Applesauce Spice Bars (TWD)

This week's Tuesdays With Dorie recipe for Applesauce Spice Bars are technically bar cookies, but as you can see in these photos, mine turned out thick and cake-like.

The reason - I totally misread the pan requirements and used a smaller 8"x8" pan (versus a 9"x13" pan called for in the recipe). Aside from the pan snafu, I did follow the recipe with the following notes (for the full recipe, please visit Something Sweet by Karen):

- increased baking time to 35 minutes
- used a Granny Smith apple
- doubled the amount of cinnamon and allspice
- soaked the dark raisins in rum (it really helped plump and rehydrate them)
- in addition to soaking the raisins in rum, I opted to add 1 tbsp of dark rum into the batter
- doubled the brown sugar glaze recipe. Instead of pouring the hot glaze over the cake, I let the glaze cool. At room temp the glaze was much thicker, and this was spread like frosting over the cake.
I loved how soft and moist this bar turned out, and I'm glad that I added the raisin and pecans, as it gave it some textural interest. I loved the flavors of cinnamon and allspice, and they went wonderfully with the apples.

My only minor issue with this recipe was the sweetness --- it was really too sweet for my personal taste, which I think was contributed by the glaze.

Still, this bar didn't go to waste at my house, as we enjoyed it a la mode with Dorie Greenspan's Vanilla Ice Cream.

There are a lot of things that I liked about this recipe, and I'm definitely going to give it another try with a couple of adjustments (ie. omitting the glaze and using the proper pan).

Thanks Karen of Something Sweet by Karen for a terrific selection this week. Karen is always cooking and baking delicious treats which she shares through her beautiful blog.

I can't believe I'm actually writing this, but next week will be MY turn to host Tuesdays With Dorie. I'm looking forward to baking and visually feasting with all of you!

Brownie Buttons (TWD)

Please do not mistake this week's Tuesdays With Dorie recipe, Brownie Buttons, for those pre-packaged two-bite brownies. They may look the same, but that's where the similarity ends. Dorie Greenspan's petite treats are oh so moist and chock full of chocolatey goodness --- their flavor and texture puts those two-bite brownies to shame!
Not only was this recipe so easy and quick to prepare, it gave me an excuse to dig out my mini muffin tin.

I wanted to play with the miniature theme, so I decided to have some fun and make mini brownie sundaes. I topped these brownies with a mini scoop of David Lebovitz's scrumptious malted milk ice cream (with stracciatella) and a drizzle of Hershey's syrup. Yum! This treat was the perfect portion to satisfy my nagging sweet tooth.

Thanks Jayma of Two Scientists Experimenting in the Kitchen for selecting this fun treat! Please visit Jayma's blog for the full recipe and make sure to check out the TWD blogroll for more brownie eye candy.

Classic Banana Bundt Cake (TWD)

I think this week's TWD recipe, Classic Banana Bundt Cake, is one the best banana bread/cake recipes that I've ever made. I know, it's a pretty bold statement, isn't it? I have made this recipe numerous times since I've gotten my hands on Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home To Yours, and this banana cake has never failed me. To me, what makes this recipe fantastic is the simplicity of the ingredients and instructions. In no time, you are rewarded with a comforting treat that you can have with your morning coffee or as an afternoon snack.

I had originally intended on sharing with you a photo of the full bundt cake, but the top photo was the best I could do. Why, you ask? This was the reason...I had absolutely no patience, and I ended up cutting a generous hunk and devoured it before I had a chance to take pictures. :(

If you've had this cake before, you will understand why I couldn't wait to eat it. The cake is tender and moist, and it is chock full of banana flavor.

This time around, I tried topping the bundt with a glaze mentioned in the book. It didn't do much for taste or presentation, so I ended up frosting the cake with a bittersweet chocolate ganache and then topping it with bittersweet mini-chips. (That's why you see the white glaze drizzled down the sides of the cake along with the chocolate ganache.)

A huge shout out to my homegirl Mary of The Food Librarian for a fantastic pick this week. Mary is a fantastic baker and blogger, fellow Angelino, UCLA Bruin, ...in another word, she ROCKS!

You have to make this cake! For the recipe, you can find it at Mary's blog, or you can find a half-batch version for cupcakes at Dorie Greenspan's blog. I've made this recipe into cupcakes here, which was met with great success.

I know that my fellow TWD bakers were all over this recipe, so make sure to visit the TWD blogroll to see more of this absolutely delicious cake.

Now, you'll have to excuse me as I indulge with another piece of cake...