April (Baby! and Wedding!) Showers

Polenta Ricotta Honey Cake 

with Lemon Blueberry topping

{original recipe from vintage kitchen notes}

I had the pleasure of spending this past weekend with my five best friends from college. Simply put, these ladies are amazing. And inspiring. And fun. And creative. This reunion was full of many celebratory life moments, including pending nuptials, growing bellies, new homes, growing broods, health & happiness. Tea parties take center stage at our reunions. Whether at a fancy tea house (a la Alice's Tea Cup in NYC or Peacock Alley at the Willard in DC) or in pjs at home, tea parties truly feel indulgent. Baked treats accompanied by clotted cream & lemon curd are all requisites.

This time around, I tried to inject a bit of wholesome into the indulgent mix. This polenta ricotta honey cake had a nutty texture, providing a nice complement to the tangy blueberry topping. The cake was a bit crumbly but still nice & moist. We served this with a salmon & leek quiche and a spinach & toasted pine nut quiche, as well as a arugula based salad filled with spring greens & a goat cheese dressing. If you like a traditional Italian almond cake, this one is definitely worth trying. 

cake ingredients:
1 cup polenta or yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup ricotta
1/3 cup tepid water
3/4 cup honey
3/4 cup sugar
zest of 1 lemon
8 tbsp butter, melted & cooled
1 tbsp butter, cut into bits & chilled
2 large eggs

topping ingredients:
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup light brown sugar

1.  pre-heat oven to 350F.

2. Line bottom of a 9 inch springform cake pan with parchment paper (I actually did without, and had no problem transferring the cake to a pretty serving tray afterwards). 

3. spray or butter the sides of the cake pan.

4. mix polenta, flour, baking powder & salt in a bowl.

5. beat the ricotta cheese with the water until it is a smooth, uniform texture. Add honey, sugar & lemon zest, continue to beat until smooth. 

6. gradually add the melted & cooled butter. then add the eggs, one at a time. continue to beat until mixture is smooth. 

7. slowly fold the wet ingredients in small batches into the dry ingredients until smooth. 

8. pour the mixture into the cake pan. dot the top of the batter with the bits of butter. 

9. bake for about 35 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

10. for the blueberry sauce, on the stovetop, mix blueberries, lemon juice & sugar. cook for about 5 minutes over low heat until the blueberries wrinkle & loose their shape.

11. transfer onto a cake platter. serve with the blueberry sauce & a dusting of powdered sugar. 

Tea & Crumpets

Lemon Chia Seed Muffins

All hail the weekend! These muffins would make for an excellent companion to a pot of tea or coffee on a lazy weekend afternoon. A smear of lemon curd or this Goat & Cream Cheese topping would make these otherwise healthy muffins truly indulgent.

ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

heavy pinch of salt

4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup chia seeds

zest of one lemon

1/2 cup sugar

3 tbsp walnut oil

1 cup water

1/3 cup applesauce
yield: 12 muffins

1. pre-heat oven to 350F

2. grease muffin tins with butter or line with oil and dust with flour

3. in a large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, chia seeds & lemon zest. stir until ingredients are fully mixed.

4. create a well with the dry ingredients. add sugar, oil, water & apple sauce. stir to combine. be careful not to over combine. pour out batter into pre-greased muffin tins & let batter sit for a few minutes.

5. cook for 10-15 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted into the batter comes out clean.

6. serve with a smear of lemon curd or this Goat & Cream Cheese topping

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photo credits: top collage, photos 1,2,3 Lonny

Lately, Snacking On: Corn Muffins

Crab & Jalapeno Corn Muffins

This is the season where get togethers often involve large, spicy pots of chili. These corn muffins are an excellent match for a hearty chili. These are also interesting & flavorful enough to eat on their own right - add a smear of chive cream cheese & serve with a side of greens to complete the meal. Honestly, these were so good, I even ate them for breakfast the next day.

ingredients:
1 cup corn meal
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 can crab meat 
1/2 can jalapeno peppers
1/2 vegetable oil
2/3 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
yield: 12 muffins

1. preheat oven 400F

2. grease muffin tins with stick of butter

3. combine corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder & salt in bowl.

4. mix oil, egg & milk. fold in crab meat & jalapeno.

5. add mixture to dry ingredients. mix until batter is uniform in consistency. 

6. pour corn meal batter into greased muffin tins, filling until 2/3 full.

7. bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Hostess Gifts

Apple-Carrot Baby Cakes with Goat & Cream Cheese Topping

{original recipe from Simply Recipes}

With the holiday season in full swing, why not surprise the hosts of the next party you attend with these muffin-like cupcakes, packed with enough nutrients to be fitting for breakfast the next morning!

ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1.5 cups sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup vegetable oil (light olive oil, canola oil or grapeseed oil)
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 & 1/2 cups packed coarsely grated carrots (about 3 medium)
1 & 1/2 cups packed coarsely grated  tart apples (i used 2 medium Granny Smith)
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans (i used 1/2 cup pecans + 1/2 cup hazelnuts)

frosting ingredients:
5 oz goat cheese (plain), room temperature
4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
yield: 24 baby cakes

1. preheat oven to 350F with rack in center of the oven

2. in large bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, spices, cocoa, pepper & salt. whisk to combine, then stir in oil & eggs. stir in carrots, apples & nuts.

3. if using cupcake holders, place in muffin tins, otherwise grease lightly with butter & dust with flour. fill muffin tins with batter until 3/4 full.

4. bake for approximately 20 minutes, less if not using paper liners, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. let cool completely before frosting.

5. beat goat cheese, cream cheese, butter & vanilla until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. gradually add powdered sugar and mix until combined.