Monday, November 9, 2026

Cranberry Bundt Cake with Lemon Glaze #Thanksgiving #giveaway Kim Davis



 




KIM DAVIS: A lot of people associate pumpkin with Thanksgiving and while I enjoy pumpkin pie, cranberries are my go-to flavor for the holiday. From homemade cranberry sauce to cranberry rolls to cranberry cocktails, to cranberry cake, they're all my favorite. I also like the simple elegance of Bundt cakes during the holidays instead of fussing with stacking layers of cake and buttercream. 

A few decades ago I came across a recipe in a Cooking Light Magazine for upside down cranberry cake. I made it a few times and while it was delicious, it was fussy and time consuming to make. A couple of years ago, I decided to try something different and took my favorite parts of that original recipe (namely a copious amount of cranberries plus a layer of cranberries and brown sugar on top) and turn it into a Bundt cake. I also added the fresh addition of lemon juice to brighten the cake and the glaze. My family and taste testers loved it even more and this has become our new favorite cranberry cake! 

However you celebrate Thanksgiving, may your table be filled with joy! 




Cranberry Bundt Cake with Lemon Glaze

 

Ingredients

Cake:

2-1/2 cups (12 ounces) all-purpose flour plus 1 tablespoon, divided
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk (whole, 2%, or almond)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
Zest from 1 lemon
1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups fresh (or frozen) cranberries (12-ounce package), divided
1/3 cup packed brown sugar




Glaze:

1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Pinch of salt




Instructions

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Heavily grease and flour a Bundt cake pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 2-1/2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.




Stir together the milk and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Mixture may appear to curdle, but that is fine. Set aside.




Using an electric mixer, mix the granulated sugar with the lemon zest. 




Beat until the sugar becomes light yellow, about 2 minutes. Add the butter to the lemon sugar and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. 




Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.


 


With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the lemon-milk mixture in three increments. Mix until the ingredients are incorporated.


 


Sprinkle the extra tablespoon of flour over 1-1/2 cups of cranberries (if using frozen cranberries, now is the time to remove them from the freezer) and stir to combine. 




Add the cranberries to the cake batter and fold in.


 



Sprinkle brown sugar over the bottom of the pan, then layer the remaining 1-1/2 cups of the cranberries over the sugar. (If using frozen cranberries, do not defrost them first. Instead, add them right before pouring in the batter.)


 


Spread the batter over the cranberries and brown sugar.




Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until golden brown and a wooden skewer comes out mostly clean. A few moist crumbs clinging to the skewer is fine. If using frozen cranberries, you may need to bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes longer.




Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto a serving platter or cake stand and remove the Bundt pan. If some of the cranberries and sugar stick to the cake pan, spoon it back onto the top of the cake. The glaze will hide any holes or cracks. Allow the cake to cool completely before drizzling the glaze.




Glaze:

Whisk the confectioners’ sugar with the lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cake and allow to set before serving.


 


Optional Sugared Cranberries for garnish: 

(sorry - I got in a hurry and totally forgot to take photos!)


Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1 cup fresh cranberries
1/2 cup superfine sugar* 


Instructions:

Combine 1 cup sugar and water in a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until the sugar is dissolved. Don’t allow the mixture to boil, otherwise, the cranberries will burst. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes. Place the cranberries in a bowl and add the simple syrup. Cover bowl and refrigerate overnight.

Drain the cranberries and roll them in the superfine sugar, making sure that the cranberries are thoroughly coated. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Allow to dry for at least 2 hours.

*If you don’t have superfine sugar, whirl regular granulated sugar in a food processor for 20 pulses.

 




💕 Click here for a free printable PDF of the recipe!💕







What it's about:

Hollywood has descended on Oak Creek Valley to film a murder mystery. Carissa Carmichael, owner of the Aromatherapy Apothecary, has a front-row seat to the bad-boy leading man’s escapades as she works with the production to bring soothing essential elements to the stressed-out crew.

When the movie set becomes a true crime scene, Carissa’s best friend becomes the star suspect. Instead of enjoying the thrills of lights, camera, and action, she’s thrust into untangling the secrets of the glamorous actors who all seem to hide something. While working behind the scenes to sniff out clues and clear her best friend’s name, Carissa must apply pressure and find the killer before someone else is written out for good.

Includes a recipe, plus essential oil and reflexology tips.


Purchase links:





Books available at most online retailers

 

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Apple

 





Cupcake Catering Mysteries * Essentials of Murder* Essentials of Death

 


About the Author:

Kim Davis writes the Aromatherapy Apothecary cozy mystery series, and the award-winning Cupcake Catering cozy mystery series. She has also written several children’s nature articles published in a variety of magazines. Kim Davis is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

She lives in Southern California with her husband and rambunctious mini Goldendoodle, Missy, who has become an inspiration for several plotlines. When she’s not spending time with her granddaughters or chasing Missy around, she can be found either writing on her next book, working on blogs, or in the kitchen baking up yummy treats to share.

Click here to sign up here for Kim’s newsletter: Newsletter

Connect with Kim: Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Bluesky, Bookbub, Goodreads, TikTok, and website

 


AND NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY




I'm giving away a copy of Muddled Matrimonial Murder, a Thanksgiving-themed cozy mystery, even though the cover doesn't hint at it  ðŸ˜€

Comment below and include your email (yourname at yourserver dot com) for a chance to win a copy of Muddled Matrimonial Murder. (Print contest is open to US residents, and all others will receive an ebook copy). Contest ends 11:59pm on Wednesday, October 11, 2026. 


Readers, are you a people of the pumpkin or the clan of the cranberry?



Sunday, November 8, 2026

Raspberry chocolate tart by Daryl Wood Gerber #giveaway

Today, MLK welcomes an old friend back to the kitchen with a delicious pie and a generous giveaway. Add a comment to be entered. Take it away Daryl Wood Gerber! 


DARYL WOOD GERBER: Thank you so much for having me once again on Mystery Lovers Kitchen, my favorite blog!

The 3rd Literary Dining Mystery, A CLASSIC CASE OF MURDER, came out last week. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the series, it takes place in the fictional town of Bramblewood (near Asheville, NC). The protagonist is Allie, a caterer and part owner of the local bookstore, Feast for the Eyes. She and her best friend Tegan, the majority owner of the bookstore, put on literary dining parties where guests will discuss a classic novel and Allie will serve food from the era. Attendees may dress up in the costumes of the season.





This story takes place in December at the Amber Inn, the newly refurbished B&B owned by Tegan’s mother, Noeline. For the party, there will be a first edition of Charles Dickens’s A CHRISTMAS CAROL on display—a novella someone might kill for.

I had such a fun time writing this story. I’ve always been a fan of A CHRISTMAS CAROL, the book as well as the movies. I can remember wishing I could devour the food the guests were enjoying: turkey, geese, game, poultry, brawn, great joints of meat, suckling pigs, a clove-studded ham. I’ve included a few holiday recipes in the book, including Bishop’s wine and figgy pudding.

In my book, Lillian, the dress shop owner who helps with costumes for the parties, is having a soiree to honor the many volunteers, including Noeline, who are helping raise local theater funds. She asks Allie to cater it. Allie brings along a white chocolate raspberry tart because she knows it’s Noeline’s favorite.



While this particular tart is not a traditional tart from the 1800’s, fruit tarts were enjoyed during the Victorian Era, and this one sure is tasty. 


Do you enjoy dessert? What’s your favorite during any holiday? Leave a comment to enter the giveaway, your choice of Literary Dining Mystery 1 or 2 or one of the other books I published this year: the 2nd Aroma Wellness Mystery or a short story anthology. Plus a tote bag!



WHITE CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY TART


(Yield: 8 slices)


Tart crust:

2 cups gluten-free oats

½ cup almond flour

½ teaspoon salt

⅓ cup unsalted butter

1 tablespoons maple syrup


Raspberry layer:

2 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen

2/3 cups water

3 tablespoons sugar 

1 teaspoon agar powder or gelatin


White Chocolate layer:

7 ounces white chocolate, chopped

7/8 cup of cream


Garnish:

Sugar to coat

8-16 Fresh raspberries


TO MAKE IT:


TART CRUST:


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly grease a 9-inch tart pan or four 4-ounce tart pans.  Set aside.


In a food processor, blend the oats and almonds.  Transfer to a bowl and mix in the salt. Then add the melted butter and syrup and stir. If it’s too dry, add a tad of water.



Press the mixture into the prepared tart pan with your fingers. 


Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. It will crisp up.


RASPBERRY LAYER:


In a saucepan, mix raspberries and ¼ cup of the water and bring to a boil, about 3 minutes.


In the meantime, into a small bowl, pour the water and sprinkle with the agar powder or  gelatin.  Let dissolve and set aside.


Once the raspberries are cooked, remove from heat and mash them with a spoon.  Add sugar and the agar power or gelatin.  Return the saucepan to the heat and bring to a boil again while stirring.  Simmer for 1–2 minutes. Set aside to cool before pouring it into the tart crust.



Place tart in fridge for about 15 minutes, until the raspberry layer is set.


WHITE CHOCOLATE LAYER:


Place the white chocolate pieces in a microwave-proof bowl.  Microwave on medium for 30 seconds. Stir.  If necessary, microwave again on medium in 10-second intervals. 



In a saucepan, warm the cream. Add the melted white chocolate and stir until smooth. About 1 minute.


Pour the cream mixture into the tart crust on top of the raspberries. Chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.




GARNISH: Pour the sugar on a paper towel. Roll slightly damp raspberries in the sugar to coat. Let dry.

~



Bio:



Daryl Wood Gerber is the Agatha Award-winning and nationally bestselling author of the Literary Dining Mysteries, Aroma Wellness Mysteries, Fairy Garden Mysteries, Cookbook Nook Mysteries, and French Bistro Mysteries. As Avery Aames, she penned the popular Cheese Shop Mysteries. In addition, Daryl writes suspense novels, including the well-received Accidental Murder, The Son’s Secret, Girl on the Run, and the popular Aspen Adams trilogy. Daryl has published a standalone Christmas romance, Hope for the Holidays, and her short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies. Fun Tidbit: as an actress, Daryl appeared in “Murder, She Wrote.” She loves to cook, garden, read, and walk her frisky Goldendoodle. Also she has been known to jump out of a perfectly good airplane. You can learn more on her website: https://darylwoodgerber.com



Links:

WEBSITE: https://darylwoodgerber.com

FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/darylwoodgerber

BOOKBUB: https://bookbub.com/authors/daryl-wood-gerber

YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/woodgerb1

INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/darylwoodgerber

GOODREADS: https://goodreads.com/darylwoodgerber

AMAZON: amazon: https://bit.ly/Daryl_Wood_Gerber_page

https://bit.ly/3SenzVy

NEWSLETTER: https://darylwoodgerber.com/contact-media/


Saturday, November 7, 2026

Banana Cookies #Recipe Peg Cochran/Margaret Loudon


 

Everyone wants bananas but when I buy them, no one eats them.  Consequently, I have a freezer full of frozen overly ripe bananas.  I've made bread, muffins and I wanted to do something different.  I thought are there banana cookies?  Indeed there are!  These were very easy and quite delicious!  You can add in whatever mix-ins you want.  Pecans are suggested but my granddaughter doesn't like nuts and I need someone to help eat these!  I had some Reese's peanut butter chips so I added those.  Bananas + peanut butter = natural and delicious combo!

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 cup mashed bananas  

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups all-purpose flour

Pinch salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg or mace

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup chopped pecans (or your choice of walnuts, chocolate chips, etc.)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

 

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. 


 

In a separate bowl, mix the mashed bananas and baking soda. Let sit for 2 minutes. 


 
 

Pour the banana mixture into the butter mixture. (if the mixture curdles, don’t worry.  It will still work.)


 

Whisk the flour, salt, and spices. Add to the butter and banana mixture, and mix until just combined.


 

Fold in pecans, chocolate chips or other mix-in.

Drop in dollops onto baking sheet. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on wire racks before serving.


 

 


 

Friday, November 6, 2026

Roast Salmon with Red Cabbage and New Potatoes from Vicki Delany

We’re always being told to eat more oily fish for good health and strong bones, and I do try. Salmon can be expensive, but a small amount goes a long way.  This dish is quick to prepare and pop into the oven to cook for a short while.  It’s delicious, but if you don’t care for cooked cabbage it might not be right for you.



Roast Salmon with Red Cabbage and New Potatoes

Ingredients:

4 cups shredded red cabbage

10 new potatoes, unpeeled, halved

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 lb salmon fillet

2 tbsp grainy mustard

2 tbsp horseradish

Juice of half a lemon

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 400

Toss cabbage and potatoes with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Roast for 25 minutes  

Mix mustard, horseradish, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Spread onto surface of the salmon.

Add salmon to the pan of cabbage and potatoes and roast for another 15 minutes.

 






Follow Vicki at www.vickidelany.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/evagatesauthor. You can sign up to receive Vicki’s quarterly newsletter at Vicki Delany – Canadian Author of Mystery Novels and Suspense Novels » Contact. She’s on Bluesky at @vickidelany.bsky.social

Now available: ‘Tis the Season to be Scary, a Year Round Christmas Mystery from Crooked Lane Books.