Desserts

Chinese Five Spice Gingerbread Cookies

December 4, 2016 by Alyssa

With a modern twist on a holiday classic, these Chinese Five Spice Gingerbread Cookies use a blend of cinnamon, cloves, fennel, star anise, and peppercorns in place of traditional ground ginger for an added kick of warm, holiday spice!

Gingerbread cookies are probably my favorite holiday treat. They’re simply classic. I love how clean and pretty they look on a plate with beautiful white frosting piped around the edges. They’re so versatile — easily transitioning from a late morning snack paired with a cup of coffee or perfectly fitted for a light dessert after a heavy holiday meal. My love for gingerbread inspired me to create these Chinese Five Spice Gingerbread Cookies.

My Chinese Five Spice Gingerbread Cookies encompass all the classic elements of the gingerbread you find around the holiday season — molasses, crisp yet slightly chewy texture, and spice but with the substitution of Chinese Five Spice, the heat of the cookies are a bit warmer and spicier than the classic. There’s also a dab of honey added with the molasses that adds a hint of ‘something sweet’ when you bite into the gingerbread! I love the touch of honey combined with the Chinse Five Spice!

If you’re unfamiliar with Chinese Five Spice, it’s a blend of cinnamon, cloves, fennel, star anise, and schezuan peppercorns. It’s also a staple in Chinese cooking used to add a sweet, savory element to dishes. It’s also often incorporated as part of a marinade or dry rub when cooking meat. You may also find Chinese Five Spice in rice or vegetable dishes. When added to baked goods, it brings warmness which is why it works well in place of ground ginger in these Chinese Five Spice Gingerbread Cookies.

I was able to locate Chinese Five Spice in the bulk spice section at HEB here in Austin but if you’re unable to find it at your local grocer, you can easily make the mixture on your own or order this one from The Savory Spice Shop.

If choose to make your own for my Chinese Five Spice Gingerbread Cookies, simply follow the below instructions from The Kitchn and grind together

2 whole star anise
2 teaspoons Szechuan peppercorns (or generic peppercorns)
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon fennel
1 cassia or cinnamon stick, broken into a few pieces

When you’re ready to make the Chinese Five Spice Gingerbread Cookies, be sure to plan a few days ahead of time in order to accommodate a full day of refrigeration after the dough is made. I realize a full day may seem excessive but it’s 100% necessary for all the spices to come together and truly flavor the dough before you roll it and cut it into cookies.

To decorate my Chinese Five Spice Gingerbread Cookies, I used a simple royal frosting. I love that royal frosting is so pure and white. It also creates a beautiful contrast against the toasty gingerbread cookies while adding a touch a sweetness to the warmth of the Chinese Five Spice.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Chinese Five Spice Gingerbread Cookies

Save Print

Prep time

24 hours

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

24 hours 10 mins

With a modern twist on a holiday classic, these Chinese Five Spice Gingerbread Cookies use a blend of cinnamon, cloves, fennel, star anise, and peppercorns in place of traditional ground ginger for an added kick of warm, holiday spice!

Serves: 48 cookies

Ingredients

*For the Cookies*
3 cups flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Chinese Five Spice
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup brown sugar
1 large egg
⅓ cup molasses
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons milk (2% or whole)
2 teaspoons vanilla
*For the Royal Icing*
3 tablespoons meringue powder
1lb confectioner's sugar
3-4 tablespoons lukewarm water

Instructions

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, soda, salt and Chinese Five Spice and set aside
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the softened butter until light and fluffy
Add in the brown sugar and cream for 2 minutes
Scarpe the sides and add in the egg, molasses, honey, vanilla, and lemon zest
In 3 additions, add in the dry ingredients followed by the 2 tablespoons of milk
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured countertop and form it into a flat disc
Tightly wrap the disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours
To bake, preheat the oven to 375* and line your baking sheets with parchment or silicon mats
Section the dough into four pieces and roll each section to ¼ inch thickness
Using cookie cutter, create shapes and place them on the prepared baking sheets, 1-2 inches apart
Bake for 9-10 minutes
Remove from oven and cool completely before decorating
To prepare the frosting, in a large mixing bowl beat together the confectioner's sugar and meringue powder. Slowly drizzle in 3-4 tablespoons of lukewarm water until the desired consistency is reached.
Place the frosting in a piping bag with a small tip and decorate the cookies.
Let the frosting set completely before storing the cookies.

Salted Caramel Pecan Apple Crisp for Two

November 1, 2016 by Alyssa

Salted Caramel Pecan Apple Crisp is full of juicy apples, sweet-salty caramel, Fall spices, and a crisp, nutty, pecan filled topping. It’s your personal serving of Autumn in a bowl!

Is salted caramel still a thing? Does the food-o-sphere still crave it? If not, then this recipe for Salted Caramel Pecan Apple Crisp is sure to turn that around.

I kid you not.

This recipe is full of juicy apples, sweet-salty caramel, Fall spices, and a crisp, nutty, pecan filled topping. It’s your personal serving of Autumn in a bowl, all featuring salted caramel and perfectly portioned for two to enjoy!

Growing up in New York State, I ate a lot of apples. And this time of year always has me craving apples. But the apples I get here in Texas just can’t measure up the apples from my home state.

New York simply produces the best, tastiest apples. There are even week-long events all across the state celebrating the Fall apple season and apple picking is an Autumn family tradition in almost every New York family. Heck, New York is even called The Big Apple. They’re crazy about their apples.

My love for NEW YORK apples is so great that last year, when a friend of mine was visiting from New York she brought my a peck of apples (yes, that’s a thing) when she came to visit Austin. Because, yea, New York State apples are that good. Nothing compares.

My inspiration for Salted Caramel Pecan Apple Crisp came from my love of apples as well as the love of my Mom’s Dutch Apple Pie — a traditional apple pie topped with an apple-crisp like topping. It’s a pie I grew up eating and really miss once the cooler Fall weather hits.

Although I love my Mom’s apple pie, I hate making pie crust and definitely didn’t want a whole pie on hand, so I modified Mom’s crumb topping recipe to perfectly fit a two-person serving size and nixed the pie crust, thusly landing on an apple crisp dish!

Since I’m also a big fan of texture and crunch, I threw it a few tablespoons of oats and chopped pecans to round out the Fall flavors and add some depth to the Salted Caramel Pecan Apple Crisp.

As I moved on to make the apple filling, I realized I was out of brown sugar which is traditionally used when assembling apple fillings. I decided to substitute the caramel sauce I had on hand — adding a pinch of salt to bring in the salty-sweet flavors I typically crave.

Best. Decision. Ever.

When baked, the caramel sauce mixes with the juice of the apples, creating a deliciously sweet syrup. The apples bake themselves in the syrup while the crumb topping turns golden brown and crisp. The nuts in the topping toast as they bake in the oven, adding an extra nutty, warm flavor to the Salted Caramel Pecan Apple Crisp.

To finish this dish, I served it warm with an extra drizzle of caramel sauce and a pinch of course sea salt. If I had a little vanilla ice cream on hand, you can bet there’d be a smidgen melting on top!

This dessert was perfectly fit to round out a comforting Sunday dinner. My only regret is that this recipe only made 2 and I had to share the second Salted Caramel Pecan Apple Crisp with <3M. Next time, I’m doubling this recipe so I’m ensured leftovers for later in the week.

If you’re looking for other salted caramel recipes, my Salted Caramel Bananas Foster Cake is also perfect for the Fall and brings a dose of salty-sweet flavors!

4.5 from 2 reviews

Salted Caramel Pecan Apple Crisp for Two

Save Print

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

45 mins

Salted Caramel Pecan Apple Crisp is full of juicy apples, sweet-salty caramel, Fall spices, and a crisp, nutty, pecan filled topping. It's your personal serving of Autumn in a bowl!

Serves: 2

Ingredients

1 large baking apple, peeled and sliced into ½ pieces
2 tablespoons caramel sauce
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons rolled oats
3 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
½ teaspoon course sea salt
2 tablespoons chopped pecans
additional caramel sauce for serving, optional
additional course sea salt for serving, optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375*
Lightly coat 2 small baking dishes (about 4-5 inches in diameter and ½-1 inch deep) with non-stick spray or butter
Places the prepared baking dishes on a large baking sheet covered with parchment paper*
In a small bowl, toss together the apple slices, caramel sauce, and spices until the apples are fully coated in the caramel & spice mixture
Split the apples between the two prepared baking dishes
In a medium size bowl, mix together the rolled oats, flour, sugar, and sea salt
Using a pastry blender or fork, cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly
Gently fold in the pecans
Split the topping between the two baking dishes, lightly mounding and packing the topping in place
Bake the crisp on the prepared baking sheet for 20-25 minutes until a knife is easily inserted into the apples, indicating their level of doneness
Let the crisp cool for 10-15 minutes before serving
Top with additional caramel sauce, a pinch of sea salt or ice cream as desired

Notes

* In case the crisp boils over, this will protect your oven from becoming a sticky mess

Dirty Chai Cupcakes — Chai Spiced Cake with Espresso Frosting

October 25, 2016 by Alyssa

Dirty Chai Cupcakes combine the best of both worlds with chai latte cakes swirled with creamy, espresso buttercream frosting and topped with a chocolate covered espresso bean!

These Dirty Chai Cupcakes were inspired by a friend who’s a fan the Dirty Chai butter coffee at Picnik — a local, Austin-based food truck (and now brick & mortar) that specializes in food that accommodates all dietary restrictions. Truthfully, these cupcakes don’t have any special dietary accommodations. In fact, they only accommodate those who love coffee and crave cupcakes.

If this sounds like you, read on!

Never heard of a Dirty Chai?

It’s the best of both worlds, combining the dessert like spices of a chai latte with the toasty notes of espresso. Think sweet, creamy & caffeine!

The cake in these Dirty Chai Cupcakes is made with a parade of spices — cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice, clove, nutmeg and a dash of black pepper for a hint of spiciness and warmth. This combined with the caramelly, molasses notes of brown sugar bring a subtle, toasted sweetness to the Dirty Chai Cupcakes. A friend who tasted these cupcakes mentioned they’d be great sans the frosting as a chai breakfast muffin!

Bake the Cupcakes!

These Dirty Chai Cupcakes bake up thick and chewy yet moist! The key to these cupcakes is the addition of an apple cider vinegar & baking soda mixture added just before scooping the batter into cups for baking.

Much like in science class, mixing these two ingredients together forms a quick reaction and a mass of bubbles. Adding the bubbling vinegar and baking soda mixture to the batter creates air within the cake when it bakes, allowing the cupcakes to rise up and bake into fluffy, Dirty Chai Cupcake masterpieces!

Whip up the frosting!

Since you can’t have Dirty Chai Cupcakes without some sort of coffee involved, I’ve topped these delicious chai cakes with rich, creamy espresso flavored frosting. To make this frosting, I created a high-concentrated instant coffee mixture that’s drizzled into the buttercream as it’s mixing. The coffee flavor has the rich notes of espresso without any bitterness.

To bring an extra jolt of coffee flavor, these Dirty Chai Cupcakes are topped with a simple chocolate covered espresso beans! This small dark chocolate bean also adds a beautiful contrast to the espresso colored frosting and a hint of class to the Dirty Chai Cupcakes.

Perfect for Fall!

My Dirty Chai cupcakes are the perfect afternoon treat paired with a cup of coffee. Their chai spice flavor is on par for the Autumn season and they’re a bit of a change up from the traditional ol’ Pumpkin Spice hype this time of year!

5.0 from 4 reviews

Dirty Chai Cupcakes -- Chai Spiced Cake with Espresso Frosting

Save Print

Prep time

90 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

1 hour 50 mins

Dirty Chai Cupcakes are the best of both worlds, combining the dessert like spices of a chai latte with the toasty notes of espresso.

Serves: 32

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk (1%, 2% or Whole)
3½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons cardamom
2 teaspoons ginger
½ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon clove
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
6-7 cups confectioner's sugar*
1 cup butter, softened
½ cup shortening
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon instant coffee
4 tablespoons warm milk
dark chocolate espresso beans, optional for decorating

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350*F
Line 2 cupcake pans with cupcake liners and set aside
Before making the cake, prepare the coffee for the frosting by whisking together the instant coffee and warm milk. Once mixed, set aside to cool.
To make the cake, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, allspice, clove, nutmeg, black pepper and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
In a stand mixer, add 1 cup softened butter and beat on high for 2-3 minutes
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add both sugars and the 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Cream on high for an additional 1-2 minutes
Scrape down the sides and one at a time, add in the eggs, mixing well before each new addition
In separate additions, add the ⅓ of the flour mixture followed by ⅓rd of the milk mixing on medium speed between each new addition
Once fully incorporated scrape down the sides and prepare the baking soda & vinegar mixture
In a small bowl, whisk together the baking soda and vinegar, quickly, while it's still bubbling pour the mixture into the batter and mix together on medium speed
Evenly distribute the batter into the prepared cupcake liners (makes ~32 cupcakes total)
Bake for 19-20 minutes
Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow cakes to cool completely before frosting
To make the frosting, cream 1 cup softened butter and ½ cup shortening on high for 2-3 minutes
In 1 cup additionals, add in the confectioner's sugar
After 4 cups, add ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
With the mixer on low drizzle in the cooled coffee extract
Add in the remaining confectioner's sugar, 1 cup at a time until the desired consistency is reached
To frost the cupcakes, place the frosting in a piping bag with a star tip
Cupcakes will keep 2-3 days, covered at room temperature

Notes

* I used 7 cups as I prefer a stiffer frosting to pipe with

Pumpkin Spice Mousse – 5 Ingredients & 15 Minutes

October 5, 2016 by Alyssa

Light, sweet and creamy, this Pumpkin Spice Mousse only requires 5 ingredients and comes together in less than 15 minutes! Dress it up with crushed gingersnaps and a dollop of whipped topping for a special Autumn treat.

While although it’s still hot and humid in Austin, I am 100% in a gimme-all-the-pumpkins, booties and sweaters Fall mode! Luckily, I got a little taste of Autumn during a recent trip to Denver where I enjoyed the cooler temps and gorgeous Fall colors. As soon as I returned to Austin, I was in full-on Autumn spirits and made this delicious, simple Pumpkin Spice Mousse to keep my Fall mentality rollin’ until Austin weather catches up with the rest of the country’s cooler, cozy temps!

I love this Pumpkin Spice Mousse recipe because it’s light and creamy with the perfect amount of pumpkin spice! Not only is it delicious, it requires 5 ingredients, 1 bowl, and 15 minutes. It seriously can be whipped together and served in less time than it takes you to bust through a New Girl episode. It’s great served as a light dessert or as a special treat while snacking during the day.

My favorite way to enjoy this Pumpkin Spice Mousse is with a crumble of ginger snap cookies! (These Stauffer’s Ginger Snap Cookies are classic! I also love them dipped into coffee or tea!) The zing of ginger from the cookies along with its crisp, crunchy texture truly elevates this dessert. As you know, I love simple desserts that can be dressed up and made fancy with the addition of a couple accents — this Pumpkin Spice Mousse is just that kind of recipe!

Add a dollop of CoolWhip, a crumble of ginger snap cookie, and a spring of mint and you have yourself a guest friendly, ready-to-impress dessert! No lie, I dress up this Pumpkin Spice Mousse even when I’m serving it to myself! Try it yourself when you make my Pumpkin Spice Mousse – sometimes it’s nice to do something special for yourself!

Hope you’re getting into the Autumn spirits and if you’re not, this Pumpkin Spice Mousse will definitely kick-start your Pumpkin Spice craving!

5.0 from 2 reviews

5 Ingredient Pumpkin Spice Mousse

Save Print

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

1 min

Total time

16 mins

Light, creamy and full of pumpkin spice, this Pumpkin Spice Mousse only requires 5 ingredients and comes together in less than 15 minutes! Dress it up with crushed gingersnaps and a dollop of whipped topping for a special treat.

Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients

1 box butterscotch instant pudding mix*
2 cups cow's milk**
1 cup 100% pure pureed pumpkin
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
6-8 ounces whipped topping, like CoolWhip
Optional: gingersnap cookies, additional whipped topping, mint

Instructions

In a medium size bowl, add the instant pudding mix and milk
With a whisk, stir together the milk and pudding for 2 minutes
Set pudding aside for 5 minutes to stiffen
Once the pudding has set, whisk in the pumpkin puree and the pumpkin spice
Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the whipped topping so the mixture remains fluffy. There may be light swirls of the whipped topping that's not full incorporated which is okay.
Serve immediately or cover and place in the refrigerator until serving.
Will keep 5-7 days, refrigerated

Notes

* I use Jell-O brand, instant sugar-free sugar pudding mix but the regular should work fine as well ** For the pudding to stiffen up, it's best to use cow's milk. I've never tried almond milk but I do know soy milk is not recommended for pudding

Cinnamon Sugar Crumb Coffee Cake

September 29, 2016 by Alyssa

The secret to this Cinnamon Sugar Crumb Coffee Cake is pancake mix — creating a moist, chewy cake with a crunchy cinnamon-sweet topping. Whipped up in minutes, this coffee cake is weekend perfection!

Some weekends just call for coffee cake. Except if you’re like me, when I get a weekend coffee cake craving, I want it NOW. Well, this Cinnamon Sugar Crumb Coffee Cake recipe is the perfect weekend recipe for when that coffee cake craving comes-a-callin’ and you just can’t wait.

This recipe starts with pancake mix as a base and requires a few staples that you likely already have on hand in your kitchen. It takes less than 15 minutes to mix up and bakes to perfection in just 22 minutes. Less than 45 minutes from start to finsih? Now thats #CoffeeCakeWinning!

The part I love most about this Cinnamon Sugar Crumb Coffee Cake is how the crumb topping forms a crunchy, sweet coating atop the cake when it bakes. I swear this crunchy coating helps seal in all the moisture in the cake itself! Besides being quick and cinnamony delicious, I also favor this coffee cake because it’s just the right amount of light and fluffy while also being slightly chewy and moist. It’s not overly sweet and has a heartiness to it from the pancake mix. It’s perfect to pair with a cup of creamy hot coffee!

For this recipe, I used a local Austin favorite, Kerbey Lane Vanilla Pancake Mix, but you can use pretty much whatever you have on hand — whether it be a multi-grain pancake & waffle mix or an old stand by like Bisquick. If I’m feeling extra fancy on the weekend or plan on bringing the cake to a friend’s brunch, I make a quick icing to drizzle on top of the coffee cake to make it a bit more special!

If you’re looking for other easy weekend coffee cakes, check out my Raspberry Coffee Cake recipe. It’s a family favorite, and like this Cinnamon Sugar Crumb Coffee Cake, it’s quick to make and always a crowd pleaser.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Cinnamon Sugar Crumb Coffee Cake

Save Print

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

22 mins

Total time

37 mins

Cinnamon Sugar Crumb Coffee Cake's secret ingredient is pancake mix creating a moist, chewy cake with a crunchy cinnamon-sweet topping. Whipped up in minutes this coffee cake is weekend perfection!

Serves: 8 pieces

Ingredients

2 cups Kerbey Lane Vanilla Pancake Mix*
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅔ cup milk of choice
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅓ cup Kerbey Lane Vanilla Pancake Mix
⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400*F
Lightly grease a round 9 inch round pan with baking spray or butter and set aside
In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of pancake mix, granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
Add in the milk, egg, and vanilla extract
Whisk together until all lumps are removed
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and set aside
To make the crumb topping, combine the remaining ⅓ cup pancake mix, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl
Using a fork, knife or pastry blender, cut in the chilled butter
Sprinkle the crumb mixture on top of the coffee cake batter and bake for 22-25 minutes
Let cool 5-10 minutes and serve*

Notes

* I used Kerbey Lane Vanilla Pancake Mix but any pancake/waffle mix you have on hand will work. Bisquick is also a great option.
* If you choose to drizzle the cake with icing, whisk together 1 cup confectioners sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and 1-2 tablespoons of milk until the desired consistency is reached. Drizzle atop cooled coffee cake and serve.

Salted Caramel Bananas Foster Cake featuring Dollop Gourmet Frosting

September 5, 2016 by Alyssa

A rich, thick Bananas Foster Cake with traditional caramel and rum Bananas Foster flavors topped with a decadent Salted Caramel Frosting.

I’m a big advocate for cooking food at home and making meals from scratch, but once in a while there’s a product on the shelf that catches my attention, meets my ingredient standards and actually tastes good. This time around, it was Dollop Gourmet’s Sea Salted Caramel Frosting and it inspired my Salted Caramel Bananas Foster Cake. It’s a cake that whips together quickly, bakes up in a single large cake pan, so there’s plenty to share with minimal mess, and it’s made even simpler with Dollop’s Salted Caramel Frosting!

In order to achieve the caramelly, brûléed flavor that’s rich throughout Bananas Foster, I used brown sugar in the cake in place of traditional granulated sugar. The molasses in the sugar gives the cake a golden brown hue when baked, that basically screams caramel deliciousness and hits all the brûléed notes of the pan seared bananas in traditional Bananas Foster!

This caramel flavor is matched with an equally heavy dose of sweet bananas. When you choose the bananas for this recipe, I recommend choosing large, fat bananas that have been browning for a day or two. The riper and sweeter they are at the time you make this cake, the more decadent, moist and sweet this cake will be. My favorite part about the cake itself is how thick it is! I mean, look at that slice, it’s a cake lover’s dream!

The star ingredient of the traditional Bananas Foster dessert is the splash of rum that’s used to flambe the bananas right before serving. Since I’m not a big proponent of baking with alcohol, as it sometimes plays tricks with the cake when baking, I added a splash of rum extract to the batter. This splash gives just a subtle hint of rum to the cake that tips it towards the edge of Bananas Foster perfection!

The cherry on top of my Salted Caramel Bananas Foster Cake is Dollop Gourmet’s Sea Salted Caramel Frosting. Its caramelly sweetness is a delightful match to the brown sugar and bananas in the cake while Dollop’s hint of sea salt in the frosting brings the final flavor component to my Bananas Foster cake. I love the added touch of sea salt, as it brings a modern twist to the traditional Bananas Foster dessert, making it sweet, decadent and oh so, craveable!

It’s rare for me to promote packaged food, as I’m a huge proponent for cooking and baking from scratch but my views were swayed when it came to Dollop Gourmet Frosting. Often times, packaged food is chalked full of unnecessary ingredients and generally, it’s not great for your health — but this is NOT the case with Dollop.

Dollop Gourmet’s frosting can definitely hold its own against a homemade frosting. While I haven’t done any official experiments, I’d bet my Kitchen Aid mixer that you can’t tell the difference between a homemade frosting and Dollop’s when paired side by side.

I also love that Dollop’s frosting doesn’t contain any wacky ingredients. It’s pretty much the same ingredients I’d use if I were making my own frosting from scratch (with no mess!). I trust this frosting and that’s saying something, as I’m typically one to quickly turn up my nose at the fake, oily frostings regularly found on a grocery store shelf. Seriously, look at these frosting stats!

Do you know any frosting that can pull of these types of stats and still taste good? Seriously impressive.

Now, if these drool-worthy Salted Caramel Bananas Foster Cake photos haven’t convinced you yet, here’s my advice — get yourself some bananas so they start to ripen, hop on over to your Amazon Prime account, order yourself a jar or 2 of Dollop’s frosting and prepare to slather this cake with Dollop frosting to dig into later this week! You won’t regret it and you’ll be back to thank me for the most decadant banana cake you’ve ever tasted.

5.0 from 2 reviews

Salted Caramel Bananas Foster Cake featuring Dollop Gourmet Frosting

Save Print

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour 5 mins

A rich, thick Bananas Foster Cake with traditional caramel and rum Bananas Foster flavors topped with a decadent Salted Caramel Frosting.

Serves: 20 pieces

Ingredients

3 large ripe bananas, mashed
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon rum extract
1½ cups milk
1 jar Dollop Gourmet's Salted Caramel Frosting
caramel sauce, optional for serving

Instructions

Preheat the over to 350*
Grease a 13x9 inch pan with a bit of butter and set aside
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and set aside.
In a larger mixer, cream the softened butter for 1-2 minutes
Add in the brown sugar and beat until creamy
One at a time, add in the eggs
Once well incorporated, add in both the vanilla and rum extract
Add in the mashed bananas and mix well
Next add in the flour and milk to the batter, alternating each addition
Pour the batter into the prepared 9x13 inch pan
Bake for 40-50 minutes until a cake pin inserted into the center comes out clean
Place the cake on a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cooled, ice with Dollop frosting
To serve, slice the cake and drizzle with caramel sauce

Oreo Mocha Java Ice Cream Cake

August 11, 2016 by Alyssa

This Oreo Mocha Java Ice Cream Cake is decadent, chocolatey & delicious with an Oreo crust, layers of coffee ice cream, hot fudge & a dollop of whipped topping!

Since it’s still wicked hot here in the South (I’m not complaining, I love it) — I thought I’d continue my trend of no-bake desserts and venture into the coolest of categories with an Oreo Mocha Java Ice Cream Cake!

This ice cream cake begins with classic Oreo cookies, layers of coffee ice cream studded with chocolate chips, hot fudge sauce, a light dollop of whipped topping and more Oreos on top. It’s decadent, chocolatey and delicious. Perfect for those 100* days, an upcoming BBQ, or soon-to-be Labor Day picnics!

This Oreo Mocha Java Ice Cream Cake recipe is based on a family favorite and it’s a treat I’ve been enjoying since I was a little kid. When I was younger, my favorite part of the ice cream cake was the Oreo cookie crust and in all honesty, it probably still is!

Each summer when my Mom made this cake, usually for my Dad’s birthday, I’d first eat all the whipped cream and fudge sauce off the top of the cake. I’d then carefully work to scrape the ice cream off the Oreo cookie crust, trying to preserve the entire piece of crust, so I could enjoy it like an extra large Oreo cookie. I loved how chocolatey, thick and decadent the crust tasted!

In fact, I was so obsessed with this ice cream cake crust, I remember begging my Mom to make just the crust for dessert one night. Obviously, she laughed and refused to make it, informing me that it was nothing more than crushed Oreos & butter. (Tangent: My Butter Oreo request only strengthens Paula Deen’s argument that butter makes everything better)

Since this recipe is based on my childhood favorite, I kept the Oreo cookie crust as a key ingredient in my ice cream cake but swapped in Coffee Java Chip ice cream to please my grown-up taste buds!

If you’re a fan of mocha flavored anything, I guarantee you’re going to love this Oreo Mocha Java Ice Cream Cake. It’s like biting into a Starbucks Frappuccino or the best Coffee Sundae you’ve ever hard. It’s crunchy, sweet, gooey and creamy all in one bite! The perfect combination of flavors and textures.

Although I chose to make this ice cream cake with coffee flavored ice cream, creating an Oreo Mocha Java Ice Cream Cake, this recipe can truly be used as a base to create all sorts of flavor combinations by simply swapping your ice cream flavor, sauce, and toppings!

Sticking with the same Oreo cookie base and whipped topping ‘frosting’, here are a few other flavor combinations to try out if coffee ice cream isn’t your jam —

Since summer isn’t over yet, you still have plenty of time to try my Oreo Mocha Java Ice Cream Cake recipe and experiment with flavors of your own! Or if you’re searching for more no-bake desserts there’s also my No-Bake Cake Batter Cake Balls or Biscoff Cookie Butter Pie!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Oreo Mocha Java Ice Cream Cake

Save Print

This ice cream cake begins with the classic Oreo cookie, layers on coffee ice cream studded with chocolate chips, hot fudge sauce, a light dollop of whipped topping and more Oreos on top. It’s decadent, chocolatey and delicious.

Ingredients

24 Oreo cookies
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 quarts coffee or java chip ice cream, softened at room temperature for 15-30 minutes
1 cup hot fudge sauce, like Mrs. Richardson's
1 8-ounce container of whipped topping, like Cool Whip
Additional Oreos, for topping

Instructions

Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan with a bit of the melted butter and set aside
Place 24 Oreos in a food processor and pulse until you reach a sand-like consistency
Pour in the melted butter and pulse 3-4 more times to combine
Empty the Oreo-butter mixture into the springform pan and press it into the bottom and sides of the pan, to form a bit of a dam or crust around the edges
Place the cookie crust in the freezer to set for 30 minutes
Once set, remove the crust from the freezer and smooth the softened ice cream into the pan, using a spatula to evenly distribute the ice cream across the crust
Place the cake back in the freezer to set for another 30-60 minutes
Once the ice cream has set, heat the hot fudge sauce in the microwave for 30-60 seconds until warm but not bubbling
Pour the warm hot fudge on top of the ice cream, spreading it evenly all the way to the edges of the cake
Return the cake to the freezer to set until serving
Before serving, allow the cake to thaw for 5-10 minutes, which will make cutting the cake a bit easier
to slice the cake. Remove the springform container and top each slice with a dollop of whipped topping and additional Oreos.

No-Bake Cake Batter Cake Balls

July 12, 2016 by Alyssa

No-Bake Cake Batter Cake Balls are studded with sprinkles, a sweet vanilla, buttery cake batter filling and dipped in a white chocolate shell!

Are Cake Balls still popular? I’d say yes, based on the fact that when I arrived at a recent gathering with a plate full of these No-Bake Cake Batter Cake Balls, the party guests’ eyes lit up and I was excitedly questioned with ‘Did you make Cake Balls?!’ So yes, Cake Balls are still popular.

Even better, these No-Bake Cake Batter Cake Balls still have all the fanciness of traditional Cake Balls but with half the work. There’s no need to turn the oven on, bake a cake, mix up frosting, and mash the two together. These No-Bake Cake Batter Cake Balls can be made in the coolness of your kitchen with an electric mixer and your microwave, making them a perfect weekend project when the summer heat wave peaks.

Like my Oreo Cake Batter Cheesecake, these Cake Balls are studded with sprinkles both inside and out. They have a sweet vanilla, buttery cake batter filling and are dipped in a white chocolate shell that locks in all the Cake Batter sweetness!

Although these Cake Balls are simplified with their No-Bake status, they still require a bit of timely love due to the nature of dipping each Cake Ball individually into the white chocolate. You then must carefully maneuver the Cake Ball from the skewer and delicately lift it onto a piece parchment to set while topping it with a pinch of sprinkles for decoration. My advice is to turn on some of your favorite tunes and take your time doing this. I myself found it to be quite relaxing!

Since the dipping piece of this recipe can be a bit fussy, I created a quick how-to guide on how I successfully dipped each No-Bake Cake Batter Cake Ball. My two key tools were a wooden skewer and flower lifter — used in traditional cake decorating to lift icing flowers on and off cakes. If you don’t have a flower lifter, a fork will also work favorably!

If you are a Cake Ball, Cake Batter, or Sprinkles fan, I guarantee you’ll enjoy this cake ball recipe! They’re perfect for a crowd or keep well in the fridge for up to week! I haven’t tried freezing these yet but I bet they’d even keep well in the freezer for 2-3 months in case you want to sneak a No Bake Cake Batter Cake Ball snack every now and again!

4.5 from 4 reviews

No-Bake Cake Batter Cake Balls

Save Print

Prep time

90 mins

Cook time

3 mins

Total time

1 hour 33 mins

There's no need to turn on the oven with these No-Bake Cake Batter Cake Balls that are studded with sprinkles, a sweet vanilla, buttery cake batter filling and dipped in a white chocolate shell!

Author: Alyssa

Serves: 40 cake balls

Ingredients

½ cup white sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup yellow cake mix
1½ cups all-purpose flour, plus 1-2 additional tablespoons
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ teaspoon butter extract (optional)
⅛ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles, plus more for decorating
16 ounces white chocolate

Instructions

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside
In an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes
Add in the vanilla extract and butter extract (if using)
Once combined, add the 1½ cups of flour, yellow cake mix and salt
Mix on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until fully incorporated
Add in the milk until the mixture becomes wet enough that when pressed together it holds form
Remove the bowl from the electric mixer and add in the 2 tablespoons of sprinkles
You may need to turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured surface and using your hands knead the dough and sprinkles together until the sprinkles are incorporated throughout the dough
Return the sprinkled dough to the bowl and using scoop out 1 tablespoon sized dough and roll each into a ball, placing each ball onto the parchment lined baking sheets
Once you have formed the dough into balls, place the balls in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill
Once the dough balls are chilled, place half the white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave the chocolate in 30-second intervals, stirring between each until the chocolate is fully melted
Once melted, place a single dough ball on a wooden skewer and dip the ball into the melted chocolate until it is fully covered
Allow any excess chocolate to drip off of the dough ball then carefully maneuver the ball off of the skewer using a fork or flower lifter and back onto the parchment covered tray
Immediately place a pinch of rainbow sprinkles on top of the wet white chocolate for decoration and allow it to set while you continue with the rest of the dough balls
If the chocolate begins to firm up, microwave again for 10-20 seconds until it's melted enough to work with. About halfway through dipping the balls, you will need to heat the remaining 8 ounces of white chocolate to coat the remaining dough balls
Once all cake balls are dipped, place the balls in the refrigerator to set completely until serving
Cake balls stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator will keep for up to one week

Honey Lavender Sugar Cookies

June 27, 2016 by Alyssa

There’s something about lavender that makes me feel fancy and elegant. Whether it’s a lavender lotion, a burning candle or even lavender-scented cleaning products, lavender is just a mood-inducing scent that makes life feel a bit more luxurious. My love for lavender inspired me to create these Honey Lavender Sugar Cookies – a fancy, elegant cookie with a bit of class!

These Honey Lavender Sugar Cookies definitely evoke a sense of elegance when you eat them. And, just like lavender’s soothing effects, these cookies definitely put you in a rest and relaxation mindset.

I created these Honey Lavender Sugar Cookies as a cookie to be savored and enjoyed while kicking your feet up. Even while making these cookies, I savored every moment — taking my time as I measured out each ingredient, making sure each addition of flour was fully incorporated, carefully sprinkling the purple sugar on top and flattening each cookie to just the perfect height before placing them in the oven.

Working with the lavender and honey, ingredients that I consider special, forced me to be present throughout the whole baking process as I didn’t want to spoil such delicate ingredients. When I was finally ready to enjoy my freshly baked Honey Lavender Sugar cookies, I savored every bite, enjoying these delicate cookies while with my feet up while diving into a good book. It was my little moment of relaxation and calm.

I absolutely love how these Honey Lavender Sugar Cookies turned out. They are a soft sugar cookie, like the kind you’d expect to find in a bakery. The Honey Lavender Sugar Cookies have a tender center and are the slightest bit fluffy. The honey, although only requiring a third of a cup, is quite present but never overpowering. The honey itself compliments the hints of lavender that are studded throughout the cookie. The final sprinkling of purple sugar on top before baking adds the tiniest bit of crunch and sweetness while also giving the cookies a bit of glimmer, personality and of course, class.

Honey Lavender Sugar Cookies

Save Print

Prep time

45 mins

Cook time

8 mins

Total time

53 mins

Serves: 36 cookies

Ingredients

For the lavender honey
⅓ cup clover honey*
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons dried lavender, divided
Cookie ingredients
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1¾ cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon cream of tarter
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
For the purple sugar
additional ½ cup sugar
1 drop purple or violet food coloring**

Instructions

Make the lavender honey:
In a small saucepan, heat the ¼ cup honey and 1 tablespoon of dried lavender until the honey begins to boil, stirring occasionally for 3-5 minutes
Once it boils, remove the honey from the heat and let it cool to room temperature***
Make the purple sugar:
Make the violet sugar (for topping the dough balls before baking) by combining the purple food coloring with the half cup of granulated sugar
Gently massage the sugar and food coloring until evenly distributed****
Set the sugar aside once colored
Make the cookie dough:
To make the cookies, place the softened butter in an electric mixer and cream on high for 2-3 minutes
Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the sugar and cooled honey to the creamed butter
Once well combined, add in the egg and vanilla extract, beating another 1-2 minutes
In a medium sized bowl, sift together the flour, cream of tarter, baking powder, soda, and salt
In 3 separate additions, add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture, incorporate each addition fully and scraping down the sides before adding the flour addition
Lastly, add in the final 2 teaspoons of dried lavender using a wooden spoon so as not to break the lavender
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat and scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto the mat about 2 inches apart
Top each dough ball with a heavy sprinkle of purple sugar and using a flat-bottomed glass, press the dough balls into discs to about ¼ inch height
Put a final pinch of purple sugar in the center of each disc and tap lightly to set it in place before baking
Bake the cookies at 350* for 8 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through so the cookies bake evenly
Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool for 2-3 minutes on the pan
Finish cooling the cookies on a wire rack or paper towel placed on the counter

Notes

*I prefer clover honey specifically because it has a distinct flavor but any other would work as well
**I prefer gel food coloring, as it's easier to work with and doesn't wet the sugar as much but the regular liquid food coloring would work as well
***Do not use hot or warm honey to make the cookies. I also do not advise putting the honey in the fridge to cool as it will crystallize resulting in lumping cookies
****Use a gloved hand or a spatula to massage the food coloring into the sugar to avoid staining your hands purple

Honey Lavender Sugar Cookies - Pinterest

Hummingbird Cake with Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

April 11, 2016 by Alyssa

I’m going out on a limb here, but I’m pretty sure most people have never heard of Hummingbird Cake. In fact, I have no idea how I eve know about the cake! If you’ve never heard of it, Hummingbird cake is a moist banana cake filled with pineapple, pecans, and sometimes coconut then topped with a rich cream cheese frosting.

I’ve always associated Hummingbird Cake with the South and in my mind, it was a true Southern dessert. I even made up my own little story of its origin. I always picture Hummingbird Cake being originally created by a sweet, old grandma with a thick Southern drawl wearing a blue gingham apron who simply dumped some tropical fruits into her banana cake recipe. She then topped it with cream cheese frosting since her favorite Red Velvet Cake is finished with the same creamy frosting!

As much I love my made up version of the Hummingbird Cake’s origin, it not even close to the truth. If you want to know the truth, read on, if you want to stick with my great Southern story, skip the nest paragraph!

Here’s the true story — which I learned while reach searching the recipe! Hummingbird Cake was actually created in Jamaica — which makes sense when you think about it. The cake is loaded with tropical fruits and both bananas & pineapples are abundant in Jamaica. The cake also shares its name with a Jamaican-native hummingbird species. Some say it received its name because the cake is so sweet it would actually attract the hummingbirds which feed on sweet nectar.

I prefer my story but regardless of its origin, I love Hummingbird Cake because it’s super moist, flavorful, and has a wonderful texture from the mix of pineapple, coconut, pecans and luscious cream cheese frosting.

Hummingbird Cake typically calls for a cup of oil and for most recipes, 2 or more cups of sugar! I chose to lighten the recipe by halving the oil. Instead, I relied on the bananas to bring moisture to the cake.

When it came to the sugar in the cake itself, I chose to only use 1/3rd of the sugar in standard Hummingbird Cake recipes (2/3 cups added sugar in all). To bring some caramel notes, which pair nicely with both the bananas and pecans, I used a mix of granulated and light brown sugar while again relying heavily on the mix of tropical fruits to bring natural sweetness to the cake.

Wanting to make the frosting a bit more special than typical cream cheese frosting, I chose to create a Honey Cream Cheese Frosting. I love the flavor the honey adds to the overall cake and it’s also a bit in tribute to the Jamaican hummingbird that dines on nectar.

With my fat and sugar swaps, this Hummingbird Cake is nothing you need to feel too guilty about eating. It’s a fruit & nut packed cake that’s super moist from mashed bananas, pineapple & coconut while being perfectly sweet when paired with the Honey Cream Cheese frosting.

I highly recommend enjoying this cake on a sunny afternoon on your patio with a bit lemonade or ice tea. After all, that’s how my Southern baking grandma would have enjoyed it when she first created the recipe!

Hummingbird Cake with Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

Save Print

Prep time

60 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

1 hour 20 mins

A fruit & nut packed cake that's super moist from mashed bananas, pineapple & coconuts while being perfectly sweet when paired with the Honey Cream Cheese frosting.

Serves: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large bananas, mashed
½ cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
⅓ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup light brown sugar
½ cup shredded coconut
⅓ cup crushed pineapple, drained
½ cup chopped pecans
8 ounces cream cheese, softened (1 brick)
½ cup honey
¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (1/2 stick)
5 cups confectioner's sugar

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350*.
Line 2 cupcake tins with cupcake liners and set aside.
In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon then set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs and vanilla extract.
Whisk in the mashed banana followed by both sugars.
Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and combine with a spatula or wooden spoon.
Fold in the pineapple, coconut and pecans until fully combined.
Evenly distribute the batter among the 24 cupcake liners.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.
To make the frosting, place the softened cream cheese and butter into an electric mixing bowl and cream together on high for 1-2 minute until fluffy.
Add in the honey and mix on medium for up to 1 minute.
Begin adding in the confectioner's sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing on high before each new addition.
Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, frost the cupcakes by placing the frosting into a piping bag or spreading on top of the cupcakes with a spatula.
Refrigerator the frosted cupcakes until serving.
Allow the cupcakes to come to room temperature (20 minutes) before serving.

Desserts

With a modern twist on a holiday classic, these Chinese Five Spice Gingerbread Cookies use a blend of cinnamon, cloves, fennel, star anise, and peppercorns in place of traditional ground ginger for an added kick of warm, holiday spice!

Salted Caramel Pecan Apple Crisp is full of juicy apples, sweet-salty caramel, Fall spices, and a crisp, nutty, pecan filled topping. It’s your personal serving of Autumn in a bowl!

Dirty Chai Cupcakes combine the best of both worlds with chai latte cakes swirled with creamy, espresso buttercream frosting and topped with a chocolate covered espresso bean!

If this sounds like you, read on!

Never heard of a Dirty Chai?

Bake the Cupcakes!

Whip up the frosting!

Perfect for Fall!

Light, sweet and creamy, this Pumpkin Spice Mousse only requires 5 ingredients and comes together in less than 15 minutes! Dress it up with crushed gingersnaps and a dollop of whipped topping for a special Autumn treat.

The secret to this Cinnamon Sugar Crumb Coffee Cake is pancake mix — creating a moist, chewy cake with a crunchy cinnamon-sweet topping. Whipped up in minutes, this coffee cake is weekend perfection!

A rich, thick Bananas Foster Cake with traditional caramel and rum Bananas Foster flavors topped with a decadent Salted Caramel Frosting.

This Oreo Mocha Java Ice Cream Cake is decadent, chocolatey & delicious with an Oreo crust, layers of coffee ice cream, hot fudge & a dollop of whipped topping!

No-Bake Cake Batter Cake Balls are studded with sprinkles, a sweet vanilla, buttery cake batter filling and dipped in a white chocolate shell!

Footer