Mint Chocolate Ice Cream Cake

My first ice cream cake and definitely not my last. As Marisa would sing: Ice cream and CAKE and CAKE! ICE CREAM AND CAKE!!

Chocolate cake from the black bottom cupcakes recipe: follow the recipe except pour batter into a spring-form pan, bake for 30-35 minutes
1 quart of mint chocolate chip ice cream (I used Dreyer's Thin Mint)
1 quart of vanilla ice cream, as white as you can get (I used Breyer's)

Allow the cake to cool completely, remove from the spring form pan and cut in half. Place the spring form pan on your serving platter and layer cake on the bottom.

To get the ice cream to the right consistency, do not microwave it as some recipes suggest. The best way is to scoop the ice cream into a bowl and mash it with a wooden spoon until it's spreadable. Spread one layer of ice cream (I did one layer of vanilla first). Place in the freezer and allow the ice cream to harden a bit (maybe 15 minutes) before spreading another layer.

Do another layer of ice cream and then press the second layer of cake before returning to freezer.

While the cake is in the freezer, use vanilla ice cream beaten with a wooden spoon as the "frosting". When it's ready and the cake is cold enough to come out, remove the springform pan from the cake and "frost" the cake with vanilla. You may have to periodically put the whole cake in the freezer while you work with smaller batches of the "frosting".

When the cake is done, return to freezer again before serving.

Doughnut Muffins

"This basic muffin is not your stir-it-gently, dense, fruit-and-nut-filled health muffin. Instead, it's a beat-it-up, cake-type muffin, high-crowned and very "vanilla-looking." This is a great muffin for kids (young or old) who don't want a lot of "stuff" in their muffins. With its basic sugar-cinnamon-nutmeg flavor, it's more reminiscent of a plain doughnut (without the deep-fat frying) than anything else." I couldn't have said it better. 

If you have time, check out the link at the bottom of this entry. It has step by step photos of this recipe as well as a little history on the company.

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 cup milk

3 tablespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons Cinnamon-Sugar Plus or cinnamon sugar (1 tsp cinnamon + 1/3 C sugar...something like that)

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a standard muffin tin. Or line with 12 paper or silicone muffin cups, and grease the cups with non-stick vegetable oil spray; this will ensure that they peel off the muffins nicely.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter, vegetable oil, and sugars till smooth. Add the eggs, beating to combine. Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla.

Stir the flour into the butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour and making sure everything is thoroughly combined.

Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pan, filling the cups nearly full.

Bake the muffins for 15 to 17 minutes, or until they're a pale golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the middle of one of the center muffins comes out clean.

Remove them from the oven, and let them cool for a couple of minutes, or until you can handle them. While they're cooling, melt the butter for the topping (this is easily done in the microwave).

Use a pastry brush to paint the top of each muffin with the butter, then sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar. Or simply dip the tops of muffins into the melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon-sugar.

Serve warm, or cool on a rack and wrap airtight. Store for a day or so at room temperature.

Yield: 12 medium muffins, King Arthur Flour blog 

ATK Emergency Chocolate Cake

 

What you see here is the bottom of a cupcake silicone mold from Fred and Friends. Genius, I tell you; not only do you get to eat delicious cake, but you get that sense of accomplishment that only discovering dinosaur bones can give!

2 C all purpose flour

1 1/4 C sugar

3/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 C dutch-processed cocoa powder

1 1/4 C water

1 C mayo

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Confectioners' sugar (for serving; optional)

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat an 8" square cake pan with vegetable oil spray.

Whisk the flour, sugar, and baking soda together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the cocoa and water together until smooth. Whisk in the mayo and vanilla. Stir the mayo mixture into the flour mixture until combined.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out with a few crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes.

Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack, 1 to 2 hours. Cut into squares and serve straight from the pan.

Serves 9, from America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

Penguin Cupcakes

"The imperfections give the penguins character." Hahahaha! :)

Cupcake
1 18.25 oz of cake
1 C buttermilk
4 large eggs

Decorations
3 plain mini donuts, cut in half length wise
1 16oz tub of vanilla frosting (I used the oreo filling rather than buying another frosting)
6 plain donut holes (went to a donut shop because it was much cheaper than a grocery store)
1 16oz tub of dark chocolate frosting (it looks almost black, so no need for food coloring)
3 marshmallows, the ends cut off 1/8” from the edge
6 Famous chocolate wafers (I used oreos and scraped off the filling), cut ¼” from the circumference of the cookie
6 yellow fruit chews (or dried mangoes cut into triangles and little feet)
12 mini chocolate chips
6-10 Swedish fish

Bake the cupcakes according to the box directions. Let cool on wire racks completely. This should take at least an hour. I baked the cupcakes the night before to ensure that they’d be completely cool for frosting.

Spoon 2 Tbsp frosting (vanilla, if you have any) into a Ziploc bag. Spread on 6 cupcakes. Top with half of a mini donut. Spread more frosting on top of the donut and then place a donut hole on top of that to make the head. Frost the crack between the donut hole and the donut till it’s smooth. This is the body of the penguin. Then place it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. The frosting should be solid and the cupcake shouldn’t be too squishy.

Spoon the chocolate frosting into a microwavable mug or bowl, wide enough to fit the width of your penguins. Microwave for 15 seconds at a time, stirring and checking the consistency. It should be thick yet smooth and when you pick the spoon up out of it, it should run off the back of the spoon like elmer’s glue.

Dip the cupcake head first into the frosting and pull out, letting the excess drip off. Flip back up right and place on a dish that can be used to freeze your penguins. Continue for all 6 and freeze while you work on the decorations.

Penguin cupcakes in their natural habitat

Here was my work station:

Wings = oreos
Beak and feet = dried mangoes (use a paring knife)
Eyes = oreo fillings with mini chocolate chips inserted point side in
Penguin tummy = marshmallow ends
Penguin food = Swedish fish

Use additional chocolate frosting to adhere the rest of the decorations and freeze again. Be creative with the decorations. You can use candies like starbursts, or white frosting for the eyes!

Makes about 6 penguins


Best friends!

Chocolate Red Wine Bundt Cake

Robust wine flavor balances the sweetness. Yes, use as much sugar as indicated. Moist, fine crumb. Warn your friends that there's wine in the cake; they might think the whipped cream went south.

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar (a liiiiittle less than 3/4 is ok)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups red wine (I used Castle Rock's Cabernet Savignon)
Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting
Whipped cream

Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter and flour a 12-cup bundt pan. In a bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter with the sugar at medium-high speed until light in color and fluffy, 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until incorporated. Add the vanilla and beat for 2 minutes longer. Working in two batches, alternately fold in the dry ingredients and the wine, until just incorporated.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 45 minutes (in the Hall Apt oven, it was 40 min), until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack; let cool completely. Dust the cake with confectioner’s sugar and serve with whipped cream.

Will get about 20-24 slices

Black Bottom Cupcakes

After you test it and it comes out clean it may look wet as it's cooling. Do not be fooled. It is done, it's just super duper moist. The chocolate cake is vegan! (The cream cheese filling is not.)

Cream Cheese Filling
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 C (65 grams) white sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Cupcakes
1 1/2 C (195 grams) flour
scant 1 C (200 grams) sugar
1/3 C (30 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 C water
6 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

Cream Cheese Filling: In your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar, egg, and vanilla extract and beat until creamy and smooth. Set aside while you make the Chocolate Cupcake batter.

Chocolate Cupcakes: In a large bowl sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl mix the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla extract. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ingredients until nice and smooth. Evenly divide the batter among the 12 muffin cups. Then spoon a few tablespoons of the cream cheese filling into the center of each cupcake. (You probably won't use it all.)

Bake in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until the cream cheese filling is a little brown and the cupcakes feel springy to the touch (a toothpick inserted into the chocolate part of the cupcake will come out clean). Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

The cupcakes can be stored in the refrigerator for about 3 - 4 days.

Makes 12 large cupcakes

Olive Oil Cake

This delicious cake has a hint of orange and a slightly crunchy texture from cornmeal, is moist without being greasy, and is strongly flavored with olive oil. People recommend serving this cake with a tasty fruit compote, made with spiced Rioja wine. We tried it with cooked spiced apples.

Total Time: 50 mins

Active Time: 10 mins

3 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar (yes, all of it…unless the amaretto is really sweet, then less)

1 1/2 cups whole milk (used soy milk)

1 cup good-quality extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup amaretto liqueur, such as Disaronno (I used ½ tsp almond extract, but next time a little more ¾?)

1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest (full Tbsp, used lemon instead)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup coarse-ground cornmeal (COARSE!!!)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Powdered sugar, for garnish

Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in middle. Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with olive oil and flour; tap out the excess.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and granulated sugar until well blended and light in color. Add milk, olive oil, amaretto, and orange zest and mix well.

In another bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add egg mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring until just blended (the batter will be slightly lumpy; do not overmix).

Pour batter into the prepared baking dish or pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with only a few crumbs, about 40 to 50 minutes (closer to 37 min). Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

When the cake has cooled, run a knife around the perimeter of the pan and invert the cake onto a serving plate. Dust with powdered sugar, cut into 12 pieces, and serve.

Makes 12 servings

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I thought the amount of red food coloring was enough--a nice muted dark red (darker than in this photo) but not as intense as I would like. A little disturbed by how much food coloring is needed for one cake. Very disturbed by the price of red food coloring at $3.59 per ounce. (!!!!!) Is beet juice cheaper? Maybe, baby. One day I'll try. Until then, at least now I know that only Von's (and not Fresh&Easy or Target) sells just the red food coloring by itself rather than a set of colors.
I really couldn't get this cake to look beautiful in the photos. In life the contrast is shocking and so delightful but this was the best I could do for now. This recipe has a wonderful flavor--tangy, not too sweet, just a little chocolate-y. Super moist. No vegetable oil aftertaste (canola makes a difference, maybe?. Frosting good too!
Happy Birthday, Alice!

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 1/2 cups cake flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (not Dutch process)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups canola oil
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1.25 oz red food coloring+ enough water to make 6 Tbsp of liquid (or more food coloring, up to 3 oz if you want it to look like Smitten Kitchen's)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place teaspoon of butter in each of 3 round 9-inch layer cake pans and place pans in oven for a few minutes until butter melts. Remove pans from oven, brush interior bottom and sides of each with butter and line bottoms with parchment.
Whisk cake flour, cocoa and salt in a bowl.
Place oil and sugar in bowl of an electric mixer and beat at medium speed until well-blended. Beat in eggs one at a time. With machine on low, very slowly add red food coloring. (Take care: it may splash.) Make sure it's really mixed in--scrape down the sides and get the bottoms otherwise you may get a retro tie dye look later. Add vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk in two batches. Scrape down bowl and beat just long enough to combine.
Place baking soda in a small dish, stir in vinegar and add to batter with machine running. Beat for 10 seconds.
Divide batter among pans, place in oven and bake until a cake tester comes out clean, 45 minutes. Let cool in pans 20 minutes. Then remove from pans, flip layers over and peel off parchment. Cool completely before frosting.
Cupcake variation: Yield is approximately 35 cupcakes, with the liners filled only 3/4 of the way, and the baking time should be between 20 to 25 minutes, but check in on them 2/3 of the way through in case your oven gets the job done faster.
Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter room temperature
3 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl. With a handheld electric mixer, beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar and vanilla. Beat, on low speed to combine. If too soft, chill until slightly stiff, about 10 minutes, before using. Makes 6 cups.
I've always heard that there always needs to be two layers of frosting when you decorate a cake...

1. a crumb layer: a thin spreading of frosting over the entire cake.
2. the final finishing layer. What I didn't know is that you need to chill the crumb layer (in the freezer for a couple minutes or longer in the fridge) so it solidly holds the crumbs in there while you spread the last layer. Ah, yeah. Makes sense now.

Yields 3 9" cake layers or 2 10" cake layers = 12-14 servings, adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Golden Vanilla Cupcakes (Vegan)

They say that "canola oil makes never-fail cupcakes with a light texture. Margarine can be a little trickier to work with, but the buttery flavor, golden color and delicate texture it gives the cupcakes are worth the effort." I tried it with the canola oil and it turned out wonderful! Very moist, spongy, fluffy and airy, indeed. So far, the best vegan vanilla cupcake recipe I've ever made! I'm inspired to do all the recipes from the book!

1 C soy milk, unsweetened
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cups flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch (potato starch, OK)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt (increase salt to 1/2 teaspoon if you're using oil instead of margarine)
1/3 cup canola oil or 1/2 C margarine
3/4 cup granulated sugar (I should do it short of 3/4 but not quite 1/2...a little too sweet with frosting on it)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pan with cupcake liners.

Whisk the soy milk and vinegar in a measuring cup, set aside a few minutes to get good and curdled.

If using margarine: sift flour, cornstarch, bp, bs, and salt into a large bowl and mix and in a separate large bowl, cream butter and sugar for 2 minutes until light and fluffy, but don't beat past 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and other extract then alternate beating the soy mixture and dry ingredients, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl a few times.

If using oil: beat together the the soy milk mixture, oil, sugar, vanilla and almond extracts in a large bowl. Sift in the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix until no large lumps remain.

Fill cupcake liners two-third full and bake for 20-22 minutes until done. (20 min for me)

Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely before frosting.

Makes 1 dozen, from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World

Strawberries and Cream Cake (a.k.a Asian Cake!)

Yes...just what I was looking for--a chiffon/Asian cake with fruit!!! Vicky and I conquered you, cake! Take that! Sure, it was like a scene out of Hell's Kitchen, but it was all worth it in the end. Right? Vicky? Right? ....Happy birthday Anna & Adam!

Soft, fluffy and moist with a good flavor. Not too sweet or heavy. The whipped cream came out perfect as frosting (not runny or deflated) and the strawberries cut really well. This photo was taken near the end when we all had seconds and just about finished the whole thing, but it really looked like what chowhound portrayed.

Make sure the eggs are room temperature and the cream cold and the bowl it is in cold. Also, take into consideration the time it will take to chill the whipped cream when planning on serving this guy.

For the berries
2 pints strawberries, rinsed and hulled (about 4 cups)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1/2 medium lemon)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

For the cake
2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon lightly packed lemon zest
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 large eggs at room temperature, separated
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

For the filling
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream

For the frosting
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 cups heavy cream

For the berries
Combine all ingredients in a medium nonreactive mixing bowl and toss to thoroughly coat strawberries. Let macerate at room temperature at least 20 minutes before using. Strain macerated berries and reserve syrup separately.


For the cake
Heat oven to 350°F and arrange rack in upper third. Butter and flour two (8-inch) cake pans. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a mixing bowl; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, combine vegetable oil, water, lemon zest, vanilla extract, egg yolks, and 1 1/4 cups of the sugar. Whip on medium speed, until mixture is airy and light in color, about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl; add dry ingredients and whip until smooth, about 1 minute more.

In a clean bowl, whip egg whites to medium peaks. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue whipping until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute more. Using a rubber spatula, fold 1/4 of the egg whites into the cake batter until evenly incorporated; gently fold in remaining egg whites until just combined.

Divide batter between prepared cake pans. Bake until surface of cakes springs back when pressed and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Remove cakes from the oven, and let cool 15 minutes. Run a knife around the perimeter of each, and turn them out onto wire racks to cool completely. Meanwhile, make the filling and the frosting.


For the filling
Combine mascarpone cheese and heavy cream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and whip until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.


For the frosting
Place the cleaned bowl of the stand mixer and the whip attachment in the freezer for 10 minutes. Combine vanilla extract, sugar, and heavy cream in the chilled bowl and whip at medium speed until medium peaks form, about 2 minutes.
2. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least one hour. (The frosting can be prepared up to 12 hours ahead.)


To assemble
Using a long serrated knife, trim the tops of the cakes as necessary so they are level. Place cake rounds on a clean, dry surface and, using a pastry brush, brush 1/2 of the reserved strawberry syrup on the cut side of the first cake round; repeat on the cut side of the second cake round.

Evenly spread 1/4 of the mascarpone filling over the cut side of the bottom cake layer. Arrange strawberries standing upright, stem end down, over the mascarpone layer and trim as necessary to create an even layer. Cover berries with the remaining filling, being sure to fill in any empty space.

Place second cake layer over mascarpone and strawberries, cut side down, pressing gently to secure it. Using an offset spatula or a long, thin spatula, spread 3/4 cup of the frosting in a thin layer over the top and sides of the cake. Return remaining frosting and cake to the refrigerator until frosting on cake is set, about 15 minutes.

Spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides of the cake. Let sit in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes before serving.

Mocha Cheesecake & Cutting it & Chocolate Curls

It cracked on top so I made it into bite-sized portions. Perfect finger food and no one's the wiser.

Prep 45 min
Bake 50 min
Cool 1 ¾
Chill 4 hours

1 ¾ C finely crushed chocolate wafers (30 cookies) I used oreos, and scraped out the filling b/c it’s cheaper
1/3 C butter, melted
2 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 T water
1 T instant espresso coffee powder or instant coffee crystals
2 T coffee liqueur or water
3 8 oz packages of cream cheese, softened to room temperature (I used 2 and then added sour cream to the white part o the cake)
1 C sugar (added a bit more sugar to the top part, maybe ¼ C more)
2 T flour (if using only 2 packages, then reduce this to maybe 1 ½ T)
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs (if using 2 packages, 2 eggs is enough

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For crust, combine crushed wafers and butter. Press into the bottom and 2 inches up the sides of an ungreased 8” spring form pan. I used an 8x8 pan. Chill while preparing the filling.

In a small sauce pan, combine the chocolate, water and espresso. Cook and stir over low heat until chocolate starts to melt. Remove from heat. Stir until smooth. Stir in liqueur or the water.

For filling, a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, flour and vanilla with electric mixer on medium until smooth. Add eggs all at once, beating on low speed just until mixed. Do not overbeat.

Reserve 2 C of the cream cheese mixture add ½ C of sour cream and sugar. Mix and add more to taste. Cover and set aside.

Stir cooled chocolate coffee mixture into the remaining cream cheese mixture, stirring just until combined. Pour into the crust lined pan. Place in a shallow baking pan in oven. Bake for 30 minutes or until edge is set. Center will be soft. Carefully pour reserved mixture in a ring over the outside edge of the chocolate mixture where chocolate mixture is set, allowing it to flow into the center, spreading if necessary. Bake for 25 minutes more or until center appears nearly set when gently shaken.

Loosen crust from sides of pan by running a thin knife along the edge. Cool in springform pan on wire rack for 30-40 minutes. Remove sides of pan; cool completely. Cover and chill at least 4 hours before serving.

How to Cut a Cheesecake
Use a straight edged, thin bladed, not a serrated knife.
Avoid dragging the filling down as you slice by dipping the knife into hot water and wipe it dry after each cut.

For Chocolate Curls
Heat a block of chocolate at 5 second intervals to soften, but not melt. If too soft, let sit in the fridge or on counter to cool. Using a knife or a vegetable peeler, run the blade across the top of the chocolate allowing it to roll onto itself.

C.Wong's Hummingbird Cupcakes

Teeheehee! Look at the little hummingbird Christina drew!

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt


3 eggs

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1-1/2 tsp vanilla

1 8oz can crushed pineapple, with liquid

2 mashed bananas


1 cup coursely chopped pecans
Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt with a whisk in a good sized bowl.


Beat eggs. Add oil and vanilla to beaten eggs and mix until somewhat combined.
Add egg/oil/vanilla mixture to flour/sugar/baking soda/cinnamon/salt mixture.


Mix together pineapple, bananas, pecans until combined.
Add to the rest of ingredients and stir to combine.

Bake at 350 degrees for ~25 minutes until golden and a cake tester comes out clean.

Makes 24 cupcakes

Sour Cream-Pecan Coffee Cake

Shua made for her team. So moist and fluffy!

½ C pecans
10 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ C light brown sugar
1 ½ C plus 2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ C sour cream
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray the baking pan with cooking spray.

Place the pecans in the work bowl of the food processor and pulse two or three times to coarsely chop. Cut 2 Tbsp of the butter into ¼” pieces and add to the work bowl along with ½ C of brown sugar, 2 Tbsp flour, and the cinnamon. Pulse once or twice to combine; do not over process. The mixture should be crumbly, and not hold together. Transfer the topping to a small bowl and place in the freezer while preparing the batter. This is to ensure that it will stay crumbly when baked and not melt.

Combine the remaining 1 C brown sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in the bowl and pulse. (Washing the bowl is not necessary.) Pulse once or twice to combine. Cut the remaining butter into 8 or so pieces and add to the food processor along with the sour cream. Process until moistened. Add the eggs and process, scraping down the bowl two or three times as necessary, until the batter is smooth.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top with the spatula, and sprinkle with the pecan mixture. Bake until the toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Let cool in the pan about 15 minutes and serve warm.

8” square pan, from Instant Gratification

Lemon Bar Cream Cupcakes

Awesome moist, velvety cupcakes with a creamy tart filling. Best served at room temperature.

1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼ C sugar
6 large eggs
¼ C fresh lemon juice (juice of 1 ½ medium-small lemons)
2 ¼ C cake flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 Tbsp grated lemon zest
¾ C cream cheese, softened
confectioner’s sugar for dusting (optional, but they look ugly without it)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tin with yellow or white paper liners.

Combine the butter and 1 ¼ C of the sugar in the large bowl and beat with the mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy. Add the eggs and 3 T of the lemon juice and beat until well combined, scraping down the bowl once or twice as necessary. Mix in the flour, baking powder, salt and 2 tsps of the lemon zest until just combined.

In the small bowl, mash together the cream cheese, the remaining ¼ C sugar (can do a little less) the remaining 1 T lemon juice, and the remaining 1 tsp lemon zest until combined.

Spoon about 3 T of the batter into each muffin cup. Place about 1 tsp of the cream cheese mixture on top of each portion of batter and cover the cheese with some of the remaining batter. The batter should reach three quarters of the way to the top of each cup, but I always fill to the top to get that muffin top overflow. You will have extra batter still. Bake until golden about 20 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing onto a rack to cool completely. Once cooled use a strainer to sift the tops with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

Makes 1 dozen, from Instant Gratification

Spiced Pumpkin Cake/Bars

More like a fluffy cake than a chewy bar. Light, healthy and tasty.

2 C flour (can substitute Spelt flour)
2 tsps baking powder
1 rsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt
1 C sugar
1 Tbsp cinnamon, ground
½ tsp nutmeg, ground
½ tsp cloves, ground

½ tsp vanilla extract
15 oz. pumpkin, canned
4 large eggs
¾ C applesauce

1 C raisins
optional: nuts of your choice or 1/3 C crystallized ginger, chopped

Frosting (optional, didn’t try)
6 oz. Neufchatel Cheese
¾ C powdered sugar
1/3 C salted butter
¼ tsp vanilla extract

Cake/Bars
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease 15 ½” x 10 ½” x 1” baking sheet (I used a 15x9x2)

Stir the first 8 dry ingredients in a large bowl to blend. Add vanilla, pumpkin, eggs and applesauce. Beat until blended, then add raisins. Add chopped nuts and/or ginger if desired. Spread batter in prepared pan and bake 25 minutes or until tester inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool. As they get cooler and cooler they’ll take on a chewier, less fluffy texture.

Frosting
Beat all the ingredients in a bowl to blend. Spread over a cake in a thin layer. This can be prepared a day ahead.

Eating Well, October 2009

Lemon Delicious

A self-saucing cake. Soft, fluffy, warm, creamy, citrus. Sooo good. I could have eaten the whole thing by myself.

Lemony Info:
Buy lemons that are heavy for their size and feel firm.
The juice of one lemon is usually about 3 Tbsp.
Lemons at room temperature or warmed in the microwave juice more easily.

Prep time 20 minutes
Bake time 40 minutes

2 oz butter (1/2 stick), softened
¾ C sugar
3 eggs, separated
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1/3 C self-raising flour (mix 1 C flour + 1 ½ tsp baking powder + ½ tsp salt, then measure out 1/3 C of that)
¼ C lemon juice
¾ C milk
powdered sugar to top

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Oil a 32 oz. ovenproof dish with oil. Using electric beaters, beat the butter, sugar, egg yolks and rind in a small bowl until the mixture is light and creamy. Add flour, stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. Add the juice and milk and stir and combine.

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until firm peaks form. Fold in the pudding mixture with a metal spoon until just combined.

Spoon into the ovenproof dish and place the dish in a deep baking dish. Pour in boiling water to come one third of the way up the side of the pudding dish. Bake 40 minutes, dust with sugar and spoon some sauce on each serving.

Serves 4

2-Ingredient Chocolate Cake

C. Wong and I like to email each other important tidbits--like the nutrition of vegan babies and this recipe. The recipe originally called it a brownie, but from the photo above, it is clearly a cake. Right out of the oven, it has a funky, gooey, metallic pumpkiney boxed taste. But the next day, it's much better.

1 Box of chocolate cake mix
1 15 oz can of pumpkin

Mix together and bake according to box instructions. Batter super thick. Ends up tasting like moist boxed cake. Neat that you don’t need any other ingredients. Maybe better if vanilla cake, pumpkin and 1 tsp spices.

Makes a 9x13" pan

Lemon-Nut Torte with Summer Berries

The base of this gluten free cake is almonds and is very moist and tasty. I actually didn't like the berry sauce--I thought it was a bit excessive on the vanilla so in the ingredients below, I cut it down in half for next time. Maybe next time, I would just top it with the berries and a little dollop of whipped cream. In the original recipe, the sauce called for 1/3 C honey, 2 T lemon juice, 2 tsp vanilla. Definitely tastes better the next day.

Torte
Parchment paper
Vegetable oil cooking spray
1 cup granulated sugar, divided (When measuring, use a little less than 1/3 for each portion if you don't like your cakes too sweet)
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon almond flour (found at health food stores, TJ's or you can food process your own)
1/3 cup corn flour (finely ground cornmeal) Didn't have any so used oat bran which gave it more of a bite and texture. Wish I had cornmeal.
4 large eggs, yolks and whites divided
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping
Agave nectar to taste
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups berries (blueberries, blackberries, strawberries or any combination, I used blueberries)
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
Heat oven to 350°. Line an 8" or 9" springform pan with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray.

Combine 1/3 cup sugar and flours in a bowl.

Whip 1/3 cup sugar and egg yolks in another bowl with an electric mixer about 5 minutes. Beat in zest, oil, lemon juice, and orange juice. Fold in dry ingredients.

Beat egg whites and salt in a third bowl with an electric mixer until frothy. Beat in remaining 1/3 cup sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of egg-white mixture into batter. Fold in remaining egg white mixture in two parts, mixing well.

Pour batter into pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven; cool. Invert pan, remove parchment, and turn cake right side up onto a plate. (This was weird because if you use a springform pan, once it's cooled you can just release the pan...but whatever rocks your world.)

Topping
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix. Spoon topping on cake, dust with sugar, and slice into eighths. (Or, I recommend, slicing the cake and plating, then spooning the sauce right before serving.)

Serves 8-12, adapted from Self, July 2009

Garden Party Cupcakes

These cupcakes were made as a goodbye present for the 4th term sisters on our team. It was a super hot day when we had our YP presentations so most of the candy melted.

A note: airheads are easy to find but really hard to work with.

Splendid church life! His green garden! He has brought us, praise the Lord!

24 standard vanilla cupcakes, baked in white paper liners
2 C chocolate frosting
2 C chocolate cookie crumbs (Oreo’s or TJ’s Joe-joes), really crush these babies to dust or spin in the food processor

Lettuce
1/4 C vanilla frosting
Green food coloring
1 C cornflakes

Peas
9 green fruit chews (jolly ranchers)
20 green m&m’s
Green licorice laces (Kellogg’s watermelon madness fruit streamers or the jolly ranchers in green and air heads in green)

Radish
1 vanilla fruit chew (tootsie roll, airhead)
4 red fruit chews (jolly ranchers, starbursts)

Carrots
8 orange fruit chews (starbursts) OR 10 mike and ike’s
1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp multicolored chocolate covered sunflower seeds or plain sunflower seeds

2 sticks mint chewing gum
3 thin pretzel sticks
1 C vanilla frosting

Cupcakes
Place the chocolate cookie crumbs in a medium bowl. Spread the remaining chocolate frosting over the tops of the cupcakes. Starting at the edge, roll the tops of the cupcakes in the crumbs to cover completely. Arrange the cupcakes in 4 rows of 6 on a serving platter.

Now work on one vegetable at a time.


Lettuce (makes 4 lettuce cupcakes)
Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Place the cornflakes in a small bowl. Tint the frosting with green food coloring. About 10 drops depending on how dark green you want it. Microwave the frosting, stirring frequently, until it is smooth and liquidy 5-10 seconds then pour on top of the corn flakes, toss well to coat, and spread the cornflakes onto the cookie sheet. Refrigerate until set, about 10 minutes. Cut 2 of the green fruit chews in half and shape into balls. Place 1 green ball on top of each of the 4 cupcakes (secure with a dot of green frosting) and arrange 8-12 green frosted cornflakes around the balls to make the leaves.


Radishes (makes 4 radish cupcakes)
For each radish, cut the vanilla chew into quarters. Roll 1 red fruit chew together with 1 vanilla piece, keeping the colors separate, and shape into a ball. Pinch the white end to form the radish root. Place 1 radish on top of each of the 4 cupcakes, and add several green-frosted cornflakes for the leaves.


Carrots (makes 5 carrot cupcakes)
Cut 2 of the orange fruit chews in half and shape each piece into a small carrot. Shape the remaining 6 fruit chews into 6 large carrots. Score the side of each carrot with a knife or your nail. Rub the sides of carrots with cinnamon to look freshly pulled from the garden. Use a round toothpick to make a small hole in the large end of each carrot. Cut 2 of the green fruit chews into thin strips and roll each strip between your fingers to look like carrot tops. Press 4-5 strips into the hole in the top of each carrot. Arrange the carrots, overlapping slightly, on top of the cupcakes.

OR
Score the orange Mike and Ike’s with your nail and dip the ends in cinnamon. Follow the rest of the directions for the tops.


Peas (makes 5 pea-pod cupcakes)
Roll out each of the remaining 5 green fruit chews into a 3 by 1” oval/almond shape 1/8” thick. Press 4 green M&Ms onto one side of each oval. Fold the other side over to cover the candies slightly. Pinch the ends and place 1 pea pod on top of each of the cupcakes. Cut the green licorice laces into various lengths and arrange them around the pea pods to make the vines. You may also use some of the fruit chews and roll them between your fingers to make long thin vines and drape them over if you can’t find the candy.

Shovels
Insert the pretzel end into cupcake. Cut each stick of gum into a ¾” long triangle and pinch on one side to make the shovel blades. Insert the hovel blades (gum) into the frosting on top of 2 cupcakes, scatter a few sunflower seeds around the shovels and place in the rows with radishes and lettuce.

Makes 24 cupcakes, 1 garden. Adapted from Hello, Cupcake!

4.5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

Tracey got this recipe from her mom and wanted to make it for her short-termers visiting from Sacramento and her house! Really quick and tasty; perfect for those inconveniently random chocolate cake cravings or for days when you're plain lazy or selfish. Must be served immediately—once cooled it’s just spongy and a little too firm.

4 T flour
3 T sugar
2 T cocoa powder
1 egg
3 T milk or water (milk is better but if you're desperate, you're desperate)
2 T oil
small splash of vanilla extract
3 T chocolate chips
Large coffee mug and a plate

Stir all together except the chocolate chips into the large mug. Sprinkle the chips on top. Place the cup on a plate or sauce and microwave on high for 2.5 minutes but experiment with your microwave. (In my microwave in Grace Garden, it only took 50 seconds.)

1-2 Servings