shortbread variations

One of the things that I love so much about shortbread cookies is that they are a very basic, simple cookie that can be spiced up with whatever sounds good, and to suit the tastes of the people eating them.

This first version I only have one picture of, but they were delicious. I added dark chocolate pieces and toasted almonds to a dark brown sugar and whole wheat flour shortbread. These went with the banana bread and monster muffins to my friend who was hosting company a couple of weekends ago.

Dark Chocolate Almond Shortbread
1 cup butter
2 cups flour (I used all whole wheat)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
fresh grated nutmeg
dash cinnamon
dash cloves
dark chocolate pieces
toasted almonds

Combine the butter, sugar, vanilla and spices. Beat in the flour. Then stir in the dark chocolate pieces and toasted almonds. Chill. Roll out and cut out cookies. Bake at 350* for 13 minutes, turning the cookie sheets at the 8 minute mark.

This second version I made for my sister's bridal shower. A friend and fellow baker loves using lavender in her baking. That was what inspired me to try these.

Lavender Lemon Shortbread
1 cup butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 cups flour (I used unbleached all purpose)
dash cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
juice of 1/2 lemon (about, I think I used a little less)
zest of 1 lemon
sprinkle of lavender (it was probably around 2-3 Tbsp.)

Cream together butter, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and lemon juice.

Beat in flour.


Then stir in the lemon zest and lavender. Bake at 350* for 13 minutes, turning the cookie sheets at the 8 minute mark.


These are delightfully fresh and light. I like using the unbleached all-purpose flour for these because it really allows the flavor of the lavender and the lemon to come through. Whereas I feel that the dark chocolate of the first version really needs the whole wheat flour to back it up a bit.

strawberry chocolate scones

You can't have a bridal shower tea party without scones, so these are the ones that I made up for my sisters shower last weekend. My recipe is adapted from the Alice's Tea Cup version.

Chocolate Strawberry Scones
3 cups flour (I think I used 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 unbleached all purpose)
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 1/4 cups hulled and quartered strawberries
3/4 cup dark chocolate pieces (I used dark chocolate chips)
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
heavy cream and sugar to brush and sprinkle on top

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix together with your clean hands.

Chop up the butter.


Then work it into the dry mixture with your hands. You want to get it to the consistency of fine bread crumbs. Then I stopped taking pics for a bit, but next you want to add the strawberries and chocolate pieces and mix them in well so that they are evenly distributed throughout. Then make a well in the center of the mixture and add in the buttermilk and vanilla. Combine until the dry ingredients are all wet. DO NOT KNEAD! If you knead the dough, the scones will be tough (tough is okay if you are talking about men but not if you are talking about scones, just saying).


Then pat the dough out on a floured surface and cut into triangular pieces. Mine got a bit messy and crazy, but worked out in the end. I think I would almost rather have cut them out with my round cutter I usually use for scones. You can do what you want. Then brush the tops with a bit of cream and sprinkle with just a tiny bit of sugar and bake at 425* for about 12 minutes.

coconut cake

I saw this recipe for coconut cake in a cookbook I received as a Christmas present this last Christmas, and I have been wanting to make it since then. As it has eggs in it, I figured my sister's bridal shower was the perfect opportunity for me to try this recipe.

Coconut Cake
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar (I used 1 cup dark brown sugar and 1 cup coconut sugar)
4 large eggs
2 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup milk (I used coconut milk)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup toasted coconut

In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Add in the vanilla. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture and the milk alternately to the butter mixture. Stir in the toasted coconut and pour the batter into 3 greased 9 inch cake pans.* Bake at 350* for 18-20 minutes. I started with 15 minutes and then added another 3, but mine came out a little dry, so they may have been slightly over cooked.

Buttercream Frosting
1 cup butter, softened
4 cups confectioner's sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1-2 Tbsp. milk (I used almond milk, but alternately you could use coconut milk)
1 tsp. coconut rum

Combine the butter and sugar and then add the vanilla, milk and rum. Beat until smooth and the consistency to frost the cake. To frost: Place the bottom layer on the cake plate, brush with coconut milk and a layer of frosting. Continue with the layers in the same way and top with toasted coconut.

As I said above, this turned out a little drier than I really wanted it to be, but that may have been due to being a little overcooked. I also would like to try this with just two layers instead of three because I think the layers were a little thin which could also have caused it to be a little drier. All together, though, I liked this cake fairly well and with a little tweaking I think it could be really fantastic, but then I do have a slight obsession with coconut.

*Note: I have trouble getting my cakes to come out of the cake pans easily, so I cut a paper towel the size of the bottom of the pan and place that in the bottom and then spray the pan with cooking spray. The cake comes out easily, and then the paper towel just peels off the bottom.