Miss Emma Smith's War Cake.

Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a snack, this delicious cake is incredibly easy to make and even easier to eat.  It contains no dairy - that is, no eggs, milk, or butter, although I did use butter for the lard originally called for - and you can, and should, make it ahead of time to allow the flavors to develop, which means you can make it when you have time and eat it when you don't! 

I love old recipes like this and I don't know what took me so long to make it.  To help convince you to make this cake, here's a charming except from the cookbook I found it in: "This recipe is a war cake, born out of necessity, since it includes no eggs, butter or milk.  It's also an example of a recipe giving the marital status of the originator.  Miss Smith's contemporary, Mrs. William Eaton, apparently added the two teaspoons of cocoa to the recipe.  Also noted by Miss Smith, 'This cake is better at the end of a week or even longer.  It ripens as does all fruitcakes.'"  Could it be any cuter?



This cake is closely related to a fruitcake, but calling anything a fruitcake is a tricky matter as it will put many people off of making and eating it right away.  Really, this is a brown sugary sticky spicy cake dotted with unbelievably moist raisins.  And you need to make it to go with your morning cup of coffee or tea right now :)

Miss Emma Smith's War Cake
Recipe from Heirloom Baking with the Brass Sisters
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups plus 1 teaspoon hot water, divided
2 cups brown sugar
2 tablespoons lard (or butter)
1 cup raisins
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda

In a medium saucepan, add 2 cups of the hot water, brown sugar, lard, raisins, salt, spices and cocoa powder and cook over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil.  Stir constantly for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and let it cool until it reaches room temperature.

In a large bowl, measure out the flour and set aside.  Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. and line the bottom of a 9x5" loaf pan with wax paper, then spray the paper and sides of the pan with cooking spray. 

Dissolve the baking soda in 1 teaspoon of hot water, then stir into the brown sugar mixture.  Pour everything into the flour and mix well, then scrape the batter into the prepared pan.  Bake for 45 minutes to an hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let it cool for about 20 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.  Wrapped in tinfoil, the cake will get spicier and keeps up to a week.

Honey Cake.

Last week I made an orange poppy seed Bundt cake.  Well, I tried to.  When I went to take the cake out of the Bundt pan, of course the top of the cake stuck in the pan and only the bottom half came out.  It was still really delicious and we ate it all but I was really upset about not being able to get the whole cake out of the pan!

I was determined to make a Bundt cake that would look as beautiful as it tastes and I had a jar of honey crystallizing in the cupboard - honey cake!  This recipe is from the super cute Best Bake Sale Ever cookbook with a few adaptations.  I didn't have dark brown sugar and only 1 cup of honey so I added in 1/4 cup of molasses to compensate and used 3/4 cup light brown sugar instead of the full cup of dark brown that's called for.  I increased the amount of spices, added salt, and I used tea and brandy for the liquids. The book gives many options - you can use coffee or tea for the main liquid, orange juice, brandy or whiskey for the smaller amount of liquid.  I imagine you can also substitute 1 cup of any dried fruit you'd like here, I stuck with raisins and apricots but next time I'd love to try dried cherries, golden raisins, dates or dried blueberries!

I admit a big reason I decided to make this cake is because of the lack of fat needed - a mere 1/3 cup of oil!  This is a great dense, moist spicy cake for breakfast, snack or dessert.  I hope you enjoy it!

Honey Cake
Adapted from The Best Bake Sale Ever Cookbook
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1/3 cup vegetable (or canola) oil
1 cup honey
3/4 cup cold brewed tea or coffee
1/4 cup brandy, orange juice or whiskey
1/2 cup dark raisins
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. and grease a 10-inch Bundt pan well.

In a large bowl, whisk or sift together the flour, baking powder and soda, spices and salt until everything is incorporated and well mixed.  In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, molasses, oil, honey, coffee or tea and brandy, juice or whiskey, then add the liquid ingredients to the flour mixture and stir until almost completely mixed.  Fold in the dried fruit, then pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake in the center of the oven for 45 minutes to an hour and 15 minutes.  It will be done when it has risen and cracked slightly on top and turned golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.  Let it cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then run a butter knife around the edges to loosen and invert onto a serving platter or cake stand to cool completely.

This cake will stay fresh up to 5 days stored airtight.

Sedgemoor Easter Biscuits.

While on a search for traditional Easter recipes, I found this one.  I have to say, I like these more than the last batch of hot cross buns I made a couple of years ago!  They're called biscuits, but because it's a British recipe, this means cookie in America.  The dough is put together like a biscuit dough, however, and they come out with an amazing combination of chewy dried fruit and tender cookie. 

If you're looking for something new to bake this Easter, I highly recommend these.  The dough is a bit sticky but just make sure to use plenty of flour when rolling and cutting and you'll be fine.  If you don't want to glaze them, I think a sprinkling of turbinado or regular granulated sugar would also be pretty.  Although the recipe states 18 biscuits, I got 21 easily, and probably could have squeezed out a few more if I felt like rolling the dough another time. Since I had raisins on hand and they're much less expensive than currants, I just chopped them finely, but feel free to use currants instead.

Sedgemoor Easter Biscuits
Adapted from The New York Times
3/4 cup finely chopped raisins
2 tablespoons brandy
3/4 cup white wheat flour
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  
Glaze:
1 cup confectioner's sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, toss the raisins and brandy together, then let the raisins sit for 10 minutes.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flours, spices, salt and sugar until everything is well mixed.  Cut the butter into the dry mixture until crumbly, then stir in the egg, vanilla extract and brandy-soaked raisins.  Stir until a smooth dough forms, then turn out onto a floured surface and roll to 1/4" to 1/2" thick.  Using a 2" cutter (or any shape you'd like), cut and transfer the shapes to the baking sheet and bake for about 18 to 25 minutes.  The biscuits should be golden brown around the edges.

Whisk the confectioner's sugar and milk together to make a thin glaze.  Brush the glaze over the warm cookies, then let them dry.  Brush the cookies again with a second coating, creating a shiny covering.  Let the cookies cool completely before storing up to 5 days.

Gluten Free Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Today is my brother Andy's birthday!!!  We had a celebration for him over the weekend and he requested carrot cake again this year and I used the gluten free carrot cake recipe from last year, with a few minor changes as well as my go-to cream cheese frosting.  This is one recipe I feel like I have nailed down for good - I prefer this carrot cake over one with wheat flour any day and I urge you to try it this spring.  It would make a perfect dessert for Easter Sunday or any warm-weather occasion popping up on your calendar!

I took the recipe I found last year and decreased the amount of oil and sugar and I can honestly say neither was missed.  I also didn't add any coconut this year, just because I didn't have any on hand, but do feel free to add in 1 cup of it.  This amount of batter does make a bit much for 2 layers of cake, so you can make about 8 extra cupcakes with it, or just cut the recipe in half if you'd prefer.  But I promise you none of it will go to waste.  I love this cake and I hope any celiacs and non-celiacs out there will love it too!

Gluten Free Carrot Cake
2/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
4 large eggs
3 tablespoons water
1 1/2 cups cornstarch
1 1/3 cups potato starch
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 cup chopped, toasted walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
4 or 5 large carrots, grated

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. and grease 2 8" or 9" cake pans as well as a cupcake pan (or line with baking papers.)

In medium bowl, combine the oil, sugars, eggs and water.  In a larger bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, potato starch, baking soda and baking powder, spices, salt and xanthan gum until everything is well mixed.  Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients, adding in the walnuts, raisins and carrots and combine well.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 15 (cupcakes) minutes to 45 (cake layers) minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Let cool completely on wire racks before icing.

Go-to Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
Pinch of kosher salt
1 lb. confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream the butter, cream cheese and salt together in a mixing bowl until very well mixed.  Add the sugar and combine, stir in the vanilla extract, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat for a few minutes, until very light and fluffy. 

Apricot-Raisin Oatmeal Bars.

 

Last night I had a craving for chocolate.  So I looked through some recipes and decided on a chocolate drop cookie that seemed like it would be delicious with white chocolate chips in the dough and coated in confectioner's sugar before baking.  The recipe was unfortunately a disaster.  The dough came out dry and sandy, I had to knead it in order to get any cookies out of it at all, then after baking they tasted more of flour than chocolate.  Needless to say I think something out there was telling me to bake something healthier, something more wholesome than chocolate cookies.

So this is what I baked instead this morning because I need at least one cookie in the house at all times.  They are decidedly not decadent or buttery at all, but they're very good if you're looking for something slightly sweeter than a granola bar to keep around for when the mood strikes, and they won't make you fat! Feel free to substitute any dried fruit you'd like in these if you don't have apricots or raisins on hand or are just feeling creative :)

Apricot-Raisin Oatmeal Bars
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal
1 large egg
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup coarsely chopped, dried apricots
1/2 cup raisins
Orange drizzle:
3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons orange juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and line a 9x13 glass baking dish with foil or parchment paper, then spray with cooking spray and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the flours, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and oatmeal.  In a larger bowl, whisk together the egg, brown sugar, yogurt, water, molasses and oil.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until almost completely combined, then stir in the dried apricots and raisins.  Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Let the bars cool on a rack, then whisk together the confectioner's sugar and orange juice until you have a thin, drizzleable glaze.  With a fork or spatula, drizzle the mixture over the bars.  Let cool completely, then cut into bars.  Store airtight for up to 5 days.

Old Fashioned Soft Sugar Cookies.

Although I know warmer weather is on its way, this time of year still requires a lot of comforting.  Comfort in knowing winter is almost over, comfort in the fact that pretty soon you'll be able to take walks outside without wearing gloves, a scarf, boots and a heavy winter coat. 

These cookies are comfort cookies, for sure.  I don't know where they originated, but the recipe my mom had in her recipe box looks like it was clipped from a newspaper and I find something so charming and lovely about that.  

This recipe is fairly adaptable as far as additions go - I added some toasted, chopped walnuts and raisins.  But you don't have to add either one, or add pecans and dried cherries instead - it's totally up to you.  Just sigh in comfort when you bite into one :)

Old Fashioned Soft Sugar Cookies
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
About 1 cup additions - chopped nuts, dried fruit, etc.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. and line a few baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking soda, spices and salt and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing until fluffy after each one is added.  Add the vanilla extract, then the flour and sour cream, alternately, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Stir in the additions.  Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the baking sheets and bake for about 10-12 minutes, until very lightly golden on the edges and set in the middle.

Let cool on a wire rack and store airtight for up to 5 days.

I must admit, I have not been baking as much as I used to. I used to bake every single day, and now I bake about two or three times per week. Not out of laziness or because I don't want to, but because I have lost about 20lbs. since December and I plan on continuing the weight loss! I am dieting but I still eat something sweet or chocolatey every single day. If I deprived myself of sweets and chocolate, I don't think I'd be able to lose weight successfully because I'd constantly be craving things.

This won't become a diet blog. Because I wouldn't read a diet blog. It might be a food blog that also includes photos and stories from my life. So much has changed since I last posted here, it's been just less than a year! I'm almost a completely different person and so much happier now. Hopefully some people out there are still interested in reading about it :)

To kick things off, my mom showed me this oatmeal cookie recipe from Cooking Light recently - only 78 calories per cookie! I left the walnuts out, thinking my sister would eat them but I was wrong, so on the second batch, I studded each cookie with a walnut piece before baking. Feel free to add or subtract anything you'd like.

Oatmeal Cookies with A-Peel (their title, not mine)
Makes about 4 dozen cookies. A lot of dough. I refrigerated mine in plastic wrap and I bake in dozens when I feel like it :)
1 cup dried cranberries or raisins
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
(I added 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Because I like my oatmeal cookies with cinnamon.)
3 cups oats (I used quick-cooking, they call for regular, it doesn't matter)
1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon grated orange zest

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine cranberries or raisins in a small bowl and cover with the orange juice, set aside for about 10 minutes.

Beat the butter with the sugars until light and fluffy. Add the corn syrup and egg and beat well. Add in the orange juice mixture.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt (and cinnamon) in a medium bowl. Add the oats, walnuts and orange zest. Add to sugar mixture and stir well.

Using about a tablespoon for each cookie, form small balls and place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 11 minutes or until slightly golden around the edges. I like my oatmeal cookies (and all cookies, really) chewy, but if you like crispier cookies, bake until the entire cookie is golden brown.

Apples and fall-ish things.

I really don't like fall. I can get into all the other seasons. Winter I have Christmas, the holidays, my birthday to look forward to. Spring is great because the snow will eventually melt and it gets warmer and everything becomes green again. Summer. Glorious summer. It is my favourite. So obviously when fall rolls around it feels like the death of the best season, you know? There are too many changes in September and I've always hated it.

Apple picking, hay rides, pumpkins, Halloween, apple cider. None of these things are very nostalgic for me or bring me much joy I have to say. But sometimes I do feel like the people I live with deserve to have these things that they themselves might enjoy. And also we have a crap load of McIntosh apples sitting on the counter and no one is eating them because it's still kind of warm out at the moment. Plus this is one of the few apple recipes I found not using Granny Smiths. I mean, yes I'm a baker but who actually keeps Granny Smiths around for eating? They don't because they're not meant to be eaten. I only buy them when I'm making apple pie.

Anyway, I promise this will be the last recipe from Carole Walter's Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins & More. Well I can't promise anything because sometimes on Saturday nights I have a desire for something with a buttery crumb topping and this is the book I immediately go to. But hopefully I'll be doing more of a variety of baked goods now that the heat won't prevent me from baking. Maybe.

Just a note this recipe originally called for a different crumb topping, something called "country crumb topping" which included whole wheat flour, oatmeal and things that sounded good and fine but much too much for my sleepy brain to think about when all I wanted were buttery crumbs. Therefore I went for the rustic maple pecan streusel on the page next to it. Much more my thing anyway :D

Apple Muffins with Maple Pecan Streusel
Recipes from Carole Walter's Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins & More
(Both these recipes originally call for dark brown sugar. I would have used it if I had it but light brown worked just fine in both cases.)

Streusel (make this first):
7 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon maple extract
1 1/4 cups AP flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
(I added 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped a bit

Place the butter in a small saucepan and heat until almost melted and add the extract. Set it aside and let the rest of it melt and cool down a bit. Add the other ingredients and stir with a fork until crumbs form. Set aside until you need it for the muffins.



Muffin batter:
3 medium McIntosh apples (about a pound) peeled, cored, and chopped into small pieces
1 3/4 cup AP flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped

Originally the recipe says you can peel and core the apples and then chop them in the food processor. If you're that lazy, go for it. But I am never opposed to a little chopping with a chef's knife and in this case it makes no difference whatsoever.

So anyway, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, paper some muffin cups (this made 18 for me, the recipe says 16 though) and sift the dry ingredients together and set them aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the eggs until they're lighter in colour on medium high speed, about 2 minutes. Add the brown sugar and whisk again for another minute. Add the honey and the vanilla and then combine the butter and oil. Now you want to add this to the eggs and basically emulsify the situation, so drizzle them in very slowly, making it take about a minute. Add the apples, raisins and pecans, stir and then add the dry ingredients all at once and stir until combined.

Portion the batter out into the cups. It can really go almost to the top and it won't overflow, promise. Then crumble the streusel on top. Each muffin can get a generous amount. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pans for even browning halfway through.

Let cool or don't and enjoy. These are good enough that I forget it's fall anyway.

Use What You've Got : Carrot Cupcakes.

It hasn't stopped snowing now for at least 48 hours. And it gets tiring. All the shoveling, winter driving, making sure you have enough gas in your car in case you get stuck in a ditch somewhere.

So generally when I don't have to go anywhere during this time of year I don't. (basically I become a hermit) Actually, it's March now right? Usually this happens around January or February but you never know here in Buffalo. We're going through quite the storm and it will be (TECHNICALLY) spring in two weeks. But to get to the point I don't exactly have the nerves to get in my car and drive to the store to get stuff when I need it when baking. I use what I have.

I really dislike when people on recipe sites (epicurious.com coughcough) make a recipe, then rate it with 5 out of 5 stars when they substitute every ingredient for another ingredient... it's hardly the same recipe anymore! However cooking and baking are about using what you've got ultimately in my opinion. Cooking moreso, but when it comes to add-ins in baking I say why not. Therefore in this carrot cake I used pecans, not walnuts. I used melted butter, not canola oil or some fancy walnut oil (like one recipe I came across called for.) So here is my version of carrot cake. Loosely based on the one from Elinor Klivan's book "Cupcakes."



Cupcake batter:
1 cup AP flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup canola or corn oil (used melted butter, as mentioned. came out lovely.)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1 cup finely grated carrots
3/4 cup golden raisins (I'm sure you could add whatever you want here if you're not a raisin fan. I considered dried cranberries and/or apricots for example.)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (pecans IMO)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. and line a 12-cup muffin pan with papers.

Sift the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon onto a piece of wax or parchment paper and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugar until smooth and thick, about 1 minute on high speed. On low speed mix in the oil or butter, vanilla, orange zest until blended. Mix in the flour, carrots and other add-ins here and blend until just combined.

Fill each cupcake paper with about 1/4 cup batter and bake until the tops are firm and a toothpick inserted in the middle of each one comes out clean, about 28 minutes. (I think mine took about 24. Check early, they burn easily.)

Cool the cupcakes completely on a wire rack.

Orange Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting:
(These would be totally rad with just regular cream cheese frosting also I'm sure. I had to use up some coconut stuff that was in the freezer.)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 4 cups icing sugar
1 cup sweetened flake coconut
1 teaspoon grated orange zest

Beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth and combined. Then add the vanilla and powdered sugar and beat on medium until well blended. Add the coconut and orange zest.

I liked these to be kind of home-y looking. I originally used a star tip to pipe the frosting on but it reminded me too much of a bakery I used to work at so I got my little icing spatula out and swirled away. Have fun with the garnishes on these. (I considered making these carrot sprinkles from Cupcake Bakeshop but didn't have enough time.) I used a toasted pecan half and toasted coconut that I then whizzed up in the food processor until it was a bit finer. I absolutely love these cupcakes and I hope you do too.