spring

Four simple ingredients and 10 minutes at the stove is all that stands between you and this creamy, dreamy homemade lemon curd!

Homemade Lemon Curd Recipe

Four simple ingredients and 10 minutes at the stove is all that stands between you and this creamy, dreamy homemade lemon curd!

Four simple ingredients and 10 minutes at the stove is all that stands between you and this creamy, dreamy homemade lemon curd!

You guys. Is there seriously a less appetizing word out there than CURD? I mean, really. ????

But rest assured, for a word that so closely resembles curdled and cheese curds, this dreamy lemon dessert is nothing of the sort.

If lemon is your thang and you’ve already made Ina’s Lemon Bars, Lemon Poke Cake, Lemon Berry Scones, Lemon Blueberry Sweet Rolls, and Lemon Poppyseed Banana Bread… then it is time to make your own lemon curd, my friends.

Four simple ingredients and 10 minutes at the stove is all that stands between you and this creamy, dreamy homemade lemon curd!

This recipe is so ridiculously easy. Four simple ingredients is all you’ll need:

  • sugar
  • lemon juice
  • egg yolks
  • butter

Now, a lot of recipes will have you making this over a double boiler. This supposedly prevents any egg lumps in the mixture. I don’t own a double boiler, and frankly, I don’t have room for anything else in the pots and pans and bowl department in my little kitchen. So, I didn’t use a double boiler.

And it was just fine.

I cooked my curd over medium-high heat and stirred it constantly (just like you would have to do with a double boiler anyway). I did end up with a few little lumps, but nothing that wasn’t easily strained through a small sieve.

Four simple ingredients and 10 minutes at the stove is all that stands between you and this creamy, dreamy homemade lemon curd!

I feel like I’ve read a million times, “no straining required!” “no sieve needed!” like it’s such a hassle to strain the curd. But really, it’s just not a big deal at all.

Pour the mixture through the sieve over the container you plan to store it in. The curd passes through, and the lumps stay out. Easy peasy. And you can buy a small sieve for less than ten bucks at any superstore.

Seriously. Just buy the sieve. Use it. Save yourself a headache. It’s not a big deal. And it makes this process so much easier and keeps that lemon curd smooth and creamy!

Four simple ingredients and 10 minutes at the stove is all that stands between you and this creamy, dreamy homemade lemon curd!

Ok, so now that we’ve talked about how to make it… what exactly is lemon curd? And how do you use it??

Lemon curd is sort of like the filling in a lemon meringue pie. It’s sweet and tart and creamy.

And what to use it on? How about everything.

Spread over Pancakes.

Fill donuts.

With crepes.

Mix it with granola and yogurt.

On strawberry shortcake.

Or, my personal favorite, serve spoon it over angel food cake and top with berries and whipped cream! This is such a yummy summertime treat. And the berries compliment the sweet of the curd, while the whipped cream balances the tart, and the cake soaks it all up.

Four simple ingredients and 10 minutes at the stove is all that stands between you and this creamy, dreamy homemade lemon curd!
Four simple ingredients and 10 minutes at the stove is all that stands between you and this creamy, dreamy homemade lemon curd!

No matter how you use it, you really can’t go wrong with homemade lemon curd! Enjoy 🙂

Sweet and juicy strawberries and a big scoop of vanilla ice cream sandwiched in between light and fluffy shortcake.

Old Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

Sweet and juicy strawberries and a big scoop of vanilla ice cream sandwiched in between light and fluffy shortcake.

Sweet and juicy strawberries and a big scoop of vanilla ice cream sandwiched in between light and fluffy shortcake.

Ok you guys. RUN to your nearest farmers market and buy as many cute little baskets of strawberries as you can carry back to the car!!

We bought our first batch of farm fresh strawberries last weekend in NC, so I know we are on the cusp of massive amounts of strawberries being all over the place. Can. not. wait. I loooooooove strawberry season. Like, fiercely.

And, because I care about you, I wanted to be sure that you had this recipe for old fashioned strawberry shortcake before your kitchen is overflowing with sweet, juicy red berries.

Sweet and juicy strawberries and a big scoop of vanilla ice cream sandwiched in between light and fluffy shortcake.

I know that the grocery stores all want you to think that strawberry shortcake is those like sponge cake cups that you can buy right by the strawberries in the produce section.

But that’s actually false. That’s sponge cake.

Strawberry short cake isn’t made with an angel food cake loaf either.

That’s angel food cake with strawberries on top.

Sweet and juicy strawberries and a big scoop of vanilla ice cream sandwiched in between light and fluffy shortcake.

Strawberry shortcake, REAL strawberry shortcake, is made with incredibly soft, fluffy, flaky biscuits that melt in your mouth with every bite.

And it’s ah-mazing. And way better than using  sponge cake or angel food cake. I promise.

You can certainly make the biscuits that require rolling and cutting, like these. But I think it’s even easier and just as delicious to make a good batch of drop biscuits.

A while ago I posted about these biscuits that are made with whipping cream instead of butter or shortening. I was shocked that you could make a biscuit so tender and flaky without using butter! But it turns out, YOU CAN! And that’s how these shortcakes are made.

You only need a very few simple ingredients:

  • all purpose flour
  • baking powder
  • a little bit of sugar
  • heavy cream

And that’s it!

Sweet and juicy strawberries and a big scoop of vanilla ice cream sandwiched in between light and fluffy shortcake.

The trick to making great biscuits with heavy cream is basically the same as when you’re using butter: take it easy.

Making biscuits is all about being gentle with the dough or else it’s going to get hard and tough. Add the cream gradually, and gently mix BY HAND with a wooden spoon or spatula. And stop mixing way before you think you should.

You’re not looking for a smooth, elastic dough here. In fact, these should be really lumpy, even crumbly. Your dough should look something like this when it’s time to stop mixing:

Sweet and juicy strawberries and a big scoop of vanilla ice cream sandwiched in between light and fluffy shortcake.

Not over mixing the dough is absolutely crucial in achieving a soft and tender biscuit.

Once the dough looks like that, you can scoop the dough (about 1/4 cup) and drop it on to a lined baking sheet.

Sweet and juicy strawberries and a big scoop of vanilla ice cream sandwiched in between light and fluffy shortcake.

While these are baking, go ahead and slice the strawberries.

Add some sugar and let them sit for about 30 minutes.

Sweet and juicy strawberries and a big scoop of vanilla ice cream sandwiched in between light and fluffy shortcake.

Now it’s time for the magic.

Traditionally, you eat strawberry shortcake with whipped cream. But I think it’s better with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream! As it melts, it soaks right into the biscuit and all over the berries, and it is utterly sinful.

Sweet and juicy strawberries and a big scoop of vanilla ice cream sandwiched in between light and fluffy shortcake.

Sweet and juicy strawberries and a big scoop of vanilla ice cream sandwiched in between light and fluffy shortcake.

You guys. I’m telling you, this is your new favorite recipe for this spring and summer! Hoard those strawberries and then invite everybody you know over for short cake!!

And here’s a tip for using frozen strawberries instead of fresh (because if you’re like me, you buy out all the strawberries when they’re so good and freeze them for later): make this strawberry sauce to go with your shortcakes instead of macerated berries! So, so good.

Enjoy!

This Southern classic is banana bread and cupcake all rolled into one! A super moist banana cupcake with crushed pineapple, coconut, and pecans folded into the batter topped with an irresistibly dreamy cream cheese frosting.

Hummingbird Cupcakes Recipe

This Southern classic is banana bread and cupcake all rolled into one! A super moist banana cupcake with crushed pineapple, coconut, and pecans folded into the batter topped with an irresistibly dreamy cream cheese frosting.

This Southern classic is banana bread and cupcake all rolled into one! A super moist banana cupcake with crushed pineapple, coconut, and pecans folded into the batter topped with an irresistibly dreamy cream cheese frosting.

You already know that I’m obsessed with Southern food, thanks to my Carolina roots. And these Hummingbird Cupcakes are nothing if not good and Southern ????.

…because the fried chicken leg is the obvious official emoji of the South, right? ????

Anyway. The point is, if you are looking for a sweet Southern treat that is perfect for spring and summer, look no further! Banana bread and cupcake rolled into one, these pretty cups are packed with sweet summer flavors and topped with a rich cream cheese frosting.

This Southern classic is banana bread and cupcake all rolled into one! A super moist banana cupcake with crushed pineapple, coconut, and pecans folded into the batter topped with an irresistibly dreamy cream cheese frosting.

Step one. You’ll need two overripe bananas, so that you get the maximum sweet banana flavor in your cupcakes. I’ve seen a lot of recipes that call for chopped bananas, but I can’t stand the texture of banana chunks in a cupcake. So in my recipe, we’re mashing the bananas and mixing them into a smooth batter.

Some other ingredients you’ll need:

  • crushed pineapple, with the juice
  • coconut
  • pecans

And, of course, make sure you have cream cheese for the frosting. It’s heavenly. ????

This Southern classic is banana bread and cupcake all rolled into one! A super moist banana cupcake with crushed pineapple, coconut, and pecans folded into the batter topped with an irresistibly dreamy cream cheese frosting.

This Southern classic is banana bread and cupcake all rolled into one! A super moist banana cupcake with crushed pineapple, coconut, and pecans folded into the batter topped with an irresistibly dreamy cream cheese frosting.

Each tender bite is bursting with the sunny flavors of banana, pineapple, and coconut. Cinnamon adds a bit of warmth to the mix, and the pecans add a perfect touch of crunch.

If you’re anything like me, you’ll feel like these ingredients shout SPRING ☀️ and SUMMER ???? and the arrival of beautiful warm days filled with blue skies.

This Southern classic is banana bread and cupcake all rolled into one! A super moist banana cupcake with crushed pineapple, coconut, and pecans folded into the batter topped with an irresistibly dreamy cream cheese frosting.

The thick layer of cream cheese frosting is what elevates these from glorified muffins to glorious cupcakes! It’s my very favorite frosting recipe, because even though it’s rich and creamy, it’s somehow light and fluffy too. And it’s so easy to whip up, which is always a plus.

And if WHEN you make a batch for yourself, don’t forget to tag me on Intagram! I can’t wait to see what you bake up ????!

My twist on the traditional lemon poppyseed muffin! Sweet, soft muffins with subtle notes of vanilla and almond topped with a creamy lemon glaze.

Vanilla Almond Poppy Seed Muffins with Lemon Glaze Recipe

My twist on the traditional lemon poppyseed muffin! Sweet, soft muffins with subtle notes of vanilla and almond topped with a creamy lemon glaze.

My twist on the traditional lemon poppyseed muffin! Sweet, soft muffins with subtle notes of vanilla and almond topped with a creamy lemon glaze.

When life hands you lemons…

Make a yummy icing to drizzle over these vanilla almond poppyseed muffins! Or make Lemon Blueberry Scones, Lemon Blueberry Sweet Rolls, Lemon Poppyseed Banana Bread, or Lemon Chess Bread Pudding. Or this Lemon Marshmallow Meringue Pie.

Just to suggest a few ????????.

My twist on the traditional lemon poppyseed muffin! Sweet, soft muffins with subtle notes of vanilla and almond topped with a creamy lemon glaze.

—>You guys… that pudgy little hand ????! I couldn’t even be mad about him ruining every shot, because his little fingers make my heart explode.

A-hem. Back to the muffins.

Originally, I was going to make regular lemon poppyseed muffins. But the thought of a sweet vanilla and almond muffin filled my brain and so I settled for lemon icing instead. I don’t know what it is about spring time, but it brings out the almond extract lover in me. Constructing a muffin that involves both almond extract and lemon just felt so right.

My twist on the traditional lemon poppyseed muffin! Sweet, soft muffins with subtle notes of vanilla and almond topped with a creamy lemon glaze.

And a muffin with a glaze? That felt right too. Mostly because I like cupcakes any time of day. And since we’re calling it a “glaze” and a “muffin,” it’s now acceptable to eat this very NON-cupcake for breakfast!

You’re so welcome.

My twist on the traditional lemon poppyseed muffin! Sweet, soft muffins with subtle notes of vanilla and almond topped with a creamy lemon glaze.

These muffins are super soft on the inside with a little hint of crunch from the poppy seeds. The lemony glaze on top compliments the almond flavor in the muffins and creates a spring time muffin nirvana that you will adore.

And you’ll keep coming back for more.

Because… it rhymed.

???? #nerd #mombrain #imsotired #stoptalkingnow  #maybesendhelp