Caramel Apple Rolo Salad

Caramel apples have always been a favorite of mine. I love the mix of sweet and sour that comes with the Fall-inspired treat. I wanted to do something caramel apple related for a Halloween post. This is a dessert salad that has the taste of caramel apples, without all of the mess, and it only takes ten minutes to put together.

This salad is different from other caramel apple salads because instead of using cool whip I used cream cheese. The honey flavored cream cheese adds an extra sweetness to the salad that goes well with the tartness of the apples. The top is generously drizzled with chocolate and caramel sauce, just like the outside of an apple has sauce surrounding  it.




Ingredients:

1 granny smith apple
1/2 cup honey pecan philadelphia cream cheese
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
chocolate sauce
caramel sauce
diced pecans


Instructions:

1. Place cream cheese in a bowl.
2. Stir in apple, cinnamon, and nutmeg
3. Drizzle the top with chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, and pecans

I hope that you give this dessert salad a try and love it just as much as I do.


Have a happy and safe Halloween everyone.


Savor The Baking,
Chineka

Fudge Butterscotch Homemade Brownies

Butterscotch is an acquired taste. Not everyone likes it, but when it is paired with fudge it takes the flavor to a whole different level. Another  good thing about these brownies is that they are easy to make and no butter is required. Due to the use of vegetable oil in substitution of the butter, the insides are moist and the outside is just right.  For those of my readers who are vegetarian, this recipe is for you.

Whenever I am craving something chocolate I usually end up making brownies. Sometimes they are plain and other times I add in extra bits of complimentary flavors for something different. I'd rather it be brownies than a candy bar from the store. 

Fudge Butterscotch Homemade Brownies

Yield: 12-16 brownies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup Hershey's unsweetened cocoa 

1 cup Nestle butterscotch morsels

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 8x8 square pan with non-stick baking spray or line with parchment paper.

1. In a medium sized bowl mix flour, salt, and baking soda until combined

2. In another medium sized bowl mix eggs, sugar, and oil until combined.

3. Add water and vanilla extract to the egg mixture.

4. Add Hershey's unsweetened cocoa to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.  

5. Add bowl of dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until combined.

6. Gently fold in Nestle butterscotch morsels.

7. Pour brownie batter into square pan and bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.

8. Allow brownies to cool for 5 minutes in the pan.

9. Remove brownies from pan and allow to cool completely on cooling rack.

I hope you all are having a great week. What is your favorite dessert involving chocolate?

Notes:

You can substitute the butterscotch morsels for another type of morsels if you would like.

Recipe adapted from Jessica In the Kitchen

Savor The Baking,

Chineka

Strawberry Orange Smoothie

I drink smoothies year round no matter if it is hot or cold. A smoothie is often my breakfast of choice. It is easy to make and you can drink it on the go. A powerful Vitamix or your blender of choice does all of the work for you. All you have to do is add the ingredients. This strawberry orange smoothie is a healthy way to get your breakfast in while tasting good and it only has four ingredients in it.

The honey in this smoothie is a natural sweetener so no sugar is needed. This smoothie has a fruity taste and the honey adds a bit of tang to the flavor. It comes out a beautiful light pink color that is pleasing to the eye. Your tastebuds will thank you once you take a sip.



Strawberry Orange Smoothie

Yield - one 16 oz smoothie

Ingredients:

1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1 tablespoon honey (orange blossom honey is my preference)


Instructions:

1. In a blender place 1 cup of orange juice and 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
2. Blend until combined
3. Place vanilla yogurt and honey into the mixture
4. Blend until combined

What is your favorite smoothie to make at home?


Notes:

This smoothie can easily be customized by adding your fruit of choice.

Using frozen strawberries eliminates the use of ice, which can often water smoothies down.


Savor The Baking,
Chineka

List Love Sunday

I hope that everyone had a great week. Here in the pacific northwest the rain has started to pour and the weather is starting to get a little colder. My weekend has been very relaxing so far. I have been trying to take it easy these last couple of days. Here are my favorite links and things of the week.

• I picked the last of these heirloom tomatoes from my container garden this week. Aren't they pretty? 

• This a great blog post on how to freeze desserts  from Crazy For Crust. This post will come in handy for a lot of food bloggers. I will be giving most of my desserts away to my husband's unit or women's Bible study. For those times when I want to freeze some I will use this guide.

• These DIY Photography Wood Boards are something that I'm going to  give a try. The teal one is so pretty to me, but then again teal is one of my favorite colors. Can you tell by my blog colors?...lol

• I've been pinning away on my food photography board and photography gear love board on Pinterest. Check them out. 

• Joy The Baker is coming to Seattle for her  cookbook tour!

• Speaking of books, I have been reading this Nicholas Sparks book and am enjoying it. 

• This heated mattress pad will be great to have during the Winter months. 

• A  10kt gold whisk charm  is on my jewelry wishlist. It's so cute and speaks to my baking heart. 

Have a great Sunday. What were your favorite links or things of the week?

Savor The Baking,

Chineka

Sour Cream Pound Cake with Lemon Glaze

Sour cream pound cake is a dessert that is smooth in texture and goes well with many things. It's a traditional baked good in the South and the buttery flavor keeps me coming back for more everytime. Growing up my favorite cake that my Mom baked was a sour cream pound cake with strawberry frosting and strawberry glaze. Stay tuned for a recreation of that recipe soon.

I love anything lemon flavored and you can often find me drinking lemon water. This lemon glaze is thick and easy to make. The citrus flavor adds a pop to the sour cream pound cake.Vanilla bean ice cream is this cakes friend. They are both subtle in flavor and compliment one another. Everyone who has tasted this cake and lemon glaze combination has loved it. You cannot go wrong.



Sour Cream Pound Cake:

Yield- one 9 inch loaf

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
3 eggs (room temperature)
1/2 cup sour cream (room temperature)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla


Lemon Glaze:

Yield - glazes one 9 inch loaf

1/2 cup powdered sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon


Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9 inch loaf pan with non-stick baking spray.


For the sour cream pound cake:

1. Using a stand mixer and paddle attachment beat butter on medium speed until creamy.
2. In a medium sized bowl stir flour, baking powder, and baking soda together.
2. Add sugar beating on medium speed until light and fluffy. This should take about 10 minutes.
3. Add vanilla and eggs one at a time. Beat for 1 minute on low speed after the addition of each egg.
4. Alternately add the flour mixture and sour cream to the butter mixture on low speed until combined.
5. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and spread evenly.
6. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted in the center and comes out clean.
7. Cool in pan on cooling rack for 10 minutes. Remove loaf from pan and place on cooling rack until cooled completely.


For the lemon glaze:

1. Place powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl
2.  Stir ingredients with a whisk until combined

I hope that you all have a great weekend. I don't have any weekend plans yet. Hopefully something fun will be on the schedule. What are your weekend plans?


Notes:

Cake can be stored at room temperature wrapped in tin foil for 2 days. After that refrigerate any uneaten portions.

Sour Cream Pound Cake recipe adapted from bhg.com 



Savor The Baking,
Chineka

Halloween Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies often evoke memories, whether it be from your childhood or a first date. I don't know how these cookies do it, but they make you all warm inside when you take a bite out of one. With Halloween next week I wanted to post a recipe that was simple to recreate and easy to turn into a Halloween theme. What better dessert to make than chocolate chip cookies tinted orange just for the occasion?  For those of you who celebrate Halloween or if you are having a Halloween party at your home or Church these cookies are a great baked good to consider. 

As you can see these cookies are fluffy and soft. They are also full of milk chocolate chips in addition to cornstarch, which aids in how soft these cookies are as they bake.

A glass of milk is a classic pairing with these cookies and makes the chocolate even more rich and delicious. Another option for pairing is vanilla ice cream, which is a personal favorite of mine.

Halloween Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yeild  - 24 cookies


Ingredients:

3/4 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg (room temperature)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup Nestle milk chocolate morsels
1/2 teaspoon Americolor (my preference) or wilton orange gel food coloring


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use a silicone baking mat


1. Using stand mixer beat the butter on medium speed until creamy.
2. Add brown sugar and granulated sugar to the butter and mixed until combined.
3. Mix in egg, vanilla, and orange gel food coloring
4. In a medium sized bowl combine flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.
5. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients on low speed and mix until combined
6. Fold in milk chocolate morsels into batter
7. Cover cookie dough and chill for one hour to one day
8. Scoop cookie dough onto baking sheet or silicone baking mat with small ice cream scoop or make 1 inch balls
9. Bake for 8-9 minutes
10. Cool cookies for 5 minutes and place on cooling rack to cool completely

Here are the cookies fresh out of the oven on a cooling rack. Enjoy these cookies and have a Happy and safe Halloween. I hope that you all are having a great week so far. What is your favorite cookie?


Notes:

Let baking sheet or silicone mat cool completely in between baking batches of cookies

Americolor gel food coloring can be found at Hobby Lobby and Wilton gel food coloring can be found at Michael's. If these stores are not located near you Amazon is a great option as well. :-)

Cookies be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerated for 5 days.

Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months by placing in freezer zip-loc bags

Recipe adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction 

Savor The Baking,
Chineka

Chocolate Chip Strawberry Muffins

Muffins are a breakfast that I have always loved. They are portable and they fit in my tiny hand so well. Based on taste preference there are many varieties to choose from so there is one out there for everyone. Otis Spunkmeyer muffins were frequently eaten by me walking to class during my college days.

These Chocolate Chip Strawberry muffins are a great way to start the day on the go and go great with a glass of milk. They are like a chocolate covered strawberry in a muffin. The insides are moist, while the outside has a little crunch to it like a muffin should be. The mix of strawberries and chocolate in this muffin make it a sweet treat that isn't overpowering.

I got the strawberries used in this recipe from the berry farm here in Washington state. We are blessed to have a lot of organic and locally grown food here, where most things are fresh from the ground. These were the last of the berries from the season. 

Chocolate Chip Strawberry Muffins

Yield- 12 muffins


Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted)
2  eggs (room temperature)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh strawberries (diced into bite sized pieces)
1/2 cup Nestle milk chocolate morsels



Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12 count muffin pan with cupcake liners or spray the cups with a non-stick bakers spray.


1. In a microwave safe bowl melt the stick of butter and let cool to room temperature.
2. Using a stand mixer on low speed combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt
3. In a medium sized bowl whisk together the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients on low speed. (do not overmix)
5. Sprinkle a little flour onto the diced strawberries (so they won't sink) and fold into the mixture.
6. Fold the milk chocolate morsels into the mixture
7. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-fourths full. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out batter in cups
8. Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from muffin cups. Cool completely on wire wracks.

Notes:

Can be stored in an airtight container for 3 days and refrigerated for 5 days.

To freeze place in zip loc freezer bags

Recipe adapted from Joy of Baking. I love watching her YouTube videos.

I hope that you all have a great week. What is your favorite muffin flavor?

Savor The Baking,

Chineka

List Love Sunday

I hope that you all are having  a great weekend. The rain has started heavily here in Washington state and the sun is getting sparse. I am enjoying these last few weeks of nice weather before the winter hits. Here are some of my favorite links and things of the week.

• The pecan waffles in the picture above are from The Original Pancake House.  They are my favorite. The homemade butter and syrup to go along with it are the cherry on top.

• This fondant painting of Maleficent by McGreevy Cakes is amazing. 

• A fashionable camera strap adds a personal touch to your camera.

• Food photography props don't have to cost a lot of money. 

• This is a great manual photography cheat sheet. 

• GlamTwinz Vlogs are entertaining to watch. I look forward to viewing them each week. 

• NCIS:New Orleans is my new favorite crime show. 

• I'm rewatching all of the  Criminal Minds seasons now via Netflix. I'm a fan for life.

Have a great Sunday. What were your favorite links or things of the week?

Savor The Baking,

Chineka

How To Make a Mini Cake Stand

Mini cake stands are a cute and dainty way of displaying your favorite mini desserts. Mini cake stands are hard to find, but white ones are even harder to find. I spent a week looking in stores for one. After not much success I decided to make my own. For just $5.00 (I already had a glue gun) I made the mini cake stand above and now you will be able to with this tutorial.

Mini Cake Stand Supplies:

7.5 inch plate (Dollar General)
Small ramekin (Target)
Glue gun

Directions:

1. Place the plate face down
2. Place the ramekin on top the plate right side up
3. Make a dot on the plate with a marker where the edge of the ramekin is
4. With glue gun place a couple of glue dots on the center of the back of the plate
5. With your glue gun place glue around the edges of the ramekin
6. Place ramekin right side up on the upside down plate and press for a few seconds to secure (Once dry you may have to go back and fill in the gaps with glue)
7. Let dry for an hour
8. Enjoy your mini cake stand for years to come

Here is another variation of a mini cake stand that I made. The plate has beading as the border and the ramekin has horizontal lines. What is your favorite way to display mini desserts? Have a great weekend.


Notes:
Have fun with your mini cake stand. It can be used as a display or to plate your favorite dessert.

If you make a mini cake stand using this tutorial #savorthebakingtutorials on Instagram.

The recipe for the cupcake in the photo (vanilla cupcakes with chocolate cream cheese frosting) is here.


Savor The Baking,
Chineka

My Cake Decorating Workspace

My cake decorating workspace is a corner of our apartment that I turned into a place of inspiration. It all began with buying the ottoman and putting it near the window. I wanted a makeshift window seat and this works well. I can sit here for hours comfortably, while working on a current cake decorating project.

I made the cork board design above by cutting cork board squares into shapes and painting them. The cork board has things that inspire me on it such as cards given to me, quotes, and some pictures of  me with people that inspire me. My husband and I are in the middle picture.

When working, I try to keep my workspace neat. Here are just a few things that I always have out while working on a project. My self-healing cutting mat helps me out a lot. I use the built in ruler often to cut straight or angled lines with an xacto knife. The color wheel helps me find complimentary colors and color combinations.

A notebook is always kept near me just in case an idea pops into my head. I love the dress and the quote "Be Fabulous" on the cover of this notebook. Along with my xacto knife is my favorite  tool, the ball tool, which  I use all the time. It is handy in creating things like ruffles or thinning out gumpaste flower petals.

The current cake topper that I am working on is a bridal dress. Here is a close up of the bottom of the dress. The ruffles, which are made of gumpaste, are very thin and delicate. I have the cake topper placed on a piece of floral foam so I can easily move it around until completed.

I hope that you have enjoyed this post. Where is your workspace or a place that you are inspired by?

Notes:

This post is in collaboration with WeWork, a company that provides work spaces and other amenities for small businesses. Click on the link to see if they have a location near you. There is even one near me in Seattle and the space looks so cozy and inviting.

Savor The Baking,
Chineka

Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

They are simple in flavor, but pack a big bang. I don't know anyone who doesn't love a classic vanilla cupcake. It can  simply be transformed by changing the flavor of the frosting or adding a filling. These vanilla cupcakes are simple to make, but taste like you spent hours baking them. The batter is thick and the flavor is undeniable.  

The chocolate cream cheese frosting is rich, but not overpowering. I'm not a big fan of chocolate frostings, but I love this one. I think the velvety texture of the cream cheese has something to do with it. It also adds to how smooth the frosting consistency is.

These cupcakes would be great for any occasion, such as a birthday party or any event that you have to take a dessert to. 

Vanilla Cupcakes:

Yield - 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter (room temperature)

1 egg (room temperature)

2 egg yolks (room temperature)

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup 2% milk

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting:

Yield - Frosts 12 cupcakes

1 8-ounce package cream cheese (room temperature)

1/2 cup butter (room temperature)

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners. 

For the cupcakes:

1. Allow butter, egg, and egg yolks to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.  If using vanilla bean, use a small sharp knife to scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean; set seeds aside. In a small bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and salt.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using a stand mixer and paddle attachment beat butter on low to medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, beating on medium to high speed for 1 minute. Scrape sides of bowl. Add egg, egg yolks, vanilla bean seeds (or the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract), and the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; beat until combined. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined (batter will be thick).

3. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-fourths full. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out batter in cups

4. Bake about 20 minutes for 21/2-inch cupcakes (about 15 minutes for 1 3/4-inch cupcakes) or until a wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups. Cool completely on wire racks. 

For the frosting:

1. In stand mixer using paddle attachment beat butter and cream cheese on low to medium speed until smooth. Add cocoa powder and vanilla; beat until blended. Gradually beat in 2 cups of granulated sugar and the milk.    

Notes:

Please do not microwave your butter to speed up the process of it coming to room temperature. Let it happen naturally. If you are impatient try doing a task until the butter softens. It only takes 30 minutes

Can be stored in an airtight container for 3 days and refrigerated for 5 days. 

Recipes adapted from bhg.com. 

I hope that you enjoy these cupcakes. Let me know if you make them. 

Savor The Baking,

Chineka

List Love Sunday

There were a lot of interesting things to explore on the internet this week. My week was varied with busy days and relaxing. With Columbus Day among us it will most likely be  a four day weekend for many. Take time to have fun and enjoy the little things in life.

• I had these Double Dribble Peanut Butter Cup Cookies  at a Church event and could not stop picking one up to eat. I came home and found the recipe on Pinterest.  

• This story of bravery is so inspiring. It says so much about life and death. 

• What this cake artist does with cake is mind boggling. Creating realistic looking cakes is in the blood of Debbie Does Cakes. 

• I have been watching Julie G's Vlogtober videos on YouTube everyday. She is so positive and is a great role model for women. 

• Sally's Baking Blog is a blog of all things sugary and sweet. The blog also has a great section on food photography and baking tips. It's a great resource to have for food bloggers. 

• Sunflowers are my favorite flower. Now I can make Gumpaste Sunflowers thanks to this YouTube tutorial. 

• I hope to find some riding boots like this for Fall at a much cheaper price. They are the perfect combination of style and comfort. A shopping trip is in order. 

• This Breast Cancer Awareness Cake by Bliss Pastry is beautiful and for a great cause. 

I hope you all enjoyed this weeks List Love Sunday and were inspired by some great reads.

Savor The Baking,
Chineka

Cake Design Inspiration: Dental Chair Graduation Cake

Image from Pink Cake Box

I was on YouTube earlier this week and came across this cake from Pink Cake Box. I was amazed at what I saw. The detail in this cake is pretty awesome. The chair is stitched and the sugar tools are sharp and shiny. This cake was made for a dental school graduate. 

The light even shines bright just like in the dental office and the face cloth looks like the real thing. For all of you who don't like going to the dentist this is a way to go without having to face any of the pain...lol.

For more detailed photos of this cake visit Pink Cake Boxes blog post by clicking on the link above. 

Here is the video of the cake:

I hope that you were inspired in some way by this blog post. I know that I was. Have a great weekend.

Savor The Baking,

Chineka

Craftsy Review: Custom Cake Toppers

Image from Craftsy

Brenda Walton of Sugar High Inc.  teaches the Craftsy class Custom Cake Toppers. Brenda is known for her incredibly detailed cake toppers and you can learn how to make them in this class.

I would recommend this class to anyone who wants to learn more about the art of modeling sugar figurines. Brenda makes it easy for anyone to follow along with her precise instructions and fondant measuring guides. She uses a scale for each piece of her sugar figurines, which is great for beginners to have a guideline to go by.

In this class you will learn to make a variety of cake toppers including a bride, groom, grandma, grandpa, and a little girl. Once you master these figures you will be able to translate the skills learned into any modeled cake topper that you make.

The basic shapes  for these sugar figurines are fairly simple and Brenda breaks it down step by step so you can make your figure with confidence. After taking this class you will no longer be intimidated by sugar figurines.

Craftsy classes are a great way for anyone to learn cake decorating skills while at home or anywhere in the world. After purchased the classes are available to you  for life so if you need to go  back and watch a class session you can.

I have taken several cake decorating classes on Craftsy to learn more about the art of cake decorating that I love so much. I have never been disappointed with a class and I often revisit different classes for reminders while working on specific cake decorating projects.

Tip: I try to catch  these cake decorating classes when they are on sale. Craftsy often has sales on theses classes ranging from 20 to 50 percent off.

Savor The Baking,
Chineka

Baking Essentials

      

I don't think I've ever done a post on my baking essentials. I have a few things that I use every time that I set out to bake something new. I can't bake without them and they provide a sense of comfort for me in the kitchen.

Image from IceMilk Aprons

Apron 

The first thing that I do before I even start baking is put on an apron. It may be old fashioned, but it is something official  about wearing an apron while you bake. My current favorite apron has a lace overlay. I have been loving the aprons from IceMilk Aprons. They are a bit pricey, but if you bake a lot they are worth the price and you will get your moneys worth out of them. Their full aprons are my favorite as pictured above. They look more like a dress than an apron so they are very fashionable.

Image from Williams-Sonoma

Rolling Pin

A rolling pin comes in handy for a lot of baking and even cake decorating projects. From pie doughs to rolling out gumpaste it is a staple in my kitchen. This maple rolling pin from Williams-Sonoma is reasonably priced. It also has a good surface area and has steady handles.

Image from Williams-Sonoma

Reversible Pastry Board

You can't have a rolling pin without having a reliable pastry board. I own this reversible pastry board from Williams-Sonoma and use it for a variety of my baking needs. One side is smooth wood and the side pictured above has a pie crust recipe a long with four pie crust diameters. It is American made out of yellow birch wood. I use a wood moisturizer from Amazon and moisturize it every other month so the wood will not dry out. 

Image from KitchenAid

KitchenAid Stand Mixer

My KitchenAid Stand Mixer is definitely the star of my kitchen. I use it for almost everything and it definitely makes the baking process easier. I have the mixer pictured above in Raspberry Ice. The first time that I saw this color I fell in love with it. I have had this mixer for two years and have not had any problems out of it. My Mom has had hers for over twenty years so I know that they are tried and true.

Image from Williams-Sonoma

Vanilla Bean Paste

If there is one ingredient baking-wise that I would recommend it would be vanilla bean paste by Nielsen-Massey. This ingredient makes such a difference in the flavor of your baking products. It makes for a richer flavor in baked goods. 

Image from Anthropologie

Measuring Cups

Measuring cups are something that are definitely needed every time that you bake. These cute whale-tail measuring cups are from Anthropologie. I might have to order these myself, since I love anything involving sea life, especially dolphins. The measuring cups range from 1/4 cup to 1 cup.

Image from Target

Mixing Bowls

From Target, these colorful mixing bowls are heavy enough to hold baking ingredients. They even can be refrigerated if you have to go somewhere in the middle of baking. If you sit them on the counter they add a pop of color to your kitchen. Five bowls come in a set and at just $50 I think they are a great deal and can be used in a variety of ways. 

I hope that you enjoyed some of my baking essentials and try some of them out. What are some of your baking essentials or must-haves?

Savor The Baking,

 Chineka