Chewy, Gooey Ginger Molasses Cookies

Without a doubt, we make a lot of molasses cookies in my house. Gingersnaps, Long Johns, Gingerbread, we love it all! Molasses and ginger inspires smokiness, spiciness, sweetness and some serious Christmas nostalgia! As soon as these go in the oven and the amazing smell wafts out, I instantly feel like going sledding, singing carols and decorating a tree. Though the flavours are very wintery, I bake these beauties year-round and trust me, they're still just as tasty!

Makes 50 cookies (I usually freeze half for later)
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 4 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp ground cardamom (optional)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup molasses (Fancy grade for a sweeter cookie, Cooking grade for a more robust flavour)
- 4 cups flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar or demerara sugar, in a small bowl/dish

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Cream together butter and both sugars in a large mixing bowl.

3. Crack in eggs and beat until well incorporated.

4. Mix in all spices, baking powder and salt. Stir in the molasses.

5.  Gradually, stir in the flour until it's all incorporated.

6. Shape large spoonfuls of dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Roll balls in the dish of sugar to coat the outside.

7. Place balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10-12 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE, otherwise cookies will not be chewy, nor gooey and I'll be very disappointed in you!

Read More

Victoria Sponge Cake

When it comes to birthday cakes, there are a lot of options! Chocolate, vanilla, cupcakes, ice cream cakes, and even cookie cakes! There are tons of decoration choices, too. Turn on the TV at any moment and you can always find some sort of reality show that documents truly insane cake designs. If you want a life-sized cake of yourself for your birthday, you can totally find someone who can make it. But when my birthday rolls around each year, I prefer a very simple, old-fashioned favourite: a strawberry shortcake.

There are a variety of methods you can use to make strawberry shortcake. I've tested versions with a sweet biscuit base, a shortbread cookie base, chocolate-infused whipped cream, and recipes that use only fresh strawberries in the filling. In my opinion, it's hard to mess up the classic combo of strawberries and cream, so these were all pretty good. But my favourite version is a recipe by Irish chef and vlogger Donal Skehan. His sandwich uses a base of vanilla sponge cake and a heavenly filling of whipped cream and jam. The original recipe can be found here. I added a few tweaks here and there to suit my and my family's tastes, but the product is still amazing! It also happens to be super easy to make and requires very few ingredients. The measurements of flour, butter and sugar are all equal so it's super easy to memorize. If you cut the sponge into individual circles with a cookie cutter, it is the perfect no-fuss dessert to take to social gatherings. The first time I brought this to a family reunion, it was the hit of the day and everyone was begging for the recipe!

Of course, you don't need a special occasion to make this cake. Whip it up on any summer's eve and enjoy a slice. Or two. Or five.

Makes 1 tall, fluffy, creamy, fresh, AMAZING cake
Ingredients:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup butter
- 4 eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup flour
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup whipping/double cream
- 1 cup of your favourite strawberry jam (I use one homemade by my grandmother)
- 5-6 fresh strawberries, plus extra to decorate
- icing sugar (to decorate)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter together with an electric mixer until pale yellow.

3. Mix in the eggs one at a time so the mixture doesn't split. Add in the vanilla extract.

4. Using a hand mixing spoon, delicately fold in the flour, baking powder and baking soda. If you find the batter is too thick, add in a tablespoon or so of milk.

5. Grease two 8 inch springform pans after lining the bottoms with cutout circles of parchment paper. Divide the mixture between the cake pans and bake for roughly 20 minutes each, until golden brown on top. Let cool before handling.

6. Whip the cream in a cold bowl. *Some people do not like the taste of true cream and prefer a sweetened version. If this is you, add a splash of vanilla extract and half a cup of sugar when whipping.*

7. Spoon the jam over the bottom layer of the cake. Dollop the cream on top of the jam. Thinly slice a few strawberries and arrange them in a single layer over the cream.

8. Place the top cake layer over the strawberries and press down a little until gooey jam and luscious cream ooze out the sides. Pile extra strawberries on top and sprinkle a dusting of icing sugar over the top. Enjoy!

Read More

Old-Fashioned Carrot Cake with "Cinnabon Icing"

When it comes to desserts, my family has a hard time agreeing on what to have. Cake, cookies, chocolate, vanilla...no one can ever seem to agree. But one sweet treat my family will always agree on is a good ole carrot cake. Granted the issue of additions comes up (raisins? walnuts? pecans? all of the above???), but in the end, everyone always loves this basic version bursting with warm, spiced carrot. I recently ramped up the icing recipe to create a seriously indulgent, A-M-A-Z-I-N-G frosting that tastes just like eating a cinnabon...I promise your friends and family will be asking you to make a giant batch of it just for them to eat straight out of the bowl!

Carrot Cake

Makes 9 large squares or 12 smaller rectangles

Ingredients:

- 1 cup flour

- 1/4 cup granulated sugar

- 1/4 cup brown sugar

- 1 tsp baking powder

- 1 tsp baking soda

- pinch of salt

- 1 heaped tbls cinnamon

- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

- 1/2 tsp cardamom (my super special secret ingredient! Shhh...)

- 1 egg

- 1/2 cup vegetable oil

- 1 splash vanilla

- 1/2 cup crushed pineapple (roughly drained)

- 1/4 cup shredded coconut (optional)

- 1 1/2 cup grated carrot
- 1/2 cup other  additions, if desired

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°

2. Combine flour, sugars, baking powder and soda, salt cinnamon, pie spice and cardamom in a bowl.  Mix thoroughly.

3. Incorporate egg, oil and vanilla.

4. Add in pineapple, coconut and carrot, as well as additions, if using. Stir only until combined.

5. Pour mixture into greased 8 inch x 8 inch square baking pan. Bake for 40 minutes.

"Cinnabon Icing"

Ingredients:

- 250 grams cream cheese

- 1/2 cup butter

- 1 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

- 1/4 tsp vanilla

- 1 tsp pineapple juice (or lemon juice)

- 1 tsp cinnamon

Method:

1. Cream all ingredients together using electric mixer/beaters.

2. Spread over cooled cake. Or eat with a spoon. Your choice.

Read More

Easter Brunch Vegan Carrot Cake

Carrot cake for breakfast?! Yup, that's right. This Easter, I'm making cake for breakfast. This carrot "cake" actually is so moist and rich that it actually takes on more of a pumpkin pie texture and tastes AMAZING! This recipe can be made vegan by eliminating the baking soda and baking powder and, while it may not be the healthiest breakfast ever, it is still much healthier than a regular, full-fat carrot cake dripping with icing and oil. It is full of vitamin and mineral rich foods that combine into a rich, ultra-moist "cake" with the exact same flavours as the original for a delicious, decadent way to start your holiday!

I do not make an icing for this cake because I feel that icings are too sweet for breakfast, but feel free to make your own! I enjoy these little darlings with a bit of jam spread on top and some tea. What a lovely start to the holiday!

Makes one 8-inch round cake
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups oat flour (DIY by using a blender to grind whole oats into powder)
- 1 tsp baking soda (eliminate for vegan version)
- 2 tsp baking powder (eliminate for vegan version)
- dash of salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp cardamom (optional)
-  1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1/4 cup shredded coconut
- 1/4 cup almond milk, plus more as needed

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Combine flour, baking soda and powder(if using), salt, and spices in a medium mixing bowl.

3. Mix in applesauce, maple syrup and honey. Thoroughly combine.

4. Stir in carrots and coconut. Pour in almond milk. Add more milk to loosen the batter, if necessary.

5. Pour mixture into an 8-inch round pan that's been greased with coconut oil. Bake for 55 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

6. Let cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Turn out and serve.

The moist, dense texture of this cake resembles pumpkin pie, but tastes just like carrot cake.
Pumpkin pie + carrot cake= BEST BREAKFAST EVER!!!

Read More

Feel-Good "Fro-Yo"

Unless you're some kind of superhuman, you are going to crave ice cream from time to time. Or every single day, if you're me! If only ice cream were healthier...
Maybe it can be! You can still get that luscious, creamy, cold hit of richness without the health consequences or the expanded waistline. All you need is fruit. You can be lactose-intolerant, coeliac, on a plant-based diet, a paleo diet, whatever. I dream of a world where everyone can eat as much ice cream as they want!!! And thanks to this healthy little treat, it can happen.

The recipe is as simple as this:

1. Blend frozen fruit in a food processor or blender with a little bit of liquid to make it smoother.

That's it. That's all there is to it. In the end, you get a creamy, cold bowl of utter deliciousness that satisfies your ice cream tooth(you know you have one, too!). Play around with different combinations of fruits and liquids. If the fruits aren't creamy enough, add in a bit of avocado(fresh, not frozen!) until you reach the right consistency. Add in spices and spreads like cinnamon, cocoa, honey or even some superfood powders for an extra little boost.

I really enjoy a simple mix of Banana and Cinnamon with some almond milk, but here are some of my other fave combinations:

Mango-Peach
- 2 parts Mango, 1 part Peach, 1 part Banana, a splash of Water

PBB&J
- 3 Bananas, a few Strawberries, 1 tbs Peanut Butter, a splash of Almond Milk

Chocolate
- 1/2 Avocado(fresh), 2 Bananas, 1 tsp Cocoa/Cacao powder, a splash of almond milk

Enjoy!

Read More