seasonal | Carrie Fehr

April 25, 2026

An Afternoon Tea with Lemon Poppyseed Cake

Afternoon tea feels like a small celebration. The table is set to combine the splendor of fine china with the cozy sweetness of delicate treats displayed like little presents that feel festive, organic, and intimate, serving as a lovely backdrop for meaningful conversations. The simple joy of a pot of tea is transformative when you stop to pause. I love to serve this zesty Lemon Poppyseed Cake as the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea. It’s bursting with citrus flavor and moist from a tangy lemony glaze, but it’s the toasted poppy seeds that really push this into heavenly teatime territory. Do you have a favorite teacake that you like to serve at your afternoon tea?

Lemon Poppyseed Tea Cake

Serves 1 loaf

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon lemon zest

1 cup sugar

4 large eggs

3/4 cup canola oil

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 ⅓ teaspoons baking powder

⅓ teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons toasted poppy seeds

⅓ cup milk

Lemon Glaze

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:

Line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 325˚F.

Using your fingers, rub sugar with lemon zest until combined in a small bowl.

Add lemon sugar, eggs and canola oil in bowl of electric mixer. Mix together using a paddle attachment on medium speed for about 2 minutes.

Stir in flour, baking powder, kosher salt and poppy seeds and mix until well combined.

Add milk to the batter and mix together.

Pour batter into prepared 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Bake until top of lemon poppyseed teacake is golden brown, about 50-55 minutes.

Let lemon poppyseed teacake cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Drizzle the lemon glaze over the warm tea cake. Invert onto a cooling rack and then let cool completely.

Lemon Glaze:

In a saucepan bring the sugar and lemon juice to a simmer until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and drizzle the lemon glaze over the warm tea cake.

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November 12, 2025

Butternut Pumpkin Muffins

Super moist and bursting with fall flavor, these butternut pumpkin muffins are inspired by Tartine Bakery in San Francisco, a beloved local gem known for its artisanal pastry, cakes, and breads. This recipe has become a family favorite, enjoyed not only as muffins but as a travel cake when baked in a loaf pan. It’s perfect with tea, at breakfast, or as a dessert.

Butternut Pumpkin Muffins

Adapted from Tartine, by Elizabeth Prueitt.

To make the travel cake variation of this Butternut Pumpkin muffin recipe, lightly butter a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Prepare the recipe steps for Butternut Pumpkin muffins and scoop the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake at 325˚F for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups unbleached flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

1 tbsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp allspice

1 cup + 2 tbsp butternut squash puree, see recipe below for butternut squash purée

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds for topping

Preheat oven to 350˚F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake paper liners.

Directions:

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice into a mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl beat together butternut squash puree, oil, sugar, maple syrup, and salt until well mixed. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Add the flour mixture to the butternut squash and mix until smooth. Do not over mix.

Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds over the top of the muffins.

Bake about 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan before removing.

Butternut Squash Purée

2 pounds butternut squash

1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Cut the butternut squash into sixths. Put the butternut squash and water in a roasting pan and cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake about 1 hour, it should be soft. Remove the seeds and skin, and purée in a blender until creamy.

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July 13, 2025

Peanut Butter Tartine

This creamy Peanut Butter Tartine is a harmonious fusion of textures and classic flavor combinations. Sweet bananas complemented by fresh seasonal berries layered on a bed of whole-grain bread, slathered with peanut butter, is an irresistible open-faced sandwich that’s both satisfying and nourishing for kids and adults alike.

Peanut Butter Tartine

Servies 1

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon peanut butter

1 slice of whole grain bread

Toppings:

¼ cup blueberries

½ cup sliced strawberries

1 sliced banana

Directions:

Spread peanut butter evenly over the surface of the whole grain bread.

Arrange the blueberries, sliced strawberries, and banana slices on top of the peanut butter.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

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February 20, 2024

Meyer Lemon Torte

This simple torte has the bright floral notes of Meyer lemon zest, enriched with almond flour that gives it a dense richness. Meyer lemons are a hybrid of lemon and mandarin and are less acidic than regular lemons. Living in Berkeley, California, we are blessed to find Meyer lemons in abundance during the citrus season at local produce markets and on trees that grow in almost every neighborhood. Perfect for any occasion, this lemony dessert is delicious when enjoyed with an afternoon cup of tea. Recipe adapted from Sheela Prakash at TheKitchen.com.

Meyer Lemon Torte

Ingredients:

Butter for greasing the pan

4 large eggs

2 tablespoons Meyer lemon zest, or any other type of lemon available

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups almond flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Fresh berries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Coat the paper and sides of the pan with butter; set aside.

Crack and separate 4 large eggs, placing the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and the yolks in a separate large bowl.

Combine lemon zest and sugar in a separate small bowl. Rub the zest into the sugar using your hands to release the flavor and aroma. Add zested sugar to the egg yolks and stir using a large spoon until well-combined.

Add almond flour, baking powder, and kosher salt into the egg yolk mixture. Stir until the almond flour is combined .

Beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into the batter to lighten it. Gently fold the remaining egg whites with a spatula into the batter until just combined. Do not over mix. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.

Bake until the edges of the cake have begun to pull away from the sides of the pan, the top is golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes.

To serve, run a knife around the cake to loosen it. Flip the cake onto a plate, peel away the parchment. Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries.

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September 3, 2022

Lemon Tea Cake

This simple tea cake has the bright tangy zip of fresh lemons enriched with a hint of vanilla. The addition of yogurt and olive oil makes the texture of this lemon cake incredibly moist. For an extra deep zesty citrus flavor, brush it with the lemon glaze while it’s still warm from the oven.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoon lemon zest (about 3 medium sized lemons) I use Meyer lemons

1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped

2 large eggs

1 cup plain whole milk yogurt

1/2 cup olive oil

Lemon Glaze

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:

Line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and kosher salt in a medium bowl.

Using your fingers, rub sugar with lemon zest and vanilla bean seeds in a large bowl until combined. Add eggs and whisk until pale yellow and frothy. Whisk in the yogurt and olive oil.

Stir in dry ingredients and mix together until incorporated. (A few small lumps in the batter are fine.)

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until top of cake is golden brown, about 50 minutes.

Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Invert onto rack and then let cool completely.

Lemon Glaze

In a saucepan bring the powdered sugar and lemon juice to a simmer. Remove from heat and drizzle the lemon glaze over the warm tea cake.

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July 18, 2021

Plum Torte

It is not surprising that the most requested recipe from The New York Times dining section is the plum torte by Marian Burros. This classic cake is a perfect way to highlight the summer’s beautiful harvest from my backyard Santa Rosa plum tree. It combines everything I crave in a summer dessert: luscious fruit baked into sweet, tart perfection. The tangy plums, surrounded by buttery cake, taste like soft little pillows of sweetness that are intensified by the oven’s heat, so the flavor of the fruit comes shining through. This torte is a wonderful way to use fruit in season and can be prepared in minutes. The last remaining slice featured in the photo below will be breakfast tomorrow!

Plum Torte

Adapted from Marian Burros.The original recipe calls for Italian prune plums, but feel free to swap them out for Santa Rosa plums, or any other seasonal fruits such as berries, apricots or peaches and you’ll see why it’s so loved.

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 pinch salt

¾ cup sugar

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 large eggs

10 to 12 plums, pitted and halved lengthwise

2 teaspoons sugar and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon for sprinkling

Directions:

Heat the oven to 350° F.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the dry ingredients and the eggs all at once, and beat until combined, scraping down the bowl once or twice.

Spread the batter into an 8 or 9-inch spring form pan. Arrange the plum halves, skin side up, on top of the batter in concentric circles. Mix together the 2 teaspoons of sugar with ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the top of the batter and fruit.

Bake 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake in its pan on a rack for 10 minutes, and then release the spring and let it finish cooling. Serve.

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July 12, 2020

Plum Upside-Down Cake

Plum Upside-Down Cake for Breakfast? Yes, Please! The sun-ripened plums in this buttery cake are plump perfection with a bit of tartness in the skin that compliments the brown Swerve caramel topping. This moist and low-carb carb cake is delicious with Santa Rosa plums, but feel free to swap them out for berries, apricots or peaches.

Plum Upside-Down Cake

Makes 9″ round cake

Ingredients:

Topping:

1/2 cup Swerve Sweetener, Brown

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

5-7 plums, stones removed and sliced

Cake:

1 3/4 cups almond flour

2/3 cup Swerve Granular Sweetener

1 tsp baking powder

3 large eggs, room temperature

1/3 cup unsalted melted butter

2/3 cup milk, or unsweetened almond milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325F and grease a 9” round cake pan.

Topping:

In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar Swerve and melted butter until well combined. Spread over the bottom of the prepared pan. Arrange sliced plums in concentric circles over the brown sugar mixture and set aside.

Cake:

Whisk together the almond flour, granulated Swerve, and baking powder in a bowl.

Mix together the eggs, melted butter, milk, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix to combine.

Spread the batter evenly over the plum topping. Bake 30-40 minutes, until the edges are nicely browned and the center is firm to the touch.

Remove and let cool 10 minutes, then place a serving platter over the baking pan and invert the cake.

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March 31, 2019

Carrot Almond Torte

Spring is in the air, and I head to my kitchen filled with thoughts of love.

Maybe it’s the romantic long-stemmed French tulips of spring, or the seductive perfume of the season’s first strawberries that enliven my senses, or simply the allure of purple-tinged carrots piled high, dangling under the canopies at the farmers’ market that look like a still-life painting. The lightness of spring gives way to the glamour of nature around its passion for love.

In the kitchen, we infuse this passion of love into our recipes. It could be a dessert, or a dish that will become a family favorite, or a romantic meal shared with loved ones around the table.

A lively bunch of carrots, mixed with a few ordinary ingredients will turn out a gorgeous Carrot Almond Torte that is truly spectacular. You’ll fall in love with it! Don’t even get me started. Trust me.

Made with tender sweet carrots, coconut, and almonds–it’s so rich and moist, it’s hard to believe it has no butter, and is gluten-free. If you want, drop a dollop of crème Chantilly on it. A thin layer of cream cheese icing would not be such a bad thing either, though personally, I like it au naturel.

It’s a perfect dessert for Passover, or afternoon tea, and if there is any leftover in the morning, feel free to indulge in a slice for breakfast.

In the spirit of love.

Carrot Almond Torte

Ingredients:

4 large eggs, separated and at room temperature

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

Zest of 1 orange

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups carrots, peeled and grated

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 ½ cups ground almonds

1/2 cup coconut

9-inch springform pan with sides buttered.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees with a rack in the middle.

Mix together the egg yolks, 3/4 cup of sugar, orange zest, salt, and almond extract. Sprinkle the grated carrots into the bowl, but don’t mix them in.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat on medium until the whites hold a soft shape. Gradually sprinkle in the reserved two tablespoons of sugar, beating at high speed until the egg whites are stiff.

Scrape one quarter of the egg whites on top of the carrots and batter. Using a rubber spatula fold the whites and carrots into the batter. Scrape the remaining egg whites into the bowl and pour the ground almonds and coconut over them. Fold the egg whites, almonds, and coconut into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 45 minutes until the torte is golden brown. Cool the torte in the pan, on a rack.

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June 3, 2018

Keto Berry Clafoutis

A twist on a classic French dessert, this Keto Berry Clafoutis combines farm eggs, cream, butter, almond flour, swerve sweetener and fresh berries. When baked in the oven, it turns into a rich dense custard pancake-y dessert oozing with juicy berries, minus all of the excessive sugar carbs.

Keto Berry Clafoutis

Ingredients:

4 large eggs, room temperature

¼ cup swerve sweetener

½ cup heavy cream

6 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

⅓ cup blanched almond flour

¼ teaspoon salt

2 cups berries

Directions:

Generously butter a 1-quart shallow baking dish.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, swerve, cream, butter, and vanilla. In a small bowl, stir together almond flour, and salt.

Whisk dry ingredients into wet until smooth.

Arrange mixed berries on the bottom of pan, then pour mixture over berries.

Bake at 325° for 45-55 minutes, until clafoutis is set in the center and top is golden.

Cool and serve.

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October 23, 2017

Butternut Squash Soup

butternut-squash-soup-jpg On stormy weather nights when I crave something warm and comforting, there’s nothing like a steaming bowl of butternut squash soup to assuage the winter chill. This soup is easy to prepare and with a handful of simple ingredients, it will turn into something creamy and soothing. A sprinkling of pomegranate seeds adds a little burst of color and crunch. Soup On!

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

6 cups vegetable stock or water

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/4 pound sweet potato, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces

6 cups vegetable stock or water

3/4 cup coconut milk

Season with salt and white pepper

Directions:

Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat, add the onions, and sauté about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger. Cook until the onion is very soft, about 10 minutes.

Add the vegetable stock or water to the onions and bring to a boil. Add the butternut squash and sweet potato, return to a boil then, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the squash and sweet potato is soft.

Pour the soup into a blender and purée until smooth. Add the coconut milk. Return the blended butternut squash and coconut mixture to the saucepan, then, bring it to a simmer. Remove from heat. Taste and season with salt and white pepper.

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Tag: seasonal

Plum Upside-Down Cake

Keto Berry Clafoutis