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Peaches and Cream Cake with Mary Oliver
It’s that time of year – stone fruit season! Peaches, plums, nectarines, cherries, apricots…I love them all. They’re wonderful to eat fresh, of course, but they also make some of the best baked goods. One of my favorite ways to use them is in pie (like this Peach Ginger Pie and this Plum Slab Pie), but sometimes, perfectly ripe and juicy fruits call for something simpler. This Peaches and Cream cake is one of those recipes – two quick and easy cake layers, whipped cream, and fresh peaches. I mean, just look at these beauties I picked up recently – have you ever seen such gorgeous peaches? They deserve to…
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Ginger Rhubarb Cupcakes
Summer arrived in full force this weekend here in Duluth. It was sunny and 70°F with a lovely lake breeze. Heaven. My Mom came up to visit (for the first time since Christmas!) and we spent as much time as possible outside – including hiking in one of my favorite spots and enjoying some glorious lake views. I tell you what, these kinds of days make up for those dark, 20-below winter days and then some. With summer finally here, my thoughts immediately go to BBQs and potlucks – friends and family gathering to enjoy each other’s company and all the delicious summer foods. Even though this summer will look…
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Grapefruit Pound Cake
It’s Easter weekend already – I can hardly believe how quickly time is passing this Spring! It will be a quiet weekend this year. Life in general looks a lot different for all of us right now, with businesses closed and a stay-at-home order in place here in Minnesota. I’m finding myself both anxious about it all and incredibly grateful for everything I have. I worry about my friends and family getting sick (especially those in higher-risk categories), and at the same time am more grateful than ever to have each of them in my life – even if right now it’s only over FaceTime. BTW, who else is super…
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Espresso Brownies with Chocolate Glaze
This has got to be one of my favorite chocolate recipes of all time. These Espresso Brownies with Chocolate Glaze are dense and deeply chocolatey, with a hit of espresso and crunchy pecans. Topped off with a glossy chocolate glaze and a sprinkle of coarse sea salt (or actual sprinkles, if you prefer), these brownies will make any grey day brighter. And in February in Northern Minnesota, we have a lot of grey days. Yes, we don’t see the sun around here much this time of year, so we have to make our own sunshine. Chocolate helps. A lot. Especially if you share your chocolate with loved ones. (Valentine’s Day…
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Chocolate Cake with Earl Grey Buttercream and Salted Caramel
The beginning of the year brings lots of chances to celebrate in my world – New Year’s Eve/Day, my birthday (last week!), and now my blogiversary! A year ago today I started this blog. And what a fun year it’s been! My first post a year ago was for my Grandma’s Sour Cream Sugar Cookies, a recipe that is beloved in my family. This year, I’m sharing a cake I’ve been wanting to make for a while (and the one I made for my birthday this year) – Chocolate Cake with Earl Grey Buttercream and Salted Caramel Sauce. The Cake The cake itself is Ina Garten’s famous chocolate cake, and…
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Apple Slab Pie with Chai Spices and Lemon Drizzle
I’m officially declaring November “Pie Month”. I have so many pies I want to share with you that I decided to pump them out this month in preparation for Thanksgiving. Get ready for the sweet flakiness my friends — it’s going to be so good! Let’s get a head start with this Apple Slab Pie with Chai Spices. A few weeks ago, a friend and I took a day trip over to Bayfield, WI for their annual Apple Fest. It’s one of my favorite fall traditions — gorgeous leaves, mulled wine, Lake Superior beauty, and apple EVERYTHING. It’s the fall-iest thing. I love it so much, even in the rain…
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Butterbeer Cupcakes
Happy Halloween week, friends! It’s that spooky time of year where black cats, witches, ghosts, and ghouls have their heyday and kids of all ages dress in costume to fill their cauldrons with sweet treats. If you need something magical to bring to a Halloween party, or if you’re hosting your own crowd of wizards and muggles, these Butterbeer Cupcakes are sure to please everyone. If you’re not a Harry Potter fan (is that even a thing?), you may not be familiar with butterbeer. In the books, butterbeer is a sweet ale-like beverage served in pubs, and beloved of all wizard kind. While there are a few companies who make…
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Mini Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Mascarpone Frosting
Holidays are such a great excuse to make your favorite desserts (like you need an excuse, but still). With Easter coming up, it seemed like a great time to share my favorite lemon cake with you. This time around I made it in mini form, with an update to my favorite cream cheese frosting. Enter Mini Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Mascarpone Frosting! This makes the fluffiest lemon cake ever, and topped with creamy mascarpone frosting it’s a show-stopping dessert. It will ruin you for all other cakes. It’s also adaptable – it works wonderfully as mini cupcakes, full-sized cupcakes and as a 9-inch layer cake. So, choose your own adventure…
Recipes and Musings from the Zenith City
