Busy Brunette Bakerista

My homemade coffee cake recipes don't call for actual coffee but they are delicious. Well, I tired another recipe in the fabulous cookbook Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook and this coffee cake is moist, light and has the sweetest crumble in the middle (also has no coffee ). It does take a while so remember to follow the directions to every detail. Enjoy! BITDB Coffee Cake Streusel Ingredients ¼ cup packed light brown sugar ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt 3/4 cup chopped pecans (optional) 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes Cake Ingredients 2 ½ cups cake flour (not self-rising) 2 teaspoons baking powder, preferably aluminum-free ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon fine sea salt ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom (I used pumpkin pie spice to give it a little more texture) 12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 ½ cups granulated sugar 3 large eggs,...

These crunchy pecans are the tastiest appetizers ever! I’ve been making them since I first got married and they are simply delicious. They are great in salads, for gifts in little jars, or in a dish on a table at a party! Slow-Roasted Snacky Pecans Makes one pound of pecan nuts ¼ cup butter ¼ cup light corn syrup 3 T. of water   1 t. kosher salt 1 pound of whole pecans Preheat oven to 250 ° F Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil including up the edges. Melt butter, corn syrup, water, and kosher salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add pecans and stir to coat nuts.   Spread out evenly on the lined baking sheet.  Now this is important – bake for one hour stirring every 10 minutes. If you don’t, they won’t cook evenly and stick together in one large ball...unless you want them in a shape of a football. Let pecans cool for three minutes then transfer to a dish, bowl, Mason ...

It’s that time of year when children and adults start planning weeks ahead in anticipation for one night of obtaining bags of free, delicious, hyperactivity-inducing candy of all sorts – Halloween. Since stores start selling candy right after Labor Day, my kids are ready for something new by mid-October. This is the only “bark” recipe I have and can I say, better than any other candy – but a bit pricey. So if you have any to share with friends or neighbors, don’t. Adapted from an old recipe from Bon Appetit magazine, “candy bark” refers to a candy, usually of chocolate with large pieces of nuts, made in flat sheets. Afraid-of-the-Dark Halloween “Bark” 1 lb. bittersweet chocolate chips 3 (2.1 ounce) Butterfinger candy bars – cut into irregular 1-inch pieces 3 (1.4 ounce) Skor or Heath toffee candy bars – cut into irregular ¾-inch pieces 8 (.55 ounce) peanut butter cups, each cut into 8 wedges ¼ honey-roasted peanuts 3 ounces white chocolat...

Californians are known for eating healthy, exercising, and always on the go. I found a simple recipe for homemade granola in an old magazine and adapted it to just the right ratio of spice, crunch, and dried fruit. My friend and neighbors love this and I often make it for teacher gifts. Enjoy! Crunchy California Granola 4 cups of rolled oats  1 cup of wheat germ or wheat bran 1 cup of slivered almonds 1/2 cup of sesame seeds  1/4 cup of brown sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon  (or even pumpkin pie spice) 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil 1/3 cup honey 1/6 cup maple syrup 1/6 cup water 8 oz. dried cranberries 8 oz. raisins Pre-eat oven to 300 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spray with cooking spray, then set aside. In a large mixing bowl, stir together oats, wheat germ, nuts, sesame seeds, brown sugar, cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice), and salt. Make a well in the dry ingredients and ad...