Natty Cakes Bakes

Fudgy Brownies

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These brownies come from Hummingbird High, a baking blog that I adore and have followed for years. The crackly tops and chocolate chips add some texture to these utterly delicious fudgy chocolate brownies. Bonus: They’re easy to make and come together in less than an hour!

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Fudgy Brownies

These are the best brownies I've ever made! Rich chocolate flavour with the perfect fudgy texture. Adapted from Hummingbird High's "Better than Supernatural Brownies".
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Brownies, Chocolate, Squares
Servings: 16 squares
Author: adapted from Hummingbird High

Ingredients

  • scant ⅔ cup (4 oz) dark chocolate (60-70%), coarsely chopped
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, chopped into even-sized chunks
  • 1 Tablespoon Dutch-processed cocoa powder (use 2 Tbsp if regular cocoa)
  • 2 large eggs, ideally room temperature
  • ½ cup brown sugar, packed
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅔ cup (4 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus a handful for sprinkling on top

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and line a square baking pan (8 or 9 inch) with parchment paper and lightly grease the parchment and any unlined areas of the pan. Alternatively, generously grease the pan with cooking spray or butter.
  • Double-boiler method:
    Fill a small saucepan with an inch or two of water and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Put the chopped dark chocolate, butter, and cocoa powder in a heatproof bowl and rest it on top of the saucepan, making sure the water is not touching the bottom of the bowl. Stirring frequently and scraping the edges of the bowl, melt the butter and chocolate until they are combined and smooth. Try not to lift the bowl and let steam or any water into the bowl of melting chocolate. Once melted, move the bowl off the saucepan and away from the heat to cool.
    Microwave method:
    Put the chopped dark chocolate, butter, and cocoa powder in a microwave safe bowl. Melt by microwaving for short bursts of 15-30 seconds, stirring in between. When there are only a few small lumps remaining, stir until smooth. Mine took 1 minute 15 seconds on high power. Set aside to cool.
  • Using an electric mixer, mix the eggs, sugar and vanilla together on low until combined. Once the chocolate mixture is cooled to be only slightly warm (if it's too hot, it'll cook and curdle the eggs), slowly add the chocolate mixture little by little into the egg mixture blending after each addition. Mix on medium speed until smooth.
  • Stir in the flour and salt using a spatula, mixing until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly with a butter knife or an offset spatula. Sprinkle the remaining handful of chocolate chips evenly over the top.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the centre of the pan with only a few moist crumbs. The centre will be beginning to firm, but will still be soft (not gooey though). Err on the side of under-baking because a gooey brownie is better than a dry one.
  • Let cool completely in the pan. Put the pan in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before slicing if you want really clean edges. When you're ready to slice, lift the parchment sling out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Slice into 16 squares or whatever size of brownies you see fit.

Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes

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I first made this recipe as a layer cake for my daughter’s 3rd birthday. I was blown away at how delicious it was. I’ve adapted the original recipe from Butternut Bakery Blog (one of my favourite dessert blogs ever!). These pretty pink cupcakes are full of natural strawberry flavour and incredibly MOIST!

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Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes

These pretty pink cupcakes are flavoured and coloured naturally with pureed fresh or frozen strawberries. They're full of strawberry flavour with a tender, moist crumb.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Buttercream, Cupcakes, Icing, Strawberry
Author: adapted from Butternut Bakery Blog

Ingredients

  • 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • ¾ cup neutral oil (vegetable, canola, avocado)
  • 1½ cups pureed strawberries*, fresh or frozen (thawed)
  • 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

Fresh Strawberry Buttercream

  • 1 cup butter, room temperature*
  • 4 cups (1 lb) icing sugar
  • ¼ cup pureed strawberries*
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two muffin tins with large paper liners.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
  • *For pureed strawberries, use an immersion blender, small food processor, blender, or even mash them really well with a fork. Do not overblend. Leave some small pieces so that there are some strawberry flecks in the batter. Prepare 1¾ cups of pureed strawberries and set aside ¼ cup for the buttercream.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, 1½ cups strawberry puree, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients, folding gently until just combined and no flour remains visible.
  • Fill muffin liners about ⅔ full. Using a cookie scoop to do this helps fill the liners neatly and evenly. Bake for 18-24 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes gently resist and bounce back when you press your finger on the tops. If your finger leaves an indent, they are not done yet. Let cool 5-10 minutes in the pans, then remove the cupcakes from the tins and let cool completely on wire racks before icing them.

Strawberry Buttercream

  • Using and electric mixer, beat the butter in a large bowl until soft. Add the icing sugar and mix. Add 2 tablespoons of pureed strawberries and mix, adding more strawberry puree to thin the icing to the right consistency for piping. I used about 3-3½ tablespoons. It should be soft and spreadable, but thick enough to hold it's shape when piped. Add more icing sugar to thicken, or more puree or milk/cream to thin it out. Once it's the right consistency, stop mixing as over-beating can cause the mixture to split.
  • Fill a piping bag with icing and pipe onto the tops of cooled cupcakes. I used a Wilton 2D tip and started in the middle and piped in a circlular swirl out to the edges. Or spread it on with a knife if that's more your speed! Click here for a tutorial I found helpful for piping.

Notes

  • Butter for the buttercream must be softened (room temperature). Leave it out overnight to soften it if possible. Or microwave on low for very short bursts (15 sec.) stirring after each burst until softened.
  • These cupcakes stay moist and fresh if made the day before. I refrigerated mine overnight and iced them the following day. However, they are best eaten at room temperature.

Brown Butter Rice Krispie Squares

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You’ll never make a regular Rice Krispie square again after tasting these. Nutty brown butter and a hint of salt balance the sweet marshmallowy goodness of these nostalgic squares. They’re easy, quick, and really delicious. Recipe is from Smitten Kitchen, I just added a little vanilla extract.

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Brown Butter Rice Krispie Squares

Nutty brown butter and a touch of salt make this classic treat more delicious and flavourful than the original.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cooling1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Brown Butter, Marshmallow, Rice Krispie, Squares
Servings: 9 squares
Author: adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

  • ½ cup (4 oz, 114g) unsalted butter, cubed
  • 5½ cups (285g) mini marshmallows*
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon real vanilla extract (optional)
  • 6 cups Rice Krispie cereal

Instructions

  • Grease a square pan (8 or 9 inch) with cooking spray or butter.
  • In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Keep cooking it, stirring frequently. The butter will foam and sizzle. Within 5-8 minutes from when you started, the milk solids at the bottom of the pan will turn a deep golden brown and it will smell nutty (see photo below). Stir, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan.
  • Once the butter is browned, remove the pan from the heat and add the marshmallows. Stir constantly until marshmallows are melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the salt and the vanilla and stir to combine.
  • Working quickly, add the Rice Krispies to the pot and stir until they are evenly coated in marshmallow. Pour into the prepared pan and spread evenly, pressing down firmly with a spatula. Let cool completely, then cut into squares.

Notes

  • I prefer mini marshmallows because they melt faster due to their small size, but full sized marshmallows are fine too.
  • For more tips on browning butter, visit Sally’s Baking Addiction
My browned butter, ready for the marshmallows!

Coffee Pretzel Blondies

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Coffee + Cinnamon + Chocolate is such a great combination. I added pretzels for crunch and to balance the sweetness of these decadent blondies. The result is a seriously satisfying treat that is not overly sweet. And way more interesting than plain old chocolate chip blondies, am I right?

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Coffee Pretzel Blondies

These decadent blondies are sweet & salty, filled with flavours of coffee, cinnamon, chocolate, and pretzels for crunch.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Blondies, Chocolate, Cinnamon, Coffee, Pretzel, Squares
Servings: 16 squares
Author: adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 Tablespoon real vanilla extract
  • 2 Tablespoons strong coffee or espresso
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup pretzels, broken into small pieces (½ – 1 inch)
  • ⅔ cup (4 oz) semi-sweet or dark chocolate, chopped into chunks

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8 inch pan with a parchment paper sling. Alternatively, line with foil or grease generously with butter.
  • In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. If you'd like to make these blondies a little EXTRA, make brown butter. If not, skip to the next step. To brown your butter, continue stirring and cooking the butter over medium heat. The butter will sizzle and foam. Stir and swirl the pan frequently until the butter turns golden brown and brown flecks are visible on the bottom of the pan, about 5-8 minutes. You should smell a nutty aroma. Remove from the heat immediately to prevent it from burning.
  • Pour your melted (or browned) butter into a medium bowl and add the brown sugar. Whisk until combined, then add the coffee and whisk until well combined. Let the mixture cool slightly so that it is just lukewarm. This will prevent the egg from curdling when added in the next step.
  • Add the egg, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon and whisk until combined. Add the flour and stir with a spatula. When only a little flour is still visible in the bowl, add the pretzels and chocolate, stirring and folding them into the batter.
  • Spread the batter into the prepared pan. The batter will be very thick and sticky, so do your best to smooth it evenly and to the edges of the pan using your spatula and a butter knife. Bake for 18-24 minutes or until edges are lightly brown. The centre should be soft but set. It should look under-baked but not completely doughy. Under-baking is crucial, they will firm up as they cool so err on the side of less time in the oven. Let them cool in the pan, or if using a parchment sling, pull them out after 10 minutes and let them continue cooling on a wire rack. Cut into 16 squares or triangles.

Notes

  • Melting butter – If you don’t brown your butter, melt it in the microwave and save yourself from washing another dish! For more tips on browning butter, visit Sally’s Baking Addiction
  • WAIT TO EAT until cooled slightly if you’d like to experience the crunch of the pretzels in them. They’re still delicious hot, but are better once cooled.
  • Freeze leftovers – these freeze well and are actually quite tasty eaten right from the freezer. So in summary, they are delicious at all temperatures!
  • Substitute other add-ins like chopped toasted nuts, dried fruit, or other types of chocolate for the dark chocolate and pretzels. Pecans or walnuts are delicious in place of the pretzels.

My Favourite Chocolate Chip Cookies (Because they’re actually Chocolate CHUNK)

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There are so many delicious chocolate chip cookie recipes out there but in my opinion, these are one the the best. They are loaded with chocolate CHUNKS, generously sized, and so soft and chewy. Plus, they are easy to make and come together quickly (one bowl! no refrigerating or rest time!)

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Chocolate Chunk Cookies

The BEST classic soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies, but made with chocolate CHUNKS because Chunks > Chips!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Chocolate, Chocolate chip, chocolate chunk, Cookies
Servings: 12 large cookies
Author: adapted from Jacques Torres

Ingredients

  • 1½ cups plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature*
  • ¾ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
  • 8 ounces (approximately 1⅓ cup) bittersweet, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate (at least 70%)*

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Coarsely chop the chocolate into ½-inch to ¾-inch chunks.
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed for a couple minutes until it is creamy. Add the sugars and beat until well creamed, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, beating until incorporated.
  • Sprinkle the salt, baking soda, and baking powder over the butter mixture and mix together on low. Add the flour little by little, mixing on low speed after each addition. Fold in the chocolate chunks.
  • Scoop dough with a 3 Tablespoon scoop*, and roll into balls with your hands. Place on the baking sheets, a couple inches apart (6 cookies per pan). Bake for 15-18 minutes or until edges are set and JUST STARTING to lightly brown*. Cool on the pan for 5-10 minutes, then move cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • Using room temperature butter is important. Leave the butter out the night before baking so that it’s very soft. If you’re rushed for time, cut the butter into small pieces and let soften for a couple hours. Or if you want to make the cookies right away, microwave the butter on low power for short bursts, stirring and making sure it doesn’t melt.
  • These cookies are all about the chocolate. Chopping your chocolate will always be better than chocolate chips for these. It allows for larger pockets of chocolate. I highly recommend using good quality semi-sweet, bittersweet, or dark chocolate (70-85%).
  • 3 Tablespoons is the perfect size for these cookies. So if you don’t have a scoop that size, just use your tablespoon measuring spoon to scoop out 3 Tablespoons worth of dough.
  • UNDER-BAKE these cookies to achieve that soft and chewy texture. Edges were still soft, but set, and ever so slightly brown (see photos). The middles definitely seemed underdone when I removed the cookies from the oven, but cooling on the pan for at least 5 minutes finishes cooking them.

Almond Joy Oatmeal Cookies

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These cookies quickly became a family favourite after my Aunty Laura made them for a family get together. They are loaded with chocolate chunks, coconut, rolled oats, and toasted almonds, so naturally they remind me of an Almond Joy. They are generous, chocolatey, soft, chewy, and wildly delicious.

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Almond Joy Oatmeal Cookies

Reminiscent of an Almond Joy chocolate bar, these flavourful oatmeal cookies are loaded with chocolate chunks, toasted almonds, and shredded coconut.
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Almonds, Chocolate, Coconut, Cookies, Rolled oats
Servings: 11 cookies
Author: nattycakes

Ingredients

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature*
  • ½ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • ¾ cup shredded coconut*
  • ⅓ cup almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped*
  • 1 cup (6 oz) semi-sweet or dark chocolate, chopped into chunks

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer to help soften it, then add the sugars. Cream together, beating on high until mixture lightens in colour slightly, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined.
  • Sprinkle the baking soda, salt, and flour over the mixture and mix until blended and no flour is visible. Add the rolled oats and coconut and mix until combined. Stir in the almonds and chocolate. If the dough is excessively sticky, add more flour a tablespoon at a time until the dough is a workable consistency, adding no more than 4 tablespoons of flour.
  • Scoop out ¼ cup mounds of dough and use your hands to form a ball. Place on lined baking sheets 3 inches apart and pat down slightly to flatten the ball. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until edges are golden brown and centres of cookies are set. Cool for a couple minutes on the pans, then remove and let cool completely on wire racks.

Notes

  • Using room temperature butter is important. Leave the butter out the night before baking so that it’s very soft. If you’re rushed for time, cut the butter into small pieces and let soften for a couple hours. Or if you want to make the cookies right away, microwave the butter on low power for short bursts (20 seconds), stirring and making sure it doesn’t melt.
  • Coconut – I always bake with unsweetened but sweetened coconut will work great too.
  • Toast almonds in your preheated oven for 5-10 minutes on a pan in a single layer until lightly browned OR in a microwave on a plate in a single layer for 1-2 minutes on high.

Raspberry White Chocolate Scones

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Small details can make a big difference in baking. With the rights tips and tricks, your baking can go from OK to outstanding! For scones, keeping your ingredients and dough cold before baking them is really important. This is achieved through grating frozen butter into the dry ingredients and refrigerating the scones before baking them. Other details of great importance – don’t over-mix the dough, and be sure to use heavy cream or thick buttermilk.. almond milk or 1% have no place here.

On another note, raspberry & white chocolate is an outstanding combination. It’s royalty among scone flavours.

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Raspberry White Chocolate Scones

Tender, buttery scones with a slightly crisp exterior. Raspberry & white chocolate is an outstanding flavour combination, however the recipe adapts easily to other delicious add-ins.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Raspberry, Scones, White chocolate
Servings: 8 scones
Author: adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, frozen in one piece
  • ½ cup full-fat buttermilk or heavy cream* (plus more for brushing), cold
  • 1 large egg, cold
  • 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
  • ½ cup raspberries, fresh or frozen (unthawed if frozen)
  • ½ cup chopped white chocolate or white chocolate chips
  • sugar (granulated or coarse) for sprinkling on top

Instructions

  • If your butter isn't already frozen, put your ½ cup of butter in the freezer for at least 15 minutes while you assemble your ingredients. If possible, have the butter as one whole piece to make grating it easier.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Grate the frozen butter into the bowl. With a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers, mix the butter into the dry ingredients until mixture resembles a coarse meal (pea-sized crumbs of butter will be visible – see photo below)
  • Whisk together the cream or buttermilk, egg, and vanilla in a measuring cup or small bowl. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix gently with a spoon or spatula. Mixture should be slightly dry with some flour still visible. Add the raspberries and white chocolate and gently incorporate. Don't over-mix.
  • Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and bring it together with your hands, pressing the dry spots into the more moistened areas in the dough. The dough should hold together and be slightly sticky. If excessively sticky, sprinkle a little more flour on it, and if excessively dry, add a little cream or buttermilk. Shape the dough into a large circle, at least an inch thick.
  • For triangle-shaped scones, cut the circle into 8 equal pieces as you would a pizza (see picture below). For circle-shaped scones, use a cookie cutter dipped in flour to cut out circles. Place scones on a lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Brush tops with cream or buttermilk and sprinkle lightly with sugar.
  • Refrigerate the pan of scones for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 400°F. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until scones are golden brown on the edges. Let cool for a couple minutes on the pan, then remove scones and let cool slightly on wire racks before enjoying. Scones are best eaten warm but will keep 2 or 3 days at room temperature.*

Notes

  • Thick cream, milk, and buttermilk make the best scones. If making your own buttermilk, use at least 2 or 3.25% milk (1.5 tsp vinegar + fill up to 1/2 cup milk and let sit 5 min. to curdle). I often use 10% cream as I have this on hand for my coffee.
  • Keep your ingredients COLD. This is why we use frozen butter, cold cream and eggs, and refrigerate the scones before baking. If the dough isn’t cold, the scones will spread too much.
  • Do not over-mix your dough. There may be some small chunks of butter and some visible flour but that is ok as long as the dough holds together.
  • Scones can be frozen before baking, and can be baked fresh right out of the freezer, adding a few minutes to the baking time. Scones also freeze well after baking.
  • Other great flavour combinations:
    • Blueberry & Lemon – substitute 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries for the chocolate & raspberries, and add 1 teaspoon lemon zest
    • Cherry & Chocolate – substitute fresh or frozen pitted cherry halves for the raspberries and semi-sweet or dark chocolate for the white chocolate
    • Blackberry & Orange – substitute 1 cup fresh or frozen blackberries for the chocolate & raspberries, and add 1 teaspoon orange zest
Grated butter being mixed into dry ingredients / Pea-sized crumbs of butter once combined
Shaping and cutting the scone dough
Scones brushed with cream, sprinkled with sugar and ready for the fridge before baking

Nutella Swirl Banana Muffins

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These banana muffins were pretty wholesome until I got into the jumbo jar of Nutella. They’re made with whole wheat flour, oats, a touch of honey… and a generous dose of sweet, sweet Nutella. You’re welcome.

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Nutella Swirl Banana Muffins

Banana muffins elevated with a Nutella swirl and a surprise Nutella centre.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time24 minutes
Total Time39 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Banana, Muffins, Nutella, Oats
Servings: 12 muffins
Author: adapted from Cookie & Kate

Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup oats (I used quick-cooking, but old fashioned are fine too)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup very ripe banana, mashed
  • ⅓ cup coconut oil (any neutral oil or melted butter will work too)
  • ⅓ cup honey or maple syrup
  • 2 eggs, room temperature*
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
  • ½ cup Nutella
  • chocolate chips, for sprinkling on top

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease or line a 12 cup muffin tin.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together flours, oats, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together oil and honey or maple syrup. Add the mashed banana, eggs, milk, and vanilla and whisk together.
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and fold together, stirring gently until no more flour is visible and ingredients are just combined.
  • Fill muffin tins half full (a cookie scoop is really handy here). Using two spoons, drop about 1 teaspoon of Nutella in the centre of the batter in each tin. Top up the muffin tins with the remaining batter, covering up the Nutella centre. Warm ¼ cup of Nutella in the microwave for 30 seconds, or just enough to thin it out a bit. Drop or drizzle about ½-1 teaspoon of Nutella on the tops of the muffins. Using a knife or a toothpick, swirl it into the top layer of batter but try not to disrupt the Nutella centre. Don't worry if it doesn't look perfectly swirled. Sprinkle a few chocolate chips on the tops, if desired.
  • Bake muffins for 22-24 minutes or until your finger can gently press the tops without leaving an indent (test where there is just batter and not Nutella). Let muffins cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove and let cool completely on wire racks.

Notes

  • Very ripe bananas as always are crucial to give these muffins the sweetness and banana flavour that they need to be delicious. The browner, the better!
  • Room temperature ingredients, especially eggs, are ideal for baking. It allows the ingredients to mix together better, however it’s not the end of the world if you use cold eggs. To quickly bring eggs to room temperature (or at least warm them a little bit) place the eggs in a bowl of lukewarm water while you prepare your other ingredients.

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Muffins

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Hearty and satisfying, these muffins are the perfect breakfast or snack. Unlike many muffins, these do not taste like cake. They’re chock-full of oats and are made with whole wheat flour and flaxseed so they’re healthy in my books. Which means we can enjoy actual cake later on, ok?

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Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Muffins

Hearty and comforting, these muffins are chock-full of oats with just the right amount of sweetness.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: apple, flaxseed, Muffins, Oats
Servings: 12 muffins
Author: nattycakes

Ingredients

  • 1½ cup whole wheat flour
  • 2 cups quick-cooking oats*
  • 1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed*
  • ⅓ cup ground flaxseed
  • 1½ teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup buttermilk*
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ cup neutral oil (like coconut, canola, avocado)
  • 1½ cups apple, unpeeled and chopped into small chunks (about 1 large apple)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 12 cup muffin tin with butter or oil. Alternatively, line the pan with muffin liners.
  • In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, sugar, flaxseed, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Stir together, breaking up any clumps of brown sugar with the back of your spoon or spatula.
  • Add the egg, buttermilk, water, and oil to the dry ingredients and gently stir until just combined. Fold in the chopped apple, being careful not to over-mix.
  • Using two spoons, scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups, dividing it evenly among the 12 cups. Bake muffins for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan, then remove the muffins and let them cool completely on a wire rack.

Notes

  • I use quick-cooking oats, but old fashioned rolled oats will work fine too.
  • If you are trying to reduce the sugar to make these healthier, 3/4 cup of sugar will work (they’re still good, just a little bit bland) but do not use any less than that.
  • Make your own buttermilk: Put 1 Tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar in a 1-cup liquid measuring cup. Fill up to 1 cup line with milk. Let stand for 5 minutes. And voila – buttermilk!
  • Substitute the apple with other fresh or frozen fruit – A combination of raspberries and blueberries is delicious. I imagine dried fruit would work well too, but haven’t tried it myself.
  • These are best eaten in the first two days of making. They freeze well, so I usually freeze them the day I’ve made them.

Coconut Chocolate Chip Meringue with Fresh Berries & Cream

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Hearing a dessert described as “nice and light” usually makes me dubious. I immediately think of a grocery store cake (people who serve them always tout them to be “nice and light!”). In my experience they are mediocre and unsatisfying but I promise you that this is not the case here. This Coconut Chocolate Meringue is in fact, light. However, it is incredibly delicious and so far from mediocrity. Plus, it’s easy to make and happens to be gluten-free for the Celiacs in your lives (or if you’re out of flour). The recipe comes from my fairy godmother, Aunty Ang, another fabulous baker who has inspired me over the years.

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Coconut Chocolate Chip Meringue with Fresh Berries & Cream

Chewy meringue, pillowy whipped cream, and vibrant berries make for a delicious and beautiful dessert that is surprisingly simple to make.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Berries, Chocolate, Coconut, Cream, Fruit, Meringue
Servings: 6
Author: nattycakes

Equipment

  • Springform Pan

Ingredients

  • 4 egg whites, room temperature*
  • 1 scant cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup coconut, shredded*
  • ½ cup mini chocolate chips

Filling

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • ¼ cup icing sugar
  • 1-1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1½-2 cups fresh berries*, sliced if large
  • ¼ cup chopped toasted pecans (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and line a springform pan with parchment paper, cutting out a circle for the bottom and long strips for the edges. Use a small amount of butter to lightly grease the pan before sticking the parchment on in order to keep it in place.
  • Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and sugar together on high until white, glossy, firm peaks form. This means that when you lift the beaters up and out of the mixture, little mountain peaks of meringue will form and stay in place, with drooping down only a tiny bit at the tip of the peak. This takes some time, about 5 full minutes or more with a handheld electric mixer.
  • Gently fold in the coconut and chocolate chips. Pour into the prepared pan and spread it out in an even layer. Do not bang the pan to spread as this will cause the egg whites to lose their airiness.
  • Bake for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan. Do not be alarmed when your meringue looks caved in and disastrous (see photo below). Carefully remove from the pan once cool. I have never been able to get the bottom piece of parchment paper off, so if you're in the same boat, serve carefully and avoid cutting and serving the paper. The meringue slid off the paper easily when I served it.

Filling and Assembly

  • Beat heavy cream, icing sugar, and vanilla together until soft or loose peaks form. It should be really soft and pillowy. Taste and add more sugar and vanilla if needed.
  • Fill the caved-in meringue with the whipped cream. Top with fresh berries, chopped nuts if using, and garnish with fresh mint.

Notes

  • Separate eggs when they’re COLD, but beat egg whites when they’re ROOM TEMPERATURE. This will give you the best results for your meringue.
  • Coconut – I used unsweetened shredded medium coconut but sweetened would work fine too. As would desiccated coconut. I’d be wary of Fancy or Flaked coconut because when cutting the meringue, the pieces won’t hold together as well with larger pieces of coconut.
  • Fresh Berries – I usually use a combination of sliced strawberries and either blackberries, blueberries, or raspberries. Huckleberries are divine as well, but they’re harder to come by.
Caved in meringue that appears to be a disaster.. It is not.