Now that autumn can no longer be denied, it is time for one of my favorite muffin recipes. It goes perfect with this season and I make them for Christmas, Thanksgiving and just about any holiday in between. Ok, and even when there is no reason to make them. It’s a great recipe that will make you feel all cosy due to the warm spices. Perfect for a chilly fall morning.

Easy pumpkin muffins recipe

We’re going straight into the Christmas season and the pumpkin season has officially started. If you noticed my latest recipes, you can see there is a heavy pumpkin theme going on. I’ve already shared this delicious pumpkin pie and the easiest way to make pumpkin puree. You’ll be needing the pumpkin puree for this recipe as well.

For today I am sharing my favorite pumpkin muffin recipe. It is delicious and moist and perfect for this season.

What goes into the pumpkin muffins?

These muffins are pretty straightforward to make. You will need the following simple ingredients:

• all purpose flour
• baking soda
• baking powder
• pumpkin pie spice – Use store-bought or make your own. Adding some additional ginger makes it even better but totally optional too. (also perfect for these pumpkin spice oatmeal cookies!)
• pumpkin puree – use a canned variety or make your own.
• brown sugar – I use a light brown variety, but dark brown is also a good option
• milk
• large egg
• sunflower oil – or use another neutral vegetable oil. Don’t use olive oil as the flavor is most likely too strong. You can also use coconut oil here. But unless you want the muffins to taste like coconut, use neutral coconut oil. Melted butter is another good alternative.
• Pecans – optional

In addition to that you will need muffin cups or muffin liners and a large bowl for mixing. Because mixing the muffins is so easy you don’t really need a food processor or stand mixer. You will also need a 12-cup muffin pan (the recipe makes 8, but I don’t think there is an 8 cup pan)

Making the muffins

For making the muffins I first add all the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, pumpkin spice and salt together in a large or medium bowl and mix it together with a spatula. I then add the wet ingredients in (pumpkin puree, milk, egg, sunflower oil and vanilla extract).

Mix it together with your spatula. This batter is so forgiving that a few lumps here and there don’t really make a difference. So don’t overmix the batter as that will give you less tasty results.

Now for the best muffins I like to use silicon liners, but you can also use paper liners (make sure to follow my tip on how to prevent the liners becoming greasy) The biggest advantage with silicon is that they come out so much easier and I find it makes them look prettier too.

Divide the batter into the muffin liners and press a single pecan into the tops of the muffins. That is totally optional but it looks nice. You can also sprinkle a little granulated sugar over the top for texture or use something like a few chocolate chips for a nice variation. And anything tastes better with some extra chocolate right?

For placing the batter into the tin I use a cookie scoop or an ice cream scoop. That way it ensures you have equally sized pumpkin cupcakes.

Once the muffin batter is divided place the muffin tin into the preheated oven and bake them for around 18 minutes until they are golden brown or until a wooden skewer comes out clean. Place the muffins on a wire rack to cool down to room temperature before you dive in.

Variations

While this is a pretty classic pumpkin muffin recipe you can also vary the recipe pretty easily. So if you want to change things around for next time you can add flavors or toppings. This would work well with a cream cheese buttercream (or my cream cheese frosting!) on top or add other sprinkles to the muffin tops.

You can also make mini muffins with this recipe. In that case you can make about 20-24 pieces.

Sometimes it seems like everyone is experiencing the same problems at the same time. Lately, I’ve been getting quite a lot of questions about dry cakes. Maybe it’s a seasonal thing as I do tend to bake more cakes and pies in the fall.

It’s the perfect time to experiment with new cake flavors. Now my cakes are never dry, but I’ve had years of experience in testing the cakes for the best results.

So I am going to tell you how to prevent a dry cake from coming out of the oven. I love a good and moist cake and I’ll be sharing my top tips on how to ensure succes every single time.

Why is a cake dry?

Before we dive deeper into the matter of how the cake becómes dry, let me first explain why it féels dry in the first place. It has to do with the moisture content of the cake. While you’re baking your cake in the oven, the moisture evaporates and if you take your cake out at the perfect moment, the cake is cooked through and there is just enough moisture left in the cake to make it delicious and moist.

So that means that a dry cake is not because there is something wrong with the recipe itself but mostly because there is not enough moisture left in the cake when you take it out. Which leads me to the reasons this can happen. I’ve made countless cake recipes to make sure you can succeed on all your next baking adventures.

Baked too long

As I mentioned above; the longer you keep your cake in the oven, the more of the moisture evaporates. And the longer it stays in the oven, the drier the cake gets. So one of the most common reasons a cake is too dry is simply because it has been kept in the oven for too long.

Baked too hot

If you set the temperature of your oven too high the moisture will also evaporate quicker. So even if you followed the rest of the recipe to the letter, you might still get a cake that is too dry if you set your oven at a temperature that is too high.

So most important is to make sure your oven temperature is set correctly. The temperatures in the recipes are almost always for a conventional oven. Do you have a convection oven? Set the temperature 10-20% lower. You will find that can make a big difference.

Every oven is different

When a recipe fails, people often point the finger at the recipe as being wrong. This happens to me a lot, but also to many other recipe developers. Of course, sometimes there can be a flaw in the recipe, but very often it is really the execution.

This is not to say that you are doing something wrong, as it is usually just the conditions in which you are baking. The chances of them being exactly the same as the original creator of the recipe are slim. So always use a recipe as a guideline and adapt it to your circumstances if necessary.

The most important part of this story: the oven. Every oven is different, and if my cake comes out perfectly every time at 180˚C (350˚F), you may very well get the same results at 170˚C (340˚F). So it is very important that you get to know your oven. For example, with the old oven at my parents’ house, I knew that it always took longer than the recipe said. My current (new) oven is often a little faster.

If you’re unsure of the way your oven performs it might be a good idea to use a separate oven thermometer you can place inside your oven to check if the temperature is what it should be. But after having cooked a couple of cakes you will also get to know your oven better and you will be able to prevent your cakes from going dry.

Avoid overmixing

So yes, the oven is your most important part of making sure the cake stays moist, but there are more factors that contribute to a successful cake baking. And it starts with the batter. Using ingredients such as sour cream, buttermilk or adding fruit into your cake batter will all make for a more moist result. It also helps to not mix your batter for too long.

If you do overmix your cake the air that gets trapped inside will deflate more easily and will create a dense cake. You want to have a batter that is just mixed but not longer than necessary. Unless the recipe calls for a long whip! So always make sure to double check the recipe instructions.

What to do once the cake is baked

So you’ve now baked the perfect cake. It is lovely and moist when it just comes out of the oven. But how do you make sure it stays that way and doesn’t get dry after one day. There are a couple of tricks you can use to ensure a moist cake for days to come.

​Add a liquid to the cake after baking

One great way to keep the cake moist is to add something to the cake once baked. Think about adding a little drizzle of your favorite liqueur or even something simple like coconut milk or some honey will help to keep the cake moist. You can also add layers to the cake. Think about adding some topping, like my favorite cherry pie filling or a delicious jam. That will also definitely help in retaining the moisture inside.

Frosting

We talked about adding frosting and I already gave you my favorite recipe for ermine frosting here, but did you know that it also helps in retaining moisture if you frost your cake. Makes sense too if you think about it. Once the cake is cooled completely frosting prevents the remaining moisture from evaporating, thereby keeping the cake moist for longer.

Storage

This might be a no-brainer but storing your cake properly also makes sure it stays delicious and moist for longer. Using an airtight container or wrapping it in plastic wrap will definitely help to keep it fresh for longer.

This sweet pumpkin pie recipe is perfect for fall and has a delicious flavor. The pie is very tasty at high tea or as a dessert. In the latter case, of course, a slice of pumpkin pie should be accompanied by a scoop of ice cream 😉  or a large dollop of whipped cream.

Pumpkin pie

Pumpkin pie is – of course – a typical American recipe. In the weeks leading up to Halloween, pumpkins are everywhere. They are carved, decorated, cooked and of course baked. So when I think of pumpkin pie, I automatically think of America, Halloween, Thanksgiving and fall. In the Netherlands we would call this pompoentaart but we generally use the American way of making this delicious treat.

When is pumpkin time?

Nowadays, pumpkins are available all year round in the Netherlands, as they are usually imported from other countries. If you have your own pumpkin plants in the garden, you can harvest most pumpkins between August and October. This is an excellent time to make pumpkin pie!

What is a pumpkin pie?

If you’re from the United States you must have been growing up with pumpkin pie, but being Dutch means that this is a fairly new development for people to bake pumpkin pies. It’s also one of those pies that you can’t really compare to anything else. For making this easy pumpkin pie recipe you need a pumpkin filling.

In the US it is fairly easy to find cans of pumpkin puree. Not so easy in other parts of the world. I decided to go for homemade pumpkin puree. It’s very easy to make fresh pumpkin puree and it’s also very easy to freeze so you’ll never be without.

Pumpkin is sweet on its own and doesn’t have a very distinct flavor, but if you don’t like pumpkin, I wouldn’t start with this pie. What I personally love about it is the creaminess in contrast to the crunchy base and, of course, the pumpkin pie spice blend used to flavor the filling.

Which pumpkin for pumpkin pie?

A common question is which pumpkin to use for pumpkin pie. Most used is the sugar pumpkin or pie pumpkins. As the name suggests, the pumpkin flesh of these pumpkins is already pretty sweet. Making it perfect for use in a pumpkin pie. But you can really use just about any kind of pumpkin for making pumpkin purée. Obviously if you’re using canned pumpkin puree you don’t need to worry about which type to buy.

Where to store a pumpkin?

Once you’ve found the perfect pumpkin for your pie, you may need to store it for a while until it’s time to bake. To keep pumpkins as long and as fresh as possible, store them in a cool, dry place.

Once you have “butchered” the pumpkin (am I the only one who always says that? 😛 ), wrap the pumpkin in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to five days. Or you can freeze it and it will keep for three months.

How to make a pumpkin pie?

Now for making this pumpkin pie recipe you will need the following ingredients:

• pumpkin puree
• light brown sugar – you can use another kind of sugar like white sugar if you want but I find brown sugar has extra flavor
• double cream or heavy cream
• milk – whole milk is preferred
• eggs – I like to use large eggs
• pumpkin spice blend

For the crust you can follow my shortcrust recipe or you can use store-bought pie crust. Both will work equally well although I love the flaky crust of my own pie crust recipe. I do make sure to blind bake the crust using parchment paper and pie weights.

For the exact instruction of the crust follow the steps in the recipe card.

As for the filling it can’t be much easier as you simply mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl (or use a food processor) until smooth and creamy. I’ve seen recipes where part of the double cream was replaced with condensed milk. I find that makes it very sweet but you could adjust the ratio of sugar and milk if you wanted to. I stick to the measurements given below. I do sometimes add a bit of extra ground ginger for some added heat. Not necessary but a nice extra.

Baking the pumpkin pie

Once the pie dough is blind baked I take it out of the oven and pour the filling on. To prevent any possible leaking of the filling I do place the pie pan on a baking sheet. I like to use a pie pan with a loose bottom for ease of taking the pie out of the tin.

The filling will rise just a little bit but not too much. The pumpkin pie is ready when the filling has firmed up but is still a little wobbly in the middle. I take it out of the oven and after a couple of minutes transfer to a wire rack. I let it get to room temperature before removing the pie pan.

You can keep the pumpkin pie covered with aluminum foil or kept in an airtight container in the fridge for about 4-5 days. Serve the pumpkin pie with some delicious whipped cream on top.

You can go in any direction with this basic pie crust recipe. You can use it for a whole lot of different things; think about making a perfect pie crust with delicious filling or you could use this pie crust recipe for making cookies as well!

Making shortcrust pastry

I think this is one of the most versatile basic recipes for a homemade pie crust recipe. You can really use shortcrust pastry for all sorts of things. I usually use it as a tart base for both large and small tarts, but it also makes great cookies.

The traditional French recipe uses almond flour and icing sugar for the dough, which is kind of how I make my tartelettes. However (to keep it as simple as possible), I don’t use it for my shortcrust pastry base recipe, and I still get delicious results and a beautiful flaky crust. Today I will be sharing my tips and tricks for creating this easy pie crust recipe.

Basic Recipe

So with this basic shortcrust pastry recipe, you can make all kinds of things but I’ll be sticking to how to use this for a pie crust. I will be coming back with tips on other uses later.

Blind baking of the shortcrust base

If you want to use your shortcrust pastry for a tart, it is essential to bake the crust blind first. The purpose of blind baking is to prevent the base from rising while baking plus it also ensures that the crust bakes properly even with a wet filling. Also if the pie crust rises too much it won’t leave a whole lot of space for the filling.

There are several fillings you can use to blind bake your pie crust base:

• Rice
• Dried legumes
• Ceramic baking beans (pie weights)

In addition to that you will need some parchment paper as you do not want to place the rice or other fillings directly on top of the dough. You crumble the parchment paper and place it on the bottom of the crust. Make sure it also covers the sides. Now place your pie weights on top of the paper and smooth it out a bit. You want all of the sides to be covered with the weights.

What do you need for making a pie crust

• fine granulated sugar or caster sugar
• unsalted cold butter
• all purpose flour
• egg
• salt

In addition to the above you also need a pie dish or a pie pan or whatever other mould you would like to bake your tart in. A rolling pin and plastic wrap will also come in handy. As you can see you use pretty simple ingredients for making a pie crust dough. Yes, you can definitely buy shortcrust pastry in the grocery stores these days (in the US at least), but there is nothing better than your own homemade pie crust. Trust me on this!

You can knead the dough by hand in a large bowl or you can use a stand mixer or a pastry blender. Don’t overwork the dough as you do not want the dough to get too hot. You want to have a firm and pliable dough. It helps if you shape the dough into a large circle before you wrap it in plastic. That will make it easier to roll out after cooling.

Letting the dough rest

In the recipe below, you will read that you should let the shortcrust pastry rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour. This is not only because the dough will cool and hold its shape better during baking. You let the dough rest in the fridge so that the gluten can relax, resulting in a deliciously crispy and flaky pie crust.

If you’re too impatient and don’t let the dough rest long enough, there is a good chance the dough will shrink in the oven, making your pie crust look unattractive and uneven. Plus there is also a good chance that the filling will spill over if the crust has shrunk too much.

Recipes with shortcrust pastry/pie crust

I think the most famous pie with a shortbread base is the lemon meringue pie. I still think this is by far one of the most delicious pies out there. I don’t have the lemon meringue online just yet but I do have the recipe for lemon curd ready to go!

Strawberry pie

Cherry pie filling (perfect for filling your pie crust with!)

I have a lot more pie recipes coming up shortly so stay tuned for more delicious recipes coming up soon! (Pumpkin pie recipe coming up soon!)

You can use this pie dough recipe both with a fully baked crust and a cold filling or for use with a filling that needs to be baked, like an apple pie. Follow the recipe directions in the recipe card for full instructions.

When it comes to flavor, I always prefer cream cheese frosting to buttercream frosting. But I do use buttercream often enough, simply because sometimes it is more appropriate for what I am making. So there is a difference in use, but also in taste. Today I will discuss the difference between buttercream and cream cheese frosting, because choosing the right frosting for your project is an important decision.

Buttercream

There are several recipes for buttercream. From the simplest 1:1 with powdered sugar and butter to the Swiss meringue buttercream or Italian buttercream. Each buttercream has its pros and cons, but we will explain that one day in an article about all types of buttercream. When I talk about buttercream in this article, I mean a standard buttercream like the one you get with this ermine frosting recipe.

But it could also be a flavored or colored buttercream. By the way, the linked recipe does not taste like butter, it is really a nice airy cream that tastes creamy but doesn’t have that overpowering butter taste. It’s a simple buttercream recipe and definitely my favorite. If you’ve never tried making a buttercream with flour in it this is your hint to do so for next time. The smooth consistency will be your new favorite. But again, with any type of frosting; it always depends what you’ll be using it for.

How to use buttercream

Buttercream is mainly used to decorate cakes and cupcakes. It is very easy to work with and it is great for piping and cake decorating in general. This is why this traditional buttercream is used most often in America, where people love larger-than-life layer cakes. Cupcakes are also still very popular in the United States.

The biggest difference between my ermine frosting recipe and a recipe for traditional American buttercream is that – on average – the American recipes use more sugar and instead of unsalted butter they use shortening. This creates a beautiful really white buttercream and this is usually called a buttercream frosting. Of course while tastes differ and are mostly depending on your personal preference, I like to think that the ermine frosting is tastier compared to a traditional buttercream.

One of the great things about buttercream is that it is ideal for piping beautiful swirls and it doesn’t flatten out or at least not much. It is also perfect for adding in colors. I prefer to work with gel-based colors. I find the color more consistent and easier to get to the right vibrancy. So in general buttercream is a pretty allround frosting to use and I always use it to create beautiful smooth cakes. It’s also ideal for using certain kind of piping nozzles. When using buttercream I know that the shapes I make will keep perfectly.

When I want a really smooth end result, I will always choose buttercream.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream cheese frostings vary in use and taste. Let’s start with the taste, compared to regular buttercream a cream cheese frosting is even creamier and has a richer and deeper flavor. It has a slightly more tangy flavor and yes you can still taste the cream cheese but it doesn’t dominate the end result. I love using a cream cheese icing as it has a beautiful creamy texture and I love the flavor best. My favorite cream frosting recipe is this one. The perfect consistency for a red velvet cake recipe for instance!

If you want to finish a cake with a generous layer or decorate it, you are less likely to use cream cheese frosting. I sometimes pipe it on a cupcake or spread it on a cake, but I know the result will not be as smooth as buttercream. It is also more important for this frosting to set in the fridge than with buttercream. A cake with cream cheese frosting should be kept in the refrigerator at all times.

You could use cream cheese frosting for decorating the cake, but it will be less stable due to the needed temperature. Buttercream will keep better at room temperature which is great if your cake has to be out of the fridge for a bit.

How to use cream cheese frosting

So what is cream cheese frosting good for, you may ask? Cream cheese frosting is used because of its flavor and the fact that it combines beautifully with cakes like red velvet or a carrot cake.  So if you’re going to use cream cheese, use it for flavor more than for decorating.

I love using full-fat cream cheese for that same reason. While there might be a place and time for low-fat cream cheese, I would never pick it if I had the choice. The type of cream cheese used also makes a difference to the end result

Recipes

Recipes that would be delicious with cream cheese frosting:

• Cinnamon rolls
• Red velvet cake
• Carrot cake
• Apple sauce muffins

Recipes that would be great with buttercream:

• Strawberry cupcakes
• Vanilla cupcakes

Now that the fall season is upon us, I have another delicious pumpkin recipe for you that is perfect for using for all your fall recipes and a must have basic recipe. Fresh pumpkin puree.

I know it is fairly easy to find pumpkin puree in a grocery store in the US, but here in the Netherlands it is a bit of a challenge. The canned stuff is simply not easy to find. So I created my own easy recipe for homemade pumpkin puree. And while this recipe is so simple you can hardly call it a recipe, I did think it would be a good one to add since there will be loads of pumpkin recipes coming up this season!

Pumpkin puree

The end result of your own homemade pumpkin puree depends on the type of pumpkin you’re using. I recently did a test comparing all sorts of different pumpkins and while all will give you a usable pumpkin puree, the flavor is very different! So use your favorite sugar pumpkins, blue pumpkins or any other pumpkin you like. Depending on the type of pumpkin you can make the puree with only the pumpkin flesh or you can use the pumpkins with skin on. When I use an orange organic pumpkin I tend to keep the pumpkin skin on, but if I use a butternut squash I take the skin off.

Cooking or roasting

For making your own pumpkin puree you can choose either the roasting method or the cooking method. The cooking method is easier and quicker, so I tend to prefer using that. The roasting method requires a bit more time and you will need to add the cubed pumpkin to a baking tray and roast until golden brown in about 20-30 minutes. (depending on the size of your pumpkin cubes)

You can also opt using the whole pumpkin but that will take even longer. Especially with large pumpkins that is a lengthy process! (you do use pumpkin halves and remove the pumpkin seeds of course)

Now roasting does get rid of excess water and the total weight of the pumpkin cubes can be reduced by half. The flavor of the pureed pumpkin will be stronger and excess liquid will have been gone already.

Flavor

You can choose to flavor your cooked pumpkin during the preparation stage. I personally like to keep it as natural as possible, so I can choose wether to use it for a sweet or a savory recipe. But if you know you’re going to be making a pumpkin pie filling with it, you can definitely use some of the pumpkin pie spice recipe I gave you before.

But if you’re not sure if you’re going to use it for either savory recipes or sweet recipes just keep it natural. That way you can use your homemade puree for all your favorite pumpkin recipes. A little drizzle of olive oil if you’re roasting is usually fine.

Blending

Ones you have either cooked or roasted your pumpkin you will still need to blend it into a puree. You can use a potato masher, a fine mesh strainer, a food processor or – my favorite – an immersion blender. You’ll be left with the pureed pumpkin and it is probably cheaper than a can of pumpkin puree from the store.

Once made you can keep the pumpkin puree in an airtight container in the fridge for a week or freeze it. I like to freeze it in ziplock bags and store it that way in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can also freeze it in an ice cube tray if you know you’re going to be using smaller portions.

How much pumpkin will you need?

If you look at the recipe below, you will see that it doesn’t give you specific measurements. That is because you can make as much puree as you need. How many cups of puree you’ll be left varies, so I like to make more than enough so I know I have sufficient for my next couple of recipes.

To give a calculation example; when I bought a pumpkin weighing 1 kilo (2.2 pounds), I got left with a total of 764 gram (1.7 pounds) of pumpkin cubes. After processing that reduced to 579 grams (1.3 pounds) of pumpkin puree. And keep in mind that roasting will further reduce the total weight.

Canned pumpkin puree is usually a little less than one pound so you’ll have more if you make your own. I like to make a large batch and freeze the smooth puree.

Recipes using pumpkin puree

Now you know how to make homemade pumpkin puree, you want to use it in baking recipes I imagine. At least, that’s what I did with the puree. At the moment, I have these two delicious recipes for you!

• pumpkin pie from scratch
• easy pumpkin muffins

It’s pumpkin season again, so get ready for some recipes featuring this tasty and slightly sweet vegetable. I love all things pumpkin. Today I am sharing a recipe for pumpkin spice, so not the actual pumpkin itself. I love pumpkin pie spice and it instantly gets me in the mood for all things autumn. This homemade pumpkin pie spice mix can be used for lots of different recipes. Think pumpkin spice latte, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies and so much more!

Homemade pumpkin pie spice mix

Pumpkin spice is a blend of spices that is widely used in America for many different recipes; a good example would be for an easy pumpkin pie. It is somewhat similar to the Dutch speculaas kruiden, but has some subtle differences. For a homemade pumpkin spice blend you don’t need as much individual spices as you do with speculaas kruiden, so that is a bonus.

I made a whole jar and after combining the ingredients I thought I had made way too much, but I have already used it in several bakes and I think it is just enough for this fall and winter. Because gosh, how delicious it is in recipes! It totally gives me that autumn feeling. I love making my own spice blends as it is not only super easy to do but it also is a cheaper way to use ground spices. Now since recent years you can buy ready made pumpkin spice mix in the grocery store in the Netherlands, but I still love making my own and storing it in my spice cabinet.

What do you need for making the homemade pumpkin spice mix

Now the good news with this mix is that you can easily adjust it to your own preference. I use pretty basic spices that most people will have at home. The blend I used for my spice jar is pretty straightforward but you can make your own blend by changing the mix. It all comes down to personal preference. You can find the full recipe in the recipe card below.

• cinnamon – this is the main ingredient for the homemade spice blend
• ginger – ground ginger
• nutmeg – use ground nutmeg
• cloves
• ground allspice

It’s pretty similar to store-bought versions but if you want less cinnamon and more ginger for instance, that is totally up to you. You’re going to be using this a lot for pumpkin spice season so it’s also easy to double or triple the recipe as needed. For making it I simply add all spices to a small bowl and mix it. Job done. You can also add a little bit of black pepper if you like for some variation.

I like to store my pumpkin spice mix in an airtight container.

Tips for making pumpkin spice

Now as you can see by looking at the recipe, it is super simple. But it is important to make sure to check the expiration date on the ground spices you’re using. If the spices are too old they loose their flavor and you’ll be left with a less than perfect mix. You can store your own spice mixes for a very long time but make sure to note the date you made it on the container. And keep the spices in a cool and dark place. I always put it to good use so I hardly have anything left over.

Pumpkin spice recipes

Do you, like me, get excited about the flavors of fall? Or are you thinking, what is this woman talking about 😉. You will soon find a lot more recipes using this pumpkin pie spice mix but the good news is that you can also use it for the below (Dutch) recipes. Replacing speculaas kruiden with pumpkin pie spice mix is usually no problem at all:

• Gevulde speculaas (almond paste filled spiced cookie bars)
• Pepernoten (mini spiced cookies)
• Speculaasbrokken (cookie chunks)

Do you bake cupcakes on a regular basis? If so, you have probably noticed that the paper bottoms of your cupcakes have wet or greasy bottoms. Fortunately, the solution for avoiding greasy cupcake liners is super simple! Your lifesaver? Uncooked rice! I will tell you all about it in this blog.

Help, my paper cupcake bottoms are moist/greasy! How can this happen?

It’s really annoying when the cupcake papers of your freshly baked cupcakes feel greasy or wet after baking a batch of muffins or cupcakes.  It can also make it harder to peel your cupcakes out of their paper liners. I am often asked how this can happen and if there is an easy solution to this annoying problem. Part of this is also due to the high butter content of the cupcakes.

If you do have greasy paper liners, it could also be that the quality of the paper is less than perfect. This will cause the butter from your cupcake batter to seep through the cupcake wrappers. If you do suffer from damp cupcakes, excess moisture is always the culprit. Of course making sure you have good cupcake liners is also handy. Trying out different liner brands will make a world of difference to the end result.

If, like me, you bake your cupcake batter in paper molds in stainless steel muffin tins, leaving the cupcakes in there to cool after baking will cause condensation to form in the mold and wet your cupcake paper. Of course, I am assuming that you have used a good basic cupcake recipe.

Perfect cupcakes

Luckily, there is an super easy way to get perfect cupcakes every single time. I love this little baking hack as it will make for smoother baking adventures! Sprinkle a thin layer of uncooked rice in the stainless steel muffin tin and place the paper cupcake liners on top. During and after baking, the moisture and/or fat will be absorbed by the rice and the bottom of your cupcake liners will stay perfectly dry. The simple act of a little sprinkle of rice will make a big difference to your end result. Also use the cooling rack or wire rack to let the cupcakes cool down completely, that will also help.

In this video, I will clearly show you how to use this handy kitchen hack. Of course, you won’t be able to eat the rice you used in the muffin pan, but you don’t have to throw it away. You can use it for this purpose until the rice starts to look glassy. Then it’s time to “refresh” the rice.

WATCH THE VIDEO

Now the good news is that if you love cupcakes and muffins I have plenty of mouth-watering recipes for you to try. I’ll highlight a few below, but there will be more published in the next months so be sure to check out all of them. So for next time make sure to sprinkle rice on the bottom of the pan and your cupcakes will come out absolutely perfect.

Check out these cupcake recipes too:

• Strawberry cupcakes
• ​Basic vanilla cupcakes
• Apple cinnamon muffins
• Applesauce muffins

Or check out all the cupcake recipes or all the muffin recipes too. And be sure to come back on a regular basis for more delicious recipes.

A real typical Dutch recipe is a so called Dutch banketstaaf or almond paste filled pastry log. It’s the thing we make during Sinterklaas and it’s a favorite of mine. It’s pretty easy to make, but you can also make all the components yourself. It’s a pretty traditional Dutch pastry that is also quite popular at Christmas time.

A tempting slice of banketstaaf is delicious with a hot chocolate, a nice cup of coffee or a mug of hot tea.

Making a Dutch banketstaaf

Some recipes are so simple that I wonder if I should share the recipe. This recipe for making your own pastry log is one of those. In total, you only need three ingredients to make a pastry log, Dutch banketstaaf, or almond letter (whatever you want to call it):

• Puff Pastry
• Almond paste
• Eggs

You can make it as hard or easy as you like. For example, I used a large puff pastry sheet from the refrigerated section of the grocery store, but you can also make your own. The same goes for the almond paste, although it really is incredibly quick and easy to make it yourself. Keep in mind that homemade almond paste needs to “age” in the refrigerator for a while. The full list of ingredients is in the recipe card.

A homemade banketstaaf is really incredibly delicious. Of course you will have to taste it fresh out of the oven, when it has just turned golden brown and smells absolutely intoxicating. Nothing beats a slice of warm pastry log.

How to make the pastry log

Now for making this you will need a bit of parchment paper, a prepared baking sheet and a large roll of puff pastry. You cut the sheet in half lengthwise. It’s easiest to do this on a lightly floured surface. The almond paste is mixed with one beaten egg and you keep the other egg for the egg wash. You can mix it by hand or in the bowl of a food processor.

Now you might not be able to find this particular kind of almond paste everywhere in the world, but the good news is; making your own almond paste is incredibly easy.

You divide the almond paste into two equal parts and roll it into a sausage shape. You place each sausage in the center of each long strip of dough. Brush the ends of the dough with a little bit of water. Now fold and press the dough into the shape of a log. Press to seal the log and place it on the baking sheet (seam side down). You can sprinkle some sliced almonds over the top if you want after having used the egg wash. Bake in the oven in about 25 to 30 minutes.

Warming up the banketstaaf

You will find people that love to eat a Dutch banketstaaf cold and you will find people who love to eat it warm. In my opinion you should really be eating it warm. That’s when the flavor is at its very best. I reheat the banketstaaf in the oven as that will also make the puff pastry crispy again. Just like it was when you first baked it.

When reheating puff pastry snacks, I usually stick to about 5 minutes in the oven at 225˚C (440˚F) (conventional oven), depending on the size of the snack. If you are reheating the entire almond log at once, it will take a little longer.

You can also use an air fryer, but be aware that this will be even faster because of the hot air feature.

More Almond Paste Recipes

Over the years, I have come to appreciate almond paste more and more. While 15 years ago I preferred gevulde speculaas with just a little almond paste, I now prefer a well-filled variety. You can also vary the filling for this banketstaaf, more on that below in the tips section.

• Gevulde speculaas
• Gevulde koeken

A delicious and simple recipe for red berry panna cotta. A dessert that doesn’t require an oven and is delicious with fresh berries. It’s a classic Italian dessert and always a crowd pleaser!

How to make red berry panna cotta

Sometimes you make a recipe in the summer and it turns out to be especially popular in the winter, as a Christmas dessert. Such was the case with this red berry panna cotta. I came up with the recipe in the summer because it’s great on hot days when you don’t want to turn on the oven to bake something but when you still want to serve something easy and delicious.

This easy panna cotta recipe tastes fantastic both in summer and in winter. In summer you can take advantage of all the summer fruits and use whatever fresh fruit is in season. In the winter you can use frozen fruit for everything, except maybe for the garnish.

So, are you looking for a tasty dessert for barbecue season or for your Christmas dinner? You’re gonna love this creamy panna cotta for sure!

The ideal dessert

Panna cotta is incredibly easy to make and can be prepared well in advance. Most panna cotta recipes will keep in the refrigerator for two to three days. This is great if you want to make the dessert a night or two before a dinner party.

Of course, you can make a classic panna cotta recipe with no frills and just vanilla extract. Very tasty on its own, but I still prefer to go for an extra dimension of flavor. So I added red berries to this panna cotta recipe.

What do you need for this recipe?

• gelatin – I have used unflavored gelatin sheets here and not gelatin powder. I’ve used sheets of 1.5 gram (0.05 ounce) each.
• Double cream – you need cream for a creamy dessert
• vanilla extract – you can use a vanilla bean, vanilla paste or extract
• granulated sugar – I always use fine granulated sugar
• fresh berries – I used a mix of red fruit, but you can really use whatever you want.

How do you make the berry panna cotta

Making the panna cotta is super easy to do. You first soak your gelatin sheets in cold water for 5 minutes. Use a small saucepan and add the heavy cream to it with the sugar and the vanilla. Gently heat on medium heat right up to the boiling point. Take of the heat and squeeze the excess water out of the softened gelatin leaves. Add to the warm panna cotta mixture and stir until the gelatin is dissolved.

Divide your panna cotta mixture over 4 moulds and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for at least 3 hours or until you’re ready to serve.

You can choose to serve the panna cotta in glasses (wine glasses or coupes are usually a nice touch) or unmold onto a dessert plate.

Making the berry coulis

Now once your panna cotta is in the fridge you can make your fresh berry sauce. Take a medium saucepan and add fruit, water and sugar together. Heat gently and stir often. You can use a fork to squish the fruit a bit and let it simmer for a few minutes in the pan. Let it cool completely before you add it to your panna cotta. Serve the panna cotta with your homemade compote and other leftover fruits.

It is absolutely one of my favorite desserts and easy to vary too. You can make a blueberry panna cotta, add a little bit of lemon zest for added freshness or use any other fruits you want.

More delicious and easy desserts

If you love panna cotta, you probably love some inspiration for easy desserts! And you’re in luck, because I like those too. Here are a few of my favorites:

• 3 ingredient chocolate mousse (without egg)
• no bake apple caramel cheesecakes
• vanilla crème brûlée

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Berry panna cotta (no bake dessert)

Super easy and delicious dessert that is festive and great for Christmas or any other festive occasion.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time3 hours hrs

Total Time3 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Servings: 4 portions

Ingredients

Vanilla panna cotta

• 4 leaves gelatin 1.5 gram each or 0.05 ounce
• 500 ml double cream
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 50 grams fine granulated sugar

Red fruit compote

• 200 grams red berries
• 4 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp sugar

Garnish

• 100 grams red fruit

Metric – US Customary

Instructions

Preparation of the vanilla panna cotta

• Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for at least 5 minutes.
• Heat the cream in a saucepan. Add the vanilla extract and sugar and stir until dissolved. When it begins to boil, remove the pan from the heat.
• Squeeze the gelatin leaves and add to the milk mixture, stirring until dissolved.
• Divide the whipped cream between the bowls and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Preparation red berry coulis

• Place 200 grams (7 ounces) of fruit, water and sugar in a saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring regularly. If desired, mash or puree the fruit and simmer in the pan for a few minutes.
• Allow the coulis to cool completely before spooning it over the panna cotta.

Beating your egg whites to stiff peaks, what can go wrong? Even though it is a simple task, there is still a lot that can go wrong. In this article, I will explain what to look out for so that your whipped egg whites will never fail (again).

Whipping egg whites, how does it work?

Whipping egg whites creates air bubbles in the egg whites, which greatly increases their volume. When sugar is added, the air bubbles are surrounded (and thus held) by a layer of sugar, creating a firm foam that won’t easily collapse. You can then bake the most delicious meringues or add the egg white to a batter to make it nice and fluffy.

Fat free materials

The first step for successful egg whites is a fat-free working environment. The mixing bowl, whisk attachment, and any spatulas should be completely free of fat residue for the best results. It is best to use a metal bowl, stainless steel or glass bowl as these are the easiest to clean of grease.

Washing everything thoroughly with hot water and soap should do the trick, but I personally like to wipe everything down with a little lemon juice. You can use a paper towel for this rubbed with lemon juice. Wipe everything, from bowl to whisk and whatever other materials you’re using.

Don’t use plastic bowls for making meringue as the plastic retains oil much more than stainless steel, copper bowl or a glass bowl.

Separating the proteins

After everything is greaseless, separate the eggs. Again, it is important that no fat gets into the egg white. The yolk contains (a lot of) fat, and if even a small amount of egg yolk gets into the egg white, you will not be able to whip the egg white to stiff peaks. So you have to separate the whole eggs carefully.

I usually do this in two separate bowls and immediately pour each successfully separated egg white into another separate bowl (usually the mixing bowl). That way you don’t ruin all your whites if some of the yolk ends up in them. But there are lots of other great egg separation hacks out there!

I am often asked if it is possible to save egg whites that have a trace of yolk or a trace of fat and no longer want to set. Unfortunately, the answer is no, there is nothing you can do. Once fat has touched the egg whites you can no longer use it to whip egg whites to stiff peaks. You can still use for other things though (like a tasty omelette)

Beat the egg whites for the meringue until stiff

It is best to use fresh eggs at room temperature. This will allow you to whisk in the most air. I always use size M eggs unless otherwise stated, but you can also use a 1:2 ratio (1=eggs, 2=sugar) and weigh out the egg whites.

As for the sugar, I always use a combination of fine granulated sugar and powdered sugar. You start by beating the eggs with the granulated sugar. It is best to add this in tablespoons as you mix to get a greater volume. This is easiest with a stand mixer as it takes a few minutes.

Because you are using fine sugar, it will be absorbed into the meringue faster than if you were using ordinary granulated sugar. Beat until you can no longer feel the sugar grains in the egg whites and you can make nice firm peaks out of the meringue. Finally, carefully stir in the powdered sugar and cornstarch in eighths (moving your spatula in the number 8).

This will give your meringue the right structure and because it is very fine, it will be absorbed quickly. By the way, the cornstarch makes your meringue a little chewy on the inside, which I love.

Have more questions about beating egg whites to stiff peaks? Leave them in a comment below this article! I will answer those questions in a future post.

Recipes that use egg whites or meringue

• Dutch bokkenpootjes

Make your own Dutch eggnog with this easy recipe. It is delicious served in little glasses with whipped cream or incorporated into baked goods for Easter or any other festive occasion.

Vodka-based eggnog

It’s not often that I make a baked good that I don’t like. I started with coconut macaroons for my dad, and now I made my own eggnog, which went straight to my sister who loves advocaat.

When you buy Dutch eggnog from the grocery store it is usually brandy based. I don’t particularly like the burning aftertaste, so when I read about making eggnog with vodka I knew that was a sign!

Fair is fair, I am still not particularly fond of eggnog, but I find this version much tastier. So here it is: this recipe lets you make your own Dutch eggnog, with vodka of course. The recipe has been a request from my readers for years and it will work great in all sorts of Easter and Christmas recipes.

What’s the difference between regular eggnog and Dutch eggnog?

While both drinks use roughly the same ingredients, the eggnog made in the US is very different. It is usually much more liquid and can be poured rather than scooped which is the case for Dutch eggnog. It is also made with fresh dairy cream, while Dutch eggnog is made without dairy.

The American version is usually made with whipped egg whites (and the Dutch one with egg yolks) giving it a frothy appearance and is served during Christmas times most often. Advocaat is popular around Easter and Christmas.

American eggnog is served with cinnamon and ground nutmeg. Dutch eggnog is often served with whipped cream, but can also be used in other baking recipes. So same name, but a very different end result.

Dutch eggnog (Advocaat) : the recipe

While eggnog is quite famous in the states a funny thing is that we Dutch like to call our eggnog ‘advocaat’ which literally translated means “lawyer”. Funny right? Eggnog is one of those alcoholic beverages that is popular for its use in other dishes. You make it with fresh egg yolks, sugar and brandy or gin. It’s a holiday favorite in the Netherlands.

The combination of these ingredients creates a creamy texture, a sweet taste all its own, but also a slightly bitter, burning aftertaste due to the brandy.

This creamy drink has a high alcohol content, which is why advocaat is often served as an aperitif, a dessert, or simply as a little Sunday afternoon treat. There is a good reason why it is served in very small glasses and is often topped with some delicious dollop of whipped cream. You eat it with a small spoon. It’s like a pudding but with a lot of alcohol in it.

Advocaat or Dutch eggnog has been drunk/eaten in the Netherlands and Belgium for hundreds of years. The earliest known mention dates back to the 17th century, when it was described as an egg and brandy drink consumed by the Dutch elite. It makes for a wonderful holiday cocktail for sure!

Recipes with advocaat

While Dutch eggnog can be used all on its own, it is also delicious used in cakes and desserts.

For example, it worked really well as a filling for the Snow Star Cake (a very Dutch cake!) shown in the picture below.

The creaminess of eggnog is also delicious in sponge cake, chocolate cake, on a shortcrust base, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. And let’s not forget the whipped cream. Dutch eggnog and whipped cream are best friends.

In my opinion, it hasn’t been very popular as a drink (it was mainly something elderly people would enjoy) in recent years, but I think that’s starting to change as it can really give a sweet cake or dessert a special twist.

TIP: When making this, heat the mixture to 62˚C (144˚F) at some point. This is where a candy thermometer comes in handy.