Lemon Custard Cake

 Lemon Custard Cake is a quick and easy dessert recipe, perfect for summer. This cake is soft and creamy, with refreshing lemon flavor. It’s melt-in-your-mouth good! If you like light and creamy desserts, try Vanilla Magic Custard Cake or Easy Banana Magic Cake, too.

If you are not familiar with magic custard cakes, these are triple-layered cake made from just one batter. During the baking process, batter separates into three different layers. Dense cake layer on the bottom, creamy custard-like filling in the center, and light and fluffy cake layer on top.

Ingredients

4 eggs (room temperature)-separated

¾ cup sugar

½ cup unsalted butter-melted and slightly cooled

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

grated zest from 2 large lemons

1 ¾ cups milk-lukewarm

powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper leaving overhang the sides, lightly grease with cooking spray, then set aside.

Whip the egg whites until STIFF peaks form, set aside.

Beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow.

Add melted butter and vanilla and mix until evenly combined.

Mix in flour until evenly incorporated.

Add lemon juice and lemon zest and mix until combined.

Slowly beat in the milk until well combined.

Add egg whites and whisk by hand. You don’t need to fold it in completely. Leave small egg whites lumps. When you pour it in the pan, lumps will float on the surface and create the top layer during the baking. NOTES: The batter is very, very thin!!!

Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 40-60 minutes (until the cake is barely jiggly in the center, but the top is firm to touch). Baking time might vary depending on your oven or pan you use but start checking after 35 minutes. If the top browns quickly, you can cover the cake with aluminum foil. Do not overbake it, or the cake will turn out rubbery not custardy in the center.

Cool the cake completely before dusting with powdered sugar.

Store leftovers I the fridge

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes With Streusel Topping

 Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes with Streusel Topping are delicious, crowd-pleasing, fall and Thanksgiving desserts. Pumpkin cheesecake in mini individual servings is not only more fun to serve and eat, but also easier to make. They bake faster and take less chilling time than a whole cheesecake does!

Fall baking season is in a full swing!! I’ve started it with Pumpkin Bread Cheesecake recipe. As I said, I made a lot of Homemade Pumpkin Puree, and it’s time to start testing new recipes with pumpkin. And if you are craving all of the season’s comforting flavors, then you must try these Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes.

Ingredients

Graham cracker Crust:

¾ cup graham cracker crust

1 ½ Tablespoons sugar

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter-melted

Streusel Crumb Topping:

6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 Tablespoons light brown sugar

¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter-melted

Filling:

8 oz. cream, cheese-softened

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg-slightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 teaspoons sour cream

1/3 cup pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

2 teaspoons flour

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line cupcake pan with paper liners (this recipe makes 9 cupcakes) and set aside.

Crust:

In a bowl stir together with a fork, graham cracker crumbs and sugar.

Stir in melted butter, until all crumbs are evenly moistened.

Divide the mixture among prepared liners and press firmly in the bottom, then set aside.

Streusel Crumb Topping:

First combine the brown sugar, flour, and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl and mix until combined. Add the melted butter and gently mix with a fork until crumbs form and set aside.

Filling:

Beat softened cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Add egg and mix just to combine, do not overmix! Finally, mix in sour cream. Spread cheesecake mixture over prepared crusts to fill each cup just a little over halfway.

In remaining cheesecake mixture add pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and flour, then mix to combine.

Spread pumpkin mixture over vanilla cheesecake. Fill them almost all the way to the top.

Finally, top each cup with streusel crumb and bake about 23-25 minutes or until the toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean.

Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 20 minutes, then transfer on a rack to cool completely.

Lemon Cheesecake Brownies

 Lemon Cheesecake Brownies with bright lemon flavor, dense and fudgy texture, and a swirl of cheesecake are so delicious. Made with lemon and white chocolate, they are lemon equivalent of fudgy brownies. Lemon Cheesecake Brownies are super moist, dense, and not cakey at all.

First, I am sure someone will think that these shouldn’t be called brownies. You can call them lemon blondies, lemonies, or lemon bars. But whatever you call them, they are sooo delicious. However, these are not lemon bars you are all familiar with

Ingredients

Lemon Brownie:

½ cup unsalted butter

4 oz. white chocolate finely chopped (or white chocolate chips)

¾ cup of sugar

grated zest from 2 large lemons

2 eggs

1 teaspoon lemon extract

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

Cream Cheese Layer:

8 oz. cream cheese-room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line 8 x 8 inches pan with parchment paper leaving large overhand the sides, then and spray with cooking spray, set aside.

In a large, microwave-safe bowl combine white chocolate and butter, microwave for 30-second increments, stirring between each until melted.

Cool for 5 minutes, then whisk in sugar. Add eggs, lemon zest, salt, and lemon extract and whisk until evenly combined.

Finally, fold in the flour. Reserve ½ cup of mixture for topping and spread the remaining mixture in prepared pan.

Beat cream cheese with sugar and vanilla until smooth. Mix in egg just to combine. Spoon cream cheese mixture over lemon mixture and gently smooth the top.

Drop small spoonfuls of reserved brownie batter on top of the cheesecake layer. Using a toothpick or a thin knife, swirl the batter.

Bake for 30-35 minutes in the preheated oven or until the center looks set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few damp crumbs.

Cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Chilling the brownies in the fridge allows them to fully set and ensures that the brownies cut beautifully with clean edges. Also, chilling in the fridge actually improves the flavor, too.

When ready to serve remove from the fridge and lift the brownies out of the pan using the overhang from parchment paper. Cut into squares using a sharp knife.

Strawberry Chocolate Cheesecake

 Strawberry Chocolate Cheesecake is the best combination of chocolate and strawberries ever! This cake is made with a chocolate graham cracker crust, milk chocolate cheesecake filling, and strawberry topping. This dessert is like chocolate-covered strawberries turned into a melt-in-your-mouth cheesecake. If you like it, check my Strawberry Chocolate Mousse Cake, too!

Strawberries and chocolate are definitely one of the best flavor combos! Milk chocolate cheesecake and strawberry topping compliments each other well, without either overpowering the other. If you are a cheesecake lover, you will defiantly love this cake.

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust:

2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs

5 Tablespoons unsalted butter-melted

Milk Chocolate Cheesecake:

32 oz. cream cheese-softened

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 eggs

8 oz. milk chocolate(or milk chocolate chips)-melted

Strawberry Topping:

12 oz. fresh strawberries-chopped

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

½ cup sugar

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

2 teaspoons gelatin

2 ½ Tablespoons water

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 F and place the rack in the lower third.

Line bottom of your 9 -inch springform pan with parchment paper, then place a double layer of extra-large aluminum foil under the pan and cover the bottom and sides of the pan, wrap it tightly around the sides to make sure no water gets in during baking in a water bath.

To make the crust stir together chocolate graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press the mixture into the bottom of the springform pan and place it in the fridge to firm while you are making the filling.

Melt milk chocolate and set aside to cool slightly.

To make the filling beat softened cream cheese and vanilla until smooth and creamy.  Gradually beat in sugar until light and fluffy.

Beat in eggs one at a time running your mixer on low speed and just slowly combine ingredients until smooth. You don’t want to incorporate a lot of air into the batter or the cake will crack during the baking. Finally, pour in melted chocolate and mix just to combine.

Place springform pan into a roasting pan. Pour the batter into the springform pan and smooth the top. Pour boiling water in roasting pan halfway up the side of the springform pan make sure no water drip on the batter.

Place in the oven and bake 70-80 minutes (until the center has set). If it starts browning too much tent the top with aluminum foil.

Remove the cheesecake from the water bath, dry the bottom of the pan, run a thin knife around the edges to loosen the cake and let it cool to room temperature. When the cake is cooled, run a thin knife around the cake and release the ring from the springform pan. Transfer the cake onto the serving plate.

Strawberry Topping:

Dissolve gelatin in cold water and set aside to bloom.

In a saucepan combine strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Stirring constantly, cook over medium heat about 10-12 minutes. Add dissolved gelatin and cook for 2-3 minutes until gelatin melted completely.

Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature (stirring occasionally), then spread over the cake. If the topping is still runny, place it in the fridge for 15 minutes, just be careful it has gelatin and it will set if it sits in the fridge too long.

Place the cake with topping in the fridge for 3-4 hours or overnight.

Garnish with fresh strawberries if desired.

Notes

This recipe requires a lot of cooling time so plan ahead.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Crumb Cake

 Fall baking season is in a full swing!! After delicious apple recipes for Apple Crisp Cheesecake Pie and Apple French Toast Muffins, I start baking with pumpkin. However, I’m opening my pumpkin baking season with this Pumpkin Cheesecake Crumb Cake.

This cake is a perfect dessert for the fall holiday season. You can make it for Halloween or Thanksgiving instead of traditional pumpkin pie.

When baking with pumpkin, you can use canned pumpkin puree. But if you already have some pumpkins and looking for a way to use them, you can make a homemade following this easy Homemade Pumpkin Puree recipe.

Ingredients

Crumb Cake:

3 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

2/3 cup butter-cold and cut into cubes

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling:

16 oz. cream cheese-softened

2/3 cup sugar

2 ½ Tablespoons corn starch

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

2/3 cup pumpkin puree

2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Glaze:

½ cup powdered sugar

¼ teaspoon vanilla

2–3 teaspoons milk or cream

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line the bottom of 9 inches springform pan with parchment paper, spray the bottom and sides of the pan with nonstick cooking spray, and set aside.

In a large bowl stir together 3 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/3 cup sugar, and 1/3 cup light brown sugar.

Add butter in dry ingredients mixture. Now, you can work it with hands, or press with a fork, or you can use the mixer. Work it until it’s grainy.

Add eggs and mix to combine. The mixture should be crumbly. If it’s to sandy squeeze it with your fingers to make pea-size crumbs.

Press about 2/3 of the mixture in the bottom and side (about 1 ¼-1 ½ inch height) of the pan. Place the pan and remaining crumbs in the fridge.

To make the filling mix together cream cheese, vanilla, sugar, and corn starch to combine. Add eggs and mix just to combine, do not overdo it. Pour half of the cheesecake mixture in chilled crust.

In remaining cheesecake mixture add pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and mix just to combine. Spoon the pumpkin mixture over the cheesecake layer.

Top with remaining crumbs.

Bake at 350 F until golden brown and toothpick inserted in the center come out clean, about 60-70 minutes. If it starts browning too much tent the top with aluminum foil.

Cool completely before serving. To make the glaze stir together powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk or cream. If it’s too thin add powdered sugar, if it’s too thick add more milk or cream. Drizzle on top of cooled cake. Keep covered in the fridge.

The Best No Bake Cookies

 These No Bake Cookies are delicious and truly the best! They’re so easy to make and don’t require an oven. You really can’t beat that!

Filled with oats, peanut butter, cocoa, sugar, butter and a hint of vanilla- they only require simple ingredients you most likely have in your pantry right now! These no bake cookies will definitely become a repeat recipe at your house.

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

3 Tablespoons salted butter

2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

1/2 cup milk (I use 2%)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups quick oats

Instructions

Combine sugar, butter, cocoa and milk in a medium sauce pan. Cook over medium heat, while stirring, until mixture comes to a boil.

Remove from heat and add salt, peanut butter and vanilla. Quickly whisk until combined.

Stir in quick oats until fully combined.

Using a cookie scoop or Tablespoon measuring spoon, drop cookie dough onto two parchment lined cookie sheets. (12 per cookie sheet) Let cookies cool and set before serving. Enjoy!

The Best Sugar Cookies

 Sugar cookies topped with creamy frosting are a big weakness of mine. Goodness gracious I love them! Over the years I’ve made dozens of different versions of them, but this recipe I’m sharing today is my family’s favorite. That’s why I had to call them The BEST SUGAR COOKIES because they really are the best. 🙂

These sugar cookies are soft, full of flavor and totally addicting. This recipe creates the most delicious and easy to make sugar cookie. The fluffy buttercream frosting on top just can’t be beat!

Ingredients

5 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter

1 cup butter room temperature

1 ¼ cups granulated sugar

1 ¼ cups powdered sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

FROSTING

1/2 cup butter (I use salted) room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup milk

5 cups powdered sugar

3 to 4 drops red food coloring

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line 3 large cookie sheets with parchment or wax paper.

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking soda and cream of tarter. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and both sugars together until light and fluffy; about 1 minute. Slowly add in oil while mixer is on. Add in eggs, one at a time, then add vanilla extract. Mix until just combined.

Gradually add flour mixture to the wet mixture until just combined.

Roll dough into 2-inch balls and place on prepared baking sheets. (I fit 8 balls per cookie sheet)

Pour 1/4 cup granulated sugar into a small bowl. Take a drinking glass that is about 3 inches wide, and dip the bottom of the glass into the sugar. Press the glass into the ball of dough to flatten dough into 1/2 inch thickness. (This will give the dough the jagged edges) Repeat process with all dough balls.

Bake cookies for only 8 to 9 minutes. Don't overbake. The short baking time is what makes them soft and amazing! Remove cookies from oven and let cool on baking sheets. No need to transfer to wire rack. Cool cookies completely. Once cooled store covered in fridge until ready to frost and eat. (you can store them at room temperature, but we prefer them cold)

FROSTING

Place butter, vanilla and salt in a large bowl. Using an electric hand mixer, beat until combined and creamy. I beat mine for at least a minute or two. Add milk and gradually beat in all of the powdered sugar until it's all combined. Add the drops of food coloring and beat again until color is thoroughly mixed in.

Frost cookies and serve!