Special Occasion Cinnamon Roll

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Early morning and late-night bakers, unite! We might not agree on when we should be in the kitchen, but we can all agree that this Special Occasion Cinnamon Roll is the bake that we’ll happily get up/stay up for. ????

It’s probably unhealthy to say that I have a serious crush on a food. But I have a serious crush on this cinnamon roll. And I am not sorry.

About this Special Occasion Cinnamon Roll

This cinnamon roll uses a pre-fermentation sponge. Friend. That is just a fancy way of saying that it takes an extra step to make these cinnamon rolls. It’s not onerous or difficult. It’s just…extra.

And for as amazingly delightful as these Special Occasion Cinnamon Rolls turn out, that teensy extra step is beyond worth it. The sponge makes these cinnies lighter than air, yet stronger than a typical cinnamon roll dough without becoming tough. There’s also an incredible depth of flavor that you get from the simple sponge that lets you know that this is a special event.

These Special Occasion Cinnamon Rolls will melt right in your mouth and that is just the most incredible thing ever.

Special Occasion Cinnamon Roll — Dough Ingredients

All-Purpose Flour: I tested this recipe with both bread flour and all-purpose flour. I found that the bread flour gave the cinnamon rolls a much tougher texture, and that wasn’t what I was trying to achieve. The lower protein content of all-purpose flour was perfect for this task!

Granulated Sugar: This enriched dough uses very little granulated sugar. I chose granulated sugar in this particular dough because I wanted beautiful caramelization and a kiss of sweetness. Mission accomplished. ????

Kosher Salt: Salt is very important in any pastry; it balances the sugar and keeps the pastry from becoming cloyingly sweet. If using table salt for this recipe, cut the amount in half.

Whole Milk: Whole milk adds richness to this beautiful dough. You’ll use all of it in the initial sponge phase, but don’t be scared!

Eggs: This dough uses four whole eggs and two egg yolks. The protein in the egg whites adds a hint of liquid and structure to the cinnamon rolls, while the fatty yolks add incredibly delicious flavor. I mean, the color of the dough says it all:

Unsalted Butter: This is a recipe for that special butter you’ve been holding onto all year. This dough is actually a brioche, and the quality of the brioche can directly be impacted by the quality of the butter. You’ll want the good stuff here.

Instant Yeast: I used SAF Instant Yeast for this recipe, as I do for most bread recipes. If you’d prefer to use active dry yeast, just increase the rising and proving times by 10-15 minutes (and keep an eye on your dough!).

Beginners Start Here

If you’re new to baking, or if you want to become more consistent with bread in general, here are a couple of super helpful articles from the BwB site that will help you get set up for success with these Special Occasion Cinnamon Rolls.

These resources are super helpful to help you build consistency and confidence on your baking journey. Happy Reading!

Important Tools Used in these Special Occasion Cinnamon Rolls

Below, you’ll find some tools that I used for these Special Occasion Cinnamon Rolls. These are the tools that I use all the time in my own kitchen.

**I get paid a small commission if you purchase directly from these links, but they are truly amazing products that you’ll find in my kitchen.**

If you have them already, great! Think of this as a checklist to help you build the confidence that you’ll need to execute this recipe!

These are the cinnamon rolls that will welcome my family downstairs on Christmas morning. They’re a special occasion treat that I only make a few times a year, and I look forward to that early morning, when everyone is asleep and I can enjoy the wonders of the quiet before the Christmas storm, and I’m in my zone making this wonderful treat.

Enjoy the recipe, Friends!

THE BwB Snickerdoodle Cookie

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Friends. Today is the day and I am beyond thrilled. While I missed National Cookie Day by a country mile (????), I am finally here to share THE BwB Snickerdoodle Cookie!

::insert squeaky squeal/giggle right here::

This is a picture of a tray of snickerdoodle cookies.

This is the cookie in the heaviest rotation in my home. It’s enjoyed by children and parents alike, so when I want an opportunity to make ONE dessert (because yes, I am a short-order cook with desserts for my family too ????), this snickerdoodle recipe is the one I pull out of my back pocket.

And it’s AMAZING.

About THE BwB Snickerdoodle Cookie

Listen, Friends. I’m a red-blooded human being just like you, and I love a chocolate chip cookie. But snickerdoodles have always been my favorite. That being said, it’s hard to find a great snickerdoodle cookie. For some reason, so many of them just don’t scratch that itch, if you get my drift.

This is a picture of my hand in front of a plate of snickerdoodle cookies.

A snickerdoodle is not a sugar cookie. I love a sugar cookie, but they are not the same. And too many snickerdoodles are just sugar cookies covered in cinnamon sugar.

This cookie…is not that. ????

This cookie is buttery, but also fluffy thanks to the cream cheese. It is cinnamon to its core, and it’s finished with a perfect cinnamon sugar. Of course there’s cream of tartar (because it’s not a sugar cookie), which adds the slightest tang to this incredible cookie and gives it its distinctive flavor.

It’s a snickerdoodle done right. And I am so proud of this cookie that I’ve kept this recipe a closely guarded secret.

But no more. Now it’s yours. ????

This is a picture of a snickerdoodle cookie in front of a glass of milk.

The Ingredients in THE BwB Snickerdoodle Cookie

The ingredients list might look a little long for this cookie, but I promise that everything plays a part:

Granulated Sugar: The granulated sugar in this recipe doesn’t have any molasses in it, like brown sugar does. Molasses would cover up the beautiful tang from the cream of tartar, and we don’t want that. In addition to adding sweetness, the granulated sugar contributes to caramelization of these perfect cookies.

Unsalted Butter: This cookie is beautifully buttery in flavor. Because we want to showcase this flavor, I recommend using high-quality butter (cultured works beautifully in this recipe! Want to know what I’m talking about when I say “cultured butter”? Take a look at this blog post about butter!)

Cream Cheese: Cream cheese lends a wonderful texture to these cookies that cannot be beat. If you have a difficult time sourcing cream cheese, you can omit it and replace with butter. But you’re missing out on one of the best elements of these cookies!

All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour gives these amazing cookies their perfectly delicate structure. But there is a definite way to incorporate flour into cookies; I often call flour the frenemy of cookies. (Want to know all of my cookie techniques, and get some amazing cookie recipes? Take a look at my Holiday Cookie Party here!)

Salt: All baked goods need some level of salt, and that’s doubly true for sweet baked goods. Salt counteracts sweet and keeps sweet things from going too sweet (which is a thing!). The 1/2 teaspoon in this recipe goes a very long way.

Cornstarch: Remember when I said that all-purpose flour is the frenemy of cookies? Well, to help the relationship, I added cornstarch to this recipe. Cornstarch helps with the texture of the cookies, and also helps to slow down gluten development, leaving us with a pillowy-soft, delightfully textured cookie.

Cream of Tartar: Friends, I am firmly in the “it’s not a snickerdoodle cookie if there is not cream of tartar” camp. There’s a distinct flavor that is the glorious snickerdoodle. That flavor cannot be achieved without cream of tartar and I will not be moved from this position. ????

Cinnamon: In previous iterations of this recipe, I omitted cinnamon from the cookie itself. That, friends, was a mistake. I’ve rectified it now. A little goes a long way, though, so make sure to measure it carefully! You’ll be using it in two preparations (the dough and the cinnamon sugar coating), so heavy-handedness is not your friend here.

Vanilla Extract: Two teaspoons make this cookie very happy. Use great (pure) vanilla extract, not “vanilla flavoring” for this recipe. You will not regret it.

Egg: This recipe uses ONE egg. After making pound cakes with five and six eggs each, this was a welcome change. You do not need more than the one egg for this recipe unless you double it (which I’ve done with great success by the way!). The fatty yolk adds amazing flavor, and the protein-rich egg white helps with the puffy, gorgeous texture.

Beginners Start Here

If you’re new to baking, or if you want to learn how to do some of the more tricky baking techniques, here are a couple of super helpful articles from the BwB site that will help you get set up for success with THE BwB Snickerdoodle Cookie (and I cannot say that without a HUGE smile on my face!).

These resources are super helpful to help you build consistency and confidence on your baking journey. Happy Reading!

This is a picture of a snickerdoodle cookie on a tea towel.

Important Tools Used in THE BwB Snickerdoodle Cookie

Below, you’ll find some tools that I used for this pound cake. These are the tools that I use all the time in my own kitchen.

**I get paid a small commission if you purchase directly from these links, but they are truly amazing products that you’ll find in my kitchen.**

This is a picture of snickerdoodle cookies on a sheet pan.

If you have them already, great! Think of this as a checklist to help you build the confidence that you’ll need to execute this recipe!

It’s so special that I get to share this recipe with you all the day after National Cookie Day! ????

But hey, better late than never, amirite?

Enjoy THE BwB Snickerdoodle Cookie, Friends! See you soon!

Meet the Cakes from the Twelve Days of Pound Cake!

Hello, My Friend! I was beyond thrilled that you all loved each of the pound Cakes from the Twelve Days of Pound Cake (2022 Edition). Today, I wanted you to have one place where you could meet each of the cakes from the Twelve Days of Pound Cake, in case you’re trying to figure out which one to make first!

Let’s Get It!

Day 1: Coca-Cola Chocolate Pound Cake

This one is fudgy and rich and just perfect for those who love Coca-Cola and chocolate. My daughter declared it her favorite cake ever…before it was ever made. ????

Day 2: Pineapple Upside-Down Pound Cake

This one stunned me, Friend. It was beyond beautiful, it tasted exquisite, and it came out of its pan so easily. It was so worth the wait. It’s a classic, to be sure.

Day 3: Egg Nog Pound Cake

If Begin with Butter has ever come close to breaking Beyonce’s internet, it was with this cake. Apparently, Egg Nog and Pound Cake are a match made in heaven!

Spoiler alert: they are a match made in heaven. This cake is one of the most incredible cakes I’ve ever made!

Day 4: Sour Cream Pound Cake

Every year, I have a fair number of people who ask for a “plain” pound cake. This year, the “plain” pound cake is actually the pound cake that actually introduced me to this amazing treat: the wonderful Sour Cream Pound Cake. And it is AMAZING.

Day 5: Chocolate Chip Cookie Pound Cake

Once again, my chocoholic daughter loved the fussiness of this gorgeous cake. I mean, who wouldn’t love chocolate chips, chocolate ganache, and whipped cream?

But friends, this is one of the best cakes EVER.

Day 6: Cardamom Orange Pound Cake

Friends, this Cardamom Orange Pound Cake is just amazing. I knew that I wanted an orange spice cake for the holiday season in this lineup, and this orange cake, with this cardamom spice, is exactly what I wanted to put the BwB signature on this season.

Day 7: Candied Yam Pound Cake

Earlier this fall, I made a Sweet Potato Pound Cake. I am in love with that cake, but FRIENDS, this Candied Yam Pound Cake is the absolute bees’ knees! With a toasted meringue finish, this cake is an amazing showstopper! And did I mention that it is moist beyond belief? Like, it melts on your tongue?

Yes. Yes it does.

Day 8: Cinnamon Roll Pound Cake

There was a hotly-contest debate in my Instagram stories about which cake would be the Community Choice Cake this year. One thing was abundantly clear; y’all all love cinnamon rolls, and you believed wholeheartedly that cinnamon rolls should be represented in this year’s Twelve Days of Pound Cake lineup!

Day 9: Hummingbird Pound Cake (Without Nuts!)

Over the past year, I’ve fielded many questions about whether I have a Hummingbird Pound Cake to offer.

I can finally say YES! And since I have a nut-free kitchen, my version without nuts is incredible and avoids anaphylaxis for those with nut allergies! It’s a must-try!

Day 10: Peach Cobbler Pound Cake

Instant Favorite. INSTANT. This cake is one of the best things I’ve ever made. The cake itself is so luscious, and that streusel topping takes it to another level! Freeze-dried peaches are the key to making sure that you get a maximum punch of peachiness, long after peach season has ended!

Day 11: Cosmopolitan Pound Cake

Before I was a cake aficionado, I was a bartender. And I made more cosmos than I could ever count. Even having made many, many of these popular drink, I never tired of them. So, of course, I wanted to represent one of my favorite cocktails in a wonderful pound cake for this season!

Day 12: Red Wine Black Forest Pound Cake

This one is mine. Like, it’s going to take a feat of amazing grace to separate this cake from my greedy fingers this season. It is beyond delicious, and it’s such a stunner on a grown-up table.

Whoooooooo, Friends. This cake is IT.

I sincerely hope that you loved this year’s event! I am so proud of every one of these pound cakes, and I look forward to hearing your wonderful feedback!

Enjoy, Friends!

-Shani

p.s. Want to perfect these pound cakes for your holiday tables? There is still time to sign up for Perfect Pound Cakes so that you can have ALL of my best pound cake tips and techniques!

Red Wine Black Forest Pound Cake

This Red Wine Black Forest Pound Cake is classic flavors reimagined – where rich, dry red wine meets dark chocolate, where brandied cherries add bursts of pure joy, and where every bite tells a story of carefully chosen ingredients that will make you roll your eyes in utter delight. I’ve spent countless hours perfecting this recipe in my kitchen, testing each component until it reached that moment of pure “yes!” And now I’m thrilled to share it with you, complete with all the science and techniques that make it absolutely unforgettable.

This isn’t just a dessert – it’s an experience, and I can’t wait to guide you through creating it in your own kitchen! 🍷🍒

It is also as fussy as it is gorgeous. Which is to say that is diva-level fussy.

It is “start the day before” fussy.

But when you open this box at your holiday gathering and a hush falls over the room, it will be more than worth it.

In this Post

About this Red Wine Black Forest Pound Cake

This cake features dry red wine in the batter. While the alcohol evaporates during baking, there is still a beautiful flavor from the wine left in the finished cake. I’ve used Black Girl Magic Red Blend exclusively in this cake. It has gorgeous cherry notes that are just dreamy, and that compliment the brandied cherries like the way a smitten lover does to his beloved.

The cherry notes in that Black Girl Magic Red Blend are the perfect tie-in for the brandied cherries that top this special cake.

When my lucky friends opened this cake, they gasped. And my heart just melted.

It is that special. Whether you serve it for holidays, birthdays, or for a family Valentine’s Day, it’s an incredibly sophisticated pound cake that deserves center stage.

Recipe at a Glance

Prep Time: 60-70 minutes

  • 30 minutes to prep your ingredients (this is known as mise en place, and is essential for amazing baking!)
  • 15 minutes ti mix batter
  • 10 minutes to make brandied cherries
  • 10-15 minutes to make whipped cream
  • 65-75 minutes total baking time

Total Time: 5-7 hours

Yield: 18 slices

Key Temperatures:

  • Oven: True 325°F

Storage:

  • Room temperature: 3-5 days refrigerated, in airtight container
  • Freezer: Up to 2 months (unfinished cake)

Skill Level:

  • Intermediate

Recipe Notes:

  • Recommended to bake one day and finish the next
  • Important to use natural cocoa powder, and not Dutch-process cocoa powder
  • Measuring with a digital kitchen scale is highly preferred to using measuring cups.

The Cake Ingredients

The ingredient science behind this amazing cake is as stunning as the cake itself. Here’s a rundown of all of the scientific interactions that make this modern culinary marvel possible:

ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR: Think of flour as the foundation of your cake’s structure. When we measure it by weight (I always recommend measuring by weight!), we’re ensuring that delicate balance between tender and sturdy. While you might be tempted to reach for cake flour, stick with me here – all-purpose flour is crucial for this recipe! Its higher protein content is exactly what we need to support our heavier ingredients, especially since we’re not using the traditional butter-sugar creaming method for rise. The result? A perfectly pleasantly plump cake that’ll make you proud! The proteins in flour join hands to create gluten – but don’t worry, we’re controlling that process to keep things tender!

NATURAL COCOA: BBs, this is where I need your full attention! You absolutely must use natural cocoa powder for this recipe – Dutch process cocoa powder is a complete no-go here. Why? It’s all about the science! Natural cocoa powder is acidic (think of it like buttermilk’s chocolate cousin), and this acidity is crucial for reacting with our baking soda to create the perfect rise. Dutch process cocoa has been alkalized, which means it lost its acidity – use it here and your cake simply won’t rise properly. So grab that natural cocoa powder (like Hershey’s regular cocoa powder) for that deep, rich chocolate flavor and beautiful lift! Trust me on this one!

RED WINE: This ingredient is all about sophisticated flavor! We’re using a dry red wine (not sweet!) for a very specific reason. A sweet red wine would throw off our carefully balanced flavors and make the cake overwhelmingly sweet. Instead, a dry red wine adds complexity and depth while playing perfectly with our chocolate notes. While baking, the alcohol waves goodbye, leaving behind the most incredible symphony of flavors. I love using Black Girl Magic Red Blend, but use your favorite dry red!

OIL: Trust me on this one – oil is your secret weapon for a cake that stays moist for days. Unlike butter, oil wraps those flour proteins in a moisture-sealing hug that keeps your cake fresh and tender. You can use any neutral vegetable oil you wish; avocado oil is my favorite for most baking.

EGGS: Eggs are a study in contradiction and I love them so much! Each egg is doing two opposite things at once – it’s entirely fascinating to me. The egg whites are building protein structure to help our cake stand regal and tall, while those golden yolks are simultaneously tenderizing those same proteins (as well as the protein in your all-purpose flour!) for the perfect texture. Room temperature is key here, baking friends, to help these opposite forces work in perfect harmony!

SUGAR: Sugar isn’t just about sweetness (though we love that part for us). Through caramelization, it’s helping create that gorgeous deep, dark chocolate shade that makes this cake absolutely stunning and memorable. Sugar is also another tenderizer that locks moisture in our cake. It’s kitchen chemistry in its purest form and I can dig it!

SALT: Never skip the salt, friends! It’s like turning up the volume on our chocolate flavor while perfectly balancing the sweetness of the cake. It’s that crucial ingredient that makes all other flavors sing in harmony. The tiny amount of salt in this recipe manages to do a better balancing act than I do with my work-life balance!

BAKING SODA: This tiny but mighty ingredient needs your careful attention! Please measure it precisely, as you only need the tiniest amount for the perfect reaction with your natural cocoa powder. Too much baking soda can lead to disaster (think metallic taste and collapsed cake!), so remember: less is definitely more here. When measured correctly, it works with our cocoa to create those beautiful carbon dioxide bubbles that give us that tender, perfect crumb.

Additional Baking Science and Technique Resources

Friends, I love when you come and grab a recipe (like this one right here!), but I love providing you with additional resources that will help you improve your overall baking. Take a look at these BwB blog posts to improve your baking knowledge and your baking outcomes!

These resources are super helpful to help you improve your baking consistency and confidence! Happy reading, and as always, if you have questions, please feel free to reach out to me at bakingbestie@beginwithbutter.com!

The Recipe

Conclusion: This One is a Special Treat for Any Special Occasion.

This Red Wine Black Forest Pound Cake stole my whole heart! The moment it came to me (in a flash, no less), I knew that it would be an incredible finish to any special meal. But friends, it’s become so much more than that! It’s a testament to how science and love combine in the kitchen to create pure joy. Every time I make it, I’m amazed by how the deep chocolate notes dance with the wine’s complexity, how those brandied cherries add bursts of pure pleasure, and how that cloud of whipped cream brings everything together in perfect harmony.

Whether you’re baking this for a romantic Valentine’s dinner, a celebration with friends, or simply because you deserve something extraordinary, this cake delivers pure enchantment with every slice. The best part? Understanding the science behind each ingredient means you can create this magic reliably, every single time.

With all my love,

Shani

Check Out Some Other Pound Cakes on the BwB Site!

Cosmopolitan Pound Cake

Hello my Friends! Welcome to Day 11 of the Twelve Days of Pound Cake! Today’s Cosmopolitan Pound Cake is a nod to someone extremely special in my life: my twin sister. You see, there was a time, before I was a baker, that I was actually a bartender. And the Cosmopolitan was the queen of cocktails when I was behind the bar.

This is a picture of a Cosmopolitan Pound Cake

My sister also tended bar around the same time (albeit, in higher class establishments than I), and we would always compare notes about how many “cosmos” we’d served on a given night. It was…a lot.

Yet we never tired of the flavors ourselves, and we always strove to make each one better than the last.

That’s my general philosophy for life, Friends. I want each thing that I do to be better than the last.

About this Cosmopolitan Pound Cake

Besides vodka, there are three very prominent flavors in a good cosmo: orange (Cointreau), lime juice (for me, unsweetened ????), and cranberry. A good cosmo is a perfect balance between the bite of the vodka, the sweetness of the Cointreau (orange), and the tartness of the cranberries and lime.

This is a picture of a Cosmopolitan Pound Cake

This cake hit all of those notes for me. Every single one. And for those of you who love tart/sweet cakes, this is your girl. To extract all of that gorgeous tartness out of the limes, I massaged the zest into the granulated sugar. The result? A through note of lime that doesn’t overpower the cake, but that accentuates the other flavors.

Just like the drink!

This cake is perfect for all of the holiday parties (NYE, anyone?), and it’s highly customizable! You can have a boozy version or a kid-friendly version. Or both! (Just make sure to mark which one is which!)

Cosmopolitan Pound Cake Ingredients

All-Purpose Flour: I love the pleasantly plump texture of a good pound cake. In my experience (and with my cakes), that beautiful texture comes from all-purpose flour. In this cake, the all-purpose flour also helps to evenly distribute the cranberries.

Baking Soda: I chose to use sour cream in this cake. Because sour cream is an acidic ingredient, baking soda was the proper leavening for this particular pound cake.

Kosher Salt: Salt is very important in any dessert; it balances the sugar and keeps the dessert from becoming cloyingly sweet. If using table salt for this recipe, cut the amount in half.

This is a picture of a Cosmopolitan Pound Cake

Unsalted Butter: This cake features huge flavors from the citrus and cranberries. After a couple of iterations, I settled on butter for this cake because that buttery richness played very nicely with the tartness of the cranberries and lime for this special cake.

Granulated Sugar: Granulated sugar adds sweetness and caramelization. That beautiful crust on the outside of your pound cake? It is largely because of the sugar in your recipe!

Eggs: The protein in the eggs adds structure to the cake, while the fatty yolk adds delicious flavor.

Pure Vanilla Extract: Make sure to use the good stuff, like Nielsen-Massey, for this incredible recipe! Whatever brand you use, make sure you use pure vanilla extract. It can be difficult to find this time of year, so make sure to stock up!

Orange Extract: I chose orange extract instead of orange zest because the orange zest and lime zest just wanted to fight one another. That fighting really impacted the flavor. Plus, if you want a deeper flavor, you can use Cointreau or Triple Sec for the orange flavor in the cake!

Sour Cream: You’ll want to use full-fat sour cream for this recipe. Fat=flavor and you don’t want to skimp on flavor! The rich sour cream also helps support the cranberries and promote even distribution in this cake.

This is a picture of a Cosmopolitan Pound Cake

Beginners Start Here

If you’re new to baking, or if you want to brush up on basics, here are a couple of super helpful articles from the BwB site that will help you get set up for success with this Cosmopolitan Pound Cake.

These resources are super helpful to help you build consistency and confidence on your baking journey, and that is my central mission here at Begin with Butter. Happy Reading!

This is a picture of a Cosmopolitan Pound Cake

Important Tools Used in this Cosmopolitan Pound Cake

Below, you’ll find some tools that I used for this pound cake. These are the tools that I use all the time in my own kitchen.

**I get paid a small commission if you purchase directly from these links, but they are truly amazing products that you’ll find in my kitchen.**

This is a picture of a Cosmopolitan Pound Cake

If you have them already, great! Think of this as a checklist to help you build the confidence that you’ll need to execute this recipe!

I can’t wait to serve this one to my sister, and go down memory lane about our bartending days!

Enjoy the recipe, Friends! See you tomorrow for our final pound cake for the Twelve Days of Pound Cake 2022!