School’s out for summer! How about a spot of cake baking with your little ones, big ones or even just for yourself?? What about yummy Firefly Brownie Bites and Butterfly cupcakes? Well, author Raven Howell has just released her latest children’s book – Blink And Glow – and when she does her book readings she whips up these tasty treats! So, as part of her Blink and Glow Blog Tour, Raven has shared her baking recipes with us…. Over to you Raven 😋
FIREFLY BROWNIE BITES & STRAWBERRY BUTTERFLIES
By Raven Howell
Book events are exhilarating! Even the youngest children in the group are attentive as I read them my new book, BLINK AND GLOW. The plot features fireflies and inspires kids to nurture and appreciate nature.
When I finish the story, the kids happily rush the snack area to grab a Firefly Brownie Bite.
If you like your brownies on the chewy side, and fudgy, this one’s a hit. There’s no need to even decorate them if you’re onlybaking for yourself or any adults. But if kids are around, they’ll appreciate the whimsical look.
You need: (UK /Europe equivalent in brackets)
10 tablespoons of cold unsalted butter
1 cup plus 1 heaping tablespoon of cane sugar (200g/ 7oz)
¼ cup of canola oil (rapeseed oil – 2 fl oz/ 4 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon salt
A pinch of baking soda (use more if you want a cakier texture)
2/3 cups Dutch Cocoa powder (8 – 12oz ; 230 -345g)
½ cup all-purpose flour (plain flour – 2oz; 60g)
2 large eggs
¼ cup of chopped chocolate chunks (1oz ; 28g)
¼ cup of any variety of chocolate chips (1oz; 28g)
METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, (180°C) rack in the center.
Spray an 8×8 inch baking pan with non-stick spray, line the pan with overhanging parchment paper.
Melt the butter in a pot with a light-colored interior. Use a medium flame, continue stirring for a few minutes until the butter starts to brown.
In a large mixing bowl, add the melted butter to the sugar. Whisk together for 1 minute.
Add vanilla, salt, and oil. When it’s combined, whisk in the eggs.
Add the pinch of baking soda and cocoa. Fold in the flour and chocolate chips with a spatula until just combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 28 minutes.
When the brownie is cooled, use the parchment to lift it out of the pan. By hand or using cookie cutters, cut out whatever shape you’d like for your insect.
Use your favorite buttercream frosting recipe to get the yellowish color of the “firefly”. Fun add-on ideas are pretzel or chocolate covered potato chip wings, long licorice sticks for antennae, M&M clustered bodies, gumdrop heads, sour gummy slice wings, and candy chip eyes.
For non-chocolate “insect” treats, bake these light and super moist Strawberry Butterfly Muffins.
You need:
1 pint of strawberries (12oz – or 12 large strawberries)
½ cup of softened butter (4 oz ; 113g)
¾ cups sugar (5oz; 150g)
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
½ cup of plain yogurt (4oz; 8 tablespoons)
1 ½ cups self-rising flour (6oz; 180g)
METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (180°C). Line your cupcake/muffin pan with 16 paper cups.
Hull the strawberries and dice about half of them. Set aside.
With a mixer, beat butter, sugar and the vanilla. When it’s creamy, beat in the eggs. Add yogurt and the flour on low speed. When combined, use a spatula to stir in the diced strawberries. It will have a dense consistency. Fill the cups to 3/4 full. Bake 20 minutes until firm.
When they’re cooled, frost and decorate tops with the strawberries set aside to create bodies and wings. I hope it inspires you to fly off with your own unique, creative baking ideas!
BLINK AND GLOW BY RAVEN HOWELL – BOOK SUMMARY
Lilly and Leo think it’s super to catch fireflies and salamanders—and even more exciting, as they plan to bring their glowing nature finds to show-and-tell the next day. They have a change of heart when Grandma’s wisdom guides the children to respect the freedom and light of the natural life in all living things.
Publisher: Tielmour Press
ISBN-10: 173821933X
ISBN-13: 978-1738219339
Print Length: 32 pages
Purchase a copy of Blink and Glow on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.org. You can also add this to your GoodReads reading list.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR – RAVEN HOWELL
Raven Howell writes stories and poetry for children. Having published several award-winning picture books, she enjoys sharing her joy of reading and literature by visiting classrooms and libraries. Raven serves as Creative & Publishing Advisor for Red Clover Reader, writes The Book Bug column for Story Monsters Ink magazine, and is a Collaborating Author for Reading is Fundamental and I am a Promise Books.
She writes for children’s magazines including Ladybug, The School Magazine, Highlights for Children, and Humpty Dumpty. She’s a storybook writer for educational publisher, Reading Gate, and aims for every child’s opportunity to blossom.
You can find her online at:
X @atpearthkeeper
https://www.instagram.com/atpearthkeeper
https://www.facebook.com/raven.howell.75
https://www.facebook.com/RavenHowellAuthorandPoetPage
https://www.pinterest.com/pickward/_saved
https://www.linkedin.com/in/raven-howell-5a813015b
TIKTOK: ravenhowell22
To catch Raven on her blog tour, the list of blogs and dates are below.
Many thanks to Raven for her delicious recipes! All photographs have been published with the kind permission of Raven Howell .
Linda x
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