Breakfast, Sweet

Brioche French Toast

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The ultimate brunch indulgence, Brioche French Toast is a classic and timeless dish that never fails.

Brioche French Toast is one of those dishes that never fails to defy expectations.  It’s indulgent, rich, and so delicious.  We have this at the holidays, and this year we celebrated a birthday brunch with the same recipe that brings a smile to everyone’s face.  It’s a crowd pleaser, and ultimately a simple dish that really doesn’t take long to prep, unless you have a large hungry crew to feed.  Even if that’s the case (this recipe feeds 12!) I have the solution to make slightly ahead!  

One of the things that makes this such an easy recipe is the richness of the Brioche bread lends itself to a quick soak (like 30 seconds) being enough for a rich French toast batter.  No need to let the bread rest for several minutes – you simply dip the slices in as you are ready to throw into the pan!  The egg bath is is simple and basic – another example of letting great ingredients shine on their own.

My daughter chose this as a send off brunch item before she and some friends head overseas on a summer service trip – they will not be hungry on the plane.

Brioche French Toast

Print Recipe
Brioche French Toast, the ultimate brunch indulgence
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Keyword brioche french toast, french toast
Servings 12

Ingredients

  • 5 cups whole milk
  • 12 eggs
  • 4 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 3 loaves brioche bread, sliced thick
  • 1 stick butter
  • maple syrup for serving
  • flaked sea salt for finishing, if desired

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 250, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper
  • In a high sided 9x13 baking dish, crack all 12 eggs, and whisk to break up and beat slightly. Add the milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt, combining thoroughly until no egg lumps are visible. You want this batter well mixed, as it needs to spread over three full loaves of brioche.
  • Heat two skillets, or a large griddle pan over medium heat. Divide the butter into small pats for cooking the french toast in batches. Your brioche loaves should yield about 8-10 slices each.
  • When the skillets are ready, melt a pat or two of butter in each. Dip slices of brioche quickly on each side, making sure not to rest the bread in the milk bath for too long. This bread is very fragile and will fall apart if soaked for more than a short time. Don't crowd the pans, cooking 3 slices at a time in each pan. When the french toast is golden and cooked through (about 3-4 mins per side) remove to the baking sheets and keep warm in the oven while you finish the remaining slices. It's best to do this well in advance of serving, and don't worry about the french toast drying out in the oven - brioche bread is so densley flavorful and rich, it will taste incredible no matter what!
  • When all the slices have been cooked, serve with warmed maple syrup, and a sprinkle of flaked sea salt if you like to finish.

Notes

This dish is a holiday tradition in our home, so we treasure it.  Brioche or Challah are both great here, and are an incredible treat for a special occasion.  
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Sweet

Ultimate Lemonade Layer Cake

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The ultimate rich lemon cake, with a decadent cream cheese frosting that perfectly balances the sweet acidity of the lemonade flavor.

Cooking Light Magazine debuted their Lemonade Layer Cake recipe in 2002, and it has become their most pinned recipe ever.  For good reason!  This cake is literally to die for, and I have tweaked it to be less dense and slightly larger to feed a crowd.  It’s the kind of cake you need a party for – so make it, and invite your people over.

I first made this cake after reading the recipe in 2002, as a Mother’s Day treat for my mom, my mother-in-law, and aunt, and it instantly became a hit.  I have a bit of a love hate relationship with it, as my mother-in-law requests it every year for her birthday on July 6th.  It’s usually a fairly busy time, and this cake requires a little prep time and some not always on hand ingredients.  She is worth it, of course, but now my daughter also asks for this on her birthday – in October?  I love it, but shouldn’t we have chocolate in October!?  Regardless, it’s a labor of love, and I will happily make it for anyone who asks.

I had two problems with the original recipe, and I think I have fixed them both with this updated version.  First, the cake was too thin – probably the magazine’s attempt at keeping portion size in check.  However, when I’m making a birthday cake for someone I love, I’m not focussed on portion size or calories.  So I increased the size of this and it now works great for our usual crowd of 15.  The second fix, addresses the density.  I am all for a dense, rich cake, but this was a bit too dense.  I increased the amount of baking soda to balance the acidity from all the lemonade concentrate, and also added two tablespoons of sour cream to the batter.  These worked – the cake is still perfectly moist, but now has a bit of fluff to the consistency.  DELISH!

Ultimate Lemonade Layer Cake

Print Recipe
A richly balanced cake bursting with lemonade flavor and a decadent cream cheese frosting.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword lemon cake, lemonade cake, summer cake

Ingredients

Lemonade Layer Cake Ingredients

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 9 Tbsp Butter
  • 1.5 Tbsp grated lemon rind
  • 4 Tbsp defrosted lemonade concentrate
  • 3 tsp vanilla
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 egg whites
  • 2 Tbsp sour cream
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 2.5 cups buttermilk lowfat

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

  • 4 Tbsp butter at room temp
  • 4 tsp grated lemon rind
  • 4 tsp defrosted lemonade concentrate
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 8 oz packages of cream cheese at room temp
  • 7 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Lemonade Layer Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line two 8 inch round cake pans with parchment paper, set aside until ready to bake.
  • In a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, or a hand mixer, combine the butter and sugar, whipping until fluffy. Add the lemon rind, concentrate, vanilla and then one by one, the eggs and egg whites, all while running the mixer at a low speed. When fully combined, add the sour cream.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk the flours with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Finish the batter by slowly adding the dry ingredients in small quantities, and then the buttermilk, starting and finishing with the dry ingredients. Don't over mix - this is not a cake that needs two minutes at a high speed as it will become dense. Fill the pans and bake on center rack for 22-25 minutes until golden brown on top and cooked through.
  • Remove the cakes from the pans and cool fully on wire racks.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

  • In a stand mixer, combine the butter, lemon rind, lemonade concentrate, vanilla, and then the cream cheese blocks. It's important all ingredients are at room temperature to ensure smooth consistency. Slowly add the 7 cups of powdered sugar until fully mixed in.
  • When the cakes are cooled, frost as you like. I prefer a naked cake with exposed sides, but this recipe makes enough to fully frost the entire cake. I like to top it with a slice of lemon. I prefer this cake chilled, so if possible, chill for a couple of hours before eating. It will keep for days!

Notes

This cake comes from Cooking Light Magazine - I first made it in 2002, and it has been a massively repeated recipe ever since.  I updated the recipe by increasing the quantity, as the original was very thin.  I have always loved the cake, but found it too dense, and added more baking soda, and sour cream to the base recipe, which helped balance the acidity and lift the batter.  The original called for fat free buttermilk, and I prefer low-fat, and use full fat cream cheese instead of their recommended light cream cheese.  It is unbelievably good as a leftover for breakfast...

Happy Birthday Juju!  Thanks for keeping this recipe top of mind for all these years!

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Sweet

3 Ingredient Vacation Blondie Ice Cream Sando’s

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Blondie’s, vanilla ice cream, and mini chocolate chips sandwiched to make the perfect vacation treat!

Sometimes less is more.  Vacation is one of those times where simplicity rules and these are pretty much as easy as it gets.  They feel homemade, but involve only three ingredients and taste as good as they look.  

3 Ingredient Vaca Blondie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Print Recipe
Thin blondies sandwiching ice cream and chocolate chips
Course Dessert
Cuisine American

Ingredients

  • 1 36 oz Tub of Toll House Cookie Dough
  • 1 Container of Breyer's Vanilla Ice Cream
  • 1 12 oz package Toll House Mini Chocolate Chips

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Line a large baking sheet pan with foil or parchment paper, and press the cookie dough into as even a layer as possible, reaching all corners of the pan. You are aiming for a thin, slightly undercooked blondie layer.
  • Bake the blondie's on the center rack of the oven for 16-20 minutes, taking the pan out to bang on the counter after 12 minutes, and then again at the end. This will ensure the blondie layer is compacted to withstand cutting into squares with the ice cream.
  • Cool the blondies completely, and remove onto a cutting board. Cut the sheet into two halves.
  • Prepare a platter or cutting board, and lay the blondie's face down (so the pretty side will be facing OUT with the ice cream sandwich), and spread the ice cream in a layer all over fully to the edges. Then top with the other layer of blondies, again making sure to have the correct side facing out.
  • Place the platter into the freezer to solidify for at least four hours, but ideally overnight.
  • When completely frozen, cut into squares, and dip the edges of the ice cream sandwiches into the mini chocolate chips, pressing to adhere. Freeze again until ready to enjoy!

Notes

You can clearly use homemade cookie dough for this, but I love the idea of taking three simple store-bought ingredients and making something a bit homemade.  These will NOT disappoint!
Note about the ice cream - if you use Breyer's, it will be soft enough to spread, but other brands may need time to soften on the counter before spreading onto the blondies.
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Sweet

Homemade Coconut Milk Fudge Pops

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Creamy coconut milk and chocolate create the most decadent of childhood treats – homemade fudge pops!

Once again, a recipe from Tieghan Girard at Half Baked Harvest – this one is the bomb.  Chocolate heaven, a healthier version of the ultimate childhood summer treat, the fudge pop!  This one is made with real ingredients, a vegan friendly treat that is worthy of a spot at any celebration this summer.  You must try this.  

Full fat coconut milk (from a can) is the real trick to the creamy consistency of these easy fudge pops.   I used paper Dixie cups to make them – the shape is super fun and the perfect serving size.  

Homemade Coconut Milk Fudge Pops

Print Recipe
Creamy Coconut Milk Fudgsicle's with a Chocolate Shell
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword chocolate, fudgsicle, homemade, fudge pop

Equipment

  • popsicle molds, or paper cups and popsicle sticks

Ingredients

  • 3 cups full fat canned coconut milk whisked until smooth
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 6 oz. chopped semi sweet chocolate
  • 2 tsp vanilla

For the Chocolate Shell & Drizzle

  • 6 oz chopped milk chocolate
  • 2 Tbsp coconut oil Divided - 1 Tbsp for each chocolate
  • 6 oz chopped semi sweet chocolate
  • malden sea salt for sprinkling optional, but delicious

Instructions

  • Prepare whatever you are using for popsicle molds and set aside for pouring.
  • In a medium saucepan, whisk the cocounut milk with the syrup, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, and add the chocolate, stirring to combine. Simmer for8-10 minutes, watching for the mixture to thicken slightly. When done, remove from the heat, and stir in the vanilla. Cool for a few minutes.
  • Pour the chocolate into the molds, and freeze for at least 5 hours, preferably overnight.

For the Chocolate Shell and Drizzle

  • Remove the pops from the freezer, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper - make sure you can fit whatever tray you are using, back into the freezer for a short period of time.
  • I like to do both a milk and semi sweet chocolate shell coating, making a fun pattern with the two. Place the milk chocolate with 1 Tbsp of coconut oil in a glass bowl and microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring until almost completely melted - usually a total of 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Don't over cook! Repeat the process with the darker chocolate, and 1 Tbsp of coconut oil.
  • Remove the popsicles from their molds (you can do this by running under hot tap water for a few seconds) and drizzle with the two chocolates, creating a fun pattern.
  • Place the dipped and drizzled pops onto the parchment lined tray, and keep in the freezer until set. You can store them in a ziplock bag after fully frozen. The chocolate shell will set quickly. Keeps for several days.

Notes

This recipe is from Half Baked Harvest with two slight changes - her version is called Creamy Vegan Chocolate Fudge Pops and they are delicious - pretty much the same thing.  Thanks Tieghan!  
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Appetizers/Snacks, Sweet

Easy Homemade Salted Caramel Popcorn

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Simple ingredients working together to make this perfect salty sweet popcorn.  You can make it ahead, and it’s dangerously delicious…

Salted Caramel Popcorn – the quintessential ball park treat that makes a most indulgent ice cream topping and all around spectacular snack!  This recipe is rich with equal parts butter and brown sugar to perfectly balance the salty sweet situation that makes this popcorn so dangerously addicting.  Makes an excellent gift to include with the homemade hot fudge sauce from yesterday’s post.  

The hot caramel takes only minutes on the stove top, and uses simple ingredients you will have on hand – an all natural simple treat.  

Salted Caramel Popcorn

Print Recipe
Ultimately delicious and rich combination of salty and sweet - the perfectly balanced treat that is super easy to make.
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword caramel, popcorn, caramel popcorn, homemade, easy, make ahead, cracker jacks

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup popcorn kernals
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • malden sea salt flakes for topping

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
  • Pop the popcorn - yielding about 8-10 cups total. I used an air popper but you can easily do this on the stove top using a dutch oven with a tablespoon of canola oil - just make sure to shake the pan often and keep the heat at medium. Set the popped corn into a very large mixing bowl while you make the caramel.
  • In a medium saucepan, melt the butter completely, then add the brown sugar and salt, bring to a low boil for 4-5 minutes. The mixture will look thick and lumpy but don't worry.
  • Off the heat, stir in the vanilla and baking soda. Pour over the popcorn and work quickly to coat all the kernals with the thick hot caramel - be careful as it can burn you easily. Use a rubber spatula to combine everything.
  • Line a 1/2 sheet baking pan with parchment paper and qickly pour the popcorn onto the baking sheet to spread into an even layer. Sprinkle with flaked sea salt and bake at 250 for 30-45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to ensure even cooking. Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Keeps for days, but best fresh off the pan.

Notes

This popcorn is great to give as a gift with the hot fudge sauce - the combination with vanilla or coffee ice cream is to die for.  
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Sweet

Ultimate Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce

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Four ingredients to heaven on a spoon – the world’s best hot fudge sauce, easy to make and keeps forever!

This recipe is a long standing Wales family tradition – made for the holidays, and I’m bringing it back for summer, and the rest of the year!  This is the ultimate hot fudge sauce you can make ahead, and keep for weeks in the fridge.  Easy and honestly, to die for delicious.  Make this – today.  You will thank me.

I have tripled the original recipe here, mostly because it goes fast in this house, but also for gifts.  After an incredibly challenging year for everyone, I’m planning to give some of this to my kids teachers as a small token of appreciation.  You can buy mason jars in flats everywhere these days, so grab some, fill them up, and share some chocolate love!  

Ultimate Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce

Print Recipe
Ultimate hot fudge sauce - homemade heaven on a spoon with just four ingredients.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword hot fudge sauce, chocolate sauce, ice cream sundae

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter
  • 6 oz bittersweet baking chocolate
  • 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and chocolate together stirring until smooth. Add the sugar, stirring until completely dissolved into the mixture. Remove from the heat, and whisk the heavy cream into the chocolate until fully blended - it will be silky smooth and amazingly declious! This keeps in the fridge forever, so make extra.

Notes

I have tripled the original recipe for this post - it's the amount I always make, as the sauce makes a great gift.  This year, some very deserving teachers may find this on their desk.  Pour into mason jars with lids and refrigerate until ready to use.  Feel free to cut back on the amount if you are keeping it all to yourself.
This is a Wales Family special tradition that is made every year for the holidays.  I make it all year round, and often, as you kind of always need hot fudge sauce on hand.    
 
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Sweet

Summer Lemon Tart

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Creamy Lemon Tart with a Salted Pretzel and Graham Cracker Crust – light and refreshing at the same time!

Summer dessert perfection is here.  Simple ingredients come together to make a creamy cool tart that tastes like a lemon bar but so much better!  The best part is the salted pretzel graham cracker crust, which balances out the deliciously decadent filling.  This versatile recipe comes from the imitable Tieghan Girard of Half Baked Harvest (halfbakedharvest.com). My version is slightly bigger (my tarte pan is 10 in. vs. 8/9 in) and I increased a tiny amount of salt in the crust.  The flavors are perfect, and this is a gem of a recipe.  It will seem like you spent hours on it – trust me, you won’t.  All you need is time to chill before serving, so plan ahead and make this the morning of, or even the day before.

With minimal ingredients, you need to source the best for this one.  The saltiest pretzels, freshly squeezed lemon juice, cold cream, and fresh local summer berries to top it off.  Note that this recipe makes extra filling, which you could fill into juice glasses and eat like a pudding for breakfast!

One of my favorite friends celebrated her birthday this past weekend, and this was what I made for her – I think she liked it…

Summer Lemon Tart

Print Recipe
Light and creamy Lemon Tart with a salted pretzel graham cracker crust.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Lemon Tart, graham cracker crust, lemon pie
Servings 8

Equipment

  • Tarte Pan (mine is 10 inches, but you can scale back for 8 or 9 inch)

Ingredients

For the Crust

  • 12 graham cracker sheets about 1.5 packages
  • 1.5 cups salted pretzel twists
  • 1 stick melted butter
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt

For the filling

  • 4 cups heavy cream
  • 1 Tbsp lemon zest
  • 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1.5 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  • NOTE: My tarte pan is 10 inches, but many are smaller, so you can adjust the recipe and scale back a bit as needed.

To Make the Crust

  • Preheat the oven to 350, and set a rack in the middle of the oven.
  • Combine the graham crackers, pretzel twists, and salt, in a food processer and blend together until you have fine crumbs. Stir the honey into the melted butter, and slowly pour the mixture into the crumbs while running the food processer until you have a pasty consistency.
  • Dump the crumb mixture into the tarte pan, pressing to form a molded shell base for the lemon cream filling. Push the crumbs up the sides of the pan as well. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown and fairly set. Set aside to cool.

To Make the Filling, and finish the Tart

  • In a large saucepan, combine the heavy cream, zest, and honey, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook for at least 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and vanilla. Cool the mixture for at least 20 minutes out of the pot.
  • When ready to assemble, fill the tarte pan with the prepared lemon cream, until you reach the top. YOU WILL HAVE EXTRA! Don't overfill. When done, chill in the refrigerator for several hours, up to overnight. Serve with fresh berries on top.

Notes

This recipe is adapted slightly from Tieghan Girard's "No Fuss Lemon Tart" on Half Baked Harvest.  My version is a larger volume and has a touch more salt in the crust.  
This recipe could work well for muffin tins to make individual tarts too!
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Sweet

Dark Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches

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These are just really good.  It’s that boring and simple.  I was originally going to crust the ice cream sides with toppings like heath bar and mini chocolate chips and sprinkles, but, it wasn’t necessary.  They are great as they are.  This is because the brownies that encase these magical bites are so flavorful and balanced that anything else would be too much.  Better to have something be simply good on its own, and not need embellishment.  All of this with due credit to Deb Perlman (Smittenkitchen.com) who perfected the brownie recipe – I have tested many and she wins, for two reasons; one, the batter is not too sweet and has a salty edge, and two, it doesn’t turn rock hard when frozen.

Dark Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Print Recipe
Homemade dark chocolate fudge brownies, baked thin and chewy, layered thick with ice cream between. Recipe from Smitten Kitchen.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword chocolate, dark chocolate, brownie, ice cream, ice cream sandwich
Servings 16 sandwiches

Ingredients

  • 3 oz Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate, chopped
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 cup granulated white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 2/3 cup AP flour
  • 2-3 cups softened ice cream, for filling

Instructions

  • To make the brownie layers, line two greased 8x8 baking pans with parchment paper, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a large glass bowl, combine the butter and chopped chocolate, and heat for 1 minute on high heat in the microwave. Stir the chocolate into the melted butter to dissolve any solid pieces, and reheat at 15 second intervals as needed to finish melting. Add the sugar while the chocolate butter mixture is hot to dissolve the granules.
  • When the mixture has cooled a bit, add the two eggs, vanilla, salt, and finally the flour. The mixture will be thick and rich, but don't overmix.
  • Divide the batter between the two pans evenly. Bake on a middle rack for exactly 12 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean). Cool the brownie layers in the freezer for about 15 minutes.
  • When the brownies have cooled, scoop the softened ice cream (I used oreo cookie, and Just Sprinkles) on top of what will be the bottom layer, to your desired thickness. Top with the other brownie layer, compacting gently with the empty brownie pan on top to make sure pressure is even. I continue to use the parchment paper beneath and on top to ensure things aren't sticking. Chill for 30 minutes.
  • Transfer the massive layered brownie sandwich to a cutting board, and cut into four slices each way, resulting in a total of 16 delicious nuggets! Top with melted hot fudge sauce (to come later), roll in sprinkles or mini chocolate chips - whatever you like. They are also insanely good as is...
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Breakfast, Sweet

Best Batch Granola

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Starting the weekend with a batch recipe that is worth its weight in gold, or champagne…or chocolate. This is my lifeline. Mornings in our house are not smooth, despite what I strive for as a mom. Chaos ensues, rushing happens, and with this recipe I can always feel nourished (and healthy) with literally three minutes to eat – this is never not in my cabinet. NEVER.

I love real granola.  It means I can eat a healthy breakfast with zero effort every day, and it has become one of my favorite food items to gift to friends.  This stems from years ago when I was sick and my good friend, Jean, brought me a fresh pressed carrot juice and a container of this granola.  I think the two items alone healed me more than the antibiotics (it was pneumonia).  Food wasn’t appealing when I wasn’t feeling well, and this nourished me.  When I felt better, I asked her for the recipe and what she shared surprised me.  She told me it was a “No-nut granola” recipe from Bon Appetite.  It made me laugh because half of this is nuts.  She made it work with her own changes.  The original recipe has a lot of dried fruit, and she replaced it with nuts.  This is a great morph, so thanks Jean, and BA!  I have tweaked it a bit with extra coconut.  I. Love. Coconut..

There are loads of granola recipes, and this one is inherently simple and full of real ingredients that work well together to make a greater sum of all parts. That’s the magic with granola – it must be perfectly balanced (not too sweet, a little bit salty) but basic ingredients can complement one another in simple harmony. I like dried cranberries in my granola, but omitting them from the recipe makes this much more suited for storage over a few weeks.  I add them when desired, alternating between fresh and dried fruit depending on what is on hand.  If the cranberries were combined at the outset, they would turn hard – nobody wants that.  

The best trick I have with this, after years of making it, is to use coconut oil spray on the pan, fill it to the brim, and let the granola cool completely on the pan, (for up to 24 hours) to create the clusters that everyone loves.  It’s the opposite of roasting vegetables where everything needs space to create the desired consistency – this one is a big batch of one pan deliciousness!

Best Batch Granola

Print Recipe
Wholesome, perfect granola - you will never need another recipe. Balanced, and delicious.
Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword granola, nuts, oats

Ingredients

  • 3 cups organic rolled oats , not quick cooking
  • 1 cup sliced or slivered almonds
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 1 cup pepitas
  • 1 cup sunflower or sesame seeds
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
  • In a very large mixing bowl, toss the granola ingredients through the salt, until well combined.
  • In a glass bowl or pitcher, combine the coconut oil and maple syrup, then pour over the dry ingredients and stir until coated. Pour the granola onto a 1/2 sheet pan, coated with cooking spray (I use coconut oil spray here). The sheet pan will be full, but not overflowing. This will allow for even cooking and clusters to form.
  • Cook on middle rack for 22-25 minutes, until the edges are toasted and the entire pan is golden. Leave the sheet pan to cool on a safe surface until completely at room temperature.
  • When fully cooled, break into clusters and store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Notes

It's important to let the granola cool on the pans fully so that it forms clusters and clumps, which are the best part for snacking.  Also - all the ingredients are open for substitution - 2 cups of nuts (any kind) and 2 cups of seeds (any kind) are the only things to consider.  If you don't like coconut (sorry if you don't, your loss) you can just add another cup 0f nut/seed mix.  
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Sweet

Naked Coconut Carrot Cake

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My spin on carrot cake removes the raisins, nuts and pineapple, instead favoring toasty coconut and loads of flavor from brown sugar and freshly grated carrots. Traditional cream cheese frosting layers the naked cake with a shower of extra coconut to top it off. Delish!

Carrot cake is often a source of heated debate in the culinary world.  People have strong opinions and sincerely defend their stance on what goes into the cake, and how they like it.  I skew off the norm on this one, skipping over many of the traditional ingredients, including nuts, raisins, and pineapple.  In place of this, I use a ton of shredded coconut.  Using only brown sugar deepens the hint of spice that balances the sweetness of the rich cream cheese frosting.  Having tested the recipe on some devout carrot cake fans in our family, I think we have a winner!

Ingredients above on the left are for the cake, and on the right is the frosting.  I’ve made loads of carrot cakes, and had some fails, almost always due to the fact that the carrots sank and deflated the cake.  It is crucial to freshly grate your own carrots (never buy pre-shredded for baking) using a small grate size, and toss them in cornstarch before incorporating into the batter.

Naked Coconut Carrot Cake

Print Recipe
No nuts, no raisins, all the carrot cake flavors with loads of toasty coconut and epic cream cheese frosting.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword carrot cake, cream cheese frosting, coconut, cake
Servings 16 people

Ingredients

  • 3 cups AP flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp allspice or ground cloves
  • 1 tsp kosher salt I use Morton's
  • 1.5 cups Canola Oil
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk any fat content works, but I prefer full
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 cups lightly packed brown sugar
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cups grated carrots use a small to medium grate size
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch to toss with the carrots before stirring
  • 1.5 cups shredded coconut

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 16 oz cream cheese in blocks, not tubs - room temp
  • 1/2 cup butter room temp
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 8 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
  • 2 Tbsp heavy cream or full fat coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup shredded coconut for topping the cake

Instructions

Coconut Carrot Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare three cake pans with butter and parchment paper to line the bottom.
  • In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour through salt), whisking thoroughly and using a sifter if needed.
  • Using a stand mixer, combine the oil, buttermilk, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to make the batter. Toss the grated carrots with the cornstarch (to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the pans in the batter), and fold into the mixed batter. Add the coconut at the end, and pour evenly into the prepared cake pans.
  • Bake for 25 mins for 3 cake pans, slightly longer for 2. The cakes should be set in the middle, but be careful to not overbake. Remove from the pans soon to stop the cooking process - cool on a wire rack until ready to frost.

Cream Cheese Frosting, and finishing that cake!

  • Combine the cream cheese and butter with vanilla, then slowly add the confectioner's sugar, 1 cup at a time, until well blended. Add the cream, and whip until desired consistency is reached.
  • Place one cake piece down on the cake platter, and top with a generous amount of frosting - this is a "naked cake" with no frosting on the sides, so go heavy on the layers. Add the next cake piece, and repeat until you have three layers with lots of frosting on the top - a little can overhang. Top the cake with the shredded coconut and leave at room temp or chill until ready to DIG IN!

Notes

I like a three layer naked cake, but this recipe would work for a fully frosted two layer cake as well.  
The cornstarch step with the carrots is key, but you can also use regular AP flour if you don't have cornstarch.  
This recipe was based on testing using a combination of about 17 different versions, including Martha Stewart, Half Baked Harvest, Barefoot Contessa and Cooks Illustrated.  
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