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breakfast

Earl Grey & Blueberry Tea Cakes

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It’s December and that means The Cake Slice Bakers group gets to choose any recipe from The New Way to Cake.

In January, we’ll begin to bake from a new cake cookbook – stay tuned to find out which book we’ll use!

Blueberry Earl Gray Muffins

Earl Grey & Blueberry Tea Cakes were on the recipe list earlier this year and I didn’t get participate that month. It sounds so intriguing, but simple, so I chose it for my final 2020 choice.

These ‘tea cakes’ are actually baked in a muffin tin, so I’m going to call them muffins. They aren’t ordinary muffins, though, because of the infusion of Earl Grey tea flavor.

The muffins bake up beautifully soft and they’re filled with fresh blueberries.

Even though the Benjamina says this recipe will make 10 muffins, I had a ton of batter leftover. I went ahead and made 12 muffins, then had enough batter to make 3 mini-loaves.

Muffin Loaves

You get a whisper of Earl Grey tea, but it’s not overwhelming. It gives the muffins a delicate, tea-time flavor.

We’re lucky enough to have fresh blueberries almost all year long. Costco has been having them available and they’re really nice, plump blueberries.

If you can’t get fresh blueberries, though, use frozen. Just remember to add them to the muffin batter right out of the freezer so they don’t bleed and make grey muffins. That’s not pretty.

Blueberry Earl Gray Muffins

Earl Grey & Blueberry Tea Cakes (a.k.a. muffins) are a great breakfast, brunch, or snack.

You’ll like the fluffy texture and those pops of blueberry flavor. I can see these made with your favorite tea – chai or chamomile come to mind.

These are terrific muffins (or tea cakes) and we’re glad to add them to our muffin file!

Here are some other great muffin recipes!

Stacked Blueberry Earl Gray Muffins

Earl Grey & Blueberry Tea Cakes

Yield: 15 muffins
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Fluffy blueberry muffins flavored with Earl Grey tea.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 C milk
  • 3 Earl Grey tea bags or 4 tsp of loose tea
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 plus 1 tbsp all-purpose flour, divided
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 C granulated sugar
  • 1 C (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 3 eggs, room temperature
  • 1 1/3 C blueberries, fresh or frozen
  • 2 tbsp coarse sugar for sprinkling on top of muffins

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Take 1 or 2 tsp of butter from already softened butter and grease each cup of a 12-cup muffin tin. Dust lightly with flour, shaking out the excess.
  2. In a small sauce pan, combine the milk, tea bags (or loose tea) and vanilla. Heat on medium until the milk just boils. Remove from heat and set aside to cool while making the batter.
  3. In a medium bowl, sift together 2 1/4 cups of the flour and the baking powder.
  4. Using a stand mixer, beat the sugar and butter together until pale, creamy and slightly fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes on medium-high. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg addition. Add half of the flour mixture and combine. (At this time, if you've used loose-leaf tea, pour through a strainer into a bowl).
  5. Add the milk to the batter, then the remaining flour mixture. Beat until just combined.
  6. Toss the blueberries in the remaining tablespoon of flour so they won't sink to the bottom of the muffins. Shake off the excess flour, then gently stir the blueberries into the batter.
  7. Fill the muffin cups about 2/3rds full of batter, sprinkle with coarse sugar, then bake for 25-27 minutes until a toothpick comes out almost clean.
  8. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then run a knife gently around the edges to loosen from the pan. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
  9. Re-butter and flour three of the muffin cups (or use a second pan) and use the remaining batter. You may have extra batter, so fill as many cups as you need. Sprinkle tops with coarse sugar, bake for 25-27 minutes, then repeat above steps.

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

This made a ton of batter (original recipe says 10 muffins) and I made 12 muffins, plus 3 mini-loaves.

The original - calls for whole milk, but I successfully used 2% milk; the original also calls for vanilla bean paste, but I used regular vanilla extract.

The original also calls for unsalted butter - I used salted.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 15 Serving Size: 1 tea cake
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 118Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 142mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 0gSugar: 19gProtein: 2g

Nutrition Values are Approximate

© Benjamina Ebuehi
Category: Breads/Muffins
 
 

Each month The Cake Slice Bakers are offered a selection of cakes from the current book we are baking through. This year it is The New Way To Cake by Benjamina Ebuehi. We each choose one cake to bake, and then on the 20th – never before – we all post about our cake on our blogs. There are a few rules that we follow, but the most important ones are to have fun and enjoy baking & eating cakes!

Follow our Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest pages where you can find all of our cakes, as well as inspiration for many other cakes. You can also click on the thumbnail pictures below to take you to each of our cakes. If you have a blog and are interested in joining The Cake Slice Bakers and baking along with us, please send an email to thecakeslicebakers at gmail dot com for more details.

The Cake Slice Bakers also have a new Facebook group called The Cake Slice Bakers and Friends. This group is perfect for those who do not have a blog but want to join in the fun and bake through this book.

 
 

It is a new year and a new book – The New Way To Cake – traditionally our last bake for the year is free choice, so our choices for December 2020 were ~ 

 

Sticky Buns (America’s Test Kitchen)

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It’s finally time for me to learn to make Sticky Buns and there’s no better source to get the recipe from than America’s Test Kitchen‘s top 20 recipes all of time. 

Sticky Buns

This is from Season 17 and is rated 5th overall.  Bret bought a 6-quart KitchenAid mixer for me and these buns are the perfect thing to make on its maiden voyage. (And I do mean voyage – this new mixer is as big as a boat.)

The ingredient list and the instructions look long and involved, but it’s really rather straight forward to create these tasty little buns.

It starts with a sticky dough that becomes a beautiful, silky risen dough that’s great to work with. The stand mixer does all the kneading work, so you can just sit back and take a little nap during the mixing.

Sticky Buns

The buns bake up soft, fluffy, and perfect. America’s Test Kitchen does a great job on the instructions, detailing every step so that even a novice will succeed.

These Sticky Buns aren’t actually dripping with gooey topping. They have just enough to make a perfect, thick layer of caramely and sticky goodness. If you want the buns stickier and gooey-er you can make more topping, although I do think you’ll find this recipe gets it just right.

It’s gonna be hard, but have patience – you need to wait till these buns are completely cooled to eat them. When they’re ready, the ratio of soft, fluffy bun to the layer of gooey caramel goodness is spot-on delicious.

An observation, though, is that they’re best the first day after being completely cooled. If you can’t eat all of them the first day, microwave for 10-15 seconds for the best taste and texture. ATK gets my vote for best sticky buns!

Sticky Buns

This recipe is an investment in time, mainly because of the two rising hours. I enjoyed making these buns, though, and we’re enjoying eating them even more.

Sticky Buns (America's Test Kitchen)

Sticky Buns (America's Test Kitchen)

Yield: 12
Prep Time: 3 hours
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes

An outstanding version of the standard sticky bun. Soft and tender with a chewy, gooey caramely topping.

Ingredients

  • Flour Paste:
  • 2/3 C water
  • 1/4 C (1 1/3 oz) bread flour
  • Dough:
  • 2/3 C milk
  • 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
  • 2 3/4 C (15 1/8 oz) bread flour
  • 2 tsp (1 packet) instant or rapid-rise yeast
  • 3 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 6 tbsp butter, softened (ATK recommends unsalted)
  • Topping:
  • 6 tbsp butter, melted (ATK recommends unsalted)
  • 1/2 C (3 1/2 oz) dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 C (1 3/4 oz) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 C dark corn syrup
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1 C pecans, toasted and chopped (optional)
  • Filling
  • 3/4 C packed (5 1/4 oz) dark brown sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. For the flour paste: In a small bowl, whisk the water and flour together until smooth. Microwave in 25 second increments, whisking after each 25 seconds, until stiff, smooth, pudding-like consistency with a total of 50 to 75 seconds.
  2. For the dough: In bowl of stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk flour paste and milk together until smooth. Add egg and yolk and whisk to combine. Fit stand mixer with dough hook , then add the flour and yeast. Mix on low speed until all of the flour is moistened, 1 to 2 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes. Add sugar and salt and mix on medium-low speed for 5 minutes. Stop mixer and add butter. Continue to mix on medium-low for 5 minutes longer, scraping down the dough hook and sides of bowl when needed. Dough will be very sticky.
  3. Lightly flour your counter or marble and scoop the dough on the surface. Knead briefly to form a ball and transfer, seam side down, to a lightly greased large bowl. Spray dough ball lightly with cooking spray and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise until just doubled in volume - 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  4. For the topping: While the dough rises, grease 13x9" metal baking pan. Whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, corn syrup, and salt together in medium bowl until smooth. Add the water and whisk carefully until smooth. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and tilt the pan to cover it evenly. (Sprinkle with pecans, if using).
  5. For the Filling: Combine sugar and cinnamon in small bowl and mix until thoroughly combined; set aside.
  6. Turn out the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface. Press dough gently, but firmly to expel the air. Working from the center toward the edge, pat and stretch dough to form 18x15" rectangle, with the long end facing you. Sprinkle the sugar/cinnamon mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 1" border along the top edge. Smooth the filling into an even layer with your hand, then gently press the filling into the dough to adhere.
  7. Begin with the long edge near you and gently roll the dough into a loose cylinder, taking care not to roll too tightly (if too tightly rolled, the rolls with rise upward). Pinch the seam together to seal and roll the seam to the bottom.
  8. Mark the cylinder into 12 equal portions (there should be twelve, 1 1/2" portions). To slice, get a 10 to 12 inch strand of unflavored dental floss, hold it taut, and slip it under the roll to the first mark. Cross the ends of floss over each other and pull, cutting the slice. Repeat with all slices.
  9. Transfer the slices, cut sides down, into the prepared pan with the topping, spaced evenly. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft-free warm place until the buns are puffy and touching one another, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  10. While buns are rising, adjust the oven racks to lowest and lower-middle positions. Place a rimmed baking sheet on the lower rack to catch any drips. Preheat the oven to 375°.
  11. Bake buns on upper rack until lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes. Carefully tent the pan with aluminum foil to avoid further browning and bake until center of dough registers at least 200°, 12-15 minutes longer. Remove from the oven, remove the foil and let buns cool in the pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Lightly run a butter knife around the edges of the pan, then place a rimmed baking sheet over buns and carefully invert onto the sheet. Scoop up any glaze left in the baking pan onto buns. Let cool for at least 10 minutes longer before serving (best after completely cooled, though).

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

You'll notice the weights of the ingredients in the instructions.  I do weigh them to get the best results and highly recommend investing in an inexpensive kitchen scale.

You can refrigerate the slices in the pan (before the 2nd rising) overnight, for up to 14 hours, then bake them.  To bake, remove the pan from the refrigerator and let sit until buns are puffy and touching one another, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.  Then bake as usual.

Both of the rising times took the entire hour for me.  

ATK recommends unsalted butter, but I use salted.  It worked fine.

I didn't use pecans, but if you do be sure and toast them first (spread on a baking sheet, 350° for 5 or so minutes until you just smell the nuttiness).  It really makes a difference in the taste.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1 roll
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 407Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 63mgSodium: 459mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 2gSugar: 20gProtein: 7g

Nutrition Values are Approximate

© America's Test Kitchen
Category: Breakfast

Honey Date Oat Muffins

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Honey Date Oatmeal Muffins

It’s January of a new year and I’m all about trying to make it a healthier new year, even if it’s just little changes here and there. These Honey Date Oat Muffins are just that – a little lighter. They may not look like fancy muffins from Starbucks, but they’re delicious.

The muffins are sweetened with honey only and half the butter is substituted with olive oil. I use 2% milk and add some dried fruit for good measure. Oh, and don’t forget the protein and fiber you get from the oatmeal.

Honey Date Oatmeal Muffin

Honey Date Oat Muffins are light and fluffy with a little bit of crunchy baked in just around the edges. I’ve always loved the texture of oatmeal in baked goods and it really is a good addition in these.

I add a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg to these honey-sweetened muffins, and you’ll also like the little bits of sweet dates in them. If you don’t like dates, go ahead and use raisins, dried cranberries, or any other dried fruit you prefer. Fix them up like you do your breakfast oatmeal.

I’m planning on freezing half of these since Bret thinks muffins are for girls and doesn’t eat them unless they’re chocolate with chocolate chips. It’ll be nice to be browsing through the freezer in a couple of months and find these just waiting for me to warm up and have for breakfast. Love ’em!

Honey Date Oatmeal Muffins

Honey Date Oat Muffins

Yield: 12
Prep Time: 11 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Lightly sweet muffins with a great oatmeal texture and dots of sweet dates. Breakfast muffin at its best!

Ingredients

  • 1 C all-purpose flour
  • 1 C quick oats (not instant)
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp powdered ginger
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 C extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 C melted butter
  • 3/4 C milk (I used 2%)
  • 1/3 C honey
  • 16 dates, small chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and ginger. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, olive oil, slightly cooled melted butter, milk and honey until thoroughly combined.
  3. Pour the wet ingredients directly into the dry ingredients and gently mix until just combined. Stir in the dates gently until distributed. Spoon the batter into each muffin cup, about 2/3rds full.
  4. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until medium-brown around the edges (tops shouldn't brown) and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool. Store in a tightly sealed container or freeze for later.

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

If you prefer, you can use raisins or whatever other dried fruit you may like.  

Check the muffins at 12 minutes - they can get really too brown around the edges quickly.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1 muffin
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 202Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 279mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 2gSugar: 14gProtein: 3g

Nutrition Values are Approximate

© sblades
Category: Breads/Muffins

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Scones

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Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Scones

The June choice for the Avid Baker’s Challenger is Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Scones. The photo on the Brown Eyed Baker’s website looks so good, I could just imagine what they tasted like.

The oatmeal gives these scones a wonderful texture, and the light peanut butter flavor is terrific. Add chocolate chips to the mix and you have some very, very tasty scones!

You need a light hand mixing these so they won’t be tough. I used my fingertips to blend the butter into the flour and, after the chocolate chips were added, I dug in with both hands and squished the dough together – it blended easier that way. Just be gentle.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Scones

If you search for scones on my site, you’ll find that I have quite a thing for them. My delicious Cinnamon Scones also have oatmeal in them and I just love that chewiness it brings to them.

Since they’re rather rich, next time instead of making a 9″ circle and cutting them into 8 scones, I’ll make two 5-ish” circles and make them more like mini scones.

Eating one of the big ones is quite a substantial breakfast. Of course that didn’t stop me from eating the whole scone, washing it down with coffee, and licking my fingers. It’s like having a big ole’ oatmeal peanut butter chocolate chip cookie for breakfast!

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Scones

These Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Scones are easy to throw together and so worth making. I’m planning on freezing a few of them and seeing how well they thaw. I’ll update you on that later.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Scones

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Scones

Yield: 8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Total Time: 38 minutes

Great texture from the oatmeal, rich from the peanut butter and chocolate chips.

Ingredients

  • 2 C all-purpose flour
  • 1 C old-fashioned oats
  • 1/3 C dark brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 6 tbsp cold butter, cut into small pieces
  • 3/4 C buttermilk
  • 1 egg separated
  • 1/2 C peanut butter
  • 1 C semisweet chocolate chips
  • Sparkling or large grained sugar for sprinkling on top

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Line a wide baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, oats, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the very cold butter and cut or rub the butter into the flour mixture until blended and pea sized (easiest to use your fingers, but do it quickly so the butter doesn't melt).
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and the egg yolk.
  4. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour the buttermilk mixture into the center of the well, then add the peanut butter.
  5. Gently fold the ingredients together with a rubber spoon, very gently until it starts coming together. Then add the chocolate chips and gently knead with your hands until chips are incorporated. (Do not over mix the dough - you don't want tough scones).
  6. Turn the dough out onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet and pat it gently into about a 9" circle. Whisk the egg white, then brush it all over the top of the dough. Sprinkle generously with the sugar.
  7. Cut the dough into 8 wedges (do not separate them) and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the scones are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs.
  8. Remove from the oven and let sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then recut the scones and separate. Cool on a rack. Store in an air tight container for up to 3 days or, after they're completely cooled, freeze.

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

These were rather large and rich, so next time I would make two 4 to 5" circles and cut them smaller (and bake them for a few minutes less).

The changes I made from the original recipe:  I added a tablespoon of granulated sugar for a little more sweetness; I used salted butter; I used smooth peanut butter (hers called for chunky).

Don't overwork the dough - you don't want tough scones.  These are a little softer than usual for scones, but it works!

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 482Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 494mgCarbohydrates: 59gFiber: 4gSugar: 23gProtein: 11g

Nutrition Values are Approximate

© Adapted slightly from BrownEyedBaker.com
Category: Breads/Muffins

Gingerbread Scones

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Gingerbread Scones

Tis the season and all that! Gingerbread is one of my favorite holiday flavors and when I found this Gingerbread Scones recipe I just knew it was going to be made in my cozy little kitchen.

Scones hold a special place in my heart (and stomach) – they’re tender but hearty and always great with tea or coffee in the mornings. (Search for ‘scones’ on this site and you’ll see just how much I’m in love with them.)

The deep molasses flavor really comes through, along with the cinnamon and ginger. Be sure your ground ginger is fresh (yes, throw it away if the expiry date is 2005) – it really makes a difference in the flavor.

I love the texture and flavor of these scones.

There are a few people out there who’ve never had really good scones. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard people (a.k.a. my husband) say that scones are dry. They’re only dry if you over bake them. Otherwise, they’re tender, almost buttery, flavorful and delicious!

You’ll definitely know the holidays are upon us when that wonderful aroma from cinnamon/ginger baked goods is coming from your kitchen.

Whip up these fairly easy Gingerbread Scones for Thanksgiving or Christmas morning!

Looking for some more fantastic scone recipes? Look no further:

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Scones
Cinnamon Scones with Orange Glaze
Glazed Lemon Blackberry Scones

Gingerbread Scones

Gingerbread Scones

Yield: 8
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes
Total Time: 28 minutes

These scones have a deep gingerbread/molasses flavor and a nice scone texture. 

Ingredients

  • 2 C all-purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 3/4 tsp cinnamon
  • pinch of ground cloves
  • 1/4 C cold butter, cut into tablespoons
  • 1/3 C molasses
  • 1/4 C milk
  • 1 egg separated
  • coarse sugar for sprinkling tops of the scones

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°.  Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper (or Pam-sprayed aluminum foil).
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and pinch of cloves.  Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  3. In a small bowl, combine the molasses, milk, and egg yolk until blended and smooth.  Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir until just moistened and combined.
  4. Lightly flour a flat surface and turn out the dough onto it.  Gently knead the mixture 6-8 times and pat into an 8-inch circle.  Cut into 8 equal wedges and place 1-inch apart on the prepared cookie sheet.  Beat the egg white with a fork, then lightly brush the top of each scone with the egg white and sprinkle generously with sugar.
  5. Bake the scones for 12-13 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool on a rack.

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

I like to cut the butter into the flour with my hands so I can break the butter up better and feel the texture.

I used coarse sugar, but regular table sugar will work OK.

Don't overbake!  They won't brown much while baking.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 scone
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 287Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 563mgCarbohydrates: 47gFiber: 1gSugar: 15gProtein: 5g

Nutrition Values are Approximate

© sblades
Category: Breads/Muffins