COCONUT LAMINGTONS

Posted in Cake, Desserts, Desserts, Sweets by sallybr

Maybe you know Haniela from her amazing cookie decorating skills, but she goes way beyond that: she is an accomplished baker on all sorts of areas. One of her husband’s favorite desserts is the Australian classic, Lamington. Hani has used this recipe for a long, long time and her blog post about it makes this potentially intimidating concoction pretty straightforward to make. Check her detailed article here.

COCONUT LAMINGTONS
(from Haniela’s blog)

for the sponge cake:
2 + 1/3 cup all purpose flour (330 grams)
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 + 1/4 cup powdered sugar (150 grams)
6 tbsp oil (82-85 grams)
2 tbsp honey (45 grams)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 cup milk, at room temperature (240-250 grams)

for the chocolate glaze:
2 + 1/2 cup powdered sugar (300 grams)
1/2 cup cocoa powder (50 grams)
6 tbsp milk (90-95 grams)
1 cup unsalted butter (226 grams)
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
unsweetened coconut (1 + 1/2 5oz bags)

Heat oven to 350°F.

Line a 9×13-inch cake pan with parchment. Into a bowl, combine all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat 4 large eggs with powdered sugar on medium-high, for 5-8 minutes, until pale in color. Then gradually beat in oil untill well combined. Then beat in honey and lastly add vanilla extract. Beat well. Gradually, on medium speed beat in flour mixture, alternating with room-temperature milk.

Pour cake batter into a prepared 9×13 inch cake pan. Use a spatula to evenly distribute the batter into a pan. Bake the cake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 5-10 minutes. Invert the cake onto a cooling rack, cover it with a kitchen towel, and cool completely.

Trim the sides of the cake, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch off each side. Then cut the cake into 2-inch squares. Cover with a towel while you prepare the chocolate glaze so teh cake doesn’t crust around the edges.

Make the glaze: In a saucepan, combine powdered sugar, cocoa powder and milk. Heat on low heat until completely melted and smooth. Then, gradually add cut-up butter and heat the glaze until all the butter is melted. Whisk until the glaze is homogeneous. Remove from the heat, stir in vanilla extract. Keep chocolate glaze warm for dipping. Glaze thickens as it cools, simply warm it up as needed.

Pour glaze into a bowl, dip one square cake at a time. Use a fork to help you turn the cake to coat. Then let the cake sit on a fork and tap the fork or your wrist to release any excess glaze, allowing it to drip back into a bowl. Coat each glazed cake square in coconut.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: The sponge cake component was a total dream to work with, perfect bake, flat, allowing me to cut square pieces without any struggle. I made the cake the day before, kept it covered with Saran wrap and a towel at room temperature. Next morning I cut the pieces, glazed and coated them with coconut. My advice is to work near a sink, rinse and dry your fingers after each piece that gets coated. It is a messy process but I thought it was going to be much worse. To coat in coconut, I dropped the glazed piece on the bowl, then used a fork to flip it. At that point I could hold the piece with my fingers touching the two sides that already had coconut on them, and coated the sides turning the piece with my hand. That worked well, using a fork was just too awkward for me. I donated the whole batch, but whenever I make a recipe for the first time, I save one for me and the husband to taste. Two thumbs all the way up, moist cake, delicious coating, chocolate and coconut make a wonderful match. I really hope you give Haniela’s recipe a try, it is a nice baking project to tackle, and you will feel quite accomplished later…

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9Jun2026

LEMON DOT CAKES

Posted in Cake, Desserts, Desserts, Sweets by sallybr

Have you heard of these? It all started at a bakery in Roslyn, New York, called -quite appropriately – The Dotcakes. They sell them in many different formats, including the popular cupcake, The whole idea behind them is a soft cake inserted in a paper or glass cup, filled to the brim with buttercream, and topped with nonpareils. Simple and effective. Apparently dot cakes are going viral on TikTok, I would not know because I never had the patience for the platform. But Susan, from The View from Great Island, recently made those and I jumped on that project shortly after reading her post. Well, first I had to visit The Super Evil Empire to get me some paper cups. THEN I jumped on it.

LEMON DOT CAKES
(from The View from Great Island)

15 ounce lemon cake mix, prepared according to box directions.
1 cup salted butter, at room temperature
6 cups powdered sugar
8 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
nonpareil sprinkles

Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 10×15 jelly roll pan.

Prepare the cake mix according to its directions and spread into your prepared pan. Bake for about 18 minutes, or until it springs back when lightly touched in the center. A toothpick will come out without wet batter on it. Set aside to cool.

To make the frosting beat the softened butter until fluffy in a large bowl. Slowly add the sugar, a cup at a time, along with the lemon juice and vanilla. Beat until smooth and silky.

When the cake has cooled use your cookie cutter (in the same size as your cake cups) to cut out rounds of cake. Place a round of cake into each cup. Top with the frosting, and bring it right to the top. Smooth it out so that it is completely flat.

Place your sprinkles in a bowl and dip each cup headfirst down into the sprinkles so that they cover the whole surface.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Please do not be upset about the use of a box cake. This is a simple, humble cake that just needs to be moist and flavorful. A box cake delivers that without issues. You can of course make the cake component from scratch. But sometimes simplicity wins in my kitchen. The little cups come with a lid that is perfect to donate these babies, otherwise the nonpareils could make it a bit messy, some always seem to fall off.

I donated the whole batch but I heard they turned out delicious. Each one was donated with a little spoon attached to the lid, to make it easier for the volunteers working that meal.

If you have a party coming up, particularly with kids, consider baking a batch of these dot cakes, they will be a huge hit…
Many thanks to Susan for the inspiration!

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20May2026

NUTELLA TARTLETS

Posted in Desserts, Desserts, Sweets by sallybr

I saw these adorable tartlets on Instagram, fell in love and could not wait to try and make them myself. I invite you to follow Joyce, she is a wonderful baker, endless source of inspiration.

NUTELLA TARTLETS
(from @joyfulhomecooking)

for the dough:
1¾ cups flour
½ cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg, room temperature
1 egg yolk, room temperature
½ cup + 2 tbsp butter, room temperature

for the filling:
1 cup Nutella

In a bowl mix the flour, sugar and baking powder, add the egg, yolk and butter and bring the dough together. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough and cut circles, place them in a muffin pan. Fill with hazelnut spread. Cut sunflower shapes from the remaining dough using a cookie cutter and place on top.

Bake at 350F until lightly golden.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: To make these tartlets, I used two special gadgets: this set of baking pan from Evilcakegenius and this cookie cutter from PME. The dough was a pleasure to work with, I had no issues to roll, shape and cut the top shape.

It does get soft quickly, so you need to work with it while still cold and try to be fast, but if at any moment things get out of control, stick everything in the fridge for 10 minutes. Make sure to chill the cut daisy tops before moving them around, and be gentle, use a thin spatula to help you out.

I did not cut the center out as Joyce did, because I forgot. So I just improvised a little decoration on top instead. I intend to make them again in the near future, as they were a big hit. However, I might use a shallower tartlet format because they were truly super rich with the Nutella filling. Maybe a smaller version will work even better. Keep that in mind. One last thought, after Eha’s comment on the problems of Nutella and palm oil, I realize that not only there is a palm-free alternative, but I do have it in my pantry and it is pretty delicious: Soom spread, available here. You can avoid palm oil, but it is almost impossible to avoid the Amazon Evil Empire (sigh).
.

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12May2026

MERINGUE LOLLIPOPS

Posted in Desserts, Desserts, Sweets by sallybr

These could easily fit into the Incredibly Simple category, but the outcome will make you seem like the most accomplished baker ever!

MERINGUE LOLLIPOPS
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

2 large egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pink and turquoise gel color

Position two oven racks towards the center of the oven and heat the oven to 200ºF. Cover a large baking sheets with parchment paper aside.

To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt. Begin mixing on low speed gradually increasing to medium. Once the egg whites start to become frothy, about 30 seconds, slowly add the granulated sugar in three portions, continuing to whisk. Once all the sugar is incorporated, add the vanilla.

The meringue is done once the sugar has fully dissolved and it has a thick texture that holds a nice peak, about 10 to 15 minutes. Separate the batter in three portions, dye 1/3 pink, 1/3 turquoise, leave 1/3 plain. You are aiming for a pastel tone, so use just a small amount, preferably adding the color with the tip of a toothpick.

Transfer the meringue as three lines side by side on a plastic wrap. Roll the wrap like a sausage and insert into a large piping bag fitted with 1M tip. Lay small sticks (oven-safe) on the parchment paper and pipe swirls over the sticks. Immediately add decorative sprinkles.

Bake for 1 hour to 1h and 30 minutes. Turn the heat off and leave the lollipops in the oven for another hour to fully dry. They will lift easily from the paper once they are fully cool.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Meringue recipes are a lot more forgiving than many people imagine. The ratio of sugar to egg whites will determine how dry the meringue will turn out, but also the amount of time you bake it influences that outcome. You can start – if you want to do it by weight – with 1 part of egg whites to 2 parts of sugar – although my version used slightly higher amount of sugar. It all works in the end. If you prefer a softer bite, use less sugar and bake for a shorter amount of time. It is important to dry them fully so that they can be handled without any sticky moisture on the surface.

And the cuteness level of meringue on a stick? Impossible to beat!

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3May2026

LEMONS, FOUR WAYS

Posted in Cake, Cookies, Desserts by sallybr

If you are a lemon lover, this post is for you. A fantastic five-layer cake, deliciously chewy cookies, baby little “pies”, and a posset. Let’s start with the cake, maybe my favorite of this series, courtesy of Helen Fetcher, my beloved baking guru…

SPLIT LEMON LAYER CAKE
(from Helen Fletcher’s blog)

for the lemon filling, to be made the day before:
4 large egg yolks
1 ¼ cups water
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar (250 grams)
⅓ cup cornstarch (45 grams)
½ teaspoon table salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (45 grams)
1 tablespoons lemon zest (from 1 large lemon)

for the cake:
3 large egg yolks
1 cup sour cream (225 grams)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups sifted cake flour (300 grams)
1 ½ cups granulated sugar (300 grams)
1 tablespoon 1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons lemon zest (from 2 large lemons)
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened (170 grams)

for the lemon buttercream:
1 pound powdered sugar
1 cup lemon fillng
¼ cup butter, softened (60 grams or 4 tablespoons)

Make the lemon filling: Whisk everything together in a medium size sauce pan. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Transfer to a storage container, cover the top of the filling with plastic wrap and let come to room temperature. Store in the fridge for 2 days. or at least overnight to firm up.

Make the cake: Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper and spray the paper only. Try not to spray the sides. If you do, wipe them with a paper towel. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, ¼ cup sour cream and vanilla. In the bowl of a mixer, combine the dry ingredients and mix on low for 30 seconds to blend. Add the softened butter and remaining ¾ cup sour cream. Mix on low until moistened. Then increase the speed to medium and beat for 1 ½ minutes. Add the egg mixture in three additions, beating on medium 30 seconds each time, scraping down as necessary.

Dollop the batter in the half sheet pan. Using and offset spatula, spread it out evenly. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until a tester comes out clean. Place on a cooling rack until cold. At this point, it can be frozen in its pan well wrapped. Or you can refrigerate and continue assembling the cake later. It is easier to deal with layered cakes when they are very cold, so keep that in mind.

Make the lemon buttercream: Add all the ingredients to a mixing bow. Beat on low to bring together. Raise the speed to medium and beat until smooth. Raise it again to high and beat for 5 or more minutes until light and smooth with no grittiness from the powdered sugar.

Visit Helen’s site for a clear visualization on how to cut the cake to obtain 5 equal layers and one extra that will be processed for crumbs. You will use 1/4 cup of lemon filling spread over the layers, and then frost the cake with the buttercream, glueing cake crumbs to the sides and making a pattern with a cake comb on top. If desired, add some piped buttercream with a 1M tip or another one of your preference. Allow the cake to to sit in the fridge for a few hours before slicing.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I urge you to visit Helen’s site to get the detailed step-by-step photos. Helen makes the most complex bakes feel simple and approachable. This cake is spectacular, and the use of cake crumbs glued to the sides makes frosting a lot less stressful. It is incredibly lemony. Thank you, Helen!

CHEWY LEMON SUGAR COOKIES

CHEWY LEMON SUGAR COOKIES
(from Scientifically Sweet)

⅔ cup (150g) salted butter, softened
1 cup plus 2 tbsp (225g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoon lemon zest
1 large egg room temperature
1 large egg yolk room temperature
1 tablespoon (15ml) lemon juice
1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
2 cups (284g) all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder ee notes in above FAQ section for baking powder quantity alternatives)
¼ teaspoon salt

Lemon Sugar:
3 tablespoon (40g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Combine soft butter, sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl and use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the egg and mix until well incorporated. Add egg yolk, vanilla and lemon juice then mix until smooth and creamy.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly.
Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the butter mixture and fold it in until evenly incorporated. The dough will be soft but not sticky at this point.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 2 hours.

Heat the oven to 350°F. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Make the lemon sugar. Combine sugar and lemon zest in a small bowl and rub it together until the sugar smells fragrant.

Use a cookie scoop to portion dough and roll into smooth balls. Roll the balls of dough in the sugar so they are evenly coated.

Place dough balls on the lined baking trays spacing them 3 inches apart and bake for 9-11 minutes until lightly golden on the edges and still slightly soft in the middle.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: These cookies are addictive, they have a super clean and bright citric flavor, and perfect texture. I made them on a Wednesday and donated two days later, so I tried one to make sure it was still ok, and had to exercise self-control to keep my taste-test to a single cookie. Make them, and you can thank me later!

BABY LEMON IMPOSSIBLE PIES
recipe can be found here

Those are simple to make, and a lot of fun to serve and enjoy… Not quite sure why they are called “pies” but whatever you call them, they won’t disappoint.

LEMON POSSET

LEMON POSSET
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

2 cups heavy whipping cream
2/3 cup granulated sugar
5 Tbsp lemon juice
blueberries, optional for serving

In a small saucepan, heat the cream and sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so it doesn’t boil over and keep it at a medium boil for 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, then set aside to cool for 15 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve set over a large measuring cup with a pouring lip.
Divide the mixture between 6 ramekins, filling them about 3/4 of the volume.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until fully set, then top with blueberries, if you like.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

I love lemons in sweet and savory concoctions, so I hope you’ll give some – or all – of this recipes a try…