- Starbucks Frappuccinos are a decadent way to cool down on a hot summer day. Sugar Spun Run created a batch of Starbucks Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino Cupcakes that are inspired by the original blended drinks. The chocolate cupcakes have a hint of coffee and have finely chopped dark chocolate folded into the batter. They’re topped with a cream cheese frosting that is lightened with whipped cream, which gives the look of regular whipped cream (just like you’d find on the frappuccinos at Starbucks) and the stability of frosting, so you don’t have to worry about the frosting melting before serving.
- What Do You Crave put together some very creative Chewy Coconut, Ginger, & Thai Basil Cookies that are the perfect cookie to make if you’re getting bored with the usual cookie-jar flavors. The cookies have a generous amount of flaked coconut in the dough, enhancing the chewiness of the buttery cookie dough and ensuring that there is plenty of coconut flavor in every bite. Small amounts of grated fresh ginger and minced thai basil are also stirred in, giving the cookies a relatively exotic flavor (you don’t often find basil in a cookie!) that really works well with the tropical coconut.
- Spring is the perfect season for brunch – not too hot or too cold – and brunch means you can do a lot of breakfast baking. The Lemon Cream Chia Seed Scones from Kristine’s Kitchen are an excellent brunch choice because their bright lemon flavor immediately evokes spring and the change of the seasons. The tender scones get a little bit of crunch from the chia seeds, just as they would get from poppy seeds. They’re finished with a zesty lemon glaze that adds just the right touch of sweetness to every bite of scone. If you can get up early on the day you plan to serve them, make them in the morning so that your kitchen will smell like lemons when you serve them.
- Recipe Throwback: Pineapple Upside Down Cake is one cake that never goes out of style in my kitchen, though the pineapple ring-topped cake has a distinctly retro feel to it. I don’t put cherries on my version, instead loading the cake up with extra pineapple. The single-layer cake is always a crowd-pleaser at summer gatherings, though I make it year-round.