If you have not been living under a rock recently, you know that Starbucks has gotten seriously into some weird stuff: unicorns, mermaid, and spinoff frappes—oh my!
Is it because coffee shops are renowned for having the creative bookworms infest their tables? Could this new mythological fad have anything to do with the fact that Starbucks is named after a character from Moby Dick? Is it because their insignia is a mermaid?
We may never know, but we can collect all the flavors anyway.
So, I ventured to the Starbucks in the Barnes & Noble on Mississippi State University’s campus. I recommend a visit here because after 10 drinks you get one free. So, I have tried all the crazy concoctions that hit the internet by storm.
Most of the famous ones are not as good as coffees as they are as internet sensations—they taste like sour Skittles or worse.
However, the baristas within this Starbucks can whip up something special for you if your ideal drink is not actually on the menu.
My personal favorite drink involves raspberry and vanilla bean syrup, to create something that tastes like liquid cotton candy.
Regardless of your tastes in drinks, with this bread recipe, you can splurge on coffee since you will not have to buy a piece of fancy bread that cost $3 a pop.
These ingredients can either be found at the Dollar Tree or Walmart. If you bake as often as I do, you probably have most of them, except for about three ingredients.
In addition, you can skip the glaze if you do not feel like the extra work or extra ingredients.
I also like it, because I can break it out for little parties, or whenever I have a craving for Christmas.
This recipe also tastes great with peppermint hot chocolate. If you feel like having your own Christmas in July—or September—you could make your own hot chocolate. Just take chocolate bars, milk, peppermint extract, and stir on a stove until you like the taste.
Ingredients:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
2¼ teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon orange extract, optional
1 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon baking soda
Ingredients for the frosting:
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon orange extract
2½ cups confectioner’s sugar
For the Loaf
1. Preheat your oven to 350˚ F.
2. Grease and flour a loaf pan (9×5″)
3. Mix together flour, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and salt. Set aside.
4. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
5. Add orange extract.
6. Mix baking soda into applesauce and stir into butter mixture.
7. Add flour mixture.
8. Mix until smooth.
9. Pour batter into pan.
10. Bake at 350˚F for 40-50 minutes.
11. Let cake cool.
For the Icing
1. For the icing, beat cream cheese until fluffy.
2. Beat in vanilla and orange extract.
3. Slowly beat in confectioner’s sugar.
4. Once the cake has cooled, spread the icing on top.
