Pink Breakfast Smoothie

The temperatures are finally getting higher outside, which I love so much, and I am starting to crave a power breakfast every day. The blender has been neglected for a few months, but this is now over. I was never a fan of liquid breakfast and I had to have a French toast in the morning, but I decided it is time to break that routine. I made a smoothie the other morning, right after my run and I had so much energy through the day, I wasn't tired and I was full till lunch. So, start juicing lady's!

You need:

1 cup strawberries

1 banana

1/4 cup oats

1 tea spoon honey

1 cup milk

Put everything in the blender (or smoothie maker) and blend until smooth. Enjoy your power breakfast.

Lemon Bars

Spring is here! I love the fact that summer is just around the corner and the first day of spring had to be properly celebrated. I just couldn't walk past some beautiful organic lemons the other day. Since I love to bake anything lemon-y, these wonderful lemon bars happened just hours later.

Recipe adapted from here.

For the crust:

2 cups flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 cup butter, softened

For the filling:

4 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup flour

1 table spoon lemon zest

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Put the three ingredients in a medium sized bowl and mix with a fork until combined. Then put into a greased baking tin (approx. 32 x 22 cm) and press it into the bottom. Bake for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Put everything in a bowl and mix with an electric mixer on low speed for two minutes. When the crust is baked, pour the filling on over and return to the oven for another 20 minutes. Leave to cool completely, then slice into squares and dust with icing sugar.

Linked to this link-up party.

Banana Nutella Bars

My pantry is always filled with Nutella. I mean it. I can't sleep without knowing there is always a jar of Nutella for the days I need my fix. I came upon a really great recipe the other day and I had to give it a try. What can I say? Love Nutella? Love bananas? Oh, you'll definitely love this treat!

Recipe from here

For the sponge:

2 cups flour

1 tea spoon baking soda

1/4 tea spoon salt

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 cup Greek yogurt

1 tea spoon vanilla

3 ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup Nutella

For the frosting:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup Nutella

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 table spoons milk

Preheat the oven to 200°C and grease a pan, set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the yogurt and vanilla extract. Mix in the mashed bananas.Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until flour disappears. Spread cake batter evenly into the prepared pan. Swirl the Nutella into the cake using a knife of toothpick.Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool completely.While the cake is cooling, make the Nutella frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and Nutella on high until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar, 1/4 cup at a time. Beat on high until powdered sugar is incorporated. Add the milk and hazelnut extract, if using. Beat until frosting is smooth and desired consistency.Frost the cake with Nutella frosting. Cut into squares and serve. Add some sprinkles, if you like.

A new design

Hello everyone!

It was time for a new template and my IT-Lady and I decided on this simple, clean white design. The logo is also changed and I am looking forward to write and keep you updated in 2014!

Let me know how you like the new look via Twitter, mail, or comment below.

The Salzburger Christkindlmarkt

Today's post is about the traditional Christkindlmarkt in Salzburg, Austria. Somehow I forgot to post it in December so here it is.

I visited Salzburg in December, when the traditional Christmas market is in full speed. The city of Mozart was just so beautiful and magical, even though there was no snow in sight that day.

Zebra Cake

I love cookbooks, especially celebrity cookbooks. Lorraine Pascale is one of my favorite TV cooks and a few months ago I purchased her Fast, Fresh and Easy Food book, which is amazing. 

The moment I saw the picture of her Crouching Tiger, Hidden Zebra Cake I knew I had to bake it. And here it is. Let me tell you how adorable this cake looks once you cut it into slices. And you will definitely get a lot of recipe requests.

You need:

Recipe from Lorraine Pascale's Fast, Fresh and Easy Food

4 large eggs

250 g caster sugar

100 ml milk

250 ml sunflower oil

1 tea spoon vanilla

475 g self raising flower

1 tea spoon baking powder

25 g cocoa

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Butter a 23 cm take tin and set aside. Put the eggs and sugar into a large bowl with the milk, oil, vanilla extract and 175g of the flour. Whisk with a hand held electric whisk for a minute or two, until smooth.

Pour half of the mixture into a separate bowl and stir in ½ tsp baking powder and 175g flour and set aside. In the other bowl, mix the cocoa, 125g flour and ½ tsp baking powder. Spoon two tablespoons of the plain mixture into the centre of the cake tin. Straight away spoon two tablespoons of the chocolate mixture on top. Continue doing this until all the mixture has been used – you will end up with lots of alternate rings of mixture in the tin. Don’t worry if it’s not very neat.

Cook for 40-50 minutes, until the cake is cooked through – a skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean. Turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool before serving.

Looking Back at 2013

How was your NYE? I hope you had some great food and drinks to make a good introduction to 2014.

For me, the past year was beyond amazing. I have met so many wonderful people, achieved some really important goals and learned so many things I can't even start to explain. 

The Cake Baby's 2013 was successful as well, so let's look back at the most clicked recipes:

Cinnamon Cake

Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Vegan Chocolate Cake with Kiwi

Sacher Torte