cardamom spiced carrot (sheet) cake

 

because every easter weekend should include a carrot cake, this year i am making a cardamom spiced version! however, instead of a beautifully frosted layer cake (which can be intimidating), i am scaling things back & turning it into a sheet cake. of course it will still be frosted with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting! this recipe is great for an easter spent at home with immediate family. if you are feeling extra adventurous (or looking for something to pass the time) pipe little carrots on top to decorate.

to make the cake i used bob's red mill's all purpose flour (my go to baking flour) & flaked coconut. the coconut just adds a little extra texture to the cake, without being over powering. check out my latest episode of modest kitchen below & see how simple it is to make this one bowl cake.

happy easter friends! may the easter bunny keep you safe & healthy.

xo

ingredients:

directions:

  • preheat oven to 350 (f) degrees. grease & line a 10 by 15 inch sheet pan with parchment paper.
  • in a large mixing bowl whisk together the sugar, oil, eggs & vanilla until blended. stir in the carrots & pineapple.
  • sift in the flour, baking powder, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger & salt. beat until batter just comes together & no lumps remain.
  • transfer mixture to prepared sheet pan & bake for 25-30 minutes, until top bounces back to touch.
  • once cake is completely cooled, swirl with cream cheese frosting & pipe carrots if desired.

spring pea + asparagus radiatori

 

with everything going on in the world right now, a lot of us have turned to cooking comforting meals. this pasta is comforting, yet vibrant & fresh! it utilizes easy to find spring produce & is super simple to make. the ingredients featured in this recipe are likely ones you already have on hand! the "sauce" is extra virgin olive oil based with a hint of lemon juice & lemon zest. it is important to use a quality extra virgin olive oil (not regular olive oil) to maximize the flavour. i used monini's granfruttato extra virgin olive oil (produced in italy), which offers an intense & strong flavour. monini olive oil is celebrating 100 years of providing cooks with superior olive oil! best used raw, which is why the olive oil is mixed in at the very end of the cooking process (plus a little drizzle before serving).

this dish is a great main (vegetarian), but also compliments a protien like roast chicken or baked salmon (justin's personal preference). lastly, while i used radiatori pasta (because i think the shape is so fun) any variety of pasta will work. just be sure to cook it to al dente as the cooking directions on the box specify. cheers!

ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons + 1/4 cup monini's extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 1 1/2 cups spring peas, blanched
  • 1 cup diced asparagus, blanched
  • 1 pound radiatori, cooked to al dente
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsely, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup grated percuroino cheese, plus more for serving

directions

  • in a skillet over medium heat add 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic & shallots. season with salt & pepper. cook until shallots soften, about 5-8 minutes.
  • stir in the peas & asparagus. cook for an additional 2-4 minutes.
  • add the radiatori, remaining olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, parsely & cheese. remove from heat & mix until evenly combined.
  • sprinkle with additional cheese, a drizzle of olive oil & serve!

bunny marshmallows + easter basket

 

it’s easter chocolate season!!! i know easter may look a little different this year, but that doesn’t mean we can’t indulge & gift our favourite chocolate. this year i am putting together individual easter baskets for my family. it is something that can easily be delivered or dropped off on the porch. in each basket i am including a bottle of wine, homemade bunny marshmallows (recipe below) & a variety of ghirardelli’s easter chocolate! milk chocolate + caramel is my absolute favourite combination & ghirardelli offers two cute easter inspired shapes: milk + caramel bunnies & milk + caramel eggs. i filled each basket with a combination of the two (which add vibrant spring colour to the basket), as well as “noe” the milk chocolate bunny to keep with the easter tradition of a hollow chocolate shaped bunny! although we may not be able to celebrate by gathering around the table together, we can still bring joy to each other. just pour yourself a glass of wine & indulge in the caramel bunnies + eggs. this basket will be sure to brighten your family’s day!

now let’s talk about those bunny marshmallows. i always like to add a little homemade touch around the holidays, so i made a batch of fresh marshmallows to include in each basket. a little messy to make, but the end product is worth the effort! just be sure to grease the pan & parchment well to avoid the marshmallows from sticking. i used a bunny shape cookie cutter & drew on little faces with an edible marker, but feel free to use whatever shape you have on hand! if you want to keep things extra simple, cut them in squares & package them in little baggies.

ingredients

  • 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup water
  • 3/4 ounces gelatin (3 packets)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup white corn syrup
  • 1 pinch fine salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • red or pink food colouring
  • 1/2 cup corn starch
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar

directions

  • line a 12 inch by 9 inch baking dish with parchment paper & grease well with oil.
  • in the bowl of a stand mixer add 1/2 cup of water. sprinkle in the gelatin & stir to combine. let stand until the gelatin softens, about 10 minutes.
  • in a sauce pan over medium heat add the remaining water. stir in sugar, corn syrup & salt. continue stirring until sugar dissolves.
  • increase heat to medium high & bring to a boil. continue boiling (do not stir) until temperature reaches 230-250 degrees, about 6 minutes. remove from heat.
  • using the whisk stand mixer attachment, turn the mixer on low speed & slowly pour in the boiling hot syrup. once syrup is mixed evenly with the gelatin, add vanilla & increase speed to high.
  • beat until mixture is thick & fluffy, about 10 minutes. immediately pour into the prepared baking dish & smooth to flatten with an offset spatula. let stand at room temperature until firm, about 4 hours.
  • in a small mixing bowl sift together the corn starch & powdered sugar. generously sift over the marshmallows before slicing.
  • slice marshmallows into even squares or use a bunny cookie cutter to cut into shapes. using an edible marker, draw on face if desired!