Just kidding. I made my dad a cake. He had another birthday – which he insists on doing every year, like clockwork – so I decided to make him a cake. I’ve talked about how much he likes key lime pie before. This year I threw in a twist – I made him Key Lime Pie Cake.

This whole cake is built around one key component: the key lime curd. It’s just like this quick & easy lemon curd, but it’s made with key lime juice instead. Once done, it tastes just like the silky sweet and mouth puckering filling of a key lime pie. SO good.

All finished, the cake was lovely. My best cake frosting job to date, if I may toot my own horn. It’s made of two layers of light and tender lime-scented white cake, with a thick layer of key lime curd between them, then frosted with a smooth and rich lime Swiss Meringue Buttercream. To finished it off, I toasted some graham cracker crumbs for the outside because we all know it’s not key lime pie without a graham cracker crust.

I don’t make full layer cakes like this very often because they’re such a project and there usually aren’t enough people around to eat them. That, and the suspense of waiting until the first slice to see if it tastes good just about kills me. What if it’s awful and I’ve just served it to a whole group of people? Yikes.

That said… I think this cake was a success. It tasted good, it looked good, and everyone who ate it seemed pleased. However, I think there’s a few things I would do differently next time:

- When I put the cake together, I was concerned that the wallop of flavor from the key lime curd could be overpowering and too rich when combined with frosting, so I went a little light on the curd. After tasting the cake myself* and harassing everyone who ate it for their opinions, I think I could have used more curd. It was by far the best and most flavorful part of the cake.

- I only used two layers because I had to travel with the cake and I was afraid more layers would not hold up in transit. Next time If I don’t have to travel with the cake, I’d like to try halving each cake layer to make four layers total. That would make room for more curd too!

- By the time we ate the cake, it was a little dry. I think this was due to 3 things: I was careless with measuring and used a little too much flour; I overbaked the cake layers a bit; and the cake sat uncovered in the fridge for a few days before eating. I’ve used this cake recipe before and it wasn’t dry, so I am sure the recipe is not at fault. Next time, I might baste the cake layers with a lime simple syrup just to ensure it stays moist.

* I was sick with the plague (aka a nasty cold) when I tasted this cake, and as such I could barely taste anything. I’m basing my opinions on what little I could taste and what others said about how it tasted.

Key Lime Pie Cake

Printable Recipe (includes all sub-recipes)
Makes one 9-inch layer cake

This cake has several components, most of which can (and should) be made ahead. Final assembly will ideally take place the same day the cake is served, but the cake can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Ingredients

Key lime curd
Lime scented white cake
Graham Cracker Crumble
Lime Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Directions

Prepare key lime curd according to directions below at least one day (up to 3 days) ahead.

Bake cake layers according to directions below. Cool completely before frosting.

Prepare the Lime Swiss Meringue Buttercream according to directions below.

To assemble, place one cake layer (top side up) on a cake plate or board. Place about 3/4 cup of buttercream in a piping bag with a large round tip. Pipe frosting around top edges of cake to create a border of frosting. Fill in center with 1/2 cup or more of Key Lime Curd. Place other cake layer (top side down) on top.

Spread of thin layer of buttercream over top and sides of cake to form a crumb coat. Refrigerate cake for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Place 1/4 to 1/2 cup of frosting in a piping bag with a star tip. Spread the remaining frosting evenly over top and sides of the cake. Press Graham Cracker Crumble into sides of cake. Spread about 1/2 cup of Key Lime Curd over top of cake, leaving 1/2-inch border. Pipe stars around top edge border.

Key Lime Curd

Adapted from Gourmet
Makes about 3 cups

I made a large batch of curd not knowing how much I would end up needing for final cake assembly. As pictured and described above, I only needed half of the curd for the cake. However, if you plan to make your cake 4 layers you will probably need the whole batch.

This recipe is very easy, but the key is patience. You must cook the curd on LOW heat very slowly and you must whisk constantly. For reference, my electric stove burners range from 1 to 9. I cooked my curd on 3-4 for 10+ minutes.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
zest of 4 limes
1 cup Key Lime juice
4 large eggs
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces

Directions

Add all ingredients except butter to a saucepan over Low heat. Whisk to combine. Add butter. Continue whisking gently but constantly, heating slowly, until curd thickens and reaches 160°F on an instant read thermometer. Remove from heat.

For the smoothest curd, pour through a fine mesh strainer. Transfer to a storage container. Cover and refrigerate overnight before use. Curd keeps up to 1 week in the fridge.

Lime Scented White Cake

Adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan
Makes 2 9-inch cakes

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
4 large egg whites
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 1/2 cups sugar
zest of 1 lime
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with baking spray.

Whisk together cake flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. In a 2-cup measuring cup, first measure out buttermilk, the whisk in egg whites and lime juice.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat sugar and zest on low until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add butter and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla extract. With the mixer on low, add 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by 1/2 buttermilk mixture. Continue alternating dry and wet ingredients (ending with dry ingredients), beating just to incorporate each new addition. Once all ingredients are added, beat on medium speed for 2 minutes to aerate the batter.

Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 5 minutes, then invert cakes onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Can be made ahead. If making ahead, wrap each layer tightly in plastic wrap and place in a zip top bag. Can be stored at room temperature for a day, or frozen for several weeks.

Graham Cracker Crumble

Ingredients

6 graham crackers
pinch of salt
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions

Preheat over to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper.

Break graham crackers into quarters and pulse in a food processor until reduced to fine crumbs. Add salt and brown sugar. With processor running, pour in melted butter. Pulse until mixture resembles wet sand.

Dump mixture onto prepared pan and press mixture firmly to form a flat ‘crust’. Bake at 350°F for 6 minutes. Remove from oven and crumble into pieces with a fork. Return to oven and bake 2 more minutes. Cool completely. Can be made ahead and stored in an air-tight zip top bag until needed.

Lime Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Makes about 5 cups, or enough to frost a 9-inch layer cake

If you end up making this a 4-layer cake, you may want to make an extra bit of frosting. As is, it was enough for me to frost a 2-layer cake.

Ingredients

6 large fresh egg whites
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 1-Tablespoon cubes
1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon key lime juice
lime zest
Pinch of salt

Directions

Fill medium saucepan with about an inch of water and bring to a simmer. Add egg whites and sugar to the metal bowl of a stand mixer. Set bowl over simmering water and whisk constantly until sugar has dissolved and mixture reads 140°F on an instant read thermometer.

Attach bowl to stand mixer and using the whisk attachment, beat on medium speed until a glossy white meringue with stiff peaks forms and the bowl no longer feels warm to the touch (about 10-15 minutes). Switch to the paddle attachment. Beating on medium-low speed, add butter one piece at a time, letting each piece incorporate before adding the next. Once all butter is incorporated, scrape down sides of the bowl with a spatula. Continue beating for 10-15 minutes until smooth.

Once smooth, add vanilla, lime juice, salt and zest. Beat until smooth.

(If at any point your buttercream looks curdled or soupy – don’t panic and for pete’s sake don’t throw it out! If it looks curdled, just keep beating. It will come together, I promise. If you’ve been beating it for 15 minutes and it’s still soupy, pop the whole bowl in the fridge for 10 minutes, then continue beating. Repeat as much as necessary until you get a smooth buttercream.)

You’ve probably noticed that the warmer, sunnier weather has me craving lemons (as usual), but I’m also reaching for strawberries and berries of all kinds. All of this berry craving reminded me of a cake I made last Fall that would be perfect for Easter!

Last Fall I was feeling invincible and ready for a challenge. “Your birthday is coming up soon,” I said to my husband. “I’ll bake you anything you want!” I bake a lot (duh), and sometimes I like to challenge myself by trying something new or working with something that scares me. I’ve taken on yeast, gelatin, caramel, swiss meringue buttercream, and even pate choux for cream puffs. I envisioned my husband requesting something new and intimidating for his birthday, like marshmallows, or something complicated, like an elaborate layer cake.

I should have known better. When it comes to desserts, my husband keeps it simple. He doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth. His every day dessert of choice is plain dark chocolate – brownies if it’s a special occasion. So when he asked me with hope in his eyes, “Can you make me a JELL-O Poke Cake?”, I should have expected it. Should have, but didn’t.

“Oh, come ON. I offered to bake you anything in the world, and you request a boxed cake mix covered in JELL-O?!”

Vintage JELL-O recipe pamphlet, straight out of 1978. No joke.

For those of you who haven’t heard of Poke Cake, that’s exactly what it is. You bake a box of cake mix, poke holes in it, pour prepared (but not set) JELL-O over it, then frost with Cool Whip. It’s seriously easy, nostalgic comfort food baking at it’s best. My husband always got a Poke Cake for his birthday growing up, so I couldn’t say no.

To shake things up, I decided to make a JELL-O Poke Cake from scratch. It’s really not much harder than the traditional method and it’s still very easy on the Cake Making Difficulty Scale*.

(*I just made that up.)

My version features a basic white cake and barely sweetened whipped cream frosting. The cake is exceptionally moist and the JELL-O adds a nice burst of fruity flavor. I went ahead and used the box of raspberry JELL-O for historic accuracy, but if you wanted to get even more fancy and adventurous, you could use gelatin to make your own JELL-O. The flavor possibilities are virtually endless.

Easter is coming up and I think this Raspberry Poke Cake would make a sweet, light, and easy to make dessert for any Easter meal. If you’re looking for other Easter recipes, check these out:

Carrot Cake Cookies
Baked Pineapple Casserole
Black-Bottom Coconut Bars
Perfect Party (aka lemon raspberry coconut) Cupcakes
Chewy Lemon Sugar Cookies
Vanilla Bean & Bourbon Bundt Cake with Fresh Strawberries

Raspberry Poke Cake, From Scratch

Cake adapted from Baking: From My Home To Yours by Dorie Greenspan
Makes one 8×8-inch cake

I used my kitchen scale to weigh out half of the JELL-O powder. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, you can use roughly 3 1/2 tablespoons or 1 1/2 ounces of powder – or you can double the whole recipe (to use the whole box of JELL-O) and bake it in a 9×13-inch pan. I stored and sliced my cake straight from the pan, but I suppose once the JELL-O is set you could carefully invert the cake onto a platter to frost.

Ingredients

1 cup + 2 tablespoons cake flour
1/2 tbsp baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk
2 large egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 4-serving box (44 grams) JELL-O powder, raspberry flavor
1/2 cup boiling water
1/4 cup cold water

1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8×8-inch baking pan with baking spray.

In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk and egg whites.

In a mixer bowl, cream butter and sugar with the paddle attachment for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is very light. Beat in the vanilla extract. Beating on medium speed, alternate adding the dry ingredients (flour mixture) and the wet ingredients (egg mixture) in 3 steps, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. (So 1/3 flour mixture, 1/2 egg mixture, 1/3 flour mixture, remaining egg mixture, then remaining dry.) Once incorporated, beat well for 2 minutes to ensure the better is well mixed and airy.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan. (Do not remove cake from pan!)

Once cool, poke cake all over with a wooden skewer or fork. Stir JELL-O powder in boiling water until dissolved, then stir in cold water. Pour JELL-O mixture over cake in pan. Cover loosely and refrigerate until set, 3-4 hours.

To make frosting, combine heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract in a mixer bowl. Beat on medium speed with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form. Spread evenly over cake in pan.

Store covered in the refrigerator.

Wait, where are you going? Don’t leave! There isn’t even a whole stick of butter in it!

OK. Just hear me out.

Back in the day (2007) before I knew food blogging was even a thing, I liked to bake and I would sometimes take photos of my baking adventures. Shocking, I know. One particular adventure was with Paula Deen’s Lemon Blossoms. The photos were… not good. But we all have to start somewhere, right?

More important than the photos, the lemon blossoms were awesome. I managed to get some friends hooked on them too. After some trial and error, I learned that the mini muffin sized ones were best. They taste like bright lemony donut holes and being so small, they’re infinitely pop-able.

I haven’t had lemon blossoms in years, but thanks to the early warm weather we’re having I’ve been craving them lately. This time I decided to skip the boxed cake mix so I could scale the recipe to more manageable size. I also shook things up by using in-season Meyer lemons. (Never heard of Meyer lemons? They’re a less tart cross between lemons and oranges.)

I’m happy to report these Meyer Lemon Blossoms are just as bright and addictive as the Paula Deen version. I find myself walking past the container I’ve stashed them in, thinking “Oh, I’ll just have one…” and before I know it, I’ve “just had” half a dozen. I think they’d make perfect little tea cakes for a shower or luncheon, or you can eat them my way – two at a time over standing over the kitchen counter.

Meyer Lemon Blossoms

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen and Paula Deen
Makes 20-24 mini muffins

While I haven’t tested it, these blossoms should be just as delicious made with regular lemons if you can’t find Meyer lemons. They bake quickly, so keep a close eye on them to avoid over baking – start checking them around 8 minutes. Do NOT skimp on the glaze. It adds a big punch of flavor and helps keep the blossoms moist, so really lay it on thick.

Cake Ingredients

1 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
zest from 1 Meyer lemon
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup (approximately) milk
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
1 large egg, at room temperature

Glaze Ingredients

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
zest of 1 Meyer lemon
1 tablespoon vegetable / canola oil
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 – 4 tablespoons fresh Meyer lemon juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a non-stick, 24-cup mini muffin tin with baking spray.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Place Meyer lemon zest and sugar in bowl of a stand mixer. Add 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice into a 1 or 2-cup measuring cup, then add milk to reach 1/2 cup. Stir and set aside.

Using the paddle attachment on medium speed, mix sugar and zest together until fragrant and damp, 1-2 minutes. Add butter and beat until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add vanilla and lemon extracts and egg, beat to combine. Add milk mixture and beat to combine. Lastly, add flour mixture 1/3 at a time, beating just until combined and scraping down sides if needed.

Spoon approximately 1 tablespoon (or less) of batter into each cup of the prepared pan and bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes (checking after 8), or until top springs back to the touch. Cool in pan for 2 minutes, then flip onto wire wrack to cool completely.

To glaze, lay wax paper under a wire rack. Add powdered sugar, zest, oil and vanilla extract to a small bowl. Whisk in 3 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice, then test consistency (you want it thick but fluid enough to spread) by dipping the top of one muffin in the glaze and setting it upright on the prepared rack. If the glaze runs slowly down the sides of the muffin, it’s perfect. If it’s still too thick, whisk in 1/2 tablespoon more of lemon juice and retest, up to 4 tablespoons. Spoon glaze over cooled muffins or dunk muffins in glaze, and set on wire rack to harden.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Craving More?

I realize St. Patrick’s Day is coming up this weekend, so here are a few recipes to help you celebrate:

• Cheesy Potato Soup with Crispy Prosciutto
• Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey’s Irish Cream Frosting
• Bailey’s Brownies
• Chocolate Stout Cookies with Salted Caramel Frosting & Pretzels

If you’re craving more lemon-y goodness, try these recipes:

• Chewy Lemon Sugar Cookies
• Lemon Blueberry Crumble Bars
• Lemon Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
• Limoncello and Mint Sorbet
• Lemon Curd and Cream Layer Cake
• Lemon Blackberry Kuchen

But wait, I’m getting ahead of myself.

You might have heard me rave about my addiction to Greek yogurt once or twice or two thousand times. Wanna hear a secret?

I used to hate yogurt.

Then I found pineapple Chobani. I can’t remember now what inspired me to try it – if my mom or a friend told me about it, or if the pineapple just caught my eye at the store – but it’s been a non-stop Greek yogurt fest in my house ever since. And after listening to me rave about it for months and months, even my husband is hooked on it now! You could say I’m a little obsessed.

Ok, maybe a lot obsessed.

When I heard Chobani was rolling out 3 new flavors in 2012, suddenly it was the only thing I could think about. I had to try those new flavors. After weeks of searching and disappointment, I finally found myself in the dairy aisle face-to-face with a freshly stocked shelf of Chobani and all three new flavors. I could not believe my luck.

Now I expected to love the Apple Cinnamon flavor, but the Blood Orange Chobani took me by surprise. Who knew blood orange yogurt could be so good? It’s something about the combination of tangy blood orange and rich, creamy Greek yogurt. I was suddenly inspired!

“Wouldn’t this make a fantastic cheesecake?”, I asked myself while I contemplated licking the now empty container.

“It would… but only if it also had a chocolate crust.”, I answered myself.

I firmly believe chocolate makes everything better.

My first attempt at making these cheesecakes was meant to feature blood orange red hearts for Valentine’s Day. Awwww.

But plans went awry.

After baking, the hearts looked like smudges.

I tried to fix them. (I made it worse.)

Exasperated, I shoved the cheesecakes in the freezer and started over, sans hearts. Thankfully my second attempt was less cute but much more successful.

At first bite you taste the vanilla cheesecake and chocolate crust, but as the blood orange gelatin on top melts, it hits your tongue with that floral, slightly bitter blood orange flavor. You get creamy, rich, crunchy and zesty all in one bite.

Not to mention that color will brighten any dreary winter day instantly.

It’s a good thing they’re small or I would have devoured a whole 9-inch cheesecake by myself.

But wait! I almost forgot to mention the best part. On top of getting this lovely recipe from me, Chobani wants to send one of you lucky readers 12 cups of the new flavors – that’s 4 Apple Cinnamon, 4 Blood Orange, and 4 Passion Fruit yogurts! They’re still hard to find in stores (they keep selling out at my store) so you’ll want to jump on this. All you have to do is follow the rules below.

Chobani Giveaway Rules

• This giveaway is open to US residents only.
• One entry per person, please.
• Winner will be chosen at random from all entries received.
• Entries will be accepted until 5:00pm EST Monday, February 20th, 2012.
• Winner will be announced no later than 5:00pm EST Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012.
• TO ENTER: Simply leave me a comment with your favorite Chobani flavor or the one you’re most looking forward to trying. Easy.
  (PS. Use a real email address so I can contact you later to claim your prize!)

Full Disclosure: Chobani sent me a case of the new flavors too. All opinions in this post are my own. I only like Valentine’s Day as an excuse to eat more chocolate. I have a terrible sense of direction. Beagles are my favorite. Also, I really need someone to come over to my house and help me eat all these cheesecakes.

The giveaway is closed and we have our winner – Congratulations Kerry!

Blood Orange No-Bake Mini Cheesecakes with Chocolate Crust

Adapted from Art of Dessert and Martha Stewart
Makes 9 mini-cheesecakes

I highly recommend using a mini cheesecake pan with removable bottoms for this recipe. Technically you bake the crust for these mini cheesecakes, but the cheesecakes themselves are unbaked which is why the blood orange gelatin sets so prettily on top. There are several cooling steps, however, so be sure to read through and plan ahead accordingly! These should definitely be made in advance.

Ingredients

4 – 5 sheets chocolate graham crackers, crushed
1 tablespoon sugar
4 tablespoons salted butter, melted

4 ounces cream cheese
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons low or no-fat plain Greek yogurt
pinch of salt

7 tablespoons fresh squeezed blood-orange juice, strained
3/4 teaspoon unflavored gelatin powder (less than 1/2 packet)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 12-cup cheesecake pan with removable bottoms generously with baking spray.

Break graham cracker sheets apart along scored lines and place in food processor. Pulse until reduced to fine crumbs. With the processor running, pour in melted butter. Continue to pulse until blended. Crumbs should stick when pressed together.

Divide crumbs evenly among 9 cups of the prepared 12-cup pan, about 1 tablespoon of crumbs each. Press crust firmly into place. (The bottom of a shot glass ended up being perfect for this task.) Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes. Cool.

Beat cream cheese in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until smooth. Add sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, Greek yogurt and salt. Beat on low until smooth. Divide cheesecake mixture evenly among crusts. Smooth tops. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Once cheesecakes are firm, prepare blood orange topping. In a small bowl add 2 tablespoons blood orange juice and sprinkle with unflavored gelatin powder. Let stand until gelatin softens, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, bring 4 tablespoons blood orange juice and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. In a small cup or glass, stir together remaining 1 tablespoon blood orange juice and cornstarch. Whisk into boiling mixture. Remove from heat. Stir in softened gelatin. Cool until warm, 5-10 minutes. (While waiting, you can further smooth the tops of your cheesecakes with a damp finger, if needed.)

Pour gelatin mixture evenly over prepared cheesecakes, about 1/2 tablespoon each. Refrigerate until gelatin is set, at least 20 minutes. Keep chilled until ready to serve. Garnish with blood orange zest if desired.

Store covered in refrigerator.

Either way, you need to make some zucchini bread.

I originally got this recipe from one of my favorite farmer’s markets. They had samples. I tried one and said “Oh, yum! I’m going to need the recipe.” When I got home I read the recipe and nearly fell out of my chair. 3 cups of sugar. 1 cup of oil. No wonder it tasted so good! Call me crazy, but I feel like bread made with vegetables should at least try to exercise some restraint*.

So this is my altered version. It uses half the sugar and replaces half the oil with non-fat Greek yogurt, and it still tastes delicious. The texture is somewhere between cake and a muffin. They’re moist and lightly sweet with lots of cinnamon spice flavor – just the way I like my zucchini bread. I highly recommend adding chocolate chips (which I forgot – first time in my life I have ever forgotten chocolate!) and/or nuts, if you like that sort of thing.

This recipe makes enough to share – 2 loaves or a loaf and muffins – so feel free to pay that neighbor back for sharing their garden goods!

* For those of you rolling your eyes at the thought of using restraint in baked goods, stay tuned. The next recipe uses over a pound of butter and more than 4 cups of sugar. And heavy cream.

Zucchini Bread & Muffins

Makes 2 standard loaves
OR
5 mini loaves
OR
1 8×4 loaf plus 12 muffins

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups graulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/3 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt, such as 0% Chobani
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
chocolate chips (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° Prepare baking pans – line muffin tin with liners and/or spray loaf pans with non-stick baking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour through cinnamon). In a medium bowl, beat eggs lightly. Add oil, yogurt, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and water. Whisk. Stir in grated zucchini. Pour wet ingredients into dry and whisk just until combined.

Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake standard loaves about 45-50 minutes and mini loaves and muffins about 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire wrack. Store covered at room temperature, or wrap tightly and freeze for later.

But they’re also so much more.

They’re symbolic of my life-long love of chocolate and peanut butter. A life that I celebrated lasting 30 whole years just this past weekend.

(I plan to eat peanut butter and chocolate for at least another 30 years.)

But they’re also symbolic of the love we share through food. I was initially inspired to make these decadent bites when I heard about the tragic death of Jennifer Perillo‘s husband. Wait, that sounds weird. You see, dozens upon dozens of people, many complete strangers, reached out to Jennie and honored her husband Mikey by making his favorite peanut butter pie in the days after his passing. I don’t know Jennie and you might not either, but the outpouring of love and support for her that I witnessed online was awe-inspiring. It even led to the creation of Bloggers without Borders, an organization that harnesses the power of bloggers for those in need. And it all started with food.

In my family food has always been an expression of love and it’s one of the reasons I enjoy baking so much today. So go. Make these and share them with someone you love.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake Bites

Makes 12 bite-sized cheesecakes

I love (really, really love) cinnamon, so I added some to the graham cracker crust. You can skip it if you want. I also (really, really) love dark chocolate so that’s what I topped my bites with, but feel free to use milk chocolate if that’s you’re thing!

Ingredients

For the crust:
1 cup of graham cracker crumbs (7-9 graham crackers pulsed to crumbs in food processor)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
2 Tablespoons sugar
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 large egg

For chocolate topping:
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, such as Ghirardelli 60% chocolate chips
2 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 12-cup mini muffin tin with non-stick spray.

Combine graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon and sugar in a food processor. Pulse to combine. With food processor running, drizzle in melted butter until mixture resembles wet sand. Divide evenly among muffin cups (about 1 tablespoon each). Press crust down firmly. (I used the bottom of a shot glass to get them nice and flat and compact!)

In a medium bowl, whisk together cream cheese, peanut butter and egg. (If needed, microwave cream cheese and peanut butter for 10-15 seconds to help combine.) Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (about 1 tablespoon each).

Bake at 375°F for 10-12 minutes, or until puffed (tops may crack) and no longer shiny. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature.

In a microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and heavy cream. Microwave on high for 20 seconds at a time, stirring between, until chocolate is melted and a smooth ganache forms. (If your ganache turns out oily and gloppy, no biggie. Just add a little bit more cold heavy cream and stir until smooth.) Top cheesecake bites with a dollop of ganache. Eat any leftover ganache with a spoon (optional, but you know you want to.)

Store bites in fridge until ready to serve, or freeze. If frozen, thaw at room temperature.

Cheri over at Kitchen Simplicity asked me to do a guest post for her, and since I love her site I couldn’t say no. I mean, have you seen her photography? Gorgeous! And she features exactly the kind of recipes I like to eat – simple and delicious.

Check out my guest post on Kitchen Simplicity this week, where I confess my annual summer obsession with cherries and share my first clafouti recipe – Cherry Vanilla Bean Clafouti made with a real vanilla bean and fresh cherries. And while you’re there, take a look around at Cheri’s recipes and fantastic photography too!

“Must. Have. Chocolate.”

I made this cake for my dad for Father’s Day. Pay no attention to the fact that I named it “My Favorite Chocolate Cake” when it wasn’t even my cake. It was everyone’s favorite chocolate cake.

I’m terrible at frosting cakes but this is my best one yet! A little plain, but at least it turned out level. It’s all thanks to Zoe Bakes and her amazingly helpful “How To” cake decorating video series. If you need cake decorating help, check them out!

Chocolate cake is one of those desserts that’s relatively simple and unassuming, but also can easily turn out disappointing. I like my chocolate cake rich but not too sweet, moist and super chocolatey. This cake is all of those things, and it held up like a champ during a 2 hour car ride over mountains.

It’s amazing.

Don’t you just want to swipe your finger through that frosting?

The chocolate cake layers are tender but with a sturdy crumb that holds up to slicing. They’re also incredibly moist. Despite the somewhat light color, the chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream frosting is intensely chocolatey. I love swiss meringue buttercream because it’s not cloyingly sweet like some other frostings. The cake layers may taste a little on the salty side on their own, but when paired with the silky smooth, rich frosting, the salt and sweet balance is spot on.

The whole thing is a chocoholic’s dream come true. I’m already trying to find an excuse to make this cake again!

My Favorite Chocolate Cake

Adapted from Ina Garden and Sweetapolita
Makes one 9-inch, 2-layer cake

I usually dislike coffee in my chocolate cake because I feel like the coffee flavor overwhelms the chocolate flavor. However, I used a cup of coffee brewed on the weak side for this cake and couldn’t taste the coffee flavor at all so I say go for it. And can I say I just love that you can make this cake easily without using a mixer?

Cake Ingredients

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cups good cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with baking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. In another medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients into dry and whisk to combine. Add coffee and whisk just until combined. Batter will be thin and runny.

Divide batter evenly among prepared cake pans and bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for about 30 minutes, then flip out onto a rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream Ingredients

4 large egg whites
1 cups granulated sugar
2 sticks of unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/2 tablespoon vanilla
pinch salt
8 ounces quality dark chocolate, chopped (I used Callebaut dark)

I actually ended up using 5 egg whites because I was using fresh eggs and they were a little on the small side. The key to Swiss meringue buttercream is not to panic when it reaches the stage where it looks like it’s irrevocably ruined – just keep beating! If at the end your frosting is too soupy, it might be too warm. Pop it in the fridge for 15-20 minutes and then beat until smooth.

NOTE: I had exactly enough frosting to fill and cover my cake and no leftovers. If you want to add decorations of any kind, I recommend making 1.5 or 2 times this recipe to make sure you have enough frosting.

Directions

Remove butter from refrigerator and cut into cubes. Set aside. (By starting with this step, your butter should be just about the right softened-but-still-cool temperature by the time you’re ready to add it to your frosting.)

Set a saucepan with about 2 inches of water over medium heat and bring to a simmer (not boil). Add chopped chocolate to a large, heat safe bowl and set over saucepan with simmering water. Stir gently just until melted. Remove chocolate from heat and set aside. Keep water simmering.

Add egg whites and sugar to metal bowl of an electric mixer. Set mixer bowl over saucepan with simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar has dissolved and an instant read thermometer reads 140°F.

Remove bowl from stove and attach to mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whip egg white mixture at medium speed until it forms a light, glossy white meringue and the bottom of the bowl feels room temperature to the touch (about 10 minutes).

Switch to the paddle attachment. On low speed, add butter one cube at a time, incorporating each completely before adding the next. Beat until smooth. (If it curdles, just keep beating!) Add vanilla, salt and melted chocolate, and continue beating until smooth again.

Assembly

Set one cake layer on a cake plate, cake board or pedestal. Add about 1/3 of the frosting and smooth into an even layer. Top with remaining cake layer (upside-down if cake is domed). Spread remaining frosting evenly on top and sides of cake.

Storage

Cake layers can be made ahead, wrapped tightly with plastic wrap, placed in a freezer safe bag and frozen. When ready to use, take them out of the freezer and frost immediately or allow to thaw at room temperature. I actually find it easier to frost frozen cakes because they are firmer.

I recommend making the frosting the same day you will be icing the cake. Once iced, the cake can be refrigerated. The icing will firm up in the fridge, making it easier to travel with the cake without ruining it.

If refrigerated, remove cake from fridge at least 1 hour before eating to allow frosting time to soften again. Leftovers can be stored however you feel comfortable, refrigerated or covered at room temperature. (Ours was stored at room temperature.)

No? Me neither.

On a completely unrelated note, it’s strawberry season so I made chocolate chip strawberry shortcake. I most definitely did NOT think this recipe was for an all chocolate shortcake, which had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that the original recipe was called “Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake” and also lacked a photo.

……

You’re not buying this, are you?

Ok, so maybe I thought this would be an all chocolate strawberry shortcake. It wasn’t until I had mixed all the ingredients together that I realized, “Huh. This isn’t chocolate after all.” But it turned out to be a happy accident, I think. In addition to the bourbon chocolate sauce (which is just like WHOA), an all chocolate shortcake would have overwhelmed the delicate flavor of farm fresh strawberries. This shortcake studded with chocolate chips was the perfect balance – a nice hit of chocolate, but you can definitely taste the strawberries.

Oh, and believe me, strawberry shortcake is better with chocolate.

Chocolate Chip Strawberry Shortcake
with Bourbon Chocolate Sauce

Adapted from Bon Appetit
Serves 6-8

This shortcake can be made in a number of shapes and sizes – bake it in a 9-inch cake pan for one large shortcake to feed a crowd, or pat it out and use a biscuit cutter or cut into wedges for individual shortcakes. These shortcakes are best consumed the day they’re made.

Filling Ingredients

2 pounds fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced
3 tablespoons sugar
1 batch Bourbon Chocolate Sauce (can be made ahead)

Shortcake Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 ounces (about 2/3 cup) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Whipped Cream Ingredients

1 1/2 cups whipping cream
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

In a large bowl, sprinkle sliced strawberries with 3 tablespoons of sugar (more or less, depends on how sweet your berries are). Toss to coat and set aside. (Can be made ahead.)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch cake pan or spray with baking spray (if making one big shortcake), or line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat (for individual shortcakes).

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add butter and smush between fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2/3 cup buttermilk and vanilla extract, stirring to form a dough. Fold in chocolate chips.

If using a cake pan, transfer dough to cake pan a gently press to level top. If using baking sheet, dump dough out onto parchment paper and pat out into a circle about 1-inch thick. Cut into wedges or cut with a biscuit cutter and place on baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Brush top with remaining 2 tablespoons buttermilk and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until lightly golden brown on top and a toothpick comes out clean, 15-20 minutes for small shortcakes, 25-30 minutes for one big shortcake.

To make whipped cream, combined whipping cream, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of a mixer. Beat with whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

To serve, cut shortcake(s) in half. Spoon strawberries and their juices on top. Drizzle with bourbon chocolate sauce, add whipped cream, and top with other half of shortcake.

Moms. They’re the best. They do it all and they do it better than anyone else ever could. My mom, aside from raising me all these years, is responsible for my love of food. Her family is Italian so I grew up eating amazing homemade food, like pasta sauces made from scratch and simmered on the stove all day long. I’m sorry to say I didn’t always appreciate it growing up though, probably because I assumed everyone ate that way so what was the big deal? As a teen I had more important things to do than eat (like sleep all day) and although I sometimes helped out with the cooking, I did it begrudgingly.

It wasn’t until I was grown and living away from home that I realized how much work my mom put into feeding us kids all those years and how great the food was. Living on my own and missing my mom’s incredible food is what finally motivated me to learn to cook. I craved the comfort of those home cooked meals that I so took for granted living at my mom’s house and the only way to get one was to make it myself.

Without my Mom, this site wouldn’t exist today. So thank you, Mom, for feeding me great food growing up, and for inspiring me to cook and bake and love food. To show our appreciation for my mom, my brother’s and I got together Mother’s Day weekend to cook a meal for her. My twin brother cooked an impressive and delicious rack of pork with a homemade chutney, my little brother brought mac & cheese (always a favorite), and to finish the meal I made this Lemon Curd & Cream Layer Cake.

You’ll have to forgive me for the lackluster photos. I was in a rush to get out the door with the cake so I didn’t have the time to take proper pictures. What you need to know is that this cake is bursting with lemon flavor. It’s two layers of white cake glued together with a thick layer of lemon curd, then frosted with a fluffy lemon curd & cream icing. If you have someone in your life you want to thank who loves lemon (like my mom), make them this cake. Nothing says “thank you” like cake!

Lemon Curd & Cream Layer Cake

Adapted from Gourmet
Makes one 8-inch or 9-inch two layer cake

The components can be made ahead and this cake can be assembled in advance, but once frosted you’ll need to keep the cake refrigerated. I found I liked the cake best still cold from the fridge, but the original recipe calls for letting it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

Cake Ingredients

2 scant cups cake flour (not self-rising)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Lemon Curd Ingredients

1 cup fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon zest
1 cup sugar
6 large eggs
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, diced into small pieces

Frosting Ingredients

1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 batch of Lemon Curd (above), chilled

Directions

Make Lemon Curd: Combine all lemon curd ingredients in a medium sauce pan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until butter melts and curd thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 6 minutes). Once thickened, remove from heat and pour through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap pushed against the surface and chill for at least 1 hour, up to 1 week.

Make Cake Layers: Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 2 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans with baking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine milk and lemon juice (mixture may curdle – it’s OK).

Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one a time, beating after each to incorporate. Beat in vanilla extract. Add half flour mixture , then half milk mixture beating on low after each until just combined. Repeat with remaining flour and milk mixture.

Divide batter evenly between prepared caked pans, smoothing tops gently with a spatula. Bake at 375°F for 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned and a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then flip out onto racks to cool completely.

Make Frosting: Using the whisk attachment on an electric mixer, beat cream and confectioners sugar to stiff peaks. Working with half the lemon curd (reserving the rest for filling the cake), fold a few spoonfuls of whipped cream into the curd to lighten it, then fold in remaining whipped cream.

Assemble Cake: Place one cake layer, top side up, on a cake plate. Spread with a thin layer of frosting then the reserved half of lemon curd. Top with other cake layer, top side down. Cover top and sides with remaining frosting.

If assembling the cake ahead of time, store in refrigerator in cake keeper or loosely covered plastic wrap (with toothpicks to hold away from frosting). Set at room temperature 30 minutes before serving, or serve straight from fridge.