After reading too many tweets from a local coffee shop about what the scone of the day was, I decided enough was enough. They turned out to be a great way to use up a bunch of fruit that wasn’t bad yet, but I probably wasn’t going to sit down and eat. And that greek yogurt too… (I have previously described my lack of refined taste regarding yogurty tasting yogurt). I based this recipe off the one I found on Taste of Home, instead of using orange juice, I used milk, though I have to say it required more than 1/4 cup.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp cold butter
• 1/2 mango, chopped
• 1/3 cup blackberries, chopped
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (depending on your taste)
• 3/4 cup yogurt
• 1/3 cup milk

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt)
2. Cut in butter until crumbly
3. Put in the chopped fruit and chocolate chips into the dry mixture
4. In a large bowl, whisk the yogurt and milk
5. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture until juuuust mixed
6. Turn onto a floured surface; knead 10 times.
7. Separate into scone mounds or put all of the dough on a greased cookie sheet as a circle and then score with a knife
8. Sprinkle with remaining sugar.
9. Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. Yield: 8 servings.

Back in July when I made Mike’s fancy checkerboard cake I had some leftover bits as well as extra icing and fondant. So I did what any reasonable person would do: made a second, even minier cake, put it in the freezer and forgot about it.

Only to rediscover it a couple weeks ago while making peanut butter balls and decide that it should be our new year cake. Of course I thought that it should say something, unfortunately I did not have enough gel icing. (I hope you’re thinking what I’m thinking)

So HAPY NY from SpiltMartini!

Gingerbread Rum Cake

Modified from Claudia Fleming’s gingerbread on Epicurious

Ingredients (for two loaf pans/one bundt pan)

• 1 cup rum
• 1 cup dark molasses (not blackstrap)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter bundt pan and dust with flour, knocking out excess
2. Bring rum and molasses to a boil in a large saucepan and remove from heat.
3. Whisk in baking soda, then cool to room temperature.
4. Sift together flour, baking powder, and spices in a large bowl.
5. Whisk together eggs and sugars. Whisk in oil, then molasses mixture.
6. Add to flour mixture and whisk until just combined.
7. Pour batter into pan and rap pan sharply on counter to eliminate air bubbles.
8. Bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs adhering, about 50 minutes.
9. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool completely.

Rum Glaze

From Jackie Smith’s rum cake on Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup dark rum

Directions (this make enough for the 2 loaves or 1 bundt)

1. In a saucepan, combine butter, 1/4 cup water and 1 cup sugar.
2. Bring to a boil over medium heat and continue to boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup rum.
4. Pour over the cake, allowing to soak in between applications