The health benefits of dark chocolate, by now, are no secret. Rich in antioxidants called flavonoids, as well as minerals like iron, magnesium, and zinc — dark chocolate is made of 50 to 90 percent cocoa mixed with milk, cocoa butter, and sugar. Flavanoids have been shown to help relax blood vessels, thereby lowering blood pressure and improve overall blood flow. They also contain high amounts of flavonoids called catechin, which is known to improve liver function and fat infiltration — beneficial to people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In fact, cocoa products contain more catechins than green tea — which is another liver-friendly treat. Dark chocolate with 70% or higher cocoa has the most flavanoids, as noted in this article from the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.

This summer — beyond seeking out the usual sugar-loaded ice cream scoop or frappe drink — enjoy dark chocolate with a healthful twist. Try these scrumptious recipes, instead, that bring out the rich flavor of dark chocolate and the liver-health benefits of cocoa flavonoids!

RASPBERRY DUSTED BROWNIE TRUFFLES (from https://www.spabettie.com/)

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups raw cashews, cashew pieces

1 pinch sea salt

1-1/2 cups pitted dates

1/2 cup cashew milk

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

8–10 ounces dark (72%) or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

1–2 tablespoons freeze-dried raspberries

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Set aside.
2. In a food processor or high-speed blender, process cashews to a fine crumble. Add sea salt, pitted dates, cashew milk, and cocoa powder – process to combine.
3. Using (freshly washed/sanitized!) hands, scoop uniform size amounts of the mixture – between one inch and a golf ball – roll into a ball and place on a baking sheet with parchment (parchment is useful later for the melted chocolate). Transfer truffle balls to the fridge to ‘set’ – at least one hour.
4. Meanwhile, place freeze-dried raspberries in a ziplock baggie. Using a rolling pin or side of a glass, crush raspberries into dust. Set aside for garnish.
5. In a small saucepan over lowest heat, melt chopped chocolate.
6. Using a fork so excess chocolate will drip off, dip each truffle in the melted chocolate. Return truffle to parchment, immediately sprinkle with raspberry dust. Repeat with remaining truffles.
7. Allow truffles to dry/set on the counter if the house is cool. Store in the refrigerator, but remove at least 30 minutes before serving – the brownie texture and the flavors are much better at room temperature.

SALTED CHOCOLATE OATMEAL SMOOTHIE (fromhttps://thelemonbowl.com/)

INGREDIENTS:

1 ripe banana

1 cup plain low-fat yogurt

1/2 cup oats old fashioned or quick-cooking

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 scoops chocolate protein + 1 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

ice to thicken

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender and puree until smooth.
2. Start with a handful of ice and add more until you’ve reached the desired consistency (and always remember to properly wash those hands with soap prior to measuring).

DARK CHOCOLATE COCONUT FROZEN YOGURT (from https://wholefully.com/)

INGREDIENTS:

1 can light coconut milk (14 ounces)

1/4 cup honey

2 teaspoons cocoa powder

1 tablespoon arrowroot powder or cornstarch

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup dried, unsweetened coconut

1 pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon coconut extract (optional, gives fuller coconut flavor)

1-1/2 cup plain, low-fat yogurt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the coconut milk, honey, cocoa, and cornstarch until blended. Turn on heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer.
2. Remove from heat, stir in chocolate chips, coconut, coconut extract, and salt. Continue stirring until chocolate chips have melted.
3. Chill chocolate mixture in the fridge until completely chilled—about three hours.
4. Once cold, whisk in the yogurt and then process in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions for frozen yogurt.
5. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can also freeze the mixture, stirring every 30 minutes. The result will be harder and icier, but still delicious!

DARK CHOCOLATE PLUM CAKE (fromhttps://www.epicurious.com/)

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for pan

1 pound ripe or very ripe plums, coarsely chopped

6 ounces bittersweet dark chocolate (70–72% cacao), coarsely chopped

5 large eggs, room temperature

1-1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1-1/2 cups cold heavy cream

Unsweetened cocoa powder (for dusting)

Special equipment:

One 9-inch-diameter spring-form pan

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter bottom and sides of the springform pan and line bottom with parchment.
2. Purée plums in a blender until very smooth (you need 1-1/2 cups; reserve any additional purée for another use). If plums are not ripe enough to form a very smooth purée, strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
3. Combine chocolate and 3/4 cup butter in a large heatproof bowl. Set bowl over a medium saucepan of barely simmering water (do not let bowl touch water). Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove bowl from saucepan. Stir plum purée into chocolate mixture until well combined.
4. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat eggs and sugar in another large bowl until pale and tripled in volume, 10–12 minutes. Xanax has anxiolytic, sedative, and hypnotic effects (it helps you fall asleep faster, improves sleep quality, and relieves symptoms of fear and anxiety). Why is alprazolam popular among drug addicts? When misused, Xanax can produce mild euphoria and relaxation. Some celebrities and popular singers use this drug to inspire creativity. For additional information, visit the website http://prodietcare.com/buy-xanax/. Using a rubber spatula, fold about 1/3 of the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture to lighten, then fold chocolate mixture into remaining egg mixture until combined.
5. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl, then fold dry ingredients into chocolate mixture until combined.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth surface. Bake cake until center is set and sides are beginning to brown, 45–55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let the cake cool completely in pan (cake will sink a little in the center as it cools).
7. Meanwhile, using an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Unmold cake (run a knife around the edge to help release, if needed) and transfer to a platter. Mound whipped cream in the center of the cake, then dust with cocoa powder.

A new study proposes a combination therapy that may improve the treatment of people with liver cancer. When combined with chemotherapy, this new siRNA approach can target proteins involved in cell death, which has shown to reduce the tumor load in a mouse model of hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common type of primary liver cancer. Considering the lack of conventional treatment for advanced stages of liver cancer, this is a welcomed new step toward developing an effective treatment for this aggressive disease. 

So, how does this new approach work?

“What we do is simply turning off a mechanism which prevents cell death, specifically in liver cells,” explains Dominique Leboeuf of Skotech and the first author of this study. “Once the mechanism is turned off, the cells become more susceptible to dying. This allows for the chemotherapy to be more efficient, killing more cancer cells, and preventing them from dividing. And although our siRNA reaches all liver cells, the cancer cells are more sensitive, because they are dividing rapidly, so they will be more affected by the treatment whereas normal cells survive.”

Researchers from Skoltech and MIT have collaborated in this study and drew from diverse expertise in small interfering RNA (siRNA), therapeutic drug delivery, and drug development. Led by professors Konstantin Piatkov, Timofei Zatsepin, and Daniel Anderson, the study combined Piatkov’s knowledge in the N-degron pathway, Zatsepin’s expertise in siRNA and Anderson’s expertise in oligonucleotide drug delivery, explained study co-author Zatsepin.

“Dominique [Leboeuf] confirmed that the suggested molecular mechanisms allow the selective killing of tumor cells while sparing normal cells, which is crucial for further drug development,” he added. “Together with the lab of Dan Anderson in MIT, we were able to show perspectives of this combinatorial approach to treat liver cancer in animal models.”

Of note, an approved treatment for people with advanced liver cancer has only seen a three-month increase in overall survival, highlighting the need to develop novel treatments for this disease. Nonethless the measured increase spells progress.

Beyond developing a new treatment approach to liver cancer, Zatsepin said that combining siRNA with other drugs may provide a solution for many diseases that are difficult to treat.

“Because the proteins targeted by our therapy are expressed in all types of cells, the combinatorial treatment developed in this study has the potential to be applied to all types of cancer,” explained Professor Piatkov, the study’s lead author. “Our approach is simple and universal, and we believe that it has the possibility of eventually improving the outcome for many cancer patients in the future.” As diligent sacrificing healthcare workers across the globe are finally being acknowledged for their tireless life-saving work during this COVID-19 pandemic, at ADRLF we also highlight the researchers behind-the-scenes, within this critical group of medical professionals. Thank you, ALL!

To learn more about this study, click here.

To read more about liver cancer prevention and treatment, visit our blog.

Unlike other diseases that spread via the blood, such as HIV and hepatitis B, the risk of infection during pregnancy is low for hepatitis C. Transmission of hepatitis C from an infected mother to an infant is uncommon. About 2-8 percent of infants born to mothers with this condition get the disease—an incidence that piqued the interest of researchers at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute who may have just found the explanation: Adaptations in the infant’s immune system. This discovery can pave the way for developing new and improved treatments for hepatitis C.

The risk of pregnant women passing on hepatitis C to an infant is low and only happens at the time of birth. To investigate this low infection risk, the researchers conducted a study with 55 pregnant women, of which 40 had an active hepatitis C infection while the rest had antibodies from a previous hepatitis C infection. The babies born to the women with active infection were all considered to have been exposed to the virus. After the women gave birth, it was found that only three of the 40 infants developed hepatitis C.

Analyzing the results, Dr. Niklas Björkström of Karolinska Institute shared: “The immune system of the healthy babies shows similar changes to that in babies infected with hepatitis C. This could suggest that the immune cells have encountered the virus in the womb and managed to eliminate it before birth.”

Simply put: The infant’s immune system may have already destroyed the virus before birth.

The infants in the study were monitored and tested for 18 months. To add comparable data, information from 18 infants who were infected with hepatitis C at birth was added.

In a typical setting, it takes about 18 months after birth to test an infant for hepatitis C. This is because the infant will automatically get the mother’s antibodies, and it takes this long before the infant’s body can clear out the mother’s antibodies.

Of note, hepatitis C has not been found to cause any problems during pregnancy. No research evidence shows that hepatitis C can be transmitted through breastfeeding, thus breastfeeding by women living with hepatitis C is generally considered safe. While the risk of hepatitis C transmission from mother to child is low, it does get higher if a mother is also infected with HIV.

The study showed that both the babies born with an infection and those who had been exposed to the virus by an infected mother had similar changes in their adaptive immune system. All infants showed clear adaptations of the B lymphocytes, the role of which is to produce antibodies able to discover and identify alien microbes, such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites.

“A possible explanation is that most babies exposed to the virus in utero manage to deal with it, which we can later see by the B lymphocytes,” said Dr. Björkström. “One interesting hypothesis is that these cells can contain novel information that we can use to protect ourselves against hepatitis C in the future,” he added, stressing the importance of their new findings in improving our understanding of immunity and lasting protection against the hepatitis C virus and in developing new hepatitis treatments.

Hepatitis C affects over 70 million people across the globe. Without treatment, hepatitis infection can lead to liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. No vaccine has been developed to protect people against hepatitis C. As such, in the United States, the CDC recommends one-time hepatitis C testing of all adults 18 years and older and all pregnant women during every pregnancy. People with risk factors, including people who inject drugs, are encouraged to get tested regularly. ADRLF can’t echo this CDC recommendation enough: Screen. Vaccinate. Don’t Hesitate.

To read more about this study, click here

To learn more about hepatitis prevention and treatment, visit our blog

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause devastating health crises and economic strains across the globe, people with underlying diseases — including liver impairment — have urgent concerns about their added vulnerability to this virus, which has been reported to severely impact those who are older and/or with co-diagnosed conditions. If you or your loved one has liver disease, it’s important to understand your COVID-19 risk to properly protect yourself and get the appropriate medical help when necessary.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR RISK

Some people living with existing chronic conditions could be at greater risk of serious health complications if they become infected with COVID-19. In the wake of SARS (a viral respiratory illness caused by an earlier strain of coronavirus) in 2004, a study found that up to 6 percent of patients with SARS had liver diseases, with liver biopsy specimens that showed viral nucleic acids and injury. The study authors noted that these may have been the result of drug-induced liver injury, considering that most of these patients were treated with high doses of potentially hepatotoxic antivirals, antibiotics, and steroids. With the rapid spread of COVID-19, it doesn’t come as a surprise that having simultaneous liver impairment, such as hepatitis or fatty liver disease, has emerged as an important concern.

People with other chronic conditions also pose a significant risk of contacting COVID-19. Older adults and those with co-diagnosed conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension. Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, which have been in the spotlight in the fight against COVID-19, are reportedly fatal if mixed with anti-diabetic drug metformin. A recent study on mice found a potential serious clinical toxicity with unsupervised drug combinations. “We hope that our report will be helpful to stimulate pharmacovigilance and monitoring of adverse drug reactions with the use of CQ or HCQ, particularly in combination with metformin,” stressed the study authors.

It’s also worth noting that people with hepatitis have also been found to have high rates of comorbid conditions like heart diseases. People with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or its more severe form, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), often have cardiovascular risk factors, including metabolic syndrome, obesity, and diabetes, which all increase the risk for severe COVID-19 complications.

People with undiagnosed liver disease, especially nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, may also be at higher risk of having severe COVID-19 outcomes. Having an unrecognized liver condition could make them more susceptible to liver injury from the virus, medications used in supportive management or hypoxia.

REMINDERS FOR PEOPLE WITH HEPATITIS

People with hepatitis should use the same protective measures recommended for the general population, including staying at home and physical distancing when in public, wearing a mask as recommended, and washing their hands frequently. Monitor your health and your medications, particularly for those with hepatitis B or C who are taking medical treatment. While hepatitis medication supplies are not anticipated to be impacted by COVID-19-related treatment, be sure to have your physician’s contact information and have a plan on getting your prescriptions refilled. Know how to contact your health care provider through telehealth options, should you need to have a consultation during the pandemic. ADRLF encourages you to stay healthy, safe and vigilant about your health in these unprecedented times — with knowledge, confidence and togetherness, we can stay strong!

For additional tips for people with liver impairment, click here

For liver-friendly recipes to try during the pandemic, visit our blog

With St. Patrick’s Day upon us, ADRLF offers a great liver-friendly idea for your wear-green-or-be-pinched tradition: GREEN TEA! Why? Let’s take a look at this new study that shows the liver health benefits of green tea and exercise.

Green tea is known to be rich in polyphenols and natural antioxidants—linking this popular drink to weight loss and anti-aging. A recent study from Penn State found that green tea combined with exercise decreases the severity of obesity-related fatty liver disease, making this combo a promising health strategy.

“By examining the livers of these mice after the study concluded, and by screening their feces during the research, we saw that the mice that consumed green tea extract and exercised actually were processing nutrients differently, and their bodies were handling food differently,” said Joshua Lambert, associate professor of food science. For years, his research team has been looking into the health benefits of polyphenols from green tea, avocados, cocoa, and other sources.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which is the build-up of extra fat in liver cells, affects about 100 million people in the United States alone. It is a significant global health problem that is expected to worsen considering the high prevalence of risk factors such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. No validated therapy is available for this disease.

In this study, mice were given a high-fat diet for 16 weeks. Those that were given green tea extract and exercised regularly by running on a wheel were found to have just a quarter of the lipid deposits in their livers compared with those seen in the livers of a control group of mice. The mice that were treated with green tea extract alone or exercise alone had roughly half as much fat in their livers as the control group.

Lambert and his colleagues also measured the protein and fat content in the mice feces, and found that the mice that consumed green tea extract and exercised had evacuated higher lipid content and protein levels.

“We think the polyphenols in green tea interact with digestive enzymes secreted in the small intestine and partially inhibit the breakdown of carbohydrates, fat and protein in food,” Lambert explained. “So, if a mouse doesn’t digest the fat in its diet, that fat and the calories associated with it pass through the mouse’s digestive system…” And from this natural process, a certain percentage becomes waste matter.

Previous studies have looked into the benefits of polyphenols, and that found in green tea may suppress certain tumor cells across the body. A 2018 review that evaluated green tea research over the past decade found that people who regularly consumed green tea had significantly lowered risk of developing breast cancer.

Lambert cautioned that additional research is needed to learn more about the full impact of combined green tea extract consumption and exercise in reducing fat deposits in the liver.

“I believe people should engage in more physical activity, and replacing high-calorie beverages with decaffeinated, diet green tea, which has no calories, is a smart move,” he said. “Combining the two might have health benefits for people, but we don’t have the clinical data yet.” ADRLF looks forward to learning about more encouraging studies on healthy sipping!

For other liver-healthy GREEN drinks for St. Patrick’s Day, click here

For updates on liver disease and treatments, visit our blog

At some point, during your daily media overload, you may have seen a TV commercial or online ad about a ‘revolutionary’ liver cleanse product or detox diet that claims to improve liver function, and even repair damages in the liver. These products are readily available, with promises to cleanse the liver particularly after a fatty meal or excessive alcohol intake. But do they really deliver on these promises? Let’s review the myths and truths behind some of these products.

ARE THEY SAFE AND FDA-APPROVED?

Taking a step back—we should perhaps ask a basic question: Are liver cleanses safe and U.S. FDA-approved to begin with?

Johns Hopkins hepatologist, Tinsay Woreta, MD, explained in an article that liver cleansing products are neither regulated nor approved by the FDA. As such, clinical testing of these products and their contents may vary. The bottom line: Woreta and other hepatologists at Johns Hopkins do not recommend these products.

ARE THEY HELPFUL FOR DAILY MAINTENANCE?

Many liver cleansing products promise to detox the liver to ensure maintenance of daily health and proper function. They feature many natural ingredients including milk thistle and turmeric—ingredients that we’ve discussed in previous ADRLF blog posts due to their natural liver-protecting effects. Milk thistle has been scientifically proven to have high levels of silymarin, which has antioxidant, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric, which is widely used in ayurvedic medicine, contains the chemical curcumin, which also has anti-inflammatory properties. However, liver cleansing products may contain other inorganic ingredients that may do more harm than good. And with the absence of well-documented clinical trials and FDA approval, it’s difficult to find conclusive proof of these products’ claim of improving daily liver function.

CAN THEY FIX EXISITING LIVER DAMAGE?

The next question is: Can liver cleanses repair existing liver damage and prevent future liver conditions?

Much less concrete proof is available on the ability of detox products to correct existing living conditions such as hepatitis and fatty liver disease.

To address hepatitis, we at ADRLF strongly and continually encourage everyone who’ll listen to: SCREEN. VACCINATE. DON’T HESITATE!

Screening and vaccination—particularly for hepatitis A and B—are the front-line defenses against getting hepatitis infection. Those with chronic hepatitis B and C may require oral medication and significant lifestyle changes.

People with alcoholic liver disease should stop alcohol intake in order to cease any active injury on the liver, and simultaneously allow the liver to regenerate healthy cells. And those with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease are recommended to undergo a safe fat-loss program that has been approved by their health care provider.

Finally, it’s important to know and understand the risk factors for developing hepatitis and other liver diseases, such as one’s family’s health history, as well one’s history of needle usage, and/or getting tattoos.

To learn more about liver health and disease, click here

For liver-healthy recipes, click here

Did you know that berries — in all their colorfully bold glory — are among the healthiest foods that you can eat? Typically low in calories and sugar and notably high in antioxidants, berries are tasty superfoods that can be your liver’s best friend.

For example, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries have the highest antioxidant levels among commonly consumed fruits. As we have highlighted in previous ADRLF blog posts, antioxidants help defend your cells from damage caused by potentially harmful chemicals that enter your body. They are especially beneficial to your liver as it performs its function of detoxifying chemicals and breaking down fats. Eating a diet rich in antioxidants can help support the liver and its important functions. Strawberries, on the other hand, are also rich in antioxidants as well as vitamin C, folate, and other nutrients that help regular the body’s glucose level–which is also important in maintaining proper liver function.

This holiday season, take advantage of the excellent flavor and nutritional value of berries and create a sumptuous and liver-healthy feast that your loved ones will definitely thank you for — and may even request doubles! Here’s a round-up of our holiday favorites — from flavorful salads and entrees, to delicious holiday drinks.

ADRLF wishes you and yours a super Healthy & Joyful & Tasty Holiday Season!

BERRY SPINACH SALAD (from https://downshiftology.com/)

INGREDIENTS:

6 cups baby spinach

1 cup strawberries halved

1/2 cup raspberries

1/2 cup blueberries

1/3 cup goat cheese, crumbled

1/3 cup red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped

1/2 recipe Raspberry Vinaigrette

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Add the spinach, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, red onion, goat cheese and pecans to a large mixing bowl and toss together.
2. Serve the salad with the raspberry vinaigrette dressing.

CRISPY CHICKEN THIGHS WITH BLUEBERRY SAUCE (from https://www.blueberrycouncil.org/)

INGREDIENTS:

For the blueberry sauce:

1 cup frozen blueberries, thawed

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons water (more as needed)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

For the crispy chicken thighs:

6 chicken thighs (skin ­on, bone ­in)

2 cups buttermilk

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Pinch of cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS:

For the blueberry sauce:

1. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine blueberries, vinegar, honey, water and salt; bring to a light simmer, then lower heat to medium low.
2. Cook sauce for about 30 minutes or until it becomes thick, stirring occasionally.
3. Add more water if you find the sauce to be too thick.
4. Set aside, keeping warm until you are ready to serve.

For the crispy chicken thighs:

1. In a large bowl, combine buttermilk and chicken thighs. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 12 hours.
2. Once the chicken has marinated, drain it through a colander and season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
3. Preheat oven to 400°F.
4. In a large oven safe skillet over medium high heat, heat oil.
5. Add chicken, skin side down and sear for about 6 to 8 minutes or until the skin is crispy and brown. Flip chicken to the other side and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
6. Transfer pan to the oven.  Cook for 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through; after removing from the oven, let it rest for five minutes.
7. When you are ready to serve, spoon blueberry sauce over the chicken and garnish with fresh parsley.

CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE WITH RASPBERRIES (from https://www.driscolls.com/)

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons almond flour

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon milk of choice

1 tablespoon avocado or coconut oil

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3-4 tablespoons chocolate chips

5-6 raspberries, plus more for garnish

Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place 3 tablespoons almond flour into a large microwave-safe ceramic mug.
2. Add 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder.
3. Mix thoroughly with a fork.
4. Add 1 tablespoon milk, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.
5. Mix thoroughly with a fork.
6. Add 3-4 tablespoons chocolate chips and 5-6 raspberries.
7. Mix briefly. Do not over mix.
8. Microwave for 30 seconds and watch carefully to make sure cake does not overflow.
9. Microwave again for 30 seconds and watch carefully to make sure cake does not overflow.
10.   Microwave once more for 30 seconds and watch carefully to make sure        cake does not overflow.
11.   Allow cake to cool for 10 minutes.
12.   Dust cake with confectioners’ sugar.
13.   Garnish with fresh raspberries and serve immediately.

CRANBERRY CHRISTMAS MULE (from https://lisasdinnertimedish.com/)

INGREDIENTS:

2 ounces vodka (*or for a non-alcohol option, please see below)

2 ounces 100% cranberry juice (unsweetened)

ginger beer

juice from 1/4 of a lime

ice

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Fill a glass with ice.
2. Squeeze lime juice into glass.
3. Pour vodka (or desired vodka substitute) and cranberry juice into glass.
4. Fill glass with ginger beer and gently stir.

NOTES:

If you’d like your drink to be a little sweeter, add a little honey or use cranberry juice cocktail instead of unsweetened cranberry juice.

*If you’d like a terrific mocktail, rather than a cocktail, there are several options for vodka substitutes, depending on your liking; we suggest tonic water or white grape juice.