Tag Archives: dessert

Chewy Chocolate Chip Coconut Bars

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I made these bars for a bake sale the other week. When I was looking for recipes, I found this one at Allrecipes.com and thought these would be just the thing to make! I made some changes, though, mainly substituting butter for the shortening and using more semi-sweet chocolate chips and coconut. These are soooo rich and chewy and chocolatey! The coconut is not overpowering, so even people who aren’t crazy about coconut would probably still like these. I cut my bars into big squares for the bake sale, but these are so rich, you’ll probably want to cut them into smaller bars!

CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHIP COCONUT BARS by NancyCreative, adapted from Allrecipes

Makes a 9 x 13″ pan of bars

  • 2/3 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups packed brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (I used unbleached flour)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 3/4 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)
  • 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut (also called coconut flakes)

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease a 9 x 13″ baking pan; set aside.

In large bowl, cream the softened butter and brown sugar; then blend in eggs and vanilla extract, mixing well.

In small bowl, blend flour, baking powder, and salt; slowly blend in flour mixture to butter/sugar mixture, mixing everything until well blended. Fold in chocolate chips, chopped pecans or walnuts, and shredded coconut. Spread the mixture evenly in pan.

Bake at 350˚F for 23 to 28 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely before cutting into bars.

For a fancier dessert, cut them into bigger bars like I did and top them with a scoop of ice cream, hot fudge sauce, and a sprinkle of coconut flakes!

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What’s your favorite treat to make for a bake sale?

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7-UP Pound Cake with Lemon-Lime Glaze

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I’m really not a big soda-pop drinker; I usually drink iced tea instead. But every once in awhile I’ll l have some soda on hand, usually left over from a get-together or party. That’s how I ended up with some 7-UP recently. Instead of tossing it, I decided to see if there was anything I could make with it. After all, I had made a Coca-Cola Cake, which tasted great, so was there such a thing as a 7-UP cake?

It turns out there was–a 7-UP Pound Cake! In fact, it’s been around for awhile, since the 1960′s, when bundt cake pans became popular. I found about 8 or 9 different recipes (here’s one of them) when I searched on the web. They all had pretty much the same butter-sugar-egg-flour amounts, with variations on the amounts of flavorings and lemon juice used. So I came up with my own version and added a sweet and slightly tart lemon-lime glaze to top it off.

This a really good, moist pound cake! And the glaze has a lot of lemon-limey flavor. Some recipes called for 3/4 cup of 7-UP in the cake and some called for 1 cup; I used 3/4 cup when I made this cake and thought it had a great pound cake texture; next time I make this I will try 1 cup to see if there is much difference–I’m guessing the additional 7-UP will make the cake a little more moist, though it seemed moist enough with 3/4 cup.

Next time you have some extra 7-UP, give this a try!

7–UP POUND CAKE WITH LEMON-LIME GLAZE by NancyCreative

Makes one 10″ Bundt cake 

  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (3 sticks), softened
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 Tablespoon lemon extract or flavoring
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour (I used unbleached flour)
  • 3/4 cup to 1 cup 7–UP

Preheat oven to 325˚F. Grease or spray a 10″ bundt or tube pan; set aside (you can grease and flour the pan if you want it to come out super-easy).

In large bowl, cream butter and sugar, blending well. Add in eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add in lemon zest, lemon juice, and lemon extract and blend well.

Add flour to the butter mixture, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add 7–UP, about a half or third at a time, blending well after each addition. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake at 325˚F for 65 to 75 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (Note: My cake was done in 65 minutes, using 3/4 cup of 7–UP. If you use 1 cup of 7-UP your baking time may be a little longer, but be careful not to over bake, or it may be dry).

nc7uppdck3Remove cake from oven and let cool for 10 minutes (the cake will be cracked on the bottom–see photo, left–which is fine). Invert pan to remove cake and cool completely on wire rack. While cake is cooling, make the glaze…

(A note on the glaze: this makes a lot of glaze! Enough to glaze the cake twice, which is what I did…I generously drizzled a first glaze on, let it set, then put a second glaze over that, for an extra lemon-limey taste. If you just want one layer of glaze, you can halve this recipe.)

LEMON–LIME GLAZE:

  • 3 cups powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 Tablespoon lime juice
  • 3 to 4 Tablespoons 7-UP (start with 3 and if you want a thinner glaze, add another 1/2 to 1 Tablespoon)

In medium bowl, mix powdered sugar with lemon and lime juices and 7–UP, blending everything well. Drizzle half the glaze over the cake when it is completely cooled; let glaze set. Then, if desired, drizzle a second glaze over the cake and let set. Cut into slices and serve.

Note: If you are doing a double glaze, you can also try this: put the first glaze on while the cake is still warm–some of the glaze will soak into the cake, giving it a sweeter taste. Then let the cake completely cool, and put on the second glaze.

This batter also works for cupcakes…one of my readers, Amy, told me she baked hers at 325˚F for 25 minutes. Not sure how many she made with the batter, but I’m guessing probably about 24.

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Have you made any good recipes using soda pop as an ingredient?

Lemon Brownies with Lemon Glaze

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This recipe is for all of you lemon-lovers out there…these Lemon “Brownies” may not have any chocolate in them, but they have a dense, brownie-like texture with plenty of lemony yumminess in every bite! I was a little skeptical about lemon brownies, but after making these, I love them every bit as much as the chocolate kind! I adapted this from a recipe I found at Rita’s Recipes. I used more lemon juice and zest for my version.

You actually need quite a few lemons for these brownies…about 6 to 7, depending on the size of the lemons. You’ll need to juice them and zest some of them, so there is a little work in making these, but it’s definitely worth it! I’m not that crazy about zesting lemons myself. If you’re not either, you could still try it without the zest…it may be less lemony, but I’m sure they’d still be great!

LEMON BROWNIES WITH LEMON GLAZE by NancyCreative, adapted from Rita’s Recipes

Makes a 9 x 13″ pan

  • 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • 6 Tablespoons lemon juice (you need about 3 to 4 lemons for the juice and the zest)
  • 2 to 3 Tablespoons lemon zest

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease or spray a 9 x 13″ pan; set aside (for easy clean-up, you can also line your pan with parchment paper; leave paper edges sticking up out of the pan so you can just lift the brownies right out of the pan when they’re finished baking).

Juice and zest your lemons; set aside in a small container.

In large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add in the flour and salt, mixing until well blended.

In small to medium bowl, whisk eggs and add lemon juice and lemon zest, blending well. Pour this mixture into the flour/butter mixture and mix ingredients until smooth.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake at 350˚F for 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (the edges will be browned). Let brownies cool for a few minutes in pan. While cooling, you can mix the Lemon Glaze…

Lemon Glaze:

  • 2  to 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar (depending on how thin or thick you want the glaze)
  • 5 Tablespoons lemon juice (you need another 3 lemons for the juice and the zest)
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon zest

Mix powdered sugar and lemon juice together, blending well, then add in the lemon zest and stir until zest is mixed in evenly. While brownies are still warm, spoon and spread about half the glaze over the top of the brownies (some of the glaze will soak into the brownies); wait 10 to 15 minutes (the glaze will just be partially set) and then spoon the rest of the glaze over the first layer of glaze. Let glaze set completely (this might take an hour or so, especially in humid weather) and then cut into squares or bars and serve. If you want the glaze to set more quickly, you can put the brownies in the fridge for about 20 to 25 minutes, then cut and serve. Actually, you may just want to pop them in the fridge anyway, because these taste great cold, too!

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I like making lemon-flavored things in the warm weather months–they’re so refreshing! Do  you have a favorite lemon recipe you like making in spring or summer?

Linked to Anti-Procrastination Tuesday, Tutorial Tuesday.

Mango Parfait from 150 Best Desserts in a Jar

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51vAE27HW4L._SY300_Have you served any desserts in jars yet? I’ve seen some great ideas on Pinterest and in several magazines, so when I heard about 150 Best Desserts in a Jar, I was happy to review it and discover a whole collection of yummy recipes, from rich and decadent to light and healthy. Author Andrea Jourdan has developed quite an array of recipes that sound easy and delicious–puddings, cobblers, pies, cakes, trifles, parfaits…just about any kind of dessert you can think of! And you can creatively present them in attractive jars…antique jars, canning jars, or just uniquely-shaped jars you’ve kept…I’m always saving jars from jams, relishes, and other items because they’re just too pretty to discard!

The book is divided into two parts: Warm and Comforting (crumbles, cobblers, puddings, bread puddings, custards, cakes, and souffles) and From the Fridge (fruity and/or creamy desserts, gelatins, trifles, tiramisu, chilled cakes, sweet soups, parfaits, and frothy desserts). I thought the Marble Chocolate Cake with Coffee Cream Sauce, Warm Salted Caramel Pudding, Blackberry Bread Pudding, Pear and Almond Crumble, Brownie Frozen Delight, and Banana Cream Pie Crunch all sounded wonderful. But I decided to try one of the healthier recipes, the Mango Parfait, because I was craving a healthy dessert…and this really hit the spot! Mangos are sweetened with a little sugar and paired with creamy Greek vanilla yogurt for a great-tasting treat. It’s really cool and refreshing, so you’ll have to try this out soon!

MANGO PARFAIT from 150 Best Desserts in a Jar

One of the most popular exotic fruits, the mango here brings its tangy flavor to a perfect companion–yogurt. This is my family’s favorite healthy treat after lunch.–Andrea Jourdan

Makes 4 servings

  • 3 mangos, peeled and sliced, divided
  • 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) ground cardamom
  • 2 cups (500 ml) Greek-style vanilla yogurt

Mangos: In food processor fitted with the metal blade, puree the flesh of 2 mangos with the sugar.

Place remaining mango slices in a bowl. Sprinkle with cardamom and mix gently. Set aside.

Assembly: Spoon approximately 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) mango puree into the bottom of each jar. Cover with 1/4 cup (60 ml) vanilla yogurt. Repeat. When ready to serve, garnish with reserved mango slices.

Tips: For a sweeter treat, add 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) maple syrup to the top of each jar. Mango and maple syrup are a great match. Use any leftover mango puree to make a smoothie.

You could also sprinkle some granola cereal on top of these parfaits–that would make a nice garnish. I was having a little trouble slicing my mangos–most of my slices didn’t look that great–so I cut most of my mangos into chunks and that worked fine, too.

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Hope this inspires you to make some desserts in jars–it’s easy and fun!

Chocolate Chip Confetti Brownies

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I love these fun, colorful brownies–they’re kind of like a celebration in a pan! This easy and yummy recipe is from an M&M’s promotional recipe card that I’ve had for quite a while. There are two layers to these brownies– a bottom chocolate layer and a top yellow batter layer, with mini M&M’s mixed in and sprinkled on top. They’re rich and chewy…perfect when you’re craving something chocolate! I changed the recipe a little by adding some semi-sweet chocolate chips in the bottom chocolate brownie layer. It never hurts to add more chocolate, right? :)

CHOCOLATE CHIP CONFETTI BROWNIES by NancyCreative, adapted from M&M’s

Makes a 9 x 13″ pan

  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
  • 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 Tbsp. butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup M&M’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Baking Bits, divided

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Lightly grease a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan; set aside.

In large bowl, cream butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs and vanilla.

In medium bowl, combine 2 1/4 cups of the flour (save 1/4 cup for later), baking powder, and salt; blend into creamed mixture. Divide batter in half, putting half into another bowl.

Stir cocoa powder and melted butter into one half of the dough; then stir in the mini chocolate chips. Spread cocoa dough evenly into prepared baking pan.

Stir remaining 1/4 cup flour and 1/2 cup of the M&M’s mini baking bits into remaining dough; spread evenly over cocoa dough in pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of M&M’s mini baking bits. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until edges start to pull away from sides of pan.

Cool completely and cut into bars. Store in a tightly covered container. Makes about 20 brownies, depending on how large you cut them. (NOTE: I’ve seen a version of this recipe using regular-size M&M’s, so you could try substituting those for the mini baking bits).

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I actually cut into these while they were still warm, after about 10 minutes of cooling, and they are really good warm! If I had some ice cream in my fridge, I think I would have been tempted to add a scoop on top!

Here’s a helpful tip if you want neat, less crumbly brownie slices:  Line your baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on the ends so you can lift your brownies right out of the pan after they are done baking and have cooled. After removing brownies from the pan, turn them upside down onto a cutting board or other cutting surface and slice them from the bottom–this way, the tops of your brownies will have nice clean edges…just like a bakery shop brownie!

Do you like making brownies too? Do you have a favorite brownie recipe?

Linked to Create With Joy, Anti-Procrastination Tuesdays.