My Favorite Things To Bake
Y’all know I love to bake. If I could, I would bake every weekend.
However, I have very strong feelings about wasting money, and running my oven in the middle of the summer just feels so wrong to me, so I avoid it at all costs. So, basically only birthdays get cakes and that’s it.
Fall and winter are a completely different story. I will bake every weekend and sometime weeknights just for the hygge vibes. Because of this, today I’m sharing some of my all-time favorite baking recipes - cakes, breads, all of it.
You’ll notice that many of the recipes are from the same two creators. I’ve tried a lot of recipes from a lot of different people on Pinterest, and I’ve found that Half Baked Harvest and Baking with Blondie are really excellent at what they do. Two of the best. They’re consistent, the recipes are simple to follow, and they work.
banana bread.
I use my mom’s recipe, but I don’t think there’s ever been a banana bread I don’t like. It’s super easy, and a great way to get rid of overripe bananas. It even freezes well, so it’s nice to have an extra in the freezer. You know, for special occasions. Or, a Tuesday.
These are my go-to when I need to whip up a quick dessert for a gathering. They are SO fudgy (I’ve never liked. cakey brownies), super easy and really nail that perfect crinkly top. I’ve messed up this recipe before, so if you’re really into crinkly brownies, follow the directions.
I think I make beer bread at least every other week once it gets cold. It takes less than 10 minutes to throw togther, 5 ingredients, and 45 minutes in the oven. I like to make it to accompany soup for a cozy meal.
No, I do not mix lemon and chocolate Oreos. This is made with lemon Oreos, and it’s quite honestly what lemon dreams are made of. There’s a crispy cookie crust, lemon curd, and a delightful buttercream. If you prefer a simpler sheet cake, check this one out.
I made these for a Halloween party last year, and I fell in love with them. I’m not a big blondie person, but these are just so good. They’re full of apples and drizzled with a maple glaze. Perfect with my coffee on a cool morning.
This bread is as delicious as it is beautiful. It’s a lovely loaf that perfectly accompanies any meal. It really wasn’t too difficult to do, despite those swirls. It can also be done without the cheese for a yummy garlic herb bread.
I made this last weekend for Elliot’s birthday and WOW. I chose this because my husband adores anything with toffee in it, and can’t say no to a good churro. It seemed perfect for the very beginning of fall. It turned out so much better than I anticipated - a lovely churro flavor throughout, with hints of toffee. It was an excellent choice, if I may say so myself.
There’s a reason these are last. They might be my favorite things in the fall. They have the perfect sweet pumpkiny flavor, highlighted by the warm chai spices. Sometimes I just make the cupcakes without frosting and have them as pumpkin muffins with my coffee. The author of this recipe has another version with a caramel brulee frosting, too, if that suits your fancy.
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters” Colossians 3:23