scottish whisky cake

My sweet baker friend (who is coming home at the end of this month. . .eeeeee!!!) posted this recipe a while ago, and I was looking for the perfect opportunity to try it out. I had a group of friends over for dinner on Sunday and decided that I wanted to give it a try. Here's my take on her recipe.

Scottish Whisky Cake
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups strongly brewed coffee
1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp. whiskey
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups dark brown sugar
6Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside. In a medium saucepan combine coffee, whiskey butter, cinnamon and cocoa powder. Heat over medium heat until butter is melted. Remove from heat and stir in sugar until dissolved. Pour into a large, heat resistant bowl. In a small bowl combine applesauce and vanilla. Stir into chocolate mixture. Then stir in flour mixture until just combined. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan and bake for 35-45 minutes. My oven runs hot so I baked it for about 30 minutes.

When the cake is almost done baking make the following whisky butter sauce.

Combine 1/4 cup whisky, 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup butter, and 3/4 cup dark brown sugar in a saucepan and heat gently until sugar is dissolved.

When cake is done remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minute. Poke holes in the cake using a toothpick and pour the whisky butter sauce over the cake slowly until it is all absorbed. Allow to cool and serve to happy people. This can be topped with whipped cream.

coconut milk ice cream

I've been craving coconut milk ice cream for a while now. My mum generously gave me her freeze and make ice cream maker. You freeze the inner portion and then turn the hand crank to make the ice cream. So I was finally able to make coconut milk ice cream. I was inspired by this lovely post, but went the non-chocolate route. I didn't really measure anything. I used 1 can of coconut milk, a sprinkle of cinnamon, some toasted coconut and some agave. The only thing that I would have changed is the amount of agave that I put in. It was super delicious!!


Whisk together all the ingredients and then make the ice cream according to the directions of your ice cream maker. For me that meant pour into the frozen part and turn the crank.


Then enjoy with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top. If you made it so it wasn't quite sweet enough add a drizzle of honey on top.

peanut butter + dark chocolate = heaven

I discovered heaven yesterday on my sweet friend's blog. Please, please, please, if you try no other recipes on here, please, try this one. You will not regret it, I promise. Unless you don't like peanut butter or dark chocolate, in which case I don't promise. But you should try it anyway because you might change your mind. Deliciousness has a way of making that happen.

I have a dear friend in Scotland right now who is a kindred baking spirit, and she posted a recipe for giant peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, and I just knew I had to try them. You should just go look at her blog anyway because she's funny and sweet and lives in Scotland and she's my friend. . .'nough said. I tweaked her recipe just a bit to accommodate for my roommate because I wanted her to try them too because everyone should try these cookies. The End. Okay, so here's my altered recipe.

Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
sprinkle freshly grated nutmeg
sprinkle cinnamon
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut sugar
6ish Tbsp. applesauce
1 pkg. dark chocolate chips

Using a stand mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Then add the peanut butter and beat again. Then add the sugars and beat again.

Add the applesauce and beat again.


In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients and whisk together. Then add to the butter and sugar mixture and beat until just combined.


By hand stir in the dark chocolate chips. Then take a good handful of dough and roll it between your palms and place about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet.


Bake at 350* for 12 minutes turning the pans halfway through.


Then enjoy the deliciousness that awaits you. May I just say you know the mark of a good cookie when it falls apart when you are taking them off the baking sheet, these definitely did. Yum! Thanks Anna for making my day with these delightful cookies!!

i promise that i haven't stopped cooking. . .

My life has just been a little crazy over the last week as I have been transitioning from one job to another and trying to keep up with life in the midst of all of that. I have several recipes that I am wanting to share and will hopefully get around to that in the near future, maybe tomorrow. We shall see. In the meantime. . .you should check out one of my friend's blogs. She is lovely and her food is always delish!! Her website is here: Cheeky Baker. Have fun!!