Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

Directions

Sift together 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt; set aside.


Beat sugar and butter with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy; beat in vanilla. Add dry ingredients in 3 separate additions, mixing until just combined after each addition, until a thick dough forms. Flatten dough into a large disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill dough in refrigerator for 30 minutes.


Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.


Remove dough from fridge and roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4- to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut out shapes using cookie cutters. Knead any dough scraps back together, re-roll, and cut out more cookies as needed. Place cutouts 1 inch apart on the lined baking sheets, and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.


Bake cookies in the preheated oven, 1 baking sheet at a time, until cookies are just set, about 10 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (Optional)
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Carrot Apple Cake with Cream Cheese

Directions

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Line the bottoms of two 8-inch square pans with parchment paper and grease them. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice; place aside. Using an electric mixer, combine the brown sugar, white sugar, oil, and butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat thoroughly between each addition of eggs. After adding the final egg, beat the batter for an additional two minutes. Whisk in the vanilla extract. Half of the flour mixture should be added; blend at a low speed just until combined. Add the buttermilk; combine just until combined. Add the remainder of the flour mixture; combine just until combined. Add the pecans, carrot, apple, and raisins.
Divide the batter among the two pans evenly. In each pan, spread into an even layer. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes in a preheated oven until the cake's top springs back when touched and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. 20 minutes is enough time for cakes to cool in pans; Transfer to a wire rack for another 1 1/2 hours of cooling. Using an electric mixer, beat butter in a large bowl until completely smooth. Blend in the cream cheese until it is well-combined and smooth. Add one cup of confectioners' sugar at a time, thoroughly mixing after each addition; mix in the salt and vanilla. Include thick cream; beat for about 2 minutes on medium-high speed until frosting is slightly fluffy.
Frost one of the cooled cake layers with frosting. Arrange layers; Frost the sides and top.

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
¾ cup white sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 ½ cups grated carrot
1 cup peeled and grated Granny Smith apple
¾ cup raisins (Optional)
¾ cup chopped pecans (Optional)