Several months ago I had the opportunity to meet Cindy Sample, author of DYING FOR A DONUT. I have read a couple of her books in her Laurel McKay Mystery series prior to this release and love her humor. Let me tell you, Cindy is just as entertaining in person as she is on the page and I had a delightful dinner chatting with her!

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Synopsis

Laurel McKay is visiting Apple Tree Farm with her grandmother while waiting to pick up her her daughter, Jenna. A fight erupts between the owner’s son, Eric, and Tony, one of the young men employed by the Farm. Eric has accused Tony of stealing from their business so the owner, Abel, has no choice but to fire him. Laurel is caught in the middle and decides she must talk to Abel about his son’s behavior. When she goes to his office early the next morning after taking Jenna to work, she finds Abel the Donut King dead, covered head to toe in powdered sugar.

Tony is arrested for the murder and Jenna, who appears to be crushing on Tony, begs her mother to prove his innocence. Laurel doesn’t want to get involved but when Jenna and Gran start investigating on their own, she knows she’d better do something before either of them get into real trouble.  The arrogant new female detective in town is also getting on Laurel’s nerves and Laurel would like to show Detective Reynolds a thing or two. As she starts asking questions she finds that the Donut King had lots of secrets that several people might have wanted to keep hidden. Can she find the real killer or will an innocent young man take the fall?

My Review

DYING FOR A DONUT is the perfect autumn treat! Cindy’s descriptions of Apple Tree Farm and the delectable goodies produced there will have your mouth watering and make you want to go for a visit. The mystery pulled me in while the zinger of a plot twist had me reluctant to put the book down! Her dialogue is full of snappy quips that had me laughing out loud several times. I loved Gran….she is a hoot and the perfect compliment to Laurel. I felt like the characters were very likeable and easy to relate to. Laurel, as a single mother, has the usual issues with her teenage daughter which makes her seem personable and vulnerable.

Being a native California girl, I could completely relate to the drought issues woven into the story and enjoyed the factoids Cindy shares. Did you know that it takes 32 gallons of water to make 1 glass of wine? Or 1 gallon of water to grow just ONE almond? I doubt this knowledge will make me rethink what I consume but I will be more grateful when I imbibe.

Along with a terrific book Cindy includes numerous autumn dessert recipes! So many incredibly delicious treats…I wanted to make them all…and probably will… However, I had to choose one so settled on Pumpkin Roll Cake as shared by Sharon Bitz. When I was in my twenties I had a recipe similar to this but with all the moving around I did I somehow lost it. Once I started making this Pumpkin Roll Cake I was so happy Sharon submitted this recipe for Cindy’s book. I will definitely not be losing this recipe again! The yummy autumn spices warms the kitchen and your mouth while the pumpkin provides gorgeous fall color. The rich and creamy cream cheese filling provides a cool contrast making this moist cake a picture perfect accompaniment to any gathering!

A very special thank you to Cindy Sample for offering two winners an autographed copy of DYING FOR A DONUT! Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends Monday, September 12, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST and is open 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!)

Pumpkin Roll Cake

Ingredients

Cake

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup pure pumpkin, canned is fine (do NOT use pumpkin pie filling)
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar (to sprinkle on a towel)

Filling

1 8-ounce package cream cheese (room temperature)
1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
6 tablespoons softened butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioners’ sugar for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Cake

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).

Grease a 15 x 10-inch jellyroll pan and line it with waxed or parchment paper. Grease and flour the paper.

Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with confectioners’ sugar. Set aside.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a small bowl.

Beat the eggs and granulated sugar together in a large mixing bowl until thick.

Beat in pumpkin.

Stir in flour mixture.

Spread evenly into prepared pan.

Sprinkle with walnuts if using.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of the cake springs back when touched. If using a dark colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes.

Immediately loosen and turn cake on to prepared towel.

Carefully peel off paper.

Lightly sprinkle the cake with additional confectioners’ sugar.

Roll up cake and towel together, starting at the narrow end, then cool on wire rack.

Filling

Beat the cream cheese, 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, butter, and vanilla extract together in a small mixing bowl until smooth.

Carefully unroll cake.

Spread the cream cheese mixture over cake and then reroll the cake.

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Sprinkle with additional confectioners’ sugar before serving, if desired.

Tip

Be sure to put enough confectioners’ sugar on the kitchen towel before rolling up the cake so it will not stick.

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Releasing January 2017, DYING FOR A DIAMOND by Cindy Sample! Keep watching Cindy’s Facebook page for her cover reveal coming soon!

Henery Press is releasing ALL 6 books in this series on September 6, 2016!

I am very excited to be a part of Kathi Daley’s Countdown to Paradise to celebrate the release of all SIX books in her TJ JENSEN MYSTERY SERIES! Kathi is offering one winner a choice of either print or an e-book copy of any TJ JENSEN title so be sure to enter via Rafflecopter below!

I had the pleasure of reading PUMPKINS IN PARADISE, the first book in this series and am wowed! Tj Jensen is a young woman with a big heart. Her generous humanity comes across the pages making for a touching, sentimental story. From Tj’s longterm friendship with elderly recluse Zachary Collins, she learns to solve puzzles and games of logic using her intelligence and imagination. The author is very clever with creating a puzzle for Tj to solve within the story, setting up the clues that kept me guessing until the very end. The setting of the lakefront community in Serenity, Nevada is spectacular and pulls the reader in, making you want to actually visit the place. I am very happy that all six books are available at once so I don’t have to wait to read the next one!

While there are no recipes in PUMPKINS IN PARADISE, Kathi was gracious and shared her recipe for Pumpkin Cheesecake. Perfect for the autumn season, this easy recipe calls for making this luscious dessert in a casserole dish. It is much less fussy than using a springform pan and easier to transport for holiday parties and gatherings. Once you try this highly rated recipe, Pumpkin Cheesecake will be sure to become a go-to recipe! Thank you Kathi, for sharing your yummy dessert!

Read below for a brief description of each of the books in this series:

Pumpkins in Paradise (a Tj Jensen Mystery Book 1) Between volunteering for the annual pumpkin festival and coaching her girls to the state soccer finals, high school teacher Tj Jensen finds her good friend Zachary Collins dead in his favorite chair. When the handsome new deputy closes the case without so much as a “why” or “how,” Tj turns her attention from chili cook-offs and pumpkin carving to complex puzzles, prophetic riddles, and a decades-old secret she seems destined to unravel.

Snowmen in Paradise (A Tj Jensen Mystery Book 2) Winter Carnival comes to Serenity, and with it Tj finds her schedule busier than ever. Not only is her ski and snowboard team heavily involved in demonstrations and local competitions, but her ragtag choir is about to debut in their first live performance. To make matters even more complicated, someone has killed Travis Davidson, a town favorite son, world-class snowboarder, and Olympic hopeful. Tj is determined not to get involved in the subsequent investigation until she learns the prime suspect is Chelsea Hanson, high-school boyfriend Hunter Hanson’s sister. Although there’s no shortage of Sereninites with a grudge against the hometown hero, even Tj has to admit there’s good cause to suspect Chelsea of the murder. Balancing bridesmaid duties, Winter Carnival obligations, show choir duty, and after-hours investigation, Tj sets out to prove Chelsea innocent.

Bikinis in Paradise (A Tj Jensen Mystery Book 3) When the Tropical Tan Corporation descends on Maggie’s Hideaway, the lakeside resort where Tj Jensen lives, she must juggle a bikini contest, a BBQ cook-off, a missing model, and a dead chaperone while her father is out of town. Lead Deputy Dylan Caine is on vacation while his sister is visiting, leaving Assistant Deputy Roy Fisher in charge. When Roy asks Tj for her help they find there may be more going on than anyone realized. With Kyle and Jenna’s help, they dig into the lives of those involved, only to find a mystery more complex than anything they could ever have imagined.

Christmas in Paradise (A Tj Jensen Mystery Book 4) Christmas in Serenity is a magical time of year Tj has always looked forward to with happy anticipation. This year her holiday spirit is marred by the impending arrival of two new men in her life. When one of them ends up dead, Tj must juggle community plays, Christmas tree cuttings, sleigh rides, and holiday shopping with a complex murder investigation. As the facts begin to unravel, she realizes she may have to risk everything to save someone she loves.

Puppies in Paradise (A Tj Jensen Mystery Book 5) When a friend of Tj’s is injured in a car accident during a blizzard, Tj takes responsibility for the litter of puppies left behind. Meanwhile, she works with Kyle, Jenna, and the gang to catch the person responsible for the death of a close family friend. When it turns out that the main suspects are also close to the Jensens, Tj must deal with one of the most difficult decisions she’s ever had to make.

Halloween in Paradise (A Tj Jensen Mystery Book 6) In the midst of the annual Halloween frenzy, Tj finds herself pulled into a series of events at the high school where she works. Not only must she help one of the girls on her team deal with a case of cyberbullying, but she must help a student who has recently suffered a personal tragedy. And as if Tj wasn’t busy enough, in walks Samantha Colton, a reporter for Second Look, a television series that takes a look back at unsolved murders. This time the case is the death of a popular student after the homecoming dance ten years before. To make matters even worse—or maybe more convenient—the graduating class of the victim is in town for their ten-year reunion and all the suspects just happen to have converged on Serenity for the weekend. When Samantha turns up dead, Tj must track down someone who seems willing to kill again to keep their secret.

A very special thank you to Kathi Daley for offering the winner a choice of either print or an e-book copy of any TJ JENSEN title! Non US residents are limited to Kindle copy only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends Sunday, September 4, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. 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!)

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Kim’s Note: This makes a very large, rich dessert so if you don’t have enough people to help you eat the Pumpkin Cheesecake you can make a half recipe and bake in an 8″ x 8″ square dish. 

Ingredients

Cheesecake

1 box of graham cracker crumbs – follow directions on box to make crust for a 9 x 13-inch pan
4 packages cream cheese – softened
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
16 ounces pumpkin
3/4 cup whipping cream
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
6 eggs

Topping

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Cheesecake

Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F).

Beat the cream cheese and sugar together until creamy.

Add pumpkin, whipping cream, flour, spices, and vanilla and mix until thoroughly combined.

Add 4 whole eggs plus 2 egg yolks.

Pour over prepared graham cracker crust.

Bake about one hour until toothpick comes out clean.

Refrigerate until completely chilled.

Topping

Whip heavy cream until soft peaks form. Slowly add the granulated sugar, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract and whip until firm peaks form.

Spread over chilled cheesecake.

Tip

Thoroughly chill your bowl and beaters before whipping the heavy cream for the topping.

I was impressed with the whipped cream topping. It stayed fluffy for 3 days in the refrigerator!

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

Even though I have somehow neglected to read the Oxford Tearoom Mystery series in order, I have enjoyed every single one of these books written by H.Y. Hanna! I recently had the pleasure of catching up with the second book in this series, TEA WITH MILK AND MURDER!

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Synopsis 

Gemma Rose, owner of The Little Stables Tearoom in Meadowford-on-Smythe near Oxford, is happy that her new business seems to be taking off. Her mother has stepped in as the baker, introducing some new treats that has their clients clamoring for more. Her best friend, Cassie, helps run the tearoom and their friendship is better than ever…until Cassie meets and falls in love with Jon Kelsey. Jon is an art dealer and the owner of a gallery and he’s taken Cassie on as a protégé. Cassie is having her first art exhibition and even though Gemma does not like Jon, she attends to support her best friend.

During the exhibition, beautiful Sarah Waltham shows up drunk and causes a scene with Jon. Jon insists that the woman is stalking him but tells the bartender to give her some tea before sending her on her way. Sarah barely takes a few sips before she collapses and dies. Gemma’s former boyfriend from college, CID Detective Devlin O’Connor, is in charge of the investigation and she’s happy to not be involved this time. But when the four old biddies, who attended the exhibition, tell Gemma they think the bartender poisoned Sarah, she can’t help but start asking questions. The more questions she asks the more people she finds had reasons for wanting Sarah dead, including Jon. Can Gemma find the real killer or will her snooping be the final wedge that destroys her friendship with Cassie? Can she keep the old biddies out of trouble? Can she find justice for the rude woman or will the killer get away with murder?

My Review

TEA WITH MILK AND MURDER has so many things that I love about a great cozy mystery. First off is the clever title and the adorable cover! And while I’m more of a dog person than a cat person, Gemma’s tabby, Muesli, steals the show and a few hearts. Even though I have read the other books in this series there’s still enough tension between Gemma and Devlin to keep it interesting while Gemma’s interfering mother keeps it entertaining. H.Y. Hanna provides so many wonderful characters and I know I’ve said this in previous reviews, but I just love the four old biddies! They bring a lightheartedness and zest for living to the story but I also liked how they taught Gemma to accept help and accept friendship no matter what form it may come in. The plot was tightly written and kept me turning pages while the conclusion came as a surprise!

H.Y. Hanna also includes her mother-in-law’s traditional English / Jewish recipe for Velvet Cheesecake at the back of the book and has graciously allowed me to share it. Simple but oh so rich and velvety with the only garnish needed is a bit of fresh, jewel-toned fruit! I was transported back to my childhood when I tasted this delightful dessert…it is very similar to what my mother used to make and I haven’t had it for a couple of decades at least. My family called it cream cheese pie way back then but I think I like the name Velvet Cheesecake much better. I’m very happy to have this recipe and pass it on to my grandchildren! Thank you, H.Y. Hanna, for sharing your family recipe!

A special thank you to H.Y. Hanna for offering the winner a choice of either print or an e-book copy of TEA WITH MILK AND MURDER. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends Monday, September 5, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. 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!)

Velvet Cheesecake

Author’s Note: This recipe came from my mother-in-law and is a traditional English / Jewish cheesecake. I don’t know if it’s as popular – I have a feeling the style is different to a lot of the popular cheesecakes – but my husband loves it. It’s one of the few things I’ve managed to “bake” and hasn’t come out a disaster!

Ingredients

Base Crust

A small packet of digestive biscuits (U.S.: 2 cups graham cracker crumbs)
2 ounces melted butter (U.S.: half a stick)
1/4 cup sugar

Filling

1/2 pound (8 ounces) double cream cheese, room temperature (e.g. Philadelphia)
1/2 pound (8 ounces) of curd cheese, room temperature (if you cannot find this, you can substitute with Philadelphia Light or Philadelphia 1/3 Less Fat, which works perfectly. Be careful about the “curd cheese substitute” suggestions you find on the internet, such as ricotta cheese – these are too runny and cause the cake to fall apart!)
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup caster sugar (granulated sugar ran through a food processor for 2 minutes is a good substitute)
1 tablespoon flour
Juice from 1 lemon, plus some finely-grated lemon peel (about 3 tablespoons juice)
A few drops of vanilla essence
Pinch of salt

Topping

Sour cream
Fresh fruit to decorate, e.g. strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, or you can cover with a fruit glaze

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 205C / 400F.

Base Crust

Crush the biscuits (e.g. in a food processor) and mix with the melted butter and sugar.

Press this mixture into the bottom of a collapsible cake tin (where the sides can be removed, e.g. springform pan) and put in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Filling

Place all the ingredients for the filling into a blender or mixer and combine until smooth.

Take the cake tin out of the freezer and pour filling over biscuit base.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 – 45 minutes (until cake filling is firm).

Take out of oven, remove the sides of the tin, and allow to cool slightly. Finish cooling in the refrigerator.

Topping

When cake is chilled, at least two hours, take out of refrigerator and pour the sour cream on top and over the sides. Return to the refrigerator and let it “set” for at least two hours.

Once the sour cream has set, you can decorate the top with fruit, icing, etc.

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Amazon: http://www.hyhanna.com/butter-amazon

Amazon UK: http://www.hyhanna.com/butter-amazonuk

Gemma ditches her high-flying job and returns to Oxford to follow her dream: opening a traditional English tearoom serving warm buttery scones with jam and clotted cream… Only problem is–murder is the first thing on the menu and Gemma is the key suspect! And the only people Gemma can turn to for help are four nosy old ladies from her local Cotswolds village – not to mention a cheeky little tabby cat named Muesli. Who was the mysterious woman Gemma met on the flight back from Australia and why was she murdered? Now Gemma must find the killer, solve the mystery and clear her name if she’s to have her cake–and serve it too.

This PREQUEL to the OXFORD TEAROOM MYSTERIES includes BONUS CHAPTERS FROM “A SCONE TO DIE FOR” (BOOK 1). It is slightly shorter than the rest of the series – which are all full length novels – and can be read as a standalone, before or after any other book in the series.

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I’m always very happy when I hear that author H.Y. Hanna is coming out with a new release in her Oxford Tearoom Mystery series! I can always count on a great read and a tearoom worthy recipe that can be made at home. TILL DEATH DO US TART is the fourth book and every bit as enjoyable as the earlier releases!

Synopsis

Gemma Rose owns The Little Stables Tearoom in Meadow-on-Smythe, near Oxford. Her relationship with CID Devlin O’Connor is progressing nicely but she’s chafing with the need for independence, instead of living under her parents’ roof. Her mother, in particular, is driving her crazy…she’s against Gemma dating Devlin; she’s entered Gemma’s adorable tabby, Meuseli, in a purebred cat show, even though Meuseli is a “moggie”; and then her mother has taken up with the four Old Biddies who fancy themselves to be private investigators.

While attending the cat show with her mother, one of the other contestants, Dame Clare Eccleston, drops dead after eating her daughter’s Victoria Sponge Cake. Her ancient doctor rules it a heart attack and the police accept the diagnosis. The Old Biddies and Gemma’s mother are certain Dame Eccleston was poisoned, but Gemma is sure the cake was okay since she ate a piece as well. Undeterred, the Old Biddies start investigating and before Gemma knows it, she’s asking questions and finding some of the answers don’t add up. Can she convince Devlin to take the accusations seriously or will her suspicions drive a wedge between them? Can she find justice for the victim, even though she finds out Dame Eccleston was an obnoxious tyrant?

My Review

TILL DEATH DO US TART is a charming book on so many levels! I adore the cover with the cute kitty, Meuseli, and the story itself takes you into the quaintness of a small English village. I felt like this book gave you a more personal glimpse of who Gemma Rose is and how she’s developed and changed by her interaction with friends, family, and customers as well by the murders she keeps getting pulled in to. Gemma’s strong sense of justice is forefront in this book, despite the fact that the murdered woman was an unlovely woman who terrorized so many people around her. This satisfying mystery had plenty of suspects to keep me guessing until the end and the conclusion came as surprise.

The author also provides an insider’s look at a traditional English fête and village. She paints such a beautiful picture using words that I felt like I could be one of the many tourists wondering around, taking in the scenes, scents, and tastes offered. And Gemma’s tearoom provides all sorts of delectable, mouthwatering treats that make me want to visit and linger over a pot of tea. H.Y. Hanna shares her traditional Victoria Sponge Cake recipe in her book and I was thrilled when she asked me to give it a try!  Victoria Sponge Cake is a delicately flavored and textured cake layered with strawberry jam bursting with the flavor of summer and rich whipped cream. Instead of the usual sweet, sticky frosting, the top is dusted with confectioners’ sugar and garnished with fresh strawberries. A light, perfect dessert for an afternoon tea! Disclaimer: Most Victoria Sponge Cakes do not have so much jam oozing from the sides… my granddaughter helped me with this cake and got carried away by the jar of strawberry jam… however, the cake was absolutely delicious! Thank you, H.Y. Hanna, for allowing me to share your recipe! 

A very special thank you to H.Y. Hanna for providing the winner’s choice of a print copy or an e-book copy of TILL DEATH DO US TART. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends Thursday, August 11, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. 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!)

Victoria Sponge Cake

The most important thing to remember about the ingredients is to have the same weight of butter, caster sugar and self-raising flour as the eggs. So it would be best to weigh the eggs first (in their shells) and then to measure out the butter, sugar and flour accordingly. In the recipe below, I have assumed the eggs to be around 50g each but please check your own eggs and adjust accordingly.

Since the U.S. generally does not bake by weighing the ingredients, the U.S. measurements are listed below with the grams included in brackets. Be aware that results may vary since the recipe will not be as accurate as weighing the ingredients. 

The other key is to have all ingredients at room temperature, especially the eggs—this will help to prevent the mixture from splitting / curdling. 

Ingredients

Sponge Cake

4 large eggs of approximately 50g each, at room temperature
1 cup (200g) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature (plus some extra for greasing the cake tins)
1 cup + 2 tablespoons (200g caster) superfine sugar
1-3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (200g) self-rising flour (use the spoon and level method to measure)
1 teaspoon baking powder
A pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons milk (to loosen batter if necessary)

Filling

1 cup (250ml) heavy whipping cream
1 jar of good quality strawberry jam

Garnish

Fresh strawberries
Icing sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F). (180C / 160 C fan / gas mark 4)

Add the butter and superfine sugar to a bowl (or mixer) and combine thoroughly taking your time. Keep mixing until the mixture is smooth and creamy and you cannot feel any of the sugar granules.

Do not rush this step—even if it takes five minutes—as it is the key to making your sponge cake light and fluffy. The longer you can mix the butter and sugar, the better your cake will be.

Whisk the eggs in a bowl and then add it to your butter and sugar mixture a little bit at a time, making sure to mix thoroughly after each addition before adding more.

Again, take the time to cream the mixture as much as possible—the smoother it is, the better the texture of the cake will be.

Finally add in the vanilla extract and mix well.

Sift the flour, along with the baking powder and salt, into the mixture, then fold very gently to combine, using a figure of 8 motion. This keeps as much air in the mixture as possible. (If using a mixer, keep it on the lowest, gentlest setting.) You must not overwork the batter otherwise the cake will come out tough and dense.

Keep mixing gently until the batter is smooth and passes the “dollop test”, i.e. when you lift some of it up with the spatula, it falls easily off in a dollop.

If it sticks to the spatula and is too dry, add a bit of milk to loosen it and mix gently again. Be careful not to add too much milk as you don’t want the batter to be runny.

Get two 8-inch round cake tins and lightly grease the insides, then lay a circle of parchment paper on the bottom.

Divide the batter evenly between the two tins, using the spatula to smooth the tops until they are flat. (Don’t worry if they are not perfectly even—they will melt and even out in the oven.)

Place in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20 – 25 minutes, until the cakes are golden and have risen nicely. To check that they’re done, slide a sharp knife or skewer into the center and it should come out clean. The cake will also spring back when gently pressed and the edges should be shrinking slightly away from the sides of the tin.

Take the cakes out and allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then remove from the tins. Peel off the parchment paper and cool on a wire rack, flat side down.

* It is important to allow the cakes to cool completely otherwise it will cause the cream in the filling to melt and will ruin the cake.

While the cakes are cooling, prepare the filling by whipping the cream until it forms soft peaks.

Take the “uglier” cake and use that as your base. Spread the top with a generous portion of strawberry jam.

Follow with a layer of fresh whipped cream, using a spatula to carefully spread it over the jam.

Finally, place the second cake gently on top to form the “sandwich”.

* Variation: some people may also like to include fresh sliced strawberries in the filling, between the jam and the cream.

Garnish the top of the cake with the fresh strawberries and then dust everything with icing sugar.

Enjoy!

Tip

Weigh the batter as you divide between the cake tins to have equally even cakes.

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

FREE DOWNLOAD FROM H.Y. HANNA! 

Be sure to check out H.Y. Hanna’s just released prequel to the Oxford Tearoom Mysteries, ALL-BUTTER SHORTDEAD! Free for a limited time on Amazon! You can download at:

Amazon: http://www.hyhanna.com/butter-amazon

Amazon UK: http://www.hyhanna.com/butter-amazonuk

Gemma ditches her high-flying job and returns to Oxford to follow her dream: opening a traditional English tearoom serving warm buttery scones with jam and clotted cream… Only problem is–murder is the first thing on the menu and Gemma is the key suspect! And the only people Gemma can turn to for help are four nosy old ladies from her local Cotswolds village – not to mention a cheeky little tabby cat named Muesli. Who was the mysterious woman Gemma met on the flight back from Australia and why was she murdered? Now Gemma must find the killer, solve the mystery and clear her name if she’s to have her cake–and serve it too.

This PREQUEL to the OXFORD TEAROOM MYSTERIES includes BONUS CHAPTERS FROM “A SCONE TO DIE FOR” (BOOK 1). It is slightly shorter than the rest of the series – which are all full length novels – and can be read as a standalone, before or after any other book in the series.

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I have been a fan of the books written by Elizabeth Buzzelli (aka Elizabeth Lee) for some time. When she told me she was writing a new series and asked if I would be an early reader for A MOST CURIOUS MURDER: A Little Library Mystery, I jumped at the chance! Even though the book does not have recipes, Elizabeth created a special dessert, Topsy-Turvy Pineapple Torte, to celebrate the Alice in Wonderland theme of the book. The torte is a meringue-based cake, baked in a cast iron skillet which creates crispy edges. Brown sugar mixed with butter, crushed pineapple, and maraschino cherries provides an easy base to support the cake while baking. But when it’s turned upside down for serving, that’s when the magic happens. The sugar caramelizes with the pineapple, creating a rich contrast to the light cake. Even though my husband shouldn’t eat dairy, he couldn’t stop eating this delightful dessert and declared it was one of the best he’s ever had! Elizabeth has also included a yummy optional rum sauce to drizzle over the cake. While not necessary to use, it does add an additional level of decadence!

Synopsis

Jenny Westson has returned home to Bear Falls, Michigan after a bitter divorce and the loss of her job and friends. When she pulls up to her mother’s house in the early morning hour, she finds her mother’s Little Library broken into smithereens with the books destroyed. Sick at heart, her deceased father had built the Little Library as an anniversary gift just months before he was killed in a hit and run accident, Jenny tries to clean up the mess before her mother sees it.

She’s interrupted by her mom’s “little person” neighbor, Zoe Zola, who loves to quote Lewis Carroll. With her exhaustion and emotional heartache, Jenny doesn’t care for Zoe all that much, but despite her attitude, Zoe pitches in to clean up and help break the news to Jenny’s mom, Dora. When the police tell them it’s probably just a hit and run, Zoe points out all the evidence which indicated it was something much more malicious. She thinks it could be one of their neighbors, Adam Cane, who destroyed the Little Library since he hated it and her dog, Fida. When Fida disappears Zoe points the police in the direction of Adam again, but when he turns up dead in Zoe’s fairy garden, she’s suddenly suspected of murder.

Evidence is even more incriminating when Adam’s brother, Aaron, is found murdered with Zoe’s dog locked in his impoverished cabin. Jenny knows Zoe is innocent, despite her quirks, and decides she has to find the real killer before the small-town police railroad Zoe right into prison. With the madness of murders going on around her, Jenny must find the answers that they and the killer are looking for but time may be running out for another innocent victim.

My Review

I enjoy reading cozy mysteries for a variety of reasons: good character development, happy endings, and of course they are a source of wonderful entertainment. A MOST CURIOUS MURDER fits my criteria for what makes a book good, but then the author went a step further and made it great! This first book in her brand new series has a strong plot with plenty of twists, turns, and falls into the rabbit hole which kept me up late at night turning pages. But what made this book stand out in my mind is the intertwining of emotions in the subplots that pulled me in, made me relate, and made me think about the story and the characters long after I had finished the book. Ms. Buzzelli has a lyrical cadence to her writing which fit the theme of Lewis Carroll’s Alice In Wonderland and enhanced the settings so I felt like I was experiencing the book instead of just reading a story.

One of the quotes Zoe shares with Jenny that I thought was quite appropriate for my review is “….words and words and words – until the words sort themselves out and everything is clear, or it becomes completely unclear and it doesn’t matter anymore.” Elizabeth Kane Buzzelli’s words are perfectly clear and come together to make a delightful, thought provoking read. Well done!

A very special thank you to Elizabeth Kane Buzzelli for providing an autographed hardcover of A MOST CURIOUS MURDER! (U.S. residents only.) Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends Monday, July 11, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. 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!)

Topsy-Turvy Pineapple Torte

Ingredients

Cake

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 twenty-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained and patted dry (reserve juice for rum glaze)
10 Maraschino cherries, halved

4 eggs, separated
1 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Rum Sauce (optional)

1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup dark rum
1/4 cup butter (optional)

Garnish

1/2 cup crushed walnuts
Whipped cream
Maraschino cherries

Instruction

Cake

Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F).

Warm a well-seasoned 9-inch cast iron skillet in the preheated oven for about 5 minutes. Don’t let it smoke.

Remove skillet from the oven and melt 1/2 cup butter in it, over low stovetop heat.

Remove from heat and sprinkle brown sugars evenly over the pan.

Sprinkle pineapple over the brown sugars, to cover bottom of the skillet.

Arrange halved cherries around pineapple.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat egg whites just until soft peaks form.

Gradually add the granulated sugar, beating well after each addition, then beat until medium-stiff peaks form.

In a small bowl, beat egg yolks at high speed until very thick and yellow, about 2 minutes.

Using a whisk, gently fold egg yolks and flour mixture into the egg whites until blended.

Fold in 1 tablespoon melted butter and vanilla.

Spread batter evenly over pineapple in skillet.

Bake until surface springs back when gently pressed with fingertip and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

Loosen the edges of the cake with table knife.

Cool the cake for 5 minutes before inverting onto serving plate.

Flip the skillet and leave a few minutes before removing. The cake will release easier this way.

Rum Glaze

Add all the ingredients to a saucepan and boil for 3 minutes.

While the sauce is hot, pour over cake and garnish with crushed walnuts, whipped cream, and Maraschino cherries.

Tips

Separate the eggs while they are cold then allow them to come to room temperature while you collect the remaining ingredients. Cold eggs separate easier while room temperature eggs will whip up fluffier.

Make sure there is not even a speck of yolk in the whites and your bowl and beaters are grease-free or the egg whites won’t whip up fluffy.

The difference between light and dark brown sugar is simply the amount of molasses each contains. Dark brown sugar has a more assertive flavor but they can both be used interchangeably.

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When I hear that a new release is coming in one of the series that I love to read, I do a happy dance! KILLER TAKEOUT by Lucy Burdette is releasing April 5th, and I was thrilled to get my hands on an early copy.

KILLER TAKEOUT takes us back to Key West in the ten days leading up to Halloween. Hoards of people are flooding into the tropical town to participate in Fantasy Fest and Hayley Snow, Food Critic for Key Zest magazine, has her hands full. Wanting to avoid the overcrowded restaurants, she researches reliable takeout food for an article along with covering some of the Fantasy Fest events such as Zombie Bike Ride and a pet masquerade contest. On top of that her mother, Janet Snow, is arriving in town with her fiance, Sam, to get married on the beach…and a huge tropical storm is heading their way.

Danielle Kamen, the receptionist for Key Zest, is crowned Queen of Fantasy Fest. When Hayley hears that Danielle is in a cat fight with one of the other contestants, she rushes to lend her support and it takes police intervention to break it up. Danielle insists it wasn’t her fault, that she was trying to get away from Caryn Druckman. The next day as Hayley is riding in the Zombie bike ride taking photos and video for her article, she sees Caryn collapse in the middle of the ride. Hayley stops to help her but it’s too late….she’s dead. The police suspect poisoning and set their sights on Danielle given the altercation the day before. Danielle begs Hayley to clear her name since she’s a nervous wreck and can barely function. As Hayley starts asking questions around town, she’s not so sure Danielle wants to know the truth. Could it be Danielle’s own ambitious mother and aunt who had a hand in doing away with the competition or one of the many other people Caryn had stepped on in her fight for the crown?

There were so many things to love about this story! Lucy’s imagery made me feel a part of the Fantasy Fest and facilitated several laugh out loud moments. Hayley is a loyal friend and the relationships she has with her mom, Danielle, and her geriatric houseboat roommate seem genuine which adds charm to the story. There’s still some conflict in her relationship with Detective Nathan Bransford but the author gives them both room to explore and grow with each passing book.

The food descriptions alone can contribute to gaining about five pounds while reading…so many drool-worthy dishes are mentioned and as usual, Lucy shares several recipes at the back of the book. As soon as she asked if I’d like to make her coconut cake I knew exactly how I’d like to present it. While you can stack the 2 layers of cake with lusciously rich cream cheese frosting and tropical coconut nestled in between, this time of year calls for a fun kids’ cake! I first made a bunny cake almost thirteen years ago when my granddaughter, Jaidyn, turned one. It was my VERY first attempt at doing anything creative with a cake and of course I used a boxed mix and canned frosting. Lucy’s coconut cake and coconut cream cheese frosting are a natural match for the design and made the adults go back for seconds for another nibble of this supremely moist, tropical tasting cake! I have included a video tutorial below showing how to assemble the bunny cake along with a PDF template for cutting the ears and bow tie.

As a bonus for my readers I’m giving away either a print copy or e-book copy of KILLER TAKEOUT for one lucky reader to win! Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends Friday, March 25, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. Non-U.S. residents will be awarded a digital copy. Prize will be sent out on the book’s release date of 4/5/16. 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!)

Eric’s Coconut Cake (Almost)

My friend Eric (the model for the psychologist character in the Key West mysteries) is famous for his coconut cake. And I’ve been looking for a recipe for coconut cake forever, so I begged for his. Of course, never able to quite leave a recipe alone, I did change things up a little from what he sent me. I used less of the cream of coconut and one block of cream cheese in the icing, instead of two. Oh, and unsweetened coconut instead of sweetened. It was delicious, if I say so myself. I think I will try this as a sheet cake next time I have to take something to a party…

Serves ten to twelve

Ingredients

Cake

1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1-3/4 cup cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 cups sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, softened but still cool, and cut into cubes
3 ounces Coco Lopez from an 8-ounce can (save the rest for icing)
4 eggs, room temperature
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Frosting

1 8-ounce block cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
5 ounces Coco Lopez (the rest of the can)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
About 1 and 1/2 cups – 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
7 – 8 ounces unsweetened flaked coconut (you can use sweetened flaked coconut too)

Easter Bunny Cake

Pink gel food coloring
Assorted candies

Click on the link: Easter Bunny PDF Template

Instructions

Cake

Heat oven to 350 degrees (F).

Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by buttering them well, lining with parchment, and then buttering the parchment too.

Mix all the dry cake ingredients in bowl of electric mixer or stand mixer at slow speed.

Add cool cubes of butter, a few at a time, along with the Coco Lopez, and continue beating on low for about 1-2 minutes.

Beat the eggs in one at a time, mixing well but minimally after each.

Mix the milk with the extracts.

Add 1/2 cup of milk mixture to flour mixture and beat until combined. Add remaining 1/2 cup of milk mixture and beat for about 1 minute.

Pour batter evenly into the two prepared cake pans.

Bake until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and cake springs back when touched, in the neighborhood of 25 minutes. (Watch this because you don’t want to overcook…)

Cool the pans for ten minutes, then remove the cakes, one to a plate and the other to waxed paper, and allow them to cool to room temperature.

Frosting

Cream the butter and cream cheese together then add in the Coco Loco and vanilla extract.

Slowly add in the confectioners’ sugar and beat until creamy. Add in additional confectioners’ sugar until desired consistency and sweetness level is reached.

Ice the top of the first layer, then sprinkle with coconut. Add the second layer, ice the whole cake, sprinkle the coconut all over, patting as needed.

Easter Bunny Cake

Tint 3 tablespoons of the flaked coconut pink, using 2 drops of pink gel food coloring. Set aside.

Using the Easter Bunny PDF Template, slice one of the 9-inch cake rounds into a bow tie and 2 ears.

Place the intact 9-inch cake round onto a large cake board and position the bow tie and 2 ears to make a bunny.

Cover the cakes with frosting.

Apply the pink coconut to form the shape of the bunny’s inner ears.

Cover the remaining cake with white coconut, pressing the coconut into the sides of the cake to adhere.

Decorate the bunny with assorted candies as desired. I used licorice whips, Lifesaver gummies, jelly beans, M & M’s, and Sixlets. View my video tutorial below to see how I assembled cake.

Tips

My can of Coco Loco separated so I puréed using an immersion stick blender before using.

Use EvenBake Cake Strips around the cake pans while baking to keep the cake tops from doming.

For my cake board, I use colorful fabric (wash first!) on a 1/2-inch thick cut piece of plywood that I’ve covered with washable contact paper. Hot glue the edges of the fabric to the bottom of the board. When the “party” is over, remove the fabric and bits of cake and frosting and throw away. Clean the contact paper covered board as needed and it will be ready to reuse for your next cake!

Of course you can make this luscious tropical cake as a regular layer cake!

Photo courtesy of Google Images

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