Lemon Drizzle Poundcake

What does one do when they are in excess of lemons? Bake a lemon inspired cake of course! And since loaf cakes are the easiest cakes to bake (prep and baking took less than an hour), I settled for a Lemon Drizzle Poundcake.

If you've been reading my blog from the beginning, you may already know that poundcakes are my favourite! So if you haven't already, check out some of my past recipes: Banana Poundcake, Orange Poundcake, or even this delicious Pumpkin Spice Loaf.

So, if you are in the mood for a moist, lemony, not too dense cake with a tangy/sweet icing, this is the recipe for you.

Portuguese Custard Tarts

 I have an intense fondness for vanilla custard.

Sidebar: When I was a toddler, my giagia would make us κρέμα Βανίλια from the ΓΙΩΤΗΣ sachets. We would crowd around her, impatiently waiting for her to spoon it into our small bowls. Then, we would slowly skim and eat the skin that would form on the top, before devouring the rest of it. I use to think that NOTHING could beat the taste of that ΓΙΩΤΗΣ vanilla custard, but alas I have been mistaken.

So when I went to Faro, Portugal the other week, the first thing I did was go to a bakery and sample Portuguese Custard Tarts, or, Pastéis de Nata. They were absolutely amazing! In fact, I ate one every morning. If you are anything like me and you visit Portugal, you must go to a bakery and have a pastry and um galão or a uma meia de leite.

Inspired by the flavours of Portugal, and forever craving those custard tarts, I made my own as soon as I got back home. 

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies (Soft & Chewy)

Was in the mood for a perfectly soft and chewy cookie. And since I couldn’t find anything in the shops that tickled my fancy, I decided to bake my own. Went for an oatmeal cookie this time because I wanted it to be slightly healthy…just kidding!! I just love oatmeal cookies! Obviously all that sugar negates any kind of healthiness. And honestly, if I’m going to bake cookies, and eat them, might as well be the real thing!

Also, if you’re wondering why my setup is different yet again, it’s because I’ve moved back to Durham. So plenty of recipes and pretty photos heading your way!

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Fairly straightforward recipe today. A delicious and very moist pumpkin cake. And since everything tastes better with a little bit of frosting—this cake has lots of it. Enjoy.

Apple Upside-Down Cake

A year ago, I went on a long riverside stroll (for those unfamiliar with Durham city, I’m referring to the River Wear); it wasn’t meant to be anything more than a chance for me to take a break from writing my thesis and enjoy the wonderful fall weather, and yet, I found myself incredibly inspired by my surroundings. That day, on the way home, I stopped by the market and bought a butternut squash and a bag of apples. I was determined to bake an apple crumble, and a pumpkin pie, and maybe even some ginger snaps. And I did. And I documented it all on the first few entries of this blog.

Since then, this blog has evolved in ways that I never thought it would: I bought more baking tools, I learned how to take better pictures, I extended the mission of the blog to include traditional Greek recipes, I gained thousands of followers on Instagram…

I won’t go on about this anymore than I have already, but that fact remains that, although I began to bake as a way to de-stress from the demands of the PhD, I now bake because I really do enjoy the art of baking. I hope this blog continues to develop and I hope a year from now, I’ll be able to look back again, and be satisfied with how far it has come.

On that note, today’s recipe features the apple upside-down cake, which in my eyes is far superior than the classic apple pie. I hope you enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Loaf

I started my blog last year of this month. Can you believe it?! It has been 1 WHOLE YEAR!!! And yet, so much has changed in my life—I moved back to NY from Durham (after living there for 5 years), I finished my PhD, I made many new friends and lost some old friends…but I digress.

I thought it would be fitting to begin this new chapter of my life/and the blog’s second year, with a spin on my very first entry. So, for today’s recipe, as a play on last year’s Pumpkin Pie, I have made a Pumpkin Spice Loaf.   

Hope you enjoy.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

If you have been following my blog for long enough, you might remember these fantastic Halloween Red Velvet Cupcakes. 

I decided to remake them, with two very different toppings. For the first batch, I used the classic cream cheese frosting; for the second, I used a slightly creamier/lighter frosting with a double cream base (instead of butter). Both turned out really delicious, so I think it really depends on personal preference. I've always loved the decadence of the red velvet cupcake- I will always reach for the classic cream cheese frosting. With that said, most of my friends enjoyed the creamier version.  

Enough rambling...onwards

Coffee and Walnut Cake

This cake is absolutely amazing. And I’m not just tooting my own horn here. Everyone who had a piece, or 2, or 3, was in love and the cake was eaten in a matter of days.

Lately, my go to book for baking recipes has been Bake it Better: Classic Cakes by Linda Collister—if you can recall, the Victoria Sponge and Blueberry Muffins I made were also taken from here. If you haven’t picked up a copy you should definitely do so (or look for it online). The recipes never disappoint and the pictures are gorgeous.

With that said, I did double the recipe for this Coffee and Walnut Cake. I wanted to create something a bit more decadent and extravagant. I also opted to frost the entire cake, rather than leaving it as a traditional sponge cake.

Blueberry Muffins

A quick and delicious recipe for Blueberry Muffins. I don't usually care for fruit in desserts, but these muffins have just the right balance of tartness to sweetness. And to top it off, they are so incredibly moist and fluffy.

Marble Poundcake

You all know poundcakes are my favourite, so I don’t think this cake needs any kind of introduction. Chocolate ü Vanilla ü Moist ü I have found the perfect accompaniment to coffee.

Coffee Crumb Cake with Walnuts

Does anyone remember the Hostess Coffee Crumb Cake muffins? I’ve been trying to recreate these babies for ages and could never find a recipe that even came close. Until NOW. Actually, I think this recipe is better because it has a nicer consistency and is super moist—the Hostess muffin could be a bit too crumbly/dry, in my opinion anyway.

Anyway, the original recipe is from Food Wishes, and he even has a youtube video outlining each step. I slightly altered the recipe by using yogurt and walnuts, instead of sour cream and pecans, and I also doubled the recipe so that it fit in my pan. 

Snickerdoodles

A quick and easy recipe for those days when you want something to munch on, but don’t feel like running out to the market for ingredients. And this cookie definitely hits the spot without being overly sweet.

M inhaled about 5 within a minute—I kid you not!

By the way, these are perfect to make when you are expecting company, but don't have enough time to bake and tidy-up your home. So, you can prepare the batter, stick it in the fridge to harden while you quickly clean, stick your cookies in the oven while you change, and voilà! Flat is clean AND cookies are made.

just saying...

Greek Easter Cookies, Κουλουράκια

In preparation for Greek Easter (May 1^st), I made κουλουράκια, Greek Easter cookies, and τσουρέκια, Greek Easter bread, AND even dyed a few eggs—I used natural dyes instead of the toxic packaged dyes, and if you are interested in the process just pop me a comment and I’ll give you the “recipe” for that.

Is it wrong to say that I look forward to Easter mainly for the desserts/sweets? Especially because I don’t eat meat, and haven’t eaten it for over 15 years—my grandma is still horrified over this fact by the way: think My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

For this post I will be focusing on the κουλουράκια (and the next post will be on τσουρέκια). And don’t worry if you have never made these cookies before. The recipe is simple and easy, and really, the hardest part is waiting for the cookies to bake.

Two quick points:

1. Don’t be alarmed by the number of cookies this recipe yields. It may seem like a lot, but trust me, they will be eaten in no time—especially if you share them with your friends and family. If you are still concerned, then just half the ingredients.

2. As you may already know, I always prefer my cookies to be soft and chewy. So if you are looking for a recipe that yields crumbly, crunchy, biscuit-type κουλουράκια, I’m sorry but this isn’t the recipe for you.

Peanut Butter Brownies

A while back I made these delicious better than box mix Brownies. They were great, and they have been my go to recipe ever since. Today, however, I decided to put a bit of a spin on the old recipe.

To be honest, it’s a very minor spin, BUT it does add loads of flavour—and for someone who isn’t such a big fan of chocolate, the nuttiness of the peanut butter takes these brownies to another level.

Greek Halva, or Semolina Cake, or χαλβάς σιμιγδαλένιος

I will preface this by saying that this is quite possibly my favourite Greek dessert, and one that I make on a regular basis.

In Greece, there are a few Halva products/cakes and they are all quite different. I have made the semolina based Halva, Χαλβάς σιμιγδαλένιος, but there is also the Sesame/Tahini Halva, Χαλβάς με ταχίνι (if you live in Greece or have access to a Greek market, this is mostly sold during periods of fasting i.e. before Easter), and a flour based Halva, Χαλβάς κουταλιού. 

When my sister and I were children and would visit my grandmother’s sister in Lefkada, she would always offer us this dessert; in fact, because it uses simple ingredients (oil, flour, sugar and water) it is one of the most common desserts found in traditional homes.

these are not my own pics-they are taken from Google images

To the dismay of my mom and everyone else I know who always use the traditional 1:2:3:4 method, this recipe does not follow that AT ALL. If you aren’t familiar with the traditional method, or you haven’t got a clue what I’m talking about, I’ll summarise: traditionally, semolina halva is made with 1 part oil, 2 parts semolina, 3 parts sugar, and 4 parts water.

As you will see, the recipe (which was given to me by my Aunt) varies: it uses milk instead of water, because it gives the cake more taste and it makes it αφράτο, and the measurements do not follow the simple ratio. Nevertheless, I think this version of halva is tastier, and I’ve never had anyone say otherwise.  

By the way, if you are fasting from dairy, just substitute the milk for water. And if you prefer butter to vegetable oil, use that instead. 

Coffee Cupcakes & Coffee Buttercream

Every morning I brew about 6 cups of coffee. I have 2-3 cups of hot coffee as soon as I wake up, and then I usually store the remaining coffee in the fridge. This way when 6 pm comes around and I'm needing my caffeine fix, all I have to do is add ice and milk— BAM! Instant Iced Coffee.

Please tell me you all do this too, because my family thinks I'm crazy for storing old coffee in the fridge.

Anyway, I had plenty of leftover coffee the other day, so I decided to put it to good use and make some very yummy coffee cupcakes. They turned out wonderful.

Orange Muffins

 Just a simple recipe for Orange Muffins, because my fridge is filled with fresh oranges.

If you find this too simple, you can also add some chocolate chips or even fruit to your batter

And if you love everything orange flavoured, be sure to check out my delicious Orange Poundcake with Orange Glaze

Death by Chocolate- My Birthday Cake

This is, in fact, a Birthday Cake post. 

I’ve lived in the UK for 4 years now, and most of my Birthdays have included a Tesco Birthday Cake—mainly because I couldn’t be bothered to make my own cake. I should mention that the first year I moved here, my friends made me chocolate cake with vanilla frosting—it was wonderful.  This year I decided to bake my own cake. 

Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies (Soft & Chewy)

Do these not look amazing?

Just a few things I want to get out the way before we start talking about cookies:

1.  If you look to the right, you can now follow/add me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.

2.  If you click to the right of the blog (screen), you can share my post on any social media account you wish—and please do!

3.  I am now a Yummly Publisher!! If you aren’t familiar with Yummly, it is a recipe database that allows you to browse through thousands of recipes, all catered to your unique tastes (do you want something gluten free? Salty? Sweet? Well Yummly gives you the option to choose). And their best feature is that you can choose recipes based on what ingredients you have/or don’t have.

Check out my Yummly Page and be sure to click on the orange YUM button to like my recipes, and save them to your own Yummly recipe box (it is a bit like a favourites tab, but for recipes)

4. I have about 3 more recipes to share with you all + a Great Expectations discussion. So be patient with me please—plenty of new things coming up J

I could probably eat this whole plate. Totally serious.

OK now back to stuff that actually matters, like these delicious, soft, chewy, rich chocolate cookies.

I made a version of these cookies when I first started up the blog—if I had to compare, not sure which recipe would win. In any case, I made these when I was craving something chocolaty and sweet, and didn't want to slave all night in the kitchen.

This recipe is quite simple, and because I wanted the soft & chewy consistency, they didn't take too long to bake either.

Carrot Cake

I walked into Tesco the other day, and they had the 500g bags of Carrots on offer for 6 pence—NOT even exaggerating. Inspired with the bags of carrots in my fridge, I decided to bake a Carrot Cake.

I immediately asked my Aunt for her recipe, and opted to make some slight changes. The cake came out rich and moist, and the creamy frosting enhanced the carrot flavour. 

Most cakes don't need to be refrigerated over night, but honestly, I prefer to eat carrot cake after it has had a few hours to chill. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy the recipe, and don't be afraid to try it out on your own!