Hello! I hope you’ve been enjoying this holiday week with your family and friends. I am still in Texas for another week, but I certainly haven’t been on vacation. This week, my little sister and I catered a birthday party for one of my favorite readers (hi Robyn!), and then I had a little pop-up sale for all my hometown friends. I made Peanut Butter Blossoms, Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, Malted Whoppers Cookies, and Red Velvet Cheesecake Bars–we sold out after two hours! It was so much fun to see people from all parts of my life in Texas: high school, college, church, and summer camp. I am so humbled by and appreciative of their support.
I’ll be putting those pop-up sale recipes on here in 2017, but first, let’s take a look back on this past year. 2016 has not been my favorite year on record, but one thing is certain: I have eaten well. From what I can tell from this site’s analytics, you have too! These were the most-viewed recipes on E2 Bakes this year.
10a. Enchiladas Suizas
If I could write a love letter to a food item, it would be these Enchiladas Suizas. Filled with chicken and Monterey Jack cheese and smothered in a tangy tomatillo-sour cream sauce, they’re nearly as good as those from my favorite Tex-Mex restaurant. The batch can be doubled or tripled easily (heck, I quintupled it for my catering gig this week), and it makes excellent leftovers.
10b. Winning Hearts & Minds Cake {Grain-Free}
I fell in love with this recipe when I saw it on Orangette a few years ago. Molly Wizenberg is a genius when it comes to simple recipes that are also rustic, elegant, and delicious. This Winning Hearts & Minds Cake comes together in minutes. It doesn’t have any bells and whistles beyond being supremely chocolaty, and is a wonderful dessert for dinner parties and lazy nights in alike.
9. Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Cookies
Who doesn’t love oatmeal chocolate chip cookies?! Chock full of oats, brown sugar, and chocolate, they’re a classic. Cream cheese is subbed for half the butter in my recipe, making these cookies extra chewy and lower in fat than others, but you wouldn’t know it from the flavor.
After trying the Banana Pudding Pudgies at Evelyn’s Kitchen a few years ago, I became obsessed with figuring out how to make my own. After more than a year, these are the result. And, oh, are they good. Super soft and chewy and tasting just like banana pudding, this is one of my favorite recipes on this blog.
I grew up eating my grandmother’s Buttermilk Biscuits, and until recently, would have insisted that they were the only way to go. After trying these Coconut Oil Biscuits though, I can safely say I was wrong. I love the delicate balance of savory biscuit and coconut flavor, but my favorite thing about these biscuits is that I can make them for my vegan friends 😊
Puff Pancakes are my absolute favorite weekend breakfast. The batter comes together in the blender before baking in the oven. The pancake puffs up and turns golden as it bakes, becoming custard-like in the center and chewy at the edges. It can be dolled up any way you please–I prefer maple syrup, confectioner’s sugar, and salt. If I’m feeling fancy though, I go for this Caramel Apple version.
If you have a good vanilla cake recipe, you can use it as a base for any cake you like. I spent years developing this recipe, and I am totally in love with it. Moist, buttery, and incredibly delicious, this Vanilla Layer Cake is a staple in my repertoire.
You know that feeling when you want cake, but don’t want to make a cake? This is the recipe for that moment. Carrot Cake Blondies have all the flavors of the classic cake, but are almost no trouble at all. My favorite thing about this recipe? There’s nearly as much cream cheese frosting as there is blondie 💕💕
Everyday Cassoulet is my favorite weeknight meal. It’s a super easy one-pan meal that is much more than the sum of its parts. Double the recipe–you’re going to want leftovers.
This cake came to be when I needed to use up a can of Marzipan that kept falling out of my cookie add-ins cabinet, and it’s so much more than I had anticipated! This is a simple tight-crumbed bundt cake with a huge almond flavor! Drizzled with vanilla glaze and paired with a cup of coffee, it’s a great dessert for any occasion.
1. No-Churn Banana Pudding Ice Cream
You guys sure do love banana pudding! I am almost in shock that this is my most popular recipe of the year. No-Churn Banana Pudding Ice Cream is my most re-pinned recipe, and I get why. The creamy base, mashed banana, and crushed vanilla wafers make this ice cream absolutely delicious. I know it’s winter and all, but this ice cream would make a good dessert any day of the year.
Have you made any of these recipes? Let me know in the comments or on Instagram.
Thank you for reading this year–I can’t wait to bake more in 2017! Happy New Year 🎉
e2 bakes brooklyn 