December 21, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Molly's Chocolate Tahini Cake w/ Tahini Frosting | dolly and oatmeal

in an effort to make new traditions, i thought making holiday cookies was only fitting. obviously amesy is too young to partake, but the idea of him being in the kitchen with me while i bake seems like the beginning of a tradition we'll hopefully continue as he grows older. but as i was thinking through what cookies to make, it dawned to me that i didn't know frank's favorite christmas cookie/s! after having a quick cookie convo i was informed that his go-to's are a pecan cookie (very much like a mexican wedding cookie) his mom would always make, and jammy thumbprints that i make each year with my mom. so the plan is to have a cookie-making day this week (if the babe permits!) where i'm going to bake up these and these cookies for frank, these almond-based cookies for a naturally gluten-and-dairy-free cookie for my mom and i, and something chocolatey for my dad. we also like to enjoy a light little cake while we open presents and sip on hot coffee, so this cranberry-lemon cake from last year is on the agenda for a christmas morning treat.

and speaking of starting new traditions, i think molly's tahini cake will have to join the ranks! it's a no brainer that if you know molly and her blog, then you know that she knows cake! in her new book, molly on the range she highlights quite a few of them, one of them being this tahini chocolate cake with tahini frosting. i love tahini, in any and all applications, but adding it to sweets is something i reserved for another, more brave, day. so when i saw the recipe in her book, i knew i needed to try it. the tahini mixed into the chocolate cake adds just the right amount of nutty flavor that you can taste in each bite! and while i would normally think the tahini added to the frosting would be overpowering, it's actually quite balanced and lovely. and to make the cake a little more festive, i substituted the ground cinnamon in the frosting with gingerbread spice, as well as added some sugared cranberries and winter trees for a decorative topping.

i'm pretty sure you all know, but molly's book is genius! not only are there awesome recipes, but her writing is so beautiful and whimsical. when i had first received it, i sat there with amesy (all of a few days old) and read through parts of it with him. i'm not sure if he was staring at the beautiful photography, or the colorful illustrations, but he was entranced just like the rest of us, i'm sure. so if you're looking for a gift this holiday season, there's no better book than this one!

wishing you all the brightest of days, and the happiest of holidays! xo

Molly's Chocolate Tahini Cake w/ Tahini Frosting

recipe from Molly On The Range by Molly Yeh. reprinted with permission.

i made some substitutions to make this cake gluten and dairy-free, which came out really delicious. you can follow the notes below :) i also substituted 1/2 teaspoon gingerbread spice for the cinnamon for a more festive, holiday flavor.

| makes one 8-inch layer cake, one 13-inch by 9-inch sheet cake, or 24 mini cakes |

cake

1 3/4 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup flavorless oil
1/2 cup tahini
3/4 cup boiling water

frosting

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup tahini
2 cups powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

toppings

notes:

to make the cake gluten-free, i substituted the flour 1:1 with an all-purpose gluten-free flour mix, i used arrowhead mills heritage gluten-free flour mix (which i found at my local whole foods). i also replaced the sugar 1:1 with coconut sugar. to lessen the amount of refined sugar. to make the cake dairy free, i substituted the whole milk 1:1 with califia's unsweetened almond creamer. and i opted for melted coconut oil instead of flavorless oil for a more wholesome substitute.
to make the frosting dairy-free, you can replace the butter 1:1 with non-hydrogenated palm oil.

method

to make the cake: preheat oven to 350°F. grease and line the bottom of two 8-inch cake pans or one 13x9-inch baking dish.
in a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. in a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, oil, and tahini. add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. whisk in the boiling water.
pour the batter into the cake pans or baking dish until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. begin checking for doneness at 28 minutes for round cakes and 32 minutes for a sheet cake.
let cool in the pans or dish for 10 minutes and then remove to a rack to cool completely.
to make the frosting: in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the butter and tahini until creamy. gradually ass the powdered sugar and mix to combine. mix in the salt, cinnamon, and vanilla.
for a layer cake, level the round cakes and stack them with a layer of frosting between them. frost the top and sides of cake.
for a sheet cake, spread the frosting on top and cut into squares, or chill in the refrigerator until the frosting is firm and use a biscuit cutter to cut into mini cakes.

similar recipes:

chocolate layer cake with macadamia mousse

cranberry, lemon + poppy seed breakfast slice (gf + df) / December 23, 2015 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

cranberry, lemon + poppy seed breakfast slice (gf + df) | dolly and oatmeal

just a quick post today, and the last one of 2015!

i wanted to share a recipe for a really humble breakfast cake that's been a tradition in one form or another for years. whether they're soda bread muffins, or a twist on a holiday fruit cake, it's always sliced up for christmas morning and served with cups of coffee, fresh fruit, and christmas cookies. this year i wanted to take this cake back to its' roots - my nana's 1,2,3,4 cake. whenever my mom would make my grandmother's cake she would often add a few drops of lemon extract giving the cake more of a citrusy flavor than one of vanilla. so, for this year's breakfast cake i wanted to bring back those lemony sentiments with a good amount of tart cranberries to offset the sweetness of the cake batter. there's lemon zest rubbed into the sugar releasing the flavor that much more, along with the lemon extract as well (adding lemon flavor without the tartness), flecks of pink cranberries. and poppy seeds for a bit of crunch.

wishing you all the sweetest of holidays and a happy start to 2016!!! big, big hugs, xo.

cranberry, lemon + poppy seed breakfast slice (gf + df)

this is a basic cake, one that can be altered to the tastes and flavors you desire, so feel free to change it up a bit!

3/4 cup coconut sugar
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup sunflower oil
2 large pasture raised eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1 1/2 cups chopped cranberries (i blend them quickly in a food processor)

| makes one 8-inch cake |

1 cup brown rice flour
3/4 cup oat flour
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon psyllium husk powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

method

preheat oven to 350°F and grease an 8-inch round bundt pan; set aside.
in a large bowl, whisk together the flours, arrowroot, poppy seeds, baking powder, psyllium, salt, and cinnamon, set aside. in another large bowl, use your fingers and rub the sugar and lemon zest together to release the lemon fragrance. then whisk in the oil, eggs, milk, and extracts. in 3 separate applications, add the dry mix to the wet and gently whisk to combine. lastly, fold in the cranberries until evenly distributed.
pour the batter into the pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, and the edges are golden brown. let cake cool completely before removing from the mold and slicing. store the cake in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

enjoy!

similar recipes:

fruity shredded kale salad, for a crowd / December 17, 2015 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

fruity shredded kale salad, for a crowd | dolly and oatmeal

i may have come to the massaged kale game a few years too late, but can a girl get points for showing up eventually?? i was initially put off my massaged kale salads because of a bad experience i had with one a few years ago. perhaps that restaurant was having a bad day, or maybe my senses weren't up to par, but the kale was super tough and hard to swallow. i specifically remember guzzling my water to get the curly itchy kale down my pipes. since then i've been completely turned off. however, a few months ago i was developing a recipe for a client who wanted to pair their granola clusters with something savory. i knew i needed a substantial and hearty green, something that could cut through the sweetness. and that's when i overcame my irrational fear of massaged kale!

along the way i've not only come to tolerate a kale salad, but absolutely love and crave it on most days! i've found that a sufficient amount of massaging action, and a good period of rest really lets the kale chill out, relax a bit, and become more tender. i also learned that a really tasty and substantial dressing goes a long way. i tend to go with a creamy base, either tahini or dairy-free yogurt, just to give it another texture. while most days i add some form of grain or protein to the salad, today i wanted to add some of cold weather's most sweet and colorful fruit. the idea was to add an even ratio of kale to fruit to make somewhat of a savory fruit salad ;) with the holidays and all the festivities around the new year, i thought a mountainous bowl of this salad was appropriate for some celebratin'! i love making this the day before i serve it - the fruit absorbs a good amount of the dressing beautifully, while the kale becomes suuuper soft and almost delicate. it most certainly has become a new favorite around here! what are some of your go-to holiday dishes to serve to a crowd?

happy holiday season! xo

*and if you didn't see my last post, my cookbook (over in the right top corner ---->) is available for pre-order!

Fruity shredded kale salad | dolly and oatmeal

fruity shredded kale salad (gf + v)

| serves 6 to 8 as a side |

creamy shallot dressing

2 shallots, roughly chopped
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons dairy-free cultured yogurt (i use this one)
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons maple syrup
freshly ground pepper, to taste

salad

2 bunches kale, shredded
salt and fresh pepper
2 to 3 clementines or satsumas, peeled, segmented, and sliced in half
1 large asian pear
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

method

to make the dressing, combine the chopped shallots, vinegar, and salt in a shallow bowl for 10 minutes, until the shallots have softened a bit. then, in a food processor or blender, combine the shallot and vinegar mix with the remaining ingredients and blend until thoroughly combined. taste and adjust if necessary. transfer to a lidded container until ready to use. dressing can be made a couple days in advance.
to a large bowl, add the shredded kale; season with a couple pinches of salt, and some fresh pepper to taste. add about 2 to 3 tablespoons of dressing and use your hands to massage the kale for at least 5 minutes (until your hands are adequately green in color!); the kale should be looking darker in color and feel more tender. let the kale sit for another 10 minutes.
add the fruit and another tablespoon or 2 of the dressing and toss until incorporated. serve the salad right away or refrigerate it for up to 1 day in advance. (if refrigerating, i suggest taking the salad out at least 2 hours before serving, letting it come to room temp.)

enjoy!