holiday favorite

close up of chocolate coquito with a dollop of whipped cream on top and a dust of cinnamon and cocoa powder

Chocolate Coquito

Black & White Bundt Cake

a slice of blackberry doughnut cake is shown slightly removed from the whole cake on a plate

Blackberry Doughnut Cake

nutella fruit waffle on a white plate with waffles and fruit in the background

Nutella Fruit Waffle

a mug of Raspberry Hot Chocolate topped with raspberries and marshmallows on a plate with more raspberries and marshmallows surrounding it on top of a plaid tablecloth, shot from the front

Raspberry Hot Chocolate

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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

two mugs of Cinnamon Maple Latte topped with whipped cream and sprinkled with pecans with dunkin donuts creamer and a stack of pumpkins on top of a cloth napkin, shot from a side angle

Cinnamon Maple Latte

drinks· Fall Flavors
October 3, 2017

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DunkinCreamers #CollectiveBias Cinnamon Maple Latte – Strong home-brewed coffee is mixed with a sprinkle of cinnamon, real maple syrup, Dunkin’ Donuts® Extra Extra Creamer, and then topped with whipped cream and roasted pecans. Just call this fall in a cup! Fall is here!!!!! Was…
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zoomed in shot of Chorizo & Queso Tostones sprinkled with herbs, shot from a side angle

Chorizo & Queso Tostones

appetizer· snacks· Tailgating Recipes
September 29, 2017

This post has been sponsored by The Kroger Co. Family of Stores in celebration of #HispanicHeritageMonth. As always, all opinions are my own. Chorizo & Queso Tostones – Crispy fried plantains are topped with mayoketchup, crumbled chorizo, and queso fresco to make for an incredible appetizer or tailgate food Alright guys, we’re in Week 3 of Hispanic Heritage month and I’ve got…
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two Tropical Red Bull Margaritas with a skewer with a slice of lime a cherry and a slice of pineapple, shot from a side angle

Tropical Red Bull Margaritas

drinks· Summertime Favorites
September 27, 2017

This post has been sponsored by The Kroger Co. Family of Stores in celebration of #HispanicHeritageMonth. As always, all opinions are my own. Tropical Red Bull Margaritas – A blend of pineapple, mango, and guava juices is combined with your typical margarita ingredients plus a boost from Red Bull Energy Drink to make these incredible Tropical Red Bull Margaritas.  Before we…
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two glasses of Electric Orange Pisco Sour with cans of red bull in the background and ice places around the glasses, shot from the front

Electric Orange Pisco Sour

drinks
September 22, 2017

Electric Orange Pisco Sour – The traditional Peruvian drink is given a modern makeover with the addition of Red Bull Energy Drink and fresh orange juice Hispanic Heritage Month is in full swing, people! How have you been celebrating? Did you get a chance to make my killer Mexican Street Corn Chicken Salad yet? As I said last week, I’m celebrating Hispanic…
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zoomed in shot of a slice of snickers cheesecake on a plate with cut up snickers candy bars and a plate of cheesecake in the background and packaged snickers, shot from a side angle

Snickers Cheesecake

cake· dessert
September 18, 2017

Snickers Cheesecake – An incredibly creamy cheesecake loaded with chopped Snickers bars and topped with rich chocolate ganache. It’s the best way to use up leftover candy from Halloween, Valentine’s Day, or Easter! In July, for my one-year anniversary, I reached out to you guys for recipes that you want to see in year two. You guys had some incredible ideas,…
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Mexican Street Corn Chicken Salad in between two pieces of bread on a plate with a slice of lime with a bowl of chicken salad with a spoon in the background, shot from the front

Mexican Street Corn Chicken Salad

chicken entrees· sandwiches & wraps
September 15, 2017

This post has been sponsored by The Kroger Co. Family of Stores in celebration of #HispanicHeritageMonth. As always, all opinions are my own. Mexican Street Corn Chicken Salad – All the flavors of Mexican Street Corn are mixed with chopped chicken breast and Greek yogurt to make a flavorful chicken salad that can be eaten as a sandwich or by itself. Today…
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a hand dipping a nacho into a cast iron pan of Cowboy Queso with cans of dr pepper and mugs with dr pepper in them with ice and a straw and a 2 liter of dr pepper in the background, shot from a side angle

Cowboy Queso

appetizer· dips· snacks· Tailgating Recipes
September 11, 2017

This post has been sponsored by Dr Pepper® and Johnsonville®. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Cowboy Queso – A chunky queso dip with chopped green chiles, roasted tomatoes, ground sausage, and sliced smoked cheddar sausage. The best dip to feed a hungry crowd during a tailgate. Perfectly pairs with ice-cold Dr Pepper! Football season is in full swing,…
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Hi, my name is Sharon. I’m an accountant by day, risk-taking baker and food enthusiast by night. Come join me as I share my favorite recipes and test out new ones along the way!

fall flavors

overhead shot of quinoa harvest salad on a plate

Quinoa Harvest Salad

plate of Pumpkin Cheesecake Macarons with a gourd in the background, shot from the front

Pumpkin Cheesecake Macarons

apple cinnamon monkey bread with a chunk out of it and sliced apples in front, shot from a side angle

Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread

a bowl of Butterscotch Vanilla Bean Sauce with a spoon in it and a bowl of brown sugar with a spoon in it on a cloth napkin, shot from a side angle

Butterscotch Vanilla Bean Sauce

slices of Pumpkin Banana Bread on a cotton napkin with walnuts sprinkled around and bananas in the background, shot from a side angle

Pumpkin Banana Bread

Maple Pecan Scones

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Strawberry Cheesecake Milkshake – vanilla ice cr Strawberry Cheesecake Milkshake – vanilla ice cream blended with real strawberries, actual cheesecake chunks, and topped with whipped cream, graham cracker crumbs, and a fresh strawberry! 🍓

I am very picky about my milkshakes, you guys! They HAVE to be (1) thick, (2) full of flavor, and (3) loaded with texture! This milkshake checks all the boxes!

This one was inspired by my husband's obsession with the Strawberry Cheesequake Blizzard from Dairy Queen! 

He LOVES it, so I decided to recreate it at home – but better! Instead of using strawberry ice cream and cream cheese, I used REAL strawberries and a real slice of cheesecake for that authentic chunky texture!

The key to making this milkshake so thick? I only use ½ cup of milk! The juice from the fresh strawberries helps liquefy the ice cream, so you don't need much liquid at all!
Pro tip: Make sure you're using the BEST vanilla ice cream you can find! Since this recipe is so simple, the quality of the ingredients really makes all the difference!

Perfect for summer treats, date nights, hot days, or anytime you want a decadent, fruity dessert in a glass! 🥤

💬 Comment "STRAWBERRYCHEESECAKE" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for milkshake inspiration
📤 SHARE with someone who loves dessert!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/strawberry-cheesecake-milkshake/
Watermelon Basil Lemonade – homemade lemonade sw Watermelon Basil Lemonade – homemade lemonade sweetened with basil sugar and fresh watermelon juice for a complex, refreshing summer drink!

I love making my lemonade from scratch, you guys! It gives me the freedom to experiment with unique flavors like this watermelon basil combo! I've used watermelon in drinks before (hello, Watermelon Sangria and Watermelon Margaritas!), so I knew it would be PERFECT with lemonade!

Watermelon is such a major symbol of summer, so pairing it with fresh basil takes it to another level! The basil adds an herbaceous, complex flavor that regular lemonade could never achieve! 

This is one of those drinks that looks impressive but is incredibly simple to make – just 10 minutes of prep time and you've got something that tastes like it came straight from a summer garden!

Pro tip: Don't skip the salt! With a drink as sweet and sour as this lemonade, a little salt balances it all out and prevents it from being overly cloying!
Perfect for summer BBQs, entertaining guests, hot days, or anytime you want a refreshingly unique drink! 

💬 Comment "WATERMELONLEMONADE" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for summer entertaining
📤 SHARE with someone who loves lemonade!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/watermelon-basil-lemonade
Fluffernutter Sandwich Three Ways – marshmallow Fluffernutter Sandwich Three Ways – marshmallow creme and peanut butter come together to make the ultimate sweet sandwich using three unique peanut butter flavors: Mighty Maple, Cinnamon Raisin Swirl, and Dark Chocolate Dreams! 

Peanut butter is probably my favorite dessert flavor, you guys! I mean, I have posted THREE different peanut butter cookie recipes in the past year, and that's not even including my PB&J Ice Cream Sandwiches! If this is what addiction looks like, please don't make me control it! 😍

It's my go-to dessert when I have the biggest sweet tooth but no cake or ice cream or candy around! I almost always have the ingredients on hand for a fluffernutter, so I never have to suffer "sweet pains" for too long!

Instead of making a plain fluffernutter, I decided to test three unique peanut butter flavors from Peanut Butter & Co! And I was shocked by the results! Dark Chocolate Dreams (my first love!) trumped the Cinnamon Raisin Swirl! There's something about how the Dark Chocolate Dreams melts into the marshmallow creme that makes me melt after each bite!

Pro tip: Cook on medium-low temp so the peanut butter has time to melt before the bread gets toasty! The melty peanut butter is the BEST part!

Perfect for when you need a quick dessert fix, a sweet treat, or anytime your sweet tooth takes over! 

💬 Comment "FLUFFERNUTTER" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for sweet cravings
📤 SHARE with a peanut butter addict!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/fluffernutter-sandwich-three-ways/
Schnitzel Sub Sandwich – crispy fried chicken te Schnitzel Sub Sandwich – crispy fried chicken tenders topped with fresh baby arugula, a squeeze of lemon juice, and shaved Parmesan cheese in a soft hoagie bun! 

I tried this sandwich at a restaurant and fell so deeply in love that I HAD to recreate it at home, you guys! It was so SIMPLE yet so INCREDIBLE! 😍

The best part? It tastes fresh and light despite being a fried piece of chicken! The secret is all in the fresh toppings – the baby arugula, bright lemon juice, and shaved Parmesan cut through the richness of the fried chicken perfectly!

The biggest step is pounding and frying the chicken tenders, but don't worry – I use a shallow pool of oil instead of deep frying, which makes it SO much simpler at home! Just flatten the chicken evenly so it cooks through and gets super crispy!

Pro tip: Make sure to use the lemon! Fried food can taste rich and heavy, and the lemon juice is exactly what the chicken needs to lighten it up and add freshness!
Perfect for lunch, dinner, weeknight meals, or anytime you want a gourmet sandwich at home! 🥪

💬 Comment "SCHNITZEL" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for sandwich inspiration
📤 SHARE with someone who loves sandwiches!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/schnitzel-sub-sandwich/
Texas Sheet Cake – a thin, moist chocolate cake Texas Sheet Cake – a thin, moist chocolate cake with a generous layer of fudgy chocolate icing on top! The ratio of cake to icing is absolute PERFECTION! 

Chocolate cake has been hit or miss for me my whole life, you guys! Either it's dry or bland or not chocolatey enough! But this Texas Sheet Cake? BY FAR my favorite chocolate cake of all time! 

It's perfectly moist, FULL of chocolate flavor, and that icing on top just sets it into overdrive! After one bite, I simply cannot stop eating!

The secret to this incredible cake is the right ratio of icing to cake and placing the icing on the cake while it's HOT! This seals in all the moisture and makes it absolutely DIVINE!

Pro tip: Use Dutch-processed cocoa powder instead of classic unsweetened – the chocolate flavor is way more potent! Plus, this cake bakes in under 20 minutes, so it's perfect for last-minute cravings!

Perfect for potlucks, parties, crowd feeding, or anytime you need to satisfy those chocolate cravings! 

💬 Comment "TEXASCAKE" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for chocolate emergencies
📤 SHARE with someone who loves chocolate!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/texas-sheet-cake/

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