CLASSIC CARROT CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE ICING

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Oh, carrot cake, I love you. Over Easter weekend I made not one, but two carrot cakes! I made my first ever carrot cake from scratch at my birthday last year and it was delicious so I decided to make it again for Easter. For my birthday cake and the second cake made over Easter, I used a recipe from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook. For the first one over Easter, I used this recipe. We definitely preferred the Hummingbird one so I'll post that one below. The other one was yummy but it was much drier than the Hummingbird one and I'm all about moist cakes!

CLASSIC CARROT CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE ICING

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/4 sunflower oil
• 2 1/3 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• About 3 carrots grated

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups cream cheese (1.5 bricks), room temperature
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325.
2. Put the sugar, eggs and oil in an electric mixer with the paddle attachment and beat until well incorporated. Slowly add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt and vanilla and continue to beat until well mixed.
3. Stir in the grated carrots (and nuts/raisins if you want to add those) by hand until they are evenly dispersed.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans (3 8 inch or 2 9inch, lined with parchment paper) and smooth over. Bake in the preheated over for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and the cake bounces when touched. Let the cake layers cool slightly in the pans before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. While the cake is cooling, make cream cheese icing by beating the cream cheese and butter in an electric mixer for 1 minute on medium speed until smooth. Add in vanilla extract and salt and continue mixing. Add in powdered sugar and beat at med-high until smooth (add more powdered sugar if it's too runny).
6. Once the cake is cooled completely, transfer the layers to a cake stand and ice away!
7. Enjoy :)

So there you have it, my favourite recipe for carrot cake!

XO,
laura

MEYER LEMON SCONES

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I'm still new to the scone baking business but it's a business, I'd like to grow in. Scones are pretty easy to make and are the best compliment to an afternoon cuppa! I saw this recipe and slightly adapted it. It was crazy easy and meyer lemons happened to be on sale...double win! 

If you're wondering what the heck a meyer lemon is, don't be ashamed! I only found out last year. Basically it's a mix between a lemon and a tangerine...not too sweet but not too tart....deliciousness. I used the rest of the bag to soothe my stupid cold that I finally have gotten over! (hurrah!!)

MEYER LEMON SCONES

Ingredients:

• 3 1/4 cup flour
• 1/3 cup sugar (and a bit more if you want to sprinkle some on top!)
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter cut into chunks
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 meyer lemons, zested (you'll also need the juice from two of these lemons)
• 2 meyer lemons, sliced very thinly
• melted butter for brushing

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425. 
2. Mix the sugar and 1/2 the lemon zest. Rub together with your fingers so it gets all fragrant.
3. In a large bowl combine flour, salt, lemon sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Grab a pastry blender or fork and combine the butter into the bowl. Keep cutting it together until it resembles coarse sand.
4. Stir in the buttermilk, vanilla, juice from 2 of the lemons and rest of the lemon zest.
5. Place the dough on a floured surface and knead.
6. Divide the dough in half and form into two large circles. Brush the melted butter and then place the lemon slices on top. You can also sprinkle some sugar on top if you're feeling it! Divide the dough into six triangles (by slicing down the middle like a pizza).
7. Bake the scones for 14-16 minutes until the tops are slightly golden.
8. Enjoy!! 

Happy Baking!!

XO,
laura

5 COOKIE RECIPES TO TRY THIS CHRISTMAS

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We're almost halfway through December and I haven't done ANY Christmas baking!!!! I usually attend a cookie exchange but because of crazy schedules, it just isn't going to work out this year BUT don't worry James, I plan to get my bake on this afternoon and I AM SO EXCITED!

I'll be baking a few of my classics that I make every year and adding a new one, so look out for another recipe soon!

But in the meantime here are 5 cookie recipes you should totally bake this Christmas!!

1. CHEWY GINGERBREAD COOKIES W/ CREAM CHEESE ICING

OH MY GOSH. YOU GUYS. These are my absolute favourite cookies to make at Christmas time. Soft & chewy gingerbread and cream cheese icing..say no more! I'm baking a bunch of them today. CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE.

 

2. THICK AND CHEWY CLASSIC CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

These are the best chocolate chip cookies you will ever eat. I am seriously not joking. You can ask James and he will tell you. They are thick and chewy and have the perfect amount of sweet & salty. I make them ALL THE TIME and they get devoured so quickly! CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE!

3. SWIG STOP COOKIES

I tried these ones when I was in Salt Lake City last year and I seriously could not get over them. They are apparently famous round those parts and I knew I needed to find a recipe for them. I think it would be super cute to change the icing colour to pale red and green to make them all Christmasy. CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE.

4. NUTELLA STUFFED BROWN BUTTER SEA SALT COOKIES

Ok, excuse the junky photography....that was from a few years ago and clearly taken at night LOLS...which I will never ever do again BUT these cookies are a WHOLE NOTHA LEVEL. Just warning, they are quite messy to make but don't let that stop you because nutella + sea salt is a match made in Heaven and you will satisfy the masses with these. CLICK HERE TO GET THE RECIPE.

5. SALTED SKOR BIT COOKIES.

These are a ridiculously easy and delicious cookie to make...the perfect thing in this bustling season! It will not take long, so go get your bake on! CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE.

Happy baking everyone! I'm off to the dentist (BOOOOOO.) But after I will be in my happy place with my kitchen aid.

XO,
laura

THREE PUMPKIN RECIPES YOU SHOULD MAKE THIS FALL

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Well it's officially fall and I'm very ecstatic round here. The weather has definitely cooled down and I am very happy I'm not sweating buckets on my walk to work...also fall weather for running is just the best.

This weekend I'm excited to get into my kitchen and try out some new pumpkin recipes. Having two students really encourages me to bake a lot which is not so great for my waistline but great for this blog.

But over the years, I've actually posted quite a few fall recipes (big surprise there!) Here's three pumpkin recipes you should make this fall...

1. PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE MUFFINS

These Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins are hands down the VERY BEST MUFFINS YOU WILL EVER HAVE. They're a labour of love because they take a little longer to make but they are SO WORTH IT. I'm seriously drooling over here.

2. PUMPKIN SPICE SNICKERDOODLES

These, Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles are the easiest thing to bake and they are ridiculously delicious!!!

3. HOMEMADE PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE

If you want to save money this but still want to drink "fall in a cup" then you need to make Pumpkin Spice Lattes at home! They are super easy to make and will save you a lot of $$$!!!

A lot of these recipes call for Pumpkin Pie Spice...a spice that us Canadians don't really sell. Well I got you covered....click here for the recipe!

Have you gotten into the fall baking craze yet? What are your "must" make fall recipes? Please let me know in the comments!

XO,
laura

QUICK + SKINNY BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

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Happy August everyone! Today is a holiday for all of us in beautiful British Columbia. Mondays are my usual day off so it's no big deal for me aside from a day in lieu for my vaycay in two weeks (hurrrah!) 

This August I want to get back on the healthy train...and for me that means cutting out sweets (insert crying face emoji)....except for my anniversary and birthday because no sweets on those days would be plain torturous! We're planning on doing a juice cleanse for a couple days (any suggestions anyone!!?? We have a juicer!) but mainly I'm just going to try to make wise health decisions (low carb, high protein, greens, greens, greens and no sweets!) And maybe once in awhile I'll indulge in one of these muffins...?

You guys...I make these muffins all the time. They take 30 minutes max and are so good and aren't crazy bad for you! I usually make a batch and then freeze half of them. They make a great snack or a super quick breakfast!

QUICK + SKINNY BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

makes approx 24 muffins (I made 26 very large muffins from this batch because I have odd size muffin tins!)

Ingredients

• 3 cups flour (whole wheat pastry or white flour)
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 5 very ripe med-large bananas
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tbsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup non-fat plain greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
• 1 cup chocolate chips 

Directions

1. reheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray muffin tins with non stick cooking spray.
3. In a medium bowl flour, baking soda and salt.
4. In a blender, mix bananas, honey, vanilla, oil, eggs and yogurt until well combined.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and mix until well combined then fold in the chocolate chips.
6. Pour the batter into the muffin tins and then bake for 25 minutes. They're ready when you insert a toothpick and it comes out clean!
7. Let muffins cool in tins for a few minutes and then place on wire rack.
8. Enjoy!!

Recipe adapted from Ambitious Kitchen

Hope you all have a great Monday!

xo,

s.s.♥︎.