breakfast

Bready or Not: Sicilian Orange Bundt Cake

Posted by on Aug 31, 2022 in Blog, Bready or Not, breakfast, bundt, cake | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Sicilian Orange Bundt Cake

If you’re in need of a refreshing summer bundt cake, look no further. This Sicilian Orange Bundt Cake is it.

Bready or Not: Sicilian Orange Bundt Cake

This is a super-easy cake to make. The ingredients are minimal. It doesn’t make a massive cake. The oranges get used in the cake and in the glaze, so nothing is likely to go to waste.

Bready or Not: Sicilian Orange Bundt Cake

I love that the orange makes the cake look orange AND taste orange. There is something aesthetically pleasing about that. No surprises, no fake-outs. Orange cake tastes like orange. Got it.

Bready or Not: Sicilian Orange Bundt Cake

If you have any leftovers, no worries. I found that the cake freezes wonderfully, even glazed. Freeze those extra slices the first day and they’ll taste fresh when you thaw them later!

Modified from Food & Wine September 2020 issue.

Bready or Not: Sicilian Orange Bundt Cake

This light bundt cake is orange in appearance and in flavor, with a sweet orange glaze for added oomph! Modified from Food & Wine September 2020 issue.
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: bundt cake, citrus
Author: Beth Cato

Equipment

  • small bundt cake pan

Ingredients

Cake

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 large oranges zested and juiced
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 large eggs room temperature

Glaze

  • 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 3 teaspoons orange juice
  • orange zest

Instructions

  • Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Use a baking spray with flour (or alternatively, some extra vegetable oil and flour) to coat the interior of the bundt pan. Set aside.
  • In a small bowl, combine the flour, 2 Tablespoons of orange zest (the rest reserved for the glaze), and baking powder. Set aside.
  • In a big mixing bowl, beat together sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs on high speed until it becomes quite pale, about a minute and a half. Add 1 1/4 cups orange juice, beating until combined. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients, scraping bottom of bowl as needed.
  • Pour batter into the pan. Bake for 45 minutes, until the middle passes the toothpick test. Cool for about 20 minutes, then invert it onto a rack to completely cool, speeding the process in the fridge if desired.
  • Make the glaze. Measure out the sugar. Add orange juice and any remaining zest. If mixture is thick, add a touch more juice; if runny, add more sugar. It should be a thick texture as it is drizzled on the cake. Let glazed cake set at least 30 minutes at room temperature or in fridge before slicing in.
  • Cake is great kept sealed at room temperature for up to 3 days. It can also be sliced and frozen, glaze and all, and makes for a delicious treat even weeks later.

OM NOM NOM!

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    Bready or Not Original: Peach-Almond Bars

    Posted by on Aug 17, 2022 in Blog, blondies, Bready or Not, breakfast, cookies, nutty | Comments Off on Bready or Not Original: Peach-Almond Bars

    These Peach-Almond Bars are peachy-keen, if you ask me! They aren’t super sweet and they really let the flavors of the fruit shine through.

    Bready or Not Original: Peach-Almond Bars

    I don’t do a lot with peaches because I live in Arizona and the peaches available here are not the best. There are a lot of things I miss about Central California, and the fresh fruit is a big one. (Oh, don’t start my yearning for strawberries…)

    Bready or Not Original: Peach-Almond Bars

    The good news is, you don’t need ripe or especially sweet peaches for this recipe because you add a touch of sugar and cook down the fruit. Lyle’s Golden Syrup is a British ingredient that can be found in the import section of a lot of grocery stores; there is no exact American substitute, but a mix of half light corn syrup and half honey is one I have seen in recipes more than once.

    Bready or Not Original: Peach-Almond Bars

    These bars are a pleasant mix of softness, crispness, peachiness, and crunchy almonds. Not only would they make for a good dessert or snack, but a fine breakfast as well.

    Bready or Not Original: Peach-Almond Bars

    These bars bring out the best in peaches without being hardcore sweet.
    Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
    Keyword: almond, bars, peaches
    Author: Beth Cato

    Equipment

    • 9×13 pan
    • aluminum foil
    • nonstick spray

    Ingredients

    Peaches

    • 6 small peaches about 4 cups, peeled and chopped
    • 1/4 cup water
    • 1/4 cup Lyle’s Golden Syrup
    • 1 Tablespoon corn starch

    Bars

    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 cup almond flour sifted to remove lumps
    • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup) room temperature
    • 2 Tablespoons sliced almonds

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 9×13 pan with foil and apply baking spray
    • In a medium saucepan, cook the peaches, water, and golden syrup about 15 minutes at a simmer, until peaches are soft. Add corn starch and stir well to bring the liquid together. Let set a few minutes to gel.
    • In a mixing bowl, combine flour, almond flour, confectioners’ sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat in the butter until it forms a lumpy dough.
    • Press about 2/3 of dough into the prepared pan. Use a piece of waxed paper and a heavy glass to really compress it. Spread the peach mixture on top. Add clumps of the remaining dough to sporadically cover. Sprinkle almonds on top.
    • Bake for about 40 minutes, until middle is set, not jiggly, with a golden brown crust across the top. Cool completely, speeding the process in the fridge if desired. Use foil to lift contents onto a cutting board to slice up. Store in a covered container, with waxed paper between the layers or with bars individually wrapped.

    OM NOM NOM!

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      Bready or Not: Kerrygold Almond Breakfast Cake

      Posted by on Jul 27, 2022 in Blog, Bready or Not, breakfast, cake, cheese galore, lemon, nutty | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Kerrygold Almond Breakfast Cake

      This Kerrygold Almond Breakfast Cake is moist, light, and delicious thanks to Irish butter, ricotta cheese, and a vivid spark of lemon.

      Bready or Not: Kerrygold Almond Breakfast Cake

      I found the original version of this recipe on the Kerrygold website and modified it quite a bit to make it work for a square 9-inch pan. I also added a glaze because, well, I thought it needed one–and it does. Not only does it boost the sweetness, but it helps that layer of sliced almonds adhere more.

      Bready or Not: Kerrygold Almond Breakfast Cake

      Using ricotta cheese in a cake like this doesn’t make it taste cheesy. The ricotta adds moisture, creating a soft, tender crumb, and it plays beautifully with the potent Kerrygold butter.

      Bready or Not: Kerrygold Almond Breakfast Cake

      Now, about that Kerrygold. For baking purposes, I like to buy it at Costco when it goes on sale a few times a year. Stash it in the freezer and it keeps for a long, long time. It’s sure more cost-effective than buying it at the grocery store.

      Bready or Not: Kerrygold Almond Breakfast Cake

      This cake is lemony-bright in flavor with a crisp-top crust thanks to the almonds. It keeps at room temperature for a few days or can be frozen for later.

      Bready or Not: Kerrygold Almond Breakfast Cake

      This light, delicious cake gets a moist boost of flavor from ricotta cheese, with lemon and almond being the boldest flavors. Recipe modified from the original on the Kerrygold website. [If you can only get salted Kerrygold butter, reduce the added salt in the recipe to 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.]
      Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
      Cuisine: irish
      Keyword: almond, cake, cheese, citrus
      Author: Beth Cato

      Equipment

      • 9-inch square pan
      • aluminum foil
      • uneven spatula

      Ingredients

      Cake

      • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
      • 2 teaspoons baking powder
      • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
      • 8 Tablespoons Kerrygold unsalted butter (1 stick) 1/2 cup, room temperature
      • 1 cup white sugar
      • 1 lemon zested and juiced
      • 2 large eggs room temperature
      • 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
      • 1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
      • 3/4 cup sliced almonds

      Glaze

      • 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
      • 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

      Instructions

      • Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line 9-inch pan with foil extended up all four sides. Apply nonstick spray.
      • Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
      • In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs and almond extract.
      • To the mixing bowl, alternatively add the flour mixture and the ricotta. Batter will be thick.
      • Pour it into the prepared pan. Level off with an uneven spatula. Sprinkle sliced almonds to cover the top.
      • Bake for 33 to 38 minutes, until the middle passes the toothpick test.
      • Cool in pan for at least 45 minutes, then use foil to lift it onto a rack to completely cool at room temperature.
      • Make glaze and drizzle across the top. Let set for 30 minutes before cutting. Cake will keep at least two days at room temperature, or pieces can be individually wrapped and frozen for later.

      OM NOM NOM!

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        Bready or Not Original: Cookie Butter Shortbread

        Posted by on Jul 20, 2022 in biscoff spread, Blog, Bready or Not, breakfast, british, chocolate, cookies | Comments Off on Bready or Not Original: Cookie Butter Shortbread

        The Cookie Butter Shortbread is a new riff on my classic Shortbread recipe that I’ve also made with espresso powder and chocolate chips–and also with an infusion of lemon and a glaze. It’s a versatile base recipe.

        Bready or Not Original: Cookie Butter Shortbread

        Now, I bet some of you are asking–what is cookie butter? It’s essentially pureed spice cookies with oil, forming a spreadable consistency just like peanut butter. You can find it in stores by the nut butter; Trader Joe’s carries it under the name Speculoos. What cookie butter does is make cookies taste more… cookie. You’ll know what I mean when you try it.

        Bready or Not Original: Cookie Butter Shortbread

        This is not a crisp shortbread like the traditional Walker’s brand (which is delicious in its own right). No, this shortbread is cakey and soft, only crisp at the very edge.

        Bready or Not Original: Cookie Butter Shortbread

        Sometimes the first piece out of the pan can even be fussy and break in half; a metal pie spatula helps, but sometimes it can still happen. That’s no major problem, though, because of every bite of Shortbread is good, even if it’s not perfectly photogenic.

        Bready or Not Original: Cookie Butter Shortbread

        Enjoy this Cookie Butter Shortbread for breakfast or snacks, or in proper fashion at tea time.

        Bready or Not Original: Cookie Butter Shortbread

        This new twist on my classic Shortbread mixes cookie butter and chocolate chips into the dough! These are cookies with an extra oomph of cookie flavor.
        Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
        Cuisine: British, Scottish
        Keyword: chocolate, cookie butter, cookies, shortbread
        Author: Beth Cato

        Equipment

        • 2 pie plates

        Ingredients

        • 2 cups all-purpose flour
        • 3/4 cup white sugar
        • 1/4 teaspoon salt
        • 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, softened
        • 1 egg yolk
        • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
        • 1/4 cup creamy cookie butter
        • 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

        Instructions

        • Preheat oven at 375-degrees. Apply nonstick spray to both pie plates.
        • Stir together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add butter, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and cookie butter. Use hands to compress dough together. Add the chocolate chips and mix, bringing dough together again to form a ball. Divide in half, placing one in each pie plate. Flatten dough with palms to create an even surface. Prick surface all over with a fork then use a knife to slash dough into triangular wedges.
        • Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until edges are golden brown and middle is set. Remove from oven and cut again along slash marks. Let shortbread cool completely, then cut again along existing marks.
        • Shortbread keeps for several days at room temperature. It can be stored covered in pie plates, or stacked in a sealed container with wax paper between the layers.

        OM NOM NOM!

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          Bready or Not Original: Berry Frangipane Cake

          Posted by on Jul 6, 2022 in Blog, Bready or Not, breakfast, cake, nutty | Comments Off on Bready or Not Original: Berry Frangipane Cake

          This Berry Frangipane Cake is a lot of work, and it shows! This cake would make for a stunning breakfast, brunch, or dessert.

          Bready or Not Original: Berry Frangipane Cake

          Frangipane is a kind of pastry filling made from almond flour. It is absolutely delicious, imbuing treats with nuttiness and sweetness.

          Bready or Not Original: Berry Frangipane Cake

          In this cake, frangipane works alongside cake batter to form the base for a lovely topping of formerly-frozen fruit and sliced almonds. I used a pretty standard fruit mix with raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries, and it’d come from the dollar store.

          Bready or Not Original: Berry Frangipane Cake

          If you want to use a single frozen fruit or a more select mix, go for it. Just remember that it should be thawed, drained, and patted dry, and if the pieces are very large, they should probably be cut to be around bite-size.

          Bready or Not Original: Berry Frangipane Cake

          I found that this kept perfectly well in individually-wrapped pieces at room temperature for about 2 days. It was also great to freeze. I had pieces frozen for weeks and then thawed them, and it was impossible to tell they’d ever been in the freezer.

          Bready or Not Original: Berry Frangipane Cake

          Greatly modified from Bake from Scratch January/February 2021 issue.

          Bready or Not Original: Berry Frangipane Cake

          This gorgeous cake takes some work, but the final result is worth it! My recipe is written for a 9-inch springform pan; if your pan is 8-inches, reduce the amount of berries and sliced almonds.
          Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
          Keyword: almond, cake, springform pan
          Author: Beth Cato

          Equipment

          • 9-inch springform pan
          • parchment paper
          • offset spatula
          • 2 cookie scoops

          Ingredients

          Frangipane

          • 2/3 cup unsalted butter room temperature
          • 1 1/2 cups superfine almond flour sifted if thick or clumpy
          • 3/4 cup white sugar
          • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
          • 1 large egg
          • 1 large egg white
          • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
          • 1 teaspoon almond extract

          Batter

          • 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick, room temperature
          • 3/4 cup white sugar
          • 1 large egg room temperature
          • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
          • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
          • 1 cup all-purpose flour
          • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
          • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
          • 1/4 cup milk or half & half

          Fruit topping

          • 3/4 cup frozen mixed berries drained, thawed, and patted dry
          • 3 Tablespoons sliced almonds
          • confectioners' sugar for dusting

          Instructions

          • Preheat oven at 325-degrees. Cut a piece of parchment to fit the base of a 9-inch springform pan. Spray pan with nonstick spray, place paper cut-out inside, then spray that as well. Set aside.
          • Make the frangipane. In a bowl, beat the butter until it’s creamy. Add the rest of the ingredients to combine well. Set aside.
          • Make the batter. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until they are fluffy. In a stand mixer, this will be 3 to 4 minutes. Add the egg followed by the extracts,
          • In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the butter-batter alternatively with the milk. Scrape the bottom of the bowl often.
          • Scoop about 1 cup of the batter into the pan and even out with an offset spatula. Measure out about 1 cup of the frangipane. Use two spring-loaded cookie scoops (tablespoon or teaspoon-sized, or without those, use a normal tablespoon and get your fingers dirty), scoop from the 1 cup frangipane and the batter to create a checkerboard pattern of dollops atop of base. Continue to alternate in a second layer, using up the rest of the batter as well as the 1 cup frangipane. Use a butter knife to swirl through them to create a slight marbled effect. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to knock out bubbles.
          • Use a scoop to place the rest of the frangipane on the top of the cake. Even out with offset spatula. Place the berries atop the frangipane, then sprinkle the almonds all over to coat.
          • Bake until the cake has set edges, about 50 minutes to 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer plunged into the middle should read over 202-degrees. Let cool in pan 10 minutes, then release the side clasp. Continue to cool the cake on the metal base until room temperature. Add a sprinkle of confectioners' sugar to pretty it up for serving.
          • Cake will keep covered for up to 2 days at room temperature. It can also be individually sliced and frozen for later enjoyment.

          OM NOM NOM!

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            Bready or Not: Dutch Butter Cake (Boterkoek)

            Posted by on Jun 22, 2022 in Blog, Bready or Not, breakfast, cake | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Dutch Butter Cake (Boterkoek)

            If you want a cake that is simple yet indulgent, this Dutch Butter Cake is for you. It’s a single-layer cake that is straightforward to make.

            Bready or Not: Dutch Butter Cake (Boterkoek)

            Really, the fussiest thing about this recipe is doing the crosshatch pattern on the top, and it’s not that bad. Look at my pictures–or others online–for examples of what to do.

            Bready or Not: Dutch Butter Cake (Boterkoek)

            The prettiness of the cake is what initially drew me in, and then when I saw it was called a Butter Cake, I knew I had to make it. I mean, butter. I’m of Southeastern American stock on both sides. I was raised with the philosophy that butter makes everything better except for things like sucking chest wounds.

            Bready or Not: Dutch Butter Cake (Boterkoek)

            This cake bakes up with a light, tender crumb. The fresh orange zest shines through along with the butter and vanilla. It’s rich even as it’s not heavily sweet.

            Bready or Not: Dutch Butter Cake (Boterkoek)

            Modified from Bake from Scratch March/April 2020.

            Bready or Not: Dutch Butter Cake (Boterkoek)

            This buttery one-layer cake is simple and delicious, a cozy snack or dessert if ever there was one. Enjoy with some coffee or tea! Modified from Bake from Scratch March/April 2020.
            Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
            Cuisine: Dutch
            Keyword: cake
            Author: Beth Cato

            Equipment

            • 9-inch springform pan
            • parchment paper
            • plastic wrap
            • pastry brush

            Ingredients

            • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter 3 sticks, softened
            • 1 1/4 cups white sugar
            • 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
            • 1 orange zested
            • 2 large eggs divided
            • 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
            • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
            • 1/2 cup unbleached cake flour
            • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
            • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

            Instructions

            • Preheat oven 350-degrees.
            • Cut a piece of parchment to fit in the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Apply nonstick spray or butter over the inside of the pan, place the parchment inside, then grease it as well. Set aside.
            • In a stand mixer, beat the butter, sugars, and orange zest together. Scrape the bottom of the bowl, then beat on medium until fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 egg. Crack the 2nd egg, placing the yolk with the other ingredients and setting aside the white for later use. Add vanilla bean paste to other ingredients and combine.
            • In a separate bowl, stir together flours, salt, and nutmeg. Gradually add dry ingredients into the butter batter to create a thick dough. Scoop it into the prepared pan.
            • Use a piece of plastic wrap to press the dough into an even layer. Discard plastic wrap. Lightly beat the reserved egg white. Use a pastry brush to gently apply the egg white across the top of the cake. Use the tines of a fork to make a crosshatch pattern across the top.
            • Bake for 25 minutes. Rotate the pan. Continue baking until the surface is golden brown and the middle passes the toothpick test, which should be after an additional 5 to 10 minutes. Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes, then release the side latch to remove the ring.
            • Let cake cool completely on a wire rack. Slice and enjoy. Cake keeps well covered at room temperature for at least 3 days. It can also be cut into slices and frozen for later enjoyment.

            OM NOM NOM!

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