Frosted Irish Cream Brownies

Looking for a festive dessert to top off your St. Patrick’s Day celebration? What we have here is a triple-whole-grain Frosted Irish Cream Brownie that is perfectly dense and chewy topped with an Irish cream frosting.

What flavor is Irish Cream?

Irish cream is a delectable liqueur known for its rich and creamy flavors. It combines the smoothness of cream with the distinct taste of Irish whiskey, creating a harmonious blend that tantalizes the taste buds. The flavors in Irish cream are a perfect balance of sweetness and warmth. The creamy texture is complemented by notes of vanilla, cocoa, and caramel, adding a delightful sweetness to every sip.

The Ingredients

To make these tasty treats, we’ve used an Irish cream flavoring syrup. We like the Torani Brand flavoring syrups that come in a variety of flavors and are most often used to flavor Italian cream sodas, coffee, and hot chocolate. But they also do very well in flavoring baked goods.

Be sure to have a glass of milk nearby because these Irish Cream brownies are rich.

Irish Cream Brownies (Non-Alcoholic)

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Ingredients

For the Brownies

1 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup butter, melted

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 cup Irish Cream Flavoring Syrup

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup oat flour

1/4 cup rye flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

For the Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

2 T Irish Cream Flavoring Syrup

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 to 3 T milk

For the Glaze

1 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

1 tsp. butter

Instructions

For the Brownies

Pre-heat oven to 350. Grease a 9X13 glass baking pan; set aside.

In a kitchen mixer whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, and melted butter. Add the eggs, vanilla, and Irish cream syrup. Blend well. Add flours (you can use all three flours or just all whole wheat if you like), cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine and spread into prepared pan.

Bake for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs. Cool.

For the Frosting

Beat butter in a small bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in all remaining frosting ingredients, adding enough milk for desired spreading consistency. Spread over cooled brownies.

For the Glaze

Place the glaze ingredients in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds; stir until melted and smooth. Drizzle over frosted brownies.

Add sprinkles if desired. Cut into bars.

Brownie recipe adapted from What Megan’s Cooking

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Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread

Irish soda bread is a traditional Irish culinary delight that has been enjoyed for centuries. This quick bread is characterized by its unique texture, hearty flavor, and distinctive cross-shaped scoring on the top. While many Irish households have their own variations of the recipe, the origins of soda bread can be traced back to the 19th century when baking soda became widely available in Ireland. Over the years, Irish soda bread has become an integral part of Irish culture, serving as a staple during festive occasions like St. Patrick’s Day and family gatherings. Its rich history and simple yet delicious taste have made it a beloved treat both in Ireland and around the world. In this article, we will explore the fascinating history of Irish soda bread, the ingredients that make it special, and how it has evolved over time.

Soda Bread or Railway Cake?

Another point of interest is that if your soda bread contains raisins, it’s not traditional Irish soda bread. Rather, it’s called “Spotted Dog” or “Railway Cake”.

Soda bread and “Spotted dog”, also known as “Railway cake”, are both traditional Irish baked goods, but they have distinct differences. Irish Soda bread is a simple, quick bread made with just a few basic ingredients like flour, baking soda, buttermilk, and salt. It has a dense texture and is typically round with a cross cut on top to help it bake evenly. On the other hand, spotted dog or railway cake is a richer and sweeter version of soda bread, as it includes added ingredients like currants or raisins, sugar, and butter. It is often shaped into a loaf and has a softer, more cake-like consistency. While Irish soda bread is commonly served with savory dishes, spotted dog or railway cake is often enjoyed as a sweet treat, either on its own or with a spread of butter.

If it contains raisins, eggs, baking powder, sugar, or shortening, it’s called “cake”, not “bread.” So, in reality what we have here should be called Irish Spotted Dog Cake or just Railway Cake.

This bread has a slightly sweet, nutty flavor that is delicious with a little butter. If you’re looking for something easy and tasty for your St. Patrick’s Day celebration this Irish Soda Bread is for you.

Ingredients

4 cups soft white wheat flour (hard white and hard red wheat flour work well too)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
3 eggs

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch cake pan. Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Cut butter into flour mixture using a pastry cutter until well combined. Stir in raisins and dried cranberries.

In another bowl, whisk the buttermilk and eggs together. Pour over flour mixture and stir to combine. This will make a very thick batter. Spoon into cake pan.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing. Cut into wedges.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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Freshen Up with Baking Soda

Looking for a great way to freshen up the air in your house without those icky chemicals? Look no further because we have an easy and inexpensive way to deodorize and scent your home. Baking soda is a great all-natural deodorizer and essential oils not only add a scent, but can enhance your mood as well.

Baking Soda Air Freshener

What You’ll Need:

1/2 cup baking soda
About 15 drops of essential oils. We used doTERRA’s Elevation.
An old (or new) canning jar. We used the Ball 8 oz. wide mouth Elite.
Scrapbook paper or the metal lid that comes with the jar
A nail
Ribbon (optional)

If you want to use the metal canning lid, take a nail and use a hammer to make several holes in the lid.

If you’re opting for a more decorative look and want to use scrapbook paper, trace around the metal canning lid and cut out your circle. Put the scrapbook paper circle in the canning ring where the metal lid would go.

Put 1/2 cup of baking soda and essential oil in the jar. Stir the two ingredients together or put the lid on and shake it.

With the lid on poke several hole through the scrapbook paper with a nail.

Decorate the jar with ribbon if you want.

Set it somewhere in your house and enjoy! Shake it up every once in a while to renew the scent.

*Note: This type of air freshener works best in small spaces like closets and bathrooms. If you put it in a jar that will fit in a cup holder, you can have one in your car too.

Baking Soda Carpet Freshener

What You’ll Need:

1 cup baking soda
20-40 drops of essential oils. We used doTERRA’s Cinnamon Bark.
A container to put it in. We like a restaurant-style sugar shaker (the kind with one hole).

Put baking soda and essential oil in your container and stir it up.

Sprinkle it on your carpet and let it sit for about 5 minutes, then vacuum it up.

We hope you enjoy your new baking soda fresheners. Here are links to more:

The Toilet Bomb
Spring Clean Your Mattress
Homemade Fabric Freshener

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Tuesday	9:30am - 6:00pm
Wednesday	9:30am - 6:00pm
Thursday	9:30am - 6:00pm
Friday	9:30am - 6:00pm
Saturday	9:30am - 5:00pm
Sunday	CLOSED

Frosted Irish Cream Brownies

What flavor is Irish Cream?

The Ingredients

Irish Cream Brownies (Non-Alcoholic)