Moist Banana Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Pecan Topping
Makes 15 servings

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened
1-1/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Topping
1 c. chopped pecans
2 T. sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1. Beat the cream cheese, butter, and sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the bananas and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, and baking soda; gradually add to the creamed mixture.

2. Combine topping ingredients; add half to the batter. Transfer to a greased 13″ x 9″ x 2″ baking pan. Sprinkle with the remaining topping. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Recipe from Allrecipes.com. Image from Divine Domesticity. 

Of all the recipes I made last year, this one was my favorite. It is tangy and moist, sweet and flavorful. I make it at least once a month, whenever the craving hits. It hits often.

Cornbread Supreme

Makes one 9″ x 13″ pan

2 boxes Jiffy cornbread mix (7 1/2 oz. each)
16 oz. container sour cream
1 cup margarine or butter, melted
1 (16 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (16 oz.) can cream-style corn
4 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

1. In a large bowl, combine cornbread mix, sour cream, butter, whole kernel corn, cream style corn, and eggs. Place in a lightly greased 9″ x 13″ baking dish and sprinkle with 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes or until golden on top and cooked through.

I came up with the idea for Wannabe Portuguese Egg Tarts after seeing many pictures of egg tarts around the Web. I’ve never eaten an authentic egg tart — heck, I’ve never even seen one in person. These were my attempt to get something in the ballpark of what an egg tart would taste like. I didn’t quite get the dark brown top I was going for, but they were delicious nonetheless. If you are in the same boat as myself and aren’t able to get an authentic egg tart, I recommend trying these out.

Image & Recipe from Divine Domesticity

Wannabe Portuguese Egg Tarts
Makes 6 Tarts

• 1 package frozen puff pastry shells (6 shells come in a typical package)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 1/2 T. cornstarch
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla bean
• 1/2 c. white sugar
• 3 egg yolks

1. Bake puff pastry shells at indicated temperature (about 400 degrees F), but only for 10 minutes. While baking, prepare the custard. In a saucepan, combine the milk, cornstarch, vanilla and sugar. Stirring constantly, bring up to a medium heat until thickened. Place egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk 1/2 of milk mixture into the egg yolks. Gradually add the egg yolk mixture back into the remaining milk mixture, whisking constantly.

2. After 10 minutes, take puff pastry shells out of the oven and cut off the tops of the middle part of the shell. Fill with custard to the brim of each shell. Return to oven for approximately 10 minutes. (At this point I turned off the oven and let them sit for about 10 more minutes, I would recommend doing this.) Serve and enjoy!

Yes, there is a lot of butter involved.

Usually I find pound cake to be too dry, too crumbly. I’m embarrassed to admit that besides baking the occasional pound cake, Sara Lee was the only way I consumed the baked good. Finally, one day I decided to try a Paula Deen recipe for Sour Cream Pound Cake. Surely Miss Paula wouldn’t lead me wrong?

She didn’t. I found this pound cake to be more and more delicious by each passing day. On the third or fourth day it was absolutely scrumptious served with a bowl of fresh strawberries and whipped cream. If you can manage to have a bit of patience, let it sit for a day or two, at least after initially trying a slice. It just gets better and better.

Grandmother Paul’s Sour Cream Pound Cake
Makes one pound cake - Recipe from Paula Deen

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
3 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups all-purpose flour
6 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla 

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the sour cream and mix until incorporated. Sift the baking soda and flour together. Add to the creamed mixture, alternating with eggs, beating each egg 1 at a time. Add the vanilla and pour the mixture into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes.

Enjoy these Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars with a tall glass of milk, a new book, a comfy chair, and a fresh, warm breeze from an open window. It really doesn’t get much better than that.

Image from Divine Domesticity

Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars
Makes 32 bars

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line bottom and sides of a 9×13 inch baking pan with aluminum foil.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat 1 stick room-temp butter, brown sugar, flour, and salt until coarse crumbs form. Pour mixture into prepared pan; press firmly into bottom.
3. Bake until lightly browned, 25-30 minutes. Let cool, 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in same large bowl, mix eggs, corn syrup, granulated sugar, and 2 TBS melted butter until well combined. Add chocolate chips and pecans; spread over crust.
5. Bake until set, 25-30 minutes. Cool completely in pan before lifting out (use foil to lift). Cut into 32 bars.

If you are a purist, omit the jam entirely.

Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
Makes 16 servings

5 tablespoons butter, softened
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup flour
Approx. 1 cup jam of your choice, warmed (if necessary) until very easily spread
1/2 cup sugar
1 (8 ounce) packet cream cheese, softened
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a medium bowl blend thoroughly butter, brown sugar, and flour with a fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Put 1 cup of the mixture aside for topping.

3. Press remaining mixture into an 8×8x2-inch baking dish sprayed lightly with cooking spray; bake for 15 minutes.

4. Spread jam over crust. In another bowl combine sugar and cream cheese, mixing until smooth. Thoroughly beat in egg, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla. Spread over the jam layer and sprinkle with remaining brown sugar mixture.

5. Bake for 25 minutes. Let cool, then chill for at least 1 hour. Cut into 16 squares; serve.

Image from Divine Domesticity

I felt like trying out a silly little recipe this evening, so corndog muffins it was! You can serve these with a little yellow mustard, or ketchup if you’d prefer.

Corndog Muffins
Makes 18 muffins

• 2 (8.5 ounce) packages cornbread mix
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
• 9 hot dogs, cut in small pieces

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease muffin tins.
2. Stir together the cornbread mix and the brown sugar in a large bowl. Whisk the eggs and milk in a small bowl until smooth. Fold the eggs and cheese into the dry mixture until moistened. Spoon mixture into muffin tins until 2/3 full. Add hot dog pieces to each muffin.
3. Bake in a preheated oven 14 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown.

Recipe from Allrecipes.com

Paula’s Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies were a hit. They are moist, tangy (why hello, cream cheese!) and delicious.

It is important to note that a stand mixer should be used for this recipe. If you don’t have access to one, use a bowl and a wooden spatula. Avoid using a hand mixer at all costs. According to the reviews of this recipe at FoodNetwork.com, hand mixers were known to burn out after trying to mix the following ingredients.

Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies
Makes about 24

1 (8-ounce) brick cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (18-ounce) box moist chocolate cake mix
*I added about 1/3 cup of semisweet chocolate chips to the original recipe*
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl with a stand mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the egg. Then beat in the vanilla extract. Beat in the cake mix. (If you want to add more chocolate chips like I did, do so now. Mix them in with a spatula.) Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up so that you can roll the batter into balls.
3. Roll the chilled batter into tablespoon-sized balls and then roll them in confectioners’ sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake 12 minutes. The cookies will remain soft and “gooey.” Cool completely and sprinkle with more confectioners’ sugar, if desired.

Recipe from Paula Deen.

Cold Tea Gingerbread with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
Makes one 9″ x 5″ loaf

1 1/4 cups plus 2 Tbsp. sifted flour
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup cold tea (I used Honey Ginger Peach tea)
1 scant tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. hot water
1 egg, beaten

1. Set the oven rack in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom and ends of a 9″ x 5″ x 3″ loaf pan with a single strip of wax paper or parchment paper. Coat the pan and wax paper liner with vegetable spray. *I used Pam with Flour liberally and was able to skip the wax paper/parchment paper step. I love that little can of spray. It is a miracle!
2. Mix together flour, ginger, cinnamon, and salt.
3. Cream butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add molasses and combine.
4. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with cold tea. Dissolve baking soda in hot water and add to batter. Add egg and combine thoroughly.
5. Pour batter into loaf pan. Bake 45 minutes, or until tester inserted into loaf comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Invert pan and place on rack to continue cooling. Serve gingerbread hot with lemon sauce or cold with whipped cream (or Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting) and chipped walnuts. Store loosely covered with wax paper at room temperature.

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream (I used even less, probably half this amount, since it was all I had)
• 1/2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a small bowl beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form; set aside.
2. In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla. Beat until smooth, then fold in whipped cream.

Adapted from Allrecipes.com

I turned to a recipe for Baby Bluebird Cupcakes for my nephew’s baby shower a few years back, and they are just as delicious as they are cute. Success!

If you are making these for a baby shower, you could very easily make the chicks pink for a girl, or stick with blue chicks for a boy. They would also work great for any upcoming Easter parties.

They do require a bit of work, but nothing is technically advanced. Practice making the chicks, and the beaks, on a piece of wax paper first and you’ll get the hang of it in no time.

Image from Divine Domesticity

Baby Bluebird Cupcakes

Vanilla Cupcakes
Makes 1 dozen
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup milk

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time; scrape down bowl, and beat in vanilla.

3. Add flour mixture and milk alternatively, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

4. Divide batter evenly among liners, about three-quarters full each. Bake until golden and tops spring back to touch, about 20 minutes, rotating pan once if needed. Transfer pans to wire rack; cool completely.

Chocolate Buttercream
Makes 2 1/2 cups

Martha says, “If you live in a warm climate or you want to display your cupcakes for an extended period of time, use half solid vegetable shortening and half butter, which will result in a more stable frosting.”

3/4 cup sugar
3 large egg whites
1 cup (2 sticks) plus 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled

1. Combine sugar and egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Place over a pot of simmering water; whisk until hot and sugar is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Transfer bowl to mixer stand, and beat on high speed until cooled, 7 to 10 minutes.

2. Replace whisk with paddle attachment, and set mixer on medium-high speed; add butter, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, until incorporated. Beat in chocolate. If not using immediately, refrigerate buttercream in an airtight container for up to a week. Bring to room temperature, and re-beat or stir vigorously before using.

To Make the Cupcakes:
Makes 1 dozen

Martha says, “When preparing the chocolate buttercream frosting, reserve 1 1/2 cups buttercream and 1 teaspoon melted chocolate.”

1 1/2 cups shredded coconut (about 5 ounces)
Vanilla Cupcakes
Chocolate Buttercream
Yellow and light-blue food coloring

1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Spread coconut on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until light brown, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating pan once. Set aside to cool.

2. Lightly frost cupcakes with 1 cup chocolate buttercream; set aside. Tint 2 tablespoons reserved buttercream pale yellow; place in a pastry bag fitted with a #349 Ateco leaf tip; set aside. Tint remaining buttercream light blue; place in a pastry bag fitted with a #11 Ateco plain round tip, and pipe three bluebird heads, 3/4 inch in diameter, onto each cupcake. Using leaf tip, pipe yellow beaks. With a toothpick, add melted-chocolate eyes. Form each nest with 2 tablespoons toasted coconut.

Recipe from Martha Stewart