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Day 1

Gingerbread Cake

This delicious Gingerbread Cake is inspired by the book: Gingerbread Christmas by Jan Brett.

Recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons ground ginger

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. ground cardamom

1 1/2 sticks of butter

2 cups firmly packed brown sugar

3/4 cup molasses

3 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup ginger beer (you may substitute ginger ale)

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter one bundt cake pan.  Dust with flour, then tap out any excess.
2. In the microwave, melt butter.  Set aside.
3. In the microwave, heat up ginger beer.  Set aside
4. In a large mixing bowl sift together dry ingredients.  Set aside.
5. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla.
6. Add in the ginger beer.
7. Gently fold in the dry ingredients into the wet.
8. Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool.

Spiced Icing

2 cups confectioners sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

pinch of salt

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream

1. Whisk all ingredients together in a large bowl.
2. Spoon over cooled cake.
3. Garnish with Sage leaves and cranberries.

 

 

Day 2

12 Days of Christmas Coconut Sugar Cookies

These 12 buttery sugar cookies are inspired by the book: The Twelve Days of Christmas Illustrated by Caroline Pedler.

Recipe

2 sticks of salted butter, softened

1 1//2 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons sweetened coconut milk

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tsp. coconut extract

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Melt butter in microwave
3. In a stand mixer, mix together melted butter and sugar
4. Add coconut milk
5. Beat in egg, vanilla and coconut extract
6. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt
7. Slowly add to butter mixture, mix until it forms a ball
8. Scoop 2 tablespoons cookie dough, press into cookie pan
9. Bake for 10 minutes or until edges are firm
10. Makes 16 cookies

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Day 3

Rustic Dried Tangerine and Sage

Perfect for gifting books, this rustic dried tangerine and sage gift wrapping idea is so festive and smells heavenly!

Never dried tangerines before?  I’ve got you covered!

Directions

Slice the tangerines an arrange on a baking sheet.

Place in 175 degree oven for 4 – 4 1/2 hours until just dry.

Let cool and decorate away!!!  Not only does your gift look rustic and beautiful but it smells  like a sage and tangerine candle.

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Day 4

White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Inspired by the book, The Winter Fox by Timothy Knapman, these White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies taste like the fresh sparkling days of Winter!

Recipe

2 sticks of salted butter, softened

8 oz. Bakers brand white chocolate (melted)

1 1//2 cups powdered sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. peppermint extract

red food coloring

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Melt butter in microwave
3. Melt Bakers brand white chocolate in microwave
4. In a stand mixer, mix together melted butter, melted white chocolate and sugar
5. Beat in egg, vanilla and peppermint extract
6. Add red food coloring
7. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt
8. Slowly add to butter mixture, mix until it forms a ball
9. Roll 1 tablespoon of cookie dough into a ball, place on cookie sheet
10. Make a small indentation in the center of dough ball with your finger
11. Bake for 8 minutes or until edges are firm
12. Take out of oven and immediately put one Candy Cane Hershey’s Kiss in the center
13. Makes 32 cookies (or more depending on the size of your dough ball)

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Day 5

Whipped Buttercream Frosting

These miniature elf cupcakes are inspired by the book:  The Elf On The Shelf.   Does your family elf-on-the-shelf?  Last night our Finn Shenanigan lived up to his name and mischievously shrunk my Night Before Christmas book experience boxes!  But fortunately, he redeemed himself by bringing back these sweet miniature cupcakes from the North Pole!

Whipped Buttercream Frosting

Recipe

2 cups confectioners sugar

2 sticks of softened salted sweet cream butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream

Rollos candies (holiday pack)

Sprinkles for garnish

Directions

1. Whip softened butter in a stand mixer
2. Mix in confectioners sugar
3. Add in heavy cream and vanilla
4. Whip for 4 minutes until frosting is light and fluffy
5. Pipe onto Rollos candies
6. garnish with festive sprinkles

Miniature Elf Night Before Christmas Shop available here at StorybookTree Shop