Kim, Author at Cinnamon and Sugar

Spiced-Tea Baked Donuts

SOUR CRIME DONUTS is the tenth book in the Deputy Donut Mysteries by Ginger Bolton. This is another delicious installment in this sweet series featuring Deputy Donut shop owner, Emily, alongside her intrepid kitty, Deputy Donut. The author has created charming characters you can’t help but want to get to know, with imaginative plots to keep you coming back. If you’re new to the series, this can easily be read as a standalone, but you’ll want to go back and start at the beginning to follow along as the characters grow and change. In this newest release, Izzy, a (very) young and overly sweet woman, moves to town and reconnects with Emily. The pair have a connection, even after only spending a day together a decade earlier at camp. Ms. Bolton knows how to create memorable characters—both good and kind people as well as mysterious and sinister types—and sometimes you might not be able to tell them apart. This sets the stage for leading the reader on a merry chase when murder happens.

Izzy has come to the quaint town of Fallingbrook, Wisconsin (after inheriting a substantial amount from her grandfather) with his stipulation that she put it to good use and start a business. She has grand plans to buy property to grow fresh produce year-round. It all sounds perfect until a developer decides he must have the property, no matter the cost, and things turn ugly. When the developer is found murdered with Emily’s donuts close by, suspicion falls on both her and Izzy. The intricate plot, with subplots woven into the mix, had twists and surprises that kept me on my toes as I followed along with Emily in clearing her name. I liked that Emily immediately passes along any information she finds to her detective husband, and doesn’t hide clues from him. There were several suspects, and I never guessed whodunit until the edge-of-your-seat reveal. As the story wrapped up, all my questions were answered, leaving me eagerly waiting for the next book in this delightful series!

There are donuts galore mentioned throughout the story, so be prepared to be hungry. Or you can make one of the donut recipes at the back of the book to munch on while you read! I decided to try the Spiced-Tea Baked Donuts because they can easily be made year-round… although the spices are more reminiscent of fall than of spring or summer. I appreciated that the donuts are baked instead of fried, and the author even includes directions for turning the batter into muffins instead of donuts. Iced with a sour cream frosting and sprinkled with cinnamon, these make for a delicious breakfast or coffee break snack!

Synopsis

Emily feels like a protective big sister around bubbly twenty-something Izzy—a new regular whose enthusiasm for peaches and cream donuts is surpassed only by her dream to start her own business. As if blown in by an August breeze, Izzy pulls Emily into her plan to buy a property at the edge of town to grow and sell fresh produce. But she’s not the only fan of Deputy Donut’s peachy delights . . . or the only patron vying to own the lush parcel of land. And the competition is fiercer than the two women imagined . . .

Petty squabbles turn deadly when a developer with a mean streak is found murdered on the vacant stretch of land. Worse, Emily’s signature donuts are spotted nearby, leading to several potential suspects who could have left their sugar-frosted fingerprints all over the crime scene—including the mayor, a handsome out-of-towner, and even sweet-to-the-core Izzy. When her detective husband discovers poisonous ingredients in the discarded desserts, a shocked Emily must reveal holes in a collection of very fuzzy facts and nab the killer before someone else takes their last bite . . .

A special thanks to Kensington Publishing for offering a print ARC copy of SOUR CRIME DONUTS to one lucky winner! Contest ends September 7, 2025 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Spiced-Tea Baked Donuts

Makes 10 donuts and/or cupcakes. (*Cupcakes will be denser than normal cupcakes.) For the baked donuts, you will need a nonstick donut baking pan. They have donut-shaped baking cavities.

Ingredients

Donuts:

Vegetable oil for greasing the pan
1/2 cup 14 percent butterfat sour cream
1 extra-large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon strongly brewed Darjeeling tea
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon each of the following spices: ground cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, ginger, and nutmeg.
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Sour Cream Frosting

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted or pushed through sieve
1/2 teaspoon strongly brewed Darjeeling tea
1/4 cup 14 percent butterfat sour cream

Instructions

Donuts:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Lightly grease nonstick donut baking pan.
In one bowl, whisk together the sour cream, egg, tea, vegetable oil, and sugar, until well blended.
In a larger bowl, stir the flour, spices, and baking soda with a fork until well blended.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well.
Spoon the batter into the donut-shaped cavities in the donut baking pan, filling them halfway.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until tops are golden and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Invert the pan on a cooling rack. When the donuts have cooled, gently loosen them with a silicone spatula and remove.

Sour Cream Frosting:

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter.
Beat the sugar into the butter until blended.
Stir in the tea and sour cream.
If the frosting is too thick, stir in more sour cream. If it's too thin, stir in more powdered sugar.
Store the frosting in the refrigerator until you're ready to use.
Frost the donuts then sprinkle tops with cinnamon.
If any frosted donuts are left over, store them in the refrigerator.

Note:

If you don't have a donut baking pan, bake as cupcakes in cupcake papers and pan for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Emily's home donut baking pan makes only 6 donuts, so she bakes the rest of the batter in cupcake papers in cupcake tins.

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I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Hayley’s Halloween Apple Crisp

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HALLOWEEN NIGHT MURDER is a compilation of three spooktacular novellas by Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis, and Liz Ireland. Each feature longtime favorite characters from cozy mystery series I already love, and it was a treat to catch up with them in between the full-length books.

The first novella is Halloween Night Murder by Leslie Meier. Featuring Lucy Stone, a reporter for the local Tinker’s Cove, Maine, newspaper, the book starts with an annual children’s Halloween party. It sounds like a very fun event and captures the vibe of a cozy mystery Halloween. But from there, things turn dark. While the story is well written, it veers into crime fiction or suspense with themes of child endangerment, domestic abuse, and the death of a minor. I was caught unprepared and had to do some mental adjustments to finish the story. Had I been forewarned of the triggers, I think I might have been able to enjoy it more than I did.

The second novella is Death of a Halloween Night Stalker by Lee Hollis. This is definitely not a cute trick-or-treater tale… instead it captured the chills and thrills of the spine-tingling Friday Fright Night programs I watched as a young adult (eons ago!). Campy and spooky, reminiscent of a Stephen King novel, and definitely Halloween-worthy, yet stays within the cozy realm with some humor thrown in. When protagonist Hayley and her friends get stranded in the middle a storm, in the middle of nowhere, with no one but a strange mother and her even stranger son to take them in, the stage is set for an edge-of-your-seat read. You’ll want to keep the lights on for this story!

The third novella is Mrs. Claus and the Wily Witch by Liz Ireland. This story definitely captures the cuteness of Halloween yet weaves in a mystery with twists and turns. The creative descriptions and the setting of Santaland pulled me in while the memorable characters (how can you not love a holiday crossover featuring Mrs. Claus, snowmen, elves, reindeer, and a snow witch?!) kept me reading to find out what happens next. Ms. Ireland includes plenty of humor alongside the mystery… this is just a fun, fun read!

If you’re looking for some quick Halloween-themed stories, you can’t go wrong with HALLOWEEN NIGHT MURDER. It’s perfect for snuggling in with a hot drink and leftover candy once all the ghouls and goblins are tucked in.

Lee Hollis includes a few recipes within Death of a Halloween Night Stalker, and the recipe for Hayley’s Halloween Apple Crisp caught my attention. Using a generous number of apples with a generous amount of cinnamon and topped with loads of crunchy oat and brown sugar topping, this apple crisp hit the spot. Served warm with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream, you’ll forget all about those leftover mini candy bars from trick-or-treating, although this is so yummy you’ll want to serve it year round!

Synopsis

HALLOWEEN NIGHT MURDER by LESLIE MEIER
After a tiring but satisfying day of organizing Halloween festivities, Lucy Stone is surprised by a lone late-night trick-or-treater at her home in Tinker’s Cove, Maine. The next morning, she’s heartbroken to learn that the teenager died in a hit-and-run just minutes after she gave him the last of her candy supply. Haunted, she starts digging into his story—and discovers some dark secrets . . .

DEATH OF A HALLOWEEN NIGHT STALKER by LEE HOLLIS
Bad weather has stranded restaurateur Hayley Powell and her friends in rural Maine—and the only shelter available is a spooky spot where they’re welcomed warmly by the lady of the house—but coldly by her suspicious, gun-toting son. They’re even more nervous after he scares them with his Halloween zombie costume—but the real fright is yet to come . . .

MRS. CLAUS AND THE WILY WITCH by LIZ IRELAND
Disgraced elf Flake has returned from exile just in time for Halloween, but not everyone in Christmastown thinks he’s truly reformed. When Pumblechook the snowman suffers a mysterious fate, and a fellow elf is felled by Flake’s caramels, Mrs. Claus must determine whether the sticky-fingered Flake has become a hardened criminal—or if sorcery has invaded Santaland . . .

A special thanks to Lee Hollis for offering a print copy of HALLOWEEN NIGHT MURDER to one lucky winner! Contest ends August 31, 2025 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Hayley's Halloween Apple Crisp

Ingredients

6 McIntosh apples, peeled and chopped (you can use your favorite apple in this recipe)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon, divided
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced into small cubes
Pinch of kosher salt

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (F). Butter an 8x8-inch baking dish and set aside.
In a bowl add your chopped apples, granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, and lemon juice. Stir to combine and pour into your buttered baking dish.
In another bowl add the rest of the ingredients and using your clean hands (my preferred method) or a pastry cutter, mix all the ingredients until the mixture looks like pea-sized crumbs.
Spread your toppings over the apple mixture in the baking dish and pat it down evenly over the top. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until brown and bubbly.
Serve your apple crisp warm and enjoy! Just a quick note: I like to add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top while warm. It's to die for!

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Grant’s Bleu Cheese Tarts

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EDAM AND WEEP is the sixth book in the Grilled Cheese Mysteries by Linda Reilly. Protagonist Carly Hale has her hands full preparing for her upcoming nuptials, running her restaurant Carly’s Grilled Cheese Eatery, and surprise guests showing up to stay with her and her fiancé, Ari. Yet she’s found time to take part in and contribute to the local high school’s fundraiser alongside her mom, Rhonda, in a 1950s-themed diner bash. From the very beginning of this series, the author has done a marvelous job in creating sweet core characters that the reader can’t help but connect to and cheer on. This newest release continues in that vein. I was excited to get to know Carly’s mom better, and I adored the relationship the pair has with each other. They are caring and supportive of each other, and close friends. And let me tell you, Mama Rhonda is very protective of her daughter and stands up for Carly…setting the stage for the mystery. The strong descriptions let me visualize the characters and the setting, bringing the story to life. And how could a 50s-theme bash not be a blast, especially when one’s mother dresses in the spitting image of Lucille Ball of I Love Lucy fame?

When a fellow vendor at the fundraising event tries multiple times to bully Carly, Rhonda steps in to protect her daughter. Someone takes advantage of the altercation and later kills the bully, framing Rhonda. With numerous townspeople attending the event, there is a large pool of suspects who had issues with the bully. Carly, naturally, gets involved in trying to clear her mother’s name, except her mom seems to be hiding something. The mystery is solid with good pacing that kept me turning pages. There were a few twists that added to the intrigue, but it’s the characters and their kindness that keep me coming back to this charming series.

Running a grilled cheese eatery, Carly and her employees serve mouthwatering food. There are a couple of recipes at the back of the book to try out at home. I’m a big fan of bleu cheese and couldn’t wait to make Grant’s Bleu Cheese Tarts—little mini bite-sized appetizers. I wasn’t sure what to make of the combination of adding onion to the apple and cheese mixture, but it was delicious! I liked that the filling can be made ahead of time and, shortly before guests arrive, fill the mini phyllo cups (which are super convenient), and bake for less than 10 minutes. My granddaughter visited for a weekend, and we enjoyed these quick appetizers with a glass of wine while enjoying the sun out on the patio after a fun day browsing through a quaint bookshop!

Synopsis

When the local high school hosts a fundraiser, restaurant owner Carly Hale is happy to sign on and enlists her mother’s help selling her much-loved grilled cheese sandwiches at the school. But no good deed goes unpunished, and the vendor stationed next to them at the event turns out to be aggressively rude and bullies them both. Never one to be pushed, Carly’s mom gives the man a vicious tongue-lashing and assumes that’s the end of it—until later that day when the man is found dead, strangled with her scarf.

With her mom on the hook for murder, Carly has no choice but to find out who killed the man and why. It turns out the victim had always been bad news and had racked up a long list of enemies. One of those enemies may have been the menacing stranger Carly saw lurking on the edges of the fundraiser, but her intuition tells her the murdered man’s girlfriend may have been mixed up in it too. Certain one of them—or both—did the deadly deed, Carly realizes too late that all her sleuthing has landed her next on the killer’s hit list . . .

A special thanks to Linda Reilly for offering a print copy of EDAM AND WEEP to one lucky winner! Contest ends August 24, 2025 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Grant's Bleu Cheese Tarts

In keeping with the traditional wedding motif of "Something borrowed, something blue," Grant wanted to prepare an exceptional treat for Carly and Ari's pre-wedding party, and for the wedding reception. Using bleu cheese as the primary ingredient, he created these tantalizing delicious appetizers that got rave reviews from the guests. If the blend of apple and onion seem odd, don't worry--you'll find that it's a marriage made in culinary heaven.

Although Grant makes his own phyllo dough, he knows that it's a labor-intensive task that takes some practice. To save time, he suggests using the miniature phyllo shells available in the freezer section a your supermarket (a 1.9-ounce package yields 15 tart shells). If you're a talented baker, or adventurous enough to make your own phyllo dough, some great recipes can be found online.

Once you serve these gourmet treats, your guests will be clamoring for you to make them often!

Ingredients

2 teaspoons butter, preferably unsalted
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup of crumbled bleu cheese
4 tablespoons finely chopped roasted walnuts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package (1.9 ounces) of frozen miniature phyllo tart shells
Dried basil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
Melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
Add apple and onion: cook and stir until tender (3 to 5 minutes) and remove from heat.
Stir in bleu cheese, three tablespoons of the walnuts, and salt.
Spoon a rounded tablespoon of the mixture into each phyllo shell, and place them on an ungreased baking sheet; bake for 5 minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with the remaining walnuts and a light touch of dried basil; bake another 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly browned.
Serve warm out of the oven. After they're cooled, they can also be frozen in a freezer container, separating layers with wax paper.

Cinnamon & Sugar's Note:

The filling made a lot... almost double what I needed. It could be that my onion and my apple were larger than normal, but whatever the reason, the resulting leftover filling was delicious served with crackers.

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Mango Scones with Cream Cheese Frosting

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THE MANGO MURDERS is the fifteenth book in the Key West Food Critic Mysteries by Lucy Burdette. Set against the breathtaking backdrop of a sunset cruise in Key West, protagonist food critic Hayley Snow is busy hosting the city’s movers and shakers on behalf of her Key Zest online magazine employer. Hayley’s mother and stepfather, Janet and Sam, are catering the event hoping to expand their business. I just adore the characters of this series and can’t help but admire the close relationship Hayley has with her mother and stepdad…as well as her friendships with other key characters, in particular, octogenarian Miss Gloria. These are people you’d count yourself lucky to call friends, which adds to the appeal of the book. From the very start, Ms. Burdette captures the intricate details of the setting, from the sights, sounds, scents, and flavors… and the mango-themed menu evokes the tropical feel of the locale. As inviting as the balmy breeze and mango daiquiris are, discord comes aboard the yacht, and it doesn’t take long for chaos to ensue.

One of the things you can count on from this author is that the action always starts off early on and the pace holds its own throughout the book… there is never a dull moment. In this latest release, a fire and then an explosion happen aboard the yacht, causing the guests to abandon ship, starting the mystery. Was it accidental? Who is the unidentified victim, and why were they on board in the first place? Could Janet, the caterer, have been the target, or is someone trying to drive her thriving company out of business by setting her up to take the blame for the explosion? Hayley has so many questions and feels the need to find the answers and protect her mother. Her sleuthing takes her around Key West, and it feels like a mini travel guide as I followed along, while the mystery is well-plotted and kept me turning pages. Interspersed with the investigation are the celebrations planned for Miss Gloria’s 85th birthday party and the upheaval her arriving family creates, adding to the fast pace and intrigue. This character-driven story has all the right ingredients that keep me coming back and keep me anxiously awaiting each new release.

There are so many yummy mango-themed foods mentioned throughout the book, and luckily there are several recipes at the back of the book to tempt your tastebuds. I couldn’t wait to dive in and try out the Mango Scones with Cream Cheese Frosting and they were every bit as delicious as I’d expected. The scones are flaky and rich thanks to a generous amount of butter and sour cream, but it’s the chunks of mango and cream cheese frosting that make them exceptional.

Synopsis

Food critic Hayley Snow’s employer, Key Zest, is throwing the event of the season, a lavish cocktail party catered by Janet Snow, Hayley’s mother. As Hayley boards the luxurious cruise, she anticipates a smooth sailing soirée filled with shimmering cocktails, mouthwatering mango-infused delicacies, and new supporters for the e-zine. But as the boat sets sail, the festivities take a tragic turn when an explosion rocks the vessel, plunging the party guests into chaos.

In the days that follow, Hayley learns that a local culinary entrepreneur died in the explosion and it was no accident–someone on board had a deadly agenda. With the tropical city of Key West as her backdrop, Hayley navigates a web of secrets and lies. Her investigation takes her from the shadowy corners of island politics to fierce competition between high-end event caterers and personal vendettas.

With the clock ticking and the stakes higher than ever, Hayley must rely on her keen intuition to unmask a cunning culprit before they strike again.

A special thanks to Lucy Burdette for offering a print copy of THE MANGO MURDERS to one lucky winner! Contest ends August 17, 2025 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Mango Scones with Cream Cheese Frosting

Hayley's neighbor Miss Gloria is celebrating her eighty-fifth birthday in this book. Lots of visitors have arrived on the island, included her two thorny daughters-in-law. Mis Gloria gets the idea of inviting them for a tour of residences on Houseboat Row, with scones and coffee on Hayley and Nathan's deck at the end. Hayley makes these mango scones, and my, they are delicious! You could make them without the icing, but as my husband would say... why?

Ingredients

For the scones:

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon almond flavoring
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup (aka 1 stick or 8 tablespoons) frozen unsalted butter
1 egg
1/2 cup sour cream
2-1/2 tablespoons whole milk
1 cup ripe mango, peeled and cut into small chunks

For the frosting:

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

Instructions

For the scones:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (F).
Combine the dry ingredients with a fork. Take care to mix the brown sugar in thoroughly.
Placed a grater over the bowl of dry ingredients, grate the frozen butter into the bowl using the largest holes. With a fork, mix the butter in well with the flour mixture.
In another bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the egg, sour cream, almond flavoring, and milk. Stir the combined wet ingredients into the dry and mix just until moist. Fold in the mango.
Dump the batter onto a piece of parchment paper lightly dusted with flour and shape it into a circle. The batter will be wet and crumbly, but don't overwork it.
Cut the circle of dough into eight wedges and separate slightly so there is space between each scone. (I cut mine into six wedges, which were very generous!)
Bake until beginning to brown, about 18 minutes. Serve as you like with more butter, whipped cream, the cream cheese frosting, or just as they are.

For the frosting:

Beat the cream cheese and butter together until creamy. Mix in the confectioners' sugar and beat until smooth.
Serve immediately or refrigerate until needed.

Author's Notes:

These freeze well and can be warmed up for a treat on another day.
As a side note, I asked my hub if he wanted his frosted and he first said no. He changed his mind when he heard I was having frosting. After tasting it he said, "I don't know why you even asked me about the icing, it's amazing!"

Cinnamon & Sugar's Note:

I resorted to using frozen mango when I realized I couldn't find ripe mangos at the store, nor did I have time to wait for green mangos to ripen. I defrosted the mango chunks (overnight in the refrigerator). After blotting the excess liquid from the defrosted mango, I chopped it into smaller chunks to use in the scones. The scone dough was very sticky and the mango chunks tended to disintegrate as I folded them in. I ended up having to add an extra tablespoon of flour. However, the scones were still delicious but next time I'll plan ahead and buy fresh mangos to use.

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I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rob’s Apple Cake

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ICING ON THE MURDER is the fourth book in the Baker Street Mysteries by Valerie Burns. Wedding plans are in the making, and protagonist Maddy Montgomery is, well, freaking out. Not only has her Baby Cakes bakery secured a spot at the biggest bridal expo, but she’s competing for a chance to win an all-expenses paid wedding designed by the famous wedding planner, Serafina. The author does an admirable job in setting the scene for what is supposed to be the happiest day of Maddy’s life, while including all the components that can derail a bride. Despite the reassurances of her groom-to-be, dreamy veterinarian Michael, and all her close friends, Maddy still feels like she can’t make decisions and must have Serafina plan her wedding. I love the close friendships Maddy has made since moving to New Bison, Michigan, and inheriting her aunt’s bakery and English Mastiff, Baby (who steals each scene he inhabits!). The banter is charming, and the care and support they give to each other is heartwarming. Humor is intertwined in the serious business of wedding planning and murder, making the story a delight to read.

Maddy is in for a shock when her dream wedding planner turns out to be a mean-spirited woman, intent on creating tabloid-worthy drama between the engaged couples competing for her services. It doesn’t come as a surprise when Serafina is murdered during the expo…unfortunately with one of Maddy’s wedding cake skewers. Will Maddy’s wedding march turn into a frog-march straight to jail? She’s determined to clear her name, and the Baker Street Irregulars—all of Maddy’s dear friends, including Sheriff April, Maddy’s Maid of Honor—join together to hunt down clues and find the killer. Given that the murder happened in such a public place with scads of people around, there are a lot of suspects, especially given how vile the victim was. The plot moved at a quick pace and kept me engaged throughout. With a hair-raising reveal—I’m team Baby!—the threads of the story came together in a cohesive manner and has me waiting impatiently for the next book in this entertaining series!

With the Baby Cakes Bakery central to the book, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that there are always lots of delectable bakery treats on the pages. There are several recipes at the back of the book to try out at home. I’m a huge fan of Bundt cakes, and I love apples, so I couldn’t wait to try out Rob’s Apple Cake. It was every bit as delicious as I’d imagined, with its generous layers of apples lightly seasoned with cinnamon, while the cake has the taste of citrus…the perfect combination! With so many apples used the cake is ultra-moist, and the leftovers stayed that way for a few days. On its own, or with powdered sugar sifted over the top, or drizzled with a simple glaze, this apple cake is sure to become a favorite.

Synopsis

Aunt Octavia would be so proud! Maddy has turned Baby Cakes Bakery—named for her 250-pound English Mastiff, Baby—into a runaway success, and she’s marrying the love of her life, veterinarian Michael Portman. #DreamWedding! Plus the timing couldn’t be better: the country’s biggest bridal expo has come to New Bison, Michigan, and Maddy has secured a spot for Baby Cakes to showcase their cakes. She’s also entered a contest for an all-expenses-paid wedding extravaganza offered by world-renowned wedding planner Serafina.

Unfortunately, supremely nasty Serafina truly takes the cake—she makes the worst bridezilla seem like a shy flower girl. But there’s one thing the wedding planner didn’t plan on—being impaled by one of the skewers Baby Cakes uses on their tiered wedding cakes.

While Maid of Honor Sheriff April Johnson rounds up suspects at the expo, Maddy and her aunt’s friends, the Baker Street Irregulars, and even Baby join forces to unveil a killer hiding in plain sight . . . before wedding bells start to chime.

A special thanks to Valerie Burns for offering a print copy of ICING ON THE MURDER to one lucky winner! Contest ends August 10, 2025 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Rob's Apple Cake

Recipe courtesy of Melinda Bandy

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/4 cups sugar, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup orange juice
2-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 medium baking apples, peeled and thinly slices
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Butter a Bundt pan.
Combine flour, 2 cups sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
In a separate bowl, combine eggs, oil, orange juice, and vanilla. Add the liquid ingredients to the flour mixture and mix well.
Toss the apples into a bowl with the cinnamon and remaining 1/4 cup of sugar.
Spread 1/3 of the batter into the Bundt pan. Top with half of the apples. Repeat. Spread the last 1/3 of the batter over the apples.
Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then remove to a wire rack.

Cinnamon & Sugar's Note:

While this cake doesn't really need any extra garnish, I still made a thick icing flavored with vanilla to drizzle on top: 3/4 cup powdered sugar mixed with 2-1/2 teaspoons water, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract.

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Sticky Toffee Pudding

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TEA WITH JAM & DREAD is the sixth book in the Tea by the Sea Mysteries by Vicki Delany. Protagonist Lily Roberts, her grandmother, Rose, and pals land in England for another misadventure in this newest release. Invited to the dowager countess of Frockmorton’s 100th birthday party, Rose insists they attend so she can visit with her long-ago employer/friend. The author does an admirable job in making the reader feel like they’re right there (with humor thrown in) from driving on the “wrong” side of the road, to getting trapped in terrifying roundabouts with cars swerving to miss you, to the beautiful countryside, and Thornecroft Castle turned hotel. Her strong descriptive language makes it all come alive. I enjoyed seeing more of Rose and learning about her backstory and her friendship with the countess. With everyone descending upon the castle for the birthday celebration, there are a lot of characters, some mentioned in passing, and some integral to the plot. But the core characters take center stage and are just as endearing as they’ve always been in previous books.

Lily, not one to sit around and remain idle, volunteers to help in the kitchen to prepare food for the upcoming birthday tea. She’s curious about the English tea and wonders if she can find new recipes to use in her tearoom back in Cape Cod. But maybe Lily should have stayed out of the kitchen because a guest dies after eating the Coronation chicken sandwiches prepared by her. Suddenly a suspect, and with the countess’s family pointing a finger at Lily (some are very condescending about class standing) Lily and her friends must band together and find the culprit. Adding to the mayhem is the dowager countess’s famous sapphires, now missing. The author crafted a tightly plotted story, with family drama increasing the tension. There were twists and turns to keep me engaged and, with so many guests roaming the castle, suspects galore. Being in a foreign country and not knowing any of the suspects makes it more difficult for Lily to suss out motivations. Still, Lily’s levelheaded determination narrows down the culprit, and it was all made clear in a highly satisfactory manner.

With the strong descriptive skills at play, your tastebuds are in for a treat as you read the book. Thankfully, Ms. Delany has included several recipes at the back of the book for the reader to try at home. One of the recipes, Sticky Toffee Pudding, captured my attention immediately. Decades ago, my husband and I had the chance to eat this rich, date-laden cake with toffee sauce (pudding is what the British call dessert) and it was heavenly. The dates make the cake super moist, but it’s the toffee sauce that ratchets up the wow factor. Sticky Toffee Pudding is delicious all on its own, or add a scoop of vanilla ice cream with the warm sauce for even more perfection.

Synopsis

Long ago, Lily’s grandmother Rose worked as a kitchen maid at Thornecroft Castle, and now Elizabeth, dowager countess of Frockmorton, is celebrating her one hundredth birthday. Rose still has fond feelings for her onetime employer, so a group trip to Yorkshire is planned. It’s also an opportunity for Lily to visit her boyfriend, who’s currently working in England—and to indulge in some British tea.

Much has changed, however, and the ancestral home is now a luxury hotel, which will be closed for a week to accommodate the big bash, much to the chagrin of Elizabeth’s grandson, Julien—leading Lily to overhear an argument among the younger generation about the fate of the family fortune. Little do they know that Elizabeth plans to sell the famous Frockmorton Sapphires out of the family for the first time in centuries . . .

The icing on the cake comes when the jewels suddenly vanish—and things really go nuts when a party guest dies from an allergic reaction to almonds that someone smuggled into Lily’s coronation chicken sandwiches. Now she’ll have to scour the property to find out who would commit murder in such a manor . . .

A special thanks to Kensington Publishing for offering a print ARC copy of TEA WITH JAM & DREAD by Vicki Delany to one lucky winner! Contest ends August 3, 2025 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Lily brought this recipe home with her, but not to use for afternoon tea, as it can't be eaten with fingers. It is, however, a great dessert dish. Note that in Britain, "pudding" is another word for dessert. This is more of a cake with sauce on the side than what Americans call pudding.

Ingredients

For the cake:

200 grams pitted dates
150 milliliters hot tea, made with 1 tea bag
150 grams unsalted butter, softened
200 grams dark brown sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
200 grams all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

For the toffee sauce:

100 grams unsalted butter
200 grams dark brown sugar
150 milliliters 10 percent cream (heavy cream)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
Line a 20-centimeter square cake tin with parchment paper.
Chop the dates into small pieces, then add to the hot tea. Put to one side to soak for 15 minutes.
Cream together the softened butter and brown sugar in a large bowl, until pale and light. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.
Sift the flour, baking powder, and baking soda onto the butter mixture and then fold in with a rubber spatula until all of the flour is combined. Fold in the dates, along with any tea that hasn't soaked in, until you have a creamy cake batter.
Pour into the prepared cake tin and bake 35 - 40 minutes, or until the cake is a deep golden brown.
While the cake is in the oven, make the toffee sauce.
Melt the butter in a small pan, then add the brown sugar and cream. Cook over a low heat, stirring every now and then, until the sugar has dissolved. Once the sauce is smooth, increase the heat and let it bubble for a couple of minutes.
Let the cake cool for 5 minutes in the tin before turning out and cutting into squares. Serve warm with the hot toffee sauce.

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I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.