Baking on the Brain

Last week Sunday my dad and stepmom took me out to eat for my birthday. Afterwards they wanted to stop at Best Buy for something. They lead me over to the appliance section and down a row of stoves. Then they turned around and asked me which of two stoves did I want. I got a new stove for my birthday.

To understand what this means to me you would have to know my old stove. The pilot lights never stay lit. The oven door wont shut all the way. The hinge to the one side of the oven door is completely busted. The heat in the oven is distributed unevenly which means food has to be rotated. The sides of the stove and the top of the front where the handles are gets very hot when the oven is on and can burn you.

How much do I appreciate my new stove? Today marks a week since it was delivered. In the last week I have made- cookies, cheesecake, muffins (twice), quiche, a casserole, pineapple coffee cake, two scone cakes and overnight french toast. (That's all that I can remember.) I don't normally bake like this either.

To let you all share in the thrill, I thought I would share a few recipes I made today. I have had these recipes for years but never actually made them. I really like the almond, as did most of the kids, but the apple is really good as well.

Honey Almond Scone Cake

3T better butter (50/50 mix of butter and extra virgin olive oil- can use just butter)
1t almond extract
3T honey
2 large egg whites ( used one egg)
3/4c flour
1/4c oat bran
1t baking powder
1/8t salt
1/4c buttermilk (I used kefir)
2T honey
1/4t almond extract
3T unblanched sliced almonds

Beat together butter, almond extract and honey. Beat in egg whites. Mix dry together and and add to butter mixture along with buttermilk beating till blended. Pour into greased 8" round pan and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Combine honey with almond extract and spread over top
of warm cake. Sprinkle with the almonds. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Apple Scone Cake

3T better butter (50/50 mix of butter and extra virgin olive oil, use just butter if you want)
1t vanilla extract
3T honey
2 large egg whites (I used one egg)
3/4c flour
1/4c oat bran
1t baking powder
1/4t cinnamon
1/8t salt
1/4c buttermilk (I used kefir)
1 large apple peeled and sliced thin
1 1/2T sugar
1/4t cinnamon

Beat together egg white, butter, vanilla and honey. In separate bowl combine dry ingredients and add to the wet ones with the buttermilk beating until blended. Fold in apples. Bake in 8" round cake pan at 350 for 20 minutes. Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over top of cake.