Blog

Bready or Not Original: Chocolate Pumpkin Marble Bundt Cake

Posted by on Sep 9, 2026 in Blog, Bready or Not, breakfast, bundt, cake, chocolate, pumpkin | 0 comments

That’s right, it’s time to start featuring pumpkin! I’m kicking off the season with a simple yet pretty bundt cake. This Chocolate Pumpkin Marble Bundt Cake balances chocolate with pumpkin spice.

Bready or Not Original: Chocolate Pumpkin Marble Bundt Cake

First of all: yes, this is a cool bundt pan. I’m blessed to be within a long drive of the NordicWare Factory Store, and I try to get there at least once a year to check out the heavily discounted pans and accessories!

Bready or Not Original: Chocolate Pumpkin Marble Bundt Cake

This is such a good cake. It’s not heavily sweet but has loads of good flavor. It’s the kind of cake that is great for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.

Bready or Not Original: Chocolate Pumpkin Marble Bundt Cake

Bready or Not Original: Chocolate Pumpkin Marble Bundt Cake

This beautiful bundt includes chocolate and pumpkin spice in a cake that is loaded with flavor without being hardcore sweet.
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Keyword: bundt cake, chocolate, pumpkin
Author: Beth Cato

Equipment

  • large bundt pan (10-12 cups)
  • nonstick spray with flour

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 15 ounces pumpkin puree can
  • 2 1/4 cups white sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) melted and cooled
  • 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder sifted
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
  • confectioners’ sugar to sprinkle on top

Instructions

  • Preheat oven at 325 degrees. Generously coat interior of pan with nonstick spray with flour.
  • In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, beat together eggs, pumpkin puree, sugar, and butter. Combine the dry ingredients with the wet. Batter may be lumpy.
  • Use the now-empty bowl from the dry ingredients to hold 3 cups of the batter. Stir in the sifted cocoa powder and vanilla, mixing until this portion of batter is one color.
  • To the other portion of batter, add the cinnamon and stir to spread throughout.
  • Add spoonfuls of each batter to the pan in an alternating pattern. Smooth out the top, but don’t swirl a knife through.
  • Bake for 60-70 minutes, until a toothpick plunged into the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan 20 minutes, then carefully invert onto a rack to cool completely.
  • Before serving, sprinkle confectioners’ sugar over the top. Store covered at room temperature. Pieces can also be individually wrapped and frozen.

OM NOM NOM!

    Read More

    Bready or Not: Apple Pie Bars

    Posted by on Sep 2, 2026 in apples, Blog, Bready or Not, cake, pie | 0 comments

    These Apple Pie Bars are fussier than my usual apple pies, I think, but the work that goes into these bars is also evident in the flavor and texture.

    Bready or Not: Apple Pie Bars

    The original recipe is from King Arthur Flour, part of an autumn feature last year. I found some things off-kilter though, especially the way the juice from my apples just plain did not cook off. Therefore, I built in advice on how to handle that if it happens to you as well.

    Bready or Not: Apple Pie Bars

    If you like a variety of textures in a single bite, this recipe will please you immensely. You get a firm base crust, tender apples, and melt-in-the-mouth crumbles all together. So good.

    Bready or Not: Apple Pie Bars

    Bready or Not: Apple Pie Bars

    These luscious bars are time-consuming to make but well worth the effort, as the concentrated apple flavor adds a lot to these dense treats. Modified from King Arthur Flour.
    Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
    Keyword: apple, cake, pie
    Author: Beth Cato

    Equipment

    • 8×8 pan
    • aluminum foil
    • nonstick spray

    Ingredients

    Crust

    • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick) room temperature
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons brown sugar packed
    • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 teaspoon table salt

    Filling

    • 6 cups apples (678g) peeled and diced in 1/2" pieces (6 to 8 medium apples, such as Cosmic Crisp)
    • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
    • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 2 teaspoons pie spice or ground cinnamon
    • 3/4 cup white sugar

    Topping

    • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
    • 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
    • 1/2 teaspoon pie spice or ground cinnamon
    • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cold, cut into small cubes

    Instructions

    Make crust

    • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8×8 square pan with foil and apply nonstick spray.
    • In a medium bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Scrape the bowl and add the flour and salt. Continue to beat until the mixture is somewhat crumbly; if you squeeze a clump, it should hold together.
    • Transfer the crust mixture to the prepared pan. Press down into an even layer. Use a fork to dock it all over.
    • Bake crust until lightly golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove it from the oven.
    • Increase oven temperature to 350. Set aside crust to cool while filling is prepared.

    Make filling

    • Place the apples and lemon juice in a big bowl and stir to coat.
    • In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the spice and stir.
    • Carefully add the apples to the skillet and stir to coat. Continue to stir occasionally for about 5 minutes.
    • Sprinkle sugar evenly over the apples. Cook and continue to stir occasionally for 6 to 10 minutes. The apples will likely release a lot of liquid. If this evaporates down to become a mere sticky mixture, great. If not, use a slotted spoon to drain-off the apples and set them aside in another dish to cool while the topping is prepared.
    • (What to do with that leftover liquid, if you have some? You can simmer it down to create a thick syrup to use on the bars or on something like ice cream, or drink it straight. Seems tragic to let it go to waste!)

    Make topping

    • In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and pie spice. Mash in the butter until crumbly.

    Assemble and bake

    • Transfer the cooked and cooled apples to top the crust, spreading into an even layer. Sprinkle the topping over the apples.
    • Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the topping is light golden brown. A fork stabbed into the top should confirm the apples are tender.
    • Cool bars at room temperature, then move to fridge to chill before cutting. Use foil to lift contents onto a cutting board to slice.
    • Store bars at room temperature or in the fridge in a sealed container. They can also be individually wrapped and frozen.

    OM NOM NOM!

      Read More

      Bready or Not Original: Glazed Chocolate Chip Walnut Brownies

      Posted by on Aug 26, 2026 in Blog, Bready or Not, brownies, chocolate, nutty | 0 comments

      This original recipe for Chocolate Chip Walnut Brownies is different from my usual brownie recipes: it has a rich glaze on top. These are FANCY.

      Bready or Not Original: Glazed Chocolate Chip Walnut Brownies

      It also includes a distinctly British ingredient, golden syrup, which gives these brownies a more nuanced sweetness and different texture. Lyle’s Golden Syrup is available in many large supermarkets on the imported goods aisle, or it can be bought on Amazon.

      Bready or Not Original: Glazed Chocolate Chip Walnut Brownies

      Really, I see these as special occasion brownies, perfectly sweet and nutty bricks to bring out for a birthday or big gathering.

      Bready or Not Original: Glazed Chocolate Chip Walnut Brownies

      Bready or Not Original: Glazed Chocolate Chip Walnut Brownies

      These fancy brownies are thick and luscious, crowned with a fudge glaze on top! Feel free to sub a different nut for walnuts, but something along that line is needed to balance the sweetness. Brownies will keep in the fridge for up to 6 days.
      Course: Dessert
      Cuisine: American
      Keyword: brownies, chocolate, golden syrup, walnuts
      Author: Beth Cato

      Equipment

      • aluminum foil
      • nonstick spray
      • 9×13 pan

      Ingredients

      Brownies

      • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (3 sticks) softened
      • 2 1/4 cups white sugar
      • 1/3 cup cocoa powder sifted
      • 1/3 cup golden syrup
      • 6 large eggs room temperature
      • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
      • 14 ounces white chocolate chips
      • 1 cup chopped walnuts

      Fudge glaze

      • 1 cup heavy cream
      • 1/3 cup half & half or milk
      • 1/3 cup golden syrup
      • 14 ounces dark chocolate chips

      Topping

      • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

      Instructions

      • Preheat oven at 350. Line 9×13 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray.
      • In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Stir in cocoa powder and golden syrup. Add eggs one at a time. Add the flour, mixing until no white is showing. Fold in the white chocolate and walnuts.
      • Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the middle passes the toothpick test. Let cool completely.
      • Bring cream, milk and golden syrup to a boil. Take the saucepan off heat. Add the chocolate and keep stirring until it melts to smoothness.
      • Spread glaze over brownies and sprinkle on more walnuts for decoration. Place in fridge to set. Use foil to lift contents onto a cutting board to slice into bars.
      • Store brownies in a covered container in the fridge, using waxed paper between layers if they are stacked.

      OM NOM NOM!

        Read More

        Bready or Not Original: Cranberry and Cashew Cookies

        Posted by on Aug 19, 2026 in Blog, Bready or Not, chocolate, cookies, nutty | 0 comments

        These Cranberry and Cashew Cookies are plush and delicious, with a perfect contrast of flavors and textures.

        Bready or Not Original: Cranberry and Cashew Cookies

        Cashew pieces really add a lot to these cookies. Crunchy at first, then quickly softening. The cranberries are chewy in a different way.

        Bready or Not Original: Cranberry and Cashew Cookies

        Note that the dough here needs to be made ahead. It’s very sticky to work with, and having it chilled helps some.

        Bready or Not Original: Cranberry and Cashew Cookies

        These thick cookies are a fantastic mix of flavors and textures. Note that the dough should be chilled, making this a good recipe to prepare ahead and chill or freeze until baking time.
        Course: Dessert, Snack
        Keyword: cashews, chocolate, cookies, cranberries
        Author: Beth Cato

        Equipment

        • small cookie scoop
        • parchment paper

        Ingredients

        • 1 cup brown sugar packed
        • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) softened
        • 1/2 cup sour cream
        • 1 large egg
        • 1 teaspoon vanilla
        • 2 cups all-purpose flour
        • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
        • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
        • 3/4 cup cashew pieces
        • 1 cup dried cranberries
        • 3/4 cup white chocolate chips

        Instructions

        • In a mixing bowl, beat together brown sugar and butter until creamy. Add sour cream, egg, and vanilla. Mix in the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Fold in the cashews, cranberries, and white chocolate.
        • The dough will be very sticky, and chilling it will make it slightly easier to work with; chill for at least 2 hours, or freeze until a later point.
        • Preheat oven at 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a small scoop or teaspoon to dole out balls of dough spaced out on the sheet. Bake for 11 to 14 minutes, until set with tops just turning golden.
        • Cool completely then store in sealed container at room temperature. Cookies will keep for at least 2 days.

        OM NOM NOM!

          Read More

          Bready or Not Original: Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie with Vanilla Bourbon Crust

          Posted by on Aug 12, 2026 in Blog, Bready or Not, chocolate, nutty, pie | 0 comments

          Pie. Pie is good. The world needs more pie. Maybe you need a pie right now or next week. If so, and you like pecans, this is the right post for you. This Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie with Vanilla Bourbon Crust will blow your mind.

          Bready or Not Original: Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie with Vanilla Bourbon Crust

          I used a tiny bottle of Jim Bean Bourbon for this recipe, one of those pocket-sized ones you find near the counter in liquor stores. A little liquor has a lot of flavor. This pie doesn’t taste boozy, but has a wonderful fresh flavor from the bourbon.

          Bready or Not Original: Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie with Vanilla Bourbon Crust

          The crust recipe I use here is one you’ll see again coming up, paired with a pumpkin pie recipe!

          Bready or Not Original: Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie with Vanilla Bourbon Crust

          Bready or Not Original: Vanilla Bourbon Pie Crust

          This dreamy crust is perfect for numerous baked pies.
          Course: Breakfast, Dessert
          Cuisine: American
          Keyword: alcohol, pie
          Author: Beth Cato

          Equipment

          • food processor
          • plastic wrap

          Ingredients

          • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
          • 3 Tablespoons white sugar
          • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
          • 10 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into pieces
          • 1 Tablespoon vanilla paste or one scraped vanilla pod
          • 1 Tablespoon cold bourbon
          • 2 to 3 Tablespoons ice water

          Instructions

          • In a large food processor, pulse together flour, sugar, and salt. Add about a third of the butter and pulse. Add the remaining butter and pulse into it’s the size of peas. Add the vanilla paste, bourbon, and 2 tablespoons of cold water. Pulse until it comes together, adding a little more water if needed.
          • Turn dough out on a surface to knead until it fully comes together. Flatten it into a disc and wrap in plastic to chill for at least an hour or up to a few days. It’s also great to freeze for future pies.

          OM NOM NOM!

            Bready or Not Original: Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

            Chocolate and pecans are a fantastic pairing, and this sweet, crunchy pie brings them together in marvelous form.
            Course: Breakfast, Dessert
            Cuisine: American
            Keyword: alcohol, chocolate, pecans, pie
            Author: Beth Cato

            Equipment

            • pie plate
            • cookie sheet

            Ingredients

            • 1 pie crust store-bought or homemade
            • 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
            • 1/2 cup white sugar
            • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
            • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
            • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) melted and cooled
            • 2 large eggs room temperature
            • 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
            • 2 1/2 Tablespoons bourbon
            • 1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
            • 1 cup diced pecans

            Instructions

            • If the pie crust is not already in a pan, rolled it out and shape it into dish, crimping edges. Set it in fridge to chill while filling is prepared.
            • Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Place a metal cookie sheet in oven to heat as well.
            • In a big mixing bowl, combine both sugars, the flour, and salt. Set aside.
            • In another bowl, whisk together the butter, eggs, vanilla, and bourbon. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and pecans to coat.
            • Pull out chilled crust. Pour filling inside. Carefully place it on the hot cookie sheet in the oven; this will hopefully prevent the dreaded soggy bottom on the crust.
            • Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the middle no longer jiggles and passes the toothpick test. If the edges start to brown too much, use care to cover the crust with strips of foil. When the bake is done, the entire top of the pie should be set and golden.
            • Cool completely before serving. Store covered by foil at room temperature.

            OM NOM NOM!

              Read More

              Bready or Not: Chocolate Cake Mix Bundt Cake

              Posted by on Aug 5, 2026 in Blog, Bready or Not, cake, cake mix, chocolate | 0 comments

              I love bundt cakes. I’ve made some pretty fancy ones. This Chocolate Cake Mix Bundt Cake, however, is easy as can be… but make sure you use a large bundt pan.

              Bready or Not: Chocolate Cake Mix Bundt Cake

              I say this as a warning. I found the original recipe in a little cookbook published by Nordic Ware that I snagged at my local Friends of the Library sale (tangent: support your local library sale!) and it called for an 18-oz cake mix. Well, that size is no longer available. I thought I’d be fine using a 10-cup pan with a 15-oz cake mix.

              Bready or Not: Chocolate Cake Mix Bundt Cake

              Hahaha. No. For the first time ever, my bundt pan overflowed. The good news is that the clean-up wasn’t as bad as I feared, as the crispy cake bits broke off the rack and oven floor right away, but it could have been much worse.

              Bready or Not: Chocolate Cake Mix Bundt Cake

              That disclaimer stated, this is a delicious, super-moist chocolate cake, the kind of thing that would work for a dessert or a brunch. Pair it with fresh fruit and ice cream, and you have something very special. No one will guess it’s made from a mix.

              Bready or Not: Chocolate Cake Mix Bundt Cake

              This is a fast-and-breezy bundt cake thanks to a cake mix shortcut! Make sure to use a large bundt pan. Modified from Best of the Bundt by Nordic Ware.
              Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
              Keyword: bundt cake, cake, cake mix, chocolate
              Author: Beth Cato

              Equipment

              • 12-15 cup large bundt pan
              • baking spray with flour

              Ingredients

              Cake

              • 15.25- ounce chocolate cake mix
              • 3.25 ounce instant chocolate pudding powder
              • 3/4 teaspoon espresso powder optional
              • 1 cup sour cream
              • 1/2 cup warm water
              • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
              • 4 large eggs room temperature
              • 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

              Topping

              • confectioners’ sugar optional

              Instructions

              • Preheat oven at 325 degrees. Generously coat a large bundt pan with baking spray with flour.
              • In a large bowl, combine everything except for the chocolate chips. Mix for 2 minutes, then scrape the bottom of the bowl, then mix for another 3 minutes. Fold in the chocolate chips.
              • Add batter to prepared bundt pan. Level out to make even. Bake for 55-60 minutes, until it passes the toothpick test in cake.
              • Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then use mitts to carefully tip cake onto a baking rack. Cool completely.
              • If desired, dust confectioners’ sugar on top prior to serving. Store in sealed container at room temp or in fridge. Cake can be cut into slices and frozen for up to a month.

              OM NOM NOM!

                Read More