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Coffee Donuts with Whiskey Icing

Coffee, Whiskey, and donuts. Need I say more? Okay…easy, fast, baked!

Baked donuts. Baked COFFEE donuts, no less. EASY baked coffee donuts. EASY FAST baked coffee donuts with, wait for it… WHISKEY ICING. I know, I just can’t. Can’t go on without these in my life. Oh wait, I have them in my life. It’s YOU I’m worried about. These are fast and easy and all sorts of Saturday morning good!

I’m all about donuts these days. Guys, there is just something about knowing that I can create these special little pastries in my own house, with my own home, in a short period of time, and my family LOVES them that is incredibly satisfying. To be able to make coffee donuts with whiskey icing? Nothing short of #BakingGoals.

No really, who wouldn’t want the words DONUT and WHISKEY and COFFEE in the same sentence.

Ummm…. nobody.

These donuts are the perfect way to start your Saturday morning! They whip up in under 30 minutes (INCLUDING that fabulous whiskey icing) and are terrific with coffee!

I chose to use liquid coffee versus coffee granules because that is what most of us have on hand. I’m not interested in searching for special ingredients so I assume you aren’t either.

Any good whiskey will work fine for this frosting, but let me tell you…

I headed to the little liquor store on the corner near my house on the hunt for whiskey. When I walked in the door there was a little older gentleman talking with the owner of the store. They paused while the owner asked me what I was looking for. “Point me to your good Irish whiskey, please,” I said. That older gentleman lit up and said to me, in a full Irish lilt, “What a fantastic question, lass” (no joke, he even said lass!). He eagerly led me to the whiskey and shook his head when the owner suggested Jameson. “No, what you need is Powers whiskey. Good Irish stuff.” he said.

So, my friends. Powers whiskey is what I used. I figure you can’t get much better advice than from an older IRISH gentleman about proper Irish Whiskey.

These donuts aren’t for kids. Like my salted chocolate pistachio cookies, they are for the older ones in the house. Make them on a Saturday morning and sit down for coffee with your person and enjoy a few moments. Sure, you can let the kids try them but I’ll guarantee they’ll take a bite and not want anything to do with that whiskey frosting.

Yes!! More for you.

TIP:

If you want to include the kiddo’s you can simply mix up 1 cup of powdered sugar with about 4 tablespoons of milk (add more or less to get the correct icing consistency) and a teaspoon of vanilla for a kid friendly icing.

These donuts are our secret, mmm-kay. Let’s not tell everyone about this recipe. They can wonder why we have an extra bounce in our step. Or we can be that person with “the donuts” that everyone wants the recipe for. These are that special.

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Vegan Beet Chocolate Cake with Coconut buttercream frosting

Well hello there you delicious hunk of cake, you! Yes you! The one without eggs, or butter, or milk, or any of those yummy things that come from animals. You are truly amazing. What? You even taste good? STOP. I just can’t take the awesomeness.

Well, hey readers! You caught me in a moment of loving conversation with my food creation. I am sad to admit this is a common occurrence. Men have been know to give their cars personalities, many of my DIY friends name their furniture (I do this too!), and I … talk to my food. But gosh, they have so dang much to say! They speak of traditions, family times, fellow veggies & fruit they like to hang with, memories, seasons, and loved ones gone.

I think of Chocolate Cake and a lovely man named Marvin that adored that cake. Wild Rice Soup reminds me of my Grandma and her cabin. Shortbread Cookies remind me of my sister Darla (who first introduced me to their buttery goodness in full force). And Cauliflower Potato Salad reminds me of my grandparents (who really didn’t like cauliflower subbing out potatoes and were quite vocal!).
For instance, this cake would tell you that it is chock full of healthy beets, cocoa, and coconut without using a single egg or chunk of butter to make it delicious. It would tell you about it’s raw sugar, it’s coconut milk, and it’s Bob’s Red Mill flour. This chocolate beet cake requested only the finest ingredients and careful care. And gosh is it dang proud of itself! Rightly so. For my vegan readers, you will appreciate the accomplishment of a delicious fudgy chocolate cake with a buttercream frosting that tastes sooo close to the real thing that you will swear you hear mooing!
Beets are messy, this is very true. But sometimes they are absolutely worth the trouble and mess. They do a fantastic job of helping this cake create a fudgy, sweet inner without a hint of an egg or milk. Plus the nutrients they sneak into this chocoalte cake is a giant bonus! The frosting here is made for this chocolate cake. As in, the cake and frosting combo is a must try your first time around.

So, I have this little bit of a pet peeve when someone wants to make changes to recipes and dishes. Like, when you go to a restaurant that specializes in something and then proceed to adjust the meal. Not for dietary changes. Because you think something will taste better. Or, you don’t think you’ll like a combo. For pete’s sake, they don’t get awesome by chance. I am a big believer in always trying something the way it comes or is combined the first time. No subbing or changing for me. No siree. Those chefs know their stuff I and am NOT going to be the one to question them. Please, for the sake of our friendship, don’t tell me if you are one of “them”. Eh, I’ll still like you 🙂

Coconut oil “butter”cream pairs beautifully with the chocolate cake especially especially if you top the whole thing with a bit of coconut. You’ll be swooning and talking to your food like me. Really, you and I will have conversations about the conversations we have with our food. They probably have a meeting I should be going to. But, I’m thinking of making another cake. Or bringing the cake to a meeting? Baha! A FTU (Food Talkers Unite) meeting.

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Nutella CINNAMON ROLL Waffle Bites

4 ingredient Coconut Milk Chocolate Pudding

Do you know one of the foods I have most missed by removing milks and sugars from my diet? Chocolate. Chocolate in all forms. Chocolate in all flavors. But mostly in the silky smooth form of pudding and mousse. I ADORE silky smooth chocolate and milk smooshed into one big giant bowl of deliciousness!

Do you know what I have found as a fantastic substitute for my favorite chocolate mousse recipe?

Let me tell you!! (I am uber excited about this one for you guys!)

(insert clapping hands and jumping up and down motions!)

Chocolate pudding made with coconut cream! As in… no dairy! Score. Swoosh. Bam.

Okay, I can tell you aren’t quite as excited as I am. But that’s simply because you still don’t understand the beauty of this treat. It’s only 4 ingredients, 5 minutes, and DONE. No milk, no sugar, no eggs, no wheat…only creamy chocolatey goodness.

Yes, it’s too good to be true. Yes, I’m pulling your leg. Yes, I’m a liar.

But not in this!! I would NEVER lie about smooth and sweet chocolate pudding. NEVER EVER.

Give it a try, won’t you. And let me know if it has made your day. And year. And all the years to come!

You can often find coconut cream near the coconut milk at your local grocery. It should even be in a similar can.

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the Best White Cake recipe

After seeing the success that our homemade chocolate cake recipe has had and how much you all love it I realized that that my best white cake recipe could be something that you would find valuable as well. Having a chocolate cake or white cake recipe that you KNOW will produce a fantastic cake makes life so much simpler. It might take a bit longer to make these cakes than a box mix, but it certainly is better for you to use REAL ingredients. And, there is something so satisfying to make a cake. Put a bit of music on, pour a glass of wine, and get baking. Truly, you’ll be feeding your soul!

Classic cakes like chocolate cake, white cake, carrot cake, and pound cakes never go out of style. Especially really, really good cake recipes like grandma used to make!

Tips to a perfect white cake:

Use room temperature buttermilk and egg whites.
Don’t skip this. It makes a huge difference!! Just set your buttermilk and whites on the counter a few hours before you intend to start.
Using shortening keeps your cake white in color.
But don’t be afraid to use butter! The flavor is better. Just be sure your butter is softened a bit.
Spray & flour your pans.
There is nothing worse than cake that sticks to the pan. Especially when making layer cakes. Of course, if you are making a 9 by 13 cake there is no need to worry about this step as much as if you are attempting a layer cake. You can even pick up cooking spray that is made just for baking and has flour right in it…easy peasy!
Use clear vanilla concentrate, if possible.
Again, this does nothing for the flavor…only the color. And don’t be afraid to try almond extract….yum!
Use good flour. We used Bob’s Red Mill. It’s organic and incredibly versatile. And it is the same high protein flour used by professional bakers and produces high, well-textured loaves of bread equally as well as it produces light, airy baked goods.
Make your own buttermilk, easy-peasy…
1 cup of regular milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar
Stir together and let sit 10 minutes…buttermilk!

I’m a big fan of tried and true recipes, and this white cake is one of them. I can imagine a family back in “the day” sitting about talking and laughing around this very same cake. That makes me feel like I have a small touch of the “way it was” in my kitchen. Granted, I am making this cake with my fantastic oven, mixer, and fancy pants tools. But still. I still have a bit of nostalgia for recipes like this.

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For this cake I used our sugar-free cream cheese frosting but often use my absolute favorite…creamy chocolate frosting. Seriously you guys, it is the best!

Other cakes we love:

Dark Chocolate Pistachio Cake (Gluten-free)
Butter Cake

Click here to download a $1 off coupon for any Bob’s Red Mill product!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Coconut Date Cheesecake Bars

We are talking all about sweet and decadent desserts this month in preparation for Valentine’s day coming up in not too long. I’m a firm believer in having one piece of AMAZING dessert once in a while instead of little bites more often. Our minimal lifestyle is all about having less so that we can have BETTER. Even in desserts.

This coconut date cheesecake recipe is heavenly! Although it’s a decadent and sweet dessert it is still packed with nutrients and vitamins. Hey, if you can use ingredients that are full of good stuff why on earth would you settle for packaged crap? Yeah, I thought it was a good question.

My crust is made up of ground nuts and dates instead of the traditional graham cracker butter concoction. This makes for a sweet, earthy, and rich crust that is packed full of flavor and the perfect place to add additional nutrients and vitamins.

I stick with the traditional mix of coconut and condensed milk for the coconut filling. It’s classic for a reason. Because… delicious!

I use this no-bake cream cheese filling for many, many recipes. It tops my no-bake cheesecakes, cinnamon rolls, carrot cakes, and even spice bars. It’s sweet, creamy, tart, rich, and the perfect silky texture for a multitude of purposes.

For this purpose, I cool the coconut/date layers before topping with the light and fresh cheesecake topping.

Invite a few friends over, bake up these bars, make some boozy coffee, and enjoy your life! A little dessert is good for the soul.

Coconut Date Cheesecake Bars

Date crust:

1 cup nuts (I recommend 1/2 cup walnuts and 1/2 cup almonds)

1/2 cup dates

Coconut Layer:

1 (14 oz) package sweetened coconut

1 can sweetened condensed milk

No-Bake Cheesecake Layer:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup honey

2 8 oz packages cream cheese

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

Finely chop the nuts and dates. (tip: this step is faster and easier using a food processor) Press the mixture into a greased 8 by 8 square pan.

Mix the coconut and sweetened condensed milk together. Pour 3/4 of the coconut mixture over the top of the date crust (reserve 1/4 of it) and gently press down.

Bake the coconut layer and date crust in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Cool (setting it in the freezer while working on the cheesecake filling is often more than enough time to cool).

Pour the remaining coconut mixture onto a parchment paper lined (a greased pan will also work) cookie sheet and press to about 1/4 inch thick. Bake in the 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until lightly brown.
Cool, crumble, and save for the top of your bars.

Meanwhile, for the no-bake cheesecake filling beat the powdered sugar and cream cheese together until light and fluffy.

Add the honey, vanilla, and whipping cream.

Beat on high for 2 minutes.

Pour the cheesecake filling over the cooled coconut and date layers and spread gently. Top with the crumbled coconut bits.

Refrigerate for at least 3 hours prior to serving.

Makes 9 man-size bars or 12 women-size bars.

slow cooker chocolate cake with frosting

I’m a busy working mom, like many of you, and adore recipes that use real ingredients to create delicious, simple, and fast treats for my family. Although you have seen versions of a slow-cooker chocolate cake that use a cake mix and pudding mix, can I encourage you to try making this recipe instead? I would love you to take the extra few minutes to use real ingredients that you have touched and measured for yourself. This chocolate cake is ridiculously fast to make and will become a family favorite that you are happy to get in your crockpot before you head out to work, schedule it, and have it ready to be eaten after dinner or for your kids when they get home from school.

This chocolate cake is utter magic. Magic because it is utterly decadent and rich, magic because the frosting is created while the cake cooks in the same pan!, but magic mostly because this delectable cake is made in the slow-cooker!

I often question the practicalness of some slow-cooker recipes. Especially the ones that are for 3 hours and then done. Or for 2 hours and then you add something and cook for an additional 2 hours. Isn’t the idea of a slow cooker to allow you to set supper up to be cooking while you are working? Who the heck works 3-hour shifts? Eh, it must just be me that doesn’t see the value in 1400 Slow-Cooker Recipes.

(You are going to start to stir the batter and want to yell at me that something is wrong. There isn’t. The stuff is thick! Just stir it gently with a wooden spoon until the giant chunks are gone and call it a day. Put it into your greased slow-cooker and let the magic work. It works out, promise!)

This recipe I get. When I eat this cake with it’s built-in frosting I understand why slow-cooker recipes exist. In the 3 hours this cake is cooking, the frosting is cooking up too. It SELF FROSTS itself. No really…when you cut the cake, you automatically get frosting! BAM!

But is it good? I have had my share of slow-cooker recipes that I didn’t think were worth the trouble. They were only so-so. But this. THIS is mouth-watering! I use a couple of special ingredients to keep this cake rich, full of flavor, and lighter in calories. It isn’t light and fluffy like my homemade chocolate cake instead, it’s rich, fudge-y, and dark. THIS is the cake I use for ice cream sundaes, coffee dates, and regular appearances on the meal menu.

Stout.

Using a dark, rich alcohol like stout allows me to remove the milk from the cake recipe, quite a bit of the sugar, AND contributes a wonderful rich flavor to the cake. Using stout works fantastic for this slow-cooker recipe because the slow-cooking time allows that alcohol to foam and bubble to the top of the cake, mixing with the sugar and chocolate, and creating a delicious frosting.

Nutella.

Now, you can use peanut butter (this is better for the calorie count!), almond butter, or cookie butter in place of Nutella. However, for the richest and most decadent flavor, and when making this for your kids, use Nutella. Obviously :).

(Do NOT stir in your boiled stout topping. Simply pour it on top and leave. Really. It all works out.)

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microwave brownies in a mug.

This is a quick and easy dessert that serves just one. Perfect for when you are looking for a sweet midnight snack or your kids want an after-school treat. You can make up a microwave brownie-in-a-mug in about three minutes with ingredients you already have in your pantry…

And you can mix up the whole brownie recipe IN the mug (no extra dishes…score!) with a few quick and easy steps…

Seriously, this brownie was about 3 minutes. Including the cooking! Kinda like a glorified Easy Bake recipe…don’t you think? Please tell me I’m not the only one old enough to remember those guys. With their dangerous exposed light-bulbs, super expensive mixes, and little girls begging their parents for one?

Walah… a tasty, chocolatey, gooey brownie! All made up during the next commercial!

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If you are looking for fast, easy, and simple recipes like this you shouldn’t miss our Lazy Baker ENTIRE CATEGORY full of short-cut recipes. Like pull-apart breads, petit fours, and even Grandma’s fudge. These recipes are meant for those that are a bit gun-shy in the kitchen and still gaining confidence in their cooking skills. We hear ya. No need to fuss and stress…use our cheater recipes to look like a kitchen super star!

Cranberry Rosemary Orange Scones

These Cranberry-Rosemary-Orange scones are sweet, tangy, and delicious!! The orange glaze is just the icing on the top (get it — Icing on the top! :))Be sure to get this recipe!

Is there anyone in the world that doesn’t have a love affair with scones? I doubt it. Scones are sweet and buttery and light and flaky all at the same time. Add to that their ability to meld all sorts of flavors into themselves and you have a breakfast pastry that can’t be topped for its versatility, flavor, and simplicity.

My favorite recipe uses a combo of cranberries and rosemary…a classic flavor duo…but with an added touch of orange. The orange keeps the scones light, fresh, and fun. And the orange glaze drizzled on TOP of the scones? Oh. My. Gosh. It’s bright and packed full of flavor. You’ll be licking off the tops of your scones.

Wherever possible, when using orange and rosemary…use fresh. It’s tempting to pull out dried herbs and zest for baking, but the flavor you get from the fresh ingredients really is the best. The extra two minutes of chopping rosemary and zesting a lemon will be worth it.

Note:

Did you know that smelling citrus boosts your feel-good hormone in your brain? True story.

It’s important to use cold butter when making scones so that you can achieve that beautiful buttery and flaky pastry.

Why cold butter?

When the butter melts in your dough while baking in the oven it creates little pockets where steam expands and helps the dough rise. If you have butter that is melty before you get to the dough to the oven, you lose those pockets of gas expanding, leaving you with a denser, less fluffy scone.

Tip:

Freeze your scone dough for an hour or so before baking to get the ultimate in light and flaky scones!

Don’t get crazy with forming and rolling your scone dough. The less you handle it, the better. Simply pat it into a circle about 9 inches in diameter, as evenly thick as you can get it, and slice it into eight pie wedges. Then bake.

Sure, those scones will come out of the oven ready to be shoved into your mouth. Frankly, you might not make it to the glazing step before you find yourself minus scones. I would highly recommend baking these up when your family isn’t home. And if they are home, DON’T turn your back.

Off topic…

Have you played the Super Mario board that has the little ghosts that will attack you if you turn your back to them for too long? As long as you are looking at them they stay where they are but the minute you turn your back… BAM! My family is little ghosts when I’m baking in the kitchen. DON’T TURN YOUR BACK!

Anyways, you can feel free to use purchased orange juice for the glaze but since you already of the fresh orange to grab zest from why not use fresh orange juice? It really will make a huge difference!

You think that I’m crazy with the vodka addition to the glaze, don’t you? Try it sometimes and you’ll be a believer. Vodka adds a wonderful kick to the glaze that cuts a bit of the sweetness from the scones out, in the best possible way.

Plus, everything is better with alcohol. It’s truth.

ingredients.

For scones:
3 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tab grated orange peel
1 tsp rosemary (just used dried, it’s easier)
3/4 cup chilled butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1 cup cold buttermilk (for a quick substitution, see below)

For glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tab vanilla
2 tab vodka (optional)

directions.

For scones:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Put flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, orange peel, and rosemary into large bowl.
Add butter and mix into flour mixture…gotta use your fingers! You want it to look like crumbs.
Mix in cranberries.
Gradually add buttermilk, use fork to stir until it gets mostly mixed together (it will still have clumps!).
Put the dough onto a floured counter and knead a few times so it sticks together. About 4-6 times.
Form the dough into a circle about 9 inches in diameter. Cut into 8 wedges. (if you have time pop the wedges into the freezer for about an hour)
Put the wedges onto the baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes.

For glaze:

Mix all ingredients together.
If necessary, to achieve needed thickness add more powdered sugar.
Drizzle the glaze on top of the cooled scones.

To make buttermilk :

Put 1 tablespoon lemon juice into 1 cup milk.
Let sit for about 5 minutes.
Wa la! Buttermilk.

Santa hat brownies

These Santa Hat Brownies have a great story attached to them, which I just have to share with you. Before I do, though, I want to make sure you know they are legitimately good brownies. They are made from a box mix, but they are a great activity to share with your kids (or someone else’s) leading up to Christmas. This is one of those activities that you just go buy the supplies for and wait to create until that time when boredom sets in. Or there’s a snowstorm. The instructions for their creation is at the end of this post if you don’t want to hear the fun story attached.

Now the fun story:

So, sometimes I have brilliant kids. Sometimes their stupidity astonishes me. If you have kids, grandkids, or have seen kids in the store…you understand. I recently had each of those moments, and at the same time. One child behaved astonishingly brilliantly, the other just made me shake my head.

You see, my Levi desperately wanted a Kindle Fire. He seemed to be of the impression that if he had his own tablet he would be allowed to play games on it as often as he wanted. He thought that I wouldn’t enforce screen time (no electronics on weekdays, etc., etc.)

silly child.

But that’s another story. Anyway, we wouldn’t buy one for him. I know, mean parents. But if he saved his money, we said he could get one. $160 (or whatever it is) is A LOT of money for a pre-teen.

Katie felt bad for him. She wanted to be a good sister, a hero. She wanted to help…or so she says. I think she was just being brilliant. She offered to loan him the remaining $60 he needed. He was sooo happy. She was sooo willing. I was unaware of any of this. She shows up with a paper and hands it to me.

“Read this, you are a witness”, she says to me.

“Levi hereby agrees to be my peasant until he has paid off the $60 dollars he owes me. He will do whatever I say, whatever I need to make me happy. He cannot complain or say no or I will take away his Kindle.”

I read. I gave legal advice to Levi that went like this…

“DO NOT SIGN THE DOCUMENT”.

He signed. He got the Kindle. He is finding cats, bringing tea, doing chores, giving massages. And decorating Santa hats for his sister.

Brilliant and Stupid.
In one fell swoop.

Okay, now you can have the recipe for these Santa Hat Brownies.

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