Sourdough Osterbrot #BrunchWeek

Don't let the name fool you.  This delicious nut and fruit studded bread is not just for Easter, it is a perfect addition to your Mother's Day Feast or Sunday Brunch.

Today is the final celebration of Brunch Week 2024.......

Carrot Pineapple Slaw

With only 5 ingredients and 5 minutes, you have a wonderful side salad for whatever you are serving up. Shredded carrots, pineapple tidbits, raisins, mayo, and cinnamon combine for a savory, slightly sweet addition to your dinner.

Irish Soda Bread Muffins #MuffinMonday

I baked these muffins up as part of my St. Patrick's Day festivities but they are such a delicious combination of savory and sweet that they need to be made more than just once a year.

It's time for Muffin Monday..............

Double Cut Pork Chops with Apples and Raisins #SundayFundayBloggers

 This double cut pork chop, browned and then roasted before being topped with apples and raisins is a carnivore's dream.  

The Sunday Funday Bloggers are celebrating National Raisin Day.......

Cranberry Raisin Bread #BreadBakers

This delicious quick bread is chock full of dried cranberries and golden raisins.  I enjoyed it in the morning with my coffee but it would also make a lovely dessert.

It's time for the Bread Bakers.........

Sourdough Oatmeal Raisin Muffins #MuffinMonday

The fresh tang of sourdough combines with the heartiness of oats and the sweetness of raisins for a muffin so delicious and moist you won't want to stop at one.

It is Muffin Monday and what a great lineup today........

Morning Glory Muffins #MuffinMonday

These tender, tasty muffins retain their moistness with the addition of carrot, apple, raisins and coconut.  What a great way to start the day.

Welcome to this month's edition of Muffin Monday......

Drozdzowe (Polish Yeast Cake) #BreadBakers

This Polish Yeast Cake filled with almonds and raisins is perfect with coffee in the morning or as an afternoon snack.

Join me and the rest of the Bread Bakers team as we share Yeast Cakes today...............

Carrot Cake Cheesecake #EasterRecipes #FantasticalFoodFight

Today I am lucky enough to be able to combine two events into one post.

On Monday I shared with you that we are celebrating Easter along with Christie from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures and the Festive Foodies group ran by Ellen of Family Around the Table.

I previously posted a Broccoli and Blue Cheese Gratin that is the perfect accompaniment to your Holiday Ham.  Today I am posting a dessert. 

Specifically a Carrot Cake Cheesecake that I chose because Sarah of Fantastical Sharing of Recipes invited us to duke it out over Carrot Cake for this month's edition of Fantastical Food Fight.

This is the point, on last Sunday, where I stopped typing and went into my photo file to edit the photos for this post. They were GONE!!  I felt a moment of panic. 

I searched by date instead of name....nothing. 

I pulled out my back up drive, plugged it in, and searched....nothing. 

I went through each photo folder individually thinking that perhaps they got misfiled....nothing.

I went through my recycle bin...nothing.

I checked my phone photos...nothing.

I vented on the event pages and got a lot of suggestions that I tried....nothing.

I told myself, this is only a blog mishap, it is not cancer.....get over it.

Then I did what I always do when life kicks me.  I sought solace from my husband and best friend.  He asked me for my memory card that was used for the photos.  He has a recovery program for my camera on his old laptop!!!  It worked!! 

It took hours to download the thousands of photos and then I had to click on them individually as there was no rhyme or reason to the order in which they were listed but I found them....Frank always makes my life better!!!

I hope you enjoy these photos.  They were hard fought.  I know you will enjoy the cheesecake.  Making the cheesecake was the easy part of this post.  Starting with a boxed cake mix, that included a package of shredded carrots and raisins, made this cake simple and relatively quick.

I adapted this recipe to omit the coconut as we enjoyed this after taking Little Miss to see Seussical the Musical with John and Kirsten and Kirsten is allergic to coconut.  I also left off the frosting because I'm not a frosting fan.

Make sure you stop by and visit all the other Easter Recipes and Carrot Cake Recipes.  You will find links to both at the bottom of this post.

Carrot Cake Cheesecake
adapted from Duncan Hines

1 pkg. Duncan Hines Decadent Carrot Cake Mix
1 1/4 c. hot water
eggs and oil as listed in directions on package for cake
1 (8oz) can crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 c. toasted walnuts, chopped
2 (8 oz) pkgs. cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 c. sugar
2 1/2 t. vanilla
3 eggs, room temperature

Remove carrot and raisin packet from cake mix box.  Place in a bowl and cover with the hot water and let stand while you prepare the cake mix according to package directions. 

Drain and squeeze dry the carrots and raisins.  Add them to the cake batter along with the pineapple and walnuts until just blended.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese with the sugar and vanilla at medium speed until smooth.  Add the eggs, one at a time, until light and fluffy.

Spoon 2 cups of the cake batter into a springform pan that has been treated with baking spray.  Spread half of the cream cheese mixture over the batter in the pan.  Cover with the remaining batter and top with the remaining cream cheese mixture.

Bake in a preheated 350* oven for 50-60 minutes, until just set.

Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before removing the sides.  Refrigerate cake for at least 2 hrs. or overnight before serving.  Print Recipe

More Wonderful Easter Recipes

• Braised Rabbit with Fennel and Salsa Verde by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Carrot Cake Cheesecake by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Carrot Patch Chocolate Cupcakes by The Redhead Baker
• Citrus Tarragon Asparagus Salad by Jolene's Recipe Journal
• Easy Easter Candy Bark by Daily Dish Recipes
• Funfetti Cake Mix Cookies by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Horseradish Deviled Eggs by Everyday Eileen
• Individual Warm Chocolate Truffle Cakes by Family Around the Table
• Lemon Coconut Bars by Cookaholic Wife
• Pancetta Brussels Sprouts by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Pineapple Carrot Cake Cupcakes by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Polish White Borscht - Bialy Barszcz by All that's Jas
• Turkey Ham Potato Chowder by Cindy's Recipes and Writings

More Carrot Cake Creations

An InLinkz Link-up

Spiced Applesauce Coffee Cake #ImprovCookingChallenge

Our friend and brainchild behind Improv Cooking Challenge, Nichole of Cookaholic Wife, chose Sugar and Spice as the theme for this month.

Nichole assigns all of us 2 ingredients each month that have endless possibilities and then we create the best recipe we can containing those ingredients.  It is not only a lot of fun but it is a great way to get some new recipes for our repertoire.

During the last week of September, I participated in a great annual event known as #AppleWeek.  As the name implies, a group of bloggers spend one whole week create recipes in which the star ingredient is apples.

One of the recipes I shared during that week was my Easiest Ever Apple Sauce.  That apple sauce is the basis for this delicious coffee cake that I am sharing with you today.  You don't have to make your own applesauce but once you see how easy my recipe is, I think you will want to.

The applesauce keeps this coffeecake moist and flavorful. The addition of raisins and almond gives the cake depth and texture.  

I love making coffee cakes because I am not a frosting lover.  When making a coffee cake the entire focus is on the cake itself.  Sometimes, I might add a little glaze but most of the time I try to make the cake so wonderfully complex that no embellishments are needed.  I was very successful in that endeavor with this cake.

This cake is perfect for breakfast in the morning or for packing in a lunchbox.  It makes a great after school or work snack and is wonderful as dessert with a dollop of whipped cream.  Enjoy.

Spiced Applesauce Coffee Cake

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter flavored coconut oil

1 egg

2 t. baking soda

2 1/2 c. flour

pinch of salt

1 t. cinnamon

1 1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce

1 c. raisins

1 c. sliced almonds

In large bowl of stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment, cream together the sugar, coconut oil and egg.  Add the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  Set speed to low and mix until just combined. Stir in the applesauce, raisins and almonds.

Spread into a 9x13" baking pan that has been treated with baking spray. Bake in a preheated 350* oven for 30-35 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the cake removes cleanly.  Print Recipe

More Sugar and Spice and All Things Nice

An InLinkz Link-up