Spiced Pumpkin Bread

 

The quintessential autumn bread. I like to keep it simple but feel free to add a cup of chopped walnuts or chocolate chips.

This recipe makes two loaves: keep one for yourself, give one to a friend or neighbor and make their day!

You can also bake the batter in muffin tins: bake regular-sized muffins at 350° for 24-25 minutes or mini muffins at 375° for 11-12 minutes.

Makes two loaves (based on a recipe from Bon Appétit magazine)

• 1 ½ cups packed brown sugar = 300 g de cassonade
• 1 cup granulated sugar = 200 de sucre
• ½ cup vegetable oil = 120 ml d'huile végétale
• ½ cup applesauce = 120 ml ou 120 g de compote de pomme 
• 3 large eggs = 3 oeufs
• 1 16-ounce can pumpkin (or homemade) = 450 g de purée de citrouille
• 3 cups all-purpose flour = 375 g de farine
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon = 2 cuillères à café de cannelle en poudre
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves = ½ cuillère à café de clous de girofles en poudre ou fraichement moulu
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg = ½ cuillère à café de noix de muscade en poudre ou fraichement moulu
• 1 teaspoon baking soda = 1 cuillère à café de bicarbonate de soude
• ½ teaspoon salt = ½ cuillère à café de sel
• ½ teaspoon baking powder = ½ cuillère à café de levure chimique

 

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Butter and flour two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Beat sugars, oil and applesauce in a large bowl. Add eggs and pumpkin. Sift flour, spices, baking soda, salt and baking powder into another bowl. Stir into pumpkin mixture and blend well. Mix in walnuts or chocolate chips if using.

 

Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Bake for about 1 hour and to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Transfer and cool completely. Enjoy!

Galette des Rois

 

Happy New Year! May 2013 be healthy and kind... and yummy, of course!

 

I love how, for the French (and many other countries), the holiday season is not over until Epiphany on January 6.

Epiphany is celebrated in many different ways around the world. There are different customs even within France. In the south, the traditional cake is a brioche with candied fruits (similar to the Spanish roscon de reyes) called a royaume. In most other regions, we bake a galette, which is flaky puff pastry filled with frangipane, a sweet filling made of ground almonds, butter, eggs and sugar. All Epiphany cakes do share a similar feature though: they hold a trinket, usually a porcelain figurine or fève. If you get the slice with the trinket (try not to break a tooth on it!), you become king (or queen) for the day and get to wear a paper crown. If you buy your galette from the bakery, they provide one, but otherwise, it's a fun craft to do with your kids.

So why not start a new, fun and tasty tradition this year on January 6?
 

Makes 1 galette, 8 to 10 slices

• 1 lb. puff pastry, homemade or store-bought   = 450 g de pâte feuilletée
• 1 cup almond meal = 100 g de poudre d'amandes
• 5 tablespoons butter, softened = 70 g de beurre, ramolli
• ½ cup sugar = 100 g de sucre
• 3 large egg yolks, divided = 3 jaunes d'oeufs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract = 1 cuillère à café d'extrait de vanille

Optional:

• 2 medium apples or ripe pears, thinly sliced = 2 pommes ou poires bien mures, coupées en tranches fines
• ⅓ cup chocolate chips or chunks = 50 g de pépites ou morceaux de chocolats

Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

 

Divide the puff pastry in half, and roll each piece out into a large circle. Using a template (a plate works well), cut one 10" circle from each piece.

Make the frangipane filling by beating the almond meal, butter and sugar until creamy. Add two egg yolks and vanilla, and continue beating until well blended.

 

Spread the filling over one of the circles, leaving a 1" rim around the edge of the pastry. Place the trinket towards the edge (so you minimize the chances of cutting into it when you slice the galette) and top with apple/pear slices and chocolate if using. Brush a little water around the edges. Gently place the second circle of puff pastry on top. Press and crimp the rim with a fork to seal the galette.

 

Mix the last egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of water together. Brush this glaze over the top of the galette and trace a pretty pattern on the surface (softly, with a knife).

 

Bake the galette for about 30 minutes until it is beautifully golden. Remove it from the oven, and cool before serving. Enjoy!

 

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

These cupcakes are perfectly spiced and moist. The cream cheese frosting adds a touch of sweetness and the nut topping a nice crunch. I made them for a bake sale at my son's school and they were gone. Fast. We didn't even get one... So we went home and I made another batch the next day! Happy Halloween!

Makes 12 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour = 125 g de farine
• 1 teaspoon baking powder = 1 cuillère à café de levure
• ½ teaspoon baking soda = ½ cuillère à café de bicarbonate de sodium
• ½ teaspoon salt = ½ cuillère à café de sel
• 1 ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon = 1 ¼ cuillère à café de cannelle
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger = ¼ cuillère à café de gingembre en poudre
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg = ¼ cuillère à café de noix de muscade en poudre
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves = ¼ cuillère à café de clou de girofle en poudre
• 2 eggs = 2 oeufs
• 1 cup pumpkin purée (canned or homemade) = 245 g de purée de citrouille
• ½ cup (packed) brown sugar = 100 g de cassonade
• ¼ to ½ cup sugar = 50 à 100 g de sucre
• ½ cup vegetable oil = 120 ml d'huile végétale

For the frosting:

• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened = 110 g de cream cheese (Philadelphia ou équivalent), ramolli
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened = 45 g de beurre, ramolli
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract = ½ cuillère à café d'extrait de vanille
• 2 cups confectioners sugar = 250 g de sucre glace
• 1 tablespoon milk (optional) = 1 cuillère à soupe de lait (facultatif)

For the topping:

• ¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans = 30 g de noix ou de noix de pecan, concassées

Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180° C. Line muffin tins with 12 paper liners.

In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and spices.

In another bowl, beat together the eggs, pumpkin purée, sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil. Add the flour mixture, in two batches, and stir until combined.

Fill cupcake tins three-quarters full and bake for 20 to 24 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.

Meanwhile, to make the frosting: in a large bowl, beat together cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract until fluffy. Gradually add sugar and mix slowly until completely incorporated. For a thinner, more spreadable consistency, add one tablespoon of milk and blend well.

Spread the cupcakes with the cream cheese frosting and top with nuts. Enjoy!

 

 

 

Maple Apple Crumb Loaf

Sometimes, a picture is worth a thousand words... or maybe I am just over-tired and not inspired to write much. In any case, go ahead. Bake. This. Loaf. Now. You're welcome!

Makes 1 loaf

For the batter:

• 1 ½ cup white whole wheat flour = 180 g de farine
• 1 teaspoon baking powder = 1 cuillère à café de levure
• 1 teaspoon baking soda = 1 cuillère à café de bicarbonate de soude
• Dash nutmeg = une pincée de noix de muscade râpée
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon = 2 cuillères à café de cannelle en poudre
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened = 60 g de beurre, ramolli
• 2 tablespoons applesauce = 2 cuillères à soupe de compote de pommes
• ½ cup maple syrup = 120 ml de sirop d'érable
• 1 egg = 1 oeuf
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract = 1 cuillère à café d'extrait de vanille
• ⅓ cup buttermilk = 80 ml de lait ribot
• 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced = 1 grosse pomme verte, épluchée et coupée en petits dés

For the topping:

• ⅓ cup flour = 40 g de farine
• 3 tablespoons cold butter, diced = 40 g de beurre, bien froid, coupé en petits dés
• ⅓ cup brown sugar (packed) = 65 g de cassonade

 Preheat oven to 350°F / 180° C.

Sift dry ingredients (flour through cinnamon) together. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients, except the apple. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two batches and mix until just combined. Fold in the apple. Pour batter into a 9 x 5-inch greased loaf pan.

 

Mix the topping ingredients together (with your fingers or a pastry cutter). Sprinkle mixture and press gently into the batter. Bake for 50-55 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly on a serving platter. Enjoy!

 

Coconut Cupcakes with Lime Frosting

Woohoo! I just got one year older wiser! And what would a birthday be without a cupcake? I was told you're not supposed to bake your own birthday (cup)cake(s) but I really wanted to try something different and I wasn't going to find anything “from scratch” at the store or in a box. So I went looking online for ideas and ended up creating my own coconut/lime cupcake/frosting recipe. The coconut flavor is perfectly sweet without being overpowering and the lime frosting adds a nice tang.

This treat is the perfect summer cupcake: it tastes like a day at the beach!

Makes 12 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

• 6 tablespoons butter, softened = 85 g de beurre, ramolli
• ¾ cup sugar = 150 g de sucre
• 1 egg + 2 egg whites = 1 oeuf entier + 2 blancs d'oeuf
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour = 150 g de farine
• 1 teaspoon baking powder = 1 cuillère à café de levure
• Pinch salt = une pincée de sel
• ¼ cup (packed) sweetened shredded coconut = 35 g de noix de coco râpée
• ½ cup light coconut milk = 120 ml de lait de coco (allégé)
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract = ½ cuillère à café d'extrait de vanille

For the frosting:

• 3 tablespoons butter, softened = 40 g de beurre, ramolli
• 1 lime = 1 citron vert
• 1 cup powdered sugar = 120 g de sucre glace

Preheat oven to 350 °F / 180° C.

 

Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and egg whites, beating well after each addition.

 

Whisk flour, baking powder, salt and shredded coconut (dry ingredients) in a medium bowl.

Mix coconut milk and vanilla extract (wet ingredients) in a separate bowl.

 

Add dry ingredients to sugar/butter mixture, alternating with wet ingredients. Mix until combined, scraping sides of the bowl a few times.

 

Line standard muffin tins with 12 cupcake paper liners. Pour batter, filling each about 2/3 full.

 

Bake cupcakes for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack.

Meanwhile, make the frosting: zest the lime with a microplane grater, then cut in half and juice it. Combine butter, half the zest and 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons fresh juice in a medium bowl. Beat with mixer until well blended. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Spread about 2-3 teaspoons of frosting onto each cupcake and sprinkle with remaining zest. Enjoy!

Note: this is enough frosting to spread a thin layer on each cupcake. Flavor-wise, you do not need more but if you wish to pipe the frosting with a 1M tip, you will need to double the recipe.

Honey-Lemon Bread

Yesterday was cold and rainy and we were stuck inside. While my son was playing dress-up and fighting imaginary knights and dragons with our dog (yes, dog!), I thought a cup of hot tea would cheer me up. And then I thought that adding a slice of something yummy would make it even better. So I came up with this honey-lemon bread. I had wanted to try baking with honey (instead of processed sugar) for a while and I simply love the combo of honey and lemon. To me, it is both soothing and invigorating.

As the bread was baking, it filled my kitchen with the most tantalizing aroma. No way was I going to wait for the bread to cool down or the glaze to harden, so I cut myself a slice right out of the oven. So. Good. A bit tart. A bit sweet. Perfect with my pear tea. And even better this morning, topped with lemon glaze, and served with a homemade latte.

Makes 1 loaf

For the batter:

• 1 stick (= 8 tablespoons) butter, softened = 115 g de beurre, ramolli
• 2 large egg = 2 oeufs
• 6 to 8 tablespoons honey = 6 à 8 cuillères à soupe de miel
• 4 tablespoons Greek yogurt (if possible honey-flavored) = 4 cuillères à soupe de yaourt grec (si possible aromatisé au miel)
• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour = 210 g de farine
• 3 teaspoons baking powder = 1 sachet (11 g) de levure
• ½ teaspoon salt = ½ cuillère à café de sel
• 1 organic lemon = 1 citron bio non-traité

For the glaze:

• 1 lemon = 1 citron
• 1 cup powdered sugar = 130 g de sucre glace

 Preheat oven to 325F/170C.

Combine softened butter, eggs, honey, and Greek yogurt in a bowl. Beat at medium speed until well-blended.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to previous mixture. Beat until smooth.

Zest the lemon with a microplane grater, then cut it in half and juice it. Add both zest and juice to the batter and stir.

Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch greased loaf pan, bake for about 45 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, juice second lemon and put 2 tablespoons in a bowl, gradually add powdered sugar, stirring until blended. Glaze should be thick, but pourable. Just add a bit more sugar or lemon juice to achieve the right consistency. Spoon glaze on top of loaf and let it harden for a couple hours. Enjoy!

Chocofetti Cupcakes with Ganache Frosting

My "little” guy just had another birthday. His fifth! It just seems like yesterday, he was still my sweet baby boy and now, he is getting so big and independent. It all happened so fast. Too fast!

This year, he wanted to bring funfetti cupcakes for his birthday celebration at school. Great! So here I am, searching the internet for a homemade recipe that would look good and taste good. It turns out I didn't have to look too far. I found THE recipe from Laurie at Simply Scratch, one of my favorite blogs. Since every recipe I have tried from her is a winner, I didn't even do a trial batch. The funfetti cupcakes, topped with cream cheese frosting, were fantastic and the kids devoured them.

Then, a few days later, came the real birthday party... and another 60 cupcakes to bake. I decided to make a few variations to Laurie's recipe and I am really happy with the results. The cake is even more moist and airy and perfectly balances out the richness of the chocolate ganache frosting.

Makes 24-28 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

• ¾ cup egg whites (about 6 large egg whites) = 175 ml de blanc d'oeufs
• 1 cup whole milk or buttermilk = 235 ml de lait entier ou ribot
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract = 2 cuillères à café d'extrait de vanille
• 3 cups unbleached cake four, sifted = 350 g de farine à gateaux, tamisée
• 1 ½ cups sugar, sifted = 300 g de sucre, tamisé
• 1 ½ tablespoon baking powder = 1 ½ cuillère à soupe de levure chimique
• Pinch salt = une pincée de sel
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened = 170 g de beurre, ramolli
• ½ cup (about 3 oz.) chocolate sprinkles = 85 g de vermicelles au chocolat

For the chocolate ganache frosting:

• 1 ¾ cups natural unsweetened cocoa = 200 g de cacao en poudre (type Van Houten)
• 3 ½ cups confectioners' sugar = 450 g de sucre glace
• 1 cup heavy cream = 235 ml de crème liquide
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened = 230 g de beurre, ramolli
• Pinch salt = une pincée de sel
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract = 1 cuillère à café d'extrait de vanille

Preheat oven to 350ºF / 180ºC and place paper liners in cupcake pans.

Whisk together the egg whites, vanilla extract and milk in a medium bowl.

Combine the dry ingredients (sifted cake flour and sugar, baking powder, salt) in a mixing bowl. Use kitchen-aid fitted with the paddle attachment to stir the dry mix with the softened butter. Slowly add the milk and egg mixture, stopping and scraping the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl a few times. Gently fold in the chocolate sprinkles and pour batter into each paper liner, about half way up.

Bake for 17-18 minutes. Remove and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, make the ganache frosting: mix the cocoa and 1 ½ cup confectioners' sugar in a bowl.

Bring cream to a simmer on the stove and whisk into cocoa/sugar mixture. Whisk for a minute until no lump remains. Set aside.

Place butter, salt, and remaining 2 cups confectioners' sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth. Add vanilla. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add cocoa mixture until it's all incorporated. Scrape the bowl, then beat at medium speed for one more minute.

Frost cupcakes with the ganache mixture (use Wilton 1M tip for a nice swirl design). Keep frosted cupcakes in the fridge until about one hour before ready to serve. Enjoy!

Double Apple Muffins

Fall isn't official until tomorrow but it's definitely been in the air lately and I love it!

It has always been my favorite season. When I think of fall, I envision beautiful foliage, long walks in the forest, pumpkin patch and Halloween. As far as food, I hope you like apples and pumpkins because you will see a lot of recipes featuring them in the next few weeks. We'll start with these double apple muffins. Double because I use both applesauce and chopped apples in the batter. The spices are subtle and highlight the apple taste perfectly. Eat one with a spiced pumpkin latte and you are in fall heaven!

Makes 12-15 muffins

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour = 270 g de farine

1 cup sugar = 180 g de sucre
1 teaspoon baking soda = 1 cuillère à café de bicarbonate de soude
1 teaspoon baking powder = 1 cuillère à café de levure
1 teaspoon salt = 1 cuillère à café de sel
2 teaspoons cinnamon = 2 cuillères à café de cannelle en poudre
Dash ground nutmeg = une pincée de noix de muscade râpée ou en poudre
Dash ground cloves = une pincée de clou de girofle en poudre
1 ½ cups applesauce (no sugar added) = 330 g de compote de pommes (sans sucre ajouté)
2 tablespoons canola oil = 2 cuillères à soupe d'huile végétale
2 eggs, lightly beaten = 2 oeufs, légèrement battus
1 large or 2 small apples, peeled and chopped = 1 grosse ou 2 petites pommes, épluchées et coupées en morceaux

Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Grease muffin tins and set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices.

Mix in the applesauce, oil and eggs. Blend very well and beat with a hand-mixer at high speed for about 2 minutes. Fold in chopped apples.

Pour batter into prepared muffin tins and bake for 18-20 minutes. Remove from tins and cool sightly on wire rack before serving.

Nectarine Cobbler Cake

 
I am not sure what to call this heavenly dessert. A cake? A cobbler? Well, it's sort of in between, really!

The batter is definitely more like cake than biscuit so instead of topping the fruit with the batter, I like to place the batter in the dish first and let it rise up through the nectarines as it bakes. Peaches or apricots will work well too. Whichever you use, make sure they are ripe and sweet or adjust the sugar accordingly.

Be decadent: top it with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream! It's even yummier!

Serves 8

For the filling:

• 2 lbs. ripe nectarines (about 6), sliced and peeled = 900 g de nectarines, épluchées et tranchées
• 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar = 1 à 2 cuillères à soupe de sucre
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice = 1 cuillère à café de jus de citron

For the batter:

• 4 tablespoons butter, diced = 60 g de beurre, coupé en dés
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour = 160 g de farine
• ½ cup granulated or brown sugar (or 50/50) = 100 g de sucre ou de cassonade (ou 50/50)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder = 2 cuillères à café de levure chimique
• Pinch salt = une pincée de sel
• 1 cup milk = 240 ml de lait
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract = 1 cuillère à café d'extrait de vanille
• 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (optional) = 1 cuillère à soupe de sucre turbinado ou rapadura , en magasins bio (facultatif)

Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.

To prepare filling, combine nectarines, sugar and lemon juice in a medium bowl and set aside.

To make batter, place butter in an 8-inch square baking dish. Place dish in oven 5 minutes, until butter melts. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Combine milk and vanilla extract and add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter over butter, spreading evenly but without stirring. Top with fruit mixture, gently pressing nectarines into batter.

Bake at 350° for 40 minutes. If you like some crunch on top, sprinkle with turbinado sugar, and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until crust is golden. If not, just bake for a total of 50 minutes.

Let cool for 15-20 minutes, spoon into individual bowls and top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

Lemon-Blueberry Bread

You can't go wrong with lemon and blueberry together. The two flavors really complement each other. A loaf of this yummy sweet bread never lasts too long at my house!

Makes 1 loaf

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour = 175 g de farine
• 1 teaspoon salt = 1 cuillère à café de sel
• 1 teaspoon baking powder = 1 cuillère à café de levure chimique
• 1 cup fresh blueberries = 125 g de myrtilles
• ⅔ cup sugar = 145 g de sucre
• ½ cup milk = 120 ml de lait
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened = 80 g de beurre, ramolli
• 2 large eggs = 2 oeufs
• 1 lemon (1 teaspoon grated zest + 2-3 tablespoons juice) = 1 citron (prélever 1 cuillère à café de zeste à l'aide d'un zesteur-râpe + presser pour obtenir 2-3 cuillères à soupe de jus)

Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Stir together flour, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl; gently fold in blueberries.

Whisk together sugar, milk,butter, eggs, lemon zest and lemon juice in another medium bowl until thoroughly blended. Add flour mixture, a little bit at a time, stirring just until combined. Pour batter into a lightly greased loaf pan.

Bake for about 1 hour. Take out of the oven and cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan, place on wire rack, and cool completely. Enjoy!

Note: Blueberry crumb bars with lemon cream filling are another delicious lemon-blueberry treat that I highly recommend trying!

Madeleines

Madeleines are delicious little sponge cakes and a classic French treat, for kids snack or grown-ups teatime alike. I have tried several recipes with mixed results (too lemony, too bland, too dense, hump-less) and finally came up with my own. The addition of brown sugar and maple syrup give my madeleines a nice golden color, as well as a subtle, yet distinctive flavor.

To me, the trick to achieving the ultimate “bosse” (hump) every time is to chill the batter and the pan (the thermal shock helps the batter rise quickly) and allow the batter to spread while baking (vs. filling and spreading the uncooked batter in the molds). Also, most recipes recommend to preheat oven to 425°F or even 450°F. At that temperature, my madeleines always ended up with a burnt bottom so 400°F is what works for me but you may have to experiment.

The madeleine pan, critical to get the traditional shell-like shape, can now be found in most stores. You don't need to buy several pans, just work in batches but make sure you cool, clean, butter, flour and chill pan between each batch.

Makes 24 madeleines

• 3 eggs = 3 oeufs
• ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons sugar = 75 g de sucre
• ¼ cup brown sugar (packed) = 50 g de vergeoise ou cassonade
• Pinch of salt = une pincée de sel
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup = 1 cuillère à soupe de sirop d'érable
• 1 cup all-purpose flour = 120 g de farine
• 1 teaspoon baking powder = 1 cuillère à café de levure chimique
• 10 tablespoons butter, softened + extra for greasing pan = 140 g de beurre, ramolli + extra pour graisser les moules

In bowl of standing mixer, beat together eggs and sugars for about 5 minutes. Add maple syrup and beat for one more minute. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together and gently fold it into the previous mixture. Add butter and mix until just combined. Cover with plastic wrap and chill batter in fridge for at least 2 hours.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F / 200°C. Brush madeleine molds with butter. Dust with flour; tap out excess. Place in the freezer for a few minutes. Drop 1 scant tablespoon batter into each mold.

Bake madeleines until golden about 9-10 minutes. Immediately remove from pan and cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!

Rhubarb Buttermilk Cake

We had a fantastic Easter: beautiful weather, fun egg hunt in the back yard, and a fabulous late lunch – or was that an early dinner? Anyway, the best part might just have been this incredible rhubarb cake I made for dessert. A little tart from the rhubarb, a little sweet from the cake batter, just perfect!

I baked the cake in a round 9” silicone pan. Because silicone is naturally non-stick, you do not need to use cooking spray or extra butter and your baked goods will release right off. It is also easy to clean and ensures even baking. Just remember to place the pan on a baking sheet for stability. While there are many cheap options, I do recommend buying a high quality silicone pan, such as Demarle, the creator of the famous Silpat® baking mat,  or Lékué.

Makes one 9” round cake (based on a Cooking Light recipe)

• 1 lb fresh rhubarb, sliced (about 3 ½ cups) = 450 g de rhubarbe fraiche, coupées en tranches de 1 cm
• 1 cup sugar, divided = 60 g + 120 g de sucre
• ⅓ cup butter, softened = 75 g de beurre, ramolli
• 1 large egg = 1 oeuf
• Grated rind from 1 orange (about 1 ½ teaspoon) = le zeste d'une orange, prélevé à la râpe (à peu près 1 ½ cuillère à café)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract = 1 cuillère à café d'extrait de vanille
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose unbleached flour = 150 g de farine
• 1 teaspoon baking powder = 1 cuillère à café de levure chimique
• ½ teaspoon baking soda = ½ cuillère à café de bicarbonate de soude
• ⅛ teaspoon salt = une pincée de sel
• ¾ cup buttermilk = 175 ml de lait fermenté (ribot, babeurre ou kéfir) (à défaut, ajouter 2 cuillères à café de jus de citron ou de vinaigre blanc à 165 ml de lait, remuer puis laisser reposer 5 minutes avant d'utiliser)

Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C.

Combine sliced rhubarb and ⅓ cup (=60 g) sugar in a bowl. Let stand for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat ⅔ cup (=120 g) sugar and butter in stand mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Add egg, and continue beating until well blended. Add orange rind and vanilla extract and beat until all combined.

Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Add flour mixture and buttermilk to sugar mixture, alternating, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Spoon rhubarb/sugar mixture into an 9” round baking dish (buttered and floured if not using a silicone pan). Spread cake batter over rhubarb. Bake at 350° for about 50 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Invert onto a serving plate. Serve still warm or cool completely. Enjoy!

Banana Bread

It's funny how we, Americans, call this, banana bread, while the French call it cake à la banane. I think they have a point.

My family, on both sides of the Atlantic, loves this banana bread's moist texture and simple flavor. No need for extra nuts or chocolate chips! The loaf should form a crack down the center as it bakes – a sign the baking soda is doing its job.

Makes 1 large loaf

• 1 cup sugar = 190 g de sucre
• ¼  cup butter, softened = 60 g de beurre, ramolli
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed = 3 bananes bien mûres, écrasées
• ¼ cup milk = 60 ml de lait
• ¼ cup low-fat sour cream or greek yogurt = 30 g de crème fraîche ou de yaourt grec
• 2 large egg whites = 2 blancs d'oeuf
• 2 cups all-purpose flour = 240 g de farine
• 1 teaspoon baking soda = 1 cuillère à café de bicarbonate de soude (en pharmacie)
• ½ teaspoon salt = ½ cuillère à café de sel

Preheat oven to 350F/180C.

Combine sugar and butter in a bowl; beat at medium speed until well-blended. Add banana, milk, sour cream, and egg whites; beat well, and set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt; stir well.

Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture, beating until blended.

Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray and bake for 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool in pan 10 minutes, remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Birthday cake & cupcakes... and frosting too!

My “baby” just turned four. We celebrated with a dinosaur cake and chocolate and vanilla cupcakes.

Now let's see which cake (ingredients) you would rather eat (put in your body).

Starting with boxed cake and canned frosting.

Betty Crocker's SuperMoist Vanilla Cake: Sugar, Enriched Flour Bleached (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and/or Cottonseed Oil*, Modified Corn Starch, Propylene Glycol, Monoesters of Fatty Acids, Corn Starch, Baking Soda, Salt, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Dextrose, Monocalcium Phosphate, Distilled Monoglycerides, Dicalcium Phosphate, Maltodextrin, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Datem, Monoglycerides, Xanthan Gum, Aluminum Sulfate, Nonfat Milk.

Betty Crocker's Rich & Creamy Vanilla Frosting: Sugar, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean & Cottonseed Oil*, Water, High Maltose Corn Syrup, Wheat Starch, Contains 1 Percent Or Less Of: Salt, Distilled Monoglycerides, Artificial Color Yellows 5&6, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Sodium Acid, Pyrophosphate, Natural & Artificial Flavor, Citric Acid, Nonfat Milk, Potassium Sorbate.

*If you don't know, partially hydrogenated oil = trans fat, one of the very worst “foods” you can ingest!

A cake from a bakery should be better, right?

Wegman's Ultimate White Cake: Sugar, Butter, Water, Enriched Bleached Flour (Bleached Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Folic Acid), Egg Whites, Soybean Oil. Contains 2% or less of the following: Whole Milk, Palm Oil, Cornstarch, Emulsifiers (Propylene Glycol Mono and Diesters of Fatty Acids, Sorbitan Monostearate, Mono and Diglycerides, Polysorbate 60), Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Dextrose, Modified Tapioca Starch, Salt, Xanthan Gum, Cellulose Gum, Guar Gum, Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate, Calcium Acetate, Soy Flour, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Soy Lecithin, Natural and Artificial Flavor.

Still a lot of additives that sound like they should only belong in a chemistry lab!

Now, homemade from scratch.

Vanilla cake: unbleached flour, sugar, butter, milk, baking powder, salt, vanilla extract and eggs.

Vanilla frosting: confectioners' sugar, butter, salt, vanilla extract and milk.

I rest my case.

I can see why you would go with the box option though: it's convenient and it's easy. Well, guess what? Making a cake from scratch is equally convenient (you already have most, if not all, the required ingredients in your pantry and fridge) and easy ( my 4-year old can measure and mix – with a little help!). So please give it a try! Especially if you're baking  for and with your kids! You will all be so proud you did it!

Here are my family's favorite cake and frosting recipes.

Mix and match! Decorate! Most importantly, have fun with it!

Chocolate Cake / Cupcakes

• 2 ½ cups unbleached cake flour = 280 g de farine à gâteau (ou 250 g de farine normale)
• 1 2/3 cups sugar = 320 g de sucre
• 3/4 cup butter, softened = 170 g de beurre
• 2/3 cup baking cocoa = 75 g de cacao (style Van Houten)
• 1 cup water = 235 ml d'eau
• ¼ cup milk = 60 ml de lait
• 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda = 1 ¼ cuillère à café de bicarbonate de soude (en pharmacie)
• 1 teaspoon salt = 1 cuillère à café de sel
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract = 1 cuillère à café d'extrait de vanille
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder = une pincée de levure chimique
• 3 large eggs = 3 oeufs

Heat oven to 350°F / 180°C .

Beat sugar and softened butter together. Add eggs and vanilla extract.

Mix flour, baking cocoa, baking soda, salt and baking powder in a separate bowl.

Add flour mixture, water and milk to sugar/butter mixture and beat well, until smooth.

For 24 cupcakes: place cupcake liners in the cupcake pan. Fill each with cake batter (about 2/3 full). Bake about 20 to 22 minutes.

For one 13”x9” (33x23 cm) rectangular pan: grease pan and pour batter. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

For two 9” (23 cm) or 8” (20 cm) round pans: grease pans and pour batter. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

For all: remove from pan and let cool completely (about 1 hour) before frosting.

Vanilla Cake / Cupcakes

• 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour = 225 g de farine
• 1 1/2 cups sugar = 285 g de sucre
• 1/2 cup butter, softened = 115 g de beurre, ramolli
• 1 1/4 cups milk = 300 ml de lait
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder = 3 1/2 cuillères à café  (13 g) de levure (chimique)
• 1 teaspoon salt = 1 cuillère à café de sel
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract = 2 cuillères à café d'extrait de vanille
• 3 large eggs = 3 oeufs

Pre-heat oven to 350°F / 180°C .

Beat sugar and softened butter together. Add eggs and vanilla extract.

Mix flour, salt and baking powder in a separate bowl.

Add flour mixture and milk to sugar/butter mixture and beat well, until smooth.

For 24 cupcakes: place cupcake liners in the cupcake pan. Fill each with cake batter (about 2/3 full). Bake for about 20 minutes.

For one 13”x9” (33x23 cm) rectangular pan: grease pan and pour batter. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

For two 9” (23 cm) or 8” (20 cm) round pans: grease pans and pour batter. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

For all: remove from pan and let cool completely (about 1 hour) before frosting.

Chocolate Ganache Frosting (makes about 4 cups)

• 1 3/4 cups unsweetened natural cocoa = 200 g de cacao en poudre (type Van Houten)
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, divided = 450 g de sucre glace
• 1 cup heavy cream = 235 ml de crème fleurette
• 1 cup unsalted butter, very soft = 230 g de beurre
• 1/8 teaspoon salt = une pincée de sel
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract = 2 cuillères à café d'extrait de vanille

Mix cocoa and 1 ½ cup confectioners' sugar in a bowl.

Bring cream to a simmer on the stove and whisk into cocoa/sugar mixture. Whisk for a minute. The lumps will disappear as the sugar dissolves and the cocoa hydrates. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Place butter, salt, and remaining 2 cups confectioners' sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth. Add vanilla. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add cocoa mixture until it's all incorporated. Scrape the bowl, then beat at medium speed for one more minute. Spread or pipe on cake or cupcakes.

Note: this frosting is insanely scrumptious but quite rich! If you want something light and fluffy, try this chocolate buttercream frosting instead.

Vanilla Frosting (makes about 2 ¾ cups)

• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter = 140 g de beurre
• 1/8 teaspoon salt = une pincée de sel
• 4 to 5 cups confectioners' sugar = 525 g à 650 g de sucre glace
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract = 2 cuillères à café d'extrait de vanille
• 1/4 cup milk = 60 ml de lait

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and salt until fluffy.

Add about half the confectioners' sugar, and beat slowly until well blended.

Add the vanilla and half the milk, and beat until fluffy. Continue mixing in sugar and milk alternately until they've been completely incorporated. Beat until the frosting is light and fluffy. Spread or pipe on cake or cupcakes.

Note: adjust the amount of confectioners sugar depending on how sweet and thick you want the frosting to be.

Cream Cheese Frosting (makes about 2 ¾ cups)

• ½ lb. cream cheese, softened = 225 g de cream cheese (Philadelphia ou équivalent)
• 8 tablespoons butter, softened = 115 g de beurre
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract = ½ cuillère à café d'extrait de vanille
• 4 cups confectioners sugar = 525 g de sucre glace
• 1 or 2 tablespoons milk (optional) = 1 ou 2 cuillères à soupe de lait (facultatif)

In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract until fluffy.

Gradually add sugar and mix slowly until completely incorporated.

If you need a thinner, spreadable consistency, add one or two tablespoons of milk.

Note: We like the tang of this frosting on sweet chocolate cupcakes but it also works very well with spiced pumpkin cake or cinnamon rolls. Be sure to refrigerate any leftovers.

Happy Birthday!