Cream Cheese Pound Cake

My good friend gave birth to a baby boy in June, so I am headed over to her house tomorrow morning to meet her little bundle of joy! I've learned through the years that the best gift you can bring to a new mom, whether it's her first or fourth baby, is freshly baked, homemade treats. I selected this tried and true recipe from my collection because it pairs nicely with a warm, soothing cup of tea or coffee, the perfect pick-me-up for any mom!

Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Yield: 2 loaves (or 1 bundt cake)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, room temperature
• 8 oz package cream cheese, room temperature
• 3 cups sugar
• 6 eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 3 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease 2 loaf pans with Crisco, line with parchment (fold extra over sides as shown in photo above), then grease with nonstick cooking spray. (If using bundt pan, grease with Crisco, then dust all sides with flour.) Set pan(s) aside.
2. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter, cream cheese, and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and almond extracts. Add flour and baking powder; mix well. Pour into prepared pan(s).
3. Bake 70-80 minutes for loaf pans (80-90 minutes for bundt pan), or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
4. Cool in pan(s) 10 minutes. Gently lift loaves from pans using parchment folded over sides, remove & discard parchment, and place loaves on wire rack to cool completely. (For bundt pan, firmly tap pan on counter before inverting onto wire rack to cool completely.)
5. Store at room temperature. Cake ages and freezes well!

Crispy Peanut Butter Toffee Truffles

Don't wait until the holidays to make this delicious treat! No-bake truffles are perfect for the summer when you don't want to turn on your oven and heat up the house. I made these for my husband's work potluck this evening and came home with an empty dish. I literally lost count of the number of people asking for the recipe... so here it is!

Crispy Peanut Butter Toffee Truffles
Yield: 4 dozen

Ingredients
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 Tbsp butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
8 oz package Heath Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits
1 cup crisped rice cereal (I use Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice)
16 oz package chocolate Candiquik
1/3 cup (from 8 oz package) Heath Bits o' Brickle Toffee Bits

Directions
1. In stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream peanut butter and butter.
2. Add powdered sugar and mix well.
3. Gently stir in entire package of milk chocolate toffee bits and cereal.
4. Refrigerate dough at least one hour (maybe longer) to reduce stickiness.
5. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Scoop 1/2 Tbsp of dough into palm of hand and roll into ball. Place on lined pan.
6. Refrigerate rolled balls one hour (or more).
7. When ready to dip in chocolate, line second cookie sheet with parchment paper. Pour plain toffee bits into small bowl. Melt Candiquik according to package directions. One at a time, coat entire ball in chocolate, place on lined pan, and quickly sprinkle with 1/4 tsp (or a pinch) of plain toffee bits from small bowl.
8. To help truffles retain their shape, store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Recipe adapted from Lemon Tree Dwelling.