Posts from the ‘Cakes’ Category

Mar 8

Pairing Wines With Dessert Part 2

When Julian from Vino In Love and I first started talking about dessert wines and pairing wines with desserts I was so excited and thrilled that he agreed to collaborate with me on this. I sent him a list of desserts that I posted here on my blog and asked him to pair wines or spirits with the desserts. Here is the list and I can’t wait to try each of these. I am learning a lot from the wine experts that I am now following and I look forward to each of their posts. All of the desserts below are featured on my blog, to get the recipes just click on desserts on the category cloud. I didn’t include the recipes on this post because this is about the wine that you would eat with the dessert. You can pair the wine below the photo with a similar dessert without using the exact recipe. To locate these wines you can use this handy dandy tool http://www.wine-searcher.com/ or do like I do, contact your local wine merchant and see if they have them, if not, hopefully your favorite wine shoppe is as wonderful as mine and they can locate these wines for you. Below is the photo of the dessert and Julian’s excellent recommendations. Thank you so much Julian for helping me with this it was so much fun and a real learning experience for me and I hope for all those that follow my blog. Thank you!

Baked Pears

Stuffed pears en papillote + Donna Fugata – Passito di Pantelleria (intense white sweet wine from Sicily) More info on Donna Fugata: http://www.donnafugata.it/pagine/Homepage.aspx

Mosto Cotto Fig And Goat Cheese Tart

Fig and goat cheese tart + Trabucchi d’Illasi – Recioto della Valpolicella (red sweet wine from Veneto. Produced like Amarone but tastes even better.) More information: http://vinoinlove.com/2006-trabucchi-dillasi-amarone-della-valpolicella-doc/

Buttermilk Panna Cotta

Buttermilk panna cotta with mosto cotto Champagne grape syrup + Ceretto – Moscato d’Asti (light, sweet sparkling wine from Piedmont. More information on Ceretto: http://www.ceretto.com/

Pasti Ciotti

Pasticciotti filled with vanilla cream + Moscato di Trani or with a Passito di Trani (Sweet (sparkling) wine from Apulia; the same region where Pasticciotti are from). Here is a link for information on the wine: http://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-moscato+di+trani

Semolina Olive Oil Cake

Semolina olive oil cake + Trabucchi d’Illasi – Recioto di Soave (white sweet wine from the Veneto) Here is more information on this wine from Julians site: http://vinoinlove.com/2006-trabucchi-dillasi-recioto-di-soave-recioto-di-soave-docg/

Fire On Ice Light and Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta

Spicy chocolate panna cotta + Cognac (Brandy from France) NOTE from Suzanne: I am so glad that Julian paired this with cognac, I have been doing something right. I like to serve cognac with this type of dessert, I have Pierre Ferrand Cognac (It’s wonderful with this).

Feb 21

38 Comments

Cupcake Therapy

Cupcakes

I see so many beautiful cakes and cupcakes I decided I want to start honing my piping skills, I have never been very good at this and want to do better. I will experiment using different tips and techniques. These cupcakes are pretty basic, I used my recipe for white cake and Hershey’s cooked frosting (because it was easy). I love making swiss meringue buttercream frosting but the egg whites and all that butter on a practice run are not really practical. I have a long way to go before my piping skills look effortless. I have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and had surgery 2 years ago, my right hand is still weak and I still have nerve damage so this is difficult but good therapy.

Makes 24 regular size cupcakes or 12 jumbo

4 large egg whites at room temperature (1/2 cup egg whites)
1 1/2 cup sugar divided
2 1/4 cups cake flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup + 1 tbs vegetable oil
1 cup whole milk at room temperature + 1 tbs heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pre-Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake liners in the cupcake tins

In stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment beat egg whites until frothy, add 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tbs at a time beating after each addition. Continue beating until egg whites are thick and glossy. They should be stiff enough that when the beater or whisk is lifted they stay on the beater and don’t drop off.

In large mixing bowl sift flour, remaining 1 cup sugar and salt. Add the vegetable oil, milk,cream,and vanilla, beat with hand mixer on medium high speed for 2 minutes. Gently fold in the egg whites.

Pour into prepared pans and bake for 15=20 minutes or until lightly browned and cake tester comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes and invert onto cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

Recipe from Hershey’s

1 stick (4 oz) butter (I used salted)

2/3 cup natural cocoa (I used Hershey’s)

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup milk (divided)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp orange zest (optional)

Melt butter in saucepan, add the cocoa and powdered sugar and optional orange zest, mix with hand held mixer, add half the milk and vanilla and continue mixing until the frosting is smooth add the rest of the milk if you feel the frosting is too thick. If you are going to pipe the frosting you will need to cool the frosting first, I put in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Jan 27

52 Comments

Citrus Semolina Olive Oil Cake

I went to brunch with a friend and she said I had to taste a piece of this lovely citrusy rustic cake. One bite and I knew I had to try to recreate it. I thought it might be a semolina olive oil cake infused with citrus (It was an Italian Restaurant, Saraghina in Bed Stuy Brooklyn). I researched some recipes and came up with this recipe that I adapted from Epicurious. They made it in a 9″ springform pan ( I thought I had one but didn’t) so I decided to use a loaf pan. Their recipe also had candied orange slices on top which I decided not to do but instead rely on the juice and zest of the citrus to provide the citrus flavor. The cake is very moist and sweet, while the cake is hot you poke small holes with a thin skewer all over the cake and pour the warm syrup all over it, let it soak in and then pour some more. I am including the recipe with the original proportion of sugar in the cake but next time I make it I am going to reduce the sugar by half because the syrup really sweetens the cake. The pan is oiled with olive oil and the cake develops a lovely almost crisp exterior on the bottom and sides of the cake.

Citrus Semolina Olive Oil Cake

Makes 1 9 inch loaf or round cake

Syrup:

2 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cup water

1/4 cup orange or tangerine juice ( freshly squeezed)

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Zest of small orange or tangerine and zest of a lemon

Place all ingredients in saucepan, bring to a boil on high heat, reduce to medium high and boil for 8-10 minutes until sugar is completely dissolved.

Cake:

1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for pan

1/2 cup sugar divided (1/4 c will go in batter and 1/4 c in egg whites)

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup semolina flour (cornmeal can be subbed if you don’t have semolina)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

3 large eggs separated

2/3 cup plain yogurt

1/2 tsp kosher salt

zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush baking pan with olive oil, I recommend brushing pan with olive oil and line the bottom with parchment paper brush the parchment with oil as well. Whisk dry ingredients and set aside. Beat egg whites until frothy and add the 1/4 c sugar a tbs at a time until soft peaks form. Using electric mixer beat olive oil and 1/4 c sugar, add the egg yolks one at a time beating well with each addition. Add yogurt, zest, vanilla beat only until combined and add the dry ingredients beating just until combined. Fold in the egg whites and pour into prepared pan, smooth the top and bake 45-50 minutes until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, Remove from oven and while cake is still hot poke holes using toothpick or skewer all over the cake. Slowly drizzle 1/4 cup of the syrup on the cake and when it is absorbed another 1/4 cup of syrup is drizzled over the cake. Let it cool in the pan, to remove run knife or offset spatula around the edges to release and invert onto serving pan. I cut some parchment that fit into the bottom of the pan, that helped with the release.

Jan 8

20 Comments

Banana Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting And Salted Caramel

Banana Cupcake

I have a bunch of over ripe banana’s that need to be used ASAP, I have made loaf after loaf of banana bread and wanted something a little different so I decided to make cupcakes, banana cake is wonderful and something I haven’t made in a very long time. I saw this recipe for the cupcakes and caramel sauce on Martha Stewarts website and it sounded delicious. The homemade caramel sauce with banana cake and cream cheese icing sounds perfect.

I have to confess, I have never made caramel, real caramel before. For some reason I was intimidated by it, maybe it was the bubbling that occurs when you add the cream, or the fear of failure, who knows but I avoided making it until today. I have to admit this caramel sauce is wonderful, delicious and so easy to make, I didn’t even use my candy thermometer I simply went by the color of the caramel and it turned out perfectly. You can make the caramel sauce the day before the cupcakes so it is cooled sufficiently and thick enough to pipe onto the cupcakes. NOTE: I halved the recipe for caramel sauce.

Caramel

Caramel Sauce:

Makes 10 oz of sauce

1 cup granulated sugar

6 tbs unsalted butter cut into tbs size pieces

1/2 cup heavy cream

sea salt (I used Maldon flakes)

In medium size heavy bottom sauce pan add the sugar, turn the heat to medium/high and let the sugar start to melt, when you see that it’s melting start whisking the sugar, it will clump it’s ok keep whisking until it’s completely melted. Let it cook until it turns a deep amber color swirling the pot every now and then. Once it’s a deep amber color add the butter and whisk until sugar is incorporated. Remove from heat and add the heavy cream, whisk until combined and add a pinch or two of the sea salt. Let cool for 20 minutes and then pour into container, it will be thin but it thickens up beautifully.

Cupcakes:

Makes 24 regular size cupcakes or 12 jumbo

3 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
3 large eggs at room temperature
4 very ripe large bananas, mashed (about 2 cups)
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place liners in cupcake tins.

Whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition.

Reduce speed to low. Mix wet ingredients (bananas, buttermilk and vanilla) in a bowl. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with wet ingredients and ending with dry. Scrape sides of bowl. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each full.

Bake cupcakes until testers inserted into centers come out clean, about 20 minutes for jumbo cupcakes increase cooking time to 25-30 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese softened

8 oz unsalted butter softened

4-6 cups confectioners sugar

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Cream butter and cream cheese in stand mixer using paddle attachment, add the confectioners sugar a cup at a time beating until smooth and spreadable consistency, add the vanilla and mix until combined. Frost cupcakes immediately.

Pipe icing onto cupcakes and drizzle with caramel sauce. Enjoy!

Sep 19

37 Comments

Apple Cider Applesauce Coffee Cake

I make this recipe every year during apple season, it’s hands down one of my favorites. The cake is so moist and the aroma when baking is heavenly. I like to make homemade apple cider applesauce for the cake, it’s so easy and I think it really adds to the flavor of the cake, but using commercially made applesauce is perfectly acceptable. I saw this recipe in Martha Stewart Living magazine about 6 years ago. It’s loaded with apples, spices and is utterly delicious. I can’t wait for the apples to arrive at the farmers market this will be the first thing I make. My family loves it as do I. It keeps well and even tastes better the next day.

APPLE CIDER APPLESAUCE

1 pound juicy apples (Macintosh work very well) peeled. cored and cut into quarters
1/4 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon sugar, you can use white, turbinado or brown your choice
pinch of salt

Clean, peel, core and quarter the apples. Add to a medium saucepan. Add the cider, sugar and salt and boil until apples are soft. Remove from heat and mash (I used a potato masher) keep some small chunks of apples. Set aside to cool.

THE CRUMBLE TOPPING AND CAKE

The Crumble Topping
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar packed
1/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
3/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup toasted pecans chopped (If you have a nut allergy the nuts can be omitted)
The Cake
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cloves (Optional, I didn’t use, really don’t like cloves)
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons 1 stick unsalted butter softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
4 large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 cup apple cider applesauce
2 small juicy apples (Macintosh work very well) peeled and sliced
1/2 cup toasted pecans chopped OPTIONAL

Make your crumble topping. In small bowl combine the butter, sugar, oats,flour, cinnamon, salt and pecans mix with fork or by hand to combine. Set aside.
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat your tube pan with cooking spray or vegetable oil. (I recommend using a non stick pan) Sift flour, salt, baking soda and spices. Cream butter and white and brown sugar in your electric mixer until smooth about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time make sure egg is incorporated before you add another one. With mixer on low add the applesauce and then the flour mixture. Mix just until combined. Add the optional chopped pecans and fold in.
Pour batter into oiled pan. Place apple slices on top of cake tucking some into the batter,sprinkle on the crumble topping. Bake for 60-70 minutes check by inserting cake tester (I used a bamboo skewer) near the middle of the cake and it should come out clean. Remove from oven and let cake cool in pan on wire rack.
Remove from pan and if you do not serve immediately wrap in plastic wrap and store at room temperature until ready to serve. NOTE: if you make in a bundt pan like I did it could take some coaxing to get it out of the pan when cooled. It could be easier to remove from a tube pan because it does not have all the grooves that a bundt pan does.

May 25

10 Comments

Featured Recipe:Vegan Chocolate Cake And Almond Joy Ice Cream (Vegan)

Vegan Chocolate Cake

I have never really attempted vegan baking before, flourless chocolate cake, yes, but never egg or dairy free. I saw this recipe on a wonderful website Go Bake Yourself, Choc Chip Uru, a very talented young Australian cook and blogger participated in a Virtual Vegan Potluck and adapted this recipe making a few minor changes. Uru provided a link to another beautiful blog Not Quite Nigella also from Australia.The author is Lorraine Elliott, who by the way has a cookbook coming out this year. I was really impressed with the beauty of her website, she is an amazing photographer and her posts are engrossing and beautifully written, and of course her recipes are amazing. I had to make this dessert, and I was thrilled that a vegan friend of mine happened to be coming over for dinner. I followed her recipe making only one minor change, instead of adding water I used coconut milk. I am in love with this cake, if I didn’t tell you it’s vegan you would never know. The cake is tender, rises beautifully, has a gorgeous crumb. Instead of making a cake I used my mini bundt pan and made individual bundt cakes. Thank you Lorraine for such a great recipe and also to Choc Chip Uru for introducing me to her website through your wonderful blog.

I also wanted to serve ice cream with the cake and again had never made a vegan ice cream, sorbet yes, but never dairy free ice cream. I used coconut milk both canned and Silk brand in a carton, I added toasted coconut, brown sugar and a generous chocolate swirl. When I tasted it, I was reminded of an Almond Joy candy bar, so thats what I called this ice cream. Since there are no eggs involved I used the method Jeni of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream uses, making a pudding, using cornstarch as a thickener for the coconut milk. It’s genius and absolutely amazing ice cream.

The dessert was a huge hit, so I asked if I could post the recipe for this amazing cake and Lorraine generously gave me permission. Please visit both websites. These Aussie girls really have wonderful blogs and fantastic recipes.

Chocolately Rich Vegan Chocolate Cake (Egg & Dairy Free)

An Original Recipe by Not Quite Nigella

1.5 cups plain or all purpose flour
1.5 cups brown sugar
6 tablespoons cocoa, sifted
1.5 teaspoons bi carbonate of soda
1 teaspoon salt
1.5 cups water
1/2 cup mild flavoured vegetable oil (eg. canola oil)
3 tablespoons white vinegar
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
75g/2.5oz dark chocolate (dairy free) finely chopped

Chocolate syrup or icing

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup icing or confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon cocoa
100g/3.5ozs dark chocolate, roughly chopped

1. Line a 20cm round baking tin with parchment and preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix together. In a jug mix the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Stir in chocolate and then pour into the prepared tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

2. While it is baking, prepare the syrup. Heat the water, icing or confectioners sugar and cocoa until boiling and syrup – this may take a few minutes but you do want this syrupy. When thick add the chocolate and then whisk to remove any lumps and melt the chocolate.

3. When the cake is ready, take out of the oven and leaving it in the tin, poke tiny holes with a skewer. While it is still warm, gently pour the syrup over the cake and allow to cool completely before taking it out of the tin. Alternatively, if you allow this to cool and partially set, it takes on the consistency of icing and you can spread it out over the top which is what I did (who knew that inattentiveness would pay off?

Almond Joy Vegan Ice Cream

Almond Joy Ice Cream

1 can full fat unsweetened coconut milk (13.5 oz)

2 cup Coconut milk (I used Silk all natural in a carton)

1/2 cup light brown sugar (lightly packed)

4 tsp cornstarch

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

3 tbs corn syrup

1/2 cup toasted coconut

1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds

Chocolate Swirl

4 oz dark chocolate chopped

1/4 cup coconut milk

3 tbs corn syrup

Preheat oven to 325, spread coconut on half sheet pan and toast in the oven until the coconut is lightly browned. Move the coconut around occasionally so that it browns evenly. This should take about 15 minutes.

To medium size saucepan add the coconut milk, sugar and cornstarch, whisk until smooth and cook over med/high heat until mixture thickens, it will coat the back of a spoon, swipe your finger making a line that will remain intact, it will be slightly thick. Remove from heat and add the vanilla and toasted coconut. Pour into a heat proof container, let it come to room temperature and then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, overnight is preferable.

When you are ready to process in your ice cream maker stir in 3 tbs of corn syrup, this will help it to be a bit softer so it’s easy to scoop. (You can also add 2 tbs vodka this also helps it not to be hard when frozen, I added both the corn syrup and vodka) Add to your ice cream maker following manufacturers instructions. Just before ice cream is ready add the chopped nuts. Remove to freezer container when it’s the consistency of soft serve ice cream.

While ice cream is churning make the chocolate swirl, heat the coconut milk in microwave for 50 seconds, add the chopped chocolate, let sit for a minute or two until chocolate is soft,(if the chocolate is not completely melted put back in microwave for 10 seconds) stir in the corn syrup and stir until its smooth and silky.

To make the chocolate swirl, drizzle some of the cooled chocolate mixture on top of the ice cream and using a butter knife swirl it around, you can do this adding chocolate until you are satisfied with the amount of chocolate swirled into it.

Place in freezer for several hours until it reaches a scoopable consistency.

Apr 19

32 Comments

Bake Together- Thai Inspired Angel Food Cake With Coconut Lime Whipped Cream

This months Bake Together with the always fabulous Abby Dodge is angel food cake. This cake is inspired by the flavors of Thailand using thai basil, coconut, lemongrass and lime. I used Abby’s cake recipe as the base and added my own touches. For the cake I infused the sugar with lemon grass, and add the lime zest and thai basil to the batter, the cake has lovely green flecks from the basil and lime and a subtle lemongrass flavor. The whipped cream is also inspired by many of the same flavors, in the food processor I ground confectioners sugar and coconut flakes and let the sugar infuse with the coconut, I then sifted it before adding to the whipped cream so it would be smooth and creamy (you don’t have to sift if you want a little texture) and whipped in some coconut cream and a little lime zest. I put the can of coconut milk in the refrigerator the night before making the cake, when you open the can use the thick coconut cream on the top don’t mix it with the liquid beneath.

The Cake:

1 cup (4 ounces)cake flour

1 1/4 cup (5 ounces) confectioners’sugar

1/4 teaspoon table salt

11 large (1 1/3 cups) egg whites, at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 cup (7 ounces) sugar

1 1/2 tsp lime zest

2 tsp tender inner stalk of lemongrass (chopped)

4 stalks thai basil, leaves removed and very finely chopped

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Add 1 cup sugar to food processor with the lemongrass, process until fully combined and there are no large pieces of the lemongrass. Sift before adding to the egg whites.
Sift flour, confectioners sugar and salt three times and set aside.
Using either a stand or hand held mixer fitted with whisk attachment beat egg whites on med/low until they become foamy. Add the cream of tartar and increase speed to medium speed. Beat until the egg whites form soft peaks, now sift (to remove any pieces of the lemongrass) and add the infused sugar a tbs at a time, add the lime zest and increase speed to med/high and beat until the whites are thick and shiny and form medium firm peaks (Be careful not to over beat)

Sift 1/4 of the flour mixture over the beaten whites. Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the whites. Repeat with remaining flour mixture, one quarter at a time. With the last installment of flour add the chopped basil.
Using the spatula to gently coax the batter, pour evenly into the prepared pan. Smooth the top. Bake until the cake is light golden brown and the cake is springy when touched, about 40 minutes. Immediately invert the pan onto the counter if the pan has feet or if it doesn’t, invert the pan sliding the center tube onto the neck of the bottle. Let cool completely.
To remove the cake, rotate the pan, gently tapping the bottom edge of the cake pan on the counter as you turn it until the cake loosens from the pan. If necessary, run a long, thin knife between the cake and the pan and around the inside of the tube to loosen the cake. Slip the cake from the pan and gently lift it up from the center of the pan and arrange on a flat serving plate.

Coconut Lime Whipped Cream

1/2 tsp lime zest

1/4 cup sweetened or unsweetened (your choice) coconut flakes

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

1 1/2 cups very cold heavy cream

3 tbs full fat cold coconut cream (skimmed from the can of milk)

Chilled bowl and beaters

While the cake is cooling infuse the sugar with the coconut. Add 1/2 cup confectioners sugar to bowl of food processor, and 1/4 cup coconut flakes and pulse until combined and very fine. Place in covered container and let sit until you are ready to whip the cream.

Sift the confectioners sugar to removed any pieces of coconut. In mixing bowl pour the very cold heavy cream into a chilled bowl, Using either hand held mixer or stand mixer whip until it starts to thicken, add the cold coconut milk (NOTE: Scoop the cream from the top don’t mix it up), lime zest and infused confectioners sugar (taste to test for sweetness you may not need to use all of the infused sugar) and whip until billowy and soft peaks form. Serve with the cake.

Mar 28

39 Comments

White Cake With Whipped Cream Icing and Blackberry Lemon Cream Filling

I have found a great recipe for yellow and chocolate cake but still continued my search for a white cake recipe, a cake that is moist and tender. I decided to try tweaking my yellow cake recipe to make it white and it worked beautifully. The cake is exactly what I was looking for. I spread a thin layer of blackberry lemon cream on the bottom layer and made a whipped cream icing using some of the Blackberry cream mixed in which acted as a stabilizer. It’s delicious, the icing is not too sweet and has a subtle blackberry lemon flavor. Added plus, it’s a beautiful shade of lavender.

Cake:

4 large egg whites at room temperature (1/2 cup egg whites)
1 1/2 cup sugar divided
2 1/4 cups cake flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup + 1 tbs vegetable oil
1 cup whole milk at room temperature + 1 tbs heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pre-Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter or spray with cooking spray 2 9 inch round baking pans, place parchment round in each, spray or butter again and coat with flour. Set aside.

In large mixing bowl sift flour, remaining 1 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the vegetable oil, milk,cream,and vanilla, beat with hand mixer on medium high speed for 2 minutes. Gently fold in the egg whites.

Pour into prepared pans and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned and cake tester comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes and invert onto cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

Frosts a 9 inch layer cake

1 pint cold heavy cream

1/4 cup + 2 tbs confectioners sugar

1/3 cup blackberry lemon cream

Get the mixing bowl and beaters cold by putting into the freezer for 15 minutes. Remove from freezer and either using a stand or hand held mixer add the heavy cream and confectioners sugar and whip until its thick, add the blackberry lemon cream and continue whipping until it is the desired consistency.

Spread a thin layer of the blackberry lemon cream on the cake layer and then spread some of the whipped cream on top of that. Place top layer on and frost the rest of the cake.

Mar 22

20 Comments

Featured Recipe: Chocolate Stout Cake With Cream Cheese/Mascarpone Frosting

Chocolate Stout Cake with Cream Cheese/Mascarpone Frosting

An amazing cook, Liz aka mrslarkin on food52 posted this recipe a while ago. I had made a mental note to try it, but forgot until the other day when I saw her tweet a picture of the cake she made for her daughters birthday. It looked so good I just had to make it, she added red gel color to make it a red velvet cake and frosted with cream cheese icing. I asked her if I could feature the cake here and she graciously gave me permission. I think what really makes this cake special is the addition of Guinness Stout, strong coffee, sour cream and butter. It’s so moist, tender and flavorful with a wonderful crumb and it’s not overwhelmingly sweet either, honestly, its one of the best chocolate cakes I have ever had. I’ve talked about the cake now let me tell you about Liz, she is a tremendously talented cook and baker, she is the Pound Ridge Scone Lady, you can find her selling her delicious scones and baked goods every week at the farmers market. She is a contest winner on Food52 whose recipe for Lemon Posset was published in the first Food52 cookbook. You will also find her recipe for Butternut Sage Scones which will be in the second Food52 cookbook due out this October. When you just have to have a cookie, why not make her addictive and delicious Chubby Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. You can view all 134 of Liz’s recipes on Food52. Be prepared you will want to make all of them, and be sure to look her up if you are ever in Pound Ridge New York at the farmers market and sample her delicious baked goods.

Makes: A 9 inch layer cake or 24 cupcakes

The Cake:

1/2 cup Guinness Stout

1/2 cup espresso, or strong black coffee

3/4 cups cocoa powder

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup light brown sugar (press out any lumps)

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (press out any lumps)

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

3/4 cups sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set oven rack to middle. Butter two 9 inch round baking pans, line with parchment, then butter again and dust with flour or unsweetened cocoa powder.

Warm the stout and coffee. I do this in the microwave for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, then add butter and stir until melted. Add cocoa powder and vanilla, and stir till combined.

In large bowl, combine flour, sugars, baking soda and salt.

n mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix together the eggs and sour cream. Pour in chocolate mixture and mix slowly. Gradually add flour mixture and gently mix until it is all combined. Pour batter into baking pans dividing evenly.

Bake for 30 minutes. Check with a cake tester to be sure – it should come out clean. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes, then remove cakes from pan(s) and set on cooling rack to cool completely.

Liz made a cream cheese frosting for the cake, I used the recipe I always use.

Cream Cheese,Mascarpone Frosting:

6 oz cream cheese at room temperature

6 oz mascarpone at room temperature

6 oz butter at room temperature

Enough confectioners sugar to make it spreadable you can make it to suit your taste. I find it usually takes about 4-5 cups

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

In electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment cream the cream cheese, mascarpone and butter until smooth, add the confectioners sugar a cup at a time until you reach the desired sweetness and consistency, add the vanilla and beat just to combine.

Frost the completely cooled cake and enjoy!

Feb 8

15 Comments

Triple Chocolate Cake

When I think about dessert on Valentines Day chocolate immediately comes to mind. For this cake I used my simple chocolate cupcake/ cake recipe filled it with white chocolate mousse and topped it with milk chocolate ganache. Moist chocolate cake with a creamy light mousse filling and heavenly ganache, it doesn’t get much better than that, especially if you are a chocolate lover. We don’t need a holiday to enjoy cake but if you are looking for a great chocolate cake to enjoy on V-Day I recommend you give this a try. You can use your favorite chocolate cake recipe. No need to garnish with whipped cream or ice cream its great just like it is.

White Chocolate Mousse

2 tsp powdered gelatin

6 ounces white chocolate chopped

1 1/2 cup heavy cream

Dissolve gelatin in 2 tbs of cold water. Set aside for 5 minutes. Place chocolate in food processor and pulse until finely chopped.

Prepare an ice bath. Place 1/2 cup heavy cream in small saucepan, bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add the gelatin and stir to dissolve. Pour into food processor with chocolate while the motor is running, process until smooth.

Place in ice bath until mixture is thick and falls from a spoon in ribbons.

Whip remaining heavy cream and gently fold into cooled chocolate mixture. Place in airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Milk Chocolate Ganache

8 oz good quality milk chocolate (I used Valhrona)

1 cup heavy cream

Chop chocolate into very small pieces and place in medium size mixing bowl, bring cream to a boil and pour over chocolate. Let sit for 3 minutes, stir until smooth and shiny. Cover and refrigerate until it’s spreadable (approximately 1 1/2-2 hours)

The cake:

Place one cake layer on serving plate, spoon the mousse on and spread, you may not need to use all of the mousse it will be very thick I used about half, place other layer on top, pour and spread the ganache on the cake. Refrigerate if not serving immediately. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving if it was refrigerated.