Luscious Lemon Loaves

I know I've been so good about avoiding alliterations (oh there I go again) but sometimes I just can't help myself. But now that you've read luscious lemon loaves, aren't you intrigued to know more?

At any rate I hope so because that's what I am focusing on today. This past Sunday we celebrated Mother's Day, my boyfriend's 21st birthday, and his brother's confirmation all in one shot. I baked these loaves and they turned out to be a  huge hit: one standard-sized loaf for my boyfriend's mother, and a baby loaf for the rest of the guests.

Making smaller loaves also aided me in feeling less guilty about the sheer decadence of this recipe. I know pound cake received its name from the ingredient list of a pound of each sugar, eggs, flour, and butter, but wow did I feel guilty when I dropped the contents of a 1 lb box of butter and 8 whole eggs into my mixing bowl.

Oh and did I mention that it gets a coating of lemon syrup and lemon glaze? 

Hence the term luscious. The syrup seals in the moisture and the glaze sets it right over the top. With a dozen fresh lemons, tons of butter and sugar, how could these have possibly turned out badly?

I'd love to try this out with the substitution of fresh strawberries or blueberries, or any fresh fruit for that matter. Fruit and cake, as long as it's not fruitcake always receive an A+ in my recipe book.

At this point you may be asking yourself "how do you top luscious lemon loaves?"

Answer: White. Chocolate. Filled. Snickerdoodles.

Keep an eye out for them and more coming up On Sugar Mountain!

Happy Baking!

 Luscious Lemon Loaves Via Glorious Treats
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups sugar
8 eggs
1/4 cup grated lemon zest (4 lemons)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 cups melted butter, cooled
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tsp vanilla

lemon syrup:

1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

lemon glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup +1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and thoroughly grease 2 9x5 loaf pans (or mini pans) with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, beat together sugar, eggs, lemon zest and juice. Beat in sour cream and vanilla until just incorporated.
3. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.
4. Use a large spoon or spatula to fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
5. Pour into prepared pans and bake at 350 for 20 minutes, rotate pans, then at 325 for an additional 30 minutes. Cakes are done when toothpick comes out clean.
6. Let cakes cool while preparing syrup and glaze.

7. Lemon Syrup: Add lemon juice and sugar to small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Let boil for three minutes. Remove from heat until ready to use.

**While cakes are still slightly warm, poke tops and sides with a toothpick. Brush liberally with lemon syrup.**

8. Lemon Glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice until thick syrup forms, using a little more juice if needed to adjust consistency.

**After cakes have soaked in syrup, drizzle glaze over top**

Fresh Lemon and Strawberry Frosted Donuts

Hello all,

Daylight Savings Time has passed this weekend and I have to tell you, I am LOVING the extra sunlight. It just makes the days so much cheerier, granted I am currently writing to you from Florida (the Sunshine State). I am sure when I get back to NJ I will be greeted by the lovely gray, overcast weather I have come to call my own.

But while I'm still down here catching the rays, I thought I'd share these fresh fruit-frosted donuts with you!

I can't say I looked up the lemon frosting, but sadly I did discover that Strawberry Frosted Donuts, from say Dunkin Donuts, are not frosted with anything that resembles real strawberrries. Gross. 

How are we still okay with that? I mean I understand that if you use real strawberries it wont be as smooth and glossy, but I think that might very well be a sacrifice we are willing to make for real fruit frostings.

Regardless, mine utilize the wonderful fresh strawberries down here in Florida, along with some lovely fresh lemons as well.

I ran into some trouble with lighting for my photos (when does that not happen) but discovered that the sun was the perfect accompaniment to my donuts. Now if only NJ was this bright all the time I'd take all my photos outside each morning!

I've included the basic sour cream donut recipe below along with the new fruit glazes/frostings. Feel free to switch out the lemon juice for lime (key lime donuts anyone?) or use your favorite fruit in place of the strawberries. The possibilites are endless, not to mention delcious.

Happy Baking!

Sour Cream Donuts (makes about 2 dozen mini donuts)
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sour cream
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

1. Combine all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
2. In separate bowl whisk together remaining ingredients. Pour liquid ingredients over dry ingredients. Using a mixer on medium speed, blend until smooth.
3. Fill each cooking reservoir with about 2 tbsp of batter.
4. Bake about 4-5 minutes or until donut springs back when touched.
5. Glaze or coat with powdered or cinnamon sugar.

Fresh Lemon Frosting

2 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
splash of milk

1. Sift powdered sugar into a medium bowl. Add lemon juice and begin to stir. Add milk slowly, until consistency is smooth but still thick.
 
Fresh Strawberry Frosting

1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup strawberries
splash of milk

1. Sift powdered sugar into medium bowl. Pulse straberries in food processor until completely chopped. Scrape strawberry puree into powdered sugar and whisk until it comes together. Add splash of milk as needed to create smooth consistency.

 To frost donuts: dip donut in frosting, pull up and allow excess to drip off. Poke hole in center with finger to allow frosting to form to shape of donut. Then allow to dry on cooling rack or dip in sprinkles.

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Cookies

Friends,

I almost thought I wasn't going to be able to share these with you today.

I saw a dreaded red battery symbol on my camera after taking photos of the Lemon Streusel Muffins. Now normally one would say "Jess that is silly just go and charge your battery."

About that...see in order to charge a battery, one needs a charger. Naturally I went to go and look for mine and wouldn't you know it, I left it in Florida. Cue disappointing music.

So what was I to do? Well, apparently if you leave your camera alone for a few days it will retain just enough juice to take some photos of these killer cheesecake cookies.

Phew! Crisis Averted. For a minute there I thought I would have to take photos with my phone.

On a more serious note, this whole stuffed cookie idea is wonderful; why didn't anyone think of this earlier?

As I ask that I can think of one semi-legitimate reason: they are sort-of a pain in the butt. Whether you plan on trying out these or even the Nutella Stuffed Sugar Cookies, do yourself a favor and make sure you don't have to rush. These cookies are delicious and a bit on the decadent side, and as such need the tender loving care of a patient baker.

I am not a patient baker.

But, even with my frantic running around in my tiny kitchen, I managed to pull these off. I do not however, understand how HotPolkaDot managed to not burst any of the blueberries. Seriously. It's impossible.

Bursted berries or no, these will be sure to please. Fresh blueberries and lemon zest with a pillowy cream cheese center, what's not to love?

 

As always, I hope you try these out for yourself and share with friends; nothing brings a smile to someone's face better than a fresh, sweet cookie. That is, unless it's a dozen of said cookie. :)

Next week will be full of my other favorite cookies: Whoopie Pies! So be sure to hop back on over to Sugar Mountain!

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Cookies Slightly Adapted from HotPolkaDot

3 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup butter, at room temp
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 tbsp lemon juice
zest from 1 lemon
1 cup blueberries
4 oz cream cheese, cut into 1 tsp pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and lemon zest, being sure to scrape any zest off of the mixer. Beat in lemon juice until well incorporated.
4. Add flour mixture and stir until dough comes together. Gently fold in blueberries. Place dough in fridge to set up (about 20 minutes).
5. Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into balls. Then, make imprint in center and place 1 tsp of cream cheese in center. Roll dough over cream cheese and back into the shape of a ball.
6. Place on prepared cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 10-14 minutes or until edges are slightly browned.
7. Cool on wire rack and then eat up!

Lemon Streusel Coffee Cake Muffins

Hello all!

So I learned something while preparing for this post:

working with lemons in baking is tricky.

Case and point: this recipe I am sharing with you is the third attempt at lemon muffins in the past three days. Dedicated? Yes. Obsessed? Maybe just a little. But I just couldn't get it right until today.

For starters, however, when a recipe tells you to take 2 whole lemons, slice them in quarters, place in the blender, and then use that mixture in the muffins just stop and say no. This is a muffin PSA from me to you: don't do it. There's no way this will work out well, and do not succumb (like I did) and think that since it's a recipe on a decent-looking food blog, they will turn out great. In reality, it will be like chewing on a giant piece of lemon with bits of muffin on it.

But, after all the lemony labors of love, I have these little sweeties to show for it:

Lemony sweet and fun to eat! The coffee cake has just the slightest hint of lemon that gets amplified by the lemon glaze that catches to every inch of the crumbly struesel topping.

So, seeing as how I now have breakfast for the week, I can say it was all worth it. Not to mention during all of this the kitchen smelled lemony fresh! I hope you enjoy baking these up for yourself, knowing that it is both tested and approved by your truly.

 
Lemon Baking continues with the next post OnSugarMountain for Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Cookies!

Happy Baking!

Lemon Streusel Coffee Cake Muffins Via SimplyScratch

2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda   
1/2 cup butter at room temp.
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp lemon zest
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 tbsp white vinegar + enough milk to make 1 cup)

For the Topping:
1 3/4 cup  flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, cubed
1 tsp salt

Lemon Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
3 tbsp lemon juice


**Preheat oven to 350 and grease one 12-cup muffin pan OR one 6-cup jumbo muffin pan**


1. To make the topping: mix together the flour, brown sugar, and salt. Cut butter into flour mixture with pastry cutter (or two knives) until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Keep in fridge while whipping up everything else.
2. For the muffins: Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat sugar and butter together until creamy. Add lemon zest and beat in each egg, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Mix in the vanilla.
3. Alternately fold in the flour mixture and the buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour.
4. Fill each muffin cup in pan 3/4 full. Sprinkle topping over muffin batter. 
5. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes for standard sized muffins or 40-45 minutes for jumbo muffins. Let cool completely before removing from pan.

Triple Citrus Cupcakes

Hello all!

I know it's been so long since I last posted, but who knew having your wisdom teeth out could take so much out of you. Now that my face no longer resembles that of a Cabbage Patch Kid (as my mother so lovingly called me) and I can open my mouth enough to eat, I decided to celebrate with cupcakes!

It also happens to be a lovely 80 degrees here in Florida, so Triple Citrus sounds splendid to me and my long neglected sweet tooth. Lemon, Lime, and Orange? Yes Please!

Of course I wanted to break out the icing tips for these and attempt to beautify them, but wouldn't you know it that as soon as I piped an adorable little mound of frosting, it flattened out to this...

Oh well, you can't blame a girl for trying. Though I have to admit, it now looks like I covered my cupcakes in what they covered young children in on Nickelodeon's SlimeTime Live. Does anyone else remember that show besides me? What was that stuff? At least mine is citrus-y sweet and made from ingredients that are indeed edible. 

As always, for me - taste is paramount; so I wasn't too upset about the icing since the entire cupcake screams "summer" in my mouth. For someone who's facing a return to dreary, New Jersey weather in a week, I plan to enjoy these and the warm Florida weather for as long as I can!

I've included the recipe from Read. Cook. Digest. below, and if you really enjoy citrus, I'd suggest adding an additional tsp of zest (or two!) in the batter and the frosting. 

As Always, Happy Baking!

Triple Citrus Cupcakes Via Read. Cook. Digest.

1- 8oz pkg cream cheese
1/2 cup softened butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tbsp orange zest (increase to 3 if you really love orange!)4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup milk
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1. Preheat oven to 325 and grease/line 2-12 cup muffin pans

2. Cream butter, cream cheese, sugar, and orange zest in a medium bowl.

3. Beat in eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt.

4. Beat vegetable oil into wet ingredient mixture. Then, alternately fold in flour mixture and milk, starting and ending with flour. Mix only until just incorporated.

5. Bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until they spring back when lightly touched.

6. Let cool while you prepare the frosting

Citrus Frosting

3 cups powdered sugar

3 tbsp lime juice

1 tsp (or 2!) lemon zest

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup softened butter

food coloring (optional)

splash of milk (optional)

1. Combine all ingredients and beat until you have a smooth consistency. If too stiff, add splash of milk.

Mastering the French Macaron - Part 1

Hello all!

You will never guess what I got for Christmas...

a macaron kit!

You're incredibly jealous; I know. But don't despair, because I plan on sharing with you all of the wonderful mishaps I encountered - kit or no kit.

For anyone out there who has not been fortunate enough to experience a macaron (not to be confused with a coconut macaroon - note the double oo) it is a wonderfully delicious French cookie sandwich that I have become quite addicted to after having tried at a French Patisserie near my parents' house.

So I found that mastering the art of the macaron is not a feat easily accomplished. Even after this post I have yet to do so, but the key is to be patient. Oh, and to question ambiguity in a recipe when it's appropriate.

The kit I received came with this adorable Macaron Recipe Book, and what I thought would be a fool-proof recipe. Think again. Sounding simple enough, I jumped right in. I aged my egg whites over three days; I ground my almonds as finely as I possibly could (only to realize that it's just easier and more efficient to buy Almond Flour) and got to work.

Now riddle me this Batman...if I buy a Macaron Kit it would suggest that I do not know anything about making the delicious petite French cookie, correct? Therefore the recipe should be detailed and quite explanatory so that I can learn, correct?

Not so my friends. Let's see...Recipe Oddity Number One: "add two unbeaten egg whites to the dry ingredient mixture"....and do what? Stir to combine? Leave it just plopped on top? Why am I doing that? It looks strange and wrong, but okay book. You know best. Recipe Oddity Number 2: "Whisk egg whites to a foam, add granulated sugar, then complete whisking." What on earth does complete whisking mean?

Thank goodness I have read other recipes on macarons to know you need to get the egg whites to stiff peaks, otherwise I'd have been totally in the dark here. How am I (a macaron novice) supposed to know what "complete" whisking should look like? If I just stopped after the granulated sugar was incorporated, I'd still have a runny egg white foam - which is definitely not desirable for macarons.

So - as my first attempt came out like so (note that there are no photos of these off of the silicone mat because they would not come off until I scraped them off):

and made me very sad, I decided to take a few, shall we say, liberties, with the recipe.

Look how much smoother they are! Who knew! True, the amond powder made a huge difference and that I do not pretend to blame on the recipe. But I omitted that weird thought of just adding egg whites to the dry mixture (maybe if I knew what they wanted me to do after that...it's like someone fell asleep while writing these recipe instructions).

Did they come out perfect? Sadly no; they were no cute macaron "feet" to be seen and they were quite thin.

Was there improvement? Yes; they taste great and the consistency (although they are super thin) is there.

And frankly, that's all I can hope for. If French Macarons were easy to make, we would see them much more often like we do chocolate chip cookies or brownies. The difficulty is half the intrigue; the other half is that I can never get enough of them.

I will be attempting this once again in the near future, hopefully with positive results. In the meantime, I have recently acquired an Artisan Bread Book that has recipes for ciabatta, bagels, croissants and more. Perhaps we will encounter a few of these On Sugar Mountain in the New Year? We will have to wait and see. :)

As always, Happy Baking!