Chocolate Cappuccino Cupcakes

A delicious burst of coffee goodness in every bite of these Chocolate Cappuccino Cupcakes with a luscious espresso-flavored buttercream frosting! Perfect pair with your morning coffee! 

Last month we went to England and visited some family and friends. We stayed with my mother-in-law who has a lovely house overlooking the Norfolk Broads. My favorite thing to do when there is simply relax enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and enjoy the lovely scenery by the window. I do have lovely memories of my father-in-law and, recently, my mother-in-law serving us with a delicious homemade espresso-based drink, whether it be a cappuccino or latte, all with a delicious helping of something sweet if we wanted some (there's always a yummy treat in that house!) and we all felt like we were in 5 star accommodation indeed! You see my parents-in-law owned this lovely little machine that allowed them to make espresso at home in a breeze and entertaining became easier for them having that especially when unexpected guests arrive and we had some while we were there. Anyway, since then I have always wanted a little machine like that!

Pineapple Banana Coffee Cake

Bursting with tropical flavors from bananas and pineapples this cake is delicious and super moist! Perfect with your coffee or tea.

Sometimes I buy extra bananas just so I can make Banana cakes. I really love anything with bananas! While oftentimes there aren't enough left-over Bananas to use for baking as the kids would have helped themselves to them, especially my little girl, this week it was a different story. Perhaps because they didn't notice a bunch of bananas sitting on the counter top, which I doubt, or perhaps there was another fruit that captured their attention more. I think it was the latter.

White Chocolate Cranberry Coffee Cake

The holidays are over! I feel quite sad as Christmas season is my favorite time of the year. Alas, it seems forever until the next one. Sigh. Thankfully, I still had some remnants of the holidays. A pack of cranberries, half a pack of white chocolate chips and a holiday bundt pan which went on sale so I had no choice but to buy it! That was my excuse anyway. So what does a girl do with these? Naturally, I thought about cake - a delicious sweet treat that I can enjoy with coffee.

Cranberry Eggnog Espresso Chocolate Chip Cake

This is my 13th cranberry recipe in the blog, can you believe it? I only realized that when I counted yesterday. That really shows how much we love cranberries in this family. It's such a great ingredient to use whether for a savory or sweet dish as it imparts a tangy and fresh taste that contrasts, enhances or compliments other flavors. Of course, it is a natural holiday favorite too because of its vibrant red color which makes anything you add it to look festive and gorgeous.

Today, just before the clock strikes midnight, our family is off to Europe! We are all very excited, indeed! My husband Mark is English so every other year we go to England to visit his parents. While there we make it a point to cross over the continent so we can visit a few countries and enjoy not just the people and their culture, but of course, their food....glorious FOOD! So just before I place the few bits and pieces of stuff into my luggage and take off, I thought I'll publish this post. After all it's quite appropriate as it's a European dessert - Belgian Iced Coffee Cream (Cafe  Liegeois) - and something that makes me giddy excited about this trip!

That's me back in 2013 in a cafe in Brussels enjoying this most delicious coffee with a delightful chocolate surprise at the bottom! Apart from their chocolate and waffles, I am totally in-love as well with Belgian coffee - for a coffee lover like me - it was coffee heaven to enjoy the various types of coffee delicacy they had.

This famous Belgian Iced Coffee Cream (Cafe  Liegeois) dessert actually doesn't require a strict recipe as it's so easy to make and certainly so adjustable to one's preference. What I'll write below are the ingredients and a guide as to how I make it based on how I like it to taste.

First you really need a good Espresso! Thankfully, I live in an area where I am surrounded by 3 amazing Italian delis so I just purchased individual shots of espresso.

Then, get your favorite Vanilla ice cream, double or heavy whipping cream and your favorite chocolate sauce and some chocolate bars (the last one is optional). The original Belgian dessert actually uses either coffee extract or even  liqueur but I have kids so I thought - I'll switch it to some chocolate sauce instead so they can enjoy this, too! :) Hence, the chocolate is missing from the photo below.... :)

And after that, it's simply a matter of mixing it all together (the ice cream should be softened a little for easier mixing). You can either mix by hand, use an immersion blender or if you wish it to be more like an ice cream again - churn it once more in an ice cream maker. Either way, they're all good. Look at all that yummy chocolate sauce!

Anyway whether you're a coffee lover or not, do try this easy dessert! It is so goooood - it will blow you away! Enjoy immediately! :)

Belgian Iced Coffee Cream (Café Liegeois)

By: Manila Spoon
August 3, 2015

Ingredients

• 8 scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream, softened slightly (not thawed)
• 2-3 shots of strong and unsweetened Espresso, divided
• 8 Tablespoons of heavy or double whipping cream
• 4 Tablespoons of Chocolate sauce (homemade or store-bought)
• 1 (70 %) dark Chocolate bar (for garnish, optional)

Instructions

1. Chill 4 small glasses or bowls in the freezer while readying the other ingredients.
2. Divide the ice cream (2 scoops each) into the 4 glasses or bowls.
3. Pour over equal amounts of espresso on each bowl (depending on how strong you want it - between 1-2 teaspoons is suggested or to taste.) Follow it with the chocolate sauce and the heavy cream, evenly dividing the cream and chocolate sauce among the bowls.
4. Mix by hand or use an immersion blender. If it looks quite soft, simply place in the freezer for 10 minutes or so to harden a little or you can enjoy it right away! Garnish with chocolate shavings just before serving, if desired.

Yield: 4 Servings
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cooking Time: 0 Minutes
Total Time: 5 Minutes

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Irish Soda Bread

I have often been intimidated by yeast breads so more often than not I make cakes or quick breads instead. I feel like I can tackle the latter with more ease and confidence. I know I need to overcome this fear and attempt to make even an ordinary loaf soon - definitely before summer comes as it would be intolerable to turn the oven on during the warmer months. 

Blueberry Pecan Coffee Cake

I got so excited the other day when I saw some Michigan Blueberries being sold at a nearby deli shop. It was a little more expensive than when you buy it in Holland (my former Michigan hometown) but I was desperately missing these yummy berries, I thought I'd indulge. Oh, they were so juicy and sweet! It's a shame that we were not able to go blueberry picking before we left for Connecticut. I heard that there are also some farms here where you can pick some berries but somebody told me it's so much cheaper to buy them from Aldi's instead of going through all the trouble of picking them yourself. Thankfully, Michigan blueberries were also on sale at Aldi's (and same price as the ones in MI) so I got myelf what is the equivalent of at least 2 buckets - perhaps even 3 so now I have some blueberries to enjoy for fall and winter!