Hot Cross Muffins

I am still baking, but haven't taken many photos lately. Decided to take out my "big" camera and take some photos this time :)

I love hot cross buns. Wanted to buy some, but knew I would eat the whole thing myself. Instead, decided to make these muffins again (feel less guilty as they are homemade!)

Hot Cross Muffins
from food.com

1/2 cup raisins (thought I had raisins... used dried cranberries)
2 tablespoons orange juice

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon clove (optional)

1/2 cup candied peel

1/2 cup chopped dried apricot

1 egg

1 cup low-fat milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

Glaze

1 1/4 cups sifted icing sugar
4 teaspoons orange juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F Place raisins in a small bowl. Pour juice overtop. Microwave, covered, until hot, 1 minute Set aside. Lightly coat or spray a 12-cup muffin tin or 9x5 inch loaf pan with oil. In a large bowl, using a fork, stir flour with sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, salt and cloves. Stir in raisin mixture, candied peel and apricots.

1. In a medium-size bowl, whisk egg. Whisk in milk, oil, butter and vanilla. Pour over flour mixture. Stir just until mixed. Batter will be lumpy. Divide between muffin cups or scrape into loaf pan and smooth top.
2. Bake in centre of preheated oven until a cake tester inserted into centre of muffins or loaf comes out clean, 20 to 25 minute for muffins, 1 hour for loaf. Remove pan to a cooling rack. After 5 minutes, remove from pan and cool completely on rack. Store muffins or loaf in an airtight container and store at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months.

Glaze:.

1. Stir sifted icing sugar with orange juice until smooth. Drizzle over cooled muffins in a criss-cross pattern to mimic hot cross buns or spoon over loaf, if you wish.

Easter Table

Forgot to share the beautiful table my cousin set for Easter!


and the amazing food!

and we all got to leave with a chocolate Lindt Bunny!
My little cousin was more interested in the cat that was outside!!
Hope you all had a great weekend!

Easter Cakes

I had made this cake for my brother's 50th birthday party and was asked to make it again for Easter! I changed the decoration a bit but used the same chocolate cake as a base.
It makes for a very impressive cake! Ben helped out by cutting the cookies the right size as they were a bit too long!










I also made a carrot cake which was amazing. The recipe can be found here:.the-girl-who-ate-everything.

Hot Cross Muffins

I am so sorry. This is the third day in a row that I have been posting muffin recipes and photos. I hope you can forgive me...

I make these muffins around Easter time every year. I just love hot cross buns but I find these muffins so easy to prepare and so tasty, I almost don't miss the real thing!! Didn't have any apricots, so used dried cranberries - very tasty!

Easter Hot Cross Muffins

adapted from Chatelaine magazine

1/2 cup raisins

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon clove (optional)

1/2 cup candied peel

1/2 cup chopped dried apricot (used dried cranberries this time)

1 egg

1 cup low-fat milk

1/4 cup Canola oil

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

Glaze

1 1/4 cups sifted icing sugar
4 teaspoons orange juice (used lemon juice this time)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F Place raisins in a small bowl. Pour juice overtop. Microwave, covered, until hot, 1 minute Set aside. Lightly coat or spray a 12-cup muffin tin or 9x5 inch loaf pan with oil. In a large bowl, using a fork, stir flour with sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, salt and cloves. Stir in raisin mixture, candied peel and apricots.

In a medium-size bowl, whisk egg. Whisk in milk, oil, butter and vanilla. Pour over flour mixture. Stir just until mixed. Batter will be lumpy. Divide between muffin cups or scrape into loaf pan and smooth top.

Bake in centre of preheated oven until a cake tester inserted into centre of muffins or loaf comes out clean, 20 to 25 minute for muffins, 1 hour for loaf. Remove pan to a cooling rack. After 5 minutes, remove from pan and cool completely on rack. Store muffins or loaf in an airtight container and store at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months.

Glaze:

Stir sifted icing sugar with orange juice until smooth. Drizzle over cooled muffins in a criss-cross pattern to mimic hot cross buns or spoon over loaf, if you wish.

Ricardo's Easter Chocolate Cake

Baked this wonderful cake to bring to my cousin for an Easter brunch. Ricardo has so many delicious looking cakes - it was hard to choose one - but decided on this chocolate cake...





Ricardo's Chocolate Cake
ricardocuisine
2  cups flour
3/4 cups cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
Dash of salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar (used 1 1/4 cups)
3 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups milk (used low fat)

Preheat the oven to 350 °F). Butter and flour 2 8 inch round pans.

In a bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa and baking soda.

In another bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the butter a few seconds and add slowly the sugar. Beat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time while mixing, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla.

On slow speed, add the dry ingredients, alternating with the milk.

Pour into the pans. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes.

Let the cakes cool and unmould.

Chocolate Icing
ricardocuisine
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 1/4 cups icing sugar
1/3 cup sifted cocoa powder
2 tablespoons 35% cream (used low fat milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a bowl, beat the butter, sugar, cream and vanilla with an electric mixer until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Add food colouring if desired.

Easter Rice Krispies Eggs

If you like rice krispies squares, you will love these little eggs!


They are made the same easy way - but they are so cute in egg shapes for Easter!


They are a bit more work - and you do get sticky hands - but they are well worth it!


Don't they look yummy?! :)


Rice Krispies Eggs
from ricekrispies.com

3 tablespoons butter or margarine
4 cups miniature marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies®
Canned frosting or decorating gel (didn't use)
Assorted candies (didn't use)

In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

Add Rice Krispies cereal. Stir until well coated.

Using 1/3-cup measuring cup coated with cooking spray divide warm cereal mixture into portions. Using buttered hands shape each portion into egg shape. Cool. Decorate with frosting and/or candies. Best if served the same day.

Store no more than two days at room temperature in airtight container. To freeze, place in single layer on wax paper in airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 weeks. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.




 

 

Peep Hoarder

For the 2011 Flicker Peep Off contest - my first submission!

Don't know if you have ever seen the show "Hoarders"? Whenever I watch that show, I am in the mood to clean!! :)





What do you think?? :)

Easter Egg Nest Treats

Made these to bring as little Easter treats at the office.  Thought they were quite cute!! Next time will add some chocolate eggs! :)

Here's the link to the "recipe"!! easter-egg-nest-treats-418419