Buttermilk Biscuits!

           Buttermilk biscuits are one of my favourite baked goods. You can heat them and eat with jam or butter, they can be used as the base for a bacon or sausage, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich (my personal favourite use), or you can integrate your own personal flare to the recipe by adding cinnamon and diced apples, or maybe some allspice and chopped pork sausage. No matter what you do, buttermilk biscuits are a simple, and delicious staple to bake and to keep in the kitchen! Here is my recipe for buttermilk biscuits (12-15 servings):

• 2 and 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Grease a large baking sheet (or two smaller ones) or line with parchment paper- reserve
3. In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients for approximately 2 minutes
4. Using 2 knives, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until you have course crumbs
5. Whisk the egg and buttermilk (in a separate bowl or make a well in your crumbs and whisk in the same bowl) and add to the dry ingredients/butter crumbs
6. Stir mixture with a fork to make a soft dough
7. Flour your hands to pat the dough into a large ball
8. Flour a surface and gently knead for 20 seconds (approximately 10 kneads)
9. Pat down and flatten to approximately 2cm in height
10. Portion 12-15 rounds 
11. Optional step: Mix and apply egg-wash once on your baking sheet (one egg, small splash of milk, and 1/4 tsp of sugar)
12. Bake in the centre of your preheated oven (12-16 minutes until golden brown)

Enjoy! 

Marble Cupcakes!

          Today was the day! I have a wonderful cupcake recipe to share with you as well as a simple frosting to top your cakes! Next to anything red velvet, I love chocolate cakes. Marble cakes look beautiful and it is oh-so-simple! Excuse the picture above! I forgot to take the picture before frosting. They tasted like heaven. Here is my recipes for the marble cake:

TIP: What I usually do is make the batter, separate it, and then add the cocoa powder to one half. It is more efficient!

Cupcake batter:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (sifted, or whisk dry ingredients for 2 minutes)
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil (or canola oil)
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder (mix into one half of the batter once separated; Remember to sift/whisk your cocoa because it lumps easily)

I like using the buttermilk because of the unique richness it provides a chocolate cake... Or any cake for that matter! Now, you know the drill: preheat your oven to 350 degrees, mix dry ingredients in a mixing bowl (large bowl preferred), and then add your wet ingredients. In your cupcake sheet-lined muffin tin, lay down a sequence of vanilla and chocolate batter to fill the tin approximately half way. I like to take a knife to fold and swirl the batter for aesthetic purposes. Bake for 25 minutes. 

The frosting I use for this cupcake is simpler than you can ever imagine: 

Cream cheese frosting:

Make a chocolate ganache using the chocolate of your choice (I used a large Cadbury Caramilk for this cake) and add to softened cream cheese. It is that simple:

• Take one package of room temperature cream cheese and soften it with the back of a spatula or a wooden spoon - reserve
• Take about 1/2 cup-1 cup of milk or cream and let it come to a simmer (medium heat)
• Add a large brick of chocolate of your choice (make sure you break it up roughly)
• It will take a while to melt, and it may look pretty gross, you might wonder if you messed up- YOU DIDN'T! I promise
• Once the chocolate beings to melt, you will see the mixture become glossy and thicken
• Add the chocolate to your cream cheese and mix - again it may look gross at first (I would transition to a whisk for optimum results!) 
• Let this sit for 15 minutes to cool before frosting your cakes - It will be thicker if you wait

There you go! One of my favourite, simple, delicious, and care-free recipes. Tomorrow is buttermilk biscuits! Stay tuned! 

ENJOY!