recipe from Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow. is also a good one to throw in the mix.

Sunday Sweet Potatoes
2 large sweet potatoes
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the sweet potatoes into small 1-inch cubes, with the skin left on.

Place the sweet potatoes on the baking sheet, and toss with olive oil, garlic powder and salt. Spread out, so they aren't touching.

Bake 15 minutes, stir and return to the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until the edges begin to brown. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. Makes 5 servings.

Zuppa Toscana (Whole 30)

One of the first ways I discovered that I enjoyed kale was in this Zuppa Toscana, which is a relatively healthy recipe that's quite delicious. With doing a recent round of Whole 30, I found this version from 40 Aprons that I tried. When I made it, the coconut milk threw me for a loop, and I wasn't sure I liked it that well. But the leftovers were amazing, so I think it was a mental thing for me at first. I didn't mention to my husband that it was made with coconut milk, and he didn't say a word about any sort of coconut flavor.

I'm already contemplating making another batch this weekend for easy lunches this week.

Zuppa Toscana (Whole 30)
1 lb. Italian sausage (see below for recipe)
4 slices bacon, diced (make sure it's compliant if you're aiming for Whole 30)
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb. 3 oz. potatoes, sliced into thick slides
1 medium onion, diced
2 Tbsp. garlic, minced
4 cups chicken stock
1 can coconut milk
4 cups chopped kale
Italian Sausage
1 lb. ground pork
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
Pinch dried oregano
Pinch dried thyme

If making the Italian sausage, combine all the sausage ingredients together in a large pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring to incorporate all the seasonings, until the pork is cooked through. Remove from the pot, set aside and drain any extra grease.

In the same pot, cook the bacon pieces over medium heat until browned. Remove the bacon, but leave the bacon grease to cook the onions and the garlic. Simmer those 5 minutes, and then add the chicken stock and potatoes. Bring to a boil, and simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Add back the sausage and bacon, along with the coconut milk and kale. Cook just until the kale is wilted but still bright green. Serves 6.

Note: I added as much kale as I could get to wilt in the liquid. I much prefer really thick soups with more stuff than broth, so this worked out perfectly.