S'mores Layer Cake

Right before my birthday this year I posted on facebook a couple of times that I was getting ready to choose my birthday cake.  Usually it takes about a month (the time frame between my husband's birthday and mine) to decide but this year seemed busier than usual and my birthday was getting closer and I still didn't have a cake picked out.  SO, a week or two before my birthday hubby and I were out to a play and waiting for it to start so I whip out my phone and we scroll through alllllllll the cakes I have pinned (seriously there's a ton!).  When I saw this one, at the very end mind you, I knew it was the one.  I LOVE anything s'mores and this cake looked just absolutely delicious.  Plus, it's from Smitten Kitchen, so I knew I couldn't go wrong.

I was so, so happy with this cake!  Luckily I was able to share with a bunch of people, otherwise I would have been in BIG trouble.  I love how the cake tastes exactly like graham crackers and the ganache practically melts in your mouth, like it had been melted by the campfire.  I go for a classic s'more and to me that's only with milk chocolate, which it weird because otherwise I pretty much only like dark.  I really like the taste of Hershey's milk chocolate, that's what I always use when making s'mores.  Feel free to use something different but whichever chocolate you choose, make sure it's good quality.  Since the ganache is basically only cream and chocolate the flavor really counts.


S'mores Layer Cake
for the cake:
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups honey graham cracker crumbs (about 1 1/2 sleeves of crackers processed until it's a powder)
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups buttermilk, well shaken and at room temperature

for the milk chocolate ganache:
16 oz good quality milk chocolate
1 1/3 cup heavy cream
pinch of salt

for the meringue frosting:
4 egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

mini marshmallows, for extra garnish, if desired


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease 2 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, then grease the top of the parchment. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking soda and powder, salt and cinnamon. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together butter and sugars until they are light and fluffy; about 2-3 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.  Add the flour mixture alternating with the buttermilk, in three additions. Scrape down the sides and mix until just combined.

Divide the batter between the two cake pans and bake about 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pans about 10 minutes then remove from pans and cool completely on a wire rack.  Wrap each cake in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator at least 30 minutes (I typically refrigerate overnight.) *NOTE: This cake is very soft and tender, especially when it's still a little warm. When lifting and wrapping the cake be very careful so it doesn't break.

To make the ganache place the heavy cream and salt in a sauce pan and barely bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Add the chocolate chips, cover and remove from heat.  Let sit 5 minutes.  After 5 minutes, remove lid and whisk until chocolate is completely incorporated and mixture is smooth and sheen. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until firm enough to spread on the cake.

To make the meringue frosting, place the egg whites, cream of tartar and sugar in a heat proof bowl.  Place over a simmering pot of water and whisk constantly for about 3 minutes, until sugar is dissolved and it's warm to the touch.  Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, or use electric beaters.  Beat until stiff glossy peaks form, 4-7 minutes then add vanilla and mix in.

To assemble the cake, remove from the fridge and unwrap.  Using a long serrated knife carefully slice each cake in half.  Place the bottom half of one cake on cake plate.  Spread with about 1/3 of the ganache.  Place top half on top of the ganache and then spread another 1/3 of the ganache over that.  Place the top half of the second cake top down over the second layer of ganache.  Spread with remaining ganache and place the bottom half of the second cake, bottom up, on the very top. Quickly do a crumb coat with the meringue and place in the fridge about 10-15 minutes to let it set a bit.  Bring it back out and generously frost the cake, with extra marshmallows for garnish, as desired.  Brown with a kitchen torch. Keep leftovers covered and refrigerated.



SOURCE: Smitten Kitchen Cookbook


Some of my other favorite birthday cakes:
Cherry Chocolate Cake (#1 FAVE made this so many times!)
Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cake
Neapolitan Layer Cake
Snickerdoodle Cake
Sweet and Salty Cake

Fresh Lemon Cake

There are a few things that I remember eating growing up that will I will always remember my mom making for our family.  One is homemade pizza on a cookie sheet, another is a plain old pot of ham beans.  So simple but some of my all time favorites.  My mom's lemonade cake probably made an appearance as dessert more times than I can remember.  My dad and I LOVE all things lemon so that's probably a huge factor in why we had her cake so much.  Another is that it's so quick and easy.

Fast forward many years.  I still like to make some old favorites; sometimes a little more healthy, sometimes with my own twist or sometimes just more home-made. That's where this cake comes in. I don't use mixes much anymore so I wanted to update my old recipe to use fresh ingredients, ones that I had on hand.  I loved the result.  The cake was so moist and tender and the lemon flavor was perfect. 

If you're looking for a spring dessert this is it! Perfect for any Easter gathering.  

Fresh Lemonade Cake
for the cake:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cake flour (or 3/4 cup all-purpose flour + 2 Tbsp. cornstarch, sifted) 
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. butter, softened
3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. sugar
zest of one lemon
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
juice of half a lemon (about 2 Tbsp.)
1/2 cup  + 2 Tbsp. milk at room temperature

for the glaze:
juice of 1 1/2 lemons (about 1/3 cup)
3/4 cup powdered sugar


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour an 8 or 9-inch round baking pan and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flours, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment, cream together butter, sugar and lemon zest.  Cream until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition.  Add vanilla lemon juice and milk and mix until combined.

Add in sifted ingredients and gently mix until just incorporated.  Pour batter into prepared baking pan and bake for 25-27 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and top is slightly browned.  Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack.

In the meantime, combine the juice of the 1 1/2 lemons with the powdered sugar and whisk until mixed well (some lumps are ok).

While cake is still warm, but not hot, take a fork and poke holes all over the cake.  Slowly spoon on glaze, one spoonful at a time, letting it soak in before the next spoonful, until all the glaze is gone.  Cool cake completely and serve.

SOURCE: Cake from Annie's Eats

Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cake

This was my birthday cake this year and I'd say I spoiled myself!  I haven't indulged this much in a long time! But birthdays for me are that time of year where you can break all the rules, eat whatever you want make it all about YOU.  It's ok for one day a year....tomorrow I can go back to everything being about mostly everyone else (just fine by me), and eating more green things than brown (aka chocolate).  In my defense I did drink a green smoothie today AND ate a green salad as my dinner...so it all balances out right?

So, I think I actually wanted to make this cake for my birthday two years ago but it didn't happen, and last year either, so this was the year.  I do have to admit that while I love the cake as a whole, the chocolate cake recipe I used is not my favorite, a bit dense and crumbly for this type of cake. So, the chocolate cake recipe below is one I've made for a previous cake, and is lighter with a more tender crumb. 

Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cake

for the cake:
1 3/4 cup plus all-purpose flour
12 Tbsp. dark cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

for the ganache filling:
4 oz. heavy cream (1/2 cup)
4 oz. dark chocolate, chopped

for the raspberry filling:
1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. water

for the raspberry buttercream:
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
4 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp. strained raspberry puree (need about 1/4 cup frozen raspberries)

for the chocolate glaze:
2 oz. dark chocolate
2 oz. heavy cream (1/4 cup)
2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract

for garnish:
a small handful of fresh raspberries (about 3 oz.)

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Grease and flour the edges of 2, 9-inch, round cake pans, shaking out the excess flour. Line the bottom with a round of parchment. In a small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt; whisk to blend and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the sugar, oil and eggs. Beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, blend in half of the dry ingredients, beating just until incorporated. Blend in the buttermilk and vanilla just until smooth. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake, rotating halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, then turn the cake out onto the rack and let cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least an hour, up to overnight. (note: I usually bake the cake part the night before and once it's cooled, wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge so it's nice and firm to work with the next day.)

Next, prepare the raspberry and ganache fillings.  In a small saucepan boil raspberries, sugar and water.  Boil about 5 minutes, until mixture thickens slightly. Set aside to cool.  For the ganache, chop chocolate and place in a bowl.  Bring cream just to a boil then remove from heat and pour over chocolate.  Cover with a clean plate and let sit about 4-5 minutes.  Stir chocolate and cream together until smooth and allow to cool a bit.

While ganache is cooling, carefully cut each cake round in half vertically, making two layers. (note: you may have to level your cake off a bit first.)  Place bottom layer of one cake round on a cake plate or other flat serving dish. Pour half of the raspberry filling on the layer and spread out just about to the edges.  Replace the top layer of first cake round, making sure edges are even and flush with each other.  Next, pour the ganache over the layer you just placed down and spread it evenly out all the way to the edges.  Refrigerate until firm, about 10-15 minutes. 

Remove cake from fridge.  Next take the TOP layer of the remaining cake round and invert it over the ganache layer.  Spread the other half of the raspberry filling on top, then place the last layer of cake on top of the raspberry filling BOTTOM UP!

Next prepare raspberry buttercream.  Puree about 1/4 cup raspberries and strain through either cheesecloth or a fine mesh sieve.  (note:you can also boil them a minute or two to get more juice out of them.) Set aside to cool.  In a mixing bowl fitted with a whisk attachment, place butter and whisk about 2 minutes.  Add strained raspberry puree and powdered sugar and whisk again another 2-3 minutes, until light an fluffy. 

Crumb coat the cake.  Take a very thin layer of frosting and coat top and sides of cake.  Chill about 10 minutes.  Remove cake and frost the top and sides of the cake with the rest of the frosting.

To make the glaze prepare chocolate and cream as for the ganache.  Stir chocolate and cream until smooth and combined.  Add in corn syrup and vanilla extract.  Allow to cool a bit; enough so that you can pour it and it will make it's way slowly over the edge, but not so thin that it all goes over quickly. Pour glaze; allow to drip over edges.  Garnish with fresh raspberries and chill about 10 minutes before serving. 

(yes, that is finger swipe in the frosting; my daughter's to be exact!)

 

 

 

 

SOURCE: Inspired by Annie's Eats

 



Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

Apples are one of my favorite things about fall. Almost every year for the past 5 or 6 years we find a local apple orchard and take our kids to pick apples. It's the whole experience of being together, picking delicious home grown fruit, then taking it home to eat and make into wonderful things!

This year must have been a bad year for apples because several of the orchards we tried to go to said they hardly had any and there were none left to pick-bummer! So, instead, I ordered a box of LOVELY honey crisps from our local CSA and have been thrilled to have them even though we didn't pick them.

Honey crisps are my absolute favorite apple. They are sweet and mild and nice and crisp and keep a long time under the right circumstances. They are the perfect apple for this dessert. They compliment the dense sweetness of the cake and the slight saltiness of the caramel sauce. I made this cake within hours of finding the recipe and it was gone in less than 24! And I've been craving it ever since! It's mouth-watering and delicious. It would be a beautiful addition to any family gathering or holiday party this season.

Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

For the caramel sauce:

1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. thawed apple juice concentrate
4 Tbsp. butter
pinch salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Mix the brown sugar, heavy cream, apple juice concentrate, butter, salt and cinnamon in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook while whisking gently for 5 to 7 minutes, until it gets thicker. Add the vanilla and cook another minute to thicken further. Turn off the heat, cool slightly.

 

For the cake:

2 medium cooking apples (I used Honey Crisp)
3/4 cup oil (I used coconut oil, melted)
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 Tbsp. thawed apple juice concentrate
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cups flour

1 large apple, peeled and shredded (I used Honey Crisp)

3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly grease a 9-inch round cake pan at least 2-inches deep.  Line the bottom with parchment, and grease the parchment.  Make sure you measure your pan.  If it's pretty close to 2 inches deep, make sure you put the pan on a cookie sheet in case of any spills.

Peel and slice the 2 medium apples into 1/4-inch thick wedges.  Overlap the apple wedges in a ring around the bottom of the pan.  Pour about 1/3-1/2 cup of the caramel sauce over the apples and set it aside.
 
To make the cake, beat the oil, brown sugar, apple juice concentrate, eggs, spices and salt together for 2 minutes on medium speed.  Add the flour and baking soda and mix to combine.  Fold in the shredded apple and nuts, if desired, until just incorporated.
 
Drop batter by scoops on top of the apples in the pan, gently spreading to even out and cover the bottom. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until cake tester inserted near center comes out clean.
 
Let cake cool in pan for 5 minutes.  Run a spatula around the edge to loosen it, then turn cake out onto a serving plate, bottom side up.  Pour reserved caramel sauce over the top of the cake and serve warm or room temperature.

SOURCE: Cake from King Arthur Flour and sauce adapted from Pioneer Woman

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

'Tis the season to make anything apple. I'm always looking for a reason to make a yummy dessert and Sunday night family dinner is no better time. In the fall I crave anything with apple, from pancakes, to oatmeal.

This is a simple dessert with a taste that will blow the socks off of anyone! It may seem like a lot of steps but it really comes together quickly. I used the leftover caramel sauce from these pancakes but feel free to use store bought if you prefer.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

For the crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

For the cheesecake filling:

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the apple topping:

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped 

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg 

 

For the streusel topping:

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour 

1 tsp. cinnamon 

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 cup quick cooking oats

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1/2 cup caramel sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

 

In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or 2 knives) until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9x13 baking pan sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned. 

 

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Beat to combine. Pour over warm crust. 

 

In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture.

For the streusel topping,  combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Cut butter until mixture is crumbly and resembles a coarse meal.

Sprinkle streusel topping over apples. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set. Filling should look a little wiggly in the center but firm everywhere else.  Cheesecake will finish setting once cooled.

 

Once cooled but still warm, cut into squares, drizzle with caramel sauce and whipped topping, if desired.

SOURCE: Adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything

Snickerdoodle Cake

I'm so lucky, I get to make desserts and goodies most often for our family parties, usually once or twice a month. It's almost my favorite thing to do, next to sleeping (not that I get any) and eating chocolate. I happened upon this cake on pinterest, no surprise there. I remembered the ONE time I made my girls snickerdoodle cookies instead of chocolate chip and they couldn't stop eating them! They were the new favorite around here. Then I remembered these snickerdoodle muffins that my sister makes, which are heavenly and I decided that this cake was probably worth a shot.

I'm so glad I tried it, it totally was worth the shot. The cake baked up beautifully and was dense and moist. The frosting is absolutely heavenly; incredibly creamy and totally unique. The brown sugar in it gives you little bursts of flavor and texture with every bite.

I liked this cake more than I thought I would and can't wait to make it again. It is on the sweeter side, so when you dish up, make sure you have a tall glass of milk!

Snickerdoodle Cake
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 cups milk, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans.

In a mixing bowl, sift together the flours, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside. Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy and pale in color. Beat the eggs in one at a time, then add the vanilla.

Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk in three 3 batches, starting and ending with the dry. Scrape down bowl as necessary.

Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and bake, rotating midway through, for about 35 minutes or until the cake tests done.

Let the cakes cool in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes before turning out onto the racks to finish cooling. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate (preferable overnight).


Brown Sugar Buttercream
3 sticks butter, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
6 cups powdered sugar
6 Tbsp. heavy cream

Mix butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Alternating, add powdered sugar and heavy cream. Beat 1-2 minutes longer until light and fluffy.


To assemble the cake:Slice each of the chilled cake layers in half horizontally. Place one of the bottom layers on a cake board or platter. Top with a layer of frosting, spreading evenly as you go. Repeat with remaining layers. Crumb coat the top and sides (very thin layer-you will still be able to see the cake in some spots), then refrigerate for about 30 minutes. With the remaining buttercream, frost the top and sides again, smoothing it out evenly as you go. Refrigerate for about an hour or so before serving.




SOURCE:Slightly adapted from Always with Butter

Dulce de Leche Banana Trifle

I have a love-hate relationship with trifles. First of all, I love them because they are totally a fool-proof dessert, you can't mess them up if you tried and they have lots of layers of deliciousness. Buuuuuuuuuuuuuut, I hate, hate, hate trying to photograph them! I am by no means a great, or even good, photographer, so I have no skills in trying to take a nice picture of these tricky things.

Lately trifle has been my go-to dessert when I need something for a crowd and there is NEVER ANY LEFT! I guess that's a good thing, or I'd be scooping that stuff right out of the bowl and into my mouth. This trifle is no different. I stumbled upon it a while ago but finally found the right occasion to make it a few weeks ago. I was teaching an Italian-themed cooking class at my home for some girls in my church and this just fit.

Seriously, I couldn't believe my mouth when I had the first bite of this stuff-SO delicious! And rich. Don't think you can get away with eating just one bite of it either. And you may just have to add a few more miles on the treadmill for it as well.

I've actually made this a couple of times and I have to admit the first time I made it I accidentally bought sweetened condensed milk instead of dulce de leche. I used it anyway because really, it's the same stuff, just not cooked down as long, and even though it has a different flavor it was still really delicious. So, you know, just use which ever one you want.

Dulce de Leche Banana Trifle
1 box white cake mix
8 ounces mascarpone cheese,
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 can dulce de leche
3 ripe bananas
1 package toffee bits

Make cake mix according to package instructions in a 9x13 baking pan. Cool completely and cut into 1-inch cubes.

In a mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the mascarpone cheese. Slowly add the heavy cream and whisk on high making sure the cream is incorporated into the cheese. Scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically. Whisk until the mixture is thick and forms soft peaks. Add the vanilla and sugar, mix.

In a trifle bowl, layer 1/3 of cake cubes, 1/3 of the dulce de leche, 1/3 of the bananas, 1/3 of the mascarpone cream, and 1/3 of the toffee bits. Repeat two more times. Cover and chill, at least 1 hour, or until ready to serve.


SOURCE: Adapted from Stonewall Kitchen

Neapolitan Layer Cake

Ok, I thought it was high time I got this cake posted. I made it for my three-year-old's birthday the beginning of December and I've been wanting to post it ever since. I wanted my daughter to help choose her cake so we sat down together and looked and some pictures of yummy cakes. She chose this one because it was PINK!!! Go figure, she's such a girl.

Actually, this cake was really delicious, despite being chosen mainly for it's color. I loved each and every layer. The original frosting, however, I wasn't crazy about, so I tweaked it and came up with what you see here.

This cake comes together pretty easily, although it may look hard. Two things I would suggest in making this cake is to leave yourself plenty of time and chill, chill, chill!!! I made the cake layers the day before I planned on putting it together so they could chill in the fridge overnight. A chilled cake is also much easier to cut and very helpful when applying your crumb coat.


Neapolitan Layer Cake

For the chocolate cake:
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
6 Tbsp. dark cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 large egg
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the white cake:
2 large egg whites
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup very cold water
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract

For the strawberry cake:
1 1/4 cups plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1.5 oz. strawberry gelatin
8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup sweetened strawberry puree*

For the filling:
Vanilla buttercream or good quality strawberry jam (I actually had plenty of strawberry frosting leftover, I could have used a thin layer as the filling.)

For the strawberry buttercream frosting:
1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries (8 oz.), rinsed, hulled and coarsely chopped*
4 large egg whites
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar

*To make the strawberry puree, process partially thawed frozen strawberries with a bit of sugar in a blender or food processor until smooth. If using sweetened frozen strawberries, no additional sugar is necessary.

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. To make the chocolate cake, butter and flour the edges of a 9-inch round pan, shaking out the excess flour. Line the bottom with a round of parchment. In a small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt; whisk to blend and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the sugar, vegetable oil and egg. Beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, blend in half of the dry ingredients, beating just until incorporated. Blend in the buttermilk and vanilla just until smooth. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake, rotating halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, then turn the cake out onto the rack and let cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least an hour, up to overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. To make the white cake, butter and flour the edges of a 9-inch round pan, shaking out the excess flour. Line the bottom with a round of parchment. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; whisk to blend and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Increase speed to medium high and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.

Transfer the egg whites to another bowl and set aside. In the bowl of the electric mixer now fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar and butter, and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, beat in half of the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Blend in the water, vanilla and almond extracts. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients just until incorporated. With a silicone spatula, stir in about a quarter of the egg whites to lighten the batter. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites, until the batter is smooth and no streaks remain.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake, rotating halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, then turn the cake out onto the rack and let cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least an hour, up to overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. To make the strawberry cake, butter and flour the edges of a 9-inch round pan, shaking out the excess flour. Line the bottom with a round of parchment. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; whisk to blend and set aside. Combine the sugar, strawberry gelatin and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat the eggs into the sugar mixture one at a time, mixing well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix just until incorporated. Blend in the milk and vanilla extract. Add in the remaining dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated. Blend in the strawberry puree.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake, rotating halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, then turn the cake out onto the rack and let cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least an hour, up to overnight.

To make the frosting, place the strawberries in a food processor or blender. Puree until completely smooth. Combine the egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture reaches 160° F and the sugar has dissolved.

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer** fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and the mixture has cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes. (The bowl should be cool to the touch.)

Reduce the speed to medium and add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, adding more once each addition has been incorporated. If the frosting looks soupy or curdled, continue to beat on medium-high speed until thick and smooth again, about 3-5 minutes more (or longer – don’t worry, it will come together!) Blend in the strawberry puree until smooth and completely incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Finally, add in the powdered sugar and beat until incorporated.

To assemble the cake, slice each of the (chilled) cake layers horizontally into two thin halves. Place one of the chocolate layers on a cake board or cake platter. Top with a very thin layer of the vanilla buttercream or strawberry jam (I alternated buttercream and jam on each of the layers). Place a layer of the strawberry cake on top. Again, cover with a thin layer of vanilla buttercream or strawberry jam. Top with a layer of the white cake. Cover with a thin layer of the vanilla buttercream or strawberry jam. Repeat the process with the remaining layers of chocolate and strawberry cake. (For a taller cake, you can use the remaining layer of white cake. Otherwise, you can wrap tightly and save for later use or discard.)

Crumb coat the top and sides of the cake with the strawberry buttercream and let it chill for 30-60 minutes in the fridge. Remove cake from fridge and evenly frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining strawberry buttercream; leaving some for detailing, if desired.

Transfer remaining buttercream to a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip for detailing as desired. (I skipped this step as my detailing skills leave much to be desired, although I had enough buttercream to do so.)



SOURCE: Lightly adapted from Annie's Eats

Egg Nog Gingerbread Trifle

I'm so glad I finally get to post this delicious trifle! I saw it last year and made my version of it, but it was gone before I could get a photo or hardly even a taste. I took it to a Christmas party this year and the same thing happened, so I was determined to make it again. I decided to make it a third time for our family dinner on Christmas day and I finally got a nice big helping, and leftovers to eat for breakfast the next day!!!

This is a beautiful and festive trifle with layers of yummy gingerbread, tart raspberries and delicious custard made with egg nog, topping it off with some whipping cream, fresh raspberries and ginger snap crumbs. This will definitely wow the socks off any guests you have over this holiday, or even your family

Egg Nog Gingerbreaed Trifle

For the gingerbread:
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, slightly softened
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup dark molasses
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup buttermilk

For the egg nog custard:
9 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
3 cups good egg nog

For the filling and garnish:
3 (12-ounce) packages frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed and drained
1 cup chilled heavy cream
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. confectioners' sugar
1/2 pint fresh raspberries
ginger snap cookies, crumbled (optional)


To make the gingerbread: Heat the oven to 350°. Generously grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and salt.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer set on medium-high speed, beat the butter until it's soft and creamy, about 1 minute. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the sugar and molasses and beat again until the mixture is well blended and fluffy, about 2 minutes more. Add the eggs one at a time, beating 30 seconds after each addition. Slowly pour in the buttermilk and beat well. Reduce the mixer's speed to low and slowly add half the flour mixture to the bowl and beat until blended. Repeat with the other half.

Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack, then cover it tightly with plastic wrap until ready to use. It can be stored in the pan at room temperature for up to two days.

To make the custard: Divide the egg yolks and whites. Set the egg whites aside for another use (they may be frozen). In a large bowl with an electric mixer set on medium-high speed, beat the yolks and sugar until the mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the flour.

In a medium saucepan, bring the egg nog to a boil. Temper the eggs by very slowly (I do about a cup at a time) pouring half the egg nog into the egg mixture and beat until blended then pour the mixture into the remaining egg nog in the pan. Over medium heat, bring the ingredients to a boil while whisking constantly. Allow the custard to boil for 1 minute as you continue to whisk. Remove the pan from the heat.

Let the custard cool slightly, then cover its surface with a piece of plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Let the custard cool completely, then refrigerate it until ready to use (up to three days).

To assemble the trifle: In a medium bowl, toss the thawed raspberries and sugar. Remove the gingerbread from the pan and use a serrated knife to slice it into four equal wedges.

Take one of the gingerbread wedges and crumble it over the bottom of a trifle bowl or a 2 1/2-quart bowl. Spoon and spread about 3/4 - 1 cup of the raspberry mixture over the cake, then top the fruit with 1 cup of custard. Repeat the layering two more times with the remaining ingredients. (You can actually do three more layers, you will have an extra wedge of cake to do that. However, you will have to do a little less custard and raspberries on each layer, and I found that three layers filled my trifle bowl pretty much to the top. I just saved the fourth wedge of gingerbread.) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 3 hours to let the flavors meld (the dessert can be stored overnight).

Before serving, make the whipped cream. In a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whip the cream with the confectioners' sugar until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Use a spatula to spread the whipped cream on top of the trifle, and garnish it with the fresh raspberries and crumbled ginger snap cookies, if desired.




SOURCE: Adapted from Family Fun Magazine

Cranberry Sour Cream Crumble

Not all the recipes that I share have a story or history behind them, but I love that this one does. My mom has had this recipe in her file box since probably before I was born; let's just say a LONG time. Back then my parents were young, finishing college, with three young children, and didn't have much extra money to splurge on things like REAL butter and sour cream. My mom, she has a good eye. She knows a good thing when she sees one. She tucked this recipe away until later in life when things were a little more established.

Now my mom has been making this for years and I've always enjoyed it but I have never actually made it myself until now. This crumble is perfect for serving at a breakfast or brunch, and especially perfect now that the holiday season is upon us.


Cranberry Sour Cream Crumble
1/4 cup chopped almonds

For the topping:
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract


For the cake:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup sour cream
1 cup whole cranberry sauce

Heat oven to 350° F. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of almonds on the bottom of a greased 9-inch spring-form pan or 10-inch tube pan. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together all the topping ingredients until crumbly and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, soda and salt.

In large mixer bowl, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy; about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated, then vanilla. Add in dry ingredients alternately with the sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat until incorporated.

Spoon half of batter into prepared pan, spreading to cover the bottom. Next, spoon cranberry sauce over the batter, spreading to the edges. Spoon remaining batter over cranberry sauce, spreading to cover. Sprinkle topping over batter.

Bake for 70-85 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes on wire rack. Remove sides of spring-form pan and cool completely.


SOURCE:Land O' Lakes

S'mores Cake in a Jar

I'm a just a little bit of a s'mores fan. Ok, really, I'm a HUGE fan. I love them just about any way I can get them. In fact, I should have a label over there on the side with all the s'mores goodies I've made; ice cream, pancakes, bars, cookies, brownies...you get the picture.

Anyway, I made this little treat for a friend's birthday and had no idea what a huge hit they would be. They are super easy and taste just like a s'more! Plus, it's such a fun presentation, how can anyone resist eating them?

S'mores Cake in a Jar
8-10 half-pint canning jars

For the crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 stick butter
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt butter and mix in graham crumbs and salt. Mix until moistened. Spray canning jars with non-stick spray and press about 1-2 tablespoons graham crust into jars.


For the cake:
1 1/8 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk (I used 1/2 cup whole and 1/2 cup 1%)
1/4 cup (4 Tbsp.) butter, melted
2 tablespoons sour cream

For the topping:
1/2 bag of marshmallows; large or small (In some of my jars I used the minis and others I used the new marshmallow stackers, which are kind of fun.)

In a bowl, whisk egg and sugar until smooth and no lumps remain. Add milk, butter and vanilla, and mix until combined. Stir in sour cream. Sift dry ingredients together and add to wet mixture. Mix until batter is smooth. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, divide batter evenly between jars. Try not to fill them more than half way. Place the jars in a baking dish and add about 1 1/2 cups of water to the bottom. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cake is set.

Remove cakes from the oven and press marshmallows down on top, being careful not to burn yourself. Use your own discretion here as to how many marshmallows you want to stuff in the jars. Turn the oven to broil and put jars back in. DO NOT WALK AWAY OR TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE CAKES! Marshmallows should be puffed and browned in about 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately.

My notes:
-I used half pint jars, which I think is a good individual-sized portion. However, I think I would have liked the graham cracker and cake layers to be just a little bit thinner. So, for me 9 half pints would have been perfect. You can try different sized canning jars, just don't pour the cake batter in more than half way.
-I did use one pint jar and the cake was cooked the same time as the half-pint jars.

SOURCE: Adapted from How Sweet It Is

Linked to...
Sweets For A Saturday @ Sweet As Sugar Cookies
Sweet Indulgences Sunday @ A Well-Seasoned Life

Sweet and Salty Cake

So, if you remember a while back, in May actually, it was my birthday. My family kept asking me how I wanted to celebrate but I just kept telling them I didn't want to celebrate until all that pregnancy nausea was done and I could enjoy some really good food. (I know where my priorities are!)

So we decided to celebrate in June instead and have the family over for a pool party. I had been deliberating over three different cakes to make and finally decided on the Sweet and Salty cake from the Baked cookbook. I had recently checked the book out from the library and LOVED most everything in it. This cake is their signature cake as well as their most requested. That's what sold it for me! Well, that and the combination of sweet chocolate and salty caramel.

With a pound of both chocolate and butter, you can imagine that this cake is rich. But, it's not too sweet and the salted caramel sauce between the cake layers really balances out the flavors and brings it together.

I do have to say that if you've never made caramel or even candy, for that matter, the salted caramel sauce can be a little tricky. You may want to allow yourself some extra time to mess up the first batch, like I did, so you can make the second batch perfectly. One thing that I will suggest you do is calibrate your thermometer!! Living at different elevations will change the temperature at which your candy is ready.

Calibrating a thermometer is simple, just stick it in some water and watch it to see at what temperature it boils. Boiling point is 212 degrees F. My water boiled at about 200 degrees F; I live at nearly 5,000 ft. elevation. Since the sugar and water have to boil to 350 degrees F, I had to subtract 12 degrees F and stop it at about 335 degrees F. You have to be very vigilant, especially at the end because the heat starts increasing very quickly. It will burn and become too hard to work with.

With all that said, this cake was pretty time consuming, but also the most decadent cake I have ever made. It was really delicious, something you don't make all the time, but perfect for that special occasion.

Sweet and Salty Cake
For the cake layers:
3/4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups hot water
2/3 cup sour cream
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking Powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup (1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract

For the salted caramel:
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. fleur de sel
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
1/4 cup sour cream

For the whipped caramel ganache frosting:
1 pound dark chocolate (60-70% cacao), chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

To assemble the cake:
2 tsp. fleur de sel, plus more for garnish

Make the cake layers
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and butter the parchment. Dust with flour, and knock out the excess flour.

In a medium bowl, combine the cocoa powder, hot water, and sour cream and set aside to cool.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a medium bowl and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and shortening on medium speed until ribbon-like, about 5 minutes. Add the sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then add the vanilla and beat until incorporated. Scrape down the bowl and mix again for 30 seconds.

Add the flour mixture, alternating with the cocoa mixture, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

Divide the batter among the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 35-40 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the rack, remove the pans, and let cool completely. Remove the parchment. (I made the cake layers the night before, wrapped them individually in plastic wrap and stored them in the fridge. Chilling the cake layers also helped put the cake together a little easier.)

Make the salted caramel
In a small saucepan, combine the cream and fleur de del. Bring to a simmer over very low heat until the salt is dissolved.

Meanwhile, keeping a close eye on the cream mixture so it doesn't burn, in a medium saucepan, combine 1/4 cup water, the sugar and corn syrup, stirring them together carefully so you don't splash the sides of the pan. Cook over high heat until an instant-read thermometer reads 350 degrees F, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 1 minute. (See my note above about making the caramel sauce.)

Add the cream mixture to the sugar mixture. Whisk in the sour cream. Let the caramel cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the cake. (I also did this the night before as well.)

Make the whipped caramel ganache frosting
Put the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl and set aside.

In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer over very low heat.

Meanwhile, keeping a close eye on the cream so it doesn't burn, in a medium saucepan, combine 1/4 cup water, the sugar and corn syrup, stirring them together carefully so you don't splash the sides of the pan. Cook over high heat until an instant-read thermometer reads 350 degrees F, 6-8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the caramel cool for 1 minute.

Add the cream to the caramel and stir to combine. Stir slowly for 2 minutes, then pour the caramel over the chocolate. Let the caramel and chocolate sit for 1 minute, then, starting in the center of the bowl, and working your way out to the edges, slowly stir the chocolate and caramel mixture in a circle until the chocolate is completely melted. Let the mixture cool, then transfer it to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

Mix on low speed until the bowl feels cool to the touch. Increase the speed to medium-high and gradually add the butter, beating until thoroughly incorporated. Scrape down the bowl and beat on high speed until the mixture is fluffy.

Assemble the cake
Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Spread 1/4 cup of the caramel over the top. (I used a toothpick to poke holes in the cake so the caramel would seep in better.) Let the caramel soak into the cake, then spread 3/4 of the ganache frosting over the caramel. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the fleur de sel over the frosting, then top with the second cake layer. Spread with caramel frosting and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon fleur de sel. Then top with the third layer. Spread with caramel. Crumb coat (watch this video to learn how.) the cake and put the cake in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up the frosting. Frost the sides and top with the remaining frosting. Garnish with a sprinkle of fleur de sel.

This cake will keep at room temperature in a cake saver for 3 days. If storing in the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours before serving.




SOURCE: Baked: New Frontiers in Baking, by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

Lemon Poppy Seed Cakes with Raspberry Filling and Lemon Buttercream

Happy Sunday everyone! I've been without a computer for about three days and it feels like it's been forever! Crazy how we've become so attached to technology these days.

I have a special treat for you today. These cakes are absolutely delicious. I first had it as a layer cake that my mom made for a family dinner. As soon as I tasted it, I knew I wanted to make it as well and I had the perfect occasion for it. I was hosting a Mother's Day brunch for our little preschool co-op group so I decided to make them into little cakes to easily serve to everyone. Using a mini bundt pan was great because, first of all, it made just the right portion sizes, and secondly, it created the perfect crevice to hide the surprise filling in.

I loved every part of this dessert. Lemon anything is wonderful and raspberries are just about my favorite fruit ever! However, if I had to pick one component that was my favorite, I would have to say the frosting. I know that may sound strange, and I don't usually like frosting above the actual dessert, but it was truly amazing. When my mom made the cake, she added a little more lemon to intensify the flavor and to lighten it up added some cool whip. I think those two things made it just perfect, absolutely finger-licking good! Frost just the tops or frost the whole thing, you'll love it either way.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cakes with Raspberry Filling and Lemon Buttercream

For the cakes:
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
zest and juice of a lemon
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil

For the raspberry filling:
1/2 recipe Berry Coulis, using only raspberries
(Raspberry preserves may be substituted.)

For the lemon buttercream frosting: 
8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
zest of one lemon
juice of 2 lemons
1/4-1/2 cup cool whip

Prepare raspberry filling as directed and set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a 12 cavity mini-bundt pan.

In a small mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir in poppy seeds. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon juice and zest, and vanilla extract. Whisk in the dry ingredients. Add the vegetable oil to the bowl and fold in to the batter with a rubber spatula until completely incorporated. Spoon batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake for about 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the cakes cool about 10 minutes in the pan then gently slide them out. Wipe out pan and grease about half of the molds again. Spoon remaining batter into prepared molds and bake and cool as directed above.

To prepare lemon buttercream, add butter to a mixer bowl and beat on medium speed until smooth; about 1 minute. Add powdered sugar, lemon zest and juice and mix until incorporated. Then turn the mixer on medium speed and beat for another 1-2 minutes, until frosting is light and fluffy. Add cool whip and mix until just incorporated.

Assembling the cakes: Fill each cavity in the cakes with the raspberry filling. Either dollop lemon buttercream frosting on top of each cake or, using a spatula, frost as desired.

Makes 16-18 mini bundt cakes

My notes:
1)When making the raspberry sauce, I do not strain my seeds as they are small and do not bother me.
2)If you do not have a mini-bundt pan, have no fear. Simply bake them up in a cupcake pan. You can then either hollow them out to create a cavity for the filling (there are tools for this these days, or you could just use a knife) or cut them in half and spread the filling in between.




SOURCE:Adapted from Annie's Eats

Linked to...
Potluck Sunday @ Mommy's Kitchen
Whisking Wednesdays @ Pinch of This, That & the Other
Recipe Swap Thursday @ Prairie Story
It's a Keeper Thursday @ It's A Keeper
Sweets For A Saturday @ Sweet As Sugar Cookies
These Chicks Cooked Link Party @ This Chick Cooks
Sweet Tooth Friday @ Alli n' Son

Cake Batter Pancakes

I love to celebrate, especially when it comes to my kids and birthdays. I love to make them feel special and make them food that makes them smile. Saturday, however, was my birthday and I got to make these fun pancakes to share with everyone.

Seriously, if you're a fan of birthday cake, cake batter or heck, even pancakes, you're going to love these. My oldest daughter helped me make the batter and was so thrilled that she could dump in all those sprinkles. That just made it for her.

This is such a fun way to celebrate a birthday and it doesn't take much effort. Even if it's not anybody's birthday, these are fun and are sure to put a smile on anyone's face.

Wondering what to do with all that leftover cake mix? May I suggest you make MORE of these pancakes? Or you can even use it to make cake batter ice cream. Keep it in an ziploc bag or an air-tight container and it will keep for months, you don't have to use it right away.

Cake Batter Pancakes
makes about 10 pancakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow or white cake mix
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1-2 Tbsp. oil
1 1/2 cups milk (dairy, almond, rice, etc.; I used almond)
1 tsp. vanilla extract

assorted sprinkles

Combine flour, cake mix, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and mix. Add egg, oil, milk and vanilla extract and stir until smooth. You want the batter to look like regular pancake batter; not too thin, not too thick. Add more milk, if needed. Let batter sit while griddle heats up.

Preheat griddle or skillet, whichever you are using. Fold desired amount of sprinkles into batter. Pour batter in 1/4 cup measurements onto skillet and let cook until bubbles form on top, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook for 1 minute more. Serve with vanilla glaze and extra sprinkles, if desired.

For the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 Tbsp. milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix milk, extract and powdered sugar until glaze forms. You may need to add a little more sugar or water/milk to reach desired consistency.


SOURCE:Adapted from How Sweet It Is


Linked to...
Whisking Wednesdays @ Pinch of This, That & The Other
Potluck Sunday @ Mommy's Kitchen
Recipe Swap Thursday @ Prairie Story
It's a Keeper Thursday @ It's A Keeper
Mangia Mondays @ Delightfully Dowling
Savory Sunday @ The Sweet Details

Tres Leches Cake

Ok, so I know I'm a day late and a dollar short on this Tres Leches Cake, but it is soooooo good! It was definitely the highlight of my weekend. And, I've been eating it since I made it Thursday night-YUM! I've been wanting to try Tres Leches for a long time. Last year I found a coconut Tres Leches Cakes that I thought would be fabulous because I love coconut. However, it wasn't so hot, so it put me off for a while. When we decided to have a Cinco de Mayo celebration, I knew this was my chance to make it again, the REAL thing this time though.

I did a little research on Tres Leches Cake and found out that the basic cake recipe is probably the most important part of it all coming together. Using cake flour and beating the egg whites separately gives the cake the perfect crumb and makes it rise enough to be able to soak up all the milky goodness. Otherwise, you may have a milk moat from a cake that cannot stand up to all that milk.

I wasn't sure how I would like eating a cake that was so moist, but after my first bite, I was blown away! The drizzle of dulce de leche was an extra special treat as well, making this actually a Cuatro Leches Cake! This dessert has lodged a place in my recipe book I'm sure for years to come.

Tres Leches Cake
For the cake:
6 3/4 oz. cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
4 oz. unsalted butter, room temperature
8 oz. granulated sugar
5 eggs, separated
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the milk mixture:
1 (12-oz) can evaporated milk
1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2-1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

For the whipped topping:
2 cups heavy cream
4 oz. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Garnish:
cinnamon
maraschino cherries
dulce de leche


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Liberally spray a 9x13 baking pan with oil until well coated. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

Separate eggs. Beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer on, pour in about 1/4 cup of the sugar and beat until egg whites are stiff but not dry. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

Beat butter on medium speed until fluffy, approximately 1 minute. Decrease the speed to low and with the mixer still running, gradually add the rest of the sugar over 1 minute. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl, if necessary. Add the egg yolks, 1 at a time, and mix to thoroughly combine. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine. Add the flour mixture to the batter in 3 batches and mix just until combined; do not overmix. Add about 1/3 of the egg whites to the batter and mix on low until combined. Remove the paddle/whisk attachment from the mixing bowl and gently fold in the rest of the egg whites with a spatula. (You don't have to get them completely incorporated, it's ok if you still see ribbons of egg white throughout the batter-kind of like a souffle.)

Pour batter into prepared pan and spread to even out surface. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cake it lightly golden. (Remember all ovens are different so be vigilant near the end of baking time to ensure proper doneness.)

Remove cake pan to a cooling rack and allow cake to cool for 30 minutes. Take a fork or skewer and poke holes all over the cake. Allow the cake to completely cool.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the milk mixture. Slowly pour mixture over the cake, cover and refrigerate overnight.

For the whipped topping, place the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whisk together on low until stiff peaks are formed. Change to medium speed and whisk until thick. Spread the topping over the cake and allow to chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

To serve the cake, drizzle some dulce de leche onto a small plate and place a piece of cake on top. Lightly sprinkle cinnamon and top with a maraschino cherry. Keep leftovers refrigerated.

Some notes:
1)As always, you can make your own cake flour. For every cup of all-purpose flour, take out 2 tablespoons and replace with cornstarch. Sift well.

2)A kitchen scale really comes in handy in this recipe. They are a good investment, relatively inexpensive and I have used mine more than I thought I would. With that said, I'll give you an idea of the equivalents: 6 3/4 oz cake flour is just over 1 1/2 cups, 8 oz sugar is about a cup and 4 oz of butter is 1/2 cup or 1 stick.

3)I purchased dulce de leche in the Mexican section at my local grocery store, although you can easily make your own. I also thinned it out with a little milk so that I could drizzle it easily on each plate.

SOURCE:Adapted from Alton Brown and Pioneer Woman

Linked to...
Sweets For A Saturday @ Sweet As Sugar Cookies
Potluck Sunday @ Mommy's Kitchen
Sweet Indulgences Sunday @ A Well-Seasoned Life

Classic Angel Food Cake

A few weeks ago we celebrated my husband's birthday. I kept asking him what kind of cake or dessert he wanted for the special occasion and he would tell me, "nothing." HELLO! You can't have NOTHING to celebrate your birthday, it's a special day. Truth is my husband is not big on any celebration, be it Christmas, birthdays or whatever. I do, however, love to celebrate anything, especially when I can make something special to eat.

Since spring has been peaking around the corner the past little while, even though we woke up to snow flurries this morning, I wanted to do a dessert that was light, fresh and tasty. I immediately went to strawberries and lemon curd. I love, love, love lemon curd. I could totally eat it off the spoon, but that's beside the point. So I was thinking of a strawberry shortcake kind of deal and had to figure out what kind of base to put all that strawberry-lemony goodness on.

Angel food cake seemed perfect for the task. I had never made one but heard they were much better than store-bought versions. Plus, I had lots of egg whites in the freezer that needed to be used. The cake was actually really fun to make and I love how it came together. I baked mine in a bundt pan, although it calls for a tube pan, because that's what I had and, it turned out fine. I was a little leery when the directions said to bake in an UN-greased pan but I trusted and went with it. I think the trick is to let it cool enough that it all comes out in one piece.

This is the perfect cake for any spring dessert with lots of fruit and cream. It would even make a great trifle! Oh, and here's my favorite lemon curd recipe.

Classic Angel Food Cake
1 cup sifted cake flour
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
12 large egg whites
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon almond extract


Preheat oven to 325°.

To prepare cake, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and 3/4 cup sugar, stirring with a whisk.

Place egg whites in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt; beat until soft peaks form. Add 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Beat in vanilla, juice, and almond extract. Sift 1/4 cup flour mixture over egg white mixture; fold in. Repeat with remaining flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time.

Spoon the batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan, spreading evenly. Break air pockets by cutting through the batter with a knife. Bake at 325° for 55 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Invert pan; cool completely. Loosen cake from sides of pan using a narrow metal spatula. Invert the cake onto a plate.

SOURCE: Cooking Light on myrecipes.com

Linked to...
Sweets For A Saturday @ Sweet As Sugar Cookies

Lemonade Cake

Ok, maybe right now you may be thinking, what's so special about this cake, it doesn't look like much. I mean how good could a cake from a mix actually be right? Well, be prepared to get your socks knocked off. Especially if you like lemon. We have been eating this cake in my family for as long as I can remember! I've eaten it so many times and I can't even count. This is one of our absolute favorites and one my dad got just about ever year on his birthday.

The lemon flavor in the batter gets kicked up a notch by adding some lemon Jell-o, then once again, after it's baked, by using lemonade in the glaze. This cake is best eaten completely cooled and is actually better and moister a day or even two after it's made.

Now, I get asked to make a lot of desserts, which I don't mind, and I tend to go for desserts that are a little more involved. I like to challenge my culinary skills once in a while. However, I can have this cake whipped up before the oven can even preheat. This recipe, no matter how easy, will never leave my recipe box!

For the cake:
1 small pkg. lemon jell-o
1 pkg. lemon cake mix
1/2 cup oil
3/4 cup water
3 large eggs

Mix all ingredients together at medium speed for 3 minutes. Spray a 9x13 pan and pour batter in. Bake at 350°F for 30-40 minutes. Slightly cool and poke full of holes with a fork or toothpick. Spoon glaze slowly over the top, it will seep down into the holes. Cool completely.

Glaze:
6 oz. (half a can) lemonade concentrate, thawed
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Linked to...
Sweet Tooth Friday @ Ali-N-Son
Sweets For A Saturday @ Sweet As Sugar Cookies
Potluck Sunday @ Mommy's Kitchen