The first up is this festive Pear, Pomegranate & Pecan Spinach Salad with Pomegranate Maple Vinaigrette!

You see, I was somewhere between planning our Family Thanksgiving menu and scheduling an upcoming Holiday Luncheon when I realized a serious void on Lemony Thyme. I’m really slacking in the festive salad category.

That was then, this is now!

That beauty shot screams holiday to me! But the truth is, this salad is so quick & easy to make that we don’t have to wait for a special occasion. Make it today!

A simple google search delivered the pomegranate pear one-two punch.

This combo has been done many times which told me it was worth recreating. This holiday-worthy salad has a base of baby spinach, topped with sliced pears, sugared pecans, tangy goat cheese and gorgeous pomegranate arils.

I find the easiest way to free the pomegranate seeds is the ‘bowl of water’ method. Envision that the pomegranate is hexagon in shape. Cut a small section off the bottom, then score the fruit at each of the ridges and pull it apart in sections.

Submerging in water does two things. It keeps your hands and cutting board from becoming stained with red juice. But also, as you free the arils from their membrane, they will sink and the membrane will float.

Or you can now buy a container of pomegranate seeds. You choose.

I decided to pair these beautiful fruits with spinach, but baby greens would be lovely too. I added goat cheese which nicely balances the sweet pear and sugared pecans.

But what really ties this Pear Pomegranate & Pecan Spinach Salad up with a bow is the Pomegranate Maple Vinaigrette.

If you’ve ever made Muhammara Dip before you likely have Pomegranate Molasses on hand. But no worries it’s now widely available and brings big flavor to this salad dressing.

If you need to sign up for a dish to bring to that holiday pot luck…make this salad. I promise it will be a hit!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Pear Pomegranate & Pecan Spinach Salad with Pomegranate Maple Vinaigrette

This festive Pear Pomegranate & Pecan Spinach Salad with a Pomegranate Maple Vinaigrette is holiday menu worthy! And it's quick and easy to prepare.

Course Salad

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Pomegranate Maple Vinaigrette

• 3 Tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

For the Salad

• 5 ounces baby spinach
• 2 pears thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1 cup sugared pecans
• 1 cup goat cheese crumbles

Instructions

For the Pomegranate Maple Vinaigrette

• Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a glass jar with lid. Shake well to combine. Store any unused portion in refrigerator for up to a week.

For the Salad

• Arrange spinach on a serving platter. Add sliced pears, sugared pecans, pomegranate seeds and crumbled goat cheese. Drizzle with Pomegranate Maple Vinaigrette.

The post Festive Pear Pomegranate & Pecan Spinach Salad appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Sweet delicious figs, filled with a spoon of creamy mascarpone, a drizzle of honey, a sprinkle of chopped pecans, all wrapped in prosciutto love.

It’s the savory, salty, sweet trifecta that pleases your palate!

If you follow us on Instagram and Facebook you may have seen the fresh fig mother-load score from a few days ago.

I received an anonymous tip (not really but that sounds cool). Actually a friend, who shall rename unnamed, told me about two glorious fig trees.

They are situated on what we’ll call public property and trust me when I say they are gigantic. Each tree is loaded with at least 1000 figs.

With a step stool in hand, we took to the trees.

It was clear by the number of overripe figs that no one was harvesting the fruit. And by the number of green figs, that we shall be enjoying fig dishes for weeks to come.

I’m sworn to secrecy on the location of said trees (but they are walking distance from my house).

Score!!

With this picture of figs, I asked you what you’d like to see me make. The recipe inspiration was amazing!!

Stuffed figs, prosciutto wrapped stuffed figs, fig pizza, figs on salad, fig cookies, fig jam…

I couldn’t wait to get to started! So here we are.

Stuffed Figs

• Take each fig and cut an ‘X’ in the top about halfway down
• Put about a teaspoon of mascarpone cheese in each one
• Wrap a half piece of prosciutto around them
• Then sprinkle with a tiny bit of flaky sea salt
• Drizzle with honey
• Sprinkle with chopped nuts
• Bake at 425 degrees F. for 10 minutes
• Enjoy!

These delectable bundles of figgy love make a wonderful appetizer. The honey with the nuts on top is the perfect finish. And the prosciutto does exactly what prosciutto does best….it makes everything taste better!

Are there recipes that remind you of a favorite vacation that you’d like to see us recreate? I’d love for you to comment below. Your feedback is so important to me (and keeps the recipe love fresh).

All my best,
xo Libby

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Prosciutto Wrapped Mascarpone Stuffed Figs of Love

Sweet delicious figs, filled with a spoon of creamy mascarpone, a drizzle of honey, a sprinkle of chopped pecans, all wrapped in prosciutto love.

Course Appetizer

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 12 fresh ripe figs
• 6 slices prosciutto cut in half
• 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon flakey sea salt
• 3 Tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• garnish with fresh lemony thyme leaves optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Trim the stems off the figs. Then cut an 'X' in the top of each one 1/2 way through, leaving the bottom in tact.
• Using a small spoon put a teaspoon of mascarpone in the center of each fig. Sprinkle with a tiny bit of flaky sea salt, then drizzle with honey a sprinkle with chopped nuts. Place stuffed figs in a baking dish.
• Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh lemony thyme leaves (optional).

The post Prosciutto Wrapped Mascarpone Stuffed Figs of Love! appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

(thank you Ben & Jerry’s for that)

Be honest with me.

When you see {Gluten Free} is that a turn off?

I’m never sure if I should just slip in “Gluten Free’ or shout if from the roof top.

When you read gluten free, do you assume that whatever is pictured must have a weird texture or funny taste?

Because these muffins are really good! Yes, they happen to be gluten free, but not because they have funky earthy ingredients, but because oats ground into flour make damn good muffins.

For my non-Gluten Free friends, please give them a chance. Then let me know in the comments below what you think. Deal?

I know this is a post about Wholesome Chunky Monkey Muffins but when your kitchen is graced with such beauty as this bouquet of flowers, it’s hard to keep the camera off of them.

One of the many reasons I love going to our local Farmers Market each week. We’ve met some really great people, who happen to be flower farmers.

While I’m certain it has its challenges, waking up to fields of flowers must be an enchanting way to begin the day.

Back to these muffins. From the minute they come out of the oven, the sweet wholesome aroma will speak to your taste buds.

Hello….

You’re going to love my texture. Love my nutty sweet flavors. And most certainly want to share the love with your friends and family.

Chunky Monkey Muffins are moist, with nutty banana flavors, sweetened with chocolate chips.

I’m generally a savory breakfast girl, but there’s something special about a slightly sweet muffin with a cup of coffee. It’s kind of like having a biscotti with your coffee.

Are there recipes that remind you of a favorite vacation that you’d like to see us recreate? I’d love for you to comment below. Your feedback is so important to me (and keeps the recipe love fresh).

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook!

All my best,
xo Libby

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The post Wholesome Chunky Monkey Muffins {Gluten Free} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

This Spinach & Brussels Sprout Salad {with Warm Maple Bacon Dressing} is a new year-round favorite.

Together you have salty, savory and sweet with a little crunch and texture in each bite. I adore each of the individual components of this salad.

Fresh tender spinach, shaved Brussels sprouts, toasted pecans, parmesan crisps, dried cranberries, and warm maple bacon dressing.

This gorgeous stalk of Brussels sprouts was definitely my recipe inspiration.

I could have made a giant batch of oven roasted Brussels sprouts which are a family favorite, but they were so fresh and beautiful I wanted to incorporate them raw.

I took one of my all-time favorite salads (Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing) and spruced it up a bit. The addition of bourbon and rich maple syrup to the warm bacon dressing really elevated the flavor profile.

Even my parmesan crisps got a make-over when I made them bite-sized and spiced them with my smoky Braai Spice Blend.

This Spinach & Brussels Sprout Salad pairs perfectly with grilled steak or chicken, but is hearty enough on it’s own for lunch or dinner. So many wonderful flavors playing nicely together.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Spinach & Brussels Sprout Salad {with Warm Maple Bacon Dressing}

Together you have salty, savory and sweet with a little crunch and texture in each bite making this Spinach & Brussels Sprout Salad {with Warm Maple Bacon Dressing} a new year-round favorite.

Course Salad

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Salad

• 4 cups fresh baby spinach
• 2 cups shredded Brussels sprouts
• 1 cup pecan halves
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries
• 12 small parmesan crisps see Recipe Link in Post

For the Warm Maple Bacon Dressing

• 1/2 pound thick cut bacon browned and crumbled reserve drippings
• 1 large or 2 small shallot thinly sliced
• 2 Tablespoons bourbon
• 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar or more to taste
• 2 Tablespoons real maple syrup or more to taste
• dash cayenne pepper
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

For the Salad

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread pecan halves in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast for 5-7 minutes. Prepare the Parmesan Crisps according to Recipe Link in Post.
• In a medium skillet, cook bacon until it’s browned and crispy, drain on paper towels, reserving drippings.
• In a large salad bowl, toss the spinach, shaved Brussels sprouts, and dried cranberries. Sprinkle with toasted pecans and parmesan crisps.

For the Warm Maple Bacon Dressing

• To the skillet with the reserved bacon drippings, add thinly sliced shallot and saute over medium-low heat until tender. Remove from heat, whisk in the bourbon and return to heat and cook for 2 minutes. Add the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, pinch of cayenne, and salt & pepper and heat through, 1-2 minutes. Adjust the sweet/tart flavor by adding more maple syrup or vinegar.
• Serve warm. Add the crisply crumbled bacon to salad or dressing just before serving.

The post Spinach & Brussels Sprout Salad {with Maple Bacon Dressing} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

It’s Bacon Lovers Day!

I am unashamed of my love for bacon. It has and always will be a treat for my taste buds and the epitome of comfort food.

That’s before it’s oven roasted then slathered in Praline & Maple or drizzled with Sriracha Honey or submerged in Peach Bourbon Glaze or brushed with Rosemary & Black Pepper Honey. Candied Bacon is a meat-lover, sweets-lover dream come true!

Recipe Note: this post is a lot more about Candied Bacon inspiration than a precise recipe. Bacon Lovers Unite. Whoot!

There seems to be some debate about using thick cut or thin sliced bacon when building a Bacon Bar. I can assure you that our thick cut bacon was near perfect – crispyish but not chewy.

We cooked the bacon in the oven at 400 degrees F on rack-lined baking sheets for 20 minutes, then turned the bacon strips over and baked for another 10-15 minutes. Honestly, it was all about the appearance – if the bacon looks nicely browned and ‘crispy’ it’s likely ready for toppings.

Praline & Maple with Sea Salt was my personal favorite. Aka dessert material. Simply simmer chopped praline’s (or plain pecans) in maple syrup until slightly thickened. Finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt.

Sriracha Honey & Soy! Okay, we all agree that sweet and spicy go so nicely, especially with Bacon. Nick’s glaze was a standout – a warm sweet heat. He simmered 1/4 cup honey, with 2 Tbl. soy sauce (or coconut aminos), 1 Tbl Sriracha sauce, and 1 Tbl. fresh lime juice until a nice thick glaze formed.

You may remember a couple of week’s ago when we had the crazy idea of making Bacon Wrapped Bourbon Glazed Grilled Peaches – according to our site stats you like that combination, so here it is again – Candied Bacon style.

A late entry into the Candied Bacon / Bacon Bar buffet was the Rosemary Honey & Black Pepper. Super subtle flavors build by simmering honey with sprigs of fresh rosemary, finished with freshly cracked black pepper.

After about 30 minutes in the oven we liberally coated, slathered, bathed, or drizzled the toppings over the bacon and returned them to the oven for an additional 5 minutes. Once removed from the oven we let the Candied Bacon cool to room temperature before serving.

Making Candied Bacon was fun! We’re talking three sheet pans of Wright’s thick cut hickory bacon cooking in the oven. The aromas alone guaranteed no one was losing interest in this Bacon Lovers Party. The results were gorgeously flavor infused bacon strips worthy of presenting at any brunch, reception or bff snack party.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

The post Bacon Lovers Day appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Pumpkin, pumpkin everywhere.  I had to jump in and join the party.  Keeping it simple, by taking our most favorite Banana Bread recipe and replacing mashed bananas with pumpkin puree.  The result is a Pumpkin Pecan Bread that is super moist, not too pumpkin-y, with subtle hints of cinnamon.

So about that failed attempt at a cream cheese swirl.  At the last minute I decided to add an ever popular twist.  With the batter already in my loaf pans, I softened 4 ounces of cream cheese and stirred in a 1/2 cup brown sugar.  Dolloped it on top and tried to swirl it into the batter.  I’m leaving that part out of the recipe below, although feel free to give it a go.

With or without the cream cheese swirl this bread will please even your non-pumpkin loving friends.  Yesterday I offered Bethany a piece of pumpkin bread, she crinkled her nose and said, “Nah, I’m good.  Not a fan of pumpkin.”  Today, I laid a bite sized piece on her desk.  I received this message via email…

“Don’t know what you gave me, but YUMMO!!!”

Should I tell her?

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Pumpkin Pecan Bread

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 20

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter softened
• 1 8- ounce package cream cheese softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 15- ounce can 100% pure pumpkin puree
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 cup pecans toasted

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 8 x 4-inch loaf pans.
• Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add in pumpkin puree and vanilla.
• In a separate bowl, combine flour and next 4 ingredients, gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed until just blended. Stir in toasted pecans. Divide equally into loaf pans.
• Bake for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes, then cool another 15 minutes out of pans before slicing.

The post Pumpkin Pecan Bread appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I struggled with what to call these heavenly bars. I kicked around a few ideas.  Pretzel Toffee Bars.  Chocolate Coconut Layered Love Bars.  Magic Bars.  Seven Layer Bars.  Toothachers Met Their Match Bars.  Truth be told…they are a casserole with a little bit of this and a little bit of that.  A dessert casserole.  I’m not sure anyone would click on a recipe called dessert casserole.

As I typed that, Decadent Dessert Casserole popped into my head, which actually might be good.

Blogger note:  You really must be careful when typing straight from the thought train.  Because while Decadent Dessert Casserole popped into my head, I typed Decadent Dessert Casserole pooped into my head.  And That’s NOT AT ALL what I was thinking.  Phew, thank goodness for proof-reading.

Phew.

I’m beginning to question my every word.  Do you read Phew as in relief…boy that was a close one OR as an expression of disgust? PU.  I’m not making this recipe any better am I??

Clear your minds.  Let’s try this again.  I still had leftover baking supplies from Christmas that needed to be used.  I also had an opportunity to make someone’s day.  We were smack in the middle of team-building exercises leading up to our annual company meeting.  We were revisiting the Fish Philosophy! ten years after we first introduced it to our team.  I was on Team “Be There” and one of our own was celebrating a birthday.  OOooo. Me me.  Let me bake something!!

So I baked a batch of Seven Layer Magic Bars.  Except I replaced the first layer with the base to our most treasured family recipe…Toothacher Bars.  Which added confusion to the title.  I’m not really sure how many layers these bars technically have.  I think I’m having a cooking fail right now.

Wait!  What am I saying?  These were the bomb.  No one that I served them to cared one iota what they were called.  Is anyone else surprised that my spellchecker didn’t scream red when I typed iota.  I’ve never used that word in print.

Point being, that when you layer things like pretzels, caramel, chocolate chips, coconut, pecans and drizzle them with sweetened condensed milk, you are going to make people very happy.  I’m convinced now that I should have simply called this reipce…Make Their Day Magic Bars.

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Seven Layer Magic Bars aka Make Their Day Magic Bars

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 6 Tbl. butter melted
• 25 caramels unwrapped
• 1 Tbl. milk
• 3 cups Snyder’s Buttersnaps broken slightly
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup sweetened coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 14- ounce can sweetened condensed milk

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In microwave safe bowl, combine caramels with milk and microwave on high until completely melted, stirring at 30 second intervals, about 2 minutes.
• In large bowl, combine flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, and butter, and baking soda. Mixture will be thick and stiff.
• Press mixture into bottom of parchment lined 9×13 pan. Pour melted caramel over top and spread evenly. Sprinkle on pretzel pieces, chocolate chips, coconut, and chopped pecans.
• Pour can of sweetened condensed milk evenly over top.
• Bake for 20 minutes.

The post Seven Layer Magic Bars appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Let me talk quickly.  We are currently experiencing unseasonably cold temps with wind gusts in the….well below our comfort level.  My computer has been off and on again with power outages and server issues.

Before we move on.  Did I not score the cutest loaf pan EVER?  Straight off the thrift store shelf, still inscribed with $2.47 on the bottom.  Steal!!

Back to this super moist, ultra flavorful Carrot Cake Breakfast Bread with pecan crumble topping and hints of coconut…. what more can I say, other than you are going to love it!!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Carrot Cake Breakfast Bread

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 2 medium carrots shredded
• 1 medium zucchini shredded
• 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1/4 cup coconut oil warmed
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut unsweetened
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg

For pecan crumble topping…

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 2 Tbl. flour
• 2 Tbl. brown sugar
• 2 Tbl. melted butter

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter loaf pan.
• Roll shredded carrot and zucchini in paper towels to remove excess moisture. Then in a medium bowl, combine carrot and zucchini with next six ingredients, through vanilla.
• In a separate bowl whisk together remaining dry ingredients (excluding pecan crumble topping). Stir dry ingredients in wet until just combined. Pour batter into buttered loaf pan.
• Combine pecan crumble topping ingredients. Sprinkle on top of batter.
• Bake for 50 – 55 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center of bread comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

The post Carrot Cake Breakfast Bread appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

This Strawberry Pecan Cake is a family recipe.  One that has been passed down from generation to generation.  Granny Cile, aka The Cake Lady, shared her cake craft with our community for many years.  Whether it was baking for a church event or delivering her signature cakes to the parish hall for a family in need, Granny baked. 

As Granny broke into her 80s, she modified her recipes as a way to simplify.  Completely from scratch was all she knew back in the 50s, 60s and 70s.  Her cakes were sought after.  Her family and church family felt the love she shared in each one she delivered.

As Granny ‘matured’ she modified some of her recipes to include boxed cake mixes.  While she still had large canisters of flour, sugar and all the other ingredients required to make her luscious cakes, she shifted her recipes.  I am here to tell you that this glorious Strawberry Pecan Cake recipe is just as amazing in 2014 as it was when I first enjoyed it back in 1999.  Granny Cile is not my Granny, but she is still family.  I share often that my work family completes me.  Tammy’s Granny, who shared her cakes at our annual Thanksgiving Luncheons each year, was definitely considered family.

Granny began to show signs of Alzheimer’s Disease, yet remained such a strong woman.  How do you question or challenge the matriarch of the family when they struggle or perhaps…adjust to the restrictions of the disease?  Granny continued to quilt and bake and worship.  I’m not knowledgeable enough to speak to the challenges this dear family faced, or how others living with parents of dementia did.  What I do know is that our baby-boomer generation will benefit from education on this topic.  What I have witnessed, through multiple work-family members, is that this disease can stop you in your tracks.  Loved ones and caregivers are left bewildered.  Emotionally and physically drained.  Your unconditional love carries you through.

Granny Cile made the most amazing cakes, in her day and beyond. Let’s give praise and remember just how beautiful family recipes can be.  Even if they are someone else’s family recipe.

This Strawberry Pecan Cake is deliciously moist with hints of coconut.  I slightly adapted the icing recipe because I made this a four layer cake.  The addition of cream cheese made the icing a bit sturdier, but just as sweet and creamy.

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Strawberry Pecan Cake

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Author Voncile Smith, Cumming, Georgia

Ingredients

Strawberry Pecan Cake…

• 1 box white cake mix
• 1 3- oz. package strawberry Jello
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup coconut oil warmed until liquid
• 4 eggs
• ½ cup milk
• 1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries drained
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup coconut

Strawberry Pecan Icing…

• 1 stick butter softened
• 1 8- ounce block cream cheese softened
• 6 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup strawberries drained & mashed
• 1 cup coconut plus 1/4 cup for decorating
• 1 cup chopped pecans plus 25 halves for decorating

Instructions

Strawberry Pecan Cake..

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 3 9-inch or 4 7-inch cake pans.
• Mix ingredients in order given. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake for 25 minutes.
• Cool completely before removing from pans.

Strawberry Pecan Icing…

• Cream sugar, butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and mix until smooth.
• Spread between layers and on top and sides of cake. Decorate with pecan halves and coconut.

The post Strawberry Pecan Cake appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

She requested a Hummingbird Cake.  

It was about six months ago and it went something like this.  Oh. My Word!  You have GOT to make a Hummingbird Cake and share it on Lemony Thyme.  And with me.  Of course you have to share it with me.

On that day, I had never heard of a Hummingbird Cake.  Which made it all the more intriguing.  A quick Google search and I quickly learned that one Mrs. L.H. Wiggins shared this recipe with Southern Living magazine in 1978.  If it’s still popular 35+ years later, it was high thyme to share it here.

Weeks went by, then months since Bethany requested a Hummingbird Cake.  As her birthday month grew closer I developed a new enthusiasm for making what I would now call a classic cake.

When I find myself wide awake between 3:30 and 4:30 am (I blame it on age), instead of tossing and turning in frustration…I pick up my phone and surf Pinterest.  And that is where I discovered Dried Pineapple Flowers.  While I had good intentions of taking pictures every step of the way…day light was dwindling and I still had a Hummingbird Cake to bake.  Annie’s Eats has this gorgeous how-to tutorial which is precisely what I followed.

Recipe note:  the instructions call for cutting the pineapple very thinly, so that it’s almost transparent.  I attempted this first with my mandolin but I struggled to get full slices.  I used a sharp knife and cut them as thin as I could.  Not transparent but thin, which required a little extra time in the oven.  Then they continued to air dry overnight.

Back to this heavenly Hummingbird Cake.  I adapted this recipe from Paula Deen.  It’s basically a banana flavored spice cake that is super moist yet light.  Cream cheese frosting gives it a carrot cake feel and adding chopped pecans was spot on.

Happy Birthday Bethany.  As always, happy to share your day with you and always happy to share my newest recipes. xoxo

Bethany and I have a lot in common.  We face most Mondays with enthusiasm and drive towards making Healthy Choices.  Often by mid-week this is us.  Just one of the many reasons I love this girl.

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Hummingbird Cake {with Pineapple Flowers}

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes

Ingredients

For dried pineapple flowers…

• 1 fresh pineapple

For Hummingbird Cake…

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 sticks butter softened
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas about 4 medium
• 1 8- ounce can crushed pineapple
• 2 cups chopped pecans

For cream cheese frosting…

• 2 sticks butter softened
• 2 8- ounce block cream cheese softened
• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions

For dried pineapple flowers…

• Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Cut top off fresh pineapple. Then peel it and remove eyes. Thinly slice pineapple, so it is almost transparent. Lay slices on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, turn over slices and back for an additional 30 minutes or until they begin to dry and lightly brown on edges. Remove from oven and transfer slices to a muffin tin, so they take on the shape of flowers. Allow to continue to air dry overnight.

For the Hummingbird Cake…

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 3 9-inch cake pans with nonstick baking spray.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Reserve.
• In a large bowl, beat together sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Add flour mixture to butter mixture, alternating with buttermilk, beating until just combined after each addition. Then add in the bananas and pineapple and beat until combined.
• Equally divide cake batter into prepared pans. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Then remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

For cream cheese frosting…

• Beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until creamy. Gradually add in the confectioners sugar; beat until smooth and creamy. Spread frosting between each layer, then spread remaining frosting on top and sides of cake. Press chopped pecans into frosting on lower half of cake. Arrange pineapple flowers in desired pattern.

The post Hummingbird Cake {with Pineapple Flowers} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.