Cooking and Baking for the Dark Season

The dark season, from Mabon (the Autumn Equinox) to Yule (the Winter Solstice), is the part of the year in the Northern Hemisphere when we receive fewer hours of daylight than other times of the year. The nights are longer, the days colder, and we have a natural desire to hibernate and eat nourishing, filling food. It’s also the perfect time for baking and cooking over a hot stove while it gets chilly outside. So, we thought we'd share some of our favorite recipes for the season!
Simmer Pot for Kitchen Witches
Set the stage with a delicious simmer pot while you cook or bake. Using fruits and spices already in your kitchen, chop, slice, or break your simmer pot ingredients into a pan, fill with water, and let is simmer on your stove for hours.
Here are a couple of delicious simmer pot ideas:
Apple Pie Simmer
- One whole small apple, sliced
- 2 Cinnamon sticks
- 1 tbsp All Spice or Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Witches’ Strength Simmer
- 3 Star Anise seed pods
- 2 Cinnamon sticks
- 1 tbsp All Spice
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 4 Whole Cloves
- 1 tsp Ginger
Fall Flavored Popcorn
If excessively sweet or salty treats are off the menu for you, try popping some corn at home where you can control the ingredients that go into the bowl.
Pop your kernels on the stove according to the package’s directions. While it's still in the pan, add your favorite seasoning to the popped corn.
Here are some fun ideas:
- Lavender and brown sugar add sweetness and love to your day.
- Paprika, cayenne pepper, onion, and garlic are great for grounding.
- Black pepper, lemon peel, and garlic create a zesty flavor and energize you.
By the way, our Kitchen Witch Culinary Blends are a great way to add flavor to the popcorn afterward without adding a ton of salt or sugar to it.
Roasted Root Vegetables for Grounding
One of my favorite autumn recipes is roasted root vegetables. Simply add your favorites to a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. Add salt and pepper, and rosemary. Toss on the pan and roast at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, checking every 10 minutes or so to toss the veggies.
Here are some of my favorites:
- Turnips
- Red potatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Carrots
- Beets
- Garlic
- Rutabaga
- Onions
- Parsnips
Root vegetables are grounding foods that help you tap into the natural safety and abundance that Mother Earth provides. That's especially supportive during the busy holiday season. Other seasonal foods like pumpkins and squash can be added to your pan too!
Black Magick Cake
This recipe comes from The Zen Witch and looks too good to leave out! Cakes are filling sweets and create a celebratory vibe any time of the year. The coffee in this cake not only helps create the black batter, it’s also great for bringing people together and helping you achieve your goals.
Ingredients:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups white sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup strong brewed coffee
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans or one 9×13 inch pan.
- In large bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center.
- Add eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. Batter will be thin. Pour into prepared pans.
- Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and finish cooling on a wire rack. Fill and frost as desired.
Busy Witch “Dump” Cake
Okay, while this isn’t a true dump cake because you do mix the ingredients together, it’s about as simple as you can get. I make this kind of cake almost weekly because it's so easy and delicious on its own without frosting or icing.
Ingredients:
- 1 store-bought cake mix of your choice
- 1 large can of pie filling of your choice
- 3 eggs
Directions
- Dump your store-bought cake mix in a bowl
- Add the eggs
- Add the pie filling
- Mix it all up and pour into a greased cake pan of your choice
- Follow temperature and time suggestions on the box
- Let cool and serve as-is for a delightfully dense cake or add frosting if you’d like
I love to combine dark chocolate cake mix and cherry pie filling together this time of year. You can also mix yellow cake mix with pumpkin pie filling for a truly Samhain-inspired treat.
So now the only question is: Which recipe will you try first?
Stay magickal,
Megan W.