ZoëBakes

No-Bake Chocolate Pepita Crunch Bars

These No-bake Chocolate Pepita Crunch Bars are a candy and a brownie all in one. There is no baking, so they’re perfect in the summer or a great holiday treat to go along with all the cookies you’ll be trading at your cookie swaps.

Honeycomb Banana Layer Cake

Looking for video tutorials? Check out my Cake Basics series on YouTube! You’ll learn how to trim and slice, how to fill a layer cake, how to crumb coat and how to decorate! This Honeycomb Banana Layer Cake is inspired by Cadbury Crunchie Bar candy my husband ate as a […]

Japanese Cotton Cheesecake | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Japanese Cotton Soft Cheesecake

Don’t be fooled by the picture, this is a cheesecake, not a sponge cake. I have seen Japanese Cotton Soft Cheesecake all over the internet for years, but hadn’t come around to trying it until now. My fellow instagram baker, Silvia Colloca, just sent me her latest cookbook, Love Laugh […]

Date and Tamarind Loaf

When I flipped through Nik Sharma’s new cookbook, Season, the Date and Tamarind Loaf struck me with an air of comfortable familiarity. I’d never had this particular dessert before, but the exotic ingredients are some that I adore. I was introduced to tamarind from my husband, whose family is from […]

Peanut Butter Meringues | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Peanut Butter Cup Meringue Cookies

Order my new cookbook, Zoë Bakes Cookies, now! Sometimes you come upon greatness from the oddest paths. When I opened Rebecca Firth’s The Cookie Book, I landed on this Peanut Butter Cup Meringue Cookies recipe, not because of the gorgeous photo (or my absolute love of meringue), which are both […]

Blackberry Opera Torte | ZoeBakes photos by Zoe Francois

Blackberry Opera Torte (Diva Cake)

I set out to bake a traditional Opera Torte, but I ended up getting distracted and took off in an entirely different flavor direction. In the end I created this Blackberry Opera Torte (which I have named the Diva Cake) and I’m not sure I’ll ever go back.

Apple pie with lattice that has been stenciled with an embossed rolling pin.

The Perfect Apple Pie

The apple pie is practically a national treasure and for good reason, it is just about the perfect dessert. This time of year there are dozens of apples to choose from and I suggest you pick a variety for this pie. Having a mix of apples makes for a great […]

Pear Raspberry Upside-Down Cake

This weekend represents the transition between summer vacation and the start of the school year. It’s not the official change of seasons, but it might as well be. It is also when we switch from summer fruits to the fall harvest. Apples and pears are making their way onto the […]

Coconut Panna Cotta with Tropical Sorbet

Inspiration can come from the craziest of places, including a nail salon. My friend and I were having our nails done when a man carrying stacks and stacks of baskets filled with Rambutan, a tropical fruit related to Lychee, walked in to sell them. Apparently he drives in from Florida […]

Strawberry Charlotte Royale

Charlotte Royale is a gorgeous and regal dessert. The surprisingly simple recipe features a domed sponge cake with a filling. The classic version features Bavarian creme, but I added a strawberry coulis for extra flair! The truth is, the last time I made a Strawberry Charlotte Royale was in culinary […]

Caramelized White Chocolate Peach Scones

I rarely bake scones, since my son was deemed the scone expert in the family. But, I had a craving and he was busy being a teenager, so I set off to make these caramelized white chocolate and peach scones myself. He came home and told me I did a […]

Lavender Creme Brulee topped with blueberries

Lavender Crème Brûlée

I love this crème brûlée with lavender, but it’s optional! If you’d rather, you can leave it out and it will be a delicious vanilla crème brûlée. Enjoy! Crème Brûlée was the first French dessert I’d ever had in a restaurant. When I was in junior high school, I’d take […]