Books, Tea, and the Trinity: Apple Buttermilk Cake

Back in 2020, some friends and I started a Tea Party/Bible Study/Book Club. We met every Wednesday and worked our way through the Chronicles of Narnia and are currently working through The Chronicles of Prydain. When we started I resolved to share all the recipes, we have made-but I haven’t gone through them as quickly as I hoped.

When we completed The Magician’s Nephew,The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; and A Horse and His Boy; we moved on to book four, Prince Caspian. This book is one of my favorites in the series as I love Prince Caspian (although the Disney film version is horrible). Like A Horse and His Boy, this book did not mention a lot of specific foods, so we planned whatever we wanted to make.

As I wasn’t in charge of this book, there will be no discussion questions, just recipes. 

The first week we had Apple Cinnamon Scones: Salmon Radish Cucumber Canapés, Cinnamon Bread-Honey-Cheese-Apple and Ham Sandwiches, Kellogg’s Cheese Potato Crisps, and Applesauce Cake; all paired with Caroline’s Coffee Roaster Princess Earl Grey (as we needed to have some royal-tea).

The next week we had lavender flowering tea, Irish Soda Bread, Tuna Salad, Twice Baked Potatoes, carrot soup, and Quaker Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips.

For our final discussion of Prince Caspian we had Earl Grey Lavender Scones, Salmon and Cucumber Sandwiches, Radish-Dill Canapés, Cheese Potato Crisps, and Buttermilk Apple Cake.

Today’s recipe is the Buttermilk Apple Cake from two peas & their pod. I first came across this recipe when I was looking for something to make with the leftover buttermilk from my Irish Soda Bread.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
• Pinch of fresh nutmeg
• ½ stick unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup shaken buttermilk
• 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, and sliced 
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• Turbinado sugar (to sprinkle on top of cake) [I didn’t have any so I used brown sugar instead)
• Powdered Sugar (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ½ teaspoon of the cinnamon, and nutmeg. 
3. Beat butter and 2/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy.
4. Beat in vanilla. Add egg and beat until combined.
5. At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour, and mixing until just combined.
6. In a small bowl, combine the apple slices with the brown sugar and other ½ teaspoon cinnamon.
7. Stir until apples are coated.
8. Spoon batter into cake pan, smoothing top. Place sliced apples evenly over top and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
9. Bake until cake is golden and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
10. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool to warm, 10 to 15 minutes more.
11. Invert onto a plate. Serve with vanilla ice cream if you wish or add powdered sugar on top.

This was delicious and is a wonderful way to use up the leftover buttermilk if you are looking for something different to try. It looked a little plain so I added the powdered sugar, next time I make it I am contemplating forgoing sugar on top and maybe adding a glaze? But yes, it was absolutely delicious and I recommend it.

For more from our Books, Tea, and the Trinity tea times, go to Radish-Dill Canapés

For more cake recipes, go to Applesauce Cake

For more dessert recipes, go to Brown Butter Matcha Brownies

For more recipes, go to Dark Chocolate Peppermint Scones

For more tea posts, go to Spill the Tea: Alley Cat Cafe

Books, Tea, and the Trinity: Applesauce Cake

Back in 2020, some friends and I started a Tea Party/Bible Study/Book Club. We met every Wednesday and worked our way through the Chronicles of Narnia and are currently working through the Lorien Legacies. When we started I resolved to share all the recipes, we have made-but I haven’t gone through them as quickly as I hoped.

When we completed The Magician’s Nephew, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; and A Horse and His Boy; we moved on to book 4 Prince Caspian. This book is one of my favorites in the series as I love Prince Caspian (although the Disney film version is horrible). Like A Horse and His Boy, this book did not mention a lot of specific foods, so we planned whatever we wanted to make.

As I wasn’t in charge of this book, there will be no discussion questions, just recipes.

The first week we had Apple Cinnamon Scones: Salmon Radish Cucumber Canapés, Cinnamon Bread-Honey-Cheese-Apple and Ham Sandwiches, Kellogg’s Cheese Potato Crisps, and Applesauce Cake; all paired with Caroline’s Coffee Roaster Princess Earl Grey (as we needed to have some royal-tea).

This recipe comes from my myrecipes.com.

Ingredients:

Cake

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup thick applesauce
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Glaze:

• 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

•2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, line bottom with parchment and butter paper.
3. In one bowl beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
4. Add the egg to the butter and sugar mixture.
5. In a separate bowl, stir baking soda into the applesauce.
6. In a third bowl mix the remaining ingredients
7. Add the second and third mixture to the first butter mixture in 3 additions; alternating between the two.
8. Pour the batter into the pan and bake until the top springs back when pressed, about 50 minutes.
9. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack.
10. Make the glaze by mixing the lemon juice and confectioners’ sugar.
11. Spoon the glaze over cake.

These are so delicious. You can’t go wrong with potatoes and cheese! This is also easy to make, and doesn’t take that long to bake. I definitely recommend!

For more from our Books, Tea, and the Trinity tea times, go to Cheese Potato Crisps

For more cake recipes, go to Lemon Gingerbread Cake

For more dessert, go to Marmalade Rolls

For more recipes, go to Rice Krispies Chocolate Chip Cookies

For more tea posts, go to Spill the Tea: There & Back Again Cafe

Books, Tea, and the Trinity: Apple Cinnamon Scones

Back in 2020, some friends and I started a Tea Party/Bible Study/Book Club. We met every Wednesday and worked our way through the Chronicles of Narnia and are currently working through the Lorien Legacies. When we started I resolved to share all the recipes, but since then have decided to rework these posts. Instead of having the book we are reading through at the front of the recipe, I’m changing it to be our tea group’s name: Books, Tea, and the Trinity.

After we finished The Magician’s Nephew and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; the next book in the series was A Horse and His Boy. This book was a bit harder to plan recipes as it didn’t have as many starting off points as The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, but that also meant we could plan whatever we wanted to.

As I wasn’t in charge of this book, there will be no discussion questions, just recipes.

The first week we had Cederberg Tea Co. Classic Red and Red Chai Tea. We also had Apple Cinnamon Scones, Heirloom Tomato Tarts with Basil, and a Waldorf Salad.

This scone recipe comes from the King Arthur Baking Company.

Ingredients:

• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 8 tablespoons of cold unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup fresh apple, in 1/2″ pieces (about half a medium apple)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

Topping

• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• milk, for brushing

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon.
2. Add the butter to the mixture in the bowl, until the mixture is unevenly crumbly.
3. Stir in the chopped apple.
4. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and applesauce.
5. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until all is moistened and holds together.
6. Line a baking sheet with parchment; if you don’t have parchment, just use a baking without greasing it. Sprinkle a bit of flour atop the parchment or pan. Or use your scone pan.
7. Scrape the dough onto the floured parchment or pan, and divide it in half. Gently pat and round each half into a 5″ to 5 1/2″ circle about 3/4″ thick.
8. To make the topping, stir together the sugar and cinnamon. Brush each circle with a bit of water or milk, and sprinkle with the topping.
9. Using a knife, slice each circle into 6 wedges.
10. Place the pan of scones in the freezer for 30 minutes, uncovered.
11. While the scones are chilling, preheat the oven to 425°F.
12. Bake the scones for 18 to 22 minutes, or until they’re golden brown.
13. Remove the scones from the oven, and cool briefly on the pan.
14. Enjoy!

These scones were delicious! We instantly devoured them! We had a hard time trying to stop eating.

I also just made them the other day and turned out to be missing some ingredients, having to substitute with more applesauce. The scones were just as good, which is a great marker of the recipe, as the base was strong enough to withstand changes. I highly recommend these scones.

For more from our Books, Tea, and the Trinity tea times, go to Spinach Puffs

For more scone recipes, go to Blueberry Yogurt Oat Scones

For more from the King Arthur Baking Company, go to Snickerdoodles

For more recipes, go to How to Make Royal Milk Tea

For more tea posts, go to Spill the Tea: Caroline’s Coffee Roaster

Blueberry Yogurt Oat Scones

So my sister and I started Period Drama Saturdays last year during the stay at home orders.

At first we would just have tea but then that grew to adding snacks to our teatime.

One Saturday we were planning on watching Outlander and I had really been wanting to try out some oat scones from Plum Deluxe, and I felt like what better time than the present? After all oats and Scotland seemed to go well together.

But then I started baking and after I had already started mixing my ingredients, I realized my Sour Cream had expired, so instead I had to use a substitute.

From Clueless

I searched the internet and my fridge and ended up substituting with blueberry Greek yogurt. And because I was no longer following the recipe and had some frozen blueberries I decided to throw them in too. That’s also why these scones came out an interesting color.

YUM!

Ingredients:

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, grated and frozen
• 1 and 1/2 cups flour of choice
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup of Blueberry Yogurt
• 1 Teaspoon of Baking Soda
• 1 to 4 tablespoons milk, if necessary
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 Cup of Frozen or Fresh Blueberries
• Sugar for topping

Directions:

1. Grate and freeze butter, storing in freezer until just before ready to use.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
3. Combine flour, sugar, oats, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in large bowl.
4. Add butter and toss with a fork until mixture is crumbly.
5. Add yogurt, baking soda, and blueberries; mixing until just combined, being careful not to overwork the dough.
6. If the dough is too crumbly and the flour does not incorporate, add a splash of milk to help bring it all together.
7. Turn dough onto a greased baking sheet, and form into a one-inch thick disk. Brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with sugar.
8. Cut into 8 wedges, placed slightly apart on baking sheet.
9. Refrigerate 15 to 30 minutes before baking (to re-chill the butter).
10. Bake 18 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown and set.

These were good, but not that sweet. Would I make them again? I’m not sure. They weren’t bad, but they were also not fantastic or memorable. I plan to retry this recipe in the future again, but this time I will make sure I have all the ingredients.

In other news, I made this recipe at the beginning of the month, when I had Flat Jane, so that means I’m a step closer to finishing. If only I could catch up on all my other lists. But as for now:

For more recipes, go to Turkish Delight

For more scones, go to Blueberry Rose Scones

For more blueberry scones, go to Irish Blueberry Scones

For more tea posts, go to Jane Austen Birthday Party Music & Party Review

The Magician’s Nephew Tea Party/Book Club: Cinnamon Bun Scones

So every Wednesday, starting last October, I have been a part of a Tea Party/Bible Study/Book Club on The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis. This is different from my book club and the Book Club Picks I was reviewing (and desperately need to catch up on). The first week we had Cederberg Tea Company Rooibos + Ginger Tea, Cranberry-Spice Scones with Maple Cream, Tea Time Magazine’s Ham and Cheese Tea Sandwiches, Cucumber-Four Peppercorn Goat Cheese Canapés, Fotina & Pork Puffed Pastry, and Mini Apple Pies.

The second week we had Chami Spice Ginger Plum Tea, Dark Chocolate Ginger Scones, Curried Egg Salad Triple Stacks Sandwiches, Turkey-Apple Tea Sandwiches, Fotina Flower Puffed Pastry, and Lemon Gingerbread Cake.

The third week we had Organic India Tulsi Masala Chai Tea, Parmesan and Chive Scones, Cucumber Aioli Canapés, Ham, Cheddar, and Apple Tea Sandwiches, Cranberry, Brie, and Rosemary Bites, and Mini Pumpkin Crème Brûlée.

And now to the fourth week. This week we had Tiesta Tea Victorian Earl Grey, Lavender and Earl Grey Scones, Chicken Salad Sandwiches, Tomato Hummus Salad, Cranberry Feta Pinwheels, and Triple Berry Salad.

Week five we had NovelTea Tins The Picture of Earl Grey, Haarlem Tea Room’s Cheddar Scones, Eating Well’s Radish Tea Sandwiches, Tea Time Magazine’s Ham and Cheese Sandwiches, Brisket and Slaw Roulades, and Easy Fruit Tarts.

That brings us to week six, when we had Cinnamon Bun Scones, Curry Egg Salad Triple Stack Sandwiches, Cranberry Feta Cheese Pinwheels, Meat Pies, and Melt-in-Your-Mouth Buttermilk Chocolate Cookies.

As I was unable to share these earlier I’m catching up now and am starting with scones of course!

This comes from Bake or Break.

Emma (1996)

Ingredients Scones:

• 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (99g) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3/4 cup (177ml) milk
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients Glaze:

• 3/4 Cup of Confectioners’ Sugar (Powdered Sugar)
• 3/4 Teaspoons of Milk

Directions for Scones:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Line baking sheets with silicone liners or parchment paper.
3. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
5. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender or a fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
6. Combine the milk, egg, and vanilla in a small bowl.
7. Add to the flour mixture and stir just until combined.
8. Sprinkle the cinnamon mixture over the dough.
9. Gently stir until the batter is just swirled with the cinnamon mixture.
10. Drop the dough by 1/4-cup portions onto prepared pans. Leave about 2 inches between scones.
11. Bake 11 to 13 minutes, or until golden brown.
12. Cool the scones on a wire rack for 5 minutes while you make the glaze.

Directions for Glaze:

1. Combine the confectioners’ sugar with 3 teaspoons milk. Add more milk if needed to achieve pouring consistency.
2. Add to scones.

These were extremely delicious and easy to make. We all couldn’t resist them.

For more from The Magician’s Nephew Tea Party/Book Club, go to Easy Fruit Tarts

For more recipes, go to Brisket and Slaw Roulades

For more scone recipes, go to Lavender and Earl Grey Scones

For more tea posts, go to Eating Well’s Radish Tea Sandwiches