Another year has come and (almost) gone, and I think we can all agree that it was a doozy! Many of us spent more time at home than ever, and that means that a lot of people (and I mean a lot) discovered the pleasure of baking. Or at the very least, they baked something, and sometimes that something was one of my recipes. *pandemic hair flip*
In that vein, this is the annual top ten most popular recipes from E2 Bakes. Many of these recipes have appeared on past lists, and I’m sure some of these will make the cut next year. Please note that, for the first time, none of the recipes on this year’s list were actually published this year. 2020 just happens to be when they hit their stride. The internet works in mysterious ways.
10) Polenta Breakfast Bake {Gluten-Free}
Everybody loves a special breakfast, and for me, this Polenta Breakfast Bake is about as special as it gets. This is a gluten-free spin on my mom’s go-to Christmas brunch offering. Cheesy, filling and endlessly adaptable—take my recipe and make it vegetarian, use it as a base for leftover odds & ends, or eat it for breakfast for dinner! Take my recipe and make it yours.
9) Churros {Accidentally Vegan}
Who doesn’t love churros?! These crisp and delicious Spanish-style doughnuts are easier to make than you might imagine. Mix up a quick dough in a warm pan, then pipe it into hot oil and toss the results with cinnamon-sugar. So good! And accidentally vegan!!! Make 2021 the year you make your own churros—trust me.
8) Maple Layer Cake
I haven’t made many layer cakes in 2020–without parties, there wasn’t much point—but this Maple Layer Cake is one of my favorites. Surprisingly simple with huge maple flavor, it’s no surprise that this recipe made this list again.
7) Toasted Oat Graham Crackers {Vegan & Gluten-Free}
Many of my most popular recipes are vegan or gluten-free, despite the fact that I am neither. These Toasted Oat Graham Crackers? They’re both! And incredibly delicious stacked with toasted marshmallows and chocolate. Mmhmm.
6) Banana Snickerdoodles
Banana bread may have had its moment in 2020, but I think Banana Snickerdoodles should have theirs’ in 2021. Soft, chewy and egg-free, a batch of these will make exceptional use of your brown bananas.
5) Coconut Custard Pie
Coconut Cream Pie is great and all, but have you tried Coconut Custard Pie? Because you should. There’s a reason it’s on this list: because rich coconut custard baked into a pie crust is about as good as dessert gets.
4) Maple Thumbprints
First a cake and now the thumbprints- y’all sure do love maple syrup! And to state the obvious, so do I.
3) Chocolate Macaroon Tart {Grain-Free}
This five ingredient Chocolate Macaroon Tart was a hit from the moment I hit “publish.” It’s super simple to make, completely grain-free, and while I originally made it for an Easter dessert, it’s perfect for any occasion including New Year’s Eve.
2) Silky Smooth Sweet Potato Pie
Silky Smooth Sweet Potato Pie was my most popular recipe of 2019 and is the second most popular of both 2018 and 2020. It’s a classic with a textural twist, and so, so delicious.
1) French Apple Cake
This simple cake was far-and-away my most popular recipe this year, and for good reason. It’s easy to make, requires ingredients you probably already have, and is the perfect finish to any meal. Pandemic or no, this basically my favorite kind of recipe.
Have you made any of these recipes? What was your favorite E2 Bakes recipe this year? Let me know in the comments or on social media!
My friend, VJ, loves gingerbread. Loves it. She speaks often about how before she had to stop eating gluten and went vegan, her grandma used to serve hers with canned peaches and whipped cream. While I am not much for canned peaches, the 
Over the years, VJ has asked me to make gingerbread cakes for various milestones and occasions, but I have mostly failed. I even failed this past Thanksgiving! Too greasy, too dry, vaguely tarry, completely flavorless—I’ve made all the gingerbread cake failures under the sun. Let’s not discuss the occasion on which she had to serve store-bought ice cream cakes (that she couldn’t even eat!) at her own party because my attempt at this cake was so vile.
It’s not just because I like to have a gluten-free vegan item on my holiday line-up every year (which I do). It’s that VJ’s 40th birthday is next week—you know I can’t let my favorite gluten-free vegan’s milestone birthday pass without cake. No way. Not rain, nor sleet, nor masked and distanced delivery will stop me from getting this cake to her on December 23rd.
Holy crap, y’all, this is good. Super moist with nothing to distract from its deep dark flavor, it’s better than most traditional flour, egg and dairy-based gingerbreads I’ve had. It’s definitely not better than VJ’s grandma’s though, because nothing is ever better than grandma’s. Believe me, I’ve tried to out-do grandmas and it never goes well. But anyway… 
This Gingerbread Cake tows the line somewhere between holiday dessert and wintry everyday cake. It doesn’t need a blanket of frosting (although I think a little vegan 
I have a long history of hating 
One peach dessert that I am crazy about? This Peach Upside-Down Cake. Not only is it very delicious and very peachy, but it couldn’t be easier to make.
Melt some butter and brown sugar together and lay some thin slices of peach on top in any design you like. I overlapped mine slightly because I didn’t want much “plain” cake peeking through. There’s no need to get too fussy with it, as the peaches release quite a bit of liquid during baking and lose some definition.
Next up, spoon some cake batter over the top of your peaches. I’ve used a brown sugary version of my 
This cake bakes up in about 50 minutes and only needs to rest for fifteen before it’s flipped onto a serving plate. Again, don’t worry if your peach slices aren’t perfectly defined—mine certainly weren’t but they were still gorgeous and dang delicious.
Once your cake is out of the pan, it’s up to you whether you want to enjoy it warm, room temperature or cold. I personally like a warm room temperature slice, so that the cake slices cleanly and the brown sugar topping is pleasantly gooey. Whatever you do though, don’t skip the ice cream or whipped cream. I mean, I forgot them here and everything was still good, but there’s something about cold creamy anything and peach cake that is simply not to be missed.
I had the idea for this Chocolate Chip Cookie Crumb Cake after making 
Generally speaking, I’m not a big celebrator of food holidays, but I seem to always remember 
I mean, look at that pillowy soft chocolate chip cake! It’s buttery, tight-crumbed, and super moist thanks to half a cup of sour cream. It’s almost enough to restore my hope for the future.
Oh, and speaking of restoring hope in things, let’s discuss the crispy chocolate chip cookie crumb topping! It’s the real star of this show. Think streusel, but instead of cinnamon there’s a bunch of brown sugar and chocolate chips in the mix—it’s actual perfection.
If you want perfectly clean slices and have slightly more patience than I do, you can wait til the cake has cooled completely before divvying it up. I ceased having extra patience 42 days ago, so the pictured slice is a little scraggly…but as a perk, the chocolate chips are still soft. I will choose melty chocolate over aesthetics any day, anytime. But, like, especially today and right now. The future can wait while I finish my slice of cake.
Happy Chocolate Chip Day, dear readers.
e2 bakes brooklyn 