Peanut Butter Macaroon Blossoms are an ode to the classic peanut butter cookie topped with a chocolate kiss but instead made with a peanut butter macaroon base.

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My blog is a teenager! For real today is the 13th blogiversary of The Spiffy Cookie and as usual I almost completely forgot about it – which is strange because I love an excuse to celebrate. I blame the impending holidays distracting me.

As luck would have it, today happens to land on a #PBchocSat so thankfully I had already planned on sharing the recipe for these peanut butter macaroon blossom cookies. These cookies are not only perfect for celebrating this peanut butter loving blog, and watching the Buckeyes football game today, but should also be on your holiday cookie tray this season.

What is a peanut butter macaroon blossom? Imagine the traditional peanut butter blossoms but instead of a peanut butter cookie base it’s a peanut butter macaroon. Bonus: it’s naturally gluten-free as it only uses coconut, sugar, peanut butter, egg whites, and chocolate.

This little brain child came to be because I have already made buckeye blossom cookies, and buckeye coconut macaroons, so why not peanut butter macaroon blossoms? It’s been 13 years folks, there’s going to be some recipe inspiration-overlap sometimes.

PEANUT BUTTER MACAROON BLOSSOMS

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Yield: 2 dozen Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 20 Minutes 20 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 4 oz. peanut butter chips
• 1 (14 oz.) bag sweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 6 Tbsp powdered peanut butter
• 4 large egg whites
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 dozen Hershey's kisses, unwrapped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2. In a microwave safe bowl, melt peanut butter chips in microwave on 50% heat for 30 second intervals until smooth.
3. In a food processor, blend the coconut for one minute. Add sugar and powdered peanut butter, then blend another minute. Add egg whites, vanilla, and salt and blend until combined, then the melted peanut butter chips until smooth.
4. With a tablespoon measuring spoon or  small cookie scoop, scoop batter into 1-inch mounds (for larger cookies use 2 tablespoons or medium cookie scoop). Press down into the center of each cookie gently with your thumb.
5. Bake for 15 minutes (20 minutes for large), until lightly golden and just set. Immediately top with a chocolate kiss. Allow to cool 10 minutes on the pan before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Source: Adapted from my Buckeye Coconut Macaroons.

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You can’t have a picnic or backyard cookout without an easy pasta salad. Toss your favorite pasta shape with vegetables, cheese, and Italian dressing for the perfect summer side dish.

This content contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Happy National DNA Day! To celebrate I made an easy pasta salad with rotini pasta because it looks DNA double helix. But before I get into the recipe, let’s talk a little science for #ScienceSundays!

What is National DNA Day?

National DNA Day celebrates the discovery of DNA’s double helix by James Watson and Francis Crick using X-ray crystallography created by Rosalind Franklin in 1953 and the completion of the Human Genome Project 50 years later in 2003 ted in 1989). The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), one of 27 institutes and centers that form the National Institutes of Health (NIH), encourages organizations to host events celebrating National DNA Day from January through May of each year, offering opportunities to learn about the latest advances in genomic research and explore what it may mean for our lives.

I may not be an organization, nor am I hosting an event, but as a classically trained geneticist, I figured it was a great topic to briefly cover and correlate to food in some way.

What is DNA?

DNA is like a recipe with instructions for our body to grow and function. Actually, an even better analogy is comparing DNA to the coding of a computer program but instead of a series of 0s and 1s, it’s made of nucleotides denoted by As, Ts, Gs, and Cs. It’s the language of DNA.

Despite how different humans many appear from one another, we actually are 99.9% identical genetically. A more startling fact is that only 1% of our total DNA actually contains sequences known as genes, which code for those instructions. The regions outside of that 1% regulate what/when/how/how much of that gene and its product is made.

Since DNA is more or less a code, it first must be translated in messenger RNA (or mRNA which is commonly heard term these days with the COVID-19 vaccines) which then is translated into proteins that have various functions.

How is genomics used?

The human genome project and advances in genomics have changed the way we do science. When the project first started in 1989, they were sequencing the entire genome by hand, but now its digital. Heck now you can spit into a tube and 6 weeks later you have results from places such as 23andMe (referral link).

With the help of genomics, we are also learning how life works and disease occurs. Those genes I mentioned? They can have slightly different sequences, or be damaged, which may cause disease, and sequencing can identify and possibly even diagnose rare diseases when classic medicine fails. Of course this work has raised ethical and social considerations which is why experts in these fields have been involved since the beginning.

Another benefit comes at a social level. This information shows that we are more alike than we are different, that we have a more diverse history than many people expected, breaks down the traditional notions of race but instead a beautiful continuum, and promotes conversations about race in a positive way with perspectives of similarities instead of differences.

What to learn more? Here are some great review videos on DNA and the Human Genome Project.

DNA-Shaped Easy Pasta Salad

So what does all that have to do with pasta salad? Mostly just the fact that the DNA double helix resembles the rotini pasta shape. However there is a Science of Macaroni Salad TED talk about how it can be used to explain how everything is made of molecules. But that goes even deeper than DNA.

This pasta salad, unlike understanding genetics, is quite simple and the perfect side to your favorite grilled summer meats like Traeger smoked pork chops. Just mix up cooked rotini (or your favorite pasta shape) with chopped broccoli, red bell pepper, salami, cheddar, olives, and Italian dressing. Of course since it’s more of an assembly rather than a recipe, you can easily change the various components based on your preferences. Want mozzarella instead of cheddar? By all means! I actually used gluten-free chickpea pasta from Barilla.

Three years ago: Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Five years ago: Root Beer Pancakes

Six years ago: DIY Anthopologie Inspired Confetti Tumblers

Seven years ago: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Chess Pie

Eight years ago: Chicken Mango Quesadillas

Nine years ago: Chicken & Spinach Alfredo Pizza

Ten years ago: Cake Batter Fruit Dip

EASY PASTA SALAD

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Yield: 10 servings Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 10 Minutes 10 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 lb. rotini pasta (I used Barilla chickpea)
• 1 large head of broccoli, florets trimmed and diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 8 oz. cheddar cheese, cubed
• 5 oz. sliced salami, diced
• 2.25 oz. can sliced black olives, drained
• 16 oz. bottle Italian dressing
• Garlic, red pepper, salt and black pepper, to taste.

Directions

1. Cook pasta 2 minutes past al dente. Drain and let cool.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the broccoli, pepper, cheese, salami, and olives. Add cooled pasta and dressing and stir until evenly distributed. Season to taste.
3. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

You can change out any ingredient you wish: pepperoni for salami, mozzarella for cheddar, tomatoes for peppers, different shaped pasta, etc.

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These coconut key lime mini cheesecakes have a gluten free graham crust and are topped with sweet kiwi berries. Perfect little bite-sized treats for spring!

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #SpringSweetsWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to help in the creation of the #SpringSweetsWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

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I love playing with new ingredients, especially produce, and these mini cheesecakes seemed like a great place to start! While I am pretty sure most people are familiar with key limes, a smaller and tarter lime, kiwi berries are less common. They are also a smaller and sweeter version of it’s cousin. The best part is they lack fuzz so you can literally pop them straight into your mouth.

Have you ever had a kiwi berry?

Due to their size and being ready to eat, I simply sliced them in half and topped these coconut key lime mini cheesecakes with them. Such a simple way to take an everyday cheesecake to the next level.

While I have been lucky enough t recently see kiwi berries stocked at my local grocery store, these mini bites of deliciousness were made with Melissa’s Produce key limes and kiwi berries, Narin’s gluten free oat grahams, and Dixie Crystals sugar.

Take a peek at the list of other great recipes made by other bloggers below. And don’t forget to check out all the awesome prizes up for grabs from our amazing sponsors! Enter using the widget at the bottom of this post.

Monday #SpringSweetsWeek Recipes

• Carrot Pineapple Mini Loaves by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Hot Cross Bundt Cake by Nik Snacks
• Instant Pot Lemon Lavender Cheesecake by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Key Lime Lavender Curd by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Kiwi Coconut Key Lime Mini Cheesecakes by The Spiffy Cookie
• Kumquat Pie by Eat Move Make
• Lavender Lemon Mini Loaves by Sweet Beginnings
• Lemon Lavender Macarons by Jen Around the World
• Lemon White Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes by Art of Natural Living
• Mandarin Orange and Rhubarb Mini Loaves by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Mandarin Orange Donuts with Ganache Glaze by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Mini Blueberry Bread by The Carefree Kitchen
• Mini Lemon Cakes with Lemon Glaze by Family Around the Table
• Mini Pound Cake by Cheese Curd In Paradise
• No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake by Pook’s Pantry
• No Bake Lemon Cheesecake by Devour Dinner
• No-Churn Lemon Ice Cream by Kate’s Recipe Box
• Pineapple Upside Down Cake by House of Nash Eats
• Raspberry Cheesecake Bars by Books n’ Cooks
• Strawberry Oatmeal Cookies by Palatable Pastime
• Strawberry Rhubarb Breakfast Bread by For the Love of Food
• Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with Crumb Topping by Blogghetti
• Vegan Chocolate Loaf Cake by Shockingly Delicious
• White Chocolate Latte Cupcakes by That Recipe

We share recipes from #SpringSweetsWeek on Pinterest! Make sure you follow the board to see all the delicious recipes shared this week.

Six years ago: Raspberry Pick-Up Pie

Eight years ago: Baked Chicken Bacon Ranch Taquitos with Avocado Ranch

Nine years ago: Funfetti-Peanut Butter Layer Pie

Four years ago: Apple Maple Turkey Burgers with Maple-Dijon Sauce

KIWI COCONUT KEY LIME MINI CHEESECAKES

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Yield: 12 Servings Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 35 MInutes 35 MInutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

CRUST

• 2 oz. graham crackers
• 1 oz. shredded coconut
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

CHEESECAKE

• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup (2 oz.) coconut cream
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp key lime juice

TOPPING

• 6 kiwi berries, halved
• Key lime zest

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Add graham crackers and coconut to a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Combine crust mixture and melted butter in a bowl until well combined.  Spoon into 12 mini cheesecake cups that have been sprayed with cooking spray.  Press into the bottom of each cup so the crust is flat (I used a tall shot glass).  Partially bake for 5 minutes, or until slightly golden, then remove from oven.
2. With an electric mixer beat the cream cheese, sugar, and coconut cream until smooth.  Beat in egg and lime juice until combined.
3. Pour the cheesecake mixture evenly into the 12 cups.  Bake for 25-28 minutes or until cheesecake is cooked through.  Let cool completely, remove cheesecakes from pan, and refrigerate until ready to serve*.
4. Serve topped with halved kiwi berries and fresh lime zest.

Notes

*Cheesecakes cane be made and refrigerated a day in advance.

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Thank you #SpringSweetsWeek Sponsors: Dixie Crystals, Door County Coffee & Tea Co., Circulon, Melissa’s Produce, Taylor and Colledge, and Nairn’s for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for #SpringSweetsWeek recipes. All opinions are my own. The #SpringSweetsWeek giveaway is open to residents of the United States who are 18 years of age or older. All entries for the winner will be checked and verified. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Six (6) winners will be selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. The #SpringSweetsWeek Bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household cannot enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the #SpringSweetsWeek posts or entry.

All the Greek flavors come together in this slow cooker chicken gyro bowl served with quinoa and all the fixings. It’s naturally gluten free too.

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Goof grief 2021 is certainly making it difficult for anyone trying to come up for air after all the emotional eating in 2020. Obviously, we couldn’t actually expect January 1, 2021 to be opposite day, but I certainly didn’t think it could get any worse.

That being said, no judgement if you continue to dive head first into your comfort foods. While I obviously want myself and those around me to be healthy, sometimes health is more than what you see on the outside. Mental health is just as, if not more, important.

But just in case one of your comfort foods is Greek (I know it’s one of mine), here’s a nice big gyro bowl to cozy up with. Maybe you’ll finish your meal with some homemade baklava while you’re at it. Who am I to stop you?

The chicken is cooked in the slow cooker, making this a great weeknight dinner. From there just shred and serve on top of a bed of quinoa and lettuce, garnished with cucumber, tomatoes, olives, feta, pita, and homemade tzatziki sauce. Or leave out the pita for a gluten free option.

Welcome to our #NationalSlowCookerMonth Celebration! 

This week we are celebrating all things slow cooker! We have delicious recipes from across the country to fill your meal plans with delicious slow cooker recipes!

Five years ago: Slow Cooker Spicy Smoked Sausage Chili

Seven years ago: Greek Yogurt Gnocchi with Spicy Pesto

Nine years ago: Cajun Chicken Alfredo Pizza

Ten   years ago: Black Cherry Vanilla Almond Smoothie

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN GYRO BOWL

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Yield: 4 servings Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 8 Hours 8 Hours

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

CHICKEN

• 1.25 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup water
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 heaping Tbsp plain Greek yogurt
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp dried oregano
• Salt, pepper, and lemon pepper, to taste

TZATZIKI SAUCE

• 1/2 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely diced (about 1cup)
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp fresh (or 1 tsp dried) minced dill
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp salt

BOWL ASSEMBLY

• 2 cup cooked quinoa
• 2 cup salad greens
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 large cucumber, sliced
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup sliced kalamata olives
• 2 pocketless pita breads, quartered (optional, not gluten free)

Directions

1. Spray crock pot with non-stick cooking spray. Place chicken breasts inside.
2. In a large bowl, mix remaining ingredients together pour over chicken. Add more water if necessary to just cover the chicken. Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW 6-8 hours.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the tzatziki sauce. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
4. When the chicken is done, drain, and shred or thinly slice chicken.
5. Divide chicken and remaining assembly ingredients evenly between four bowls. Top with tzatziki sauce and serve immediately.

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These sweet, chewy morsels called amaretti cookies are speckled with festive holiday sprinkles inside. The perfect addition to your holiday cookie exchange!

This post was created for #ChristmasCookies week, for which I was provided complementary products by the event sponsors. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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I cannot believe I am saying this, but it’s #ChristmasCookies week!

I teamed up with a slew of bloggers to share all kinds of festive cookie recipes for you to save for your holiday baking this year. Thanksgiving is only 3 weeks away so Christmas will be here before you know what happened.

Time around the holidays always seems to fly, but with 2020 the time warp is all out of sorts. Time seems to move so slowly and yet a month goes by before I realize it.

I have to admit, I was not feeling very bright and festive until I received these sprinkles from Sweets & Treats.  I decided to use them in a recipe for amaretti cookies because believe it or not I have never made them before! It was the perfect cookie to break in my new Anolon cookie sheets and to use Adams Extract almond extract. They were meant to be.

A fun trick that I learned, is that these cookies are best baked on two cookie sheets stacked on top of one another to help not get too done on the bottoms. The end result is a perfectly chewy morsel of delightfulness.

Make sure to check out every one else’s recipes today listed above the recipe for these amaretti, and then scroll even further down for a great giveaway from our sponsors to help you get prepared for holiday baking season!

Monday Christmas Cookie Recipes

• Amaretti Snowball Cookies by Our Sutton Place
• Bourbon Pecan Snowballs by Take Two Tapas
• Brown Sugar Pecan Cookies by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Cappuccino Crinkles by West Via Midwest
• Cherry Garlands by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies by Kate’s Recipe Box
• Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Cookies by Books n’ Cooks
• Chocolate Sugar Kisses by An Affair from the Heart
• Christmas Confetti Amaretti Cookies by The Spiffy Cookie
• Christmas Mouse Shortbread Cookies by Palatable Pastime
• Christmas Pinwheel Cookies by Lemon Blossoms
• Cinnamon Chip Holiday Spice Cake Mix Cookies by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Cinnamon Pecan Snickerdoodles by Daily Dish Recipes
• Classic Butter Spritz Cookies by Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies by Frugal & Fit
• Hermit Cookies by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Honey Spice Oatmeal Cookies by Family Around the Table
• Melting Snowman Cookies by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Pecan Brown Sugar Cookies by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Pecan Pie Bars by Eat Move Make
• Pecan Pie Cookies by Art of Natural Living
• Peppermint Chocolate Cookies by Swirls of Flavor
• Peppermint Kiss Cookies by Devour Dinner
• Peppermint Patty Cookies by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Peppermint Shortbread Cookies by Simply Inspired Meals
• Raspberry Jam Cookies by Making Miracles
• Reindeer Cookies by Sweet Beginnings
• Soft Sugar Cookies with Sprinkles by Jersey Girl Cooks
• Toffee Bars by That Recipe
• White Chocolate Cranberry Crinkle Cookies by Blogghetti

One year ago: Peanut Butter Oreo Cheesecake Bars

Two years ago: Radicchio & Roasted Squash Salad

Three years ago: Roasted Green Bean Salad with Cranberries and Toasted Pecans

Four years ago: White Skillet Lasagna with Butternut Squash and Kale

Five years ago: Buffalo Chicken Enchiladas

Six years ago: Single Serving Deviled Eggs

Seven years ago: Elvis Fluffernutter Rice Krispie Treats

Nine years ago: Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

CHRISTMAS CONFETTI AMARETTI COOKIES

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Yield: 3 dozen Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 25 Minutes 25 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 2-1/4 cups (200g) almond flour, sifted
• 7/8 cup (175g) sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 large egg whites
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 1/4 tsp cake batter flavoring*
• 1/4 cup Christmas confetti sprinkles
• Powdered sugar, as needed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Stack two matching, heavyweight, light to medium colored cookie sheets on top of each other**. Line with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, sugar, and salt.
3. In a medium bowl, beat egg whites until they hold soft peaks.
4. Add beaten egg whites and extracts to dry ingredients and stir until it forms a uniform dough. Fold in sprinkles until evenly distributed.
5. Using a small cookie scoop, shape dough into 1-inch balls, roll in powdered sugar, shake of excess, and place 1-inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until tops are cracked and bottoms are just barely golden**. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

* Cake flavoring is optional, increase almond to 1/2 teaspoon if omitted. ** Stacking two cookie sheets together keeps the bottoms of the cookies from getting too brown. If you did not double your cookie sheets they will cook faster.

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Welcome to #ChristmasCookies week where more than 25 bloggers are sharing cookie recipes perfect for your holiday celebrations. Hosted by Ellen from Family Around the Table, Christie from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures and Heather from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks, we invite you to not only check out the recipes but enter the amazing giveaway.
Don’t miss one delicious cookie recipe! Follow along on Pinterest.

Prize 1: Tower of Treats from Millican Pecan Company

Originally founded as the West Texas Pecan Nursery in the late 1800’s, Millican Pecan is now in 5th generation ownership. Located in San Saba, TX, the family continues the tradition of pecan farming while also branching the business into the online world. The family also enjoys educating people about pecans. One winner will receive The Tower of Treats Gift Tins. The tower includes 3 decorative gift tins stacked on top of each other. The bottom tin includes our 2 lb. Chocolate Pecan Sampler, the middle tin is our Flavored Pecan Sampler and the top tin is an 8 oz. tin of Milk Chocolate Caramillicans (similar to Turtles). An $80 value.

Prize 2: An Assortment of Flavored Extracts from Adams Extract and Spices

 In January 2013, Adams, one of the oldest continuously operated companies in Texas and one of oldest spice and extract companies in the United States, celebrated its 125th birthday and was awarded the Texas Treasure Business Award, an award sponsored by State Bill 920 that recognizes the accomplishments of Texas businesses that have provided employment opportunities and support to the state’s economy for at least 50 years and pays tribute to the state’s well-established businesses and their exceptional historical contributions toward the state’s economic growth and prosperity.

Today, Adams proudly manufactures and markets under several Adams Brand banners, including Adams Best®, Adams Extract®, Adams® Seasoning & Spice, Adams Reserve®, Flavor King, Pantry Basics, Sear-n-Crust®, ClearVan, Carniceria®, Cocina del Rey®, Naturals, and Urban Canner along with the Adams Frozen Skillet Desserts and Adams Premium Ice Cream lines. In addition, Adams is proud to manufacture for some of the nations most respected Private Label Brands as well as other legacy Regional Seasoning Brands and is used to flavor many commercially produced food products around the nation.

Prize 3: A Set of Baking Pans from Anolon

Established in the 1950’s, Meyer Manufacturing started by making and selling flashlights. In 1971 they started their journey into selling cookware. By 1986 they released the world’s first hard-anodized nonstick cookware which revolutionized the world of home cooking. Their nonstick surface didn’t flake or scratch easily.

Today they sell bakeware with nonstick interior and exterior made with a special sapphire-reinforced blend that is triple coated. NOTE: Color may vary from the photo above.

Prize 4: An Assorted Baking Box from Sweets & Treats

Make Sweets & Treats your one-stop shop for all your holiday sprinkle needs. In addition to fun, festive and colorful sprinkles, Sweets & Treats offers cupcake liners, edible glitters, sugars, and more.

Founded in 2010 by Shannon Harvey out of an industry need for bold, bright cupcake liners and baking supplies that are the life of the party! Based in Louisiana, Sweets & Treats is a designer cupcake liner manufacturer and party supply company that creates exclusive greaseproof cupcake liners, sprinkles, sprinkle mixes, paper straws, and other baking supplies. 

Four (4) winners will be selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. Bloggers are not responsible for prize fulfillment. Winners have 24 hours to respond once notified by email, or they forfeit the prize and an alternate winner will be chosen. The #ChristmasCookies bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members living in the household cannot enter or win the giveaway. Entries will be verified. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. Giveaway open to US Residents only who are 18 years of age or older to enter giveaway. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the #ChristmasCookies posts or entry.
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Who says you can’t have cornbread for dessert? These unsuspectingly gluten-free muffins are flecked with poblano peppers for just a little heat, then topped with a creamy goat cheese frosting, crumbled bacon, and fresh green onion.

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This content contains affiliate links, from which I earn a small commission, and I received free product from RylieCakes, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Today is #NationalCupcakeLoversDay so naturally I made savory muffins…? I had plans to make a sweet cupcake but I ran out of time. These muffins have a savory frosting on top so they are basically cupcakes, right? Go with it.

These “savory cupcakes” are actually made with a gluten-free baking mix I recently have been playing with called RylieCakes (a woman-owned business made in the USA and uses biodegradable packaging). At first I thought they were just mixes to bake what each bag was named, such as the Cake Mix pictured below, but turns out there’s an entire cookbook of gluten-free recipes using these mixes to make a variety of things.

The only caveat is that these mixes are not for the purpose of substituting one-to-one in your recipes to make them gluten-free (or at least I haven’t yet tried). That is unless your recipe calls for boxed cake/cookie/biscuit/pancake mix. But you don’t need the cookbook to be able to know how to use these mixes, there are also several recipes on their website.

However I was sent the cookbook along with three mixes to try out so I chose to make these gluten-free cornbread muffins which are from the cookbook. The original recipe was for mini muffins and used jalapeno peppers, but I wanted normal sized muffins to go with the BBQ pulled pork Bob smoked, and had poblano peppers on hand already.

I shared some of these muffins with my friend who has celiac and said she’s never had such a non-grainy cornbreaed before! And I would have to agree, if you weren’t told these were gluten-free you would never know it.

And that goat cheese frosting on top with crumbled bacon and fresh green onion? Oh my. Take one bite and try to tell me you wouldn’t eat this for dessert ;-). But if you are not convinced, I joined a group of other bloggers sharing cupcakes to celebrate today which are listed below!

Cupcakes for Cupcake Lovers Day!

Hosted by Valentina | The Baking Fairy

Vegan German Chocolate Cupcakes by The Baking Fairy
Bailey’s Red Velvet Cupcakes by Our Crafty Mom
Buttermilk Cupcakes with Strawberry Whipped Cream by One Sweet Appetite
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes by Daily Dish Recipes
Coffee Cupcakes with Coffee Buttercream Frosting by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Easy Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes by The Urben Life
Fiori Di Sicilia + Elderflower Cupcakes by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Gingerbread Cupcakes by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
Maple Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Date Icing by UpBeet Kitchen
Mickey Mouse Sprinkles Cupcakes by For The Love of Food
Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes by Join Us, Pull Up A Chair
Poblano Cornbread Muffins with Goat Cheese Frosting by The Spiffy Cookie
Sourdough Strawberry Cupcakes by Our Good Life
Vanilla Bean Buttercream Cupcakes by Red Cottage Chronicles

One year ago: Strawberry Basil Cupcakes with Chocolate Balsamic Frosting

Two years ago: DIY Marbled Clay Ring Dish

Four years ago: Raspberry Cheesecake Stuffed Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes

Six years ago: Eggplant Parmesan with Parsley Orzo

Seven years ago: Dark Chocolate Cherry Almond Granola Bars

GLUTEN-FREE POBLANO CORNBREAD MUFFINS WITH GOAT CHEESE FROSTING

Print

Yield: 1 dozen Cooking Time: 20 Minutes 20 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

MUFFINS

• 6.25 oz. Rylie Cakes Cake Mix
• 4.75 oz. corn flour*
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 oz. butter, room temperature
• 1.75 oz. brown sugar
• 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
• 8 oz. buttermilk, room temperature
• 1 small poblano pepper, seeded and finely diced

FROSTING

• 8 oz. goat cheese, room temperature
• 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 3 oz. whole milk
• 2 tsp black pepper

TOPPING

• 6 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 2 fresh green onions, finely chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Coat a 12-cavity muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a medium bow, whisk together Cake Mix, corn flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
4. Add egg and egg yolk one at a time, beating for 30 seconds on medium-low speed after adding each.
5. Add half of flour mixture and beat on low until just combined. Slowly pour in buttermilk and continue to beat on low until just combined. Add remaining flour mixture and chopped poblano and beat until thoroughly combined.
6. Divide batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool.
7. Meanwhile, make the frosting. In a medium bowl, beat together goat cheese and cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy.
8. Adjust mixer to low and slowly stream in milk. Add pepper and beat to combine.
9. Once mini muffins have completely cooled to room temperature, top with frosting using a piping bag or a scoop. Garnish with bacon bits and fresh green onions.

Notes

You can finely grind up cornmeal in a food processor to make cornflour if you cannot find any at your store. Just don't use masa harina! They may look similar but they are completely different products. Generally, cornflour is just finely ground corn. Masa harina, is ground corn treated with alkali.

Did you make this recipe? I want to see!

Tag @THESPIFFYCOOKIE on Instagram and hashtag it #THESPIFFYCOOKIE

Source: Adapted from Lick The Bowl: RylieCakes Essential Guide to Gluten Free Baking by Tara Rylie.

These tahini cookies make look fancy, but they are easy to make and require no chilling. Bonus: they are also gluten and egg free. 

As if we really needed more gluttony post-Thanksgiving, it’s holiday cookie season! And today is the timely food holiday of National Cookie Day so I gathered up a dozen other bloggers to give you a baker’s dozen of cookies to celebrate. Whether you need new ideas for a holiday cookie tray or are just craving cookies for yourself, I am certain there is something for everything on the line up today!

When I hear the words “Christmas cookies” I immediately think of cut-out cookies, but I already shared those so I decided to make something different. I’ve had tahini cookies on my list of recipe ideas for awhile after making tahini brownies. Originally I planned on making them just like a peanut butter cookie with tahini instead of peanut butter (as in these tahini chocolate chip cookies) but then I saw an image of one coated in sesame seeds and I just had to try it. They may not be as sweet as other cookies but they make up for it in flavor.

Celebrate #NationalCookieDay with all my fellow cookie fanatics! Below is a list of great cookies to make this holiday:

• Cake Mix Cinnamon Oatmeal Reindeer Cookies by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies by Kate’s Recipe Box
• Chocolate Cinnamon Crinkle Cookies by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Chocolate Dipped Butter Cookies by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Christmas Lights Cookies by Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Classic Old Fashioned Snickerdoodles by Big Bear’s Wife
• Coconut S’Mores Bars by The Foodette
• Gingerbread Snickerdoodles by The Redhead Baker
• Peanut Brownie Sablés by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Pistachio Cardamom Cresent Cookies by Savory Moments
• Quince and Almond Filled Cookies by Palatable Pastime
• Rosettes by That Recipe
• Gluten-Free Tahini Cookies by The Spiffy Cookie

Two years ago: Lemon Gooey Butter Cookies

Three years ago: Weekly Meal Plan #41

Four years ago: Homemade Peppermint Marshmallows

Six years ago: Sausage and Cheese Wonton Cups

Seven years ago: White Chocolate Peppermint Covered Pretzels

TAHINI COOKIES

Makes 1 dozen

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups almond flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground cardamom

1/8 tsp ground ginger

1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup tahini

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tbsp white sesame seeds

1 Tbsp black sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat; set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the almond flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger. In a large bowl, whisk the honey, tahini, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until evenly distributed and a dough formd.
3. Mix sesame seeds in a shallow bowl.
4. Using a medium (1-1/2 inch) cookie scoop, shape the dough into balls. Roll in sesame seeds, place on prepared baking sheet 2-inches apart, and flatten to 1/4-inch-thick rounds.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until bottoms are golden. Allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Source: Adapted slightly from Food & Wine.

Leftover wine? I don’t know what that is but in case you do these are the perfect way use up the bottom of the bottle (or maybe just an excuse to open one). Complete with a frosting made with a wine reduction!

Happy Valentine’s Day! I actually made these brownies for a Galentine’s Day party last night. Actually if we are going to be honest I’ve made these brownies at least 4 times now. Not because they are amazing (even though they are despite how that sounded) and not because I was tweaking it, but because I’ve been trying to post this silly recipe on my blog for the past 9 months. Why has it taken me that long? Like I said, i wasn’t tinkering with the recipe, there were no kinks to work out, the kinks existed in my everyday life because every time I made them, the timing was terrible and today’s version is no exception.

The first two times did not come with frosting – that was a thought bubble that came later. The first was for an event with the Columbus Food Bloggers at Inked & Screened and I quite literally pulled them out of the oven moments before I needed to leave for said event. Super delicious but not photogenic in their hot gooey state. The second was for my shower, but no they were not actually served at my shower, more so I brought them to my shower to give to one of my bridesmaids who originally gave me the idea to make them in the first place I don’t remember why I failed to take pictures of them but I bet I made them right before we left to drive to Rochester for the weekend for said shower. The frosting finally came around when I made them the third time for an undergraduate student in the lab who was turning 21 that has celiac. But yet again I did not get photos because I baked them late the night before and frosted them in the wee hours of the morning before leaving for work (at 6:15am mind you).

So here we are, the fourth time I’ve made these brownies and yet I have to admit I still made them in haste. They came out of the oven at the very time I should have been leaving for a Galentine’s Day party, but I was determined, so I stuck them in the fridge in an attempt to cool them faster while I made the frosting. Of course the brownies were still warm but at this point the sun was setting and I was already going to be 30 minutes late so I slathered on the frosting, cut them up, and shot a few photos before racing out the door to stuff my face with all the deliciousness made by my friends Hannah and Joel of The Beard and the Baker. Are they the pictures I had hoped for? No. Are they worth making a fifth time in attempts to get the photos I want? Yes, but dang it it’s Valentine’s Day and I want to share these with the world! I also wanted to be real, that this is my reality, friends. Sometimes you have to embrace that gooey, still-hot-from-the-oven brownie with the frosting melting off the top. Not all delicious food is pretty and the same goes for the opposite (heck the same could be said about people).

One year ago: Purple Velvet White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Five years ago: Valentine’s Day Recipes for Two Roundup

Six years ago: Sun-Dried Tomato Ravioli with Basil Cream Sauce & Jumbo Reese’s Heart Stuffed Cookie

Seven years ago: Raspberry Hugs Cheesecake Blossoms

Eight years ago: Sweet Swirl Cookies

GLUTEN-FREE FROSTED RED WINE BROWNIES

Makes 16 bars

Ingredients:

BROWNIES

1/3 cup cornstarch, spooned and leveled

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp salt

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces

12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 eggs

1/4 cup red wine

FROSTING

1/3 cup red wine

1 Tbsp sugar

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

1 to 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides. Lightly grease the parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together cornstarch, cocoa, and salt.
3. In a large microwave-safe bowl, microwave butter and chocolate in 30-second increments, stirring each time, until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in sugar and vanilla. Stir in eggs, one at a time, until combined.
4. Add cornstarch mixture and whisk vigorously until mixture is smooth and begins to pull away from side of bowl, about 2 minutes. Add wine and whisk for an additional 30 seconds, or until just incorporated.
5. Spread batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
6. Bake 30-35 minutes, turning halfway, or until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Transfer pan to wire rack and cool 1.5 hours.
7. Using parchment overhang, lift brownies from pan. Return brownies to wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour.
8. While the brownies cool, make the frosting. Place red wine and tablespoon of sugar in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Stir constantly until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook while stirring occasionally until is it reduced to about 3 tablespoons.
9. In a medium bowl, beat the butter until fluffy. Slowly add powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time until it forms a fluffy frosting. Add wine reduction, 1/2 Tbsp regular wine, and continue beating. Add more powdered sugar if needed to reach desired consistency. Spread over cooled brownies.

Source: Adapted from my Gluten-Free Pop Rocks Brownies (aka Doc Brownies) and the frosting from Sensual Appeal.

It’s time to to celebrate #Choctoberfest! Allison of The Pintertest Kitchen rounded up over 100 bloggers to participate in this week long event celebrating all things chocolate, so I hope you like chocolate. If not, avert your eyes and come back next week. Or maybe you are like me and enjoy chocolate when it’s mixed with other flavors, such as caramel!

I actually made this four-layer cake for my friend’s wedding. Everyone raved over it and even more so when I informed them it was gluten-free. Some people didn’t believe me! I guess that’s what happens when you have been baking for your celiac-friend for over a decade. Don’t forget the homemade slow cooker caramel sauce on top.

This cake makes a tall 4-layer cake. Don’t need to feed a crowd? You can easily halve this recipe to make a regular sized layer cake. But don’t be surprised if people come back asking for more. Speaking of more, if you need a stronger chocolate fix, check out the list of recipes other bloggers shared today at the end of this post. And as always we have a great giveaway thanks to our sponsors so make sure you enter HERE.

Two years ago: Gluten-Free Peanut Butter & Chocolate Turtle Poke Cake

Four years ago: Pesto Chicken Pizza with Mascarpone, Spinach, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Six years ago: Apple-Cranberry Oatmeal

GLUTEN-FREE CHOCOLATE CARAMEL CAKE

Makes one 4 layer cake, serves 24-32

Ingredients:

CAKE

4 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup cocoa powder

2 cups hot milk

4 cups gluten-free baking flour

4 cups granulated sugar

4 tsp baking powder

3 tsp baking soda

2 tsp salt

3/4 cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs

4 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

FROSTING*

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

Caramel sauce

* If you prefer a thicker costing of frosting than I have pictured, you may want to double the frosting

Directions:

1. For the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Light coat four 9-inch cake pans with nonstick spray or butter and lightly flour. Set aside.
2. Place the chopped chocolate and cocoa powder in a medium bowl. Pour the hot milk over the mixture and whisk until smooth. Refrigerate mixture for 20 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using a hand or stand mixer on medium speed, add cooled chocolate mixture, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla. Mix together until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute to add air to the batter.
4. Distribute cake batter evenly between the four prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and allow to cool completely on wire rack. If needed, slice off the tops of the cakes to make them level.
6. For the frosting: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the sweetened condensed milk, brown sugar, and butter to a boil. Continue to boil for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly, or until it resembles a thick pudding. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
7. In a large bowl, whip the cream cheese and vanilla until smooth. Add cooled caramel and beat for 2 minutes.
8. Once the cake layers are cool, spread over each layer, stack, and cover the outside of the cake with more frosting. Before cutting, drizzle with caramel sauce and serve.

Source: Cake adapted from my Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cake and frosting from Cooking with Carlee.

Disclosure: These posts and recipes are part of the week-long event, #Choctoberfest but all opinions are 100% mine.

Making a tiered layer cake is more than just a lot of cake, it’s an actual construction project! This gluten-free vanilla cake is filled with strawberry jam, coated in white chocolate frosting, and topped with chocolate covered strawberries. 

No this was not my wedding cake. However, I cannot tell you how many people asked if I was making my own wedding cake. We weren’t so much concerned with cake as we were having a spread of all the desserts we loved most. While we did have a cake, albeit a small 6-incher, we had a spread of goodies from various local bakeries and family homemade favorites (and yes I made buckeyes but that was it). But enough about my wedding, I’ll get to that in a later post.

I made this cake for one of my best friend’s weddings last summer (who happened to be my MOH a day short of exactly a year later). I had never made a gluten-free cake to this scale – heck I had never made a wedding cake period before – and she actually wanted two different kinds of cake so we had fun having our own cake tastings. I nailed the vanilla cake right off the bat, but the chocolate we waffled on, ended up settling on the first one we ever tried, and chose the second frosting. Again, I’ll share the chocolate one later. I gotta get this one out before berry season is over! Side note, making two wedding cakes uses a lot of ingredients! I had to share this aftermath photo…

So yes I made this cake over a year ago and I am just now sharing it with you. I meant to share it earlier in the summer but I was kind of planning a wedding and could barely keep up with my blog let alone write out a long recipe and assembly directions for a 3 tiered wedding cake. I was actually reminded that I needed to post this when I made their 1 year anniversary cake a couple weeks ago. I scaled the recipe down 1/4 to make just one layer (so yes you can do that too if you’re not baking for an army of wedding guests) which was still cut in half to make sure I got that homemade strawberry jam inside. And yes I even put two chocolate covered strawberries on top.

Not so funny at the time, but kind of funny now, she and I will never be able to see chocolate covered strawberries without a bit of annoyance spiking in our brains. For her wedding I finished the assembly of the cakes on site because there was no way I could transport that cake without it getting ruined. This meant all the extra chocolate covered strawberries that didn’t make it onto the cake were placed on a tray for people to enjoy prior to the cutting of the cake. What a nice idea right? Any idea where I am going with this?

About halfway through the dinner portion, I look over at the cakes and notice that the strawberry one looks like it got messed up somehow. I get closer and turns out what looked weird from across the room were the bare toothpicks all over the top half of the cake where people had been eating the chocolate covered strawberries right off the damn cake – before they even cut it! Oh my god I was so mad! I may have not-so-passive aggressively said in a loud voice “Who the hell ate the strawberries off the cake!? You don’t touch the damn cake!”. Thankfully there was the second cake to cut for pictures but of course the strawberry one was the prettier of the two… but I digress.

At the end of the day, despite the rudeness of the strawberry eaters, the cakes were enjoyed by all and everyone was surprised to find out they were both gluten-free – no one could tell! Usually the tell tale sign is a bit grittier texture but I’ve found the Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free 1 to 1 baking flour solves that problem. I now only use that whenever I bake any gluten-free desserts. No this is not sponsored I just really really love that product and you need to know if you ever plan on baking anything gluten-free.

Two years ago: Grilled Chocolate Chip Cookies

Three years ago: White Chocolate Peanut Butter Milkshakes

Two years ago: Bacon Wrapped Mac & Cheese Jalapeno Poppers

Four years ago: Carrot Cake Batter Dip

Five years ago: Strawberry Mojito

GLUTEN-FREE WHITE CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRY VANILLA WEDDING CAKE

Makes 1 three-tired cake

Ingredients:

GLUTEN-FREE BAKING MIX

8 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1 to 1 baking flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup baking powder

2 Tbsp salt

CAKE

2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

4 cups sugar

12 large eggs

2 cups milk

3 Tbsp gluten-free vanilla

7 cups gluten-free baking mix

1 cup strawberry jam (I used homemade)

STRAWBERRIES

2 pints fresh strawberries, washed and dried

8 oz. white chocolate, melted

8 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted

1 Tbsp shortening, divided

FROSTING

18 oz. white baking chocolate coarsely chopped

1/2 cup milk, divided

1 cup solid vegetable shortening

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2 tsp gluten-free vanilla

8 cups powdered sugar

ASSEMBLY

1 large cake board

1 6-inch round cake board

1 4-inch round cake board

10 cake dowels (or large, sturdy drinking straws)

Toothpicks

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 4-inch, 6-inch and 9-inch round cake pans and set aside.
2. To make the gluten-free mix, whisk together all ingredients in a large bowl. Measure out 7 cups, set aside, and store remainder for later.
3. To make the cake, in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until creamy and lighter in color. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until just incorporated.
4. Combine the milk and vanilla. Stir one-third of the baking mix into the mixture; stir in half the milk, another third of the baking mix, the remaining milk, then the remaining mix. Scrape the bowl occasionally throughout this process.
5. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, and the middle springs back when pressed lightly – 35 minutes for the 4-inch, 40 minutes for the 6-inch, and 45 minutes for the 9-inch.
6. Remove from the oven and place on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Invert onto wire racks to cool completely.
7. While the cakes bake, prepare the strawberries. In two double boilers, melt each chocolate plus /2 Tbsp shortening separately, stirring occasionally until smooth. Holding them by the stems, dip the strawberries into the chocolate mixture, letting the excess drip off, and place on their sides a wax paper lined tray. Dip fork into remaining chocolate and drizzle opposites on top if desired. Transfer to refrigerator to solidify.
8. While the cakes cool, prepare the frosting. Microwave chocolate with 1/4 cup of the milk in microwavable bowl on medium-high for 1-2 minutes; stirring halfway through the cooking time. Stir until smooth and set aside.
9. In a large bowl, cream together shortening, butter and vanilla. Gradually add the sugar, one cup at time, beating on low speed. Add remaining 1/4 cup of milk and cooled chocolate. Beat until light and fluffy. Transfer to a piping bag (or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off).
10. Once the cakes are cool, slice each cake in half and cut off the tops to level if necessary. Place one layer of the 9-inch cake on a large cake board and pipe a ring of frosting around the edge. Spread a little less than half the jam inside and top with second 9-inch layer. Place one layer of the 6-inch cake on a 6-inch cake board, repeat the ring of frosting and a little more than half of what’s left of the jam, and top with second 6-inch layer. do the same for the 4-inch cake layers with the remaining jam. Frost all three cakes.
11. Cut 6 dowels to match the height of the 9-inch cake and insert into the cake in a circle (make sure it will be underneath the 6-inch cake). Place 6-inch cake on top. Cut 4 more dowels to match the height of the 6-inch cake, and insert in a square (again make sure they will be under the 4-inch cake). Place 4-inch cake on top. Touch up frosting if needed and arrange chocolate covered strawberries on top and down the sides as desired, using toothpicks to hold in place.

Source: Adapted from King Arthur Flour and my USA Soccer Cake.