The Heat is On

Toasted s'mores, summer pies, and July links.

Hey Bakers! 

We have an exciting giveaway this month. Nickey and Josie of Cake & Loaf are giving away a copy of their new book! Remember the ooey, gooey S’more Sandwich Cookies from a couple weeks ago? Yup, those are theirs. 

The contest is available to paid Bake Club subscribers in the US and Canada. To enter, leave a comment on this post telling us what you are most excited to bake this summer.

Chocolate-Covered Raspberry Pie

What I’ve Been Eating:

Cheater Lasagna - My in-laws came to visit, so I was in need of meals to serve a small crowd. I practiced this Cheater Lasagna on the kids before our house guests arrived. Made with store-bought ravioli and jarred marinara, this was a hit with everyone! I used spinach ricotta ravioli and added a layer of cooked ground beef to ours. 

Chili with Skillet Cornbread - While I don’t have a recipe for the chili (I just make it up), this skillet cornbread is definitely a must-make addition. Chili is a great way to throw in any bits of seasonal vegetables you have lying around. I’ve been using lots of bell peppers, zucchini, and corn. I’ve made this cornbread recipe several times, using frozen corn and skipping the blender part, and it still turns out so good! 

Lemon Zucchini Cake - This recipe is based off of one of the first cakes I learned to make just after college. I turned the moist zucchini cake into a layer cake with goat cheese frosting and a lemon drizzle. The goat cheese frosting is similar to cream cheese (it is sweet, not savory) but with a little more zip to it. Find the recipe in my book, Layered.

No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake - It’s not often that we finish an entire dessert without sharing with neighbors or storing in the freezer. But this Strawberry Cheesecake was a total hit and was gone within a couple of days. I’ll be making it on repeat for the rest of summer.

What I’ve Been Reading:

Book Lovers - I’m nearly done with this light and charming read. While I enjoy the witty banter between characters in the beginning, the last half has been somewhat predictable. Not my favorite Emily Henry book so far, but fun for summer.

Kitchen Projects Newsletter - Love behind the scenes of recipe development? Nicola’s deep dive into Victoria Sponge Cake will blow your socks off. With spreadsheets and cross-sections, she tested 25 recipe variations that will making any baking science lover’s heart soar (it me).

What I’ve Been Listening To:

Queen - My mom gifted me a portable speaker for Mother’s Day that we’ve been using in the backyard. As part of my amateur musical appreciation class for the kids and in an effort to not offend the neighbors, we’ve been listing to a lot of Queen. Freddie’s epic anthems are perfect for our picnics and badminton sessions.

Cleo Sol - Quite the opposite of Queen’s rock anthems, Cleo Sol’s angelic voice is total chill vibes. Add her album, Mother, to your baking playlist. 

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What to Bake This Month

Classic s’mores can be a bit sticky and overly sweet. Unless I’m camping, I much prefer one of these other chocolate and toasted marshmallow concoctions:

Peanut Butter S’mores Pie - Light yet decadent peanut butter chocolate mousse is cradled in a salted graham cracker crust then topped with sky-high peaks of toasted meringue in this refrigerator pie.

S’mores Sandwich Cookies - Chewy graham cracker cookies are stuffed with decadent chocolate ganache and homemade marshmallow fluff. They are even better toasted and just as fun to eat as the gooey originals.

Fruit-forward pies take the best of summer produce and tuck them into flaky, buttery crusts. Serve a la mode with a scoop of Dulce de Leche ice cream.

Cherry Pie - Made from fresh cherries, tart raspberries, and an all-butter pie crust, this recipe skips the canned filling and boxed crust in favor of juicy, seasonal cherries and the flakiest, golden pastry. Vanilla ice cream optional, but highly recommend!

Peach Strawberry Pie - Nestled in an all-butter crust, ripe peach, blushing apricot, and fresh strawberry slices are tossed with brown sugar and cinnamon for the perfect season dessert.

Blueberry Peach Pie - A blueberry and peach pie with an all-butter, flaky crust. Better yet, you can adapt it to any stone fruit you have on hand!

Chocolate-Covered Raspberry Pie - This no-bake pie has fresh raspberries suspended in chocolate mousse topped with a shiny raspberry glaze.