After Friday’s post you might be a little sick of hearing about bark but hopefully this recipe will change your mind.

White chocolate has been slowly but surely growing on me over the past few months. It’s so sweet and smooth; I don’t love it on its own but with other flavors it’s the perfect touch. Of course you can’t beat dark chocolate and cherries together, but there’s no reason white chocolate can’t join in the party, too.

I added some almonds to this, too, since it felt like it needed something sort of neutral and crunchy. Plus, almonds make this healthy, right? If you don’t have shaved almonds, you could use slivered, crushed, or even whole ones.

White Chocolate Cherry Almond Bark

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound white chocolate
• 1/2 pound semi-sweet or bitter-sweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup sweetened or unsweetened dried cherries
• 1/2 cup shaved almonds

Method:

1. Start by melting either the white or dark chocolate—whichever you want to be the base of the bark(I started with the white)—in a microwave or over a double boiler. Melt until completely smooth.
2. Lay the chocolate out in a thin layer on a non-stick surface like parchment paper.
3. Melt the other chocolate and carefully spread it on top of the first layer, gently swirling the two together with a utensil.
4. Sprinkle on the cherries and the almonds all over the chocolate and press them in lightly with your hand.
5. Refrigerate the chocolate for about 20 minutes until it has completely hardened.
6. Break the chocolate into 16-20 pieces. Store for up to 2 weeks.

This isn’t going to last long; I can taste feel it.

I saw a lot of carrot cake recipes last week leading up to Easter while I was planning to make one for yesterday, too. I’d forgotten it’s sort of an Eastery dessert. Easter is also the time I celebrate my birthday with my extended family and carrot cake has always been one of my favorite cakes. It’s kind of an odd choice(or so I’m told), but I love it. I even asked to have it as my graduation cake after 6th grade when everyone else was choosing chocolate and chocolate fudge; it’s their loss.

I haven’t had carrot cake since eating gluten-free a few years ago and have been meaning to make this for months. Of course, when I did decide to make it things started going wrong. I realized Friday night I only had one cake pan, so a layer cake was out. I also didn’t have a grater so I had to peel and chop the carrots. I completely forgot to add the pineapple I bought just for this, and as I went to add in the walnuts I remembered my aunt’s allergic to walnuts, so I swapped in some pecans at the last minute. Still, this was one of the best carrot cakes I’ve ever had.  

This recipe makes one cake layer. You can double it to make more for a layered cake. To make the cake dairy-free, use a vegan cream cheese substitute. I’d recommend something organic since vegan cream cheeses tend to have odd ingredients.

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts(or any other nut)
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1 1/2 cups almond flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 4 eggs
• 6 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 8oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-2 Tablespoons milk or cream

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix together the carrots, raisins, walnuts, coconut, almond flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
3. Mix in the maple syrup, eggs, and coconut oil until the batter is even.
4. Pour the batter into a 12-inch cake pan and spread out evenly.
5. Bake for 40 minutes until the cake rises and the center has cooked through.
6. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before frosting.
7. To make the frosting, sift the powdered sugar into a bowl with the cream cheese.
8. Add in the extract and milk and beat until completely mixed.
9. Spread on top and around the sides of the cake.
10. Garnish with extra nuts if desired.

I’ll always have a soft spot(and empty stomach) for carrot cake. Since there are vegetables and fruit in this I’m going to go ahead and say it’s fine to eat the leftovers for breakfast, too.

This I know to be true: There are cake people and there are frosting people. And I most definitely am a frosting person. I’m guilty of taking a slice of cake and just eating the frosting. I’m also guilty of running my finger along the edge of the cake before it’s been cut into just to taste the frosting. But don’t worry–I haven’t done that in any recent years… that I’ll admit to.

Today’s my birthday, and on your birthday you shouldn’t have to eat anything you don’t want to. Apples. Broccoli. Even cake. You should be able to just eat your frosting and have it, too.

I’ve been wanting to make a recipe like this for a long time and never found an occasion. I suppose now is as best a chance I’ll get; don’t judge me if all of these are gone by the end of the day.

They’re easy enough to make and just need two ingredients. You can use canned frosting but homemade is so much better tasting and just as easy. If you don’t have a favorite recipe, I’d recommend mocha buttercream or vanilla buttercream.

Buttercream Shots In Chocolate Cups

Prep time: 15 minutes(Plus 20 minutes of cooling time)

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 2 dozen):

• 7oz good quality dark chocolate
• 3/4 cup store-bought or homemade buttercream
• 24 miniature cupcake holders

Method:

1. Melt the chocolate in the microwave or over a double broiler until it’s smooth.
2. With a spoon, drop a Tablespoon of chocolate into the cupcake holder and paint it around the sides. Make sure the layer of chocolate isn’t too thin or it will break.
3. Put the chocolate cup on a tray and repeat until all of the chocolate is used up.
4. Refrigerate the tray for 20-30 minutes until the chocolate has hardened.
5. Gently peel off the cupcake holders until just the chocolate cup remains.
6. Fill the cups with a tablespoon of buttercream each. Store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

If you tried to tell me there’s a better kind of birthday shot, I wouldn’t believe you.

Gluten-free baking is a crapshoot. Before I came out with a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies that looked halfway decent, I had a big tray of cookies that spread too much and wouldn’t hold together. That’s what you get for trying new recipes.

I couldn’t bring myself to throw away the crumbs since they tasted delicious, so I needed to think of a new way to use them up. Cake pops are fun and delicious but these are cookies and needed something slightly different. Why not cookie truffles?

I think the white chocolate compliments the flavors of the oatmeal, raisins, and cinnamon more than a dark or milk chocolate would, but you could use whichever is your favorite. Follow the directions and use only as much liquid as necessary.

White Chocolate Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Truffles

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 to 2 dozen soft oatmeal cookies
• 1-2 Tablespoons milk*
• 1lb white chocolate

*Depending on how fresh your cookies are, you might not need any liquid. Follow the directions and adjust accordingly.

Method:

1. Either by hand or in a food processor, mash the cookies into crumbs. If your cookies are dry, slowly add milk until the dough is moist and sticks to itself.
2. Melt the white chocolate carefully in a microwave or over a double boiler making sure not to burn it.
3. Break off cookie dough by the ounce and roll it into a ball in your hands. With a spoon, dip the truffle into the chocolate and move it around to cover all sides. Lift out of the chocolate and place on a non-stick surface.
4. Repeat until all the dough and chocolate is used up.
5. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Next time I might try adding cinnamon into the white chocolate coating; you can never have too much cinnamon.

Thanks so much for your feedback on my last post; cover photo #2 was the clear winner. I probably would have picked #3 myself so I’m glad I asked and got different opinions.

On Sunday I wanted to make bark but couldn’t think of what recipe to make. Then I remembered one I made way back at the start of this blog that sounded delicious and decided it’d be a perfect chance to update the recipe and the photos.

It’s funny to think the last time I made this I was using a point + shoot and now I have a digital camera with 4 different lenses. It’s definitely an expensive hobby, but so much fun to get into.

Don’t have parchment paper? You can use a brown paper bag as a non-stick surface. It’s saved me from sticking chocolate many many times.

Triple Nut Bark

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 0 Minutes

Ingredients(Makes 15-20 servings):

• 12oz semi-sweet chocolate or chocolate chips
• 3oz(3/4 cup) peanuts*
• 3oz(3/4 cup) almonds*
• 3oz(3/4 cup) cashews*
• Coarse sea salt(optional)

*Roasted nuts will be more flavorful than raw one, but either will yield a tasty result

Method:

1. Melt the chocolate in a microwave or over a double boiler.
2. Spread the chocolate out in a thin layer on a non-stick surface.
3. Evenly distribute the peanuts, almonds, and cashews over the chocolate and press them in lightly.
4. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
5. Refrigerate for 10-20 minutes until the bark has hardened. Remove it and break the bark into individual servings.
6. Store refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

The more sea salt on this, the better. It’s totally optional but a must if you love salty-sweet desserts.