We are thrilled to have a guest writer sharing her recipes today! Welcome, Vanessa Minery. Follow her on Instagram at @rudiments.of.gruel (but prepare to swoon over the amazing pictures and delicious recipes!). Today, she’s sharing 3 Easter Dessert Recipes your family will love. These beautiful treats will make social distancing with your family feel MUCH sweeter. Enjoy!
Apple Carrot Cake with Turmeric Honey Cream Cheese Frosting
Apple carrot cake:
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 stick melted butter
1/2 cup grated apple
1/2 cup grated carrot
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda 1tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
Preheat oven to 350° and spray 4 mini loaf pans with cooking spray. Alternatively you could use one standard loaf pan.
Beat the eggs until well mixed, then add the sugar and melted butter and mix well. Add the grated apples and carrots and mix well. In a separate bowl, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and spices. Add to the wet ingredients and mix well.
Fill the loaf pans about 3/4th full and bake for 30-35 minutes (or 55-60 if using a standard loaf pan) until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Let cool for 5 minutes before turning out and letting cool completely on wire racks.
Turmeric honey cream cheese frosting:
1 stick softened butter
1 8oz package softened cream cheese
1.5 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup honey
1.5 tsp ground turmeric
Mix all ingredients well in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer. Frost cakes when they’re fully cooled.
Raspberry White Chocolate Ganache Tart
For the crust:
1 package Nabisco famous chocolate wafers
1 stick melted butter
2 tablespoons sugar
For the filling:
12 oz @ghirardelli white chocolate chips
1/2 cup puréed raspberries
1/2 cup heavy cream
4tbsp butter, room temp
Preheat oven to 375°
Pulse cookies in a food processor until fine. Add cookie crumbs, melted butter, and sugar to a medium sized bowl. After, mix well and press into a springform or tart pan, coming up the sides about half an inch. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Let cool completely.
Purée raspberries in a food processor, and strain out seeds.
Place white chocolate chips and butter in a bowl. Place heavy cream in a saucepan and bring to a slow simmer. Do not boil! Pour over chocolate chips and cover for 5 minutes. Stir well until all chocolate is melted. Mix in raspberry purée until smooth. Pour into crust and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. That’s it! This Easter dessert recipe looks fancy and hard to make, but it’s not!
Rosemary shortbread with lemon lavender glaze:
Shortbread:
roughly 24 cookies
1 cup softened butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
Preheat the oven to 325°
Set 1/4 cup of the flour aside.
Cream the sugar and butter together in a big bowl until it’s well blended and light.
Add one cup of the flour and mix until combined, then add the other cup of flour and the rosemary. Mix well, then turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead in the last 1/4 cup of the flour. It should take a few minutes for the dough to come together. Roll the dough out to about 1/2 inch thickness, then cut into desired shape. I used a small kids cup as a cookie cutter, buy any shape will do. Then, place 1 inch apart on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cookies start to brown on the edges.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Lemon lavender glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. lemon juice zest of one lemon
1 Tbsp. dried lavender
Lavender and fresh rosemary for decoration
Gently heat lemon juice until warm, and soak lavender flowers for 5-10 minutes. While lavender steeps, put the powdered sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Strain lavender flowers out of lemon juice, making sure to squeeze excess juice from flowers.
Mix well until there are no lumps so the glaze resembles Elmer’s glue. Let cookies cool completely before glazing. Do not skip this step! Let glaze set for a few hours, and store cookies in an air tight container.
We hope you celebrate this holiday with your loved ones, even if it’s through video conferencing. And enjoy these Easter dessert recipes – but in real life, no over Zoom!.
Thanks, Vanessa!
