A slagroomtaart is probably the most popular Dutch birthday cake there is. Want to make your own Dutch cream cake? It is so easy! In this recipe I will tell you exactly how to bake the cake, fill it and decorate it.
I made my first cream cake in 2015, several years ago now. Its recipe has not been published on the blog until today, but has been in my first baking book since 2016. I have been asked for my cream cake recipe quite often.
Fortunately, I know that many home bakers had my book at home and could just make the cake, but now it’s time to share this delicious cream cake on the blog!
The cake base of a slagroomtaart is very light and airy, we also call it ‘biscuit’ or ‘kapsel’. Think sponge cake or chiffon cake. you could use some lemon zest or spices to have some extra flavor in the cake.
We use this cake base for a lot of Dutch cake recipes, but the cream cake is definitely the most popular one. In this video, you can see how soft and fluffy the cream cake is:
View this post on Instagram
The base of the cream cake is filled with jam and whipped cream. Optionally, a syrup can be brushed on the cake layers to moisten the cake or add flavor. If you make the cake several days in advance, there is a chance that the cake will get a little dry. The syrup prevents this.
When I make this whipped cream cake for special occasions, I usually make it the night before and don’t use the trembler syrup. Usually friends and family eat the whole cake and there are no leftovers.
And then a little bit more about the cake filling, the jam I mean. If you want to go for the classic flavors, you choose strawberry jam. For the cake in the picture, I had chosen a jam made from several kinds of red fruits, but you can basically use any jam you like.
For the whipped cream I use just normal whipping cream as there aren’t a lot of options in the Netherlands, but if you have access to heavy cream that’s an even better option.
To decorate the cake, use hazelnut bresilienne (also known as nougatine). These are toasted pieces of hazelnut with a caramelized layer of sugar around them. Not only beautiful for decoration, but also incredibly delicious. For a change of pace, you can substitute other types of nuts for the crunchy topping. Pecans, for example, are a good substitute.
Another way to decorate a whipped cream cake is to pipe swirls of whipped cream onto the top of the cake and then stick pieces of fresh fruit into them. Kiwi or tangerine slices really belong here. For this version I used kiwi and strawberry, delicious!
Optionally, you can use chocolate decorations (store bought or homemade) to decorate the cake. Or you can order a festive and edible photo print online and stick it on the cake.
After you’ve filled and stacked the cake layers, it’s time to decorate the sides and top of the cream pie with whipped cream. You can use a piping bag or a spatula, whichever comes easiest. Use the spatula to spread the whipped cream evenly on the outside of the cake. Be sure to save some whipped cream for the swirls on top of the cake.
For the side of the cake, it can be helpful to use a spatula in conjunction with a rotary spatula. You hold the spatula in one place while you gently rotate the turntable.
Finally, decorate the top of the cake with swirls of whipped cream. Fill a pastry bag with the whipped cream and choose a nozzle of your choice (I used a large star nozzle) and hold your piping bag straight over the cake as you start to spray the tufts.
I do not recommend freezing a cream cake. The whipped cream will dry out and won’t taste as good. However, you can make the sponge layers well in advance and freeze them in an airtight container for up to three months. You can also make the jam and nougatine well in advance and store them until you are ready to make the cake.
That way, you have the cake pieces ready to go, and all you have to do is whip the cream and assemble the cake. It saves time!
I prefer to eat a whipped cream cake the same day or the day after. Whipped cream generally doesn’t get any better, but you can store the cake in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Of course you can! In fact, you can use any shape, round, square or rectangular. I used this round pan for the recipe below, but square pans are also available. Just make sure you get the right size.
You can use the ‘Convert Recipe’ button in the recipe card below to convert the recipe to fit any size pan of your choice.
Nougatine adds a nice crunchy element to a whipped cream cake, which is necessary because the biscuit, jam and whipped cream are soft in texture. So I would not simply omit the hazelnut bresilienne, but rather replace it. For example, toasted almond slivers, sprinkles or crumbled cookies.
A medium egg weighs 50 grams on average, so you’ll need about 4. Beat the eggs and then weigh the mixture on the scale until you have 175 grams.
A slagroomtaart is probably the most popular Dutch birthday cake there is. Want to make your own Dutch cream cake? It is so easy! In this recipe I will tell you exactly how to bake the cake, fill it and decorate it.
I made my first cream cake in 2015, several years ago now. Its recipe has not been published on the blog until today, but has been in my first baking book since 2016. I have been asked for my cream cake recipe quite often.
Fortunately, I know that many home bakers had my book at home and could just make the cake, but now it’s time to share this delicious cream cake on the blog!
The cake base of a slagroomtaart is very light and airy, we also call it ‘biscuit’ or ‘kapsel’. Think sponge cake or chiffon cake. you could use some lemon zest or spices to have some extra flavor in the cake.
We use this cake base for a lot of Dutch cake recipes, but the cream cake is definitely the most popular one. In this video, you can see how soft and fluffy the cream cake is:
View this post on Instagram
The base of the cream cake is filled with jam and whipped cream. Optionally, a syrup can be brushed on the cake layers to moisten the cake or add flavor. If you make the cake several days in advance, there is a chance that the cake will get a little dry. The syrup prevents this.
When I make this whipped cream cake for special occasions, I usually make it the night before and don’t use the trembler syrup. Usually friends and family eat the whole cake and there are no leftovers.
And then a little bit more about the cake filling, the jam I mean. If you want to go for the classic flavors, you choose strawberry jam. For the cake in the picture, I had chosen a jam made from several kinds of red fruits, but you can basically use any jam you like.
For the whipped cream I use just normal whipping cream as there aren’t a lot of options in the Netherlands, but if you have access to heavy cream that’s an even better option.
To decorate the cake, use hazelnut bresilienne (also known as nougatine). These are toasted pieces of hazelnut with a caramelized layer of sugar around them. Not only beautiful for decoration, but also incredibly delicious. For a change of pace, you can substitute other types of nuts for the crunchy topping. Pecans, for example, are a good substitute.
Another way to decorate a whipped cream cake is to pipe swirls of whipped cream onto the top of the cake and then stick pieces of fresh fruit into them. Kiwi or tangerine slices really belong here. For this version I used kiwi and strawberry, delicious!
Optionally, you can use chocolate decorations (store bought or homemade) to decorate the cake. Or you can order a festive and edible photo print online and stick it on the cake.
After you’ve filled and stacked the cake layers, it’s time to decorate the sides and top of the cream pie with whipped cream. You can use a piping bag or a spatula, whichever comes easiest. Use the spatula to spread the whipped cream evenly on the outside of the cake. Be sure to save some whipped cream for the swirls on top of the cake.
For the side of the cake, it can be helpful to use a spatula in conjunction with a rotary spatula. You hold the spatula in one place while you gently rotate the turntable.
Finally, decorate the top of the cake with swirls of whipped cream. Fill a pastry bag with the whipped cream and choose a nozzle of your choice (I used a large star nozzle) and hold your piping bag straight over the cake as you start to spray the tufts.
I do not recommend freezing a cream cake. The whipped cream will dry out and won’t taste as good. However, you can make the sponge layers well in advance and freeze them in an airtight container for up to three months. You can also make the jam and nougatine well in advance and store them until you are ready to make the cake.
That way, you have the cake pieces ready to go, and all you have to do is whip the cream and assemble the cake. It saves time!
I prefer to eat a whipped cream cake the same day or the day after. Whipped cream generally doesn’t get any better, but you can store the cake in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Of course you can! In fact, you can use any shape, round, square or rectangular. I used this round pan for the recipe below, but square pans are also available. Just make sure you get the right size.
You can use the ‘Convert Recipe’ button in the recipe card below to convert the recipe to fit any size pan of your choice.
Nougatine adds a nice crunchy element to a whipped cream cake, which is necessary because the biscuit, jam and whipped cream are soft in texture. So I would not simply omit the hazelnut bresilienne, but rather replace it. For example, toasted almond slivers, sprinkles or crumbled cookies.
A medium egg weighs 50 grams on average, so you’ll need about 4. Beat the eggs and then weigh the mixture on the scale until you have 175 grams.
What a beautiful and incredibly delicious cake this turned out to be! An apple cake with both apples through the batter and slices on top for decoration. A new favorite among my apple and cake recipes.
This apple cake recipe is just like a regular vanilla cake, but you add apples to it. This not only gives the cake a delicious flavor, but also makes it nice and moist. The apple slices on top are for decoration, but they make the cake even more pleasing to the eye.
For best results, place the apple slices on top of the cake and gently press them into the batter. And don’t you just love it?
Whether you can officially call this an old-fashioned apple pie, I dare not say. But just like my grandmother’s apple pie, you may remember this cake, in a slightly different form or not, from back in the day. Old-fashioned or not, it still tastes great!
You don’t need much for this apple cake recipe. You can start with the standard cake ingredients and some apples. I prefer to use Jonagold or Goudreinet apples for baking. They have a great flavor and texture for baking. Of course you can use other apples, but the result may be slightly different.
In the fall and winter, I always have plenty of apples around the house to bake with. An apple cinnamon cake remains a favorite, but there are other delicious apple recipes. As you will see, I like to combine apples with cinnamon in my recipes, a perfect flavor combination.
These are some of my favorite apple baking recipes:
I mix the apple pieces that go through the cake with a little flour before they go through the batter. This keeps them from sinking to the bottom too quickly.
You can make this apple cake in a standard loaf pan. I personally like to use this rectangular pan. Of course, you can make it in any other shape. The baking time may vary slightly.
You can keep the apple cake outside the refrigerator for about a week if wrapped properly. You can also freeze the cake and it will keep for 3 months.
Dutch Bokkenpootjes; it doesn’t get more typical Dutch than these delicious cookies. They are essentially two almond meringue cookies, filled with a cream filling and then dipped in dark chocolate. You’ve never heard of this delicious Dutch treat? They are worth making!
In the Netherlands these cookies are pretty well known and I don’t think anyone ever questions why they are called “bokkenpootje”. Literally translated that would be “goat’s feet”. Sounds a bit odd for a cookie right? But if you think about it and with a little bit of imagination, they do resemble goat feet.
But the name is actually a little bit more sinister. It represents the feet of the devil. And eating one such bokkenpootje would protect a recently deceased loved one from evil in the afterlife. But no worries, you can eat these any time of day (or night) and no need for anyone to die either.
Baking Dutch bokkenpootjes had been on my baking list for a long time. I love them! If you’re a fan of almond flavor these almond meringue cookies will be your new favorite. For each cookie you need two almond meringue cookies and they are then sandwiched with a cream in the middle. The outside of the meringue cookies get a thin layer of flaked almonds and the ends of the cookies are dipped in melted chocolate.
The almond meringue cookies you buy in the grocery stores are usually a little smaller than the ones I have made. Making them a little bigger is extra tasty and easier to work with too.
In order for the best cookies you need to make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature to start with. You need the following ingredients for the cookies:
First you whip the egg whites with the 125 grams of sugar to stiff peaks. Now add the almond flour and the regular all purpose flour (pass through a sieve if you want to make sure there are no lumps) and gently fold it through the egg whites until it is well combined.
Now fill a piping bag with a large plain tip of around 1 cm Ø (0.4 inch) attached with the almond mixture. Take a large baking sheet with parchment paper and pipe almond meringue cookies which measure roughly 9 centimeter (or 3.5 inch). Keep in mind that you will need 24 cookies to make a final 12 Dutch bokkenpootjes.
Once you have piped all your almond mixture, sprinkle the flaked almonds over the top. Rub them between your fingers to make them slightly smaller and sprinkle over the cookies. Bake in the oven at top- and bottom heat for around 20 minutes or until lightly golden. The oven temperature should be at 350˚F (180˚C).
Once the almond meringue cookies are made it is time to move on to making your cream filling. For this you whip soft butter, vanilla extract, icing sugar and a little bit of double cream together. Whip till it is smooth and creamy. Transfer to a piping bag and cut the tip of the bag. Or alternatively use a small nozzle.
Assemble the cookies you baked and make sure you select them by size. Placing the equally sized cookies together. Pipe some of the cream onto one half of the cookies and place the other half on top.
Now in order to make the final bokkenpootje, you need to dip it in melted chocolate. If you know anything about chocolate, you know that it is very important to temper the chocolate first. If you don’t, you will end up with a white film on top of the chocolate. They will still taste good but it is just not so appealing.
Some other advantages of tempering the chocolate; it’s super crunchy and has that beautiful ‘crack’ when you bite into a cookie. It is glossy and beautiful, it shines and – even better – you can hold the chocolate without it melting. Obviously you can’t hold it forever, but it does prevent chocolate fingers.
In a nutshell, tempering chocolate involves heating the chocolate (which breaks down the sugar and cocoa butter crystals) and then lowering the temperature of the chocolate (which repairs those crystals). This gives you a chance to dip a tasty almond meringue cookie in the chocolate in the meantime, like these pretty Dutch bokkenpootjes.
Chocolate should always be tempered with a thermometer, so you can be sure it’s done right. But there is a way to do it without a thermometer, called the inoculation method. And this is my favorite method, because it allows anyone to temper chocolate at home.
You divide the amount of chocolate you want to melt into three parts. You melt two of these at a time in a double boiler (au bain marie).
When the chocolate is completely melted, add the last bit of chocolate. This will melt from the heat of the chocolate that has already melted, immediately bringing the temperature back down (and repairing the crystals).
Once the chocolate is melted, check the temperature. Since you won’t be using a thermometer, you’ll have to rely on yourself with a simple trick. Dip your finger into the chocolate and dab it on your upper lip. Your skin is much more sensitive here, so it acts as a thermometer. Does the chocolate feel slightly cool? Then it’s good and you can keep working with it! If it is still a little warm, continue to stir gently, checking the temperature of the chocolate from time to time.
Some chocolate connoisseurs will raise their eyebrows and call me crazy (or maybe they will anyway) because this is not the official method. To be absolutely sure, use a thermometer. However, I learnt this trick from a chocolatier at the Baking Museum and it works every time (after practicing a few times). And since not every home baker has a (sugar) thermometer in the kitchen drawer, I am happy to share this tip with you!
BAKING TIP: To melt the chocolate au bain-marie (in a double boiler), you will need a heat-resistant bowl. A glass or metal mixing bowl will work well.
Yes, as long as they are well packaged (in an airtight container) and in a spot that is not too warm.
There can be two reasons for this:
If you’ve followed the steps in the recipe card and used the right ingredients, this shouldn’t happen. Have you let the cream set in the fridge? If so, the butter will continue to set, just make sure it’s not too firm to spread on the biscuits.
You may have used a little too much cream. In this case, you can add some extra butter and icing sugar to make the cream a little firmer.
No, unfortunately you can’t in this recipe for Dutch bokkenpootjes. The almond meringue cookies is what makes a bokkenpootje so typical and delicious. Without almond flour it would just be another cookie.
Absolutely! You can really give your Bokkenpootjes a personal touch. Personally, I prefer to use Callebaut chocolate because I like the quality best. There are many different types: dark chocolate in many different shades, milk chocolate, white chocolate, gold chocolate, ruby chocolate. And on and on!
If you use white chocolate, you can also give it a color of your choice. In that case, make sure you use an oil/fat based food coloring.
Of course, there are many more typical Dutch cookies at Laura’s Bakery. Have a look at these recipes as well:
Or check out all the Dutch recipes.
This recipe makes for 24 single layer cookies, but for 12 finished Dutch bokkenpootjes
The perfect base recipe for vanilla cupcakes. With this easy cupcake recipe you have the perfect starting point for all your cupcakes. Add a vanilla frosting or any other kind of topping to your liking.
Cupcakes are simply small (one-person) cakes baked in cupcake liners or in a cupcake tin. In the past, cupcakes were served at high tea and baked in teacups, which is probably where the name ‘cupcake’ comes from.
Instead of a scale most people also used a measuring cup, which is another reason for the name. While a lot of people still use cups for measuring dry and wet ingredients, for the most accurate result I would always suggest using a weighing scale instead.
Cupcakes are the perfect little treat to bake for many different occasions. From baby showers to birthday parties and whenever you feel like having a small treat. Decorating them in a variety of different ways is also great and a fun activity with kids (or adults!) as well.
Remember, cupcakes and muffins are not the same. You can read al about the difference between cupcakes and muffins here.
Making a basic vanilla cupcakes recipe is a good start if you want to learn how to make the perfect cupcake. This cupcake recipe makes exactly 12 cupcakes in a regular cupcake tin. I used my vanilla loaf cake recipe as the base of this recipe but I have adjust the quantities to match the tin and changed some of the proportions.
Another change is the fact that these vanilla cupcakes use less sugar. While you will eat your regular loaf cake usually without frosting, most cupcakes will contain a frosting like a vanilla buttercream frosting or a chocolate frosting. Since those are also quite sweet, it makes sense to make the cupcake batter less sweet.
The recipe calls for simple ingredients which you will be able to find in most grocery stores. I list them below for easy reference:
Other than that you need a large mixing bowl or use a stand mixer to mix the batter. An electric mixer will work as well.
You start by adding the butter, sugar and vanilla together in the bowl of the stand mixer or whatever other large bowl you’re using. Mix this together until the color starts to get light and the texture creamy.
Now add the eggs one by one and make sure to mix the batter in between until the egg is fully absorbed into the batter. Now add the self-raising flour and the salt bit by bit until fully mixed. And that’s it. Batter is ready!
Now all you have to do is to add the vanilla cupcake batter into the cupcake liners. You can scoop the batter into the liners with a spoon but an ice cream scoop is a handy accessory to use for equal measured cupcakes.
Pop them into the preheated oven (350˚F or 175˚C. Top and bottom heat/conventional oven) for around 20 minutes and they are ready! Keep the oven door closed until they are baked.
Make sure to place them on a cooling rack before adding buttercream or another frosting.
As far as cupcake recipes go, this is the perfect base recipe with which you can create endless flavors. Think about adding some chocolate chips to the batter or a tablespoon of cocoa powder for a chocolate batter.
Or vary the flavor by adding a different kind of sugar, like brown sugar or coconut sugar. The fluffy texture of these cupcakes is perfect for many different variations. I will soon be sharing lots of different flavors.
Baking the vanilla cupcakes is step 1 of the process. Step 2 – and the most fun – is to decorate them. You don’t need to decorate them if you don’t want to. They are delicious just as they are but any cupcake will look better with a pretty frosting on top. How the frosting looks is also greatly depending on which frosting tip you use. So you can definitely vary that as well.
And who doesn’t love a pretty decorated cupcake? You can decorate with buttercream, vegan buttercream or with fondant or marzipan. You can fill them with jam or fruit or decorate them in another way.
The most basic frosting is simply a glaze of icing sugar combined with a little bit of lemon juice (or water). Takes no time at all and is always tasty. Just drizzle it over the cooled cupcakes Or try and make these strawberry cupcakes. Adding some fresh fruit on top of the frosting is delicious and looks good too!
This recipe makes exactly 12 cupcakes, so it is handy to use a muffin & cupcake tin that holds 12 cupcakes at a time. Of course if you have other cake pans you can use those as well. Keep in mind that different shapes of cake pans or cupcake pans might mean that the total baking time can vary.
The rule I always follow is to fill the moulds two-thirds with batter, this way I always get a good height. However, I usually have a little dome on top of my cupcakes. If you don’t want this, you can put a cutting board on top of the cupcakes after baking. This only works if you have baked them in a cupcake tin.
The oven temperature was too high. Due to the temperature being to high, the batter will rise too fast causing it to crack. I will explain more about this in a future article.
You can buy cupcake liners just about anywhere. From the grocery stores to specialty baking stores. Both online and offline. I have an enormous amount of colorful cupcake liners in stock. I like my paper liners to be a bit firmer than the really cheap ones. I do always place them in a muffin tin to make sure they don’t fall apart when baking in the oven.
Baked cupcakes are supposed to sag (or shrink) a little as they cool. But if they collapse too much, it could be because you over-mixed the batter, the batter was too moist, or the cupcakes just weren’t ready. Make sure to always test if they are done before taking them out of the oven.
When your cupcakes are done (always check that a skewer or cake tester comes out clean), you can remove them from the oven. Leave them to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then take them out and place them on a wire rack to cool completely. This also works for cakes and biscuits.
If you want to add a buttercream to the vanilla cupcake it is essential that the cupcakes are completely cooled. Imagine adding butter(cream) to a warm cupcake. You can probably see what would happen.
The environment in the fridge is not ideal for cupcakes. It is best to keep them outside of the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week. If you have ‘wrapped’ your cupcake in fondant you can keep them even longer, as the wrapping ensures the cupcakes stay moist and delicious for longer.
As per above you can keep cupcake for about a week. But you can also add 3 to 4 cupcakes together in a freezer bag and freeze them. That way you can keep them for three months. Check this article on how to store cupcakes.
If you want to make dairy-free vanilla cupcakes you can simply replace the unsalted butter for a plant-based alternative. Since these are already vanilla cupcakes without milk that is an easy fix. The flavor of the final cupcakes will be slightly different but no less delicious.
These Ferrero Rocher cupcakes will steal the show, that’s for sure. Not only that, they are delicious too. Not surprising, as I love chocolate cupcakes on their own, but add a chocolate buttercream and Ferrero Rocher chocolates and they literally take my breath away. It’s just the perfect match. I am very curious to hear what you think.
I would like to add that these cupcakes are a big bite and not light by any means. There is a Ferrero Rocher hidden in the center of each cupcake cupcake, and of course, as you can see, there is one on top of the buttercream for decoration. Delicious, but something to keep in mind if you are planning to make other tasty snacks.
The basis of this cupcake recipe is a chocolate cupcake batter and you will need the following ingredients to make them. In addition you will also need cupcake liners, a piping bag and a muffin pan to place the cupcakes in. Also keep in mind that it helps to have all ingredients at room temperature before starting.
And for the Nutella buttercream you also need Nutella and extra cocoa powder. For making the Nutella frosting I used this basic buttercream recipe.
The process for making the Ferrero Rocher cupcakes starts with creaming the butter and the sugar until light and airy. You can do this the easiest way in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Or use a large bowl with a hand mixer. Takes a little more effort but totally do-able.
Once the butter and sugar mixture is creamy you add the vanilla extract and the eggs one by one. Make sure that the first egg is fully incorporated before adding the next one! Lastly you add the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt and mix until all the dry ingredients are incorporated into the wet ingredients and you have a smooth batter.
Now divide the batter over the 8 cupcake liners (placed in the cupcake tin) and place a Ferrero Rocher candy in all cupcake cases. Just press one in the center of the cupcake and cover with a little bit of batter on top. You can make a small hole with a small spoon before doing so but the batter should fold around the Ferrero Rocher chocolate easily.
Bake the Ferrero Rocher cupcakes in the oven in about 18 minutes. Once golden brown and cooked through let them rest in the tin for a little bit before taking them out of the muffin tray and letting them cool completely on a cooling rack.
While the cupcakes are cooling down you can make your Nutella buttercream. Once the cupcakes are cooled completely you can make a lovely swirl on top of each cupcake and place an extra Ferrero Rocher chocolate on top of the cupcake. The perfect cupcakes for all special occasions. For an extra festive look you can add some gold sprinkles as well.
If you don’t want to add another Ferrero Rocher to the cupcake you can add some chopped chocolate instead. They also taste good with just a bit of chocolate ganache or whipped heavy cream.
Undecorated cupcakes can be kept in an airtight container. Keep in mind that you should keep it outside of the fridge. Placing them in the fridge will result in dry cupcakes.
Now that autumn can no longer be denied, it is time for one of my favorite muffin recipes. It goes perfect with this season and I make them for Christmas, Thanksgiving and just about any holiday in between. Ok, and even when there is no reason to make them. It’s a great recipe that will make you feel all cosy due to the warm spices. Perfect for a chilly fall morning.
We’re going straight into the Christmas season and the pumpkin season has officially started. If you noticed my latest recipes, you can see there is a heavy pumpkin theme going on. I’ve already shared this delicious pumpkin pie and the easiest way to make pumpkin puree. You’ll be needing the pumpkin puree for this recipe as well.
For today I am sharing my favorite pumpkin muffin recipe. It is delicious and moist and perfect for this season.
These muffins are pretty straightforward to make. You will need the following simple ingredients:
In addition to that you will need muffin cups or muffin liners and a large bowl for mixing. Because mixing the muffins is so easy you don’t really need a food processor or stand mixer. You will also need a 12-cup muffin pan (the recipe makes 8, but I don’t think there is an 8 cup pan)
For making the muffins I first add all the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, pumpkin spice and salt together in a large or medium bowl and mix it together with a spatula. I then add the wet ingredients in (pumpkin puree, milk, egg, sunflower oil and vanilla extract).
Mix it together with your spatula. This batter is so forgiving that a few lumps here and there don’t really make a difference. So don’t overmix the batter as that will give you less tasty results.
Now for the best muffins I like to use silicon liners, but you can also use paper liners (make sure to follow my tip on how to prevent the liners becoming greasy) The biggest advantage with silicon is that they come out so much easier and I find it makes them look prettier too.
Divide the batter into the muffin liners and press a single pecan into the tops of the muffins. That is totally optional but it looks nice. You can also sprinkle a little granulated sugar over the top for texture or use something like a few chocolate chips for a nice variation. And anything tastes better with some extra chocolate right?
For placing the batter into the tin I use a cookie scoop or an ice cream scoop. That way it ensures you have equally sized pumpkin cupcakes.
Once the muffin batter is divided place the muffin tin into the preheated oven and bake them for around 18 minutes until they are golden brown or until a wooden skewer comes out clean. Place the muffins on a wire rack to cool down to room temperature before you dive in.
While this is a pretty classic pumpkin muffin recipe you can also vary the recipe pretty easily. So if you want to change things around for next time you can add flavors or toppings. This would work well with a cream cheese buttercream (or my cream cheese frosting!) on top or add other sprinkles to the muffin tops.
You can also make mini muffins with this recipe. In that case you can make about 20-24 pieces.
Yes you can use a plant based milk or substitute the milk for a creamy yogurt. That also helps to keep the muffins extra moist.
They are best kept in an airtight container. They will keep for about 4-5 days or freeze them for later use.
As with most foods, you do not want to keep them in the freezer for longer than 3 months. Also make sure you wrap them well and airtight before freezing and place them in a single layer.
Do you know how to make apple crumble? This apple and cinnamon crumble is a delicious dessert served hot or cold. Add a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream on top of the crumble topping for a real treat! It’s the perfect fall dessert and I’ll share my recipe.
Apple crumble is a quintessentially British recipe that originated during the Second World War. Due to food shortages, ingredients for apple pie, such as flour and butter, were in short supply. As a result, a simple crumble was devised to cover a dish of apple pieces, using less dough than a pie.
The result was a blissful crumble mixture with apple pieces. I always make it into a cinnamon apple crumble by simply adding some cinnamon, which is a fantastic combination with fresh apples. You can also add sultanas or pieces of nuts. Nuts taste really good when mixed through the crumb topping.
You will find that this recipe for apple crumble with cinnamon is incredibly easy to make. That’s the great thing about it, it’s a delicious dish and really quick to make. You just need a large bowl in which you add the white sugar and the cinnamon. Mix it together and that is your apple filling done.
For the crumble topping I like to use cold butter, all purpose flour and regular sugar. I use my fingers to turn this into a crumble. When it almost comes together the crumble is ready to be added on top of the apples. The only step left is to bake it until golden brown in the oven.
Apple crumble is very tasty on its own as a dessert recipe, but it can be made even better if you serve it with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream or a topping of whipped cream. You could also add a scoop of Greek yogurt or a drizzle of caramel sauce. It is really one of my favorite dessert recipes.
Originally, crumble is made with apples, but of course there are many other possibilities. In fact, you can use any kind of fruit or combine different fruits!
This easy apple crumble recipe can be turned into any kind of fruit crumble you like. Choose whatever fruits are in season and you can make yourself a different crumble every weekend!
To give you some examples of what can be done with different fruits, I have listed two of my favorite crumble recipes (and more to come soon!):
Personally, I make the apple crumble most often, but I love it with other fruits too. Which fruit crumble recipe do you use?
I prefer to use firm, sweet and sour hand apples rather than sweet apples, basically like apple pie. I prefer granny smith apples, pink lady, honeycrisp apples or choose your favorite apple. There is no right or wrong here. If you prefer sweet apples or tart apples? Go for it. Just make sure to double check the amount of sugar you use as tart apples might need just a bit more.
I rarely use the same baking tin twice to make a crumble. You can use a large baking dish, a round baking dish, a couple of smaller ones or whatever you feel is most appropriate. It doesn’t really matter as long as the tin or dish is oven proof.
Yes, you can! That way you can give everyone their own portion. It’s the perfect dessert for that purpose. The oven dishes or ramekins should be about 8 or 9 cm (3.5 inch) in diameter. The baking time will be slightly shorter if you use small ramekins. Reduce the baking time to 20 minutes if the oven temperature is the same.
If you have any crumble left over, you can store it in the fridge. This may make the topping less crispy. You can reheat the crumble in a pre-heated oven at 180°C/350˚F (conventional oven) for about 10 minutes. This will make it nice and crispy and warm again! Was your crumble already quite brown on top? Cover it with aluminum foil when you’re reheating it in the oven.
Yes, you can! It is delicious both cold, at room temperature and hot. Personally, I always warm it up in the oven, but just like apple pie, this crumble is delicious cold (with a dollop of whipped cream)!
You can make the dough and the apple mixture separately and bake them in the evening or the next day. The crumbly topping is best kept in the fridge on a sheet of baking paper, covered with foil. However, I would add some lemon juice to the apple mixture and keep it in the fridge in an airtight container (this will prevent the apples from browning). I prefer to make the apple crumble ahead of time and reheat it in the oven in the evening, which is just as good and the best way if you ask me. Definitely one of my favorite apple desserts!
I think this limoncello tiramisu is absolutely delicious. It has the brightness of fresh lemons with the sweetness and creaminess of the mascarpone. The lemon curd makes it a nice sweet and fresh dessert, and this tiramisu is perfect to finish off an Italian dinner. With an (extra) glass of limoncello on the side (totally optional of course). It’s a nice lemony twist to a classic tiramisu, featuring limoncello liqueur.
I love quick and easy recipes, so that was the starting point for this Limoncello Tiramisu. I used my basic recipe for a quick tiramisu and replaced the coffee with limoncello and the cocoa powder with lemon curd. This really brings out the limoncello and lemon curd flavors in the dessert.
If you have already prepared the candied lemon slices and the lemon curd, it will take you no more than half an hour to make this tiramisu. Making the tiramisu a day in advance is also good for the taste, as the flavors will be better absorbed the next day.
Baking tip: If you make your own lemon curd, you’ll probably have enough left over for another recipe. I usually store the leftover lemon curd in glass jars with lids.
Apart from the candied lemon slices you will need the following ingredients. Make sure to double check the full quantities in the recipe card below
Make sure to have prepared the candied lemon slices and the lemon curd (if making your own). Next step is to take a large bowl and to mix the mascarpone with the heavy whipped cream till it’s creamy, firm and smooth. Set aside.
Now take a separate bowl (preferably a shallow bowl) and pour the limoncello in. While the recipe states 200 ml (little less than one cup) you will not be using all of that. You use the limoncello to dip the ladyfinger cookies in so you need the volume but you won’t be using it all.
Now dip each lady finger into the limoncello and place the dipped ladyfingers in a single layer in a rectangular or square baking dish. Add a layer of mascarpone ( a little less than half the total amount) and using a offset spatula or a large rubber spatula spread it out over the soaked ladyfingers. Repeat this with the remaining ladyfingers and the remaining mascarpone. End the limoncello tiramisu with a layer of lemon curd on top.
All my tiramisu recipes are made without eggs. Wherever possible, I avoid using raw eggs in recipes. So the base of my tiramisu is a mixture of mascarpone and whipped cream. I don’t think you miss the eggs at all. It really is a perfect dessert for any festive occasion or dinner parties and so simple to make!
As you can see, I made candied lemon slices for this recipe. Personally, I think they look really cool as a decoration and they are also edible. Candied lemon slices are not difficult to make (very easy in fact), but you will need plenty of time to make them.
Making candied lemon peel is a little quicker. I describe how to do this in the recipe for candied lemon peel in the FAQ section. It’s up to you, maybe you want to leave them out altogether. That’s fine too, but I think it does add an extra fancy look on top of the tiramisu.
If you are using lemon zest in a recipe, try to buy organic lemons. Non-organic lemons are treated with pesticides to make them last longer, and a layer of wax is added to make them shine. Unfortunately, scrubbing and washing won’t get rid of this, so there’s only one solution: organic lemons.
If you decide to skip the candied lemon slices, I have another tasty tip for you. Replace them with raspberries! It looks incredibly cheerful and besides, this limoncello tiramisu goes really well with the flavor of raspberries.
Don’t like limoncello and wondering if you can leave it out of this recipe? I will soon be sharing more tiramisu recipes that are without alcohol but for this recipe it is an essential part of the flavor. That said; you can always leave out the alcohol and replace the limoncello with lemon syrup or lemonade instead. Test the liquid before using to make sure it is not too sour. If it is, add a few tablespoons of sugar (or a bit of water). That will transform this into a lemon tiramisu.
I myself am not a huge fan of alcohol in my food, but the Laura’s Bakery team who tested this limoncello tiramisu gave it a big thumbs up.
You can keep limoncello tiramisu in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just make sure that all the ingredients you use have a long shelf life.
Of course you can, in fact it is recommended. After all, tiramisu should be nice and smooth. If you make the limoncello tiramisu the day before, it will be at its best.
Absolutely. You can use -for instance- whiskey tumblers for placing the tiramisu in. It helps if the opening is a bit wider so you can easily add the contents of the tiramisu.
Yes, you can. Just check the ladyfingers’ packaging to make sure no butter or other dairy products are used, otherwise make them yourself using a ladyfingers recipe (I will share my recipe soon). You can replace the mascarpone and cream with lactose-free varieties, which are now available in every supermarket. Finally, replace the butter in the lemon curd with hard margarine. And you have a lactose-free limoncello tiramisu!
For anyone who loves the fresh flavors of summer, you’ll want to make these easy lemon bars! These fresh summer cookie bars with a lemon curd-like layer are impossible to resist.
As early as spring, I start to crave summer flavors and use lemon in many of my recipes. Lemon bars are the perfect recipe to make at this time of year. And in the fall, I still can’t quite let go of those summer flavors. For those who want to hold on to that summer feeling a little longer, or for those who just love anything with lemon flavor, you have found the perfect recipe.
I first came across the concept of lemon bars years ago on Pinterest. After trying several recipes, I finally created my own version. In this recipe, you make a layer of shortbread with a fresh, creamy lemon layer on top that is reminiscent of lemon curd. If you love lemon curd as much as I do, you will definitely approve of these lemon bars! Because you bake the lemon layer in the oven with the pre baked shortbread, it blends in with the cookie base, making it incredibly delicious.
Do you love lemon? Then these lemon bars are sure to please. The cookie base is shortbread, and on top of that is a creamy lemon filling that tastes like lemon curd, but is a little different in terms of ingredients.
For example, there is no butter in the lemon filling, but there is a good amount of eggs, which provide the binding and firmness. The result is a delicious lemon bar that is perfect for high tea, a picnic or as a dessert. Also great for bake sales with a nice glass of lemonade.
You don’t need much to make these classic lemon bars, but sometimes when a recipe is easy, you’ll want to be extra sure if you use the right ingredients. So I’ll make a quick list of the ingredients for this lemon bar recipe.
At last: all ingredients need to be on room temperature before you start making this easy recipe.
As I mentioned before, I love to bake with lemon. If you love lemon bars, you will love my lemon curd! Everything is delicious with homemade lemon curd. I use it in a lot of desserts to, I really love lemon desserts.
Another delicious recipe is my perfect lemon loaf. I love this recipe and make it every summer, preferably several times.
Store them in an airtight container and place a sheet of parchment paper between the lemon bars to keep them from sticking together. They will keep fresh for up to 3 months in the freezer.
There is no difference, both lemon squares and lemon bars are American names for the same thing: a shortbread cookie base topped with a creamy lemon layer.
No, the preparation of the two lemon fillings is different and store-bought or homemade lemon curd will not work in this recipe.
They’re not supposed to be. The lemon layer somehow melts into the crunchy shortbread base and loses its crunch. That’s part of the charm of this recipe, a creamy lemon cake.
According to other readers, you can use vegan butter/(hard) margarine to replace the butter to make dairy free lemon bars, but there will be a change in flavor.
I used a baking pan, which is about 20 x 30 cm, but you can also use a 25 x 25 cm baking pan. You can use a metal pan, but a stoneware baking dish works too.
All the tiramisu recipes on Laura’s Bakery do not use raw eggs (although eggs are an ingredient in the lady fingers). And while I recently posted a delicious limoncello tiramisu recipe, this classic tiramisu was still missing from the site. So today I am sharing this easy tiramisu recipe! It is one of my favorite desserts and perfect for almost any kind of gathering.
Making tiramisu without eggs is super easy to do. When I say eggless tiramisu recipe, I mean that there are no raw eggs in the dish itself. There are still eggs used for the lady fingers as that is a normal component of these particular cookies.
If you have an egg allergy make sure to check if you can find eggless ladyfingers.
Officially, tiramisu is made with raw egg, so Italians will not be happy with my non traditional recipe. In the past, it seemed that tiramisu could even be made with raw egg yolks alone (without egg whites), but over time, egg whites have been added to the recipe to make it lighter and airy.
The yolk adds fat and creaminess, and the raw whipped egg whites adds volume and lightness. For this reason, I find heavy whipping cream to be the ideal eggless substitute. It is rich and creamy and can be whipped to a wonderfully light consistency.
I’ve read in many recipes that adding whipped egg whites to the mascarpone mixture can be quite a challenge for many people; with heavy cream, you don’t have that problem. For me, there is nothing better than this eggless version of tiramisu.
For this ‘classic’ tiramisu, I used a 30 x 15 cm (12 x 6 inch) baking dish. I have made a mini version of this recipe before, in small jars with portions just right for one person. Or you can use one or more small baking dishes and present it that way.
Today, it is time for a bowl of eggless tiramisu that you can serve to your whole family. No problem if you have young kids, elderly people, pregnant people or otherwise people that can’t tolerate raw eggs.
One of the most important ingredients for tiramisu is a good, strong coffee mixture. Coffee flavor is the taste of tiramisu. Perfect for any coffee lover.
So if you choose to use it, make sure you use it well. Not only is the strength of the coffee important, but make sure the coffee is completely cold before using it.
Otherwise, your coffee-soaked ladyfingers will become too soggy, they will not hold the coffee properly, and there is a chance that your mascarpone cheese mixture will be too thin and runny.
Dip the lady fingers in the coffee with the sugary side down and place them in the serving dish with the sugary side down. This will reduce the chance of the cookies breaking or the sugar dissolving in the mascarpone.
This is also true if you bake the lady fingers yourself. Italians prefer the Italian version of lady fingers, savoiardi biscuits, which you can buy in certain deli shops. Place the lady fingers in a single layer in the bowl before adding the mascarpone cream.
Sprinkle cocoa powder generously not only on the top of the tiramisu, but also between the layers.
Some Italian cooks swear by sprinkling chocolate shavings over the mixture halfway through the filling instead of cocoa powder. Try whatever works best for you.
Officially, a classic tiramisu recipe needs to be refrigerated for at least three hours. It is even better if the tiramisu has been in the refrigerator overnight. The flavors and textures will have melted into a delicious, creamy dessert.
After a night in the fridge the end result will also be firmer, so if you want to serve it in slices it is best to leave it for a longer time. And that makes it even more perfect for a dinner party as you can prepare it a day in advance and still serve a perfect dessert to your guests.
Contrary to what many people think, a traditional tiramisu recipe does not contain alcohol. Personally, I prefer an alcohol-free tiramisu, but I noticed that my team had different opinions. So I decided to include the option in the recipe, as some people find it a very tasty addition.
For example, you can choose from coffee liqueur, dark rum, amaretto, or marsala wine (a fortified Italian wine with a nutty flavor). These are the preferences of the team at Laura’s Bakery.
Baileys, in particular, is a big favorite and is referred to as the “secret ingredient”. What is the secret ingredient in your tiramisu?
Making your own braided bread really doesn’t have to be difficult. Today I am sharing an easy braided bread recipe with you, where you will end up braiding and baking three strands of bread dough into a beautiful loaf.
Of course, this braided bread is not only beautiful, but also heartily delicious. The recipe is from Levine van Doorne’s Dutch book, “vlechtbrood uit eigen oven.”
When I made this bread, I immediately realized that it’s not that difficult to make braided bread. Of course, you can make it as difficult as possible by using a challenging bread recipe and braiding with many strands. I kept it simple and opted for an easy bread dough and a simple 3-strand braid that still looks impressive.
So I would definitely call this an easy braided bread recipe and I hope this clears up any doubts you may have. After all, making braided bread is a lot of fun because you get to pull such a special looking loaf out of the oven. And I can tell you that it tastes really good with a slice of cheese on top and some homemade egg salad. Or just with butter, because the bread tastes great on its own, too.
BAKING TIP! Looking for a really easy bread recipe? Try these crescent cinnamon rolls!
What do you need to make braided bread? Let me walk you through the ingredients:
DID YOU KNOW that you can buy a baking pan in the shape of a braided bread?
For this recipe, I use regular wheat flour from the grocery store. With a bread recipe, it is especially important to keep all the ingredients (don’t just substitute or omit anything) and to weigh everything carefully, including the liquids.
Yeast dough needs to be kneaded for a long time, which is very important for a good and tasty result. If I use a stand mixer with a dough hook, I usually spend 10-15 minutes on medium-high speed, but if I knead by hand, I spend up to 20-25 minutes. Most importantly, watch yourself! You want a smooth dough where you can pull a membrane out of a small piece of dough.
Is your dough not rising properly? There are several reasons for this. Your dough may not have been kneaded long enough, the environment may be too cold, or the yeast you used may be too old and dead. Bread dough rises best at a temperature just above room temperature. So choose a warm place in the kitchen to let your dough rise.
TIP: Looking for a recipe that you don’t have to knead or proof? Try this greek yogurt bread recipe!
Can I let bread dough rise in the refrigerator? Yes, you can. You can choose to let the first or second loaf rise in the refrigerator so you can bake it the next morning. Read more about it in my article full with tips and tricks for storing your bread dough in the fridge before baking.
How do you know when your bread is done? A good trick is to tap the bottom of your bread, it should sound hollow. For some breads, it’s important to cover the bread with aluminum foil during baking so it doesn’t get too dark. This is the case with this braided bread, for example.
Immediately after baking, remove the bread from the baking sheet and place it on a rack to cool completely. I prefer to store my freshly baked breads in a clean, dry dish towel.
One of my all time favorite cheesecake recipes is this blueberry crumble cheesecake. It’s a golden oldie but I make it quite often and I’ve been known to eat three slices in one day. It is just that good! I’m not the only one who likes it either as my visitors tend to rave over this blueberry cheesecake all the time too!
It’s also a great cheesecake to freeze any leftovers but I’ll get to that later. Let me first tell you what you need to make this blueberry crumble cheesecake: (always check the recipe card for full details)
And of course, you’ll need the ingredients for the crumble as well: butter, sugar, flour, oatmeal and a pinch of salt.
Making the cheesecake starts with making the buttery crumble for the base layer. You first crumble all the cookies. This is easiest to do in a food processor. Mix it with the melted butter and press it firmly into your springform pan or cheesecake pan. Of course the baking pan is first prepared with a lining of parchment paper and make sure to also butter the sides of the pan. Nothing worse than a cheesecake that sticks to the pan after you’ve baked it.
Once that is done you move on to the creamy cheesecake filling. You can do this in a large bowl but it helps to make this in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or whisk attachment. First mix the cream and sugar together until smooth. Add the eggs one by one until fully incorporated.
Mix vanilla extract and sour cream in and finish with the flour. It’s just a little bit but it helps to stabilize the filling. The remaining flour you mix in with the juicy blueberries. This will help them stay in the batter without all sinking to the bottom. It also helps to pick blueberries that are not too big. Small ones tend to ‘float’ better. Mix the blueberries with the rest of the batter and fold it through.
Pour the mixture on top of your buttery crust and smooth the top with a spatula.
The only thing you need for making the crumble are your hands. You add butter, sugar, flour, oatmeal and a little pinch of salt into a medium bowl and use your fingers to make a crumble with this. Sprinkle this over the top of the cheesecake batter and place in the oven for about an hour or until golden brown.
I generally don’t use a hot water bath for this recipe as I find it works fine without. Check all my tips for baking the perfect cheesecake here. It’s all about controlling the temperature of the oven for the best result. Once the hour has past turn the oven off and set the oven door open slightly so the heat can escape.
Once cooled down this is really the perfect dessert for all and any special occasion.
If it is not blueberry season you can also make this with frozen blueberries. But do make sure to defrost the berries first and drain any excess moisture as that will have an effect on the texture of the filling.
You can store the cheesecake in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze in slices. For slicing make sure to use a sharp knife and it also helps to warm the knife under hot water before slicing.
You can use just about any kind of cookie you prefer. It helps to use a cookie that doesn’t have additional ingredients like chocolate chip cookies. Plain cookies like digestive biscuits, ginger cookies or something similar are ideal.
