Category Archives: Cake

Don’t Let the Apples Go Bad Cake

Apples are the kind of fruit we eat all year round. They are always in the fridge and if they don’t get eaten, I  feel guilty that they’re just sitting there and going to go bad.  I saw this recipe on Smitten Kitchen and decided since we were leaving for Colorado and I was not ditching perfectly good apples, I would make it and freeze it for when we come back.  (The cake would freeze well…the apples, not so much.) You’ll need a tube pan. You don’t need an electric mixer, so it’s pretty easy on the special equipment. Use those leftover apples–dont’ let them go bad. No butter in this recipe, lots of sugar though.  My house smelled divine.

*you can see in photos that I use a melon baller to get the pits out of the middle of the apple. I prefer this technique over the corer thingys which never really work. The melon baller works perfectly: first cut apple in half, then scoop out just the pits.

Ingredients:

6 apples (I used what I had in the house: a combo of Granny Smith and Honey Crisp. Good old Macintosh will work, too.)

1 tablespoon cinnamon

5 tablespoons sugar

2 3/4 cups flour, sifted

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup orange juice (try to use fresh but if not, Tropicana will do)

2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

1 cup walnuts, chopped (this is optional; I didn’t use them this time out)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a tube pan. Peel, core, and chop apples into chunks. Toss with cinnamon and sugar and set aside (I sprayed with a baking spray. There’s no need to add any butter here.)

Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, orange juice, sugar and vanilla. This mixture will be rather thick.  Mix wet ingredients into the dry ones, then add eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl to make sure all ingredients are incorporated. Use a rubber spatula to get it all out of the bowl.

Pour 1/2 the batter into prepared tube pan. Spread 1/2 the apples over this. Pour the remaining batter over the apples and arrange the remaining apples on top. Use your eye to halve  batter and apples (don’t worry if it’s not perfectly halved.) Bake for about 90 minutes, or until a cake tester (or toothpick) comes out clean. I would check cake after 1 hour 20 minutes. I baked for the full 90 minutes; it’s a rather thick cake.

7-UP Bundt Cake

IMG_7176 IMG_7179 IMG_7183IMG_7238 IMG_7237 IMG_7234 IMG_7222Now you have to wonder how a cake like this ever get discovered in the first place? Baking with actual drinking soda sounds both disgusting and intriguing but I was up for the task. I promise you it was delicious. IMG_0563 IMG_0561  I gave up drinking soda a few years ago and now I’m going to put it in a cake? But that’s exactly what I did. I had to wonder how a cake like this came to be,  was someone drinking 7-UP and spilled 3/4 of a cup in by accident? OMG it’s a lot to think about it but all I can say is WOW! I did a little research on the recipes and there are quite a few out there, most of these “soda” cakes seem to hail from the South.  Baking is a little tricky up here at high altitude but it went well. Bundt cakes make you look like a rock-star baker. I made a few changes to recipe adding vanilla extract and lemon extract. Lemon extract was the key for me. I kept the glaze simple but there are some awesome renditions out there.

Somehow these ingredients produce a delicious lemony moist cake!

Julia Child once said “A party without cake is just a meeting” my exact sentiment.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups butter, softened ( a little trick I discovered is using soft butter spread, easier to measure out and no melting required, just leave it out to really soften before using) if you use regular butter just soften it up in the microwave for a few seconds.

3 cups sugar

5 eggs ( always try to use room temperature eggs)

3 cups flour

2 Tablespoons Lemon Extract

1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

3/4 cup 7UP or any carbonated lemon-lime beverage of your choice

*optional you can add zest of 1 lemon and 1 lime , I did it without doing this extra step and it was all good. For an extra zing of flavor you can add it.

Lemon Glaze:

2/3 cup powdered sugar ( confectioners sugar)

1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice ( juice of a fresh lemon)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

You will probably cook cake for about 1 1/4 hours. I would check on cake with a cake tester after the hour.

Cream butter and sugar for about 20 minutes in an electric mixer with paddle attachment, I know this seems like a very long time but according to many different renditions of this recipe I have read it seems that the cake will come out lighter if you do this.

Add eggs one at a time, beating after each egg

Add flour and lemon extract and vanilla extract

Fold in 7UP –meaning simply take bowl off electric mixer stand . Pour soda in slowly and gently fold in with a rubber spatula.

Pour into a well-greased (sprayed with cooking spray) Bundt Pan or Tube Pan, I used a Bundt.

Make Lemon Glaze-mix the powdered sugar and lemon juice together with a whisk.

I removed bundt cake from pan after about 10 minutes, let cool.

When cake is cooled, drizzle with Lemon Glaze

Summer Blueberry Cake

I just keep finding new recipes for blueberries. I love blueberries and they are so abundant right now and in peak season. I love them right out of the containers, and I love them in muffins, pies, cakes and cobblers. Here is another delicious cake which you can freeze and a few months from now when fresh blueberries aren’t really around ,you will bring back that summer day that you baked this. I cut this in 1/2 , 1/2 for now and 1/2 for when I return in the winter. You can always make this with frozen berries but I have never done so. To me it’s all about cooking with fruits and vegetables that are seasonal.  There really is nothing like fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables, and I can’t get enough of them . This is a fairly easy cake to bake. I baked it for 45 minutes, and the tester came out clean. You’ll have to check your own oven for cooking time . It can vary from 40 – 50 minutes depending on your oven.

I found this recipe on one of my favorite cooking blogs , Smitten Kitchen. I may have made a few changes which I often do, but it is pretty much the same.

 

Ingredients:

2 cups all – purpose flour, plus another tablespoon to dust blueberries with

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon table salt

2 sticks unsalted butter ( softened) YIKES

3/4 cup light brown sugar packed

1/2 cup sugar ( regular granulated sugar)

3 large eggs ( room temperature)

1 cup buttermilk ( I used low-fat buttermilk)

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Topping:

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray and lightly flour a 9 x 13 baking pan. ( I prefer Pam baking spray)

Whisk 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium size bowl. With electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium high-speed until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating until each egg is just incorporated. Don’t overbeat. Reduce speed to medium and beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture, and beat in 1/2 of the buttermilk. Beat in another 1/3 of the flour and the remaining milk, and then the remaining flour mixture. Toss  blueberries with a tablespoon of flour just lightly dust them. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in 1/2 of the blueberries. Spread batter into prepared dish.( see photo)

For the topping:

Scatter remaining 1/2 of the blueberries over the top of the batter. Stir sugar and cinnamon together in small bowl and sprinkle all over the top of the batter. Bake until cake tester or toothpick comes out clean in center of cake. I cooked for 45 minutes. It should take anywhere between 40 – 50 minutes. Cool in pan for about 1/2 hour, then turn it out of baking dish or cut out pieces. I turned it out, cut in 1/2 and froze 1/2 of it for the cold months. This is a delightful cake served for dessert, and so perfect for breakfast and a great afternoon snack with ice coffee .

I threw in a photo of me and my grandson, Riley who was out here at the time.

A Real Deal Blueberry Cobbler

I recently found this recipe and realized it was a combination of 2 separate recipes–one for the blueberry filling and one for biscuits. When combined, this is a true cobbler and not a crisp. Yum!

Make it for company and at least six people so you have a teensy bit left over , these leftovers are just amazing the next day and hard to resist eating !

Use fresh blueberries which are in abundance now and if you want to make this in the winter and blueberries aren’t around you can always use frozen blueberries. It’s almost a must to serve this with vanilla ice cream, as it complements it so well! If you’d like, you can make this a day ahead for sure, I’ve even frozen it. It comes out perfectly. Now is the time to try and bake this delightful dessert with all of the beautiful blueberries out there.

Ingredients:

1 pound blueberries or 3 1/2 cups – obviously fresh is best but if you want you can use frozen blueberries

1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot

2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh)

1 cup all -purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar ( you can use turbinado (raw ) sugar as well ( divided)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk ( don’t use fat free, if you must, use 2%) I prefer whole milk in baking or low-fat buttermilk always works.

3 tablespoons butter, melted

3/4 cup boiling water

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the blueberries in an ungreased but sprayed ( I always use Pam to help with the clean-up) 8 or 9 inch square baking pan. Sprinkle with cornstarch
and drizzle with lemon juice. Set aside.

In a medium size bowl, combine the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the milk and the butter.

Stir until just combined ( shouldn’t be smooth) then drop mounds of dough onto the blueberries.

Pour boiling water over the dough and fruit. Sprinkle top with remaining 1/4 cup sugar.

Bake until the biscuits are golden brown and the blueberries are bubbly. 45- 60 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature. If you are preparing ahead , either frozen or in fridge, take out of freezer or fridge and bring to room temperature, I then put in oven till it starts to bubble.

Should serve 8

Apple and Cranberry Cake on my Table for Thanksgiving

It’s so hard to make a choice of Thanksgiving desserts. Usually by the time dessert rolls around everyone is so full . Somehow though everyone seems to rally for dessert, no matter how full. It’s been on my mind what to bake? I already baked my apple pie which is in my freezer from my Baking Class at ICE.  I know so nice and light right??? Well it’s Thanksgiving, and no one is eating the whole cake, so don’t moan and groan. This is an easy one to do. Pumpkin Cheesecake, not so easy. So if you haven’t finalized your decision, this is a great way to go.  I got this recipe from Barefoot Contessa. (Ina Garten). How easy is that? cookbook. This is a wonderful recipe to make for as long as you have those wonderful cranberries, so stock up in the freezer while they’re around.

Ingredients:

10″ glass (Pyrex) pie plate

1 bag of fresh cranberries (rinse and pick out stems, etc.)

1 Apple peeled, cored, and diced (Granny Smith is a good choice here

1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1 tablespoon orange zest (probably need 2 average size oranges)

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 1/8 teaspoons ground cinnamon,( divided 1 Teaspoon for fruit mixture and 1/8 teaspoon for topping)

2 xtra large eggs, at room temp.

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon  granulated sugar

1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup sour cream (lite OK) not fat free please

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Combine the cranberries, apple, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes. With the mixer on medium, add 1 cup of the granulated sugar, the butter, vanilla and sour cream and beat until just combined . On low speed, slowly add in the flour and salt.

Pour the fruit mixture evenly into a 10 inch glass pie plate (Pyrex) Pour the batter over the fruit, covering it completely. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle over the batter. Bake for 55 – 60 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean and the fruit is bubbling around the edges.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Delicious with vanilla ice cream.

Pure Wow Dump Cake aka Chocolate Bundt Cake

IMG_5877

pre glaze

IMG_6406

Heavier Type Glaze–same glaze just waited till cake was completely cooled down for a few hours. Yum!

IMG_5879

post glaze but most of the glaze will disappear into the cake unless you make a heavier frosting type glaze.

IMG_5875 I love a great bundt cake and I love that they are now calling Bundt Cakes Dump Cakes. You really just throw it all together and bake it! It’s so easy anyone can do it and look good doing so. I got this particular Dump Cake from a blog I love to follow–Pure Wow. If you haven’t gone on this site please do so and subscribe, it’s for all of us, something for everybody. I got this recipe and I have to say all of their recipes look so good and exciting! I made a change in that I added my vanilla glaze because I love a good chocolate cake infused with a glaze. It’s not really a frosting and it sinks into the cake which just gives it a little more “pure wow ” factor.  I included recipe for my Vanilla Glaze. Thanks Pure Wow for the Pure Wow of this recipe.

Just go out and buy a really good Bundt Pan, it’s a worthwhile investment. You’ll also need a cooling rack while you’re at it.

http://www.purewow.com

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup brewed coffee

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 stick unsalted butter

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk ( I do buy low-fat buttermilk, if you can find it)

2 eggs — room temperature for baking always (unless otherwise specified)

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Vanilla Glaze Ingredients:this is totally optional

2/3 cup of confectioners sugar

4 teaspoons whole milk ( and maybe a touch more)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a Bundt Pan with non-stick spray ( I love Baker’s Joy)

In a medium size heat safe bowl, combine the sugar with the coffee, chocolate, cocoa powder and butter. You can heat in the microwave or on the stove top over a pot of simmering water ( about 5 minutes) that’s what I do. I mix occasionally until the butter and the chocolate are fully melted and the sugar dissolves.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the baking soda, baking powder, and salt to combine. Add the chocolate mixture to the dry ingredients and mix to combine. I let the chocolate mixture cool just a touch first.

Now add the buttermilk, eggs and vanilla and mix with a spoon until the batter is smooth and fully combined.

Pour the mixture into the prepared bundt pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40- 50 minutes. I let the cake sit for at least 15 minutes and while it’s still warm I inverted it onto a cooling rack ( which is essential to baking , so if you don’t own one get one)

I let the cake cool completely before glazing it. The glaze will melt right into the cake. This cake was super light and super moist. I served with strawberries and it would be awesome with some home-made whipped cream.

Applesauce and Raisin Cake – an Homage to the Bundt Queen

I always call my friend Susan the Queen of the Bundt Cake. It certainly seems to be her calling, as she is always coming up with new and delicious Bundt Cakes for all of us to try. I just hope I do her justice in trying to duplicate it. She made this cake for everyone last New Years  and I have been wanting to try it ever since.  I had to change one of the ingredients because I bought chunky applesauce instead of plain applesauce. Of course, if you’re so inclined you can make your own applesauce (I wasn’t so inclined today!).  The original recipe hails from The Silver Palate, and I have to say this is one cookbook you don’t want to be without. There are so very many wonderful recipes in it. This cake has a slightly spicy flavoring, and is just so darn good. I am very happy to report that this cake came out awesome! Super Delicious with the chunky applesauce. Very moist and delicious, cooked perfectly at 1 hour and 10 minutes. Thanks Suki and the Silver Palate!

This cake can be a wonderful addition to your holiday table, applesauce and raisins just so perfect for Rosh Hashana.

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus a little extra for greasing the pan (Butter should be at room temperature.  I woke up early and didn’t have time to let it sit so I just put it in microwave to soften for 15 seconds.)

*if baking for the Jewish Holidays and don’t want to use butter you can use margarine

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

2 eggs (at room temperature)

2 cups applesauce (I used Chunky because probably didn’t have reading glasses in market and grabbed it.)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, or 1 teaspoon freshly grated

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup raisins

Lemon/Orange Icing ingredients:

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl (electric mixer), cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the applesauce and vanilla.

Sift the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and baking soda together then add to applesauce mixture. Next, sprinkle in the raisins, and blend gently but thoroughly.

Pour the batter into the tube pan and set on a rack in the center of the oven. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the cake comes out clean. 1 hour and 10 – 15 minutes. I cooked it 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes (I will leave it all day as I go out hiking, and turn it over when it is completely cool when I return.)  When it is completely cool, I will make the icing and drizzle over the top. A little trick is to poke little holes in the cake (on top, with cake tester or toothpick) and pour icing over the cake and it will go into cake and infuse some of the lemon/orange directly into cake.

Instructions for icing:

Sift the confectioner’s sugar and cinnamon into a small bowl.

Dribble in the juices, stirring constantly until the icing is smooth. Drizzle over completely cooled cake.

*should be enough icing for 1 Applesauce Raisin Cake

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting–Fall Treats

photo (4)photo (16) photo (17) photo (18) photo (19)There are a few things I really love to eat. Mostly anything sweet and mostly dessert. Anyone who knows me well knows that I have an incredible sweet tooth. Funny that my name is Candi and I love candy, cookies, cakes and ice cream so very much. I would probably pass on most entrees and just cut to dessert if I had my way . When I was a kid I would gladly trade a sandwich for dessert any day of the week. Some things never change. I’d like to believe that my tastes in dessert have changed a wee bit and that I have a bit more of a sophisticated palate now but not when it comes to candy,  I still love junky candy as much as I did when I was 6. However my taste in cake has definitely improved with age. I don’t think I would have enjoyed pumpkin cake as a kid but I really love it now. Anything baked with pumpkin gets high marks in my book and if you put cream cheese frosting on it it’s off the charts.   It’s just the right amount of sugar and spice! Perfect Fall Cake and it may just find its way to my Thanksgiving Table. It really is a very easy recipe to follow ,  I made cupcakes but you can easily make this in a Pyrex 9 x13 inch pan as a sheet cake and frost it and decorate with candy corn or those little candy pumpkins!

Now you can make these without frosting and just eat like muffins with a little smear of cream cheese which wouldn’t be too bad either.

Shopping List:

1 can Pumpkin ( not pumpkin pie filling just Pumpkin) 15 oz. size

cream cheese  and paper liners for cupcakes

Staples: (things you should have in your Pantry and fridge all the time)

all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ground cloves, salt, vegetable oil, eggs, confectioner’s sugar, unsalted butter, vanilla extract, and milk

Ingredients:

2 cups of all-purpose flour

1 cup of sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ground cloves if no ground cloves you can substitute with pumpkin pie spice or nutmeg. I prefer cloves.

1 tsp. salt (regular table salt)

1 cup vegetable oil

1 can Pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) Pure Pumpkin

4 eggs ( room temperature please)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

2 cups of confectioner’s sugar

1/3 cup softened butter ( unsalted)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

4 oz. softened cream cheese ( soften in microwave) not melted just softened or you can leave it out for a bit and it will soften up.  I actually used light cream cheese not fat free please. I mean the amount of calories is staggering, but you’re only going to eat 1 cupcake right? how many calories can possibly be in that????? Don’t tell me , I don’t want to know.

1 Tbsp. Milk ( I used skim plus)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. I mixed all dry ingredients together then mixed in eggs ( one at a time) and can of pumpkin and vegetable oil. Mix till combined, don’t overmix. No need to sift, just put dry ingredients in a bowl first and whisk together with a whisk , get some air in there.

Pour into a greased muffin pan about 3/4 full.  I always use little paper liners and bake at 35o degrees for 20 – 30 minutes . Be careful not to over bake so the cake stays moist.  I baked for 26 minutes. I started checking on them after 20 minutes.

Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting. I made my frosting in my electric mixer while cupcakes were cooling.

Frost Cupcakes / Cake  and if you’d like decorate with some of those little Halloween Candies like candy corn or those little pumpkin shaped candies sold this time of year. Enjoy!

*should make about 16 cupcakes , I made 12 and a mini loaf.

Applesauce and Raisin Cake – an Homage to the Bundt Queen

If you’re looking for another cake to make for the holidays this one can work out perfectly for you. It is not so much a holiday cake but would be perfect for the Jewish New Year with the applesauce and raisins it fits in just perfectly. So if you’re still looking for something to make for Rosh Hashana or even for Break Fast next week here you go. Bundt Cakes almost never fail and always please. Enjoy and again Happy New Year from my kitchen to yours.

cookingwithcandi's avatarCooking with Candi

I always call my friend Susan the Queen of the Bundt Cake. It certainly seems to be her calling, as she is always coming up with new and delicious Bundt Cakes for all of us to try. I just hope I do her justice in trying to duplicate it. She made this cake for everyone on New Years, and I have been wanting to try it ever since.  I had to change one of the ingredients because I bought chunky applesauce instead of plain applesauce. Of course, if you’re so inclined you can make your own applesauce (I wasn’t so inclined today!).  The original recipe hails from The Silver Palate, and I have to say this is one cookbook you don’t want to be without. There are so very many wonderful recipes in it. Our kids are on their way out to Colorado so I woke up early, had all the ingredients ready, and had someone…

View original post 434 more words

Don’t Let the Apples Go Bad Cake

Here is a perfect apple cake for the holidays and for any time. I originally baked it just because it looked so delicious and I had a bunch of apples about to go bad. Then I realized how perfect it would be for Rosh Hashana. I highly recommend trying this one and it’s really not too difficult at all. No electric mixer, no butter just a tube pan! Enjoy!

cookingwithcandi's avatarCooking with Candi

Apples are the kind of fruit we eat all year round. They are always in the fridge and if they don’t get eaten, I  feel guilty that they’re just sitting there and going to go bad.  I saw this recipe on Smitten Kitchen and decided since we were leaving for Colorado and I was not ditching perfectly good apples, I would make it and freeze it for when we come back.  (The cake would freeze well…the apples, not so much.) You’ll need a tube pan. You don’t need an electric mixer, so it’s pretty easy on the special equipment. Use those leftover apples–dont’ let them go bad. No butter in this recipe, lots of sugar though.  My house smelled divine.

I also love this recipe for the Jewish Holidays which are just around the corner…..just saying. I’m not ready to start posting for the Holidays yet but this makes a lovely dessert.

View original post 311 more words