Super Moist Honey Cake

 

Here's a super moist cake for you all.

It's actually a quick bread, but it is extra moist and tender, almost like a cupcake:)

As soon as I saw this recipe, I knew I had to make it.

It's not the prettiest thing in the world, but I can tell you that you'll want to bake it over and over again!

Basically, it's a spice cake, but with a surprise of a distinctive honey flavor.

The honey taste is definitely there, which is perfect for me because I adore honey.

I was planning to have these with a drizzle of honey, but I don't even think that was necessary!

These are perfect for breakfast, a quick snack, or even as a dessert.

 

Super Moist Honey Cake
makes one 9x5" loaf
Recipe adapted from SmittenKitchen
Ingredients*
1 cup plus 2 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 teaspoon baking soda
1/6 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/6 teaspoon ground cloves
1/6 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/6 cup (2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons) brown sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1/3 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup warm coffee
1/6 cup (2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons) fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon rye or whiskey ( I just used water - worked fine!)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F.
Generously grease 9x5" loaf pan with baking spray.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Make a well in the center and add oil, honey, both the sugars, eggs, vanilla, coffee, orange juice, and ryr or whiskey (or water). I have learnt from this recipe that if you meaure the oil first, then the honey, the honey will slide out beautifully without leaving any sticky bits behind! With an electric mixer on low speed, stir together all the ingredients until well combined. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the cake springs back when you gently touch the center, about 45 to 55 minutes. Let the cake stand for 15 minutes before removing from pan.

*I know the ingredients measurements are a little strange, and that's because I divided the original recipe by three! If you want to, you can bake 3 loaves with the following amounts:
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup olive oil
1 cup honey
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup rye or whiskey

 

 

 

Betty Crocker's Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm trying to get the perfect chocolate chip cookie these days, so I've already tried about four different recipes just last week. 

One of them was the turtle cookies I posted a few hours ago, which was awesome, but that technically wasn't a chocolate chip cookie, and they had nuts in them.

This one's more of a pure, classic version:)

Of course, they're huge, soft, thick, moist, and chewy - just how I like'em!

I usually try to underbake my cookies so that there's a little cookie doughy bit inside:)))

And these cookies certainly gave me that!

Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookies
makes 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies
Recipe from Betty Crocker's New Cookbook
Ingredients:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar*
1 cup butter, softened
1 egg
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour**
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F.
Mix sugars, butter, and egg in a large bowl. Stir in the flour, baking soda and salt.
Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet, leaving 3 inches between cookies.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are set but the center is still soft. Let the cookies cool for about 2 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer to wire racks and cool completely.

Notes:
*I used splenda brown sugar blend, just to make it a little healthier:)
**I used 2 1/4 cups of self rising flour and omitted the baking soda and salt.
For regular sized cookies, drop by heaping tablespoons about 2 inches apart and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen.

Asian Chicken with Peanuts

Chicken is officially my favorite meat.

Well, they're poultry, not exactly 'meat'. So let's say.. favorite protein?

No, wait. Beans are better.

Okay, chicken is my favorite animal to eat... that sounds weird, doesn't it?

Forget it. I just like chicken.

They're so versatile and easy to prepare in a snap. Plus, they're healthy!

I don't know how many people are like me, but I like the taste of healthy food. I usually eat the chicken breasts rather than the wings or drumsticks.

And I love munching down a big bowl of chunky vegetables.

It makes me feel so... pure and organic:)

But at the same time, I love chocolatey, buttery, fudgy desserts, so I guess that evens it out.

Asian Chicken with Peanuts
serves 4 (2 cups each)
Recipe adapted from Campbell's Kitchen
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 3/4 cups less sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/4 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 2 inch strips (2 cups)
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
2 cups broccoli
2 small red peppers, cut into 2-inch strips (2 cups)
1/2 cup salted peanuts*
2 tablespoons chunky or creamy peanut butter (optional)**
1 cup long grain white rice, cooked (3 cups cooked)

Directions:
Stir cornstarch, broth, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil in a medium bowl.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium high heat and stir fry chicken until well browned. Remove the chicken from the skillet and keep warm.
Reduce heat to medium, heat 1 tablespoon oil, and add broccoli, pepper, and garlic and stir fry until tender crisp. Stir in the cornstarch mixture; cook and stir until it boils and thickens, then stir in the peanut butter. Return chicken to skillet.
Stir in peanuts and season with salt to taste. Cook until hot and bubbling.
Serve with cooked rice.

Notes:
*I didn't have salted peanuts, so I used regular peanuts and added about 1/2 teaspoon salt.
**The original recipe doesn't include peanut butter, but I felt that the end result didn't really pick up the peanutty flavor from just the salted peanuts.