Frosted Pancakes

I discovered this morning that we had a half cup of that delicious coconut milk left over from our freezer fudge. Sundays are always pancake day in this house, but today I was craving something more celebratory than our usual buckwheat. Well, that -- and we don't have any maple syrup because we're absolute addicts.

I have trouble -- scratch that. It's nearly IMPOSSIBLE for me to imagine eating pancakes, waffles, or French toast with anything besides pure, 100% maple-y maple syrup. Maybe it's because for every Christmas from age 21 to as far back as I can remember, we spent the good part of holiday week driving along the slick highways of Vermont, climbing snowy mountaintop upon snowy mountaintop.

Maple syrup-less pancakes just aren't right. Unless they are over-the-top indulgent in another way. Please tell me . . . am I alone in this way of thinking?

PEANUT BUTTER FROSTED CHOCO-PANCAKES

What you'll need . . .

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup almond milk (or other substitute)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• Handful chocolate chips, optional

Method . . .

1. Toss all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk quickly. Then add all wet ingredients -- save chocolate chips -- in a bowl and whisk together. 
2. The batter will be thick if you used full fat coconut milk, as you can see above, so you may wish to add extra almond milk. Do so a tablespoon at a time.
3. Then fold in chocolate chips, if you're planning to use them. 
4. Scoop batter onto a fry pan over medium heat in either 1/4 or 1/2 cupfuls. Cook as you would regular pancakes. Until browned on each side and fully set in the middle.
5. Let cook just slightly while you mix together the frosting.

For the FROSTING, simply combine 2 tablesoons peanut butter + 2 tablespoons sour cream or Tofutti sour cream. In other words, equal parts, depending on how much frosting you wish to make. Then add vanilla extract (I did 1 teaspoon) and brown sugar (I did 1 tablespoon) to taste.

Texture should resemble cake frosting. Taste like it, too. Then frost the top pancake in your stack.

Recipe makes enough to serve a family of four. Or two very hungry parents getting ready for long runs.


An early Happy Christmas to you all. Posting may be erratic this week, but I'll try to hop on from time to time and share some photos of the stuff we're doing. Safe travels to those of you heading out of town.

xoxo, Ashley, Stephen + Ada Mae

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Cornmeal Cake with Chocolate Neufchatel Frosting

I hadn't made a frosted cake in what seems like f.o.r.e.v.e.r. Well, unless you count my love affair with the Richard Simmons'-inspired doughnuts over the holiday season.

(Baked Chocolate Doughnuts, Chocolate Frosted Doughnuts, Chocolatey Peanut Doughnuts)

They were very cake-like. What inspired me to bake a cake this weekend had nothing to do with these sweet treats, however. We just had some Neufchatel cheese my mother-in-law gave us that was nearing its expiration date. And I hate to waste food.

So, I went with it!


CORNMEAL CAKE

What you'll need . . .

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup Sugar in the Raw (or regular sugar)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons flax meal
• 6 tablespoons hot water
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Method . . .

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8 x 8 inch baking dish with parchment (aluminum foil also works in a pinch -- just spritz with a little oil).
2. In a large bowl, whisk/sift together the flour, cornmeal, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the flax meal and hot water. Let sit for five minutes.
4. Add the flax mixture, olive oil, almond milk, and vanilla to the dry ingredients. Mix until well incorporated.
5. Pour into your prepared baking dish. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until set in the middle (you can test with a toothpick -- it should come out clean).
6. Let cool completely before frosting.

CHOCOLATE NEUFCHATEL FROSTING

(You may also substitute cream cheese in this recipe -- there is a difference, but in the US, it's slight. You can read more about it on The Kitchn.)

What you'll need . . .

• 3 tablespoons Earth Balance or butter
• 3 ounces neufchatel cheese
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 to 2 (or more) cups confectioners’ sugar

Method . . .

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the Earth Balance/butter with the Neufchatel cheese until smooth.
2. Add the cocoa powder, milk, and vanilla. Then add 1-1/2 cups of confectioners' sugar.
3. Continue adding confectioners' sugar until you reach your desired frosting consistency.
4. Frost your cake and enjoy it while it lasts!

Yeah. Confession time: During the shoot, I sort of ate two pieces (and the other 3/4 of the cake was long gone -- the afternoon after making it).

Then there was one . . .


And then . . .


You all know desserts rarely last in this house. If you browse through our recipes, I'd love you to find one that has lived in the kitchen for longer than two days. On a positive note, I still had half a package of the Neufchatel. Be sure to look for another frosting variation (and cake recipe) later in the week!

If you follow (never home)maker, baby! (or even if you don't, because this is a great way to get caught up), I collected all the posts for the 4th trimester -- that is, those from Ada's birth forward -- in one convenient place. Feel free to browse our weekly updates and other musings.

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Peanut Butter Frosted Brownies

Brownies are my baking arch-enemy (as if that's even possible . . . but I assure you, it is). I've tried making them vegan and not vegan. Using dutch process cocoa powder and using unsweetened chocolate. Oil versus butter. Eggs versus applesauce and bananas. All-purpose flour versus wheat pastry flour. And beyond. Sadly for me, the battle is typically won by the brownie. Somehow last night's clash ended with me as the victor.

But how?

Perhaps it was my unyielding determination to succeed that compelled the batter to heed my commands. Maybe it was the fancy brown eggs I used or the splurge-worthy Ghirardelli bittersweet chunks I so thoughtfully melted in the microwave (yeah -- a neverhomemaker doesn't have time to gently melt chocolates in the double boiler). I really don't know, but I'm thankful and won't ask questions. They turned out moist and dense . . . a perfect compliment to any frosting but, of course, the best is peanut butter.

Anyway, this photo was taken of the brownie basking in the early morning sun. AKA this photo was taken at breakfast. Go easy, though. I need to carbo load this week!

What you'll need . . .

BROWNIES

• 5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (I used Earth Balance and omitted the salt)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar (I used Sugar in the Raw)
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour (I used 1/2 cup wheat pastry flour plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

FROSTING

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter (I used Skippy Natural)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature (again, Earth Balance)
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method . . .

BROWNIES

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 13x9-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving 2-inch overhang on both short sides.
2. Spray foil with a nonstick cooking spray.
3. Combine both chocolates and butter in heavy small saucepan. Stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Cool to barely lukewarm.
4. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract in large bowl on high speed until mixture thickens and is pale yellow, about 5 minutes.
5. Reduce mixer speed to low; beat in flour and salt, then melted chocolate mixture. Transfer mixture to prepared baking pan.
6. Bake brownies until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs still attached, about 20 minutes.
7. Transfer baking pan to rack; cool 15 minutes. Press gently on edges of brownies to level with center. Cool completely in baking pan.

FROSTING

1. Combine peanut butter and butter in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until smooth.
2. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat until well blended and smooth.
3. Spread frosting evenly over brownies in pan. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
4. Using foil as aid, lift out brownies from pan. Cut into squares.

Note from source: Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.

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