Cakes – Page 7 – First Look, Then Cook

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Streusel Cake

Published on November 20, 2009November 20, 2009 by Dawn4 Comments

A few entries back I promised to post some of my all time favorite recipes from Gourmet Magazine, since November was their last issue. I saw this recipe and I was struck by the person who sent it in – she was living in Paris, and this cake always got rave reviews from the kids and their parents. Now, I studied in France when I was in college – and I know that people in France think that peanut butter is just disgusting. Nutella is their version of peanut butter. So, I knew by reading the recipe that there would not be a lot of peanut butter flavor in this cake – and I was right. Either that or the parents and kids she was talking about were also American. But, this is such a moist and delicious cake, and the chocolate chips really give it a perfect amount of sweetness – that I have made this over and over again. This is so easy to make, I can whip it up in less than 15 minutes – then into the oven it goes. It also stays good for a few days after you make it, as long as it is wrapped well. My husband eats it like a coffee cake in the morning; I like it as an after dinner treat.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 12-ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips (2 cups)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Combine first 4 ingredients in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat on low speed until streusel is blended and crumbly. Transfer 1 cup lightly packed streusel to small bowl and reserve. Add eggs, milk, vanilla, baking powder, and baking soda to remaining streusel in large bowl. Beat at low speed until evenly moist. Increase speed to medium and beat until well blended, scraping bowl occasionally, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1 cup chips. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Sprinkle with reserved 1 cup streusel and remaining 1 cup chips.

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, click here: Chocolate and Peanut Butter Streusel Cake

Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake

Published on November 11, 2009November 17, 2009 by Dawn3 Comments

A few entries back, I promised to post some of my all-time favorite recipes in Gourmet Magazine, since November was their very last issue. This recipe has been a fall favorite of mine for a few years now. Besides this being an easy cake to make – the subtle pumpkin flavor combined with the fall spices makes this a perfect cake that goes well with just about anything you make for dinner. Make sure you add the buttermilk to the icing really slowly – mix well before each tablespoon, and again before each teaspoon – just in case. You don’t want this icing to get too thin. The key to this icing is that it is very thick – if it is too thin, it will just soak right into the cake and become invisible. As soon as the icing hits the warm cake, it starts dripping all over the sides into a perfect topping. Trust me.

I have adapted this recipe only slightly from Gourmet.

Ingredients

For cake

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for greasing bundt pan
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting pan
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin (from a 15-ounce can; not pie filling)
3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs

For icing

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons well-shaken buttermilk
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

Special equipment: a 10-inch nonstick bundt pan (3 quart)

Preparation

Make cake:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter bundt pan generously, then dust with flour, knocking out excess.

Whisk together flour (2 1/4 cups), baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together pumpkin, 3/4 cup buttermilk, and vanilla in another bowl.

Beat butter (1 1/2 sticks) and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes, then add eggs and beat 1 minute. Reduce speed to low and add flour and pumpkin mixtures alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until batter is just smooth.

Spoon batter into pan, smoothing top, then bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 15 minutes, then invert rack over cake and reinvert cake onto rack. Cool 10 minutes more.

Make icing:
While cake is cooling, whisk together buttermilk and confectioners sugar until smooth. Drizzle icing over warm cake, then cool cake completely. Icing will harden slightly.

Cooks’ note: Cake can be made 3 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, click here: Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake

Olive Oil Cake

Published on October 12, 2009October 14, 2009 by Dawn2 Comments

When I saw the recipe for this cake, I just couldn’t imagine what an olive oil cake would taste like – in my mind it was still made with butter. I love olive oil, and just couldn’t resist making it. I was not disappointed. The texture was wonderful, and the orange peel paired beautifully with the olive oil flavor. This cake definitely wants to be eaten with a good strong cup of coffee. Make sure you use a mild olive oil or else it will definitely overpower the rest of the ingredients. This recipe comes from Manhattan’s Abraco Coffee Shop, and was printed in Bon Appetit.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp coarse kosher salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup mild-flavored organic olive oil
2 tsp finely grated orange peel

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325F. Oil and flour 9x5x3-inch metal loaf pan. Whisk first 5 ingredients in large bowl. Whisk eggs, milk, olive oil, and orange peel in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk egg mixture into dry ingredients. Transfer to prepared pan.

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 60 to 65 minutes. Cool in pan on rack 20 minutes. Invest pan to remove cake. Cool completely, top side up.

For a printer friendly recipe, click here: Olive Oil Cake

Chocolate-Cinnamon Bundt Cake with Mocha Icing

Published on September 26, 2009September 28, 2009 by Dawn1 Comment

Chocolate-Cinnamon Bundt Cake with Mocha Icing

This cake is not at all pleasing on the eyes, but it sure is delicious. It is even better if you eat it a day later…it just keeps getting moister. Make sure you use plenty of oil on the bundt pan, it was a little bit of a struggle to get it out, but unlike my last bundt cake, this one was at least in one piece at the end.

This recipe comes from Bon Appetit – what a keeper!

Ingredients

1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
4 teaspoons instant espresso powder, divided
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar, divided
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups mini semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously brush 12-to 15-cup nonstick Bundt pan with oil. Whisk 1 cup boiling water, cocoa powder, and 2 teaspoons espresso powder in 2-cup glass measure. Whisk 2 cups flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat 2 cups brown sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil, and 1 tablespoon vanilla in large bowl to blend. Add eggs; beat to blend. Beat mixture until smooth, about 30 seconds longer. Beat in half of flour mixture, then cocoa mixture. Add remaining flour mixture; beat to blend. Fold in 1 cup chocolate chips. Transfer batter to prepared Bundt pan.

Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool the cake 10 minutes. Invert cake onto rack; cool 15 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, stir remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons espresso powder, and 2 tablespoons water in small saucepan over medium heat until sugar melts. Remove from heat. Add butter and remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips; stir until butter and chocolate melt. Cool slightly. Using spoon, drizzle icing over cake. Cool cake completely, slice, and serve.

For a printer-friendly version, click here.