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Archives for May 2019

Triple Berry & Ancho Chile Sangria

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I’m going to be a bad influence and highly encourage you to do some day-drinking this weekend! Jeff and I have made several batches of this Triple Berry & Ancho Chile Sangria throughout the month of May. Let’s just say it has quickly become a favorite happy hour beverage around our house!

red wine being poured into a carafe that is filled with berries a small glass of cinnamon sticks sits on the far left by a bar spoon and fresh berries scattered around

This sangria recipe is super simple to throw together! It literally takes five minutes. That my friend is a win for all of us. I have a feeling this beverage will become a fast favorite for you as well. It’s the perfect pitcher cocktail that you can mix up in the morning and put in the fridge to chill for several hours. The flavors will be perfectly blended by happy hour. Spend your hours outside doing something fun this weekend, not standing in the kitchen!

red sangria being poured from a carafe into three glasses a white linen towel lays in the background strawberries blueberries and blackberries are scattered around the glasses on a marble counter

If you are saying to yourself “Ancho Chile? In Sangria? With Fruit?” Have no fear, I wouldn’t steer you wrong! Think of how yummy mango salsa is with its sweet and spicy notes. I kept walking past a bottle of Ancho Chile Liqueur in my local liquor store and was intrigued by it. A few weeks ago I bought a bottle and I’m so glad I did! We have been using it like crazy! It isn’t spicy hot, it adds a lovely warmth and body to all the cocktails we’ve been making with it. This is the brand of Ancho Chile Liqueur I used. If you know of another brand let me know in the comments, I’m curious to try new things!

three glasses filled with red sangria one glass is held by a female wearing purple nail polish with strawberries blueberries and blackberries scattered around a marble counter

Don’t skip adding the cinnamon stick to this Sangria. It adds a subtle spice that pairs beautifully with the sweet berries and the warmth of the Ancho Chile Liqueur.

Does this Sangria have any side effects?

A word of warning: If you enjoy eating the marinated fruit out of a pitcher of sangria the strawberries soak up the alcohol. Jeff kept eating them and exclaimed, “I love the fooht!” I’ll decipher that: I love the fruit! Yeah, we kind of had to remove the pitcher from the table at that point. Consider yourself warned! The “fooht” will get you! If you would like something to serve with this sangria, so you aren’t just eating “fooht,” I strongly recommended mixing up a batch of Sour Cream and Onion Hummus. If you make both recipes, you’ve spent a total of ten minutes in the kitchen! Don’t you love that?

If you make this recipe and post it on Instagram, be sure to tag me in your photo. I’d love to see it! If you would like to receive our recipes via our newsletter, you can subscribe at the bottom of the page! Have a sunshine & sangria-filled weekend!

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red wine being poured into a carafe that is filled with berries a small glass of cinnamon sticks sits on the far left by a bar spoon and fresh berries scattered around

Triple Berry & Ancho Chile Sangria

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews
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Description

This lively Triple Berry & Ancho Chile Sangria is like no other!  It’s fruity with a bit of warmth from the Ancho Chile Liqueur and just a hint of spice from a cinnamon stick.  Plus, we added three types of berries.  Our idea of the perfect way to fulfill a daily fruit serving!  

Ingredients

Scale

750 ml bottle dry red wine (I used Grenache)

1/3 cup Ancho Chile Liqueur

Four slices of orange quartered ( I used a Cara Cara orange)

1 cup sliced strawberries

1/2 cup blackberries

1/4 cup blueberries

One cinnamon stick (about 3″)

Club soda, for topping glasses

Instructions

  • Place quartered orange slices, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries in a large glass pitcher.
  • Place the cinnamon stick on top. 
  • Pour Ancho Chile Liqueur and red wine on top of the fruit. 
  • Using a bar spoon, or a long-handled stirring utensil combine the ingredients.  Chill in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours. 
  • When ready to serve, give the sangria a quick stir and divide among four glasses and top each with a splash of club soda, if desired. 
  • Toast with your friends and enjoy!

Notes

  • You can use any dry red wine that you like. We chose Grenache because it tends to be a bit fruitier.  It has the perfect flavor profile for this sangria! No need to splurge on an expensive bottle of wine. Around the $10 price range will get you an excellent wine for this recipe!
  • If storing the sangria for longer than 8 hours, you may want to use a pair of tongs and remove the cinnamon stick.  I find the cinnamon flavor to be a bit overwhelming if left in the pitcher too long. If you don’t mind a more pronounced cinnamon flavor then no worries, leave it in!
  • You can find the Ancho Chile Liqueur at well-stocked liquor agencies.
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Chill Time: 6 hours
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Category: Cocktail
  • Method: Stir
  • Cuisine: Spanish

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 glass

Keywords: triple berry and ancho chile sangria, pitcher drinks, cocktail

Please note: I was not compensated for promoting the Ancho Chile Liqueur I used in this recipe. It was paid for with my own money. When I find something I love I want to share it!

Blueberry Lemon Coffee Cake

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round blueberry coffee cake drizzled with lemon glaze on a round vintage metal cake stand with two vintage forks to the side a dish of overflowing blueberries in the background and also a stack of white round plates with a vintage fork laying across the top plate

Hello Friends! How are you? Did you have a great Memorial Day weekend? I finally got my garden planted in spite of all the rain we’ve been having! Very happy about that! Something else that makes me happy is this Blueberry Lemon Coffee Cake! It’s a creamy lemon zest cake batter filled with juicy blueberries and topped with a rich and buttery streusel. We didn’t stop there! I’m a sucker for any glaze/frosting so I couldn’t help myself from drizzling a thick, not too tart, not too sweet lemon glaze on this baby!

round blueberry coffee cake drizzled with lemon glaze on a round vintage metal cake stand with two vintage forks to the side a dish of overflowing blueberries in the background and also a stack of white round plates with a vintage fork laying across the top plate

I could eat the glaze with a spoon. It’s not too sweet, and it’s not too tart. Perfection! She’s a beautiful coffee cake even if you like a treat without the drizzle of glaze. I won’t judge!

Tips for making the best Blueberry Lemon Coffee Cake you’ve ever had

  • Measure the sour cream and leave it at room temperature for at least an hour before making the cake batter. This step helps the sour cream blend into the mixture and creates a light cake.
  • Put the eggs in a bowl and cover with hot (not scalding) tap water to bring them to room temperature. Doing this helps the eggs blend into the batter evenly.
  • Make the streusel and refrigerate it while you measure and mix the cake batter. That way, it will be chilled enough to form clumps that can be broken up and sprinkled over the cake batter.
  • I used a 9″ x 2″ round Wilton cake pan for baking the cake. ( I do not receive any compensation if you purchase the pan through the link provided. I like their pans, for what it’s worth.)
  • Be sure to whisk the lemon zest and granulated sugar well. About a minute of whisking does the trick. You’ll see the sugar take on a slight yellow hue. The oil from the lemon zest infuses the sugar with a lively lemon essence from the whisking. Don’t skip this step!
  • If you don’t like almond extract, you can substitute it with 1/2 teaspoon of additional vanilla extract, instead.
  • You can certainly make the cake batter with a handheld or stand mixer. I was just feeling lazy and didn’t want to drag mine out. Just remember to gently hand stir the blueberries into the batter or they may break up and create a completely blue batter!
overhead view of a round blueberry lemon coffee cake with two slices taken from it. Coffee cake sits on a round vintage metal cake stand. Two round white plates each with a fork sit at the foot of the cake. A dish of blueberries sits in the background

This coffee cake is ideal for your weekend brunch menu or even for dessert! I hope you make it and love it as much as Jeff & I. If you are looking for another coffee cake idea try Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake with Orange Icing! That’s it for today. Can’t wait to visit with you again soon! Would love to hear from you! Leave a comment below and tell me what your favorite coffee cake is!

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round blueberry coffee cake drizzled with lemon glaze on a round vintage metal cake stand with two vintage forks to the side a dish of overflowing blueberries in the background and also a stack of white round plates with a vintage fork laying across the top plate

Blueberry Lemon Coffee Cake

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews
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Description

If you are crazy about blueberries, you are going to love this Blueberry Lemon Coffee Cake!  The cake is full of juicy blueberries and lemon zest for a zing of citrus flavor.  We didn’t stop there!  A buttery streusel tops this beauty and then it’s drizzled with a sweet and slightly tart lemon glaze.  This treat is sure to become a favorite for your weekend brunch or even as an everyday dessert!

Ingredients

Scale

For the Streusel:

5 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup rolled oats

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

For the Cake:

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3/4 cup granulated sugar

zest of 2 lemons

2 large eggs, at room temperature

3/4 cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract, or more vanilla extract, if desired

1 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp sea salt

3/4 cup fresh blueberries, divided

1 tsp all-purpose flour, for coating the blueberries

For the Glaze:

1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

1 cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp lemon juice

pinch of sea salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°.
  • Make the streusel first so that it will be cold and you can crumble it over the cake batter before baking. 
  • In a medium-size bowl, combine all the streusel ingredients using a fork.  The streusel will be quite thick and paste-like.  It’s supposed to look that way at this point — place the bowl of streusel in the fridge to chill.
  • Grease and flour a 9-inch x 2-inch round metal cake pan.
  • Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt in a large bowl and stir well with a whisk. Set aside.
  • Combine the granulated sugar and lemon zest in a bowl using a whisk.
  • Add the 6 Tbsp melted butter and stir for about a minute.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until they are thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. 
  • Add the sour cream and extracts and stir well. 
  • Pour the combined wet ingredients into the bowl containing the dry ingredients and stir with the whisk until combined. There will be a few small lumps in the batter. 
  • Toss 1/2 cup of the blueberries with 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour and stir into the mixture until evenly distributed. 
  • Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. 
  • Using an offset spatula, smooth the top so that the batter is in an even layer. 
  • Take the remaining 1/4 cup of blueberries and dot the mixture with them.
  • Remove the streusel from the refrigerator.  Use a fork to break it up into small clumps and then use your fingertips to break it up even more. ( We don’t want huge lumps of streusel on the cake, or they will sink, and the cake won’t bake evenly.)
  • Sprinkle the streusel over the batter in an even layer.
  • Place cake in oven and bake for 40-50 minutes. My cake baked for 42 minutes.  To check for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. Pull the toothpick out. If the toothpick is clean with just a few crumbs clinging to it, the cake is ready to be removed from the oven. 
  • Remove from oven and place on a wire cooling rack. 
  • Let cake cool completely in the pan before removing and drizzling with the glaze.  To assist in the removal of the cake from the pan, you may need to run a flat-edged knife around the edge of the cake where it meets the pan.

To prepare the Glaze:

  • Combine all the glaze ingredients and whisk together until smooth. 
  • Drizzle glaze over the cooled coffee cake. 
  • Enjoy!

Notes

  • Stirring the granulated sugar and lemon zest with a whisk releases lemon oil from the zest and infuses the sugar with lovely lemon essence.  I mix with the whisk for about 30 seconds.
  • I like my glaze a little on the thick side if you prefer a thinner consistency you can add another 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice. Keep in mind this will create a bit of a tart flavor and won’t be quite as sweet.
  • If you’d like to garnish the coffee cake with toasted sliced almonds, place them on a cookie sheet and bake at 325° for 10-15 minutes until light golden brown.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: coffee cake, blueberry, lemon