Lemon Buttermilk Sheet Cake

I'm not a big lemon person. 

That being said, I always try to have a bowl of citrus on my table. It's great for making drinks, squeezing fresh juice on anything, and it brings some great color into the kitchen. 

Last week, a coworker of mine brought me some lemons. What do you do when life a coworker hands you lemons?

You make cake. 

This cake is made with two of my favorite ingredients as of late: buttermilk and cake flour. The buttermilk keeps the cake moist, and the cake flour keeps the cake light and fluffy. 

I baked this cake in a cookie sheet so it would feed a large crowd, but you can cook it in a 9x13 if you want it to be thicker. 

Lemon Buttermilk Sheet Cake

Yields: 24-30 servings (fewer servings if you make it in a 9x13)

Cake

2 1/2 cups cake flour (or 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour + 5 tbsp cornstarch)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla

12 tbsp butter (1 1/2 sticks) 

1 1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs + 1 egg yolk

1 tbsp lemon zest

Glaze

3 cups powdered sugar

3 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp buttermilk

1/4 cup sugar

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit. Grease and flour a cookie sheet. 
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 
3. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine buttermilk, lemon juice, and vanilla. 
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and yolk one at a time, then add the lemon zest. 
5. Add the dry ingredients, alternating with the wet ingredients, to the butter mixture. Mix until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 15-22 minutes, until set. 
6. Mix together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and buttermilk to make the glaze (it will be thick). Pour on the hot cake and spread it on the cake. Immediately sprinkle the sugar on top of the glaze. Slice with a plastic spatula or knife and enjoy! 

Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Minis

Have you ever met someone who doesn't like Chick-fil-A?

I'm sure you haven't, because it's not even possible to dislike Chick-fil-A.

Austin and I love Chick-fil-A. One of our favorite things there is the Chick-n-Minis. They're soft honey butter rolls . . .

. . . with Chick-fil-A nuggets inside. 

We've been making Chick-fil-A nuggets at home for some time now, but we've only just recently discovered that you can make Chick-n-Minis at home. Best way to start off 2016, if you ask me! 

These seriously taste exactly like the Chick-n-Minis at Chick-fil-A. 

Chick-fil-A Chick-n Minis Copycat

Yields: 24 chicken minis (6-8 servings)

Rolls

1 tbsp (1 packet) yeast

1 cup warm water

3-4 cups flour

1 egg

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup veggie or canola oil

2 tbsp butter, melted

1. In a medium bowl, combine warm water, 1 tbsp of the sugar, and the yeast. Let it bloom for 5-10 minutes. 

2. To the yeast mixture, add the egg, salt, remaining sugar, and oil. Stir with a spoon to mix, 20 seconds or so. Put flour into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the yeast mixture to the flour and mix/knead until all the flour is incorporated. 

3. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Roll out to 1/2" on a lightly floured surface. Butter a 9x13 pan and spread the remaining butter on the dough. Cut into 24 squares using a pizza cutter. Let rise, covered, until doubled in size. 

4. Bake at 350 degrees fahrenheit for 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden. Brush with honey, if desired. 

Chick-fil-A Nuggets

1 egg

1 cup milk

1 lb chicken breasts or tenders, cut into 1" pieces

1 1/4 cup flour

2 tbsp powdered sugar

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cayenne

1/4 tsp paprika

Oil for frying

1. Combine egg and milk. Add chicken and soak in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight. 

2. Combine the dry ingredients in a bag. Heat up oil to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Add a couple of pieces of chicken to the dry ingredients and shake. Add them to the hot oil and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown. 

3. Remove onto a paper towel and put inside honey-butter rolls. Enjoy while they're hot!