As we’re heading into the second week of November, I’m starting to think ahead to the Holiday season and Cookies! If you’re a regular reader, you will probably know I love Christmas baking and have over 70 cookie recipes here on the website. So, I think now it’s time to add a few new things before the holiday season starts. It might be a little early for most, but for those avid holiday bakers out there, let’s dive right in!

What Are These Cookie Bars Like

• Difficulty – This recipe is pretty easy to make. But they do take time. There are two layers and the bars have to be baked in two different stages. Total time is about 1 hour.
• Taste – This is where a chocolate chip cookie meets a cream cheese filling. They are decadent, dense, sweet and a little over the top! Perfect for the Holidays.
• Serving – This recipe will make 25 dense little cookie bars. You can cut them bigger if you prefer. I find that cutting them small is the perfect size as these are very decadent and rich little cookie bars.

Ingredients To Make The Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Squares

These cookies are made in two separate layers. Below, I’ll explain the ingredients for each layer.

For the cookie layer:

• Butter – Unsalted butter at room temperature.
• Sugar – This recipe uses a mix of granulated white sugar and brown sugar.
• Flour – All purpose flour works great for baking cookies.
• Baking soda – This is the leavening agent to help the cookies rise.
• Salt – Enhances the flavours in the cookie bars.
• Vanilla extract – Vanilla adds a lot of flavour to the cookie bars.
• Eggs – This recipes uses large eggs at room temperature.
• Chocolate chips – I used semi sweet chocolate chips.

Cream Cheese Layer:

• Cream cheese – Softened cream cheese at room temperature.
• Sugar – Granulated white sugar.
• Vanilla extract – Vanilla adds flavour to the cream cheese filling.
• Egg – I always use large eggs at room temperature for baking.

NOTE, The full recipe and ingredient list can be found at the end of the post in the recipe card.

Instructions

1. Prepare pan – Grease and line with parchment paper an 8 x 8 inch baking dish. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine dry ingredients – In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. Make cookie dough – In a large mixing bowl beat the butter on high speed for a minute or so. Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs and vanilla. Beat until mixture is combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Stir in flour mixture until combined. Fold most of the chocolate chips. Leave a couple of tablespoons of chocolate chips for the top.
4. Bake cookie dough layer – Press about 3/4 of the cookie dough mixture into the bottom of the pan. Press it in as flat and evenly as you can. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and leave to cool.
5. Make cream cheese layer – In a medium mixing bowl, add the cream cheese and beat on high speed until smooth. Now add the egg, sugar, and vanilla. Continue to mix this on high speed until a smooth consistency forms.
6. Finish baking cookie bars – Pour the cream cheese mixture over the cooled cookie dough. Spoon over remaining cookie dough. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
7. Cool – Leave in pan to cool completely. Cut into 25 squares.
8. Serving/storage – Will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 5 days. Can be stored in the freezer.

Recipe Tips

• Use room temperature ingredients – Room temperature eggs and butter work best for baking cakes. Make sure to take your ingredients out of the fridge at least 30 – 40 minutes before using.
• Measure ingredients correctly – I like to weigh my ingredients (in the recipe card, the ingredients can be converted to metric with the click of a button). You get exact measurements every single time.
• Don’t over mix the batter – After adding the flour, just stir until combined. If you overmix, you will risk the cookies drying out when baking. To have a denser cookie, just fold the flour in until combined.
• Use parchment paper – To get the bars out of the pan easily, I recommend lining it with parchment paper before baking.
• Allow to cool completely – I strongly recommend allowing these to cool completely before cutting. If you cut them while they are still warm, they risk falling apart.

Substitutions

• Chocolate chips – You can use milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips or even butterscotch chips for these cookie bars.
• Pan size – I used an 8 x 8 inch baking pan. You could use a large cookie sheet. Just keep in mind they will be much flatter and will bake much quicker.

Serving and Storage

• Serving – These are best served after they cool down completely and set. They go great on their own or you can serve them with fresh whipped cream or ice cream.
• Storage
  • Store in the fridge – These are best kept in the fridge in an airtight container. They will keep for about five days and they will still be moist and not dry.
  • Store in the freezer – Store them in a freezer proof container and they will store in there for about a month. To defrost, just take them out and let them defrost naturally.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cream Cheese Brownies

The almighty Cream Cheese Brownies! My favourite brownie of all time. A dense and moist layered brownie with a chocolate brownie base and a cream cheese topping. They keep for almost a week in the fridge and they even freeze great.

Check out this recipe

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sometimes, you just can't beat a good old fashioned Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie! An all time favourite in my house and a recipe that spans more than 30 years old! If you're looking for a no fail cookie, make this one!

Check out this recipe

Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe with Cream Cheese

A light and fluffy cookie studded with semi sweet chocolate chips. Make this Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe with Cream Cheese soon!

Check out this recipe

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Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Squares

I combined two of my kids' favourites and came up with these.  It's what you get when you cross a Cream Cheese Brownie with a Chocolate Chip Cookie!  They are more-ish and would make a great addition to any festivities this December.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time55 minutes mins

Course: Dessert, Snack

Keyword: bar cookies, christmas, cookies

Servings: 25 squares

Calories: 246kcal

Author: Julia Pinney

Ingredients

For the cookie layer:

• 1 Cup butter
• 3/4 Cup brown sugar
• 1/2 Cup white granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 Cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 Cups chocolate chips

Cream Cheese Layer:

• 8 Ounces cream cheese full fat kind
• 1/3 Cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg large

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Grease and line with parchment paper an 8 x 8 inch baking dish. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl beat the butter on high speed for a minute or so. Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs and vanilla. Beat until mixture is combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Stir in flour mixture until combined. Fold most of the chocolate chips. Leave a couple of tablespoons of chocolate chips for the top.
• Press about 3/4 of the cookie dough mixture into the bottom of the pan. Press it in as flat and evenly as you can. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and leave to cool.
• In a medium mixing bowl, add the cream cheese and beat on high speed until smooth. Now add the egg, sugar, and vanilla. Continue to mix this on high speed until a smooth consistency forms.
• Pour the cream cheese mixture over the cooled cookie dough. Spoon over remaining cookie dough. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Leave in pan to cool completely. Cut into 25 squares.
• Will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 5 days. Can be stored in the freezer.

*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Nutrition Facts

Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Squares

Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)

Calories 246 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Fat 14g22%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Cholesterol 51mg17%

Sodium 201mg9%

Potassium 41mg1%

Carbohydrates 29g10%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 20g22%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 401IU8%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 34mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Thanks for Stopping By and Hope to See You Soon!

The post Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Squares appeared first on Julia's Cuisine.

Yes, another Halloween inspired recipe today friends! After this one, there is only one more Halloween recipe and then we are back to a few regular recipes before the holiday season of Christmas takes over. How could I not share these super cute Chocolate Mummy Brownies! Plus I bought a pack of candy eyes that I wanted to use up…lol.

Add these to your Halloween festivities this year with a few other dishes like the Easy Halloween Snack Board and the Witches Broomsticks Pretzel and Cheese Snacks!

What Are These Brownies Like

• Difficulty – The brownies are easy to make and the decorating is very basic. But please read the recipe notes if you’re not used to making brownies. This way, you should get them just right.
• Taste – These are very chewy and dense. Delicious! I used whipped Vanilla Buttercream Frosting for the topping and it was the perfect combination.
• Serving – This recipe makes 12 pretty big brownies. You can cut them smaller for cute little mummies!

Ingredients

• Chocolate – I used semi sweet dark chocolate in this recipe.
• Flour – All purpose flour works best for these brownies.
• Sugar – Granulated white sugar is best in this recipe.
• Eggs and dairy – This recipe calls for whole eggs and unsalted butter butter.
• Vanilla extract – Vanilla extract enhances flavour in baked goods.
• Salt – I added a pinch of salt to enhance the flavour in the brownies.
• Frosting – I used Vanilla Buttercream Frosting for decorating.
• Candy eyes – I added candy eyes to finish off these mummy brownies and give them a super cute look.

NOTE, The full recipe and ingredient list can be found at the end of the post in the recipe card.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven and prepare pan – Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 x 8 inch baking pan and set aside.
2. Melt butter and chocolate – In a saucepan set over low heat, add the butter and chopped chocolate. Stir until melted and remove from heat to cool.
3. Combine dry ingredients – Sift flour together with the salt and set aside.
4. Mix sugar, eggs and vanilla – Meanwhile in a large mixing bowl add eggs, sugar and vanilla. Mix well until incorporated and smooth. Probably only a couple of minutes. Remember do not over mix! If you mix it too long, you will end up with more of a cake texture.
5. Finish the batter – Next, add the chocolate mixture and stir until incorporated. Add flour all at once and gently stir in with a wooden spoon until just incorporated.
6. Pour into pan and bake – Pour the batter into prepared pan and bake for around 25 minutes. Check a few minutes before the baking time is up and insert a toothpick. A few moist crumbs should come out on the stick. Leave them in the pan to cool on a wire rack.
7. Cut brownies – Remove the cooled brownies from the pan and place on a cutting board. Cut the brownies down the middle and then down the middle from the other side. You will have have four sections. Continue to make 4 more even cuts from one side to the other. You will have a total of 12 rectangle brownies. See the photo above in the post.
8. Decorate brownies – Place the buttercream frosting in a piping bag with a small circular nozzle. Pipe frosting on the brownies in zigzag like pattern to make them look like mummies. Place a small amount of frosting on the back of the eyes and place the eyes on the brownies.
9. Serve or store – Leave the brownies on the cooling rack to allow the frosting to set then transfer to a container to store for three days.

Recipe Tips

• Don’t over mix batter – Over mixing will result in cake like and possible dry brownies
• Make sure you measure the ingredients correctly – If you add just a little too much flour, the brownies will be more cake like than chewy.
• Don’t over bake them – Remember, all ovens are different and yours could take a little shorter or a little longer time than mine. They are done when you insert a toothpick in the centre and it comes out with moist crumbs.
• Allow to cool completely – Before decorating, it’s important that you allow these brownies to cool completely so the frosting doesn’t melt off the tops. Also, it makes them much easier to handle.

Substitutions

• Brownies – I don’t recommend any changes to the actual brownie recipe to achieve the same results.
• Frosting – I used Vanilla Buttercream Frosting. You can use Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, Cream Cheese Frosting, Vanilla Glaze, Chocolate Ganache or even any store bought frosting that you like.
• Candy eyes – I used candy eyes and they work great. Any kind of small candy will work for these brownies.

Serving and Storage

• At room temperature – These brownies should be served at room temperature. You can store them at room temperature in and airtight container up to three days.
• Store in the refrigerator – You can also keep these brownies in an airtight container up to five days. It’s important to remove them from the fridge and bring them to room temperature before serving.
• In the freezer – These un frosted brownies can be stored in the freezer up to one month. Bake the brownies according to instructions and leave to cool completely. Wrap in freezer proof plastic wrap and store in the freezer up to one month. Before frosting and serving, remove from freezer and allow to defrost completely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Double Chocolate Halloween Cookies

Make these chewy Double Chocolate Halloween Cookies for a fun treat to add to your fun festive celebrations. These are a fudgy brownie like cookie filled with milk chocolate chunks for an over the top chocolate flavour. Add them to your Halloween festivities this year!

Check out this recipe

Halloween Nutella Puff Pastry

Make these easy Halloween Nutella Puff Pastry shapes to add to your celebrations this year. Using just four ingredients and put together pretty quickly. A spooktacular treat that kids and adults will love.

Check out this recipe

Halloween Mummy Rice Krispie Treats

These Halloween Mummy Rice Krispie Treats are a fun cookie to make with the kids. A rice krispie cookie topped with melted white chocolate and a few candy decorations for a spooktacular treat!

Check out this recipe

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Chocolate Mummy Brownies

Make these chewy Chocolate Mummy Brownies for a fun treat to add to your fun festive celebrations. These are a fudgy brownie topped with a whipped buttercream frosting decorated mummy style!

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time55 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: North American

Keyword: brownies, easy halloween recipes, halloween desserts

Servings: 12 brownies

Calories: 348kcal

Author: Julia Pinney

Ingredients

• 6 ounces semi sweet chocolate roughly chopped
• 1 Cup butter unsalted
• 2/3 Cup all purpose flour
• Pinch salt
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 1/3 cup granulated white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 cup buttercream frosting
• candy eyes for decorating

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 x 8 inch baking pan and set aside.
• In a saucepan set over low heat, add the butter and chopped chocolate. Stir until melted and remove from heat to cool.
• Sift flour together with the salt and set aside.
• Meanwhile in a large mixing bowl add eggs, sugar and vanilla. Mix well until incorporated and smooth. Probably only a couple of minutes. Remember do not over mix! If you mix it too long, you will end up with more of a cake texture.
• Next, add the chocolate mixture and stir until incorporated. Add flour all at once and gently stir in with a wooden spoon until just incorporated.
• Pour the batter into prepared pan and bake for around 25 minutes. Check a few minutes before the baking time is up and insert a toothpick. A few moist crumbs should come out on the stick. Leave them in the pan to cool on a wire rack.
• Remove the cooled brownies from the pan and place on a cutting board. Cut the brownies down the middle and then down the middle from the other side. You will have have four sections. Continue to make 4 more even cuts from one side to the other. You will have a total of 12 rectangle brownies. See the photo above in the post.
• Place the buttercream frosting in a piping bag with a small circular nozzle. Pipe frosting on the brownies in zigzag like pattern to make them look like mummies. Place a small amount of frosting on the back of the eyes and place the eyes on the brownies.
• Leave the brownies on the cooling rack to allow the frosting to set then transfer to a container to store for three days.

*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Notes

1. Don’t over mix batter – Over mixing will result in cake like and possible dry brownies
2. Make sure you measure the ingredients correctly – If you add just a little too much flour, the brownies will be more cake like than chewy.
3. Don’t over bake them – Remember, all ovens are different and yours could take a little shorter or a little longer time than mine. They are done when you insert a toothpick in the centre and it comes out with moist crumbs.
4. Allow to cool completely – Before decorating, it’s important that you allow these brownies to cool completely so the frosting doesn’t melt off the tops. Also, it makes them much easier to handle

Nutrition Facts

Chocolate Mummy Brownies

Amount Per Serving (1 brownie)

Calories 348 Calories from Fat 198

% Daily Value*

Fat 22g34%

Saturated Fat 13g81%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 6g

Cholesterol 88mg29%

Sodium 141mg6%

Potassium 111mg3%

Carbohydrates 35g12%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 28g31%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 547IU11%

Calcium 22mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Thanks For Stopping By & Hope To See You Soon!

The post Chocolate Mummy Brownies appeared first on Julia's Cuisine.

So, so today, I’m bringing another fall inspired recipe with these delicious Apple Cake Squares. If you’re an apple dessert fan, these are a must make. Much like my Mini Apple Cinnamon Crumbles, or even the Mini Pumpkin Pies, these are perfect for fall entertaining and Thanksgiving. You can bring them to a holiday event or a potluck. Don’t forget the ice cream!

Check out more Delicious Desserts For Fall!

What are These Apple Cake Squares Like

• Difficulty – This recipe is pretty easy to make and uses basic pantry staples plus apples. It comes together pretty quickly and bakes in about 35 minutes
• Taste – Just as the recipe states, it’s tastes just like apples and cinnamon. If you’ve had a chance to try out the Apple Cinnamon Strudel Muffins, these are a like their cousin! One of things that makes this loaf so great, is tossing the apples in a brown sugar and cinnamon mixture before adding them to the cake. A game changer! It’s soft, moist and holds it shape when cut into squares.
• Serving – This recipe is baked in an 8 x 8 brownie pan and makes 16 brownie size servings. You can easily cut the cake squares larger if you prefer.

Ingredients

• Flour – This recipe uses all purpose flour.
• Spices – I used ground cinnamon in the cake batter as well as in the cinnamon mixture for the apples.
• Baking powder – Baking powder is used as a rising agent for the loaf.
• Baking Soda – Baking soda is also used as a rising agent in this loaf.
• Salt – Regular table salt helps enhance the flavours.
• Butter – I used unsalted butter at room temperature.
• Sugar – Granulated white sugar is used in the loaf.
• Eggs – 2 large eggs at room temperature.
• Vanilla – Vanilla extract enhances flavours in this cake.
• Milk – I used buttermilk which is richer than regular milk.
• Apples – I used two medium sized apples. They were peeled, cored and cut into about 1/2 inch pieces. It’s best to use firm apples like Figi, Granny Smith or Macintosh for baking.
• Brown sugar – Brown sugar is used in coating the apples in the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven – Grease and line with parchment paper an 8 x 8 inch baking pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees f/180 degrees c.
2. Combine dry ingredients – In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ground cinnamon. Whisk to combine and set aside.
3. Mix butter, sugar and eggs – In a large mixing bowl, add the butter and granulated white sugar. Mix on high speed until light and fluffy about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Whisk in the vanilla extract.
4. Mix batter – Add half of the flour mixture to the batter and fold in until just combined. Add all the buttermilk and mix in until combined, about 30 seconds. Fold in remaining flour until just combined. Don’t over mix.
5. Combine apples with brown sugar – In a small bowl, combine the apples with brown sugar and remaining tablespoon of cinnamon. Toss to completely combine.
6. Fill baking pan – Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Evenly sprinkle over half of the apples. Use a knife to gently swirl into the top of the batter. Pour over remaining batter. Sprinkle over remaining apples and gently swirl into batter with a knife.
7. Bake – Bake between 30 – 40 minutes.
8. Cool – Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes. Remove from pan and place on a cooling rack. Leave to cool.

Recipe Tips

• Evenly dice the apples – It’s important that you dice the apples the same size so they all fully cook and are soft.
• Don’t over bake the cake – Remember all ovens are different. When a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, the cake is baked. The baking time may vary between 30 – 40 minutes. Mine baked perfectly in 35 minutes.
• Allow to cool before cutting – If you cut the cake when it’s hot, it will be difficult and the cake may crumble apart. It’s best to let it cool down before cutting into it.

Substitutions

• Buttermilk – You can use whole milk, sour cream or even Greek yogurt in this cake. Results will vary slightly but it will still work great.
• Apples – For a slightly different flavour, you could use diced pears, peaches or plums.
• Additions – You can add about 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts to this cake for an additional flavour and texture boost.

Serving and Storage

• Serving – This is a great loaf to serve at a Brunch or to add to a Thanksgiving buffet this fall. You can slice it up and serve it with butter and honey, delicious. Alternatively, you can dress it up for dessert with fresh whipped cream and Homemade Caramel Sauce. A perfect fall treat.
• Storage – Store on the counter in an airtight container up to two days. In the fridge for about five days. And you can even wrap it and keep in stored in the freezer for about two months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Caramelized Apples

Caramelized Apples are the perfect fall treat. Made with apples, butter, brown sugar and cinnamon and cooked in under 30 minutes. They make the perfect topping for pancakes, waffles or to serve all on their own.

Check out this recipe

Apple Cinnamon Loaf

This delicious Apple Cinnamon Loaf is packed full of seasonal flavors. A quick bread made with pantry staples and diced apples tossed in cinnamon sugar for the perfect fall treat. A great loaf to add to a Thanksgiving table, a brunch any day of the week or just to enjoy with a cup of tea!

Check out this recipe

Easy Apple Danish

This is such an Easy Apple Danish to make. Using frozen puff pasty and then a home made apple filling topped off with a sweet glaze. Perfect for weekend brunching!

Check out this recipe

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Apple Cake Squares

These Apple Cake Squares are exactly what you'll want to have with a cup of tea this fall. A moist cake square filled with diced apples and cinnamon sugar. They are great served just like this or dressed up with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time35 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Course: Brunch, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: North American

Keyword: apple desserts, fall baking, thanksgiving recipes

Servings: 16 cake squares

Calories: 185kcal

Author: Julia Pinney

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

For the Apple Cinnamon layer:

• 2 medium apples peeled, cored and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Grease and line with parchment paper an 8 x 8 inch baking pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees f/180 degrees c.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ground cinnamon. Whisk to combine and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the butter and granulated white sugar. Mix on high speed until light and fluffy about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Whisk in the vanilla extract.
• Add half of the flour mixture to the batter and fold in until just combined. Add all the buttermilk and mix in until combined, about 30 seconds. Fold in remaining flour until just combined. Don’t over mix.
• In a small bowl, combine the apples with brown sugar and remaining tablespoon of cinnamon. Toss to completely combine.
• Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Evenly sprinkle over half of the apples. Use a knife to gently swirl into the top of the batter. Pour over remaining batter. Sprinkle over remaining apples and gently swirl into batter with a knife.
• Bake between 30 – 40 minutes.
• Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes. Remove from pan and place on a cooling rack. Leave to cool.

*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Nutrition Facts

Apple Cake Squares

Amount Per Serving (1 cake square)

Calories 185 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Trans Fat 0.2g

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Cholesterol 40mg13%

Sodium 202mg9%

Potassium 74mg2%

Carbohydrates 29g10%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 17g19%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 244IU5%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 47mg5%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Thanks For Stopping By & Hope To See You Soon!

The post Apple Cake Squares appeared first on Julia's Cuisine.

Easter is just around the corner and these Mini Egg Brownies are the perfect treat. If you love Brownies and candy, these are for you. Yes, they are an over the top sweet treat, but the kids will love them. They are also great for using up any extra Easter candy that you may have on hand. Enjoy them all Spring long!

What Are These Brownies Like

• Difficulty – These are really easy to make. There aren’t too many ingredients and the prep time isn’t too long. Just be sure to not over bake them because they might dry out a little.
• Taste – These are moist, decadent and very sweet with the addition of candy.
• Serving – This recipe makes 16 regular sized brownies. You can easily adjust the serving size in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Ingredients

• Chocolate – I used semi sweet dark chocolate in this recipe.
• Flour – All purpose flour works best for these brownies.
• Sugar – Granulated white sugar is best in this recipe.
• Eggs and dairy – This recipe calls for whole eggs and butter.
• Other ingredients – Vanilla extract and salt.
• Candy – I used M & M Easter mini eggs for these brownies.

NOTE, The full recipe and instructions can be found at the end of the post in the recipe card.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven – Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line with parchment paper an 8 x 8 inch baking pan
2. Melt butter and chocolate – In a saucepan set over low heat, add the butter and chopped chocolate. Stir until melted and remove from heat to cool.
3. Sift dry ingredients – Sift flour together with the salt and set aside.
4. Mix sugar, eggs and vanilla – Meanwhile in a large mixing bowl add eggs, sugar and vanilla. Using a hand whisk, whisk until just combined, about 1 – 2 minutes.
5. Add melted chocolate – Add the melted chocolate and whisk until just combined.
6. Fold in flour – Fold in the flour until incorporated, about one minute.
7. Add M & Ms – Fold in the chopped M and Ms.
8. Bake – Pour the batter into prepared pan and bake for around 30 – 35 minutes. The top will be shiny and slightly cracked. Insert a toothpick into the centre and check for moist crumbs.
9. Cool – Remove from oven and gently press the extra M and Ms into the top of the brownies.
10. Cut and serve – When cooled, lift out the brownies on the parchment paper. Place on a cutting board and cut into 16 equal squares. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for about 5 days.

Recipe Tips

• Don’t over mix batter – Over mixing will result in cake like and possible dry brownies
• Make sure you measure the ingredients correctly – If you add just a little too much flour, the brownies will be more cake like than chewy.
• And last but not least, don’t over bake them – Remember, all ovens are different and yours could take a little shorter or a little longer time than mine. They are done when you insert a toothpick in the center and it comes out with moist crumbs.
• Cool completely before cutting – These brownies really need to cool and set completely before you cut them. They will appear a little underdone at first, but they just need to set. Give them a few hours before you cut into them.

Substitutions

• Sugar – this recipe calls for granulated white sugar, but you can use light packed brown sugar. The texture may change slightly, but they will still be fudgy.
• Chocolate – I used semi sweet baking chocolate. You can use semi sweet chocolate chips if you have those. They will melt faster than chopped chocolate chunks as well.
• M and Ms Easter Candy – You can use Cadbury Mini Eggs, any plain Chocolate M and Ms, Peanut M and Ms, or any other type of chocolate candy you would like.

Serving & Storage

• At room temperature – These brownies should be served at room temperature. You can store them at room temperature in and airtight container up to three days.
• Store in the refrigerator – You can also keep these brownies in an airtight container up to five days. It’s important to remove them from the fridge and bring them to room temperature before serving.
• In the freezer – These brownies can be stored in the freezer up to one month. Bake the brownies according to instructions and leave to cool completely. Wrap in freezer proof plastic wrap and store in the freezer up to one month.

Frequently Asked Questions

Mini Egg Cookie Bars

Make these chewy and sweet Mini Egg Cookie Bars this spring. A super chewy cookie bar filled with M and Ms for a fun treat!

Check out this recipe

Mini Egg Cookies

These Mini Egg Cookies are the perfect fun fill Easter cookie. A crispy yet soft and chewy cookie filled with a combination of chocolate chips and candied mini eggs. These cookies are prepared in just about 10 minutes and they bake quickly. Perfect for baking with kids through the holidays.

Check out this recipe

Individual Chocolate Brownies

The ultimate perfect chewy Individual Chocolate Brownie! If you love brownies, add these to your baking list soon and you won't be disappointed.

Check out this recipe

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Mini Egg Brownies

These Mini Egg Brownies are a fun way to use Easter candy in a traditional easy treat. Easy to make using few ingredients and are decadent and delicious!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: desserts

Cuisine: North American

Keyword: brownies, easter, easter recipes

Servings: 16 brownies

Calories: 256kcal

Author: Julia Pinney

Ingredients

• 6 ounces semi sweet chocolate roughly chopped
• 1 Cup butter unsalted
• 2/3 Cup all purpose flour
• Pinch salt
• 1 1/3 cup granulated white sugar
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup Easter Egg M and Ms roughly chopped
• Extra M and Ms for the top

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line with parchment paper an 8 x 8 inch baking pan
• In a saucepan set over low heat, add the butter and chopped chocolate. Stir until melted and remove from heat to cool.
• Sift flour together with the salt and set aside.
• Meanwhile in a large mixing bowl add eggs, sugar and vanilla. Using a hand whisk, whisk until just combined, about 1 – 2 minutes.
• Add the melted chocolate and whisk until just combined.
• Fold in the flour until incorporated, about one minute.
• Fold in the chopped M and Ms.
• Pour the batter into prepared pan and bake for around 30 – 35 minutes. The top will be shiny and slightly cracked. Insert a toothpick into the center and check for moist crumbs.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool completely in pan.
• When cooled, lift out the brownies on the parchment paper. Place on a cutting board and cut into 16 equal squares. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for about 5 days.

*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Nutrition Facts

Mini Egg Brownies

Amount Per Serving (1 brownie)

Calories 256 Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Fat 15g23%

Saturated Fat 9g56%

Trans Fat 0.5g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 3g

Cholesterol 67mg22%

Sodium 23mg1%

Potassium 23mg1%

Carbohydrates 28g9%

Fiber 0.4g2%

Sugar 24g27%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 430IU9%

Vitamin C 0.1mg0%

Calcium 23mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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The post Mini Egg Brownies appeared first on Julia's Cuisine.

Make these fun Christmas Brownie Bites this holiday season. If you love Fudgy Chocolate Brownies, then you are going to love these little bites. The perfect mini bites topped with the best creamy and light chocolate frosting. These will be fun for the kids to help out with or to serve at a grown up Christmas party this year.

What are These Mini Brownie Bites Like

• Difficulty – These are about medium difficulty. They are not difficult at all, but to achieve the correct frosting texture you really need to strictly follow the recipe and mixing times.
• Taste – A fantastic chocolatey moist mini brownie topped with an ultra creamy chocolate frosting. Delicious!
• Serving – This recipe makes 48 mini brownie bites. You can scale the recipe up or down in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Ingredients

For the brownies

• Chocolate – I used semi sweet chocolate for this recipe.
• Butter – It’s best to use unsalted real butter.
• Sugar – Granulated white sugar
• Eggs – Use large eggs at room temperature.
• Vanilla – Vanilla extract adds flavour to baked goods.
• Flour – All purpose flour is the best flour to use for brownies.
• Salt – Regular table salt helps enhance flavours in the brownies.

For the frosting

• Butter – Unsalted butter at room temperature.
• Confectioners sugar – This is also referred to as powdered or icing sugar.
• Cocoa powder – I used regular unsweetened cocoa powder.
• Cream – Heavy whipping cream will work best.
• Vanilla – Vanilla extract helps enhance the flavours.
• Salt – Salt also brings out flavours.
• Sprinkles – I used a mix of green and pink glitter sprinkles. You can use any kind of festive sprinkles.

NOTE, The full ingredient list and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Instructions

For the brownies

1. Preheat oven – Preheat oven to 350 degrees f/180 degrees c. Grease or line with paper liners 2 x 24 count mini muffin pans. Set aside. * This recipe makes 48 mini brownies*
2. Combine chocolate and butter – In a saucepan set over low heat, add the butter and chopped semi sweet chocolate. Stir until melted and remove from heat to cool. About 2 – 3 minutes.
3. Combine flour and salt – In a medium sized bowl sift together the flour and salt. Set aside.
4. Mix eggs, sugar and vanilla – In the bowl of your electric mixer, combine the eggs, sugar and vanilla. Mix until well incorporated and smooth, about 2 – 3 minutes.
5. Finish brownie batter – Add the chocolate mixture to the eggs and sugar and stir until just incorporated. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until incorporated.
6. Bake – Pour the batter evenly into prepared muffin pans and bake for about 15 minutes. Leave them in the pan to cool on a wire rack.

For the frosting:

1. Mix butter and sugar – In the bowl of your electric mixer, mix the butter and sugar on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as necessary.
2. Add cocoa powder, vanilla and salt – Add the cocoa powder, vanilla and salt. Mix until combined, just about a minute.
3. Add cream – Add the cream, one tablespoon at a time, on medium low speed until combined. About a minute.
4. Mix frosting – Turn the mixer to high speed and continue to mix for about 5 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy and shiny.
5. Decorate brownie bites – Once the brownies have cooled completely, remove from the muffin pans. Frost with the chocolate frosting and add sprinkles.

Recipe Tips

• Don’t over mix batter – Over mixing will result in cake like and possible dry brownies
• Make sure you measure the ingredients correctly – If you add just a little too much flour, the brownies will be more cake like than chewy.
• Don’t over bake them – Remember, all ovens are different and yours could take a little shorter or a little longer time than mine. They are done when you insert a toothpick in the centre and it comes out with moist crumbs.
• Making the frosting – It’s very important to whip the frosting for the stated time in the recipe card. this is a light and fluffy frosting and requires mixing for about 10 minutes in total. Please don’t skip this step.

Substitutions

For The Brownies:

• Sugar – this recipe calls for granulated white sugar, but you can use light packed brown sugar. The texture may change slightly, but they will still be fudgy.
• Chocolate – I used semi sweet baking chocolate. You can use semi sweet chocolate chips if you have those. They will melt faster than chopped chocolate chunks as well.

For The Frosting:

• No changes – I don’t recommend making any changes to the Chocolate Frosting. It’s taken me a while to develop this recipe to this perfect fluffy perfection. Please follow the instructions and measurements in the recipe card for perfect frosting.

Serving and Storage

• At room temperature – These brownies should be served at room temperature. You can store them at room temperature in and airtight container up to three days.
• Store in the refrigerator – You can also keep these brownies in an airtight container up to five days. It’s important to remove them from the fridge and bring them to room temperature before serving.
• In the freezer – These un frosted brownies can be stored in the freezer up to one month. Bake the brownies according to instructions and leave to cool completely. Wrap in freezer proof plastic wrap and store in the freezer up to one month. Before frosting and serving, remove from freezer and allow to defrost completely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Chocolate Frosted Christmas Brownies

Fudgy dense brownies topped off with the best chocolate frosting and a few festive sprinkles. These Chocolate Frosted Christmas Brownies are sure to be a hit on any holiday sweets table.

Check out this recipe

Festive Vanilla Tray Bake

Just add sprinkles to this easy Festive Vanilla Tray Bake and it's holiday ready! A moist vanilla cake topped with cream cheese frosting and sprinkled with a touch of Christmas!

Check out this recipe

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are soft and chewy on the inside and just a little bit crispy on the outside. The perfect combination. Think brownies! These cookies would make a great addition to any Christmas cookie platter, as an edible gift or just to eat by yourself!

Check out this recipe

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Christmas Brownie Bites

Add a bit of sparkle to the holiday season with these festive Christmas Brownie Bites. Bite sized brownies topped with an ultra creamy chocolate frosting and topped with glitter sprinkles!

Prep Time35 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: North American

Keyword: brownies, christmas recipes, holiday desserts

Servings: 48 Brownie bites

Calories: 116kcal

Author: Julia Pinney

Ingredients

For the brownies

• 6 ounces semi sweet chocolate roughly chopped
• 1 Cup butter unsalted
• 2/3 Cup all purpose flour
• Pinch salt
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 1/3 cup granulated white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

For the frosting

• 3/4 cup butter room temperature
• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• sprinkles

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

For the brownies

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees f/180 degrees c. Grease or line with paper liners 2 x 24 count mini muffin pans. Set aside. * This recipe makes 48 mini brownies*
• In a saucepan set over low heat, add the butter and chopped semi sweet chocolate. Stir until melted and remove from heat to cool. About 2 – 3 minutes.
• In a medium sized bowl sift together the flour and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of your electric mixer, combine the eggs, sugar and vanilla. Mix until well incorporated and smooth, about 2 – 3 minutes.
• Add the chocolate mixture to the eggs and sugar and stir until just incorporated. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until incorporated.
• Pour the batter evenly into prepared muffin pans and bake for about 15 minutes. Leave them in the pan to cool on a wire rack.

For the frosting and decorating

• In the bowl of your electric mixer, mix the butter and sugar on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as necessary.
• Add the cocoa powder, vanilla and salt. Mix until combined, just about a minute.
• Add the cream, one tablespoon at a time, on medium low speed until combined. About a minute.
• Turn the mixer to high speed and continue to mix for about 5 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy and shiny.
• Once the brownies have cooled completely, remove from the muffin pans. Frost with the chocolate frosting and add sprinkles.

*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Notes

1. Don’t over mix batter – Over mixing will result in cake like and possible dry brownies
2. Make sure you measure the ingredients correctly – If you add just a little too much flour, the brownies will be more cake like than chewy.
3. Don’t over bake them – Remember, all ovens are different and yours could take a little shorter or a little longer time than mine. They are done when you insert a toothpick in the centre and it comes out with moist crumbs.
4. Making the frosting – It’s very important to whip the frosting for the stated time in the recipe card. this is a light and fluffy frosting and requires mixing for about 10 minutes in total. Please don’t skip this step.

Nutrition Facts

Christmas Brownie Bites

Amount Per Serving (1 brownie)

Calories 116 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Fat 9g14%

Saturated Fat 5g31%

Trans Fat 0.3g

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Cholesterol 30mg10%

Sodium 41mg2%

Potassium 38mg1%

Carbohydrates 14g5%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 235IU5%

Vitamin C 0.004mg0%

Calcium 7mg1%

Iron 0.4mg2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Thanks For Stopping By & Hope To See You Soon!

The post Christmas Brownie Bites appeared first on Julia's Cuisine.

Using zest in baked goods brings so much flavour! Cakes like the Orange Tunisian Cake and the Lemon Pistachio Cake are just bursting with fresh flavour because of the citrus. This cake is no exception even with the very few easy ingredients and easy baking method. A little citrus goes a long way!

Why You’ll Like This Cake

• Difficulty – This is a super easy snacking cake to make. From start to finish it will be ready in just over 30 minutes!
• Taste – This cake has a soft and light texture and is even a little spongy and has a light orange flavour.
• Serving – I cut this cake into 12 squares, but you could easily cut them larger or even smaller.

Ingredients

• Flour – All purpose flour is used for this cake.
• Baking powder – Baking powder is used as a leavening agent.
• Salt – Just regular table salt will help enhance the flavours.
• Butter – Unsalted butter at room temperature.
• Eggs – Large eggs at room temperature.
• Sugar – I used granulated white sugar.
• Orange zest – I added orange zest from two oranges.
• Vanilla extract – Vanilla extract is used to boost flavours.
• Sour cream – I used regular sour cream to add to a little tartness of the cake as well as adding moisture.

NOTE, The full recipe and ingredient list can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven – Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line with parchment paper a 8 x 8 inch baking tin. Set aside.
2. Combine dry ingredients – Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. Combine sugar and orange zest – Combine the sugar with the orange zest. Using your finger tips, combine the zest completely into the sugar.
4. Cream butter and sugar – In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix in until incorporated into the batter. Add vanilla and mix until combined, just about 20 seconds.
5. Add flour and sour cream – Using a wooden spoon, stir in half of the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Stir just until combined and there are no lumps. Add sour cream and stir until combined. Fold in remaining flour. Don’t over mix. Pour this batter into your prepared pan.
6. Bake – Bake in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out with just a few crumbs.
7. Cool – Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Cut and serve – Cut into squares and can be stored in the fridge for up to three days or in the freezer for a month.

Recipe Tips

• Make sure to combine sugar with zest – it’s really important to combine the zest withe sugar. This will really infuse the flavours and enhance the cake. Otherwise, the orange flavour won’t really come through in the cake.
• Use room temperature ingredients – Room temperature eggs and butter work best for baking cakes. Make sure to take your ingredients out of the fridge at least 30 – 40 minutes before using.
• Measure ingredients correctly – I like to weigh my ingredients (in the recipe card, the ingredients can be converted to metric with the click of a button). You get exact measurements every single time.
• Use the correct baking pan size – I used an 8 x 8 inch baking pan for this cake. I recommend sticking to this size pan. If you use a pan that’s larger, the cake will be flatter. Alternatively, if you use a smaller baking pan, the cake may not bake through the centre.

Substitutions

Cakes are baked and tested using very specific ingredients and measurements. Often, there are very few substitutions you can make to yield the same results as the recipe creator states. So, for this recipe, there are very few changes that I would recommend. Below, are the only changes I would recommend to yield the same results.

• Sour cream – You can easily use equal amounts of Greek yogurt or buttermilk.
• All purpose flour – You can use cake flour, just omit the baking powder if you do.
• Orange zest – For a flavour change you can use either lemon zest or lime zest.

Storage

• At room temperature – This cake needs to be served at room temperature. You can store it at room temperature in and airtight container up to three days.
• Store in the refrigerator – You can also keep this cake in an airtight container up to five days. It’s important to remove it from the fridge and bring it to room temperature before serving.
• In the freezer – This cake can be stored in the freezer up to one month. Bake the cake according to instructions and leave to cool completely. Wrap in freezer proof plastic wrap and store in the freezer up to one month. Before serving, remove from freezer and allow to freeze completely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Tunisian Orange Cake

Why not dive into a little bit of North African flavours with this gluten free almond Tunisian Orange Cake!

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Orange Pecan Streusel Muffins

Bring some sunshine into your kitchen table with these Orange Pecan Streusel Muffins. A muffin loaded with pecans, cinnamon, and orange zest for a fresh pop of flavour. Make them for your next weekend brunch.

Check out this recipe

Dried Cranberry Loaf Cake

This delicious Dried Cranberry Loaf Cake is packed full of seasonal flavours. A quick bread made with dried cranberries, orange juice and orange zest for bursting flavours. It's great to put on a Christmas breakfast or brunch table.

Check out this recipe

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Orange Sour Cream Cake

Why not try out this Orange Sour Cream Cake for a quick and easy dessert. Made with pantry staples and the addition of fresh orange zest for bursting flavour. Great served on it's own, with whipped cream, ice cream or even Homemade Lemon Curd.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time35 minutes mins

Course: Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine: North American

Keyword: citrus dessert, oranges

Servings: 12 cake squares

Calories: 187kcal

Author: Julia Pinney

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 Cup butter at room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 Cup granulated white sugar
• 2 tablespoons orange zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line with parchment paper a 8 x 8 inch baking tin. Set aside.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• Combine the sugar with the orange zest. Using your finger tips, combine the zest completely into the sugar.
• In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix in until incorporated into the batter. Add vanilla and mix until combined, just about 20 seconds.
• Using a wooden spoon, stir in half of the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Stir just until combined and there are no lumps. Add sour cream and stir until combined. Fold in remaining flour. Don't over mix. Pour this batter into your prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out with just a few crumbs.
• Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
• Cut into squares and can be stored in the fridge for up to three days or in the freezer for a month.

*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Nutrition Facts

Orange Sour Cream Cake

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 187 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Fat 9g14%

Saturated Fat 5g31%

Trans Fat 0.3g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Cholesterol 51mg17%

Sodium 205mg9%

Potassium 33mg1%

Carbohydrates 25g8%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 13g14%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 286IU6%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 31mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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The post Orange Sour Cream Cake appeared first on Julia's Cuisine.

I know it’s a bit early for strawberry season for most of you, but we’re in full swing strawberry season here in southern Spain. They have been plentiful and fantastic. I just recently made a batch of the Strawberry Shortcake Muffins and am planning to make the Mini Strawberry Cheesecake Cups soon. All great ways to use up some strawberries. Just last summer I posted a recipe for Blueberry Cream Cheese Cake Squares and I thought they would be amazing with strawberries as well. I was right, so take a look!

What are these Cake Squares Like

• Difficulty – This is a really easy cake to make. Much like a sheet pan cake, it comes together really quickly with no fussy techniques.
• Taste – This is a light vanilla cake and has a soft crumb. The cream cheese layer on top is thin but soft and creamy. The strawberries won’t sink into the cake too much, it’s almost like they are a layer on the top.
• Serving – This recipe makes 16 squares the size of brownies. You can always cut them bigger if you like to serve them as a dessert with Lemon Curd, ice cream or whipped cream.

Ingredients

• Flour – All purpose flour is used for this recipe, it’s the most commonly used flour for baking.
• Baking powder – Baking powder is used as a rising agent. NOTE, baking powder does exprire, so make sure yours is in date.
• Salt – Just regular table salt helps enhance flavours
• Butter – Softened unsalted butter.
• Eggs – Large eggs at room temperature.
• Sugar – Granulated white sugar.
• Vanilla – Adds flavour to the cake squares.
• Cream cheese – Regular full fat cream cheese softened to room temperature.
• Strawberries – This recipe uses fresh strawberries

REMEMBER, The full recipe and instructions can be found at the end of the post in the recipe card.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven – Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line with parchment paper a 8 x 8 inch baking tin. Set aside.
2. Sift dry ingredients – Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. Mix butter, sugar and eggs – In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the butter on high speed for about a minute. Add all the sugar at once and mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 -3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix in until incorporated into the batter. Add vanilla and mix until combined, just about 20 seconds.
4. Finish cake batter – Using a wooden spoon, stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Stir just until combined and there are no lumps. Don’t over mix. Pour this batter into your prepared pan. Sprinkle over 1 cup of fresh strawberries.
5. Make cream cheese layer – In a clean mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese on high for about 30 seconds. Add all the sugar at once and mix until combined, about 1 minute. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until smooth, about 2 minutes.
6. Assemble cake squares – Pour the cream cheese batter over the cake batter and smooth it over until it completely covers the top. Sprinkle over remaining 2 tablespoons of blueberries.
7. Bake – Bake in the preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs.
8. Cool – Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Cut and serve – Cut into squares and can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for a month.

Recipe Tips

• Use room temperature ingredients – Room temperature eggs and butter work best for baking cakes. Make sure to take your ingredients out of the fridge at least 30 – 40 minutes before using.
• Measure ingredients correctly – I like to weigh my ingredients (in the recipe card, the ingredients can be converted to metric with the click of a button). You get exact measurements every single time.
• Use the correct baking pan size – I used an 8 x 8 inch baking pan for this cake. I recommend sticking to this size pan. If you use a pan that’s larger, the cake will be flatter. Alternatively, if you use a smaller baking pan, the cake may not bake through the centre.

Substitutions

• Fresh strawberries – I used fresh strawberries for these cream cheese cake squares. Alternatively, you could use frozen strawberries. if you use frozen strawberries, add them frozen. You could also use blueberries or raspberries.

Serving & Storage

• Serving – These are best served after they cool down completely and set. They go great on their own or you can serve them with fresh whipped cream, ice cream or Homemade Lemon Curd.
• Storage
  • Store in the fridge – These are best kept in the fridge in an airtight container. They will keep for about three days and they will still be moist and not dry.
  • Store in the freezer – Store them in a freezer proof container and they will store in there for about a month. To defrost, just take them out and let them defrost naturally

Frequently Asked Questions

Blueberry Cream Cheese Cake Squares

Make these Blueberry Cream Cheese Cake Squares the next time you have fresh blueberries on hand. A light cake square filled with fresh blueberries and and a moist cream cheese layer.

Check out this recipe

Strawberry Snacking Cake

With strawberries plentiful around here the moment, I always have them on hand. The other day I whipped up this super easy and tasty Strawberry Snacking Cake. A great one to keep in mind when time is not on your side and you're looking for something fresh and seasonal.

Check out this recipe

Mini Strawberry Cheesecake Cups

These Mini Strawberry Cheesecake Cups are the perfect after dinner dessert for summer. biscuit layer followed by a vanilla cream cheese filling and topped with lightly sweetened strawberry whipped cream.

Check out this recipe

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Strawberry Cake Squares

These Strawberry Cake Squares are light and fluffy and topped with a cream cheese layer and fresh strawberries. And easy to make dessert that can be served just as they are or with vanilla ice cream!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: North American

Keyword: cake squares, easy desserts, strawberries

Servings: 16 squares

Calories: 206kcal

Author: Julia Pinney

Ingredients

Cake Layer

• 1 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
• 1 Teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon salt
• 1/2 Cup butter at room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 Cup granulated white sugar
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla

For the Cream Cheese Layer

• 1 Cup cream cheese
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 Cup granulated white sugar
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla

Other

• 1 1/2 cups strawberries cut into small pieces

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line with parchment paper a 8 x 8 inch baking tin. Set aside.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the butter on high speed for about a minute. Add all the sugar at once and mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 -3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix in until incorporated into the batter. Add vanilla and mix until combined, just about 20 seconds.
• Using a wooden spoon, stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Stir just until combined and there are no lumps. Don't over mix. Pour this batter into your prepared pan. Sprinkle over 1 cup of the fresh chopped strawberries.
• In a clean mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese on high for about 30 seconds. Add all the sugar at once and mix until combined, about 1 minute. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until smooth, about 2 minutes.
• Pour the cream cheese batter over the cake batter and smooth it over until it completely covers the top. Sprinkle over remaining 1/2 cup strawberries.
• Bake in the preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs.
• Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
• Cut into squares and can be stored in the fridge for up to three days or in the freezer for a month.

*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Nutrition Facts

Strawberry Cake Squares

Amount Per Serving (1 square)

Calories 206 Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g18%

Saturated Fat 7g44%

Trans Fat 0.2g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 3g

Cholesterol 64mg21%

Sodium 203mg9%

Potassium 47mg1%

Carbohydrates 22g7%

Fiber 0.3g1%

Sugar 13g14%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 418IU8%

Calcium 37mg4%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Thanks For Stopping by & Hope To See You Soon!

The post Strawberry Cake Squares appeared first on Julia's Cuisine.

Getting back on the holiday bandwagon today with these Chocolate Frosted Christmas Brownies. If you’re a regular reader, you might remember me saying that from now until Christmas, there will be one festive inspired recipe each week. Last week I shared the Chocolate Drizzled Coconut Macaroons, which have been a huge hit. And if you’re looking for more holiday inspired sweets, you might want to check out 30 Great Cookie Recipes from last year.

What Makes These Brownies Great

• Fun for the holidays – The kids will love helping out with these.
• The best frosting – This whipped chocolate buttercream frosting is the best frosting! It’s utterly creamy, fudgy and light. The perfect frosting.
• Texture – These brownies are dense and sweet and the perfect brownie consistency.

Ingredients

For the Brownies:

• Chocolate – I used semi sweet dark chocolate in this recipe.
• Flour – All purpose flour works best for these brownies.
• Sugar – Granulated white sugar is best in this recipe.
• Eggs and dairy – This recipe calls for whole eggs and butter.
• Other ingredients – Vanilla extract and salt are used to enhance flavours.

For the Frosting:

• Butter – Room temperature unsalted butter.
• Sugar – This recipe uses confectioners (powdered) sugar.
• Cocoa powder – I used regular natural cocoa powder.
• Cream – I used heavy whipping to lighten the frosting.
• Vanilla extract – This is used to add flavour to the frosting.
• Salt – A small amount of salt is added to enhance the flavour.
• Sprinkles – You can use any kind of sprinkles for this recipe.

REMEMBER, The full recipe and instructions is found at the end of the post in the recipe card.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven and prepare pan – Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 x 8 inch baking pan and set aside.
2. Melt butter and chocolate – In a saucepan set over low heat, add the butter and chopped chocolate. Stir until melted and remove from heat to cool.
3. Combine dry ingredients – Sift flour together with the salt and set aside.
4. Mix sugar, eggs and vanilla – Meanwhile in a large mixing bowl add eggs, sugar and vanilla. Mix well until incorporated and smooth. Probably only a couple of minutes. Remember do not over mix! If you mix it too long, you will end up with more of a cake texture.
5. Finish the batter – Next, add the chocolate mixture and stir until incorporated. Add flour all at once and gently stir in with a wooden spoon until just incorporated.
6. Pour into pan and bake – Pour the batter into prepared pan and bake for around 25 minutes. Check a few minutes before the baking time is up and insert a toothpick. A few moist crumbs should come out on the stick. Leave them in the pan to cool on a wire rack.
7. Mix together butter and sugar for frosting – In the bowl of your electric mixer, mix the butter and sugar on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as necessary.
8. Add cocoa powder to frosting – Add in the cocoa powder, vanilla and salt. Mix until combined, just about a minute.
9. Add cream to frosting – Add the cream, one tablespoon at a time, on medium low speed until combined. About a minute.
10. Mix for 5 minutes – Turn the mixer to high speed and continue to mix for about 5 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy and shiny.
11. Frost brownies – Once the brownies have cooled completely, use an offset spatula to evenly spread the frosting over the top. Add sprinkles evenly over the top.
12. Cut and serve – Lift the brownies out in the parchment paper. Place on a clean surface and cut into 16 equal squares.

Recipe Tips

• Don’t over mix batter – Over mixing will result in cake like and possible dry brownies
• Make sure you measure the ingredients correctly – If you add just a little too much flour, the brownies will be more cake like than chewy.
• And last but not least, don’t over bake them – Remember, all ovens are different and yours could take a little shorter or a little longer time than mine. They are done when you insert a toothpick in the center and it comes out with moist crumbs.
• Making the frosting – It’s very important to whip the frosting for the stated time in the recipe card. this is a light and fluffy frosting and requires mixing for about 10 minutes in total. Please don’t skip this step.

Substitutions

For the Brownies

• Sugar – this recipe calls for granulated white sugar, but you can use light packed brown sugar. The texture may change slightly, but they will still be fudgy.
• Chocolate – I used semi sweet baking chocolate. You can use semi sweet chocolate chips if you have those. They will melt faster than chopped chocolate chunks as well.

For the Frosting

• No changes – I don’t recommend making any changes to the Chocolate Frosting. It’s taken me a while to develop this recipe to this perfect fluffy perfection. Please follow the instructions and measurements in the recipe card for perfect frosting.

Serving and Storage

• At room temperature – These brownies should be served at room temperature. You can store them at room temperature in and airtight container up to three days.
• Store in the refrigerator – You can also keep these brownies in an airtight container up to five days. It’s important to remove them from the fridge and bring them to room temperature before serving.
• In the freezer – These un frosted brownies can be stored in the freezer up to one month. Bake the brownies according to instructions and leave to cool completely. Wrap in freezer proof plastic wrap and store in the freezer up to one month. Before frosting and serving, remove from freezer and allow to defrost completely.

Frequently Asked Questions

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US CustomaryMetric

Chocolate Frosted Christmas Brownies

Fudgy dense brownies topped off with the best chocolate frosting and a few festive sprinkles. These Chocolate Frosted Christmas Brownies are sure to be a hit on any holiday sweets table.

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: North American

Keyword: brownies, christmas recipes, holiday baking

Servings: 16 Brownies

Calories: 349kcal

Author: Julia Pinney

Ingredients

For the brownies

• 6 ounces semi sweet chocolate roughly chopped
• 2/3 Cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cup granulated white sugar
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 Cup butter unsalted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• Pinch salt

For the frosting

• 3/4 cup butter unsalted and at room temperature
• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• * sprinkles optional

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

For the brownies:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 x 8 inch baking pan and set aside.
• In a saucepan set over low heat, add the butter and chopped chocolate. Stir until melted and remove from heat to cool.
• Sift flour together with the salt and set aside.
• Meanwhile in a large mixing bowl add eggs, sugar and vanilla. Mix well until incorporated and smooth. Probably only a couple of minutes. Remember do not over mix! If you mix it too long, you will end up with more of a cake texture.
• Next, add the chocolate mixture and stir until incorporated. Add flour all at once and gently stir in with a wooden spoon until just incorporated.
• Pour the batter into prepared pan and bake for around 25 minutes. Check a few minutes before the baking time is up and insert a toothpick. A few moist crumbs should come out on the stick. Leave them in the pan to cool on a wire rack.

For the frosting:

• In the bowl of your electric mixer, mix the butter and sugar on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as necessary.
• Add in the cocoa powder, vanilla and salt. Mix until combined, just about a minute.
• Add the cream, one tablespoon at a time, on medium low speed until combined. About a minute.
• Turn the mixer to high speed and continue to mix for about 5 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy and shiny.
• Once the brownies have cooled completely, use an offset spatula to evenly spread the frosting over the top. Add sprinkles evenly over the top.
• Lift the brownies out in the parchment paper. Place on a clean surface and cut into 16 equal squares.

*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Notes

1. Don’t over mix batter – Over mixing will result in cake like and possible dry brownies
2. Make sure you measure the ingredients correctly – If you add just a little too much flour, the brownies will be more cake like than chewy.
3. And last but not least, don’t over bake them – Remember, all ovens are different and yours could take a little shorter or a little longer time than mine. They are done when you insert a toothpick in the center and it comes out with moist crumbs.
4. Making the frosting – It’s very important to whip the frosting for the stated time in the recipe card. this is a light and fluffy frosting and requires mixing for about 10 minutes in total. Please don’t skip this step.

Nutrition Facts

Chocolate Frosted Christmas Brownies

Amount Per Serving (1 Brownie)

Calories 349 Calories from Fat 234

% Daily Value*

Fat 26g40%

Saturated Fat 16g100%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 7g

Cholesterol 91mg30%

Sodium 122mg5%

Potassium 115mg3%

Carbohydrates 43g14%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 21g23%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 704IU14%

Vitamin C 0.01mg0%

Calcium 22mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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The post Chocolate Frosted Christmas Brownies appeared first on Julia's Cuisine.

Admittedly, these are not the prettiest bar cookies I’ve ever made. But friends, they are worth the sticky caramel mess because they are delicious! These bars are made from scratch using a cookie base of your choice and a cheesecake filling and then topped with Homemade Caramel Sauce. I mean, it doesn’t get a whole lot better!

What Makes These Bars Great

• Crowd plaeser – The fall season is here and the holiday season just around the corner. These bars will make any cheese cake fan quite happy.
• Great make ahead treat – These are a great bar cookie that you can make in advance and even freeze ahead of the holiday rush.
• Delicious ingredients – This bar cookie has all the flavours wrapped up. A crisp cookie base. A delicious creamy filling and a sweet caramel topping. Perfect.

Ingredients

For the base

• 1 Cup cookie crumbs, finely crushed
• 1/4 Cup butter melted

For the filling

• 16 oz cream cheese equal to two packs
• 1/2 Cup sugar
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 Cup whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the topping

• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1/3 cup butter unsalted
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp salt

REMEMBER, The full recipe and instructions is always found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Instructions

For the base

1. In a medium sized bowl combine the cookie crumbs and melted butter. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom of the pan. Press firmly to ensure they don’t fall apart. Cover and refrigerate while you make the filling.

For the filling

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees f/180 degrees c. Grease and line and 8 x 8 baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Add the cream cheese, sugar and flour to the bowl of your electric mixer. Mix on high speed for about 2 minutes until smooth. As you are mixing, scrape down the sides as needed.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the whipping cream and vanilla extract and mix until incorporated.
4. Remove the crust from the refrigerator and evenly pour over the filling.
5. Bake for approximately 45 – 50 minutes. Open the oven door and turn off the oven. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for about 15 more minutes.
6. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack until completely cooled, at least an hour.

For the topping

1. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, add all the sugar at once and start to stir. Stir the sugar until it starts to clump together and turn light brown.
2. Continue to stir the sugar until it completely melts and becomes rich brown in colour. The entire process of stirring the sugar will take about 10 minutes.
3. Immediately add the butter and stir vigorously until it’s completely melted. This will take about a minute. It will quickly thicken the butter melts.
4. In a slow steady stream, add the cream. Whisking as you pour. Leave it to come to a boil. This will take about 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in the 1/2 teaspoon salt.
5. Caramel sauce will thicken as it cools. Pour slightly cooled caramel sauce over the cheesecake bars. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
6. Cut into equal squares. Refrigerate leftovers.

Recipe Notes

• For the cookie base – Be sure to press the cookie base firmly into the baking dish. If you don’t, the base may fall apart or crumble after baking.
• The cream cheese filling – Baking time may vary between 40 – 50 minutes. You are looking for it to be set but still a little wobbly in the center. Allow a full hour for the cheesecake to set before topping it with the caramel sauce.
• Caramel topping – I’ve written an entire post on How to Make Caramel Sauce. I strongly suggest you check out that post for tips if this is your first time making caramel sauce.

Substitutions

• Cookie base – i used Digestive Biscuits for this recipe. You can use Graham Wafer Cookies, Vanilla Wafers or any cookie of your choice.
• Cream cheese filling – I don’t recommend many changes to the filling. You could change the vanilla extract for a different flavour like almond extract or even orange extract.
• Caramel topping – I made a Homemade Caramel Sauce for these cookie bars. I strongly recommend you use it too! You could just drizzle it over if you prefer less. You can also add it as you serve it so you can choose how much you prefer.

Serving and Storage

• Serving suggestions – Honestly, these bar cookies are amazing just as they are. However, you can dress them up and serve them with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
• Store in the refrigerator – These bar cookie have to be stored in the refrigerator. They will be too soft and the caramel will melt if left at room temperature for too long. Store in an airtight container in the fridge up to one week.
• In the freezer – Alternatively, you can store these in the freezer up to two months. You can freeze them with or without the caramel topping.

Frequently Asked Questions

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US CustomaryMetric

Caramel Topped Cheesecake Squares

These Caramel Topped Cheesecake Squares just might be the best cookie bars. A crisp biscuit layer, followed by a cream cheese filling and topped with decadent caramel sauce. Perfect fall baking.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Cool and chill time1 hour hr

Total Time2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course: cookies, Dessert

Cuisine: North American

Keyword: bar cookies, caramel recipes, cookies

Servings: 25 squares

Calories: 200kcal

Author: Julia Pinney

Ingredients

For the base

• 1 Cup cookie crumbs
• 1/4 Cup butter melted

For the filling

• 16 oz cream cheese equal to two packs
• 1/2 Cup granulated white sugar
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
• 2 eggs at room temperature
• 1/4 Cup whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the topping

• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1/3 cup butter unsalted
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp salt

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

For the crust

• In a medium sized bowl combine the cookie crumbs and melted butter. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom of the pan. Press firmly to ensure they don't fall apart. Cover and refrigerate while you make the filling.

For the filling

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees f/180 degrees c. Grease and line and 8 x 8 baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Add the cream cheese, sugar and flour to the bowl of your electric mixer. Mix on high speed for about 2 minutes until smooth. As you are mixing, scrape down the sides as needed.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the whipping cream and vanilla extract and mix until incorporated.
• Remove the crust from the refrigerator and evenly pour over the filling.
• Bake for approximately 45 – 50 minutes. Open the oven door and turn off the oven. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for about 15 more minutes.
• Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack until completely cooled, at least an hour.

For the topping

• In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, add all the sugar at once and start to stir. Stir the sugar until it starts to clump together and turn light brown.
• Continue to stir the sugar until it completely melts and becomes rich brown in colour. The entire process of stirring the sugar will take about 10 minutes.
• Immediately add the butter and stir vigorously until it's completely melted. This will take about a minute. It will quickly thicken the butter melts.
• In a slow steady stream, add the cream. Whisking as you pour. Leave it to come to a boil. This will take about 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in the 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Caramel sauce will thicken as it cools. Pour slightly cooled caramel sauce over the cheesecake bars. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
• Cut into equal squares. Refrigerate leftovers.

*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Nutrition Facts

Caramel Topped Cheesecake Squares

Amount Per Serving (1 square)

Calories 200 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Fat 14g22%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Trans Fat 0.2g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 4g

Cholesterol 51mg17%

Sodium 159mg7%

Potassium 38mg1%

Carbohydrates 18g6%

Fiber 0.2g1%

Sugar 17g19%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 500IU10%

Vitamin C 0.04mg0%

Calcium 26mg3%

Iron 0.2mg1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Thanks For Stopping By & Hope To See You soon!

The post Caramel Topped Cheesecake Squares appeared first on Julia's Cuisine.

Who doesn’t love a great vanilla cake with chocolate frosting? I think it’s probably my favourite flavour combination for cakes. And this cake, made in a small sheet pan style, is not only delicious but easy to make.

This makes for a great celebration cake or even to pack in kids lunch boxes for back to school.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 Cups flour
• 1 Teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon salt
• 1/2 Cup butter at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 Eggs at room temperature
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 Cup milk
• 3/4 cup butter unsalted and at room temperature
• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• sprinkles (optional)

REMEMBER, The full recipe and instructions is found at the end of the post in the recipe card.

Instructions – For the Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line an 8 inch square baking tin.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt . Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix the butter on high speed until smooth and then add the sugar. Continue mixing for about 3 minutes or so. Mix in the vanilla and add eggs one at a time , mixing well after each addition .
4. Add the flour and milk to the batter in three additions, starting and ending with the flour. Mix just long enough so the flour is incorporated.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 20 – 25 minutes . Cake will be done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean . Remove from oven and leave to cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 5 minutes . Remove cake from pan, remove parchment paper and leave to cool completely on the wire rack .

Instructions – For the Frosting

1. In the bowl of your electric mixer, mix the butter and sugar on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as necessary.
2. Add in the cocoa powder, vanilla and salt. Mix until combined, just about a minute.
3. Add the cream, one tablespoon at a time, on medium low speed until combined. About a minute.
4. Turn the mixer to high speed and continue to mix for about 5 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy and shiny.
5. Once the cake has cooled completely, transfer to a serving plate and frost the cake with the frosting. Will keep for about 3 days in an airtight container on the counter.

Recipe Tips

• Use room temperature ingredients – Room temperature eggs, butter and milk work best for baking cakes. Make sure to take your ingredients out of the fridge at least 30 – 40 minutes before using.
• Measure ingredients correctly – I like to weigh my ingredients (in the recipe card, the ingredients can be converted to metric with the click of a button). You get exact measurements every single time.
• Use the correct baking pan size – I used an 8 x 8 inch baking pan for this cake. I recommend sticking to this size pan. If you use a pan that’s larger, the cake will be flatter. Alternatively, if you use a smaller baking pan, the cake may not bake through the center.
• Whip frosting for time stated – This frosting takes up to 15 minutes to whip properly . it takes this long to create air bubbles in the the frosting which is what makes it light and fluffy.
• Cool cake properly – Make sure to allow the cake to cool completely before you frost the cake. Otherwise the frosting will run off the cake.
• Make ahead frosting – This frosting can be made ahead and kept in an airtight container up to one week before using.

Substitutions and Recipe Changes

Cakes are baked and tested using very specific ingredients and measurements. Often, there are very few substitutions you can make to yield the same results as the recipe creator states. So, for this recipe, there are very few changes that I would recommend. Below, are the only changes I would recommend to yield the same results.

FOR THE CAKE

• Milk – I used whole milk for the cake. You could use buttermilk in place of whole milk for the same richness.
• All purpose flour – You can use cake flour for this recipe.

FOR THE FROSTING

• No changes – I don’t recommend changing anything to this frosting. It’s taken me a while to develop this recipe to this perfect fluffy perfection. Please follow the instructions and measurements in the recipe card for perfect frosting.

Storage

• At room temperature – This cake needs to be served at room temperature. You can store it at room temperature in and airtight container up to three days.
• Store in the refrigerator – You can also keep this cake in an airtight container up to five days. It’s important to remove it from the fridge and bring it to room temperature before serving.
• In the freezer – This unfrosted cake can be stored in the freezer up to one month. Bake the cake according to instructions and leave to cool completely. Wrap in freezer proof plastic wrap and store in the freezer up to one month. Before frosting and serving, remove from freezer and allow to freeze completely.

Frequently Asked Questions

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US CustomaryMetric

Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Moist and buttery cake topped with the best chocolate frosting.

Prep Time35 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: North American

Keyword: cake, chocolate, frosting

Servings: 16 squares

Calories: 218kcal

Author: Julia Pinney

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
• 1 Teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon salt
• 1/2 Cup butter at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 Eggs at room temperature
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 Cup milk

For the frosting:

• 3/4 cup butter unsalted and at room temperature
• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• * sprinkles optional

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

For the cake

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line an 8 inch square baking tin.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt . Set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix the butter on high speed until smooth and then add the sugar. Continue mixing for about 3 minutes or so. Mix in the vanilla and add eggs one at a time , mixing well after each addition .
• Add the flour and milk to the batter in three additions, starting and ending with the flour. Mix just long enough so the flour is incorporated.
• Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 20 – 25 minutes . Cake will be done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean . Remove from oven and leave to cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 5 minutes . Remove cake from pan, remove parchment paper and leave to cool completely on the wire rack .

For the frosting

• In the bowl of your electric mixer, mix the butter and sugar on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as necessary.
• Add in the cocoa powder, vanilla and salt. Mix until combined, just about a minute.
• Add the cream, one tablespoon at a time, on medium low speed until combined. About a minute.
• Turn the mixer to high speed and continue to mix for about 5 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy and shiny.
• Once the cake has cooled completely, transfer to a serving plate and frost the cake with the frosting. Sprinkle over sprinkles, if using. Will keep for about 3 days in an airtight container on the counter.

*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Nutrition Facts

Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 218 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Cholesterol 44mg15%

Sodium 189mg8%

Potassium 50mg1%

Carbohydrates 31g10%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 21g23%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 314IU6%

Calcium 36mg4%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Thanks For Stopping By & Hope To See You Soon!

The post Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Frosting appeared first on Julia's Cuisine.