Bake or Break

Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

I've never been a great fan of Spring. Living in the South, I knew all too well that it would last a few weeks, and then we'd be mired in Summer for what seemed like years. Since our move last fall to New York, though, it seems I've had a change of heart. I am actually excited about Spring! I stop on the streets and in the parks to take pictures of flowers and blooming trees. I have happily put away my scarves and boots until cooler weather. This Easter, as I was basking in the early Spring-ness of New York, I decided that our meal should include something befitting of this beautiful season. In an unusual turn of events, I went with a non-chocolate dessert. You're shocked, I know.

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Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake

One of my favorite bakeries is one I've never visited. I dream of going to Baked, but I haven't made it there yet. Until I do, I console myself with making their recipes and mapping the best routes to Red Hook. This recipe is from the Baked guys' latest cookbook, Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented. I like to flag recipes I want to try in my cookbooks, and this one is spilling over with post-its.

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Cream Cheese and Oat Bars

View a printable recipe or more photos I recently came across this recipe for at least the second time. I found it several months ago in an issue of Taste of the South and added it to my ever-growing stack of recipes to try. This past week, I found it again and felt the overwhelming need to make them as soon as possible.

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Raspberry Cream Cheese Buns

I am usually not quite motivated enough to bake anything for breakfast. Once in a while, however, I find some recipe that gives me that push I need to get myself up and in the kitchen. This is one of those recipes.

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Chocolate Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frostings

View printable recipes or more photos At least once a year, I can count on Quinn taking over the baking in the BoB kitchen. That occasion is my birthday. This year, there was much deliberation on what would be my birthday cake. The final decision was pieced together from a few different recipes and Quinn's insistence that there be frosting involved.

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Butterscotch Cream Cheese Swirl Bars

Last time we visited New York, we happened upon Magnolia Bakery. Unfortunately, we opted not to eat of those amazing sweet treats because we were about an hour away from our dinner reservations. I was not strong enough, however, to walk by without even going inside. It was seriously one of the best smelling places I've ever experienced. I do intend to partake of the famous baked goods from Magnolia one of these days. In the meantime, I continue to enjoy baking from The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook. This book has so many great-looking recipes that it's truly difficult to pick one.

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