Category: Cakes

Triple-Chocolate Cake

Published on by Dawn11 Comments

People always seem to be amazed as to how much cooking and baking I do when they visit my blog.  The truth is, this isn’t even half of it.  I only post the really good recipes to this blog – you have no idea how many other dishes we try that do not make the cut.  The typical conversation at the dinner table is “Do you think this is blog worthy?”  Sometimes I miss my opportunity though, because we ate before I could take a picture – then I have to make it again.  So, it has to be really good for my family to agree to that.  I have to say though, I am pretty fortunate – either I am good at reading recipes, or I know how to bake – most of the things I bake come out really well, and do end up in the blog.  Tonight was an exception though…

I decided to make a chocolate sponge cake – it was a nice cute layer cake that was published in Bon Appetit.   It didn’t seem that difficult, but I followed the directions very carefully, because I know that sponge cakes can be tricky.  It said to bake it for 10-12 minutes – well, after 15 minutes, and it still didn’t seem done, I had no choice but to take it out.  That was a big mistake.  Even though I used a tooth-pick to test the center, when I cut into it, there was a big section that was still raw.  Oh well – we ate around it, and it tasted delicious – but definitely not blog worthy.

Not at all like this Triple-Chocolate Cake from Cooking Light.  This was my husband’s belated birthday cake, and boy was this spectacular.  The cake was so moist, but nice and light – and the filling – just amazing with the cake.  Do you know what the best part was?  The glaze on top.  I am not a huge frosting fan (unless it is cream cheese or marshmallow), and this glaze made the entire cake perfect.

So – the next time you are looking for a fool-proof chocolate cake recipe, look no further…this one is as close to perfect as you can get – the fact that it is a light version – is like icing on the cake (but a nice glaze instead).

Ingredients

Cake:

  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa, divided
  • 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3  large egg whites
  • 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
  • 8 ounces cake flour (about 2 cups)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Filling:

  • 1/3 cup fat-free milk
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • Dash of salt
  • 4 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
  • 3/4 cup frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed

Glaze:

  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 3 tablespoons fat-free milk
  • 2 teaspoons butter
  • 1/8 teaspoon instant espresso granules
  • Dash of salt
  • 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare cake, combine 1 cup boiling water and 1/2 cup cocoa. Add 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate; stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature. Coat 2 (8-inch) round metal cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms of pans with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray; dust pans with remaining 1 tablespoon cocoa.

Place 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar, 6 tablespoons butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 1 minute. Add egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add sour cream; beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture and cocoa mixture alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat just until combined.

Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs clinging. Cool 10 minutes in pans on wire racks. Remove from pans; cool on wire racks. Discard wax paper.

To prepare filling, combine 1/3 cup milk and the next 3 ingredients (through dash of salt) in a saucepan over medium-low heat; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add milk chocolate, stirring until smooth. Pour into bowl. Cover and chill. Uncover; fold in whipped topping.

To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar and remaining ingredients in a saucepan over low heat. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Place 1 cake layer on a plate. Spread filling over cake, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Top with remaining layer. Drizzle glaze over top of cake, spreading it out over edges.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Triple-Chocolate Cake

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Chocolate Spice Bread

Published on by Dawn5 Comments

I have been living the sweet life in Paris for the past week, having an amazing time sampling pretty much all Paris has to offer.  Today was a bonus, as we were walking through The Grand Epicerie sampling different treats they had out to try.  I am in love with Paris. Don’t get my wrong, I love Seattle, but this is really where I belong.  Without my husband and younger daughter though, I am just not whole, so we are heading back tomorrow to join them in the wonderful city of Seattle, our home for now…  Who knows what life will bring in the future, but I know Paris will always be there for me to visit if nothing else.

Since it is my last day in Paris, I thought it was only fitting to post this incredible recipe that I found in David Lebovitz’s book, The Sweet Life in Paris.  I made this bread the other weekend – my husband’s birthday weekend.  Every year I make him a wonderful chocolate cake – usually something special.  This year though I was sick, and just not feeling well enough to do much of anything.  I couldn’t let his birthday go though without something chocolate – so I decided on this cake.  It was simple, and combined chocolate and cinnamon, his two favorite flavors.  This was a hit, the cake was dense and extremely delicious.  The best part was that it lasted for days – he had to go on a business trip the day after his birthday, and when he came back – it still tasted good.  Now that is a cake.

So, if Paris is not in your future, why not try this cake?  I love how the title says that it is a bread, which just means you can have an extra piece…

Ingredients

  • 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for the pan
  • 7 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 1-1/4 cup flour
  • 3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder (preferable aluminum-free)
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon whole anise seed
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2/3 cup sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter a 9-inch round cake pan, line the bottom with a piece of parchment paper, and butter that as well.  Dust the insides of the pan with a bit of flour or cocoa powder and tap out any excess.  In a double boiler or a large, heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and the butter together, stirring until smooth.  Let cool to room temperature.  Transfer to a large bowl.

In another bowl, sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt.  Add the anise seed.   In the bowl of a standing electric mixer or with a handheld mixer, whip the eggs, yolks, honey, and sugar until thick and mousselike, about 5 minutes, on high speed.  Fold half of the whipped eggs into the chocolate and butter.  Then fold in the remaining egg mixture.
Add the dry ingredients one-third at a time, using a spoon to sprinkle them over the batter and folding until the dry ingredients are just combined.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the cake feels barely set in the center, but still moist.  Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.  Tap the cake out of the pan and cool completely on a rack.  Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours to let the flavors meld. Well wrapped, this cake will keep for about one week at room temperature, or one month in the freezer.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Chocolate Spice Bread

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Grapefruit Pound Cake

Published on by Dawn7 Comments

My husband and I have been really into grapefruits lately.  Whole Foods has been getting these big Harbor Island grapefruits that are just incredible.  They are so amazingly sweet, and oh so juicy!  I swear I could easily squeeze a cup of juice from each one.  We have been waiting for the girls to go to sleep, and then we dig in.  You would think we were doing something scandalous, but no, just eating perfect grapefruits.  Since I am not a big fruit person, this is a really big deal for me.  I can basically go weeks without fruit and not miss it one bit, but these grapefruits are something else.

I saw this recipe in Cooking Light the other month, before we went on our grapefruit bingeing – and because we were enjoying them so much, I decided to make this cake.  Boy was I glad I did – I knew when I saw the ingredients that it was going to be good – adding cream cheese to just about anything makes it creamy and delicious, and the cake was no exception.  If you are not a big grapefruit fan, you will probably still love this – it is not an overpowering flavor, it comes out mostly in the glaze.  The cake was very moist, especially for a light cake, and had some dearth to it, like a good pound cake should.  I will definitely be making this again – as soon as I have an extra grapefruit lying around…

Ingredients

  •   Baking spray with flour
  • 9 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 5/8 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 6 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
  • 2  large eggs
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 2 tablespoons grated grapefruit rind
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
  • 1/2 cup fresh grapefruit juice
  • 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325°.

Coat a 10-inch tube pan with baking spray. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring well. Place granulated sugar, butter, and cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in oil, rind, and vanilla.

Add flour mixture and milk alternately to batter, beginning and ending with flour. Spoon batter into pan; bake at 325° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs clinging. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Invert cake. Cool on rack.

Place juice in a saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 3 tablespoons (about 4 minutes). Cool slightly. Stir in powdered sugar and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt. Drizzle over cake.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Grapefruit Pound Cake

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Peanut Dacquoise with Peanut Butter Mousse

Published on by Dawn4 Comments

Auction time!!  Remember last year when I made the Tower of Treats for an auction?  Well, this year I decided to stick to just one dessert – I am trying to simplify my life, not overly complicate it at the moment.  Give me a few months, I will get back to infusing chaos whenever I can…but for now, the word simplify is my motto.  Of course, I couldn’t just make anything, it had to be something somewhat involved to get people to want it.  I chose a recipe from Bon Appetit that I found a while ago – but never had the opportunity to make.  I was pretty excited about making it, until it was time – and then the stress kicked in.

It took a couple of days to make – not that it was so time-consuming, but with the chilling, and the waiting, I just didn’t have a block of 7 hours straight dedicate to the project.  Along the way, my younger daughter and I sampled everything.  The meringue was sick – the best meringue I have ever had.  The mousse – oh my, I could have easily eaten the entire bowl, but I kept reminding myself that it would not be a dacquoise without it – and the ganache on top was rich and decadent.  I put it together, and I was proud, it was a perfect auction dessert.  There was only one problem…I wasn’t going to the auction this year.  Remember my motto?  Well, I just couldn’t add another event to the weekend, so I declined.  My neighbors brought my dessert to the auction, and unfortunately they lost track of it when the dessert dash ended – and I will never know if it was a success.  So – take my word for it – if the pieces were all perfection, how could it be anything less than that when stacked together?  I guess I just have to make it again…but there is that word again, haunting me…and I will have to politely decline for now.

Ingredients

meringue layers

  • 1 1/4 cups roasted Spanish salted peanuts with skin (6 to 6 1/2 ounces),  divided
  • 3/4 cup sugar, divided
  • 6 large egg whites
  • 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • Pinch of coarse kosher salt

mousse

  • 1/2 cup chunky natural-style peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
  • Pinch of coarse kosher salt
  • 1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream, divided
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla  extract

glaze

  • 1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 1/3 cups bittersweet chocolate chips
  • Pinch of fleur de sel (optional)

Preparation

meringue layers

Preheat oven to 275°F. Line large baking sheet with parchment  paper. Draw three 10 x 4 1/2-inch rectangles on parchment; turn parchment over.  Finely grind 1 cup nuts with 1/4 cup sugar in processor. Coarsely chop remaining  1/4 cup nuts and set aside.

Using electric mixer, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and  coarse salt in large bowl until foamy. With mixer running, gradually add  remaining 1/2 cup sugar, beating until meringue is stiff and glossy. Add ground  nut mixture and coarsely chopped nuts; fold  gently just to  blend.

Spoon 2 cups meringue onto each rectangle on parchment; spread  evenly to fill rectangles (any remaining meringue can be baked as  cookies).

Bake meringues until golden brown all over and dry to touch  but still slightly soft,  about 1 hour 30 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool  completely.

mousse

Using electric mixer, beat peanut butter, brown sugar, and  coarse salt in medium bowl to blend. With mixer running, gradually beat in 1/4  cup cream. Add another 1/4 cup cream and beat just to blend. Beat remaining ½  cup cream, sugar, and vanilla in another medium bowl until peaks form; fold into  peanut butter mixture in 3 additions. Chill until ready to  use.

glaze

Whisk cocoa powder and sugar in medium saucepan to blend well.  Gradually add 1/4 cup water, whisking until smooth. Gradually whisk in heavy  cream. Bring to boil over medium heat, whisking frequently. Reduce heat to low.  Add chocolate and whisk until melted and  smooth. Let stand at room temperature  until cool and slightly thickened, stirring occasionally, about 2  hours.

Leaving meringues on parchment and using large serrated knife,  trim edges of each meringue to original 10×4 1/2-inch size. Slide thin knife  between meringues and paper to loosen. Spoon 1/4 cup glaze evenly over top of 2  meringue rectangles and spread to cover. Chill until chocolate sets, about 30  minutes. Place 1 glazed meringue rectangle on plate. Spoon half of mousse over  (scant 1 1/4 cups); spread out in even layer. Place second glazed meringue  rectangle atop first; spread with remaining mousse. Top with unglazed meringue   rectangle. Pour 1/2 cup glaze down center of top meringue. Using icing spatula,  spread  glaze over top meringue, allowing glaze to drip down sides. Smooth top  and sides to  cover evenly with thin layer. Refrigerate until glaze is set,  about 30 minutes. Pour  remaining glaze over top of dacquoise and quickly smooth  over top and sides in even  layer. Sprinkle fleur de sel lightly over top, if  desired. Chill at least 3 hours.

DO AHEAD Can be made 3 days ahead.  Cover with cake dome and keep chilled.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Peanut Dacquoise with Peanut Butter Mousse

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Lavender Honey Madeleines

Published on by Dawn5 Comments

If you have not been following along the last couple of weeks, don’t worry, you still have time to vote!  You can get all caught up here.  In addition, the Seattle Times decided to write about this little contest going on and I was thrilled to see my picture was used.  Hopefully this generated some votes as well…

I love Madeleines, they are definitely one of my most favorite french treat.  I have to say though, there is really nothing better than popping them into your mouth right out of the oven, once you have eaten them that way, it is hard to go back.  I recently read about a new bakery in NYC where you can order them and they will make them fresh for you while you wait.  I can’t wait to go there this summer and try them.

This holiday season one of the people on my team surprised me with some wonderful treats that he mail-ordered from Fouchon – one of the most amazing food stores in Paris.  He gave me some to-die-for caramels, and some lavender honey…  I wanted to open the honey right there and dig in, but I knew I needed to wait for something…although I wasn’t sure what.  One day I was flipping through my recipe pile in the pantry, and found one out of Bon Appetit for Orange Honey Madeleines.  That’s when it hit me, wouldn’t they taste better made with lavender honey instead??  I whipped out the honey and started baking.  The great news about madeleines is the batter can sit in your refrigerator overnight – and they are so easy to pop in the oven, so there is no excuse not to make them fresh.  These came out wonderfully, with a subtle taste of lavender.  They were crisp on the outside, tender and moist on the inside, they were perfect.  So, the next time you are looking for a special treat to serve your guests after dinner, look no further.  Make the batter the day before, and then pop these in the oven after dinner.  Your guests will think you are a brilliant – and you can package up some leftovers for them to take home, that is if there are any left…

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lavender honey
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla  extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange  zest
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted,  cooled, plus more for molds

  • special equipment

    One 16-cookie madeleine pan with 3×2″ molds

Preparation

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Using  an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl until pale yellow and  thick, about 4 minutes. Beat in honey, vanilla, and orange zest. Gently fold in  dry ingredients. Add 5 Tbsp. melted butter; gently fold into batter. Press  plastic wrap directly onto surface of batter; chill for at least 3 hours.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.

Position a rack in center of oven; preheat to 400°. Lightly  brush madeleine molds with butter. Place pan on a baking sheet. Drop 1 scant  Tbsp. batter into each mold. Bake until golden and a tester inserted into center  comes out clean, about 10 minutes.

Remove pan from oven, invert, and quickly knock madeleines out  of pan. Serve warm with some powdered sugar dusted on top.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Lavender Honey Madeleines

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Gingerbread Snack Cake

Published on by Dawn9 Comments

My second attempt at gingerbread for the blog – this time I was actually able to post it before the holidays, but seriously, is there ever a bad time to eat gingerbread?  I really think that gingerbread is a little outdated, for no good reason.  So, even though I found this recipe in Bon Appetit, I made a little change in the title – just to get people to take a second look.  Maybe I am the only one that seems to be obsessed with snack cakes, but I have a feeling I am not – for some reason when you add the words “snack cake” to a recipe, it suddenly seems like it is just a little better for you.  It is not a full-fledged dessert – it is just a little “snack.”

This recipe is much simpler than the one I made last year – and this one is alcohol free, just in case that might be an issue.  I thought this recipe was excellent – so simple to make, and it was dark, moist and full of that wonderful gingerbread flavor.  I served it just as you see it, although it would also be delicious with some fresh whipped cream.  The best part about this recipe?  It stayed good in an air-tight container for a few days.  Another reason to call this a snack cake – because usually that is the case.  I hope everyone is getting prepared for the big holiday weekend – and if you need a last-minute “snack” to get you through – here it is – and just right for the season.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup boiling water

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease and flour an 8-inch square baking pan, knocking out excess flour. Into a bowl sift together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. In a cup beat egg lightly and stir into flour mixture with sugar, molasses, and oil. Add boiling water in a slow stream, whisking until combined well, and pour batter into pan. Bake gingerbread in middle of oven 30 minutes, or until a tester inserted in center comes out clean.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Gingerbread Snack Cake

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Apple-Cinnamon Bundt Cake

Published on by Dawn3 Comments

This time of year I always have way more on my plate than I know what to do with – and I am not just talking about food here.  There are so many places I want to get to during the holiday season, things I want to do with my kids, and an endless supply of goodies to make.  There are a few staples that I make every year – like these, and oh these – but I also try to do some new baking as well, just to see what happens.  Hopefully I will be posting some good ones over the next couple of weeks.  Just know, nothing I do during the holidays takes too much time, as I just don’t have that much time to spare.  So if you work full-time, have kids, and other priorities in your life that take you away from the kitchen…don’t worry, these posts will be just for you.

My family loves a good bundt cake – and for the most part I do too.  Lately though I have not been doing well in the bundt cake department.  The last few that I have made completely stuck to the pan, so much that it was just embarrassing.  I actually thought about it quite a bit, and decided on a different strategy the next time I tackled one.  When I saw this in last month’s Cooking Light, I decided it would be my guinea pig.  Instead of just spraying the pan and dusting with flour, I heavily greased the pan with butter – a good thick layer, and then dusted with flour.  I know I am adding to the calories here, but it was completely worth it, because the bundt cake came out beautifully, all in one piece, and with nothing stuck to the pan.  I was thrilled.  For a light recipe, this bundt cake was moist and delicious.  The filling added a nice touch – and even though I doubled the cinnamon from the original recipe (updated below), it still could have used more.  I opted to leave out the walnuts, but that would help the filling as well.  If you are looking for a cake to bring to a potluck, that will serve a lot of people – this is a keeper.  Otherwise, check back soon for other holiday treats – they might not be light on calories, but definitely light on your time.  That is what I consider a gift right now…

Ingredients

Filling:

  • 1 1/2 cups diced peeled Granny Smith or other tart apple
  • 1/2 cup apple cider
  • 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
  • 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick

Streusel:

  • 1/2 cup walnuts (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cake:

  • Baking spray with flour
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
  • 9 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup fat-free milk
  • 3/4 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon powdered sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare filling, combine first 4 ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer 20 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates and apple is tender, stirring occasionally. Cool to room temperature. Discard cinnamon stick.

To prepare streusel, combine walnuts and next 3 ingredients (through ground cinnamon) in a food processor. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal.

To prepare cake, coat a 12-cup bundt pan with baking spray. Place sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add eggs and egg yolk, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; add seeds to sugar mixture. Reserve bean for another use. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Combine milk and yogurt in a small bowl, stirring until smooth. Add flour mixture and milk mixture alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat just until combined.

Spoon one-third of batter into prepared pan; sprinkle batter with half apple mixture and half walnut mixture. Repeat layers, ending with remaining third of batter; smooth with a spatula. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs clinging. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes; remove cake from pan. Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Apple-Cinnamon Bundt Cake

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Sticky Toffee Banana Pudding

Published on by Dawn10 Comments

I am having another one of those weeks where every minute of every day is taken up by meetings.  Those are the kinds of weeks that cause me to fall behind on my blog, because after I get home and spend a little time with my family, I am right back at the computer trying to catch up on the real work that happened during the day.  I often wonder if life was a lot simpler before we became constantly connected.  I wasn’t in the workforce for very long before the email boom hit, but I distinctly remember having to write memos when I needed to communicate something.  I had to print them off, then send them off to different people.  Mail was a big thing, you usually checked your mailbox at least a few times a day.

This was also before blogs existed, and the only way to look at beautiful food pictures was to read a magazine or a book.  I remember spending hours sitting in a bookstore flipping through the pages of cook books – only wanting to buy ones with lots of pictures, although one of my favorites is still The Fanny Farmer Cookbook – which has no pictures what so ever.  I got very good at imagining what things would look like.  Occasionally I find recipes to make without any pictures – and I usually make the dish first, and then look online to see how mine compared.

I found this recipe in Bon Appetit, where there was a beautiful picture that made my mouth water.  I love banana bread, so this just sounded heavenly.  Well, I was right – this was pretty amazing, and the toffee sauce was so smooth and delicious – fortunately I had a lot leftover so I was able to enjoy it in yogurt for the rest of the week.  This was definitely a special dessert, one in which I ate while typing away at my computer, trying to catch up on the days work.  Wouldn’t it taste just a little better without the distraction of work?  Well, let me just catch up on everything, and I will let you know…

Ingredients

Toffee Sauce

  • 1 1/4 cups plus 3 tablespoons (or more) heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup dark corn syrup
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

Banana Cake

  • 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2/3 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (2 to 3)
  • 1 tablespoon dark rum
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Sliced bananas (optional)

Preparation

Toffee Sauce

Bring 1 1/4 cups cream, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, and  1/8 teaspoon salt to boil in heavy small saucepan over medium heat, whisking  until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook at gentle boil until  sauce coats spoon thickly and is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, whisking occasionally,  about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Whisk in 3 tablespoons or more  cream to thin sauce to desired consistency.

DO AHEAD Can be made 2  days ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm slightly before  using.

Banana Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8x8x2-inch nonstick metal baking  pan. Dust baking pan with flour, tapping out excess.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium  bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until well  blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in mashed bananas, rum, and vanilla  (batter may look curdled). Add dry ingredients in 4 additions, beating just to  blend after each addition. Spread batter evenly in prepared baking  pan.

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean,  35 to 38 minutes. Spread 1/2 cup toffee sauce evenly over cake. Return cake to  oven and bake until sauce is bubbling thickly, about 6 minutes. Cool cake in pan  on rack 30 minutes. Cut around cake in pan. Cut cake into 9 squares or 12  rectangles. Serve cake slightly warm or at room temperature with toffee sauce  and top with sliced bananas, if desired.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Sticky Toffee Banana Pudding

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Blueberry Cake

Published on by Dawn8 Comments

I know that blueberry season is over, but this cake is just too good not to share.  This summer when we were back east visiting my family, my mother served her blueberry cake for dessert one night.  This blueberry cake is always a huge hit – especially the cinnamon sugar topping that is spread thick and evenly over the top before baking.  For me, that is the best part.  It is super sweet and crunchy, and just plain wonderful.  My younger daughter is definitely the sweet tooth of the family – the more sugar the better.  Where as my older one is pretty balanced, everything in moderation.  Would you believe that this topping was too sweet for my younger one??  She made me cut off the top every night this was served – and my older one was right there begging for the leftovers – it was hilarious – complete role reversal.

But, there was something about this cake that never hit me until this visit.  It is completely dairy free – and it is amazing.  So, what did I do with that bit of information?  I made another as soon as we got home, and my trying-to-be-dairy-free-husband who is obsessed with cinnamon, was so happy.  It was so nice to be able to make a dairy-free somewhat decadent dessert for a change that he could enjoy as well as the rest of the family – that is, except the topping, that my younger one gladly gave to her older sister.  If only her older sister would remember that the next time she doesn’t like something sweet…

Ingredients

Cake

  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1/4 cup orange juice concentrate
  • 1 cup oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 2 cups frozen blueberries (can be fresh, then frozen just to mix in)

Topping

  • 3/4 cups sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Preparation

To make the cake, beat the eggs in a mixer until foamy.  Add the sugar, orange juice concentrate, oil and vanilla and beat well.  Whisk together the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl.  Add to the egg mixture, and mix until combined.  Fold in berries.  The batter will be thick.  Pour into greased and floured  9 x 13 baking pan.  Mix the sugar and cinnamon together to make the topping.  Pour evenly over the top of the cake.

Bake at 350 for approximately 55 –60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the loaves is removed clean, about 45-50 minutes.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Blueberry Cake

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Carrot Cake

Published on by Dawn6 Comments

When I was younger I hated raisins.  I pulled them out of everything I could.  I didn’t get sweets very often, so you would have thought when I finally got my hands on some, I would have eaten just about anything – but that wasn’t the case.  Raisins were not acceptable – in fact, I felt that way about pretty much any type of dried fruit.

Now that I am grown up, you think I am going to tell you that things have changed.  Well, they haven’t – but only when it comes to raisins.  I love all sorts of dried fruit, but I still just can’t get myself to eat raisins.  Sometimes when I am in an all-day meeting, and they serve those boxed lunches – I chose the wrong one, and the cookie happens to be oatmeal raisin.  I can’t believe I am admitting this, but I discretely take the raisins out while I am eating the cookie.  Shhhh…don’t tell anyone.  I know, I am ashamed.  Put some cranberries or dried cherries in my cookies, I will gobble them up, but raisins…sorry.

I saw this recipe in Cooking Light – and I was so excited that it was missing that dreaded ingredient – I couldn’t believe it, because that is one of the main reasons why I tend to stay away from carrot cake.  I love it – but it ends up being a lot of work to eat.  I usually just make a good carrot cake sans the raisins, but here was a recipe that did it for me.  The cake turned out beautifully – so nice and moist, and the frosting – well, cream cheese frosting, need I say more?  I did omit the pecans that were supposed to be toasted and sprinkled on top, but that is another story for another day…

Ingredients

Cake:

  • 10 1/10 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 1/4 cups)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups grated carrot
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 6 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
  • Cooking spray

Frosting:

  • 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 ounce fromage blanc
  • 2 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare cake, weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ground cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add 2 cups grated carrot, tossing to combine.

Place granulated sugar, brown sugar, and 6 tablespoons butter in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Spread batter into a 13 x 9-inch metal baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 28 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake completely on a wire rack.

To prepare frosting, place softened cream cheese and next 4 ingredients (through 1/8 teaspoon salt) in a medium bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at medium speed until combined (don’t overbeat). Spread frosting evenly over top of cake. Sprinkle evenly with toasted pecans if desired.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Carrot Cake

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