Chocolate Bundt Cake with Candy Cane Frosting

How to make it

To Make the Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.

2. Make a cup of Nespresso or coffee (and feel free to steal a sip!)

3. In a large bowl, beat sugar and egg.

4. Slowly drizzle in oil with mixer still running.

5. Add in yogurt, vanilla, and almond milk.

6. In a small bowl, sift together cocoa, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

7. Add to wet ingredients.

8. Add in coffee and mix until just combined. Note, the batter will be quite runny - but don’t worry - this is just an extra moist chocolate cake!

9. Pour batter into 1 greased bundt pan, or 6 mini bundt pans.

10. Bake for ~20 minutes for mini pans. If using larger, bake for 30 minutes. Rotate pan, and bake for additional 10-20 minutes depending on oven. It is done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean, or when you gently press the centre it pops back up.

11. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

To Make the Frosting

1. While cake cools, beat together powdered sugar and butter.

2. Incorporate milk 1 Tbsp at a time.

3. Add in peppermint extract. Note - this is a VERY strong flavour, so do NOT measure over your bowl, incase you over-pour! Chocolate cake does not pair well with mouthwash!

4. Using a spoon or offset spatula, pour frosting over bundt cake.

5. Add crushed candy cane and Oreos to decorate.

6. Enjoy.

Note - if you want to enjoy year round - simply swap out the peppermint frosting for a simple chocolate ganache or coffee glaze!

What you’ll Need

For The Cake

3/4 Cup+ 2 Tbsps sugar

1 egg

2 Tbsps oil

2 Tbsps greek yogurt

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup milk (almond also works)

1/2 Cup brewed coffee (I just make a cup of Nespresso)

3/4 Cup + 2 Tbsps flour

1/4 Cup + 2 Tbsps cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

For the Frosting

1 Cup icing sugar

2 Tbsps butter

1 Tbsps milk

1/8th tsp pepperment extract

1 Crushed Candy Cane

1 Crushed Oreo

Better for You Scotcheroos

How to make it

1. Line a 9x9 square pan with parchment paper.

2. In a food processor, puree pitted dates until they form into a nice paste.

3. In a large sauce pan, combine peanut butter, honey, coconut nectar, and date paste over medium heat. Stir until ingredients come together as a homogeneous mixture.

4. Add in cereal flakes 1 cup at a time, stirring well until coated.

5. Transfer into prepared pan, and spread evenly with a spatula.

6. In a microwave safe bowl melt down chocolate chips.

7. Spread in thin layer over cereal treats.

8. In another small bowl melt down butterscotch treats. Spread in 4-5 thin lines across cereal base.

9. Using a knife, draw thin lines perpendicular to chocolate lines, pulling the swirl stripe texture.

10. Allow to sit for 3-4 hours, until chocolate hardens.

11. Cut into 16 squares.

What You’ll Need

1/3 Cup crunchy all natural peanut butter

1/4 Cup Honey

1/4 Cup Coconut Nectar

1/2 Cup pitted dates

1/2 Cup dark chocolate

2 1/2 Cups Special K Rice Flake Cereal

1/2 Cup butterscotch chipits

Spicy Ginger Molasses Loaf with Orange Glaze

How to make it

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease 3 mini or 1 regular loaf pan(s).

2. In a mixer, cream together butter and sugar with a paddle attachment.

3. Add in egg, grated ginger, and apple sauce.

4. In a large bowl, sift together flour and spices.

5. In a medium bowl, combine boiling water, molasses, and baking soda. Let the mixture foam until approximately double in size.

6. Add in half of the dry mix to egg and butter mixture followed by 1/2 of molasses mixture.

7. Mix on low until combined.

8. Add in remaining dry and molasses mixtures.

9. Mix on low until combined.

10. Pour into prepared loaf pan(s).

11. Bake for 35-40 minutes (mini) or 50-60 minutes (regular).

12. Allow to cool.

13. To make the glaze - combine orange juice and powdered sugar replacement in a small bowl, whisking until homogeneous,

14. Pour over completely cooled gingerbread, allowing to drizzle down the sides.

Tips

1. This recipe would taste great with cream cheese frosting. Refer to the Red Velvet Oreo recipe to find a sugar free frosting option!

2. Double the recipe and make in a large bundt cake pan for a fancy and festive dessert.

What you’ll need

1/4 Cup butter, room temperature

1/2 Cup Golden Sugar

1/4 Cup apple sauce

1 egg

2 Tbsps fresh grated ginger

1/2 Cup boiling water

1/2 Cup + 2 Tbsps Cup molasses

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 3/4 Cup flour

2 tsps ground ginger

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

For The Sugar-free Glaze

2 Tbsps freshly squeezed orange juice

1/4 Cup + 2 Tbsps Swerve Icing Sugar Replacement

Christmas Cake Pops

How to make it

1. Prepare cake as per box instructions. Sometimes I substitute 1/3 cup oil for 1/3 cup apple sauce for s lower fat version. But who are we kidding, these aren’t a ‘super food’!

2. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool.

3. Remove from pan and cut off all edges. Place in large bowl, and using a fork or clean hands, crumble cake. Mix in 1/3 - 1/2 cup frosting (depending on desired texture) and sprinkles. Mixture will come together and be dough like.

4. Roll into 1” to 11/2” balls and place in freezer for 3-4 hours.

5. In a microwave safe bowl, melt white chocolate wafers on hig in 30 second intervals, stirring in-between.

6. Gently dunk each ball into chocolate, scrapping edges of bowl to discard extra chocolate.

7. Decorate with remaining sprinkles.

8. Allow to set, and enjoy!

Pro Tip - if you have the patience, transform these into snowmen. Place a mini Oreo on the top of each, use two blue sprinkles for eyes, and an orange one for a carrot nose!

What you’ll need

1 box White or Yellow Cake Mix

3 eggs

1 Cup water

1/3 Cup apple sauce

1/3 - 1/2 Cup Frosting

1/3 Cup red & green sprinkles + 1 Tbsp for decorating

1 1/2 Cups white chocolate wafers

Candy Cane Chocolate Chip Cookies

how to make it

1. In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, add butter. Move butter around until totally melted. Allow butter to bubble, and foam up, stirring occasionally. Mixture will get very loud as the butter boils. Continue to stir and run a heat resistant spatula along he bottom of the pan to prevent milk solids from burning. Mixture will then get VERY foamy! Keep stirring. Mixture will go quiet. Once there is a brown hue, and nutty caramel aroma, pour butter into a dish. Place in fridge or on ice bath to stop from cooking.

2. Allow butter to cool completely in fridge (2-3 hrs), until it is back to a soft room temperature.

3. In a standmixer with a paddle attachment, cream together butter, sugar, and maple syrup.

4. Add in eggs , yogurt, and vanilla.

5. In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, and sea salt.

6. Fold in try ingredients. When almost combined, add in mix ins, and stir.

7. Scoop cookies out, and place in large zip lock bag. Chill dough for 4 hours (or overnight).

8. Preheat oven to 350F and line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

9. Bake cookies for 9-11 minutes (medium), or ~15 minutes (large).

10. Allow to cool on tray before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

What you’ll need

1 Cup butter, browned

1 2/3 Cups brown sugar

1 1/2 Tbsps maple Syrup

1 egg + 1 egg Yolk

2 tsps vanilla

1 Tbsp greek yogurt

2 1/4 Cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 Cup white chocolate chips

1 Cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1/3 Cup mint M&Ms, roughly smashed

1/4 Cup crushed Candy Cane

Hot Cocoa Cookie Dough Jars

How to make it

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spread flour on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper in thin layer. Bake for 5-6 minutes to pasteurize.

2. In a standmixer, or by hand, cream together butter and sugar.

3. Add in vanilla and melted chocolate chips.

4. Fold in flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Note, even though these aren’t being baked, baking soda offers a slightly enhanced flavour reminiscent of cookie dough.

5. Fold in sprinkles, chocolate chips, and a few marshmallows, if desired.

6. Line a cookie sheet with parchment and set oven to broil on hi.

7. Place marshmallows in single layer on cookie sheet, and put in oven for 45seconds - 1 1/2 minutes (depending on level of toastiness desired ;)!

8. Add marshmallows on top of cookie dough jars. Use a candy cane as a spoon, that is, if you want to get real fancy! Enjoy.

What you’ll Need

1/3 Cup butter, room temperature

1/3 Cup golden sugar

3 Tbsps granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla

3 Tbsps melted semi sweet chocolate 

1/2 Cup flour

1/4 Cup cocoa

1/8th tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp sea salt

3 Tbsps chocolate chips

1 Tbsp sprinkles

1/3 Cup mini marshmallows

Candy Cane Brownie Bombs

How to make it

1. Preheat the oven to 350F, and line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper.

2. In a stand mixer, beat sugar and eggs.

3. In a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate and butter together on 30 second increments.

4. Pour chocolate into sugar egg mixture while running on slow.

5. Add in vanilla.

6. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Fold into mixture until thick.

7. Spread into prepared pan and bake for 27-32 minutes. Do not over bake, you want the centre fudgey. Allow too cool. Cut off edges, and top crust layer. Set aside for snacking!

8. Section off the remaining gooey fudge middle into ~20-30 sections (depending on desired size). Roll into small balls.

9. Place in freezer for 3-4 hours, or overnight.

10. Melt chocolate in microwave safe bowl on 30 second increments.

11. Dunk frozen brownie balls into chocolate, and sprinkle with crushed candy cane. allow to cool.

12. Enjoy

What you’ll need

1/2 Cup butter

1/3 Cup dark chocolate chips

1 Cup white sugar

2 Eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 Cup flour

1/3 Cup cocoa powder

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 Cup Dark Chocolate Chunks

1/2 Cup White chocolate melting wafers

3 Tbsps crushed Candy Cane

Deck the Holidays Blondies

How to make it

1. Like an 8x8 pan with parchment and preheat oven to 350F.

2. In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, combine butter, sugar, and maple syrup. Stir as it melts and begins to bubble.

3. Remove from heat and let cool for at least 15 min (you don’t want your egg to scramble).

4. Add egg and vanilla, stir well.

5. Fold in flour + Sea salt.

6. Fold in favourite festive “loaded” toppings!

7. Spread into prepared pan and bake for 21-24 minutes.

8. Allow to cool before cutting.

What you’ll need

1/2 Cup salted butter

3/4 Cup packed brown sugar

2 Tbsps maple syrup

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 Cup flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

Triple Ginger Cookies

How to make it

1. Combine water and flax in a small dish. Stir, and set aside for 10 min to thicken. This will be your emulsifier (aka your egg).

2. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a cookie sheet with parchment or a silicon baking mat.

3. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in a bowl) cream together shortening and sugars.

4. Add in egg, molasses, lemon juice, lime zest, orange zest, and fresh grated ginger.

5. In a small bowl, mix together dry ingredients.

6. Fold dry ingredients + chopped crystallized ginger chunks into mixture. Note, I chop the ginger into cubes approximately the same size as chocolate chips.

7. Roll dough into balls, and roll in remaining sugar.

8. Place on baking sheet, and push in a few extra little chunks of candied ginger if desired.

9. Bake at 350F for 7-9 minutes. Let cool on tray for 5-10 minutes before transferring to wire rack.

What you’ll Need

3/4 Cup vegetable shortening

1/2 Cup golden sugar

1/2 Cup coconut sugar

1 Tbsp Ground Flax + 3Tbsps Warm Water

2 Tbsps Molasses 

1 tsp lemon juice

2 tsps lime zest

1 tsp orange zest

1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger

2 Cups flour

2 tsps cinnamon 

2 tsps ginger

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp all spice 

1/3 Cup chopped crystallized ginger 

~3 tbsps sugar (for rolling)

Red Velvet Oreos with Sugar Free Cream Cheese Filling

How to make it

1. In a mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, combined butter and sugar. Cream together scraping down sides occasionally.

2. Add in melted chocolate, apple sauce, vanilla and food colouring.

3. Sift in cocoa, flour, baking soda, and salt.

4. Place dough on large sheet of parchment paper and roll into a log (1 to 11/2 inch thick).

5. Place in fridge for 1.5-2 hours, until hard.

6. FOR THE FILLING: While dough chills, beat together cream cheese and butter. Once combined, add in powdered sugar replacement. Drizzle in almond milk and vanilla. Scrape into bowl.

7. Preheat oven to 350F. Slice dough into 3/4 cm thick disks. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 11-15 minutes.

8. Allow to cool.

9. Using a piping bag, or with a knife, spread filling on half of cookie. Place top on, and squeeze gently.

What you’ll need

Cookies

1/3 Cup butter, room temperature

1/4 Cup sugar

1/3 Cup chocolate chips, melted

1 Tbsp apple sauce

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 Tbsp red food colouring

1/2 Cup flour

1/4 Cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

Filling

1/2 Cup cream cheese, room temperature

3 Tbsps butter, room temperature

1/4 Cup Swerve powdered sweetener

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 Tbsp almond milk

Pistachi-Go Energy Balls

“A fuel good favourite made with just a few simple ingredients; these balls are the perfect way to put a bounce in your step!”

How to make it

1. Soak dates in warm water for 1 hr, or overnight. Drain and pat dry.

2. Using a food processor, combined dates, pistachios, oats, coconut oil, and spices.

3. Mix in cranberries and yogurt chips (omit for vegan option).

4. Roll into 12 balls.

5. If desired, roll in crushed pistachios.

6. Store in fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze.

NOTE: If you do not have a food processor, you can use an immersion blender.

What you’ll need

10 dates, pitted, soaked, and drained

1/3 Cup shelled pistachios + 3 Tbsps crushed pistachios separated

1/4 Cup oats

1 Tbsp coconut oil

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/3 Cup dried cranberries

3 Tbsps yogurt chips

Knock-off Trader Joe's Almond Butter Cups

How to Make them

1. Separate foil/paper cups.

2. In a small bowl, combine almond butter, swerve, vanilla and maple syrup.

3. In a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate.

4. Spoon 2/3s of chocolate into foil cups.

5. Press down a 1 cm cubed ball of almond butter mixture into each cup while chocolate is still melted.

6. Cover with remaining chocolate & sprinkle with flaked sea salt.

7. Let set at room temperature, or place in fridge.

What You’ll Need

24 mini paper / foil wrappers

1/4 Cup all natural smooth almond butter, salted

2 Tbsps Swerve Powdered Sugar Replacement

1 Tbsp + 1 tsp maple syrup

1/2 tsp vanilla

3/4 Cup high quality dark chocolate (70% or above)

Flaked sea salt for finishing

Almond Roca (Christmas Crack)

How to make it

This is a time sensitive recipe - so I HIGHLY recommend you get everything ready first, and read the full instructions! Alternative, watch the quick 5 minute video in this post for step by step directions! :) The entire cooking process will take ~30 minutes.

1. Prepare! Grab a heavy bottom sauce pan and place on stove top. Near the stove, have either a candy thermometer ready, or a cup of ICE cold water, a spatula (and plate to rest it on), all your ingredients measured.

2. Grease a cookie sheet with butter- I do this by taking the foil of the butter in the recipe and rubbing it on the sheet edge to edge.

3. Over medium heat, combine salted butter, sugar and water. You MUST use salted butter - it stabilizes the mixture.

4. Once melted, give it a good stir to ensure mixture is homogeneous.

5. Allow mixture to cook over medium heat, stirring every 3-4 minutes to ensure sugar does not burn to bottom of pan.

6. Mixture will go from a pale anemic bubbling mixture to a light brown. At this point, sprinkle in cream of tartar. This will help with candy texture and prevent crystallization.

7. Once mixture is light brown, place thermometer into pan, and stir every minute or so.

8. Once mixture hits 295F, turn off heat, remove from burner, and stir in almonds, and spread onto cookie sheet.

   ALT: If you DO NOT have a candy thermometer, once the candy starts to brown, place small drops into a cup of ICE cold water next to the stove. If the drops come out bendy at all, it is NOT ready. If they form a hard ball and can be ‘cracked’ the mixture ready!

9. Allow mixture to cool.

10. On the stove top, or in the microwave, temper your chocolate (melt it 90%, then stir in a little un-melted chocolate.

11. Spread over the cooled candy base in a thin even layer. Sprinkle with remaining chopped roasted almonds.

12. Let cool, and then roughly break apart or chop.

13. Enjoy ! This makes a great gift if you package it up!

What you’ll need

Ingredients

1 Cup Salted Butter (High quality such as Gay Lea)

1 Cup Sugar

2 Tbsp Water

1 Cup Roasted Almonds, Chopped (+1 Tbsp reserved for topping)*

1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar

60 Grams Milk Chocolate (Lindt)

60 Grams Dark Chocolate (Lindt)

1/2 tsp vanilla (optional)

*Roast in oven @ 325 for ~15-20 minutes (low and slow).

Prep / Equipment

Heavy Bottom Sauce Pan

Candy Thermometer (or cup of ice cold water)

Heat Resistant Spatula

Cookie Sheet

Dutch Baby Pancake with Blueberry Vanilla Compote

“Growing up, my Dad used to always make German Dutch Pancakes from a William Sonoma Mix. A pancake big enough to feed a crowd, Dutch Babies are far more convenient for entertaining than pancakes, so this quickly became a staple in our house! Now my mom whips them up from scratch!
”

How to make it

The Pancake

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Place pan in oven to warm up.

2. In a stand mixer of blender, combined eggs and sugar.

3. Mix in salt, vanilla, lemon zest, warm milk, and melted butter.

4. Add flour.

5. When oven is preheated, pull pan out, and place 2 Tbsps of butter in pan. Rotate your wrist to swirl around the pan.

6. Pour batter into prepared pan, and place in oven.

7. Bake for 25 minutes.

For the compote

1. Add water, sugar, and blue berries in a pot over medium heat.

2. Let come to a boil (5-7 minutes).

3. Mix in vanilla and cornstarch slurry.

4. Cool for another 2-3 minutes.

5. Reduce heat and let reduce.

6. Once sauce thickens, serve over pancakes, warm.

What you’ll need

For the pancake

3 large eggs at room temperature

1 1/2 Tbsps granulated sugar

1/2 tsp sea salt

2 tsps vanilla extract

zest from 1/2 of a lemon

1 Tbsp butter, melted

3/4 Cups warmed milk

3/4 Cups enriched white flour

2 Tbsps butter (for pan)

For the blueberries

1 Cup fresh blueberries

2 Tbsp coconut sugar

1 Tbsp water

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 Tbsp cornstarch + 1/2 Tbsp water