Lemon-Lavender Pancakes

Well, hello there!
After a four-month hiatus, I'm back and ready to blog.
Life updates: I left my job at LivingSocial at the end of January, and started at Fishbowl Marketing shortly thereafter. I'm now a Product Specialist at a very cool company that does marketing for restaurants. Most importantly: I'm loving it.
Everything else is pretty much the same. I haven't baked a whole lot in the last four months, to be honest. Without those glorious built-in vacations that I miss so deeply (boy, did I have it good as a student), and with me being exhausted when I get home from work every day, it's hard to find the time and energy.
However, last Monday, I had a sort-of snow day. I've had at least three work from home snow days since I started at Fishbowl a month and a half ago. Now, I love snow. I got my mom's New England blood, and I love the cold and the snow. So when I say I'm ready for Spring, that means it's snowed too damn much.

Which brings me to these pancakes. I woke up last Sunday morning with the idea to make lemon pancakes with lavender syrup. However, my box of Oreo O's arrived shortly thereafter (from South Korea- I love the internet), and I lost interest. So I made them for dinner! Very springy and delightful.

Lemon Pancakes
Adapted from Pinch My Salt
Yield: ~15 medium-sized pancakes
Ingredients:
Flour- 1 c
Baking powder- 1/2 tsp
Salt- 1/8 tsp
Sugar- 1 tbsp
Eggs- 4, separated
Buttermilk- 1 c, room temp
Zest of 1 1/2 lemons
Fresh lemon juice- 3 tbsp
Butter for griddle/pan

Directions:
1. In a mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks, buttermilk, lemon zest and lemon juice. Pour into the flour mix and stir to combine.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip egg whites until medium to stiff peaks form. Very gently fold into flour/buttermilk mixture. Stir gently until incorporated but some fluffs of egg white are still visible- you want the batter to be fluffy!
4. Heat a griddle or pan to medium, and butter the surface. Drop batter into pancakes of the size you prefer and cook until the edges start to look dry- aim for golden brown. Timing is a gut thing, trust our gut! Spread butter over warm pancakes and serve with Lavender Syrup.

Lavender Syrup
Adapted from Perpetually Chic
Ingredients:
Sugar- 1 c
Water- 1/2 c
Dried culinary lavender- 2 tbsp

Directions:
1. Bring sugar, water and lavender to a boil in a small saucepan.
2. Allow to simmer until the sugar has dissolved (a minute or two), then remove from heat.
3. Let steep for 30 minutes, then strain into a bowl (or glass bottle with a lid).

Enjoy!

Glazed Apple Cider Donuts

These donuts are wonderful!
Seriously.
I can't even put words together to describe their amazingness.

This is not a quick recipe. You'll need to block out at least 2 hours to do 'em right, and trust me, you want to do 'em right.

Make these this weekend. Enjoy a couple, then get them the heck out of your kitchen, because you will want to eat ALL of them. Not that this comes from experience or anything...

Apple Cider Donuts
Slightly adapted from The Washington Post via Ambrosia Baking
Yield: ~2 dozen donuts + donut holes
Ingredients:
Apple cider- 1 c + 2 tbsp, separated
All-purpose flour- 3 1/2, plus extra for the work surface
Baking powder- 2 tsp
Baking soda- 1 tsp
Ground cinnamon- 1/2 tsp
Salt- 1/2 tsp
Ground nutmeg- 1/8 tsp
Unsalted butter- 4 tbsp, room temp
Granulated sugar- 1 c
Large eggs- 2, room temp
Buttermilk- 1/2 c
Powdered sugar- 1 c
Vegetable oil, for frying
Directions:
1. Pour 1 c apple cider into a small saucepan, and cook over medium or medium-low heat until it is reduced to about 1/4 c, ~20-30 minutes. Take off the heat and stick in the fridge to cool.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg, and whisk together. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl (or the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), beat butter and sugar together until smooth. Add eggs one by one, beating well after each addition.
4. Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add the reduced apple cider and buttermilk, mixing only until just combined.
5. Add the flour mixture to the batter, and continue to mix just until combined- be careful not to overbeat!
6. Line a baking sheet with wax paper, and sprinkle with flour. Scoop the dough onto the sheet, and sprinkle with more flour; flatten with your hands until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Stick the sheet in the freezer until it has hardened slightly, ~20-30 minutes.
7. Pull dough out of the freezer, and cut the donuts using a donut cutter. Place on another baking sheet lined with wax paper, and stick in the fridge for another 20 minutes.
8. Add vegetable oil to a deep-sided pan- the oil should reach about 3 inches high. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F (use a candy thermometer). Have a plate or two ready lined with paper towels.
9. While the oil is heating, make the apple cider glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar and 2 tbsp apple cider until smooth. A little extra apple cider might be necessary; you don't want this glaze to be too thick.
10. When the oil is heated, carefully add two or three donuts to the pot (depending on the size of the pot). The fry time will vary, I had them in the pot for 1 1/2 minutes on average. Don't let them get darker than golden brown. Remove from oil and put on paper towel-lined plate to drain. Dip warm donuts in the glaze, and serve immediately.

ENJOY!

Donuts, Part 2

So there's this blog that I'm obsessed with. More like I'm kind of obsessed with the author. Not in a stalker kind of way, in a I-totally-want-to-be-her-when-I-grow-up way.
Jessica at How Sweet It Is rocks. She posts almost every day, she cooks and bakes and comes up with so many awesome recipes! I get almost all of my dinner recipes from her. Here's a list of the ones I've used:
Crunchy Oven-Fried Cheese Ravioli
Creamy Caprese Pasta
Grilled Tomato Basil Chicken
Crunchy Chicken Fingers
Clams Casino Pizza
Crispy Shrimp Tacos
Hot Blueberry Cheddar Dip with Toasty Bread
Hot Fudge Root Beer Float Cupcakes (the first recipe I ever used from HSII), totally changed my life

And now, Glazed Blueberry Cake Donuts.

These donuts are amazing. I'm 100% positive I'll have a sugar crash in about an hour, but they're so worth it.

Make these IMMEDIATELY!

I put most of these donuts in my apartment's lobby, but there are three sitting here taunting me. They're for my roommates, and my resistance is weakening by the moment. In other words, if you're reading this, roommates, come back and save me from myself!!!
Glazed Blueberry Cake Donuts
Courtesy of How Sweet It Is
Ingredients:
All-purpose flour- 2 1/4 c, plus more for surface
Granulated sugar- 1/3 c
Baking powder- 1 tbsp
Cinnamon- 1 tsp
Nutmeg- 1/4 tsp
Salt- 1/2 tsp
Unsalted butter- 4 tbsp, melted
Lowfat milk- 1/2 c
1 Egg, lightly beaten
Vanilla extract- 2 tsp
Fresh blueberries- 1 1/2 c (make sure you remove all the stems first!)
Oil for frying
Directions:
1. In a small bowl, combine egg, milk and vanilla extract. Set aside.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl. Add melted butter, quickly stirring to disperse it and form small crumbs.
3. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients and stir to combine. Before it completely comes together, add the blueberries, mashing some as you go along, and bring the dough together with your hands.
4. Form dough into a large ball, and roll it out on a floured surface to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut donuts using a donut cutter or biscuit cutter (use a small lid or frosting coupler to cut out the center). Make sure you've cut ALL your donuts before you start heating the oil.
5. Heat oil in a large pot or deep fryer, bringing it to 375 degrees. While you're waiting, prepare the Glaze...
{2 c powdered sugar
1-2 tbsp water
1 drop of vanilla extract
Whisk until smooth, if it's too thin add more sugar, if it's too thick add more water.}
6. Fry donuts 1-2 at a time, for about 1 1/2 - 2 minutes per side. Check first donut by cutting into the center to make sure the dough is cooked through. Dunk entire donut in glaze while still hot, and let sit to cool before serving.

If you don't have a donut cutter, here's one from Williams-Sonoma: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/donut-cutter/ 
ENJOY!!! And maybe eat some scrambled eggs, to get some protein and prevent a total sugar meltdown. I'm just looking out for your well-being :)

Donuts, Part 1

Dear Cupcakes,
You should be made aware that I am having a passionate love affair. With donuts.
My love for you has not cooled, but you might need to step up your game because these donuts are ridiculous.

I made these for Cat's birthday, and then this weekend I made glazed blueberry donuts. I'm making those again soon, which is when I'll post pictures. They were eaten so quickly by the boys that I couldn't even get a good picture!

Ever since I got a donut cutter for cheap at the Variety Store near my house, I've been searching for donut recipes that don't require a donut pan- I'll eventually invest in one, since baked donuts are healthier, but for now, why not have a little fun?

Homemade Donuts
Courtesy of Stolen Moments Cooking
Ingredients:
Flour- 2 c, plus more for rolling pin
Sugar- 1/2 c
Salt- 1 tsp
Baking powder- 1 tbsp
Cinnamon- 1/4 tsp
Unsalted butter- 2 tbsp, softened
Milk- 1/2 c

1 Egg, beaten

Canola oil, for frying

Directions:

1. Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and cinnamon in a mixing bowl.

2. Add butter and beat until combined, then add milk and egg until combined.

3. Heat 1-2 inches oil in a large skillet over medium heat. 

4. While it's heating, roll the dough out on a floured surface, ~1/2-1 inch thick. Cut out donuts and save the donut holes, you'll want to fry them too!

5. Fry donuts ~3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Be careful not to overcrowd the skillet or burn the donuts. The holes will take about 2 minutes to fry. Place donuts on paper towels to drain. While still warm, top donuts:

Plain glaze: 1 c powdered sugar, 1/4 c milk. Dip donuts into glaze.

Vanilla frosting: 1 c powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1-2 tbsp milk. Spoon over donuts.

Chocolate frosting: 1 c powdered sugar, 1 tbsp cocoa powder, 1-2 tbsp milk. Spoon over donuts.

OR powdered or plain sugar; cinnamon-sugar

Don't forget the sprinkles!
Enjoy!

Authentic British Cream Tea

Fact: I made scones. Legit British scones.
Fact: I made clotted cream. Legit British clotted cream.
Fact: I ate the sones with tea. Therefore, it is legit Cream Tea.
NOM!

This scone recipe is courtesy of my Aunt Ginna, whose blog and book series called "Honey Baby Darlin" feature all of her favorite recipes; the fourth book, due in 2013, will include the recipe for her Legendary Cream Scones.
Aunt Ginna owned an incredible cafe a little over a decade ago, and people STILL stop her on the street to express their sadness that they no longer have access to these scones.

I totally understand their pain.

I also made clotted cream. For those of you who haven't experienced clotted cream, it's a little bit between butter and whipped cream. Its got a very distinct flavor, and tastes magical on scones.

I tried two recipes: one that cooked whipping cream on the stovetop, and one in the oven. The stovetop clotted cream was okay, but was not the consistency I was looking for.

The oven-cooked clotted cream is incredible. I found the recipe on Cupcake Project, and it's super easy. All it calls for is whipping cream.

The problem?
It needs to be heavy whipping cream that is NOT ultra-pasteurized. I found it at Whole Foods, and I'm gonna have to stock up before I go back to school. The cream needs to be as high a fat content as possible.
The other problem?
Some serious patience is required. I don't have patience, especially when it comes to baking. But trust me, waiting is worth it in this case.

Legit British Clotted Cream

Courtesy of Cupcake Project- check out for step-by-step photos

Pour regular pasteurized heavy whipping cream (not ultra-pasteurized) into a heavy-bottomed pan. Cook in oven at 180 degrees F for ~8 hours (could be more, depending on amount of cream). It's done when there's a thick yellow skin on top. Let cream come to room temperature, then refrigerate for ~8 hours. 

Aunt Ginna's Legendary Cream Scones

Yield: ~12-15 scones (depending on size)

Ingredients:

Organic, unbleached pastry flour- 3 1/2 c

Baking powder- 3 1/2 tsp

Salt- 1/2 tsp

Bakers' superfine sugar- 1 tbsp

Unsalted butter- 1 c (2 sticks), cold, cut into quarters

Eggs- 4, cold

Heavy cream- 2/3 c (use leftovers from clotted cream)

Sour cream- 2/3 c

Flavoring (see note)

Directions:
1. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Place in a huge food processor with butter chunks. Process until mixture resembles and feels like coarse meal, less than 1 minute.
2. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, heavy cream and sour cream. Stir in flavoring. Add mixture to food processor.
3. Mix together until dough forms a soft ball. Scoop dough out onto a sheet pan covered with parchment paper. Sprinkle with sugar (optional). Bake at 350 degrees F for ~20 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.
Flavoring
Vanilla scones- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Lemon scones- 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp lemon zest
Raisin scones- 1 c raisins, 1 tsp cinnamon

ENJOY!!!

Birthday Muffins

You may have noticed I've been posting a lot recently.
The truth is, I've gone a little mental.

I've had a lot of success on Foodgawker since I've been in London, so I didn't want to break up my momentum. Who woulda thought my flat in almost perpetually rainy London (at least this summer) would have such great natural light?

Today, two of my program mates have birthdays. I'm making them an old-fashioned chocolate fudge cake for tonight, but I wanted them to start their special day with a yummy treat. These definitely qualify.

These are Strawberry Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins. With Nutella on top.

Nom time.

Strawberry Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins with Nutella on top
Adapted from Damn Delicious
Yield: ~18-20 muffins
Ingredients:
All-purpose flour- 2 c
Espresso powder- 1 tbsp (instant is fine, I just used what we had)
Cinnamon- 1/2 tsp
Baking powder- 1 tbsp
Salt- 1/4 tsp
Unsalted butter- 1/2 c, melted and cooled
Strong brewed coffee- 1/2 c, cooled
Sugar- 1/3 c
Brown sugar- 1/3 c, packed
Egg- 1
Vanilla extract- 1/2 tsp
Diced strawberries- 1/2-2/3 c
Mini chocolate chips- 1/2-2/3 c
Nutella- as needed
Directions:
1. Combine flour, espresso powder, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. In another large bowl, whisk together the butter, coffee, sugar, brown sugar, egg and vanilla. Pour mixture over dry ingredients. Stir with a rubber spatula until just moistened.
3. Add strawberries and gently stir, then add chocolate chips and gently stir.
4. Scoop batter into a paper-lined muffin tray, ~3/4 full. Bake at 400 degrees F for 14-18 minutes, or until the tester comes out clean.
5. Spread Nutella on the muffins while they're still warm, and serve with a glass of milk.

I went a little nuts with adjusting shadows in Photoshop.
I'm leaving this in here because I want to document my education and growth
in food photography.

Enjoy!

The muffin craze continues...

You may have noticed I'm really into muffins these days. They're so simple, and so yummy, and such a nice treat in the morning.
These muffins are really special.

Why? Because they have a special treat on the inside.

Nutella.
They have nutella inside!!!

Nutella-Stuffed Muffins
Yield: ~1-2 dozen muffins (depends on the size)
Adapted from US Masala
Ingredients:
Flour- 1 3/4 c
Baking powder- 1 1/2 tsp
Salt- 1/2 tsp
Ground cinnamon- 1/2 tsp
Sugar- 3/4 c
Vegetable oil- 1/3 c
Egg- 1
Milk- 3/4 c
Vanilla extract- 1 tsp
Nutella- 1 jar, just to be on the safe side (aka so you can eat the rest with a spoon)
For the coating: 
Unsalted butter- 3-4 tbsp
Caster sugar- 1/2 c (granulated worked ok, but caster would be better)
Ground cinnamon- 2 tsp
Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, stir flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
2. In a large bowl, whisk sugar, oil, egg, vanilla and milk.
3. Add dry ingredients to the large bowl, and stir only to combine, don't overmix!
4. Line a muffin tray with paper liners. Scoop ~1 tbsp (1 1/2 tbsp max) of batter into each liner, then scoop 1/2 tsp Nutella on top. Add another 1 tbsp of the batter on top of the Nutella. Make sure each liner isn't more than 3/4 full.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F for ~15 minutes. The time varies greatly depending on the oven, so make sure you check them often. Insert the tester into the side of the muffin so you don't hit Nutella. The muffins are done when the tester comes out clean.
6. While muffins are baking, melt butter. Stir sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. When muffins are done, dip each muffin into the butter, then the cinnamon sugar. Serve warm.

These are great for mornings when you have to get up super early, or have a crappy day ahead of you. Or at the end of a crappy day. They fix things. :)
Enjoy!

Glazed Doughnut Muffins

Happy Father's Day!
If you need a quick breakfast treat to whip up for your Dad, these duffins are perfect! You probably already have most, if not all, of the ingredients in your pantry.

These are super easy and super yummy. Perfect for good ole Dad!
I'm sad to not be with my dad on Father's Day, but he knows I'll make these for him as soon as I get home :)

Glazed Doughnut Muffins, "Duffins"
Adapted from My Baking Addiction
Yield: ~18 muffins (depends on size of baking pans)
Ingredients:
Unsalted butter- 1/4 c, room temperature
Vegetable oil- 1/4 c
Sugar- 1/2 c
Brown sugar- 1/3 c
Eggs- 2, large
Baking powder- 1 1/2 tsp
Baking soda- 1/4 tsp
Ground nutmeg- 1 tsp
Cinnamon- 1 1/2 tsp
Salt- 3/4 tsp
Vanilla extract- 1 tsp
All-purpose flour- 2 2/3 c
Milk- 1 c
Directions:
1. In a medium mixing bowl, cream butter, vegetable oil, sugar and brown sugar until smooth.
2. Add eggs and beat to combine.
3. STIR in baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and vanilla extract.
4. Alternate adding flour and milk, stirring to thoroughly combine.
5. Spoon batter into lined muffin pans, and bake at 190 degrees CELSIUS (sorry, that's all we have here in the UK) for 10-12 minutes, or until tester comes out clean.
Glaze!
Ingredients:
Butter- 3 tbsp, melted
Powdered sugar- 1 1/4 c, sifted (do not skip the sifting!)
Vanilla extract- 1 1/2 tsp
Hot water- 2 tbsp
Directions:
Whisk together ingredients until smooth. Once muffins are slightly cooled, dip the tops into the glaze and allow it to harden- feel free to double dip! Serve warm.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Muffins

I'm making these muffins before tomorrow's outing. We've had some early mornings, and we'll have two more. I think chocolate chip muffins are the perfect remedy for jet lag, hangovers, homesickness, and being up way too early :)
These muffins are super easy, and you probably already have all the ingredients you need in your pantry! The sugar crust on top adds an extra sweet twist.

Sugar-Crusted Chocolate Chip Muffins

Courtesy of Simply Scratch
Yield: One dozen regular-sized muffins, or 2-3 dozen minis
Ingredients:
Sugar- 1/2 c + 3 tbsp set aside (for sugar crust)
Brown sugar- 2 tbsp (for sugar crust)
Flour- 2 c
Baking powder- 1 tbsp
Kosher salt- 1/2 tsp
Milk- 1 c
Grapeseed oil or extra virgin olive oil- 1/3 c
Vanilla extract- 1/2 tsp
Egg- 1
Mini Semi-sweet chocolate chips- 3/4 c
Directions:
1. Mix 3 tbsp sugar and the brown sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Combine rest of sugar, flour, baking powder, chocolate chips and salt in a medium bowl.
3. In a small bowl, whisk the egg, vanilla, grapeseed oil and milk. Pour into flour mixture and mix by hand until incorporated.
4. Fill cups 2/3 full and sprinkle with sugar mixture. Bake at 375 degrees F for 18-20 minutes (times vary by oven, check yours at 15 minutes- minis should be done after ~10).

Serve with a glass of cold milk!
Enjoy!

Apple Do..muffins?

These are delicious, but I'm not entirely sure what to call them. They're like muffins. Or donuts. Or dumplings? So we're gonna go with Apple Domuffins.

Isn't that a cute little prop? I got it when I went antiquing last month :)

They're incredible, especially served warm. I've made them four times in the last two months. Yummy!

Apple Donuts/Muffins/Domuffins
Courtesy of Casa Veneracion
Yield: 1 dozen regular-sized or 2 dozen mini
Muffins
Ingredients:
Fuji apples- 2
Flour- 1 1/2 c
Sugar- 1/2 c
Baking powder- 1 3/4 tsp
Salt- 1/2 tsp
Ground nutmeg- 1 tsp
Cold butter- 1/3 c, cut into small pieces
Egg- 1
Milk- 1/4 c
Directions:
1. Peel and roughly chop the apples.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.
3. Add the butter to the flour mixture, and rub the butter against the flour until the mix resembles coarse crumbs.
4. In a small bowl, whisk egg. Pour in the milk and stir lightly. Add chopped apples and stir.
5. Pour apple mixture to the flour mix. Stir (using your hands is fine) until just blended. Do not overmix! Batter will be stiff.
6. Form batter into loose balls and place in the holes of a greased & floured muffin pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes.
Topping (make while domuffins are baking)
Ingredients:
Butter- 1/4 c, melted
Sugar- 1/3 c
Cinnamon powder- 1 tsp
Directions:
Mix together. When the domuffins are still warm, dip tops into butter, then roll in cinnamon sugar mix. Serve warm!

On a side note, congratulations to the JMU Class of 2012! In one year, I will be joining you as a Dukes alum :)

First post of 2012!

It's a tradition for me to open a present from my Aunt Sandy on Christmas Eve. This year, Aunt Sandy gave me the book by MIETTE owner Meg Ray.
I freaked out. I stayed up an extra hour on Christmas Eve to read it cover to cover. The book itself is GORGEOUS and the recipes? Amazing.

My mom asked me to make something for a big client meeting she has tomorrow. We chose the Lemon Tea Cake.

Lemon Tea Cake

Courtesy of Miette

Makes 4 small 5-inch loaves OR 2 standard 8-inch loaves

Lemon Simple Syrup

Ingredients:

Water- 1/2 c

Fresh lemon juice- 1/4 c (you'll need at least 3 for all the recipe components)

Sugar- 1/4 c

Directions:

Combine ingredients in a medium sized saucepan and heat on medium-high. Stir to dissolve the sugar, and bring to a boil. Boil for a few minutes, stirring constantly. It won't thicken, and that's okay. Let it cool completely, and then stain over a bowl. 

Lemon Tea Cake

Ingredients:

All-purpose flour- 2 1/2 c

Sugar- 1 1/2 c

Baking powder- 2 1/2 tsp

Kosher salt- 1/2 tsp

Heavy cream- 1 c

Large egg yolks- 7

Large whole eggs- 2

Vanilla extract- 1 1/2 tsp

Grated lemon zest- 2 1/2 tbsp (I had only had 2 1/2 lemons, but the cake was still delicious!)

Butter- 1 1/3 c, cubed

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, stir cream, egg yolks, whole eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Set aside.

3. Beat dry ingredients on medium speed for 30 seconds. Reduce speed to low, add the butter, and mix for 1 minute.

4. Add half of the egg mixture, beat until incorporated and mix for 1 minute. Repeat with the other half of the egg mixture.

5. Divide the batter between buttered and floured pans. Bake at 350 degrees until the tops of the loaves are golden brown, and a tester comes out clean; about 45 minutes for small pans, 50-55 for the larger pans. 

6. Transfer to wire racks, and immediately brush tops with the lemon simple syrup. Let cool for 20 minutes, then invert onto the racks and cool for another 20 minutes. 

Lemon Glaze

Ingredients:

Fresh lemon juice- 2 tbsp

Corn syrup- 1 tsp

Powdered sugar- 1 1/3 c

Directions:

Whisk together the lemon juice and corn syrup. Gradually add the powdered sugar and whisk until the glaze is thick and silky. Drizzle/spread over the cooled cakes, and let the glaze dry about 30 minutes.

Nannie's Coffee Cake

One of the most important traditions in the Kimball family (my mom's side) is the making of Nannie's coffee cake for special occasions- Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays, etc. It is a truly incredible dish, and one I can't imagine my life without!
This recipe stretches so far back in our family history, we don't even know where it came from. We just always call it Nannie's Coffee Cake :)

Nannie's Coffee Cake
Ingredients:
Butter- 1 stick, softened
Cream cheese- 1 8 oz package
Sugar- 1 1/4 c
Eggs- 2, large
Vanilla- 1 tsp
Almond extract- 1 tsp
Flour- 2 c
Baking powder- 2 tsp
Baking soda- 1/2 tsp
Salt- 1/2 tsp
Milk- 1/2 c

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese well. Gradually add in sugar.
2. Blend in eggs, vanilla, and almond extract.
3. In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Alternately add the flour mixture (dry ingredients) and milk (wet), beginning and ending with the dry. Blend well.
5. Turn into a buttered 9x13 pan. Then add....

Nannie's Coffee Cake Topping!
Ingredients:
Butter- 1/2 stick, FROZEN (do not soften!)
Flour- 1/2 c
Dark brown sugar- 1/2 c
Pecans- 3/4 c

Directions:
Blend all ingredients in a cuisinart! Then GENEROUSLY cover coffee cake batter with the deliciousness. Bake coffee cake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.