Discover how cookbook author Florence Jackson uses baking as a form of healing and self-care

Houston – Self-care can take many forms — physical, social, mental, spiritual or emotional.

For cookbook author Florence Jackson, it came through baking. Originally from London, Jackson worked in the oil and gas industry as a public relations and marketing expert. She struggled with her relationship with food, but that changed during the pandemic when she was stuck in Aberdeen, Scotland, and rediscovered her love for baking.

At age 21, Jackson developed an eating disorder, but baking for her husband, who was her boyfriend at the time, gave her a sense of healing. She realized being in the kitchen helped her overcome her struggles with food.

The popularity of her recipes led her to write her first cookbook, “Part-time Baker: Simple bakes without the stress,” which she finished in Houston and is available for purchase.

Jackson says food is a love language and she is sharing an act of self-care with her Cherry Frosted Brownie Cups, a recipe “Houston Life” fans will appreciate.

Learn more about Jackson, her baking journey and how to make the recipe in the video above.

🍒 Cherry Frosted Brownie Cups

• ½ cups Semi-Sweet/Dark Chocolate Melted
• ¾ cups) Unsalted Butter (Melted)
• ½ cups Light Brown Soft Sugar
• ½ cups Granulated Sugar
• 2 Large Free Range Eggs
• ¾ cups All Purpose Flour
• 6 tbsp Cocoa Powder
• Pinch of Salt

Frosting:

• ½ cups Unsalted Butter
• 2 tbsp Cherry Jam or homemade cherry syrup
• 3 cups Powdered Sugar

Syrup

• 1 1/2 cup pitted and halved cherries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup water

Directions

1. Pre-heat your oven to 370℉. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with muffin cases.
2. In a small bowl, break up the dark chocolate and melt it in the microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring in between to make sure it doesn’t burn. Alternatively, set up a double boiler. Do this by placing a heatproof bowl over a small
3. pot of simmering water. Add the chocolate to the heatproof bowl and stir until melted.
4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter and both sugars. Add in the eggs, one at a time and mixing in between. Add the melted chocolate slowly and combine once again.
5. Add the flour, salt, and cocoa powder, and fold gently into the wet mixture until just combined. Scoop into the muffin tin holes; they don’t rise much at all, so use all the batter!
6. Bake 20-23 minutes, until no longer wobbly. While still warm, create the indents by using a teaspoon measure, egg cup, or the end of a wooden spoon. Press into the middle, leaving tall sides. Let cool.

Then for the frosting

1. Add the butter to a large mixing bowl. Beat with a whisk on high for a minute to soften.
2. Add half the powdered sugar, whisk on high. Then add the remaining half with the cherry jam or syrup and whisk everything on high until fluffy. Add powdered sugar/milk as required to meet your desired consistency. Pipe into the brownie
3. cups and top with some fresh cherries.

And finish with syrup

1. Add all ingredients to a saucepan
2. Bring to a boil, then simmer 30 minutes.
3. Strain through a sieve to separate the syrup from the cherries.
4. Let cool, then use!

For more recipes by Jackson, follow her on Instagram or visit her website.