Lemon Honey Poke Cake with Lavender Cream

April showers bring May flowers, right? Well with all of this rain that we are experiencing in Charleston right now, there better be a dang field of flowers growing all over this entire city once May hits! Yes, I love the rain, I love the smell, I love how peaceful it can be if you happen to be walking in the rain—with a parapluie of course—I am all about the rain, don’t get me wrong! Yet this kind of rain isn’t the cute kind, isn’t the let’s go dancing in it and splash in puddles and be adorable, it’s the aw shoot. We are about to get some slight flooding, some really drenched lawns, and I’ll definitely be getting splashed walking to work—that kind of rain.

So, my ever so sweet baking friends, I have decided to play a little bit of pretend!

Don’t worry, I realize that I am almost 26, but this is the acceptable kind of make believe.

While making this recipe, I turned on some good ol’ Edith Piaf and pretended it was springtime in Paris; just another reason that rain can be absolutely gorgeous and romantic. I then began to daydream about this time last year, when I was actually in Paris, having my fair share of Champagne and people watching, which is probably one of my best talents…

…

…Okay, back to reality! Yes I love rain, I love France, I love springtime, and what do all of those add up to? Me craving lavender. Lots and lots of lavender. And voilá, I give you a cake that is soaked in lavender! Of course, mes amies, you read that right, and it’s every bit delicieuse as it sounds. I made these little cakes, well, petits! In my opinion, single serving, and when you drench the lemon honey cakes in lavender infused cream, I mean, need I say more?!

Oh and remember why rain is so magnifique?! This cake was born during a terrible rain storm, yet filled with the most love and happiness and lavender!

Here you have it, my April showers please bring May all of the flowers poke cake—poking being what you must do to the cake in order to create some nice little homes for the lavender cream to seep into! As I listen to the rain come crashing down outside, my ears are filled with a little bit of “…je ne regrette rien…” and my tummy is stuffed full of a yummy, light little cake!

cake ingredients

Butter—2 oz, or ¼ C

Sugar—3 oz, or ¼ C + 2 TBL

Honey—1 oz, or2TBL

Eggs—1

Flour—6 oz, or 1 C

Baking Powder—1 tsp

Salt—¼ tsp

Lemon Zest—1 lemon

Lemon Juice—1.5 oz, or 3 TBL

Milk—4 oz, or ½ C

process

Preheat your oven to 350˚ F.

In the bowl of your mixer, cream together the butter, sugar and honey.

Add in the egg, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Add the lemon zest to the dry ingredients.

Alternating between the milk and dry, add to the mixer, while on low speed.

When you have finished, add in the lemon juice.

Scrape down the bowl one final time to make sure that everything is combined.

Spray 4-4” can pans, I used our Le Creuset mini cocottes for this, with nonstick spray.

*Note: if you would rather use a larger 6” or 8” cake pan and just make one big cake, that would be equally as delicious! Make sure to bump up bake time.*

Fill each one up halfway.

Bake in your preheated oven for 30 minutes, until the top springs back when touched and the cake is a light golden color.

Allow to cool completely before adding in the Lavender Cream!

lavender cream ingredients

Whole Milk—4 oz, or ½ C

Dried Lavender Buds—2 TBL

process

In a small saucepot, combine the milk and lavender; bring to a boil.

Once at a full boil, turn off the heat and cover the pot.

Allow to steep for 10-15 minutes.

Strain the lavender buds, keeping the milk.

When you are ready to use for your cakes, poke little holes all over the cake for the cream to soak into.

Pour a few spoonfuls all over your holey cake and let sit about 1 minute.

Top with fresh fruit (Strawberries work wonders!), whipped cream, or nice and simple by itself, and enjoy!

Bon Appétit!

Happy Trails Cookies

Okay, my friends, I have done it. I have made a cookie that actually is a bit healthy, a lot flavorful and ridiculously moist. There is so much going on in this tiny little bite that you won’t even want to question why I give permission to eat more than 1 at a time!

The inspiration for this recipe is something super personal to me—Earth Day. Not only is it this coming Friday, but it is something that someone very close to me, who we lost all too soon in February, loved. My stepdad—a true adventurer, outdoorsman, hands-on, lover of nature—it is all him behind this here cookie. While he may not be with us any longer, his spirit will always live on, which is why it felt like a crazy coincidence that I would have this urge to make these “Happy Trails” cookies right around Earth Day, right around when the weather is becoming the perfect hiking weather, and his birthday is only a few weeks away.

Like many of us, healthy eating is always the big plan, but then we see something sweet and our heads are instantly like well, I mean, it won’t kill you to eat this entire box of Thin Mints, right? …my stepdad would always hide his because maybe one of us kids would maybe get into them each year..

Anyways!

I am giving you the best of both worlds here. Half butter, half coconut oil—check. Raisins and chocolate chips—double check. Lots of nuts, even more carrots—yes and yes. Want to know something magnificent? First off, the carrots provide so much MOISTURE! The softest, most dream like cookie that isn’t cakey, you can thank those beautiful carrots for more than just good eyesight! Secondly, the carrot flavor is not overpowering. If you are looking for a carrot cake intensity, this, unfortunately, will not give you that, but mixed with all of the other goodies in this cookie, you have yourself quite a treat. Finally, your add-ins are so versatile, you can swap out whichever ones—but this combo is quite perfect if you ask me!

I am giving you a little bit of health and a little bit of sugar in these cookies! You may think that granola bars and apples are the only great outdoor activity snack, but guess again! This here recipe is the perfect addition to your most wild of adventures. Dedicated to my spunky, crazy, full-of-life, extraordinarily courageous step-dad whom I know would highly approve of this recipe! 

ingredients

Butter, room temperature—4 oz, or 1 stick

Coconut Oil, melted—4 oz, or ½ C

Brown Sugar—8 oz, or 1 C

Sugar—2 oz, or ¼ C

Eggs—2

Vanilla Extract—1 tsp

Flour—18 oz, or 3 C

Baking Soda—1 tsp

Salt—1 tsp

Cinnamon—2 tsp

Carrots, shredded—4 oz, or 1 C

Chia Seeds—0.25 oz, or ½ TBL

Sunflower Seeds—1 oz, or ¼ C

Peanuts—2.5 oz, or ½ C

Raisins—3 oz, or ½ C

Chocolate Chips—3 oz, or ½ C

process

In the bowl of your mixer, cream together the butter and sugars.

Once smooth, slowly stream in the melted coconut oil.

Add the eggs and the vanilla.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

Slowly add this to the mixer.

Scrape down the sides of your bowl.

Add in the shredded carrots and the remaining add-ins.

Remove from the mixing bowl and wrap in plastic to chill.

When you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350˚ F.

Roll into balls, about 2 oz, and bake for 12-14 minutes, until slightly golden.

Remove from the pan onto a cooling rack.

Wait a few minutes (to avoid burning your mouth!) before devouring.

Bon Appétit!

Almond Joy Cupcakes

You need this cake in your life, and you need it right now! Bright and early in the week, I promise that you won’t regret it!

Here is my story for the week, my sweet baking friends—I got in this wildly unmotivated mood the past handful of days. I was feeling all sorts of exhaustion, from working to baking to wedding planning, when I finally had a second to sit down, I didn’t want to get up for maybe a month or two. It felt crazy, and even more out of this world saying it out loud!

Okay. Out loud aka typing…

We all have those moments, right? When you decide for a few minutes that you don’t know what you’re doing with your life, that maybe you should be going down a different path, that maybe eating a bowl of cookie dough isn’t the right answer but you’re okay with being wrong…right?!

Say yes! Anyone!

Well that was little Miss Katie these past days. I have started planning my training schedule for some upcoming races, and then I realized that there is 2 million wedding things to get done, and then it was like oh my gosh we are moving in a few months, but shoot, I need to focus on the wedding…and clearly I’m veering off course. So, as you can see, my mind has been everywhere, my urge for baking was more like another task—what?! You live for sugar, Katie—and I couldn’t seem to focus on one thing at a time.

In comes my future husband, aka the man with all of the answers, aka the reason for this amazing recipe, aka why I am a bit calmer than I was 2 days ago!

He tells my stubborn self to take a break, forget about everything for a while and come back to it—so we go to Target, because DUH, and then after we try on wedding bands…instantly more relaxed.

And I am back, refreshed and ready to get elbow deep in some dark chocolate, almonds and coconut—it’s just as incredible as it sounds.

So here we have it, the cake that seemed to save my life this weekend all because of the man who surely gives me life! Insanely rich chocolate cake that is stuffed with even more bittersweet chocolate chunks, almonds and coconut…plus coconut buttercream, it’s everything you will need to make this week magnificent, and more!

Whether you are feeling like Slumpy Katie from Sunday or World Conquering Katie from Tuesday, this cake will give you the power to do all of the things—which may be a laundry list or just a little self love!

cake ingredients

Butter—2 oz, or 4 TBL

Sugar—2 oz, or ¼ C

Brown Sugar—1 oz, or 2 ½ TBL

Egg—1

Milk—1.5 oz, or 3 TBL

Vanilla—½ tsp

Corn Syrup—0.5 oz, or 1 TBL

Flour—2 oz, or ¼ C + 1 TBL

Cocoa Powder—0.75 oz, or 2 ½ TBL

Baking Powder—½ tsp

Baking Soda—¼ tsp

Salt—½ tsp

Shredded Coconut—0.5 oz, or ¼ C

Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped—2 oz, or ½ C

process

Preheat your oven to 350˚ F.

In the bowl of your mixer, cream together the butter and sugars.

In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Combine the milk, egg, vanilla and corn syrup in another cup.

Once the butter is smooth, alternate between the wet and dry, slowly adding it into the mixer.

Make sure to always scrape down the sides of your bowl!

Once all of the ingredients are in the bowl, fold in the coconut and chopped chocolate.

Fill your cupcake tin with liners and put enough cake batter in each to fill them up about ½ way.

Bake in your preheated oven for 18-20 minutes until the top springs back slightly when touched.

Allow to cool completely before frosting!

*Note—this is a small batch of cupcakes, only makes 6, so this way I won’t eat them all myself! It is very simple to double or triple the batch for any type of party, gathering, etc.*

buttercream ingredients

Butter—6.5 oz, or 13 TBL

Confectioner’s Sugar—12 oz, or 3 C

Milk—2 oz, or 4 TBL

Almond Extract—2 tsp

Shredded Coconut—0.5 oz, or ¼ C

process

In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream the butter until smooth.

Sift the confectioner’s sugar and slowly add it to the creamed butter.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and then stream in the milk and almond extract.

Whip on high until smooth.

Add in the coconut.

I used a medium-sized star tip to pipe onto these cupcakes, but you may use either a spatula or a flat tip—whatever you think looks the best! Sprinkle on more coconut and chopped chocolate for garnish.

Bon Appétit!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cake

Question—have you ever realized that you had all of these quirky habits as a child and then one day, as an adult, you’re like well what happened to them?! When did I become this semi-normal grownup?

WELL, my sweet baking friends, that happened to me the other day and I just couldn’t get it out of my head!

I woke up the other day simply craving a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. All I wanted the entire day was my simple PB&J&C. We will get back to the C shortly. Sadly, as a sort of adult, I don’t usually make myself a good old childhood sandwich—I’m constantly thinking about what the best nutrients for my body are, how I can fuel myself each day so I’m not falling asleep by noon or waking up with a stomach ache from too much ice cream.

Adulting is way too hard.

Back to my ever so important craving.

I used to come home most days after school as a child to either an empty house, or my stepdad working, aka Katie makes her own snack time. Now, Roberto will make fun of me until the end of my life for this—but here it is, out in the open for the world to see—the two top afterschool snacks I would make myself.

1. Either about half of a box of noodles with butter and cheese,

Or 2. A toasted peanut butter, jelly, and chocolate chip sandwich.

Carbs and I were, and still are, BFF’s. Just picture this though, warm, toasty bread, melty peanut butter and chocolate chips with cold jelly…I mean come on! It doesn’t get much better than that does it?!

Lately though, I have just been needing one of those sandwiches, which is where the inspiration for this cake came about! So, I give you an ever so rich peanut butter cake matched with even more moist and delightfully light strawberry cake, all sandwiched together with smooth dark chocolate buttercream.

It’s my childhood dream of a cake! …I will still take that sandwich though…

While maybe some days we aren’t feeling young enough to pack up this old favorite in a little baggy, cut into cute triangles with a side of sliced apples, this cake is my more adult version. I swear, put it out for your friends, kids, families, young, old—all will like it, my 25 year old self guarantees it!

peanut butter cake ingredients

Butter, room temperature—2 oz, or 4 TBL

Peanut Butter—3 oz, or ¼ C + 2 TBL

Sugar—8 oz, or 1 C

Eggs—2

Vanilla—2 tsp

Flour—12 oz, or 2 C

Baking Powder—2 ½ tsp

Salt—½ tsp

Milk—8 oz, or 1 C

process

Preheat your oven to 350˚ F.

In the bowl of your mixer, cream together the butter, peanut butter, and sugar.

Once smooth, add in the eggs, one at a time; and then the vanilla.

Scrape the bottom and sides of your bowl.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Alternating with the milk, slowly add this to your mixer while it is on low.

Once all of the ingredients have been added, scrape down one final time to make sure that all has been incorporated evenly.

Prepare an 8” cake pan by spraying with nonstick spray and then either lining the bottom with parchment paper or sprinkling a light coat of flour on it.

Pour the cake batter into your pan and bake for 40-45 minutes until the top springs back when touched.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before assembly!

strawberry cake ingredients

Butter, room temperature—4 oz, or ½ C

Sugar—8 oz, or 1 C

Eggs—2

Vanilla—2 tsp

Flour—12 oz, or 2 C

Baking Powder—2 ½ tsp

Salt—½ tsp

Milk—6 oz, or ¾ C

Strawberries, cut—5.5 oz, or ½ C

process

Preheat your oven to 350˚ F.

In the bowl of your mixer, cream together the butter and sugar.

Once smooth, add in the eggs, one at a time; and then the vanilla.

Scrape the bottom and sides of your bowl.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

In a separate cup, combine the milk and strawberries.

Whether you want to use an immersion blender or regular blender to combine the fruit and milk is up to you—this will make sure that the berries are added evenly by blending them!

*If you do not have a blender, very finely chopping the strawberries will work just as well!*

Alternating with the strawberry-milk, slowly add this to your mixer while it is on low.

Once all of the ingredients have been added, scrape down one final time to make sure that all has been incorporated evenly.

Prepare an 8” cake pan by spraying with nonstick spray and then either lining the bottom with parchment paper or sprinkling a light coat of flour on it.

Pour the cake batter into your pan and bake for 40 minutes until the top springs back when touched.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before assembly!

chocolate buttercream ingredients

Butter, room temperature—8 oz, or 1 C

Confectioner’s Sugar—15.5 oz, or 3 ½ C

Cocoa Powder—2.5 oz, or 1 ½ C + 2 TBL

Vanilla—2 tsp

Milk—2.5 oz, or 5 TBL

process

In the bowl of your mixer, cream the butter until very smooth and light.

Scrape down the sides of your bowl and the paddle.

Sift together the sugar and cocoa powder.

When the butter is ready, slowly add in your sifted ingredients.

Add in the vanilla and the milk.

Once everything has been added, scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle.

Turn the mixer on high for about 5-10 seconds, just to get a nicely whipped and smooth buttercream.

Now it is ready for assembly!

assembly

This cake can be assembled in oh so many ways, or just slather on a bunch of butterceam onto an entire cake and eat it that way—but I have decided to do checkerboard.

To do this it is simple.

First, cut off the tops of each of your cakes to make sure that they are even and flat.

Next, cut each cake in half—giving you 4 layers total (between both cakes).

To make the checkerboard, use a large circle cutter—or I used a 6” cake pan—to cut out the center of each cake.

Next, using a smaller cutter, cut the center out of the larger circle you just cut out.

Now you should have cut each layer into 3 sections.

To put back together, take a larger circle of one flavor, the middle sized circle of another flavor and then the smaller circle to match the outside flavor.

Example—large PB cake, medium strawberry cake, smallest PB cake.

Do this with each layer, although it is easiest to assemble when you are frosting each layer.

Next, coat the bottom layer with buttercream, spread evenly and put the next layer of checkerboard cake on top.

Do this until you have used all of the cake layers.

For the top and sides, I have left this cake a little messier than usual—because it is a peanut butter and jelly cake and we all make ours a little differently!

Once assembled how you would like, cut a nice large slice for yourself and enjoy.

Bon Appétit!