Category Archives: Cakes

White Cake with White Chocolate Ganache Frosting

I finally had the opportunity to meet the lovely author, Marla Cooper, in Honolulu at Left Coast Crime last month. I had a very fun time listening to her play the ukulele for a group of us and chatting over drinks one evening. Smart, talented and humorous, Marla brings all of those qualities to her newest release, DYING ON THE VINE, the second book in her Kelsey McKenna Destination Wedding Mystery series! 

Kelsey McKenna is a destination wedding planner. Like her creator, Kelsey is also intelligent, artistic and funny, using those qualities while working with brides, wedding vendors and obnoxious wedding planners who feel like she’s the competition. When she finds the murdered body of one of her competitors, Kelsey suddenly discovers herself in the unwanted center of attention of the police. Worried that she will lose business she can ill-afford, Kelsey must solve the murder and clear her name. She readily admits that she really doesn’t know how to solve crimes and proves to everyone that it’s definitely not as easy as they make it seem on CSI reruns! This sets the stage for several laugh out moments along with the zingy little one liners Kelsey likes to throw in.

I adored the setting of Napa Valley for this destination mystery series! Having lived in Napa for a while in my early twenties, Marla perfectly captures the sights, sounds, and flavors of the valley. She also provides a little information on wineries and wine caves, which I found fascinating. Kelsey has a wonderful friendship with Brody, a wedding photographer, and her assistant, Laurel. They complement each other and the author has set up great dialog and repartee between the characters. The plot moved at a fast pace with plenty of suspects to keep the reader guessing and concludes with an exciting, suspenseful scene which wraps the story up nicely.

While there aren’t any recipes included with the book, there is plenty of yummy food mentioned. After discussing with Marla, I decided to create a recipe for White Cake with White Chocolate Ganache Frosting, based on a scene in DYING ON THE VINE. Kelsey is given a 6-inch sample cake from a bakery wanting some of her wedding business, but I made it an 8-inch cake so there is plenty to go around for family and friends. My taste testers oohed over the rich moistness of the cake and the unbelievably creamy frosting. The white chocolate adds just the right amount of flavor that compliments the vanilla cake. While my homemade White Cake recipe is deliciously yummy, the star is truly the White Chocolate Ganache Frosting! I’ve included a look at how to make a fondant ribbon flower at the end of the video tutorial below. It’s a quick and easy way to dress up any cake for any occasion! 

 

White Cake with White Chocolate Ganache Frosting is a moist tender cake filled and covered with rich yet fluffy frosting. Perfect for any special occasion!

 

Amazon Synopsis

When wedding planner Kelsey McKenna goes to the Wine Country Wedding Faire, the last thing she expects to do is take on new clients. After all, she’s just there to help out her friend Brody and maybe score some free cupcakes. But when a young couple in a pinch asks for her help, she just can’t say no.

There’s only one problem: they’d been working with Babs Norton, the self-proclaimed Queen of Wine Country Weddings―and things did not end well. Kelsey wants to make sure there are no hard feelings, but unfortunately she never gets the chance. When she goes to Babs’ office, she finds the wedding planner dead on the floor.

Babs’ high-strung assistant Stefan knows exactly who killed Babs: Kelsey. At least, that’s what he very publicly accuses her of at Babs’ funeral. When Kelsey decides to do a little sleuthing to clear her name, she uncovers a myriad of secrets and lies. And when a second wedding planner is attacked, Kelsey begins to wonder if she might be next.

 

 

A special thank you to Marla Cooper for providing a hardcover copy of DYING ON THE VINE for one lucky winner! Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends Monday, April 10, 2017 at 11:59 pm PST. Print limited to U.S. residents only. Winners will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

 

 

White Cake with White Chocolate Ganache Frosting is a moist tender cake filled and covered with rich yet fluffy frosting. Perfect for any special occasion!

Print
White Cake with White Chocolate Ganache Frosting

White Cake with White Chocolate Ganache Frosting

Ingredients

    Cake
  • 2 cups (9.6 ounces) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1-1/2 cups (10.5 ounces) granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs, room temperature
    • White Chocolate Ganache Frosting
  • 1-3/4 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1 11-ounce package premium white chocolate chips (Ghiradelli works best)
  • 5 cups (22.5 ounces) confectioners' sugar

Instructions

    Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
  2. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.
  3. Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  4. Mix the milk with the vanilla. Set aside.
  5. In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream the butter until smooth then mix in the granulated sugar.
  6. Beat 2 minutes on medium speed.
  7. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  8. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  9. On low speed, slowly add half the flour mixture and mix just until combined.
  10. Add in half the milk mixture and beat until just combined.
  11. Repeat with the remaining flour and milk, then beat on low speed until smooth, about 30 - 60 seconds.
  12. Divide the batter between the two pans.
  13. Bake 32 to 35 minutes. The tops should be golden and a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake should come out mostly clean. A few moist crumbs are fine, but it shouldn't be sticky.
  14. Remove pans from the oven and allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes.
  15. Turn cakes out onto a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.
    16. White Chocolate Ganache Frosting
  16. In a small saucepan, heat whipping cream over medium heat just until it begins to steam and bubble around the edges, stirring frequently. Do not allow to boil.
  17. Place white chocolate chips in a heat-proof mixing bowl and pour the hot cream over the chips.
  18. Allow mixture to sit for 5 minutes then whisk until completely smooth.
  19. Allow ganache to cool to room temperature. Don't refrigerate as it may cause mixture to curdle. If this happens, gently reheat mixture until slightly melted and whisk until smooth.
  20. Once ganache reaches room temperature, use the whisk attachment on a stand mixer, beat on low and slowly add the confectioners' sugar.
  21. Gradually increase the speed to high and whip frosting for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
    22. Putting it together
  22. Slice each cake layer in half horizontally (torte), and place one layer on a cake platter.
  23. Spread a thin layer of the white chocolate ganache frosting and top with another cake layer. Repeat until the cake layers are stacked.
  24. Cover the top and sides of the cake with a light coat of frosting then refrigerate for 15 minutes.
  25. Remove cake from refrigerator and cover top and sides of the cake with another thick layer of frosting and using any remaining frosting to pipe borders as desired.
    26. Tips
  26. If the frosting seems too soft, add additional confectioners' sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached, whipping well after each addition.
  27. You can also take a shortcut and use a boxed cake mix, jazzing it up by using milk instead of water, adding extra vanilla extract and maybe a handful of white chocolate chips.
  28. For more tips on making box mixes seem more homemade, check out my blog post: https://cinnamonsugarandalittlebitofmurder.com/2015/06/17-tricks-for-cake-mix/
  29. Magic strips help cakes bake level. You can see more at this Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Wilton-415-0796-6-Piece-Bake-Strip/dp/B00C1LU8SA
https://cinnamonsugarandalittlebitofmurder.com/white-cake-with-white-chocolate-ganache-frosting/

 

White Cake with White Chocolate Ganache Frosting is a moist tender cake filled and covered with rich yet fluffy frosting. Perfect for any special occasion!

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Pin to Pinterest:

White Cake with White Chocolate Ganache Frosting is a moist tender cake filled and covered with rich yet fluffy frosting. Perfect for any special occasion!

 

 

 

 

If you receive my blog post via email you will need to visit my website to view the video.

 

 

Marla Cooper is an accomplished ukulele player and serenaded us on the beach in Hawaii! 

 

 

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

 

 

 

 

 

Best Butterscotch Mistake Cake Ever!

I’m very happy to welcome Paige Shelton back to my blog to celebrate her new release, OF BOOKS AND BAGPIPES. She is also sharing her amazing recipe for Best Butterscotch Mistake Cake Ever! along with a chance to win a signed hardcover copy of her new book. Thank you, Paige, for your generosity! You can see my review and the synopsis at the bottom of the page below the Rafflecopter link.

 

The contest ends Monday, April 3, 2017 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipes 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!) 

 

Welcome back to Cinnamon & Sugar, Paige!

 

 

Don’t you love it when a plan comes together? Don’t you love it even more when things come together without any plan in the first place? Me too. It’s rare that one of my throw-together, or leftover ingredient recipes actually taste good, but I got lucky on this one.

In celebration of the publication of my upcoming book OF BOOKS AND BAGPIPES, I’m sharing the recipe. This might not necessarily be a Scottish recipe, but we can pretend and somehow correlate the ButterSCOTCH with scotch whisky, though there’s no whisky involved. Okay, a stretch, I know, but you’ll thank me later.

 

 

 

Using pantry and dairy staples, this Butterscotch Cake is super easy to put together but is anything but ordinary! Satisfyingly rich and decadent tasting!

Print
Best Butterscotch Mistake Cake Ever!

Best Butterscotch Mistake Cake Ever!

Ingredients

  • 1 package yellow cake mix, minus three tablespoons. Okay, I don’t know what you’re supposed to do with the three tablespoons, but I had to use them for another recipe, and that’s ultimately how this cake recipe was born. In fact, you can probably leave in the three tablespoons, but that’s not what I did.**
  • 1 small instant vanilla pudding mix, or a little over half of a 5.1 ounce box (which is what I used)
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 eggs
  • About 3/4 of a bag of butterscotch chips
  • 1 can of cream cheese frosting

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Grease and flour the bottom and sides of a 9 by 13 cake pan.
  3. Combine yellow cake mix, vanilla pudding mix, sour cream, whipped cream, milk, vegetable oil, and eggs.
  4. Mix on medium to high speed for about four minutes. This is a thick batter and I had to fight it a little, but it worked.
  5. Fold in the butterscotch chips.
  6. Pour into pan and cook for forty to forty-five minutes, maybe longer. Check by inserting a toothpick into the center. When it comes out clean, the cake is done.
  7. Let cool in pan on rack. Once cool, frost with frosting.
  8. Enjoy! Store covered in refrigerator, if you can get it there before it gets eaten.
    9. Reviewer's Notes:
    I made this cake using the entire cake mix and it worked fine. I also made the cake both in a 9 x 13-inch cake pan AND made it in a bundt cake pan, which my guests really liked. The butterscotch chips sank during baking and stuck to the pan, so to prevent that, 1) omit the chips when mixing the cake 2) place batter in bundt cake pan 3) sprinkle chips on top of batter and gentle push them down just until covered with batter. They will sink into the batter while baking. Instead of frosting the bundt cake, I melted the can of cream cheese frosting in the microwave for about 30 seconds (until it is easy to drizzle) then drizzled over the cake. The bundt cake bakes the same amount of time as the sheet cake, 40 - 45 minutes. I allowed to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving platter.
    **If you want to see the Cake Batter Gourmet Popcorn recipe Paige used those 3 tablespoons of cake mix for, please visit: https://cinnamonsugarandalittlebitofmurder.com/2017/02/gourmet-popcorn/
https://cinnamonsugarandalittlebitofmurder.com/butterscotch-cake/

Using pantry and dairy staples, this Butterscotch Cake is super easy to put together but is anything but ordinary! Satisfyingly rich and decadent tasting!

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Thank you to my sister, Kathy, for making this cake yesterday (4/2) and instigating another happy mistake which corrected the issue of the cake sticking to a bundt pan. She forgot to add the butterscotch chips before adding the batter to the bundt pan. Once she realized it, she sprinkled the chips over the top of the batter and barely pushed them down until a small amount of batter covered them. The chips sink as it is baked and turned out perfectly! Here are her pics.

Photo cred: Kathy Keith

Photo Cred: Kathy Keith

 

 

My Review

When Paige Shelton released the first book in her Scottish Bookshop Mystery series last year, I was smitten and couldn’t wait for the next installment. Books and treasures, the warmth and charm of the characters, and a strong mystery to keep me guessing combine to create another home run with her newest release, OF BOOKS AND BAGPIPES!

The author has created a memorable protagonist with her character, Delaney Nichols from Kansas in America. Delaney has relocated herself to Scotland to work for elderly Edwin MacAlister, owner of the bookshop The Cracked Spine. The setting of the bookshop is magical with its books, hidden treasures, and delightful employees including the darling terrier, Hector. Delaney comes to love her boss and the others at the bookshop like family and her care and concern shine through the situations she finds herself in. Paige Shelton has also created a lovely relationship between Delaney and her landlords, Elias and Aggie, who treat the American transplant like a daughter. Cab-driving Elias becomes a ready sidekick to Delaney’s exploration and investigations, providing balance to the scenes while portraying the charm of the Scottish people and their delightful language.

I loved how the author weaves bits and pieces of Scottish history into the story in such a creative way that I didn’t even realize I was “learning” while turning page after page to find out what happens next. And turn the pages I did… as the intertwined murder mystery and half-century old secrets unfolded, unexpected twists and turns caught me by surprise and took me in an entirely different direction than I thought the author was going. It provides an edge-of-your-seat read that I couldn’t put down until I finished the last page!

Now my comment about the Best Butterscotch Mistake Cake Ever! I had a lot of family coming into town to stay with me for several days. When Paige sent me the recipe I knew it was one I needed to make for my company. Once the plates were passed around three things happened: 1) Everyone wanted the recipe right then and there; 2) Numerous people went back for seconds; 3) I knew I was going to have to make a second cake right away…and I did! This is an amazingly easy cake to make but the results are anything but ordinary!

Amazon Synopsis

Delaney Nichols has settled so comfortably into her new life in Edinburgh that she truly feels it’s become more home than her once beloved Kansas. Her job at the Cracked Spine, a bookshop that specializes in rare manuscripts as well as other sundry valuable historical objects, is everything she had dreamed, with her new boss, Edwin MacAlister, entrusting her more and more with bigger jobs. Her latest task includes a trip to Castle Doune, a castle not far out of Edinburgh, to retrieve a hard-to-find edition of an old Scottish comic, an “Oor Wullie,” in a cloak and dagger transaction that Edwin has orchestrated.

While taking in the sights of the distant Highlands from the castle’s ramparts, Delaney is startled when she spots a sandal-clad foot at the other end of the roof. Unfortunately, the foot’s owner is very much dead and, based on the William Wallace costume he’s wearing, perfectly matches the description of the man who was supposed to bring the Oor Wullie. As Delaney rushes to call off some approaching tourists and find the police, she comes across the Oor Wullie, its pages torn and fluttering around a side wall of the castle. Instinct tells her to take the pages and hide them under her jacket. It’s not until she returns to the Cracked Spine that she realizes just how complicated this story is and endeavors to untangle the tricky plot of why someone wanted this man dead, all before getting herself booked for murder.

 

 

 

If you receive my blog post via email you will need to visit my website to view the video.

 

Pin to Pinterest:

Using pantry and dairy staples, this Butterscotch Cake is super easy to put together but is anything but ordinary! Satisfyingly rich and decadent tasting!

 

 

I’ll admit I was never a fan of bagpipes until I visited Scotland and saw an elderly man, dressed in a kilt, playing his bagpipe at the ruins of an ancient castle. The haunting sound that captured the moment has stayed with me for years!

 

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

 

 

Ginny Wiggins’s Perfect Peach Bundt Cake

Southern Girl Secret #060: “There are only two reasons someone new comes into your life: They’re either gonna be a blessin’ or a lesson.”  WAR AND PEACH, the newest release in the Georgia Peach Mystery series by Susan Furlong, is chock-full of fun tidbits like this at the beginning of each chapter. Each “secret” while cute, also has a ring of truth to it that I so enjoyed! Susan has created a tight-knit Georgia peach farming family for the feisty protagonist, Nola Mae Harper. No matter what troubles they find themselves in, they know they have the full support of each other. In WAR AND PEACH, Nola’s daddy, Raymond, finds himself in the cross-hairs of the vengeful Sheriff Maudy Payne when she suspects him in the murder of his rival, Clem Rogers. Nola Mae has never understood the antagonistic nature between the two men but as she starts digging into the past to clear her daddy’s name, she uncovers secrets that both her parents have tried hard to keep buried. Despite the circumstantial evidence that is found, she has trust that she will find the truth and her daddy will be exonerated.

Susan Furlong also deftly explores the prejudices Southerners and Northerners have for each other… or any “newcomer”. Apropos for the current events going on in our world today and will hopefully make a reader give pause to consider while at the same time being entertained. The story has a strong plot with several subplots intertwined which connect at the shocking reveal…I just didn’t see it coming! With plenty of suspects to keep the reader guessing I had a very difficult time pausing to take notes for this review and it was nearly impossible to put down to attend to other commitments.

Nola Mae has also just opened her peach shop, Peachy Keen. I adored the clever and humorous names she created for her gift baskets and I want to order some of them! Thankfully, the author includes a few recipes at the back of the book so some of her treats can be recreated at home. Susan has graciously allowed me to share her own mother’s recipe for Ginny Wiggins’s Perfect Peach Cake. Using a boxed cake mix as the base, a few simple pantry and dairy ingredients are added, resulting in a delicious, beautiful dessert! I love knowing that this is an old family recipe and I always like having recipes that riff on boxed cake mixes on hand. Thanks to my granddaughter, Emory, for making this cake for our family! 

Amazon Synopsis

Nola Mae Harper is too busy restocking the jars of preserves and chutney flying off the shelves of her shop, Peachy Keen, to keep up with all the gossip about the upcoming mayoral election, but she does know the debate is sure to be a real barn burner.
 
Local farmer Clem Rogers claims he has a bombshell that could take small business owner Margie Price out of the running. But before Clem can reveal his juicy secret at the debate, his actual barn goes up in flames—with him inside of it. The town casts its vote against Margie, but Nola isn’t convinced the hardworking woman is capable of murder. Now to clear Margie’s name Nola will have to work fast under pressure, before Margie gets taken in by the fuzz…

 

 

A huge thank you to Susan Furlong for providing the choice of any book from her Georgia Peach Mystery series: WAR AND PEACH; REST IN PEACH; or PEACHES AND SCREAM for one lucky winner! Contest ends Monday, February 13, 2017 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe 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!)

 

 

 

 

Using boxed cake mix as a base, Ginny Wiggins's Perfect Peach Bundt Cake is supremely moist and full of a generous amount of canned peaches for convenience.

 

Print
Ginny Wiggins’s Perfect Peach Cake

Ginny Wiggins’s Perfect Peach Cake

Ingredients

  • 2 cans (15 ounces each) sliced peaches in heavy syrup, divided
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 (15.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F).
  2. Lightly butter and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan.
  3. Drain 1 can of peaches and discard the syrup.
  4. Arrange peach slices evenly on the bottom of the Bundt pan and set aside.
  5. With an electric mixer, beat together oil, eggs, vanilla, sour cream, and the remaining can of peaches with syrup and any leftover peaches from the first can.
  6. Add the cake mix and continue to beat the mixture until it’s smooth.
  7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for approximately one hour, or until cooked through.
  8. Cool completely.
  9. After cooled, loosen cake from the sides of the pan and invert onto a cake plate.
  10. *Hattie’s version: For a little extra kick, Hattie likes to substitute the peach syrup in the batter with 1/4 cup of Peach Jack or dark rum.
https://cinnamonsugarandalittlebitofmurder.com/peach-bundt-cake/

Using boxed cake mix as a base, Ginny Wiggins's Perfect Peach Bundt Cake is supremely moist and full of a generous amount of canned peaches for convenience.

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

Pin to Pinterest:

Using boxed cake mix as a base, Ginny Wiggins's Perfect Peach Bundt Cake is supremely moist and full of a generous amount of canned peaches for convenience.

 

 

 

 

If you receive my blog post via email you will need to visit my website to view the video.

** If you read the recipe then watched the video you will notice Emory and I didn’t follow the directions exactly. Somehow we both missed the part where you beat everything together EXCEPT the cake mix, then add the mix in…lol! No worries though, it turned out super yummy anyway! 

 

 

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

 

 

 

 

Mom’s Famous Chocolate Spice Cake

Chocolate…my most favorite flavor in all the world! It was with great happiness when I picked up Ellie Alexander’s brand new release in her Bakeshop Mystery series, FUDGE AND JURY, and started reading about Ashland’s annual Chocolate Festival! The author transports us to a world of sweet confectionery with Jules, owner of her family’s bakeshop Torte, the “Queen of Sugar”. I love to bake and spend time in the kitchen and Ellie Alexander beautifully captures the feelings I have being there. She writes those feelings in such descriptive language that I feel like I’m right in Torte’s warm, cozy kitchen. “Food is an expression of art and love” is how Jules puts it and that expression truly shows as the theme is woven into a nice “whodunit” mystery. There are plenty of suspects to keep you guessing with the plot moving along nicely. 

Click on the link to visit Amazon

However, this series’ greatest strength is the characters and keeps me coming back to see what happens next. Jules and her mother have a tender relationship, even if Jules was quite distant during her ten years away from Ashland. They’ve made up for that time and as a result share a true friendship. Jules has wonderful staff at Torte and each of them have their own story that is touched upon in each book. I’m always eager to see what creative coffee drink Andy, the college-age barrista, will come up. I’m also glad to see that the quirky character, Lance, continues to be a fixture. He adds a dose of levity to each story. And of course Jules is always creating a fabulous yummy dessert to share with her customers.

I’m grateful that Ellie includes some of those recipes at the back of the book because you most definitely will be craving chocolate as you read! Ellie has graciously allowed me to share Mom’s Famous Chocolate Spice Cake with Mocha Frosting. Frankly I was torn about which recipe to try because they all sound amazing but this cake recipe won out for a couple of reasons. First, it’s vegan….no eggs, no dairy and I had a dinner party I needed to bake a dessert for where a vegan friend was attending as well. Don’t be put off by the word vegan because it certainly does NOT mean no flavor. My husband isn’t a huge chocolate fan (yep, I married him anyway) but he loved this cake! I think the spices nicely balanced the chocolate and I fell in love with the Mocha Frosting…it will definitely be my “go-to” chocolate frosting here on out…I just couldn’t stop nibbling on it! The second reason I chose this recipe is because it’s EASY! No bowl and beaters to clean up for the cake since it mixes up with a fork, right in the baking dish. The crumb is very tender and moist so I recommend you bake and serve as instructed without trying to create this into a layer cake. (You can see my hilarious “goof” trying to stack layers with another vegan cake from long ago at the bottom of the page.) I did add some piping with the generous amount of frosting and added gold and silver star sprinkles to dress the cake up for the party, where it was gobbled up by vegans and non-vegans alike! 

Amazon Synopsis

Welcome to Torte―a friendly, small-town family bakery where the pastries are delicious…and, now, suspicious.

It’s almost spring in Ashland, Oregon, and the town is preparing for the Shakespeare and the annual Chocolate Festival. Business is cookin’ at Torte, and the store is expanding as Jules’ team whips up crèpes filled with mascarpone cheese and dark chocolate. Torte stands a chance of being this year’s confectionery belle of the ball! Life couldn’t be sweeter―unless murder taints the batter.

Evan Rowe, of Confections Couture, makes a chocolate fountain that would put Willy Wonka to shame, and his truffles are to die for―literally? Yes, the world-renowned chocolatier has just turned up dead…right after sampling a slice of Jules’ decadent four-layer chocolate cake. Now all eyes are on Jules as she tries to find the mysterious ingredient in her own recipe. Can she sift out the truth before another contestant bites the buttercream?

 

 

 

A huge thank you to Ellie Alexander for providing an autographed copy of FUDGE AND JURY for one lucky winner! Limited to U.S. residents only. Contest ends Thursday, January 5, 2017 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe 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!)

 

 

 

Chocolate Spice Cake with mocha frosting mixes up quickly with minimal cleanup. Delicate, moist, flavorful crumb, this vegan cake will become a favorite!

 

Print
Mom’s Famous Chocolate Spice Cake with Mocha Frosting

Mom’s Famous Chocolate Spice Cake with Mocha Frosting

Ingredients

    Cake
  • 1-1/2 cups flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (you can omit if you're not a fan)
  • 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup water
    • Mocha Frosting
  • 1/2 cup butter (or vegan margarine)
  • 6 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 2-3/4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  • 5 tablespoons of strong brewed coffee

Instructions

    Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
  2. Sift flour, sugar, salt, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg into an 8x8-inch glass pan.
  3. Make three wells-pour oil in one, vinegar in another, and vanilla in the last well.
  4. Pour water over entire pan and mix with a fork.
  5. Bake for thirty-five to forty-five minutes.
  6. Allow to completely cool and frost with mocha frosting below.
    7. Mocha Frosting
  7. Whip butter in mixer.
  8. Sift cocoa powder, sugar, and spices together.
  9. Slowly alternate adding powdered mixture and coffee.
  10. Once incorporated, beat until creamy and fluffy.
  11. Spread generously on chocolate spice cake.
https://cinnamonsugarandalittlebitofmurder.com/chocolate-spice-cake/

 

Chocolate Spice Cake with mocha frosting mixes up quickly with minimal cleanup. Delicate, moist, flavorful crumb, this vegan cake will become a favorite!

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

Pin to Pinterest:

Chocolate Spice Cake with mocha frosting mixes up quickly with minimal cleanup. Delicate, moist, flavorful crumb, this vegan cake will become a favorite!

 

 

 

 

 

If you receive my blog post via email you will need to visit my website to view the video.

 

Years ago, when I was starting to experiment with fondant in cake decorating I volunteered to create a “piggie” cake for a vegan friend. Vegan cakes are made without eggs or dairy but I never appreciated the stability eggs bring to cakes until I tried stacking the vegan cake and covering with fondant. I was in tears as the cake toppled and tore until my husband said to just tell the birthday girl and party goers that the big bad wolf blew the house down…I did and everyone had a good laugh then ate the cake because it still tasted great.

This is what the cake was supposed to look like

 

This is what the big bad wolf blew down!

 

 

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

 

 

 

 

Bella’s Old-fashioned Coconut Cake

shades-of-wrath

Click on book to visit Amazon

I knew that SHADES OF WRATH was going to be a bit different, perhaps even special, when I started out reading the dedication (am I the only one who does that?) and saw that Karen Rose Smith dedicated the book “for women who have faced domestic violence.” As the story unfolds the reader is immediately introduced to Wendy Newcomb, the founder and director of Sunrise Tomorrow, a foundation for victims of domestic violence. Wendy is passionate about protecting women and that focus is explored within the plot, quite effectively. The protagonist, Caprice De Luca, has a very close-knit, loving family that has helped her develop healthy self-esteem while growing up. She is also in a caring relationship with Grant that seems to be progressing. But working with Wendy and meeting some of the women she has helped, Caprice realizes that not everyone is as fortunate as she has been, which gives her a greater empathy for others and provides an opportunity for her to grow as a person. I applaud Karen Rose Smith for tackling this social issue and bringing a spotlight on a subject that is typically ignored. 

The plot moves along at a good pace that kept me turning pages. There were also lots of suspects who could have wanted Wendy dead, which kept me guessing. I was completely caught off-guard at the reveal…I just didn’t see it coming! But I think what keeps me coming back to read the Caprice DeLuca Mystery series are the characters. They’re people you’d want to have as your friends and are good role models. Caprice and her family get together often to share meals and there’s also a lot of food mentioned in the book which can make a reader hungry. 

Thankfully the author provides recipes with her story and has graciously allowed me to share her recipe for Bella’s Old-Fashioned Coconut Cake. I was drawn to this cake because it’s naturally dairy-free so my husband could enjoy it. Even though he never complains, I know that it can’t always be an easy thing to have to smell all the wonderful aromas coming from my kitchen and not be able to eat any of it. I also liked that the cake did not rely on artificial extract for flavor and instead uses real coconut products. I’ve never made frosting that called for flour and granulated sugar and I was a bit apprehensive about the amount of coconut milk it called for. But oh my, this was the lightest, fluffiest frosting I’ve ever made! I’ll be making it again and again for cupcakes and any other cakes that need a lightly flavored fluffy frosting. The cake is equally scrumptious…I’m sure it will be making another appearance for upcoming birthdays too! 

Amazon Synopsis

Between her booming business, her family, and her work rescuing stray animals, home stager Caprice De Luca’s life is packed. But when a murder unsettles peaceful Kismet, Pennsylvania, she adds amateur sleuth to her resume.
 
Thanks to a wealthy patron, Kismet’s women’s shelter, Sunrise Tomorrow, has inherited a run-down mansion. Now the shelter’s director, Wendy Newcomb, wants Caprice’s decorating expertise. Caprice is happy to help, but when she glimpses a few heated encounters between Wendy and some locals, she fears that Wendy may be in need of protection herself.
 
When Wendy is found dead inside the old house, Caprice is compelled to poke around in her affairs, and discovers she had her share of enemies. Now, with countless clients, a TV gig that could make her a household name, and rumors of a marriage proposal on its way, Caprice must find time to design an investigation that will lure a crafty killer into the wide open–before someone else winds up in a state of permanent disrepair…

 

 

winner-template9

A huge thank you to Karen Rose Smith for providing an autographed copy of SHADES OF WRATH for one lucky winner! Limited to U.S. residents only. Contest ends Thursday, December 1, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe 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!)

 

 

 

Bella's Old-Fashioned Coconut Cake uses natural coconut milk, coconut oil, and flake coconut for flavor and richness instead of artificial extracts.

 

Print
Bella’s Old-fashioned Coconut Cake

Bella’s Old-fashioned Coconut Cake

Ingredients

    Cake
  • 1/2 cup solid coconut oil
  • 1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 5 egg whites
  • 1 whole egg
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (the author used Silk Coconutmilk)
  • 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    • Frosting
    I doubled the following frosting ingredients for my 8-inch torted layer cake. It provides a very generous amount of filling and frosting, with some leftover. If you bake the cake in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan, the listed amounts will be more than sufficient.
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) margarine (softened)
  • 1/2 cup Crisco shortening
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 2/3 cup coconut milk (this should be tepid temperature and added slowly. The author uses Silk Coconutmilk.)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • Flake coconut

Instructions

    The author made this cake in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. I baked the cake in two 8-inch round cake tins but the baking time remains the same.
    Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).
  2. Using an electric mixer, cream the solid coconut oil with the sugar.
  3. Add egg whites and whole egg slowly and mix until batter is smooth.
  4. Add salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix until blended.
  5. Add vanilla and coconut milk and mix just until blended.
  6. Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing 2 minutes or until batter is smooth.
  7. Pour evenly into a 9 x 13-inch greased and floured pan.
  8. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
    9. Frosting
  9. Cream together the softened margarine and Crisco.
  10. To this mixture add sugar, flour (one tablespoon at a time), coconut milk (add slowly), and vanilla.
  11. Beat 8 to 10 minutes at high speed until frosting is smooth.
  12. Spread over the cake and sprinkle the top with flake coconut.
    13. Tip
  13. The white frosting and coconut lends itself to decorating. I used fondant holly leaves and berries for a holiday themed cake.
https://cinnamonsugarandalittlebitofmurder.com/old-fashioned-coconut-cake/

 

Bella's Old-Fashioned Coconut Cake uses natural coconut milk, coconut oil, and flake coconut for flavor and richness instead of artificial extracts.

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Pin to Pinterest:

Bella's Old-Fashioned Coconut Cake uses natural coconut milk, coconut oil, and flake coconut for flavor and richness instead of artificial extracts.

 

 

 

If you receive my blog post via email you will need to visit my website to view the video.

 

 

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

 

 

Bananas Foster Coffee Cake a la Ninette

I recently had the pleasure of not only meeting author Ellen Byron at the Ladies of Intrigue in Huntington Beach, but also sitting at her table during the conference and luncheon. I was intrigued (pun intended..lol!) with her Cajun Country Mystery series and picked up her latest release, BODY ON THE BAYOU. I was instantly transported to the Pelican State and into a locale that exudes the charm of the South.

body-on-the-bayou

Click on book to visit Amazon

Synopsis

Magnolia Marie Crozat, aka Maggie, has been drafted to serve as Maid of Honor to Doucet Plantation’s co-docent, Vanessa Fleer. Maggie would rather skip being a part of the very pregnant bride-to-be’s festivities but feels sorry for the young woman. She also hopes it will give her a chance to smooth things out with the Crozat family’s arch-enemy and soon-to-be groom, Police Chief Rufus Durand. Unfortunately, nothing goes according to plan and Maggie is soon scrambling to host parties for the bridal couple and house the bride’s obnoxious cousin, Ginger, at the Crozat family’s B & B. 

When Ginger is found dead in the bayou on the Crozat B & B’s property, Maggie knows she need to find the real killer since Rufus Durand would like to pin the murder on her family. But as she starts asking questions and digging into Ginger’s life, she finds too many people hated her, including Ginger’s own cousin, the bride-to-be, Vanessa. Maggie’s Maid of Honor duties now include keeping the bride out of jail and getting her to the church on time. Will she be able find the the murderer or will the wedding plans be derailed?  

My Review 

While this is the second book in the series (and yes, I will be reading the first one!) it was easy to read as a standalone. Ellen provides just enough backstory so I felt like I knew the characters and never got lost. The small town setting of Pelican, Louisiana, will draw you in and make you feel like you’re in bayou country. Local Cajun traditions, superstitions, and names are sprinkled throughout the book adding flavor to a fun, zany at times, read. Maggie has a very close, loving relationship with her family which includes both her parents and her grandmother. They work well together running the family’s B & B. Maggie also has a romance simmering with Detective Bo Durand, but with the bad blood between his cousin, Rufus, and her family, they keep it hidden. Bo has a young non-verbal autistic son who blossoms with Maggie’s art tutoring. The scenes are heartwarming and the subplots blend in with the mystery without detracting. 

Along with an authentic setting and charming characters, Ellen provides a few delectable recipes with her book. She’s allowed me to share her recipe for Bananas Foster Coffee Cake a la Ninette (who is Maggie’s mother). I, for one, did not realize that Bananas Foster was created in New Orleans! This recipe foregoes the dramatic flambé but still offers plenty of flavor with a rich, moist coffee cake and a cinnamon-spiced crunchy topping. Both my husband and granddaughter (independently) did not want to try this dish since they don’t care for bananas in breads or cakes. However, I insisted they had to take one bite….which instantly changed their minds and they oohed and aahed over its yumminess! I had to limit how much they munched on since other people wanted to eat the coffee cake too. Easy to put together with pantry staples and a few ripe bananas, Bananas Foster Coffee Cake a la Ninette is the perfect dish for a holiday breakfast or brunch! 

Wishing everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!

 

 

winner-template8

I am happy to be able to provide an autographed hardcover copy of BODY ON THE BAYOU for one lucky winner! Limited to U.S. residents only. Contest ends Monday, November 21, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe 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!)

 

 

Using pantry staples, Bananas Foster Coffee Cake a la Ninette is a delectable breakfast or snack treat that will have you dreaming of the bayou!

 

 

Print
Bananas Foster Coffee Cake a la Ninette

Bananas Foster Coffee Cake a la Ninette

Ingredients

    Author's Note: Bananas Foster is an iconic New Orleans dessert created in 1951 by a chef at the legendary Brennan's Restaurant and named after a friend of restaurant owner Owen Brennan. The original dish is flambéed bananas served over vanilla ice cream. Many cooks have created unique recipes inspired by the original dessert, including Ninette.
    Cake
  • 3 ripe bananas, sliced
  • 6 tablespoons butter, divided (3 at a time)
  • 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • 2 ounces dark rum
  • 1 ounce banana liqueur (note: if you don't have this, use 3 ounces rum)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups Bisquick baking mix
    • Streusel
  • 2/3 cup Bisquick baking mix
  • 2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons cold butter or margarine

Instructions

    Cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F), with rack at center level of the oven.
  2. Spritz an 8" x 8" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
  3. In a large skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat.
  4. Add the dark brown sugar and stir to combine.
  5. Add the rum and banana liqueur and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring often to blend the ingredients and keep them from crystallizing.
  6. Add the banana chunks and cook for 2 - 3 more minutes, gently stirring to coat the bananas with the thickening liquid.
  7. Scrape the caramelized banana mixture into a medium heatproof bowl.
  8. Use your spatula to break up the bananas into small pieces (but don't mash them into pulp.)
  9. Stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter until melted, then add the vanilla.
  10. Let the mixture cool down until moderately warm, then quickly whisk in the eggs.
  11. Place the 2 cups of Bisquick in another medium-sized bowl and add the wet ingredients. Stir together.
    12. Streusel
  12. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, then cut in the butter. Use a pastry blender to combine ingredients until the streusel is crumbly.
    13. To Put It All Together
  13. Put half the cake batter in the cake pan.
  14. Top with half the streusel.
  15. Top that with the rest of the cake batter and then cover that with the rest of the streusel.
  16. Bake for 35 - 45 minutes, until the center is firm.
  17. Serves 6 - 8.
https://cinnamonsugarandalittlebitofmurder.com/bananas-foster-coffee-cake/

 

Using pantry staples, Bananas Foster Coffee Cake a la Ninette is a delectable breakfast or snack treat that will have you dreaming of the bayou!

 

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Pin to Pinterest: 

Using pantry staples, Bananas Foster Coffee Cake a la Ninette is a delectable breakfast or snack treat that will have you dreaming of the bayou!

 

 

 

If you receive my blog post via email you will need to visit my website to view the video.
Facebook
YouTube
YouTube
Pinterest
Pinterest
fb-share-icon
Instagram