Baked Donut Monday: Raw Peanut Butter Donuts

Happy Monday everyone!!!

I'm back again for another Baked Donut Monday post

and today I'm going to tell you about something a little different...

not baked at all, but the opposite in fact

RAW PEANUT BUTTER DONUTS!!!

Even when I'm not looking for anything in particular,

I seem to stumble upon recipes that would be perfect for the blog.

And that's exactly how I found this recipe!

I know it's not baked, but that didn't stop me 

and of course I had to still include it in the blog series!

The Goods:

Steel-Cut Oats

Pitted Dates

Coconut Syrup

Peanut Butter

Vanilla Extract

Vegan Dark Chocolate Chips

Nutritional Yeast

Salt

Cacao Powder

Raw Coconut Cacao Butter

Maple Syrup

Blend the oat in a food processor until roughly ground.

Add the dates and pulse until dates are in tiny pieces and mixed in.

Add the peanut butter, vanilla, maple syrup, water and pulse until 

mixture is incorporated and holds together.

Add more water if needed.

Mix in the chocolate chips in by hand.

Press mixture into donut pans and form top so they aren't flat.

Refrigerate until donuts are firm - anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.

While waiting for the donuts, make the peanut butter cups!

Stir together the cacao powder, coconut cacao butter and maple syrup.

Put 1 tablespoon of chocolate into mini baking pan,

making sure to reserve half of it for later.

Place into the freezer for 15 minutes to harden.

Stir together peanut butter, nutritional yeast, salt and coconut syrup in a bowl.

Place peanut butter filling on top of hardened chocolate mixture.

Place into the freezer for 5 minutes to harden.

Cover peanut butter with remaining chocolate mixture.

Place in freezer for 15 minutes to harden.

Remove the peanut butter cups from the silicon pan.

I was in awe at how great they turned out if I'm being honest.

They looked amazing...

But tasted even better!

But before I get ahead of myself,

back to the donuts!!!

Once donuts have firmed up, remove them from the pans.

And here's where you pretend there's a picture of me making the chocolate sauce...

And also dipping the donuts into said chocolate sauce...

OOPS!

To do so you mix together cacao powder, coconut cacao butter and maple syrup.

Stir mixture until it resembles a thick chocolate sauce.

Dip the top of each donut into the mixture and place on cooling rack to harden.

Just before they're fully dry/hardened,

add bite-sized pieces of the peanut butter cups you made.

Raw Peanut Butter Donuts

Adapted from: Raspberry Fields

For the Donuts:

1 Cup Steel-Cut Oats

1 Cup Pitted Dates

2 Tablespoons Coconut Syrup

3/4 Cup Peanut Butter

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

3 Tablespoons Water

1/3 Cup Vegan Dark Chocolate Chips

For the Peanut Butter Cups:

Filling

4 Tablespoons Peanut Butter

1 Teaspoon Nutritional Yeast

Pinch of Salt

1 Tablespoon Coconut Syrup

Chocolate Coating

1/2 Cup Cacao Powder

1/2 Cup Raw Coconut Cacao Butter

115 Grams Maple Syrup

For the Chocolate Sauce:

1/4 Cup Cacao Powder

1/4 Cup Raw Coconut Cacao Butter

6 Tablespoons Maple Syrup

1. Blend the oat in a food processor until roughly ground.
2. Add the dates and pulse until dates are in tiny pieces and mixed in.
3. Add the peanut butter, vanilla, maple syrup, water and pulse until mixture is incorporated and holds together. Add more water if needed.
4. Mix in the chocolate chips in by hand.
5. Press mixture into donut pans and form top so they aren't flat. 
6. Refrigerate until donuts are firm - anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.
7. Stir together the cacao powder, coconut cacao butter and maple syrup.
8. Put 1 tablespoon of chocolate into mini baking pan, making sure to reserve half of it for later.
9. Place into the freezer for 15 minutes to harden.
10. Stir together peanut butter, nutritional yeast, salt and coconut syrup in a bowl.
11. Place peanut butter filling on top of hardened chocolate mixture.
12. Place into the freezer for 5 minutes to harden.
13. Cover peanut butter with remaining chocolate mixture.
14. Place in freezer for 15 minutes to harden, then remove from the silicon pan.
15. Once donuts have firmed up, remove them from the pans.
16. Mix together cacao powder, coconut cacao butter and maple syrup.
17. Stir mixture until it resembles a thick chocolate sauce.
18. Dip the top of each donut into the mixture and place on cooling rack to harden.
19. Just before they're fully dry/hardened, add bite-sized pieces of the peanut butter cups you made.

Things I'm Lovin' Tuesday: Noosa Yogurt

This is a non-sponsored review and I purchased my own yogurt.

A few months ago I started another monthly blog series called

THINGS I'M LOVIN' TUESDAY!!!

Past post can be found:

here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here AND here.

And make sure to check back every last Tuesday of the month!

Now onto what I'm lovin' this month...

It's no secret that I love to eat.

And when I find something I like,

I tend to keep eating it for awhile.

Sometimes I get burnt out on it,

but not with this particular item!

Sometime towards the end of 2015,

I spotted noosa yogurt while grocery shopping.

I was intrigued so I bought one to try. 

They had quite a few flavors available,

but I am a big lemon fan so I went with that kind.

After just the first bite I was hooked!

It was so creamy and delicious.

And the consistency was so unique,

unlike any other yogurt I've ever tried.

I quickly decided I'd buy noosa yogurt again!

I'm not quite sure what makes it's "Aussie Style",

and I even asked a friend who lives in Sydney,

but neither of us can figure it out.

Whatever it is, it makes this yogurt AMAZING!

And just typing this post makes me want to eat one.

I've tried lemon, coconut and passion fruit,

but they have many other flavors that sound tasty too.

Have you tried noosa yogurt yet?

If not you really should give it a try!

I don't think you'll be disappointed.  

Things I'm Lovin' Tuesday: Coconut Milk!

Last month I started another monthly blog series called

THINGS I'M LOVIN' TUESDAY!!!

If you missed the first post, you can fine it here,

and make sure to check back every last Tuesday of the month!

Now onto what I'm lovin' this month...

I'm a BIG fan of coconut and pretty much like anything with it,

but for some reason had never thought to try coconut milk.

That is until a few months ago when a coworker suggested it.

And after trying it in my iced coffee I was hooked!!!

I'm sure there are other brands, but I'm loving the Silk brand.

And since I am used to just skim milk in my coffee,

I went with the unsweetened version.

I tend to fill my glass about half full with coconut milk...

Then fill it the rest of the way with coffee and mix it together.

And if the weather is nice enough, I get to enjoy it outside on the balcony!

I have yet to try the coconut milk alone,

or with anything besides coffee in fact,

but I'm really excited to explore the possibilities!

What's YOUR favorite way to use coconut milk???

Chocolate Italian Cream Cupcakes

Last Christmas, I received a card from a friend with a cake on the front.
The cake looked ABSOLUTELY amazing and I knew I wanted to try it.
Lucky for me - inside the card was the recipe for the cake!

My birthday is about a month after Christmas
and I had plans to celebrate with some friends and family.
When my aunt asked me what kind of cake I wanted, I knew immediately!

Not only did the cake look amazing,
but it tasted even better than I'd imagined!
I made a mental note to make the recipe myself soon.

"Soon" was actually quite a few months later,
but I finally did make the recipe recently!
And instead of a whole cake... made cupcakes!!!

Wow, wow, wow!!!
They were just as amazing as I remembered,
so now let me show you how they're made!

The Goods:

Butter

Canola Oil

Sugar

Eggs

Flour

Cocoa Powder

Baking Soad

Milk

Vinegar

Vanilla Extract

Coconut Extract

Pecans

Flaked Coconut

Cream Cheese

Powdered Sugar

Cinnamon

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and oil.

Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.

Add 2 egg yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition.

Combine the flour, cocoa powder and baking soda in another bowl.

Add half of the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and mix.

Next add the homemade buttermilk and mix.

Then add the remaining flour mixture and mix.

Now add the vanilla and coconut extracts and mix.

Lastly, add the flaked coconut and chopped pecans and mix again. 

Set the batter aside.

In another mixing bowl, add six egg whites.

Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.

This site is very helpful if you're unsure exactly what stiff peaks are!

Add the egg whites to the batter bowl and fold in carefully.

Scoop the batter (I used an ice cream scoop) into lined muffin pans.

You can use whatever size pan you'd like,

just make sure to keep an eye on your baking time!

I chose to make mine BIG and used jumbo muffin pans!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Pop those babies in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes.

You'll know they're done with you insert a toothpick and it comes out clean!

Cool the cupcakes in the pan for a few minutes.

Remove from pan and finish cooling on a wire rack.

While they're cooling, it's time to make the frosting.

And if I'm being honest - this is where I ran into a snag...

Keep reading and you'll see what happened!

Bring butter and cream cheese to room temperature...

And then beat together until smooth.

Mix together the powdered sugar, cocoa powder and cinnamon.

Add half of the mixture to the beaten butter and cream cheese.

Mix well and then gradually add remaining half.

Finally blend in the vanilla.

Where was the snag that I ran into you ask???

I've made different types of homemade frosting many times.

But this frosting turned out NOTHING like any frosting I'd made before.

I was confused and didn't really know where I'd messed up.

Then a light bulb went off - I should have been using my whisk beater!!!!

The chocolate cream cheese frosting tasted amazing,

but the consistency just wasn't right.

When I tried to pipe it on the cupcakes, it wasn't holding it's "shape".

So what'd I do?

I did what any logical person with zero extra time would do!

I bought some pre-made cream cheese frosting, that's what!

After piping both kinds of frosting,

 I added a little toasted coconut to the top of each one.

Chocolate Italian Cream Cupcakes Recipe

For the Cupcakes:

1/2 Cup Butter

1/4 Cup Canola Oil

2 Cups Sugar

2 Large Eggs, Separated

2 Cups Flour

1/4 Cup Cocoa Powder

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1 Cup Homemade Buttermilk*

1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

1 Teaspoon Coconut Extract

1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans

4 Egg Whites

For the Frosting:

1 (8 ounce) Package Cream Cheese

3 Tablespoons Butter

1 (16 ounce) Box Powdered Sugar

1/4 Cup Cocoa Powder

1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and oil.
3. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
4. Add 2 egg yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition.
5. Combine the flour, cocoa powder and baking soda in another bowl.
6. Add half of the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and mix.
7. Add the homemade buttermilk and mix.
8. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix.
9. Add the vanilla and coconut extracts and mix.
10. Add the flaked coconut and chopped pecans and mix again. Set batter mixture aside.
11. In another mixing bowl, add six egg whites and beat until stiff peaks form.
12. Add the egg whites to the batter bowl and fold in carefully.
13. Scoop the batter into lined muffin pans and bake for about 20 minutes.
14. Insert a toothpick to make sure they're done. A clean toothpick means they're ready!
15. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for a few minutes, then remove from pan and finish cooling on wire rack.
16. In another mixing bowl, bring butter and cream cheese to room temperature, then beat until smooth.
17. In a smaller bowl, mix together the powdered sugar, cocoa powder and cinnamon.
18. Add half of the above mixture to the beaten butter and cream cheese and mix well.gradually 
19. Add the remaining half and beat until light.
20. Lastly, blend in the vanilla.
21. Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes and top with toasted coconut for garnish.

*Homemade Buttermilk is a mixture of Milk and Vinegar. Find more info here!

Baked Donut Monday: Toasted Coconut Donuts!

I'm back again for another Baked Donut Monday post

and today I'm going to tell you about some super tasty

TOASTED COCONUT DONUTS!!!

OH. MY. GOSH.

These baked donuts are amazing!!!

I'm pretty sure they're my favorite baked donut so far.

I love baked donuts 

And I love toasted coconut,

so it's no wonder that I really love these!

Now that I've talked them up,

let me show you how they're made

so you can make them for yourself!!!

The Goods:

All Purpose Flour

Sugar

Powdered Sugar

Vegetable Oil

Baking Powder

Salt

Coconut Milk

Butter

Toasted Coconut

Coconut Extract

In a large mixing bowl, combine the following:

flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

In another mixing bowl, combine the following:

coconut milk, eggs, coconut extract, butter and oil.

Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredients. 

Mix using a hand mixer until just combined.

It should look something like this!

Spray your donut pans with some kind of oil.

I used coconut oil because, well, it just seemed right!

Transfer your batter to a zipper bag.

Cut off the the tip of the zipper bag and fill your donut pan 1/2 to 3/4 full. 

Bake at 325 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Cool in the pan a minute or two.

Remove from pan and finish cooling on a wire rack.

In another bowl combine the following:

powdered sugar, coconut milk and coconut extract.

Glaze should drip off your whisk, but not be too runny.

Dip each cooled donut into the glaze...

And then immediately dip into the toasted coconut!

It will be difficult, but let glaze fully set before digging in!

Finally!

Well worth the wait!!!

Now if you're me and can't be tempted by all the yummy donuts,

package up the rest to take to someone lucky!!!

Toasted Coconut Baked Donut Recipe

(From Taste and Tell Blog)

For the Donuts:

2 Cups All Purpose Flour

3/4 Cup Sugar

2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1 Teaspoon Salt

3/4 Cup Coconut Milk

2 Eggs - lightly beaten

1 Teaspoon Coconut Extract

2 Tablespoons Butter - melted

1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil

For the Glaze:

1 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar

3 Tablespoons Coconut Milk

3/4 Teaspoon Coconut Extract

Toasted Coconut for topping

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
3. In another mixing bowl, combine the coconut milk, eggs, coconut extract, butter and oil.
4. Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredients.
5. Using a hand mixer, mix until well combined.
6. Grease your donut pans using some kind of oil spray.
7. Transfer donut batter into large zipper bag and fill donut pan until 1/2 to 3/4 full. 
8. Bake at 325 degrees for about 10 minutes and cool on a wire rack. 
9. In mixing bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, coconut milk and coconut extract.
10. Dip cooled donut into glazed, then immediately into toasted coconut.
11. Let glaze set completely and then enjoy!