For the cake

2 Eggs

1/4 cup of packed brown sugar

1/2 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of heavy cream

1/4 cup of avocado oil or a vegetable oil of your preference

1 cup of Guinness beer

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 pinch of salt

1 and 1/2 cups of flower

1/4 cup of oats

2 and 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

Half a bar of bittersweet premium baking chocolate cut into very tiny pieces with a chef’s knife.

First grease a 9 inch funnel pan and heat your oven to 350F.

In a stand mixer combine eggs ad sugar and mix until it becomes a light and fluffy mixture, about 3-5 minutes. Add heavy cream and mix for about 1 minute. Add vegetable oil, Guinness and vanilla extract and salt, mix for about 1 more minute. Sift the flower into the mixture, add oats, baking powder and baking soda and on the level 1-2 of your mixer, mix well but do not take too long on this step just until mixture is combined. Combine the chocolate.

Bake for 50 minutes.

For the frosting

4 ounces of cream cheese (room temperature)

1/4 cup of butter (room temperature)

1 cup of confectioners sugar

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 tiny pinch of salt

In a stand mixer combine butter, cream cheese and vanilla and salt. Add confectioners sugar. If you prefer a thicker frosting add another 1/4 cup of confectioners sugar.

Wait for your cake to cool, decorate it with the frosting and enjoy!

Brazilian Carrot Cake with Chocolate Ganache

2 cups of chopped carrots

3 eggs

1/3 cup of milk or orange juice

1/3 cup of vegetable oil

1/2 cup of sugar

A pinch of salt

2 cups of flour

1/4 tsp of baking soda

2 1/5 tsp of baking powder

In a blender combine carrots, eggs, milk, vegetable oil, sugar and salt and blend well.

In a separate bowl sift the flour, baking soda and baking powder, pour in the mixture (about a cup of it at a time), stir gently or use a stand mixer in low speed.

Bake at 325 for about 60 minutes.

Chocolate Ganache

Half a bar of baking chocolate cut into pieces, 1/3 cup of milk, 1 teaspoon of butter.

Warm the milk . In a separate bowl add the chocolate and salt, pour the milk over it, cover with plastic for 3 mins. Add the butter and mix it well. Pour over the cake and enjoy.

This is my favorite cookies off all times, and as most people know that are a lot of versions of Thumbprints in U.S., but none of them will  taste as good as this one, they are also not too sweet for my taste. This recipe is from my Mother-in-law and after I had them for the first time, many years ago, I never more wanted even to try any other Thumbprint around. It took me many years before I finally decided to make them, because I thought I would never be able to make them as good as my Mother-in-law makes, but I finally did and it tastes really good also. I’m now sharing the original recipe with you and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

 

Thumbprint Cookies – I double this recipe

1/2 cup shortening (part butter or margarine) I use Crisco for the shortening part. (1/4 cup of shortening and 1/4 cup of butter or marg.)
1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 egg, separated
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup Flour (I use all purpose Pillsbury flour)
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup finely chopped nuts – I use walnuts (I have a mini chopper and it works great)
jelly or tinted confectioners sugar icing (You can use jelly instead of sugar for the filling, Apricot preserves is good)

Heat oven to 350 deg.  Mix shortening, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla thoroughly.  Measure flour by dipping method* or by sifting.  Blend together flour and salt in separate bowl then stir into butter mixture.  Roll dough into balls (1 tsp. per ball).  Beat egg white slightly with fork.  Dip balls in egg white. Roll in nuts.  Place about 1″ apart on ungreased baking sheet; press thumb gently in center of each.  Bake 10 to 12 min. or until set.  Cool.  Fill thumbprints with jelly or tinted icing.  Makes about 3 doz. cookies.

Make sure you roll the balls in the egg white, that’s what makes the nuts stick to the dough.

Icing recipe:

Easy Creamy Icing
1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar,
1/4 tsp vanilla and enough cream or milk (2 to 3 tbsp.) to make easy to spread.
Add a few drops of food coloring for tinted icing.
Drop small amount of icing in center of cookie and spread with small spatula or knife.

* (I use dipping method by dipping measuring cup into canister or flour sack and level off with spatula of straight edged knife.  Do not tap cup or pack more flour into cup before leveling)

Some people put preserves on before baking the cookies, but I never tried it.  You’re on your own for that.
Let me know how they turn out when you decide to make them.

Have fun and enjoy!!

Love,
Mom-in-law

Pumpikin and coconut coffee cake

1/2 cup of sugar

2 tablespoons of coconut oil (or a vegetable oil of your preference)

3 eggs

1 cup of kabocha squash puree or pumpkin puree

1/3 cup of milk

1 1/2 cup of flour

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

1/3 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut

3 teaspoon of baking powder

1 tablespoon of granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a tube cake pan, set aside.

With the help of a mixer beat well the sugar and coconut oil, add the eggs one at a time. Add the pumpkin puree and beat a little more. Add all the dry ingredients except the baking powder and granulated sugar, beat on low speed. Last add the baking powder and beat well still on low speed only until combined. Pour the mixture into the baking pan and sprinkle the top with the granulated sugar. Bake for 50 minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

English Version

1/2 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of coconut oil

3 eggs

1/3 cup of warm milk or warm water

1/2 tspn of vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup of flour

3 tspn of baking powder

1/2 tspn of salt

2 – 3 cups of blueberries

1/2 cup of ricotta cheese

 

Preheat the oven at 350F.

Using an electric mixer beat well sugar and coconut oil, with the mixer turned on, add one egg at a time and milk. Sift the flour and add to the mixture, beat on low, add baking powder, salt and beat just enough to get it combined. Fold in blueberries and ricotta cheese. Bake for 45 – 50 mins.

___________________________________________________________________________

Versão em Português

1/2 copo de açúcar

1/2 copo de oleo de coco (ou oleo vegetal de sua preferencia)

3 ovos

1/3 copo de leite (ou agua) quente

1/2 colher de cha de vanila

1 1/2 copo de farinha de trigo

3 colheres de cha de fermento

1/2 colher de cha de sal

2 – 3 copos de blueberry

1/2 copo de ricotta

Pre-aqueca o forno a 180C.

Usando uma batedeira elétrica bata o açúcar e o oleo, com a batedeira ainda ligada adicione um ovo de cada vez, acrescente o leite quente. Coe a farinha e adicione misture com a batedeira na velocidade baixa, adicione o sal e o fermento. Com uma colher adicione os blueberries e a ricota. Leve ao forno por 45 a 50 mins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

English version

For the sauce:

1/4 cup of packed brown sugar or granulated sugar

2 tbsps of coconut oil or butter

2 tbsps of orange juice

2 cups of fresh or frozen cranberries

In a sauce pan put the oil and sugar, stir and simmer for about 2-3 minutes (low to medium heat), stirring well. Grease and flour a tube cake pan. Pour the mixture into the pan and add the cranberries on top and reserve.

For the cake:

1/2 cup of sugar

2 tbsps of coconut oil (or a vegetable oil of your preference, or butter)

4 egg yolks

1 cup of orange juice

1 and 1/2 cup of flour

1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp of salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 egg whites

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Combine egg yolks, oil and sugar, beat on medium for about 2 minutes add the vanilla and orange juice beat a little more. Add flower and mix well on low, last add the baking powder and mix gently until well combined. Beat the egg whites until it gets a hard consistency, add to the mixture stirring gently with a spoon, just enough to fluffier the previous mixture. Add this mixture on the baking pan and bake for about 55 minutes. Cool cake in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a blunt knife around the inside rim of the cake pan to loosen the cake from the sides of the pan. Then turn the cake out onto a platter.

Portuguese version

Cobertura:

1/4 de copo de açúcar

2 colheres de olho de coco ou manteiga

2 colheres de suco de laranja

2 copos de cranberry ou acerola

Em uma panela pequena misture o oleo de coco e açúcar, misture no fogo baixo pra medio por uns 2 ou 3 minutos sempre mexendo. Unte uma forma de buraco no meio e adicione a misture por cima coloque a acerola ou cranberry e reserve.

Massa:

1/2 copo de açúcar

2 colheres de oleo de coco (ou outro oleo vegetal de sua preferencia ou manteiga)

4 gemas

1 copo de suco de laranja

1 copo e 1/2 de farinha

1 colher e 1/2 de cha de fermento

1 colher de cha de sal

1 colher de cha de vanilla

4 claras em neve

Aqueca o forno a 180 C. Com a ajuda de uma batedeira, bata os ovos, oleo e acucar por uns 2 minutos. Adicione a vanila, suco de laranja e bata um pouco mais (30 segundos). Adicione a farinha e bata na devagar, por ultimo adicione o fermento e as claras em neve e misture com uma colher. Adicione a massa na forma que foi reservada e leve ao forno por 45 – 55 minutos dependendo do forno. Deixe o bolo esfriar por uns 10 minutos passe uma faca em volta do bolo pra ele soltar as laterais e desenforme.

Bom apetite.

3 Eggs

1/2 cup of sugar

2 tbsps of coconut oil

1 avocado

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup of milk

1 cup of flour

1/2 cup of cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 pinch of salt

Using an electric mixer beat sugar and coconut oil, add the eggs one at a time, add the avocado (smashed), then the milk, vanilla and salt mix well. Add in the dry ingredients flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda. Mixing with a spoon slowly add the dry ingredients.

Bake for approximately 40 minutes on 350 F.