EST. 2011 BY LIZ RUEVEN
Something Sweet & Easy Cake Donuts

Something Sweet & Easy Cake Donuts

I’ve been drooling over Miriam Pascal’s beautifully photographed and user-friendly cookbook, Something Sweet; Desserts, Baked Goods and Treats for Every Occasion for months. Now that we are firmly into holiday baking season I plan on  whipping up these Bakery Style Cake Donuts for at least one of our Chanukah celebrations (recipe below). 

And because the kiddos shouldn’t be the only ones anticipating surprises, we’ve got a cookbook giveaway for one lucky winner later this week! Be sure to check back and enter to win beginning on Thursday.

Pascal’s book is kosher which is great news for any home bakers seeking dairy free alternatives. Her recipes often include both dairy and pareve (dairy-free) suggestions and best of all, this creative baker seems to anticipate our questions before we ask them.

Can the cheesecake cupcakes be frozen successfully? How do I switch in chocolate for the vanilla cookie base? What about chocolate frosting instead of bright pink (pomegranate glaze!) if I have a kid who rejects all things pink?

confetti-cheesecake-cupcakes

 

Confetti Cheesecake Cupcakes are just one of the many kid and teen friendly desserts Pascal presents in her selection of cookies and bars, cakes and cupcakes, muffins and pastries, pies and tarts and all of the basics for frostings and toppings.

She’s right on trend with the funfetti craze and ready to satisfy those of us hankering for sweet and salty with her Chocolate Pretzel Cookies.

chocolate-pretzel-cookies

Want to load in more chocolate? She tells you how. Want to use pretzel crumbs for other savory dishes? She’ll guide you through it.

Pascal writes a super blog called Overtime Cook where she directs her readers to her facebook page for friendly advice and information exchanges. She is an expert, self-taught baker who understands that her readers need information, encouragement and even coaching.

If only she had written this volume when my teens were looking for baking projects! Her recipes range from very easy basics like fudgy brownies and Blueberry Muffin Cookies, to fancier but still very manageable choices like Tiramisu Cookies made with cream cheese, lady finger crumbs and coffee.

American classics have twists, like her Braided Apple Pie, which uses packaged flaky pie crust. Pascal is realistic about how much time busy folks want to spend in the kitchen; she’s not a stickler for every ingredient being whipped up Betty Crocker style.

Pomegranate Cupcakes look almost healthy (ok, maybe just lower on the guilt scale) with antioxidant rich juice in both the batter and glaze. But this cookbook is not about low-cal baking or alternative ingredients.

pomegranate-cupcakes

Something Sweet is a super resource and titillating collection of easy to follow recipes meant to appeal to all levels of home bakers. It would make a wonderful gift for anyone looking to master both the basics and beyond. I would definitely gift this to teen and college aged bakers, too.

In celebration of Chanukah, we are thrilled to share Pascal’s recipe for Bakery Style Donuts!

Why do we love this recipe? It uses baking powder instead of yeast, reducing that familiar anxiety over getting the temp just right so your dough will rise. Anyone else have a little problem about that? In my chilly kitchen, I always have trouble getting it just right.

Watch for our GIVEAWAY this week! Kids don’t get all the gifts at Chanukah. We want our readers to get great stuff, too.

NOTE: Recipe and all photos are reproduced from Something Sweet by Miriam Pascal with permission from the copyright holders ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications, LTD.

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