We all need to celebrate once in a while. The fact that we're half-way through the work week is reason enough. Since most of us also love (or at least like) desserts, cakes just seemed to be the perfect batch of recipes to post. Will you check the Dense and Delicious Chocolate Cake? Maybe the Strawberry-Rhubarb Dump Cake appeals to you more. Whatever cake you decide to go with, remember one thing: Enjoy!
LISBON CHOCOLATE CAKE
This comes from Dorie Greenspan on The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Dorie wrote, “On my first day in Lisbon, I became a statistic: I lost all my credit cards to a talented thief on the No. 28 tram. After ‘the incident,’ I wanted to leave Lisbon, but instead, my husband Michael and I decided to tackle our must-taste list. It was on our last day in Lisbon that we tasted the cake at Landeau Chocolate. It was intense, but not overwhelming; truly chocolate, but somehow each layer’s chocolateness was different. I returned home and made this cake, my version of the cake that cured my pickpocket blues. It’s a dense-but-not-heavy, brownielike cake topped with a whipped chocolate ganache (think: mousse) and a substantial dusting of cocoa. Because this cake is completely about the chocolate, choose one you love.”
Time: About 1 hour, plus cooling; Yield: One 9-inch cake (about 10 servings.
This recipe was featured in “The Chocolate Cake That Saved My Vacation”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020555-lisbon-chocolate-cake.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into chunks, plus more for greasing the pan
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
5 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, chilled
For the Ganache:
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
For the Topping:
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Preparation
Make the cake: Center a rack in the oven, and heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9-inch cake pan, line with parchment paper and butter the paper.
Sift together the cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk to blend.
Put the 1/2 cup butter in a large heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Scatter dark chocolate on top, and heat, stirring often, until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Remove the bowl from the pan, and stir in the sugar. One by one, energetically stir in the eggs, beating for 1 minute after the last egg is added. The mixture will look like pudding. Stir in the dry ingredients. Scrape the mixture into the cake pan, and give the pan a couple of good raps against the counter to settle the batter.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean (or with only a tiny streak of chocolate). Transfer to a rack, cool for 5 minutes, then unmold the cake. Peel off the paper, invert the cake and cool to room temperature. Wash and dry the cake pan.
Make the ganache: Pour 1 1/4 cups cream into a small saucepan; refrigerate the rest. Scald the cream over medium heat, turn off the heat and stir in the semisweet or bittersweet chocolate until fully incorporated. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Refrigerate the ganache for 10 minutes, whisk it, then refrigerate again for 10 minutes. Repeat chilling and whisking steps until the ganache is thick enough to make tracks when you stir, 50 to 60 minutes.
Cut two 3-by-16-inch pieces of parchment or foil, and crisscross them in the cake pan. Carefully return the cake to the pan.
Whip the remaining 1/2 cup cream until it holds medium peaks.
Using a whisk, gently beat the ganache until it’s soft and spreadable. With a spatula, fold in the whipped cream. Spread over the cake, and refrigerate for 2 hours (or cover and keep for up to 2 days). The cake is best served cool or at room temperature, so take it out of the fridge about 20 minutes before serving.
To finish, put the cocoa powder in a fine-mesh strainer, and shake it over the top of the cake. Run a table knife along the sides of the pan. Using the parchment or foil handles, carefully lift the cake out of the pan and onto a serving plate. Discard the strips. Cut the cake using a long knife that has been run under hot water and wiped dry between each cut.
STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB DUMP CAKE
This yumminess comes from Betty Crocker, and begins, "Made with only six ingredients and the help of Betty Crocker™ cake mix, this dump dessert is weeknight- and crowd-friendly!"
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Servings: 12
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
6 cups sliced strawberries
2 cups sliced rhubarb
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ yellow cake mix
10 tablespoons butter, melted
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.
In large bowl, toss strawberries, rhubarb, sugar and cornstarch; spread evenly in baking dish. Top with cake mix, and pour melted butter over top, making sure to cover top with butter as much as you can.
Bake about 1 hour or until bubbly and topping is browned. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.
Expert Tips
May use fresh or frozen fruit. If using frozen, do not thaw before using.
Make sure to spread out cake mix so there are no large mounds on top of cake.
ALMOND FUDGE BANANA CAKE
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Makes 16 Servings
Ingredients
3 extra-ripe, peeled medium Dole bananas
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup margarine, softened
3 eggs
3 tablespoons amaretto liqueur, or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Dole chopped almonds, toasted, ground
BANANA CHOCOLATE GLAZE:
1 pureed, extra-ripe small Dole banana
1 ounce (1 square) melted semisweet chocolate
Ingredients
Mash bananas (1 1/2 cups). Beat sugar and margarine until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, liqueur and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients. Stir in almonds. Add to beaten mixture alternately with bananas. Beat well. Turn batter into greased 10-inch bundt pan. Bake in 350 degree F. oven 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out nearly clean and cake pulls away from sides of pan. Cool 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan to wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle glaze over top and down sides of cake.
BANANA CHOCOLATE GLAZE: With a wire whip, beat pureed banana into melted chocolate.
DENSE AND DELICIOUS CHOCOLATE CAKE
This is from the October 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times (page 31), and begins, “Wow the chocolate lovers in your life with this fudgy creation that’s as easy to whip up as a cake mix.” Makes 10 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup brewed espresso or strong coffee
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Fudge Glaze
2 Tbs. low-fat buttermilk
2 Tbs. cocoa powder
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400F. Coat 9-inch round springform pan with cooking spray. Combine flour, sugar, and baking soda in bowl. Whisk together buttermilk, egg, and vanilla in separate bowl.
Combine espresso and cocoa in large saucepan. Add butter, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in dry ingredients. Add buttermilk mixture, and whisk until smooth.
Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until top looks dry but toothpick inserted in center comes out moist.
Meanwhile, make Fudge Glaze: Combine buttermilk, cocoa powder, and butter in medium saucepan, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar and vanilla.
Pierce holes all over cake with skewer or fork. Spread glaze over cake with spatula. Let stand 5 minutes before unmolding, and serve.
ALL-IN-ONE CHOCOLATE CAKE
This comes from Nigella Lawson, from The New York Times' cooking newsletter. If you haven't signed up for their newsletter, I highly recommend it. Nigella writes, “This is the perfect chocolate cake: beautiful, melting, intense but not heavy. The batter comes together quickly in a food processor, and the cake bakes at 350 degrees for a while, giving the baker time to assemble the frosting, which is given a luscious sheen by a bit of corn syrup. Use the best chocolate you can find for the frosting, and gild it however you like: with a few flowers, some birthday candles or nothing at all.” Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; 10 to 12 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
Butter for greasing baking pans
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup best-quality cocoa powder
6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
For the Frosting:
6 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
3 ounces (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
Preparation
For cake: heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter sides of two 8-inch cake pans, and line bottoms with parchment paper. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a knife blade, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, butter, eggs, vanilla and sour cream. Process to make a smooth, thick batter.
Using a rubber spatula, divide batter between pans, and smooth tops. Bake until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes; do not overbake. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before removing from cake pans.
For frosting: Combine chocolate and butter in a large heat-proof bowl, and heat until melted in a microwave oven or over a pan of simmering water. Remove from heat, and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Stir in corn syrup, sour cream, and vanilla. Whisk in confectioners' sugar until very smooth. Frosting should be thick and spreadable. If necessary, add a teaspoon or two of boiling water to thin it, or additional sifted confectioners' sugar to thicken.
Cut four strips of waxed or parchment paper, and place them side by side on a cake plate, covering the surface. Place one cake layer domed-side down on plate.
Spoon about a third of the frosting onto center of cake, and use a knife or a spatula to spread it evenly. Place the other cake on top, domed side up. Spoon another third of frosting on top of cake, spreading to make swirls or a smooth finish. Spread sides of cake with remaining frosting, and allow to sit for a few minutes until set. Carefully remove paper strips. Place cake under glass or in an airtight container, and set aside in a cool place until serving.
CELEBRATION CAKE
This comes from Seattle’s own Macrina Bakery. I’m on their mailing list (they send out the yummiest recipes!), and I highly recommend signing up.
If I’m ever out in Seattle, I fully intend to pay a visit to any of their bakeries…
According to Macrina’s Leslie Mackie, “This is one of my favorite birthday or special occasion cakes. The natural sweet flavor of toasted coconut layered with fresh summer berries and lemon cream makes for a light yet decadent summer treat.”
To view this online, click here.
INGREDIENTS: COCONUT CAKE
1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut 1 cup coconut milk
5 egg whites
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups cake flour
1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.
2 pints fresh raspberries (for assembly)
LEMON CREAM
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup whipping cream
WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING
12 ounces white chocolate chips
8 ounces unsalted butter, room temp. 1 pound cream cheese, room temp.
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
DIRECTIONS: COCONUT CAKE
Preheat oven to 325°F. Spread coconut evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 3 minutes. Toss with tongs to toast evenly and return to the oven for 3 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a bowl. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the coconut milk, egg whites, and almond and vanilla extracts. Mix with a whisk and set aside.
Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the toasted coconut and mix on low speed using the paddle attachment for 30 seconds. Cut butter into small cubes and add to the flour mixture. Mix on low speed until it is coarse and crumbly with no visible pieces of butter, approximately 4 minutes. Add half the wet ingredients and mix on medium speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and add the remaining wet ingredients, mixing for another 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl again to ensure it is well incorporated.
Prepare a 12" x 18" baking sheet pan with 1/2" rim by brushing it with oil and lining the bottom with parchment paper. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake on the center rack for 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown. When cool, run a knife around the edge of the cake and invert onto another sheet pan. Gently remove parchment paper and then cut three 7" circles of cake. You will have excess cake scraps, which make great trifle with fresh berries and whipped cream. Cover cake circles until ready to assemble layer cake.
LEMON CREAM
Combine egg yolks, sugar and lemon juice in a medium stainless steel bowl and mix well with a whisk. Place the bowl on top of a saucepan filled with 2" of simmering water. Whisking constantly, slowly cook for about 10 minutes. You don’t want to cook this too fast or the egg will scramble. As it thickens you will see ribbons form in the custard. Add the butter and continue whisking until it is dissolved. Remove bowl from the saucepan and whisk to cool slightly. Cover with plastic wrap, allowing it to rest on the surface of the lemon curd.
Cool in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Whip the heavy cream to medium stiff peaks and fold into the chilled lemon curd. Set aside in the refrigerator.
WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING
Place the white chocolate into a medium stainless steel bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan filled with 2" of simmering water. Stir with a rubber spatula until it is completely melted. Remove bowl from the saucepan and cool to room temperature.
Place the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until the mixture is completely smooth, approximately 3-6 minutes. Add the lemon juice and then the melted white chocolate. Mix until all ingredients are fully incorporated. If it is too soft (this can happen if your room temperature is warm) chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before using.
ASSEMBLY
Begin layering the cake using a single cut layer at the base. Top with a 1/2" thick layer of lemon cream and a single layer of raspberries. Keep a 1" border at the edge of cake so when the additional layers are added it doesn’t push the filling out. Repeat with the second layer and top with the final layer. Place the cake into the refrigerator or freezer to chill for 20 minutes.
To add a crumb coat (a base coat of frosting that allows for a perfect finish), spread the sides and top with a thin layer of frosting. Chill for 30 minutes.
To add the finishing coat of frosting, start by covering and smoothing the sides before completing the top. You can add some color by taking a small portion of the white chocolate frosting and mixing a little bit of food coloring into it. Then smooth onto the sides to create color blushes. Don’t be afraid to be creative!
Chill this cake for 1-1/2 hours before serving so that it is completely set. Decorate with fresh garden flowers and raspberries.
Showing posts with label Celebration Cake. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Celebration Cake. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 24, 2021
Friday, December 7, 2018
Friday Recipes
It's Friday, time to get ready for the weekend. Here are six yummy recipes to help you through the weekend, including Engine 2 Diet Vegan Lasagna and Roasted Vegetable Chili with Cornbread Biscuits. Enjoy!
BLACKBERRY COBBLER
This comes from Delish, and begins, “Summer is calling.”
Yields: 6; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Blackberry Filling:
6 c. blackberries
1/2 c. sugar
Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Pinch kosher salt
For the Cobbler
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
4 tbsp. Butter, cubed
1/4 c. milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Egg wash, for brushing
Coarse sugar, for sprinkling
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Directions
In a large bowl, toss blackberries with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and zest, vanilla, and salt. Let sit 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350º. In another large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Work in the butter with your hands until combined, then stir in milk and egg until just combined.
Transfer the blackberry mixture to an oven-safe skillet and top with dollops of dough.
Brush dough with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake until biscuit topping is deeply golden and blackberry mixture bubbly, 45 minutes.
Let cool 10 minutes before serving with vanilla ice cream.
ENGINE 2 DIET VEGAN LASAGNA
This is from Jolinda Hackett on The Spruce Eats. Jolinda wrote, “Vegetable lasagna is always a good meal choice for a vegan. And if you've heard about the heart-healthy and cholesterol-lowering Engine 2 Diet and want to try an approved recipe, this vegan lasagna is a good place to start.
“From Rip Esselstyn's The Engine 2 Diet, ‘Raise the Roof’ sweet potato vegan lasagna replaces the high fat and cholesterol of cheese and beef with whole-grain noodles, tofu, and antioxidant-rich vegetables including mushrooms, broccoli, bell peppers, and corn crowned with a crunchy good-fat cashew topping. It's so delicious, he says, he served it at his own wedding.
“As if that's enough to be happy about, the lasagna noodles cook in the oven so there is no need to boil them first—what a time saver.”
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Total Time: 75 minutes; Yield: 10 to 12 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 onion (chopped)
1 head garlic (small, all cloves chopped or pressed)
8 ounces mushrooms (sliced)
1 head broccoli (chopped)
2 carrots (peeled and chopped)
2 red bell peppers (seeded and chopped)
1 can corn (rinsed and drained)
1 package silken lite tofu
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon rosemary
2 (24-ounce) jars pasta sauce
2 (13.25-ounce) boxes whole-grain lasagna noodles (uncooked)
16 ounces frozen spinach (thawed and drained)
2 sweet potatoes (cooked and mashed)
6 Roma tomatoes (sliced thin)
1 cup raw cashews (ground)
Directions
Prepare the FillingHeat oven to 400 F.
Sauté the onion and garlic on high heat for 3 minutes in a wok or nonstick pan without any oil.
Add the mushrooms and cook until the onions are limp and the mushrooms give up their liquid. Remove them to a large bowl with a slotted spoon and leave the mushroom liquid in the pan.
Add the broccoli and carrots to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes, remove, and add them to the bowl containing the onion, garlic, and mushrooms, leaving any liquid in the pan.
Add the peppers and corn, and sauté until the peppers are just beginning to soften. Add them and any liquid to the vegetable bowl.
Drain the silken tofu by wrapping in paper towels. Break it up directly in the towel and mix into the vegetable bowl.
Add cayenne pepper, oregano, basil, and rosemary to the vegetable bowl and combine thoroughly.
Assemble the Lasagna
Cover the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch casserole with pasta sauce. Add a single layer of uncooked noodles (do not overlap) and cover completely with a generous portion of sauce.
Spread the vegetable-tofu mixture over the sauced noodles. Cover with a second layer of noodles and another generous portion of sauce.
Add a layer of thawed and drained spinach followed by a layer of mashed sweet potatoes. Top with another generous portion of sauce, a final layer of noodles, and the remainder of the sauce.
Cover the lasagna with thinly sliced Roma tomatoes.
Bake and Serve
Cover with foil and bake in the heated oven for 45 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle with the ground cashews, and return to the oven for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and let the lasagna sit for 15 minutes before serving.
More About the Engine 2 Diet
Jolinda wrote, “Rip Esselstyn developed the Engine 2 Diet, he says, to help a person rid their diet of what he considers junk (meat, dairy, refined and processed foods) while still enjoying tasty, nutritious, whole plant-based foods.
“His vegan diet with a twist (no vegetable oils) theory is that plant-based foods and unrefined grains are superior to animal products.
“His regimen includes fitness ideas and recipes like Engine 2 Diet black bean and hummus wrap sandwich and Rip's oil-free, tahini-free almost fat-free hummus.
CELEBRATION CAKE
This comes from Seattle’s own Macrina Bakery. I’m on their mailing list (they send out the yummiest recipes!), and I highly recommend signing up.
If I’m ever out in Seattle, I fully intend to pay a visit to any of their bakeries…
According to Macrina’s Leslie Mackie, “This is one of my favorite birthday or special occasion cakes. The natural sweet flavor of toasted coconut layered with fresh summer berries and lemon cream makes for a light yet decadent summer treat.”
To view this online, click here.
INGREDIENTS: COCONUT CAKE
1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut 1 cup coconut milk
5 egg whites
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups cake flour
1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.
2 pints fresh raspberries (for assembly)
LEMON CREAM
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup whipping cream
WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING
12 ounces white chocolate chips
8 ounces unsalted butter, room temp. 1 pound cream cheese, room temp.
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
DIRECTIONS: COCONUT CAKE
Preheat oven to 325°F. Spread coconut evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 3 minutes. Toss with tongs to toast evenly and return to the oven for 3 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a bowl. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the coconut milk, egg whites, and almond and vanilla extracts. Mix with a whisk and set aside.
Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the toasted coconut and mix on low speed using the paddle attachment for 30 seconds. Cut butter into small cubes and add to the flour mixture. Mix on low speed until it is coarse and crumbly with no visible pieces of butter, approximately 4 minutes. Add half the wet ingredients and mix on medium speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and add the remaining wet ingredients, mixing for another 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl again to ensure it is well incorporated.
Prepare a 12" x 18" baking sheet pan with 1/2" rim by brushing it with oil and lining the bottom with parchment paper. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake on the center rack for 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown. When cool, run a knife around the edge of the cake and invert onto another sheet pan. Gently remove parchment paper and then cut three 7" circles of cake. You will have excess cake scraps, which make great trifle with fresh berries and whipped cream. Cover cake circles until ready to assemble layer cake.
LEMON CREAM
Combine egg yolks, sugar and lemon juice in a medium stainless steel bowl and mix well with a whisk. Place the bowl on top of a saucepan filled with 2" of simmering water. Whisking constantly, slowly cook for about 10 minutes. You don’t want to cook this too fast or the egg will scramble. As it thickens you will see ribbons form in the custard. Add the butter and continue whisking until it is dissolved. Remove bowl from the saucepan and whisk to cool slightly. Cover with plastic wrap, allowing it to rest on the surface of the lemon curd.
Cool in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Whip the heavy cream to medium stiff peaks and fold into the chilled lemon curd. Set aside in the refrigerator.
WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING
Place the white chocolate into a medium stainless steel bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan filled with 2" of simmering water. Stir with a rubber spatula until it is completely melted. Remove bowl from the saucepan and cool to room temperature.
Place the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until the mixture is completely smooth, approximately 3-6 minutes. Add the lemon juice and then the melted white chocolate. Mix until all ingredients are fully incorporated. If it is too soft (this can happen if your room temperature is warm) chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before using.
ASSEMBLY
Begin layering the cake using a single cut layer at the base. Top with a 1/2" thick layer of lemon cream and a single layer of raspberries. Keep a 1" border at the edge of cake so when the additional layers are added it doesn’t push the filling out. Repeat with the second layer and top with the final layer. Place the cake into the refrigerator or freezer to chill for 20 minutes.
To add a crumb coat (a base coat of frosting that allows for a perfect finish), spread the sides and top with a thin layer of frosting. Chill for 30 minutes.
To add the finishing coat of frosting, start by covering and smoothing the sides before completing the top. You can add some color by taking a small portion of the white chocolate frosting and mixing a little bit of food coloring into it. Then smooth onto the sides to create color blushes. Don’t be afraid to be creative!
Chill this cake for 1-1/2 hours before serving so that it is completely set. Decorate with fresh garden flowers and raspberries.
ORANGE RICOTTA BARS
This is from Michelle Stark, food editor for the Tampa Bay Times. She also has her own site, Stark From Scratch.
Makes about 12 bars.
To view this online, click here.
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 ounces ricotta cheese
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Zest from 1 orange (save a pinch for the glaze)
Juice from half of that orange
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
For the glaze:
2 tablespoons milk
Pinch of orange zest
1 cup confectioners' sugar, more if needed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Fresh mint, for garnish
Orange slices, for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a square baking pan (I used a 9- by 9-inch pan) with cooking spray.
Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl; should take between 20 and 30 seconds. Add to a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar, orange zest and juice, and mix. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and whisk until the batter is smooth.
Add in the flour, baking powder and salt, and gently mix until everything is incorporated. Pour batter into the pan and bake for 40 minutes. You can start checking after 30-35 minutes, but mine took the full 40. The bars will be slightly brown around the edges, but don't let them get too brown. Make sure a toothpick or knife inserted into the center of the bars comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, gently run a knife or spatula around the edge of the pan to loosen bars, then flip pan over carefully so the bars wiggle out. Let bars cool on a baking rack for another 15 to 30 minutes, or until cool to the touch.
Meanwhile, make the glaze: Mix all glaze ingredients in a small bowl, whisking to thoroughly combine. If very thin, add more confectioners' sugar. You want it somewhat runny; it won't be thick like frosting.
When the bars are cool, cut into 10 to 12 squares. Gently spread about 1 tablespoon of glaze on each square (it will be drippy; that's okay). Top each one with a fresh mint sprig and orange slice. Serve immediately, or refrigerate but let come to room temperature before serving.
ROASTED VEGETABLE CHILI WITH CORNBREAD BISCUITS
This yummy recipe comes from the Food Network.
Level: Easy; Total: 1 hr; Active: 35 min; Yield: 4 servings
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 poblano chile pepper, seeded and diced
4 scallions, roughly chopped, plus more for topping
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Kosher salt
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
2/3 cup cold buttermilk
2/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 15-ounce can black beans, undrained
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 1/4 cups frozen fire-roasted corn, thawed
1 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
Directions
Preheat the broiler. Toss the cauliflower, poblano and scallions with the vegetable oil, chili powder, cumin and 1/2 teaspoon salt on a rimmed baking sheet; spread in a single layer. Broil until the vegetables are browned around the edges, 7 to 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the biscuits: Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, brown sugar and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Work the butter into the cornmeal mixture with your fingers until crumbly. Stir in the buttermilk and 1/3 cup cheese with a fork until combined.
Remove the baking sheet from the broiler and preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Add the beans and their liquid, the tomato sauce, corn, vegetable broth and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the roasted vegetables and gently stir. Spoon the biscuit dough on top in 12 mounds, about 1 1/2 inches apart. Sprinkle the biscuits with the remaining 1/3 cup cheese.
Bake until the chili starts bubbling and the biscuits are golden and cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle with scallions.
NUTTY DARK BANANA BREAD
This is from tbsp. (tablespoon.com), and begins, “Crunchy walnuts and dark brown sugar make this banana bread moist and utterly sinful.”
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Servings: 2 loaves
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 large bananas
1 1/s cups sugar
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 large eggs
2/3 cup water
1 cup oil
3 1/2 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
2 cups walnuts, chopped
Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray 2 loaf pans with non-stick baking spray (preferably the kind with flour in it).
Peel bananas and add to large mixing bowl. With mixer, cream bananas and add sugar and brown sugar, salt and soda, mixing well. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each. Add water and oil.
Slowly add flour, mixing well. When all flour is added, beat well. Stir in nuts.
Pour into prepared pans and bake at 350° F for 60-65 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and edges of loaves are brown.
Cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing.
BLACKBERRY COBBLER
This comes from Delish, and begins, “Summer is calling.”
Yields: 6; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Blackberry Filling:
6 c. blackberries
1/2 c. sugar
Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Pinch kosher salt
For the Cobbler
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
4 tbsp. Butter, cubed
1/4 c. milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Egg wash, for brushing
Coarse sugar, for sprinkling
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Directions
In a large bowl, toss blackberries with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and zest, vanilla, and salt. Let sit 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350º. In another large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Work in the butter with your hands until combined, then stir in milk and egg until just combined.
Transfer the blackberry mixture to an oven-safe skillet and top with dollops of dough.
Brush dough with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake until biscuit topping is deeply golden and blackberry mixture bubbly, 45 minutes.
Let cool 10 minutes before serving with vanilla ice cream.
ENGINE 2 DIET VEGAN LASAGNA
This is from Jolinda Hackett on The Spruce Eats. Jolinda wrote, “Vegetable lasagna is always a good meal choice for a vegan. And if you've heard about the heart-healthy and cholesterol-lowering Engine 2 Diet and want to try an approved recipe, this vegan lasagna is a good place to start.
“From Rip Esselstyn's The Engine 2 Diet, ‘Raise the Roof’ sweet potato vegan lasagna replaces the high fat and cholesterol of cheese and beef with whole-grain noodles, tofu, and antioxidant-rich vegetables including mushrooms, broccoli, bell peppers, and corn crowned with a crunchy good-fat cashew topping. It's so delicious, he says, he served it at his own wedding.
“As if that's enough to be happy about, the lasagna noodles cook in the oven so there is no need to boil them first—what a time saver.”
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Total Time: 75 minutes; Yield: 10 to 12 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 onion (chopped)
1 head garlic (small, all cloves chopped or pressed)
8 ounces mushrooms (sliced)
1 head broccoli (chopped)
2 carrots (peeled and chopped)
2 red bell peppers (seeded and chopped)
1 can corn (rinsed and drained)
1 package silken lite tofu
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon rosemary
2 (24-ounce) jars pasta sauce
2 (13.25-ounce) boxes whole-grain lasagna noodles (uncooked)
16 ounces frozen spinach (thawed and drained)
2 sweet potatoes (cooked and mashed)
6 Roma tomatoes (sliced thin)
1 cup raw cashews (ground)
Directions
Prepare the FillingHeat oven to 400 F.
Sauté the onion and garlic on high heat for 3 minutes in a wok or nonstick pan without any oil.
Add the mushrooms and cook until the onions are limp and the mushrooms give up their liquid. Remove them to a large bowl with a slotted spoon and leave the mushroom liquid in the pan.
Add the broccoli and carrots to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes, remove, and add them to the bowl containing the onion, garlic, and mushrooms, leaving any liquid in the pan.
Add the peppers and corn, and sauté until the peppers are just beginning to soften. Add them and any liquid to the vegetable bowl.
Drain the silken tofu by wrapping in paper towels. Break it up directly in the towel and mix into the vegetable bowl.
Add cayenne pepper, oregano, basil, and rosemary to the vegetable bowl and combine thoroughly.
Assemble the Lasagna
Cover the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch casserole with pasta sauce. Add a single layer of uncooked noodles (do not overlap) and cover completely with a generous portion of sauce.
Spread the vegetable-tofu mixture over the sauced noodles. Cover with a second layer of noodles and another generous portion of sauce.
Add a layer of thawed and drained spinach followed by a layer of mashed sweet potatoes. Top with another generous portion of sauce, a final layer of noodles, and the remainder of the sauce.
Cover the lasagna with thinly sliced Roma tomatoes.
Bake and Serve
Cover with foil and bake in the heated oven for 45 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle with the ground cashews, and return to the oven for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and let the lasagna sit for 15 minutes before serving.
More About the Engine 2 Diet
Jolinda wrote, “Rip Esselstyn developed the Engine 2 Diet, he says, to help a person rid their diet of what he considers junk (meat, dairy, refined and processed foods) while still enjoying tasty, nutritious, whole plant-based foods.
“His vegan diet with a twist (no vegetable oils) theory is that plant-based foods and unrefined grains are superior to animal products.
“His regimen includes fitness ideas and recipes like Engine 2 Diet black bean and hummus wrap sandwich and Rip's oil-free, tahini-free almost fat-free hummus.
CELEBRATION CAKE
This comes from Seattle’s own Macrina Bakery. I’m on their mailing list (they send out the yummiest recipes!), and I highly recommend signing up.
If I’m ever out in Seattle, I fully intend to pay a visit to any of their bakeries…
According to Macrina’s Leslie Mackie, “This is one of my favorite birthday or special occasion cakes. The natural sweet flavor of toasted coconut layered with fresh summer berries and lemon cream makes for a light yet decadent summer treat.”
To view this online, click here.
INGREDIENTS: COCONUT CAKE
1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut 1 cup coconut milk
5 egg whites
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups cake flour
1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.
2 pints fresh raspberries (for assembly)
LEMON CREAM
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup whipping cream
WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING
12 ounces white chocolate chips
8 ounces unsalted butter, room temp. 1 pound cream cheese, room temp.
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
DIRECTIONS: COCONUT CAKE
Preheat oven to 325°F. Spread coconut evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 3 minutes. Toss with tongs to toast evenly and return to the oven for 3 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a bowl. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the coconut milk, egg whites, and almond and vanilla extracts. Mix with a whisk and set aside.
Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the toasted coconut and mix on low speed using the paddle attachment for 30 seconds. Cut butter into small cubes and add to the flour mixture. Mix on low speed until it is coarse and crumbly with no visible pieces of butter, approximately 4 minutes. Add half the wet ingredients and mix on medium speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and add the remaining wet ingredients, mixing for another 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl again to ensure it is well incorporated.
Prepare a 12" x 18" baking sheet pan with 1/2" rim by brushing it with oil and lining the bottom with parchment paper. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake on the center rack for 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown. When cool, run a knife around the edge of the cake and invert onto another sheet pan. Gently remove parchment paper and then cut three 7" circles of cake. You will have excess cake scraps, which make great trifle with fresh berries and whipped cream. Cover cake circles until ready to assemble layer cake.
LEMON CREAM
Combine egg yolks, sugar and lemon juice in a medium stainless steel bowl and mix well with a whisk. Place the bowl on top of a saucepan filled with 2" of simmering water. Whisking constantly, slowly cook for about 10 minutes. You don’t want to cook this too fast or the egg will scramble. As it thickens you will see ribbons form in the custard. Add the butter and continue whisking until it is dissolved. Remove bowl from the saucepan and whisk to cool slightly. Cover with plastic wrap, allowing it to rest on the surface of the lemon curd.
Cool in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Whip the heavy cream to medium stiff peaks and fold into the chilled lemon curd. Set aside in the refrigerator.
WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING
Place the white chocolate into a medium stainless steel bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan filled with 2" of simmering water. Stir with a rubber spatula until it is completely melted. Remove bowl from the saucepan and cool to room temperature.
Place the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until the mixture is completely smooth, approximately 3-6 minutes. Add the lemon juice and then the melted white chocolate. Mix until all ingredients are fully incorporated. If it is too soft (this can happen if your room temperature is warm) chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before using.
ASSEMBLY
Begin layering the cake using a single cut layer at the base. Top with a 1/2" thick layer of lemon cream and a single layer of raspberries. Keep a 1" border at the edge of cake so when the additional layers are added it doesn’t push the filling out. Repeat with the second layer and top with the final layer. Place the cake into the refrigerator or freezer to chill for 20 minutes.
To add a crumb coat (a base coat of frosting that allows for a perfect finish), spread the sides and top with a thin layer of frosting. Chill for 30 minutes.
To add the finishing coat of frosting, start by covering and smoothing the sides before completing the top. You can add some color by taking a small portion of the white chocolate frosting and mixing a little bit of food coloring into it. Then smooth onto the sides to create color blushes. Don’t be afraid to be creative!
Chill this cake for 1-1/2 hours before serving so that it is completely set. Decorate with fresh garden flowers and raspberries.
ORANGE RICOTTA BARS
This is from Michelle Stark, food editor for the Tampa Bay Times. She also has her own site, Stark From Scratch.
Makes about 12 bars.
To view this online, click here.
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 ounces ricotta cheese
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Zest from 1 orange (save a pinch for the glaze)
Juice from half of that orange
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
For the glaze:
2 tablespoons milk
Pinch of orange zest
1 cup confectioners' sugar, more if needed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Fresh mint, for garnish
Orange slices, for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a square baking pan (I used a 9- by 9-inch pan) with cooking spray.
Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl; should take between 20 and 30 seconds. Add to a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar, orange zest and juice, and mix. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and whisk until the batter is smooth.
Add in the flour, baking powder and salt, and gently mix until everything is incorporated. Pour batter into the pan and bake for 40 minutes. You can start checking after 30-35 minutes, but mine took the full 40. The bars will be slightly brown around the edges, but don't let them get too brown. Make sure a toothpick or knife inserted into the center of the bars comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, gently run a knife or spatula around the edge of the pan to loosen bars, then flip pan over carefully so the bars wiggle out. Let bars cool on a baking rack for another 15 to 30 minutes, or until cool to the touch.
Meanwhile, make the glaze: Mix all glaze ingredients in a small bowl, whisking to thoroughly combine. If very thin, add more confectioners' sugar. You want it somewhat runny; it won't be thick like frosting.
When the bars are cool, cut into 10 to 12 squares. Gently spread about 1 tablespoon of glaze on each square (it will be drippy; that's okay). Top each one with a fresh mint sprig and orange slice. Serve immediately, or refrigerate but let come to room temperature before serving.
ROASTED VEGETABLE CHILI WITH CORNBREAD BISCUITS
This yummy recipe comes from the Food Network.
Level: Easy; Total: 1 hr; Active: 35 min; Yield: 4 servings
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 poblano chile pepper, seeded and diced
4 scallions, roughly chopped, plus more for topping
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Kosher salt
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
2/3 cup cold buttermilk
2/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 15-ounce can black beans, undrained
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 1/4 cups frozen fire-roasted corn, thawed
1 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
Directions
Preheat the broiler. Toss the cauliflower, poblano and scallions with the vegetable oil, chili powder, cumin and 1/2 teaspoon salt on a rimmed baking sheet; spread in a single layer. Broil until the vegetables are browned around the edges, 7 to 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the biscuits: Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, brown sugar and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Work the butter into the cornmeal mixture with your fingers until crumbly. Stir in the buttermilk and 1/3 cup cheese with a fork until combined.
Remove the baking sheet from the broiler and preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Add the beans and their liquid, the tomato sauce, corn, vegetable broth and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the roasted vegetables and gently stir. Spoon the biscuit dough on top in 12 mounds, about 1 1/2 inches apart. Sprinkle the biscuits with the remaining 1/3 cup cheese.
Bake until the chili starts bubbling and the biscuits are golden and cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle with scallions.
NUTTY DARK BANANA BREAD
This is from tbsp. (tablespoon.com), and begins, “Crunchy walnuts and dark brown sugar make this banana bread moist and utterly sinful.”
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Servings: 2 loaves
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 large bananas
1 1/s cups sugar
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 large eggs
2/3 cup water
1 cup oil
3 1/2 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
2 cups walnuts, chopped
Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray 2 loaf pans with non-stick baking spray (preferably the kind with flour in it).
Peel bananas and add to large mixing bowl. With mixer, cream bananas and add sugar and brown sugar, salt and soda, mixing well. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each. Add water and oil.
Slowly add flour, mixing well. When all flour is added, beat well. Stir in nuts.
Pour into prepared pans and bake at 350° F for 60-65 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and edges of loaves are brown.
Cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing.
Friday, October 5, 2018
Friday Recipes
It's finally Friday. (I know; when Friday comes along, I always seem a little glad! Go figure...)
Today's six recipes include Engine 2 Diet Vegan Lasagna and Celebration Cake, all designed to help you through the weekend. Enjoy!
VEGETABLE SHEPHERD'S PIE
This came from the Food Network's Magazine several years ago.
Prep Time: 25 min; Cook Time: 41 min; Level: Easy; Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
6 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 bunch baby turnips, halved or quartered if large
6 cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 bunch fresh parsley, leaves chopped (stems reserved)
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup chopped veggie burgers or vegetarian protein crumbles
2/3 cup milk or half-and-half
Grated parmesan cheese, for sprinkling (optional)
Directions
Preheat the broiler. Cover the potatoes with water in a pot; season with salt, cover and boil until the potatoes are fork-tender, 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a stovetop casserole dish or shallow enamel pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, turnips and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables brown, 8 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid from the potatoes to the casserole dish. Lower the heat and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Tie the parsley stems with twine and add to the casserole. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 8 minutes. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons butter and the chopped veggie burgers and warm through, 5 minutes. Remove the parsley stems and stir in the chopped parsley. Keep warm.
Drain the potatoes and mash with the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and the milk; season with salt and pepper and spoon over the casserole. Sprinkle with parmesan, if desired. Broil until golden brown, 5 minutes.
Per serving: Calories 558; Fat 24 g (Saturated 11 g); Cholesterol 42 mg; Sodium 656 mg; Carbohydrate 68 g; Fiber 9 g; Protein 17 g
POWER UP SMOOTHIE
This comes from My Daily Moment, and begins, “Frozen fruits blend together to give this smoothie texture and chill, as well as a wide range of essential vitamins and nutrients. This is a great way to get your motor running in the morning.”
enough for 2 people.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup(s) milk (can use skim, 1%, or Lactaid milk)
1/2 cup(s) strawberries
1/2 cup(s) cherries
1 sliced banana
1/2 cup(s) peaches
1 cup(s) any flavor yogurt
Directions
Put all the fruit into a blender; pour in the milk and yogurt. Blend at high speed for 45 seconds or until smooth. Pour and serve!
CREAMY COLESLAW
This is from a Weight Watcher's emailing list from y-e-a-r-s ago. The recipe began, “Richly-flavored sesame oil and piquant cilantro add a distinctly Asian flavor to America's favorite side dish — lightened up.”
At the time it was posted, it had a points value of 1.
Servings: 4 (about 1 cup per serving); Preparation Time: 10 min; Cooking Time: 0 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
3/4 pound packaged coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)
1 medium red onion(s), thinly sliced
1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1 tsp dark sesame oil
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
2 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss until thoroughly combined. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until ready to serve.
ENGINE 2 DIET VEGAN LASAGNA
This is from Jolinda Hackett on The Spruce Eats. Jolinda wrote, “Vegetable lasagna is always a good meal choice for a vegan. And if you've heard about the heart-healthy and cholesterol-lowering Engine 2 Diet and want to try an approved recipe, this vegan lasagna is a good place to start.
“From Rip Esselstyn's The Engine 2 Diet, ‘Raise the Roof’ sweet potato vegan lasagna replaces the high fat and cholesterol of cheese and beef with whole-grain noodles, tofu, and antioxidant-rich vegetables including mushrooms, broccoli, bell peppers, and corn crowned with a crunchy good-fat cashew topping. It's so delicious, he says, he served it at his own wedding.
“As if that's enough to be happy about, the lasagna noodles cook in the oven so there is no need to boil them first—what a time saver.”
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Total Time: 75 minutes; Yield: 10 to 12 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 onion (chopped)
1 head garlic (small, all cloves chopped or pressed)
8 ounces mushrooms (sliced)
1 head broccoli (chopped)
2 carrots (peeled and chopped)
2 red bell peppers (seeded and chopped)
1 can corn (rinsed and drained)
1 package silken lite tofu
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon rosemary
2 (24-ounce) jars pasta sauce
2 (13.25-ounce) boxes whole-grain lasagna noodles (uncooked)
16 ounces frozen spinach (thawed and drained)
2 sweet potatoes (cooked and mashed)
6 Roma tomatoes (sliced thin)
1 cup raw cashews (ground)
Directions
Prepare the FillingHeat oven to 400 F.
Sauté the onion and garlic on high heat for 3 minutes in a wok or nonstick pan without any oil.
Add the mushrooms and cook until the onions are limp and the mushrooms give up their liquid. Remove them to a large bowl with a slotted spoon and leave the mushroom liquid in the pan.
Add the broccoli and carrots to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes, remove, and add them to the bowl containing the onion, garlic, and mushrooms, leaving any liquid in the pan.
Add the peppers and corn, and sauté until the peppers are just beginning to soften. Add them and any liquid to the vegetable bowl.
Drain the silken tofu by wrapping in paper towels. Break it up directly in the towel and mix into the vegetable bowl.
Add cayenne pepper, oregano, basil, and rosemary to the vegetable bowl and combine thoroughly.
Assemble the Lasagna
Cover the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch casserole with pasta sauce. Add a single layer of uncooked noodles (do not overlap) and cover completely with a generous portion of sauce.
Spread the vegetable-tofu mixture over the sauced noodles. Cover with a second layer of noodles and another generous portion of sauce.
Add a layer of thawed and drained spinach followed by a layer of mashed sweet potatoes. Top with another generous portion of sauce, a final layer of noodles, and the remainder of the sauce.
Cover the lasagna with thinly sliced Roma tomatoes.
Bake and Serve
Cover with foil and bake in the heated oven for 45 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle with the ground cashews, and return to the oven for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and let the lasagna sit for 15 minutes before serving.
More About the Engine 2 Diet
Jolinda wrote, “Rip Esselstyn developed the Engine 2 Diet, he says, to help a person rid their diet of what he considers junk (meat, dairy, refined and processed foods) while still enjoying tasty, nutritious, whole plant-based foods.
“His vegan diet with a twist (no vegetable oils) theory is that plant-based foods and unrefined grains are superior to animal products.
“His regimen includes fitness ideas and recipes like Engine 2 Diet black bean and hummus wrap sandwich and Rip's oil-free, tahini-free almost fat-free hummus.
CELEBRATION CAKE
This comes from Seattle’s own Macrina Bakery. I’m on their mailing list (they send out the yummiest recipes!), and I highly recommend signing up.
If I’m ever out in Seattle, I fully intend to pay a visit to any of their bakeries…
According to Macrina’s Leslie Mackie, “This is one of my favorite birthday or special occasion cakes. The natural sweet flavor of toasted coconut layered with fresh summer berries and lemon cream makes for a light yet decadent summer treat.”
To view this online, click here.
INGREDIENTS: COCONUT CAKE
1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut 1 cup coconut milk
5 egg whites
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups cake flour
1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.
2 pints fresh raspberries (for assembly)
LEMON CREAM
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup whipping cream
WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING
12 ounces white chocolate chips
8 ounces unsalted butter, room temp. 1 pound cream cheese, room temp.
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
DIRECTIONS: COCONUT CAKE
Preheat oven to 325°F. Spread coconut evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 3 minutes. Toss with tongs to toast evenly and return to the oven for 3 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a bowl. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the coconut milk, egg whites, and almond and vanilla extracts. Mix with a whisk and set aside.
Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the toasted coconut and mix on low speed using the paddle attachment for 30 seconds. Cut butter into small cubes and add to the flour mixture. Mix on low speed until it is coarse and crumbly with no visible pieces of butter, approximately 4 minutes. Add half the wet ingredients and mix on medium speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and add the remaining wet ingredients, mixing for another 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl again to ensure it is well incorporated.
Prepare a 12" x 18" baking sheet pan with 1/2" rim by brushing it with oil and lining the bottom with parchment paper. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake on the center rack for 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown. When cool, run a knife around the edge of the cake and invert onto another sheet pan. Gently remove parchment paper and then cut three 7" circles of cake. You will have excess cake scraps, which make great trifle with fresh berries and whipped cream. Cover cake circles until ready to assemble layer cake.
LEMON CREAM
Combine egg yolks, sugar and lemon juice in a medium stainless steel bowl and mix well with a whisk. Place the bowl on top of a saucepan filled with 2" of simmering water. Whisking constantly, slowly cook for about 10 minutes. You don’t want to cook this too fast or the egg will scramble. As it thickens you will see ribbons form in the custard. Add the butter and continue whisking until it is dissolved. Remove bowl from the saucepan and whisk to cool slightly. Cover with plastic wrap, allowing it to rest on the surface of the lemon curd.
Cool in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Whip the heavy cream to medium stiff peaks and fold into the chilled lemon curd. Set aside in the refrigerator.
WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING
Place the white chocolate into a medium stainless steel bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan filled with 2" of simmering water. Stir with a rubber spatula until it is completely melted. Remove bowl from the saucepan and cool to room temperature.
Place the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until the mixture is completely smooth, approximately 3-6 minutes. Add the lemon juice and then the melted white chocolate. Mix until all ingredients are fully incorporated. If it is too soft (this can happen if your room temperature is warm) chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before using.
ASSEMBLY
Begin layering the cake using a single cut layer at the base. Top with a 1/2" thick layer of lemon cream and a single layer of raspberries. Keep a 1" border at the edge of cake so when the additional layers are added it doesn’t push the filling out. Repeat with the second layer and top with the final layer. Place the cake into the refrigerator or freezer to chill for 20 minutes.
To add a crumb coat (a base coat of frosting that allows for a perfect finish), spread the sides and top with a thin layer of frosting. Chill for 30 minutes.
To add the finishing coat of frosting, start by covering and smoothing the sides before completing the top. You can add some color by taking a small portion of the white chocolate frosting and mixing a little bit of food coloring into it. Then smooth onto the sides to create color blushes. Don’t be afraid to be creative!
Chill this cake for 1-1/2 hours before serving so that it is completely set. Decorate with fresh garden flowers and raspberries.
CHEESE-STUFFED SHELLS IN MARINARA SAUCE
This recipe is from FamilyTime, and begins, “A traditional Italian-style favorite is made easier for you! Combine Buitoni Marinara Sauce with stuffed shells, add a tossed salad and warm bread and sit down to a satisfying meal!”
Serves: 6; Prep. time: 15 minutes; Cooking time: 30 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
12 dried jumbo whole-wheat or regular pasta shells, prepared according to package directions
1 cup (4 ounces)shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup fat free or reduced-fat ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 container (15 oz.) BUITONI® refrigerated Marinara Sauce
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
Combine 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg and pepper in a medium bowl. Stuff each shell evenly with cheese mixture; place in ungreased 12 x 71/2-inch (2-quart rectangular) baking dish. Pour sauce over shells.
Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
For Freeze Ahead:
Prepare as above; do not bake. Do not top with remaining mozarella cheese. Cover; freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Today's six recipes include Engine 2 Diet Vegan Lasagna and Celebration Cake, all designed to help you through the weekend. Enjoy!
VEGETABLE SHEPHERD'S PIE
This came from the Food Network's Magazine several years ago.
Prep Time: 25 min; Cook Time: 41 min; Level: Easy; Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
6 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 bunch baby turnips, halved or quartered if large
6 cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 bunch fresh parsley, leaves chopped (stems reserved)
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup chopped veggie burgers or vegetarian protein crumbles
2/3 cup milk or half-and-half
Grated parmesan cheese, for sprinkling (optional)
Directions
Preheat the broiler. Cover the potatoes with water in a pot; season with salt, cover and boil until the potatoes are fork-tender, 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a stovetop casserole dish or shallow enamel pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, turnips and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables brown, 8 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid from the potatoes to the casserole dish. Lower the heat and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Tie the parsley stems with twine and add to the casserole. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 8 minutes. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons butter and the chopped veggie burgers and warm through, 5 minutes. Remove the parsley stems and stir in the chopped parsley. Keep warm.
Drain the potatoes and mash with the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and the milk; season with salt and pepper and spoon over the casserole. Sprinkle with parmesan, if desired. Broil until golden brown, 5 minutes.
Per serving: Calories 558; Fat 24 g (Saturated 11 g); Cholesterol 42 mg; Sodium 656 mg; Carbohydrate 68 g; Fiber 9 g; Protein 17 g
POWER UP SMOOTHIE
This comes from My Daily Moment, and begins, “Frozen fruits blend together to give this smoothie texture and chill, as well as a wide range of essential vitamins and nutrients. This is a great way to get your motor running in the morning.”
enough for 2 people.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup(s) milk (can use skim, 1%, or Lactaid milk)
1/2 cup(s) strawberries
1/2 cup(s) cherries
1 sliced banana
1/2 cup(s) peaches
1 cup(s) any flavor yogurt
Directions
Put all the fruit into a blender; pour in the milk and yogurt. Blend at high speed for 45 seconds or until smooth. Pour and serve!
CREAMY COLESLAW
This is from a Weight Watcher's emailing list from y-e-a-r-s ago. The recipe began, “Richly-flavored sesame oil and piquant cilantro add a distinctly Asian flavor to America's favorite side dish — lightened up.”
At the time it was posted, it had a points value of 1.
Servings: 4 (about 1 cup per serving); Preparation Time: 10 min; Cooking Time: 0 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
3/4 pound packaged coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)
1 medium red onion(s), thinly sliced
1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1 tsp dark sesame oil
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
2 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss until thoroughly combined. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until ready to serve.
ENGINE 2 DIET VEGAN LASAGNA
This is from Jolinda Hackett on The Spruce Eats. Jolinda wrote, “Vegetable lasagna is always a good meal choice for a vegan. And if you've heard about the heart-healthy and cholesterol-lowering Engine 2 Diet and want to try an approved recipe, this vegan lasagna is a good place to start.
“From Rip Esselstyn's The Engine 2 Diet, ‘Raise the Roof’ sweet potato vegan lasagna replaces the high fat and cholesterol of cheese and beef with whole-grain noodles, tofu, and antioxidant-rich vegetables including mushrooms, broccoli, bell peppers, and corn crowned with a crunchy good-fat cashew topping. It's so delicious, he says, he served it at his own wedding.
“As if that's enough to be happy about, the lasagna noodles cook in the oven so there is no need to boil them first—what a time saver.”
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Total Time: 75 minutes; Yield: 10 to 12 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 onion (chopped)
1 head garlic (small, all cloves chopped or pressed)
8 ounces mushrooms (sliced)
1 head broccoli (chopped)
2 carrots (peeled and chopped)
2 red bell peppers (seeded and chopped)
1 can corn (rinsed and drained)
1 package silken lite tofu
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon rosemary
2 (24-ounce) jars pasta sauce
2 (13.25-ounce) boxes whole-grain lasagna noodles (uncooked)
16 ounces frozen spinach (thawed and drained)
2 sweet potatoes (cooked and mashed)
6 Roma tomatoes (sliced thin)
1 cup raw cashews (ground)
Directions
Prepare the FillingHeat oven to 400 F.
Sauté the onion and garlic on high heat for 3 minutes in a wok or nonstick pan without any oil.
Add the mushrooms and cook until the onions are limp and the mushrooms give up their liquid. Remove them to a large bowl with a slotted spoon and leave the mushroom liquid in the pan.
Add the broccoli and carrots to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes, remove, and add them to the bowl containing the onion, garlic, and mushrooms, leaving any liquid in the pan.
Add the peppers and corn, and sauté until the peppers are just beginning to soften. Add them and any liquid to the vegetable bowl.
Drain the silken tofu by wrapping in paper towels. Break it up directly in the towel and mix into the vegetable bowl.
Add cayenne pepper, oregano, basil, and rosemary to the vegetable bowl and combine thoroughly.
Assemble the Lasagna
Cover the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch casserole with pasta sauce. Add a single layer of uncooked noodles (do not overlap) and cover completely with a generous portion of sauce.
Spread the vegetable-tofu mixture over the sauced noodles. Cover with a second layer of noodles and another generous portion of sauce.
Add a layer of thawed and drained spinach followed by a layer of mashed sweet potatoes. Top with another generous portion of sauce, a final layer of noodles, and the remainder of the sauce.
Cover the lasagna with thinly sliced Roma tomatoes.
Bake and Serve
Cover with foil and bake in the heated oven for 45 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle with the ground cashews, and return to the oven for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and let the lasagna sit for 15 minutes before serving.
More About the Engine 2 Diet
Jolinda wrote, “Rip Esselstyn developed the Engine 2 Diet, he says, to help a person rid their diet of what he considers junk (meat, dairy, refined and processed foods) while still enjoying tasty, nutritious, whole plant-based foods.
“His vegan diet with a twist (no vegetable oils) theory is that plant-based foods and unrefined grains are superior to animal products.
“His regimen includes fitness ideas and recipes like Engine 2 Diet black bean and hummus wrap sandwich and Rip's oil-free, tahini-free almost fat-free hummus.
CELEBRATION CAKE
This comes from Seattle’s own Macrina Bakery. I’m on their mailing list (they send out the yummiest recipes!), and I highly recommend signing up.
If I’m ever out in Seattle, I fully intend to pay a visit to any of their bakeries…
According to Macrina’s Leslie Mackie, “This is one of my favorite birthday or special occasion cakes. The natural sweet flavor of toasted coconut layered with fresh summer berries and lemon cream makes for a light yet decadent summer treat.”
To view this online, click here.
INGREDIENTS: COCONUT CAKE
1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut 1 cup coconut milk
5 egg whites
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups cake flour
1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.
2 pints fresh raspberries (for assembly)
LEMON CREAM
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup whipping cream
WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING
12 ounces white chocolate chips
8 ounces unsalted butter, room temp. 1 pound cream cheese, room temp.
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
DIRECTIONS: COCONUT CAKE
Preheat oven to 325°F. Spread coconut evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 3 minutes. Toss with tongs to toast evenly and return to the oven for 3 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a bowl. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the coconut milk, egg whites, and almond and vanilla extracts. Mix with a whisk and set aside.
Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the toasted coconut and mix on low speed using the paddle attachment for 30 seconds. Cut butter into small cubes and add to the flour mixture. Mix on low speed until it is coarse and crumbly with no visible pieces of butter, approximately 4 minutes. Add half the wet ingredients and mix on medium speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and add the remaining wet ingredients, mixing for another 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl again to ensure it is well incorporated.
Prepare a 12" x 18" baking sheet pan with 1/2" rim by brushing it with oil and lining the bottom with parchment paper. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake on the center rack for 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown. When cool, run a knife around the edge of the cake and invert onto another sheet pan. Gently remove parchment paper and then cut three 7" circles of cake. You will have excess cake scraps, which make great trifle with fresh berries and whipped cream. Cover cake circles until ready to assemble layer cake.
LEMON CREAM
Combine egg yolks, sugar and lemon juice in a medium stainless steel bowl and mix well with a whisk. Place the bowl on top of a saucepan filled with 2" of simmering water. Whisking constantly, slowly cook for about 10 minutes. You don’t want to cook this too fast or the egg will scramble. As it thickens you will see ribbons form in the custard. Add the butter and continue whisking until it is dissolved. Remove bowl from the saucepan and whisk to cool slightly. Cover with plastic wrap, allowing it to rest on the surface of the lemon curd.
Cool in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Whip the heavy cream to medium stiff peaks and fold into the chilled lemon curd. Set aside in the refrigerator.
WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING
Place the white chocolate into a medium stainless steel bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan filled with 2" of simmering water. Stir with a rubber spatula until it is completely melted. Remove bowl from the saucepan and cool to room temperature.
Place the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until the mixture is completely smooth, approximately 3-6 minutes. Add the lemon juice and then the melted white chocolate. Mix until all ingredients are fully incorporated. If it is too soft (this can happen if your room temperature is warm) chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before using.
ASSEMBLY
Begin layering the cake using a single cut layer at the base. Top with a 1/2" thick layer of lemon cream and a single layer of raspberries. Keep a 1" border at the edge of cake so when the additional layers are added it doesn’t push the filling out. Repeat with the second layer and top with the final layer. Place the cake into the refrigerator or freezer to chill for 20 minutes.
To add a crumb coat (a base coat of frosting that allows for a perfect finish), spread the sides and top with a thin layer of frosting. Chill for 30 minutes.
To add the finishing coat of frosting, start by covering and smoothing the sides before completing the top. You can add some color by taking a small portion of the white chocolate frosting and mixing a little bit of food coloring into it. Then smooth onto the sides to create color blushes. Don’t be afraid to be creative!
Chill this cake for 1-1/2 hours before serving so that it is completely set. Decorate with fresh garden flowers and raspberries.
CHEESE-STUFFED SHELLS IN MARINARA SAUCE
This recipe is from FamilyTime, and begins, “A traditional Italian-style favorite is made easier for you! Combine Buitoni Marinara Sauce with stuffed shells, add a tossed salad and warm bread and sit down to a satisfying meal!”
Serves: 6; Prep. time: 15 minutes; Cooking time: 30 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
12 dried jumbo whole-wheat or regular pasta shells, prepared according to package directions
1 cup (4 ounces)shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup fat free or reduced-fat ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 container (15 oz.) BUITONI® refrigerated Marinara Sauce
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
Combine 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg and pepper in a medium bowl. Stuff each shell evenly with cheese mixture; place in ungreased 12 x 71/2-inch (2-quart rectangular) baking dish. Pour sauce over shells.
Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
For Freeze Ahead:
Prepare as above; do not bake. Do not top with remaining mozarella cheese. Cover; freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Thursday, October 4, 2018
Let Them Eat Cake!
Is there any dessert that cries out celebration more than cake? I doubt it. These six cake recipes are perfect for any celebration, especially the appropriately named Celebration Cake and the World's Best Chocolate Cake. Enjoy!
STUFFED PINATA CAKE
This is from The Food Network, and begins, “Your guests will certainly be delighted by the sight of this bright cake. But make sure they don't put their cameras away too soon: once you cut into it, a candy surprise comes spilling out!”
Total: 3 hours 15 minutes; Active: 1 hour 5 minutes; Yield: 8 to 10; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/stuffed-pinata-cake.
Ingredients
Frosting:
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Pinch fine salt
6 large egg whites
4 sticks (1 pound) unsalted butter, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks, at room temperature
5 cups sweetened shredded coconut
Filling and Decoration:
Blue, orange, yellow, purple and pink food coloring
2 cups of your favorite small and soft candies (none in wrappers), such as gummies or candy-covered chocolates
Cake:
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pans
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
DirectionsFor the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with butter and line the bottom of each with parchment.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the milk, vanilla, eggs and egg yolk together in another medium bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium high until light and fluffy. Add about a third of the flour mixture and beat on medium low until incorporated. Now add a third of the egg-milk mixture and continue to beat on medium low until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Repeat with the remaining flour and egg-milk mixtures, finishing with the flour.
Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake until the cake bounces back when pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the cake pans on a rack.
For the frosting: Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan that can hold a heatproof stand mixer's bowl above the water.
Add the sugar, lemon juice, salt and egg whites to the mixer bowl and whisk together by hand. Set the bowl above the boiling water and whisk until the mixture is warm to the touch and the sugar completely dissolves. Transfer to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until cool and the whites hold stiff peaks, 10 to 15 minutes.
Toss in a couple of chunks of butter at a time, making sure the pieces are incorporated before adding more. After all the butter is added, continue beating on medium-high speed. The mixture will deflate and appear curdled. Continue beating until the frosting comes back together to a smooth and spreadable consistency. (If the frosting is very soft or begins to break, refrigerate until set but still spreadable, then beat until light before using.)
For the filling and decoration: Dye the coconut: Have ready 5 resealable plastic bags or plastic containers. Put 1 1/2 cups of the coconut in one container with 6 to 8 drops of blue food coloring. Put 1 cup of coconut in the second container with 5 to 6 drops of orange food coloring, 1 cup of coconut in the third with 5 to 6 drops yellow food coloring and 1 cup of coconut in the fourth with 6 to 8 drops purple food coloring. Put the remaining 1/2 cup coconut in the fifth container with 4 to 5 drops pink food coloring. Seal each container and shake vigorously until the coconut is evenly dyed. Add more food coloring 1 drop at a time as needed to get bright, vibrant colors.
Assemble the cake: Cut a 4-inch circle out of the center of each cake (reserve the small cut-out cake rounds). Put one of the cake rings on a cake stand or serving platter and frost with about 1 cup of frosting. Put the other cake ring on top and push down slightly. Fill the hole with candy. Cut one of the reserved cake rounds in half horizontally to make 2 thinner rounds. Use one to fill the hole on top of the cake. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.
Cut a strip of parchment about 30 inches long and 3 inches wide. Wrap this parchment around the cake like a collar, leaving 1 inch of frosting exposed around the bottom perimeter of the cake. Pack some of the blue coconut onto the exposed frosting to make your first strip of color. Lift the collar up another 1 inch and do the same with the orange coconut. Remove the collar and fill the remaining inch of frosting with the yellow coconut. For the top, make 1-inch-wide rings, starting on the outside and working your way in, with the purple, pink, blue and orange coconut until the top is completely covered. Let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving.
COCONUT LAYER CAKE
This comes from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “This impressive and wonderfully moist layer cake is less sweet than the usual coconut affair, thanks to a tangy cream cheese frosting on top and dose of orange juice in the batter. This is a great dessert to make in advance. You can bake the cake layers up to 3 days ahead and store them, well-wrapped in plastic, in the refrigerator. The frosted cake will keep for 2 days in the fridge as well, either under a cake dome or overturned bowl, or loosely tented with foil. Just make sure to bring the cake to room temperature before serving.” Yield: 8 to 12 servings; Time: 2 hours, plus cooling.
This was featured in “A Sugar Rush, Not Crush”, and can be viewed online here.
Also, to find more layer cakes, click here. Also, check out Melissa’s guide, “How to Frost a Cake”.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pans
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs, separated, plus 3 whites
1 1/2 cups cream of coconut
1 1/4 cups unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons coconut or dark rum
7 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
3 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
For the Frosting:
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups cream cheese, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
7 1/4 cups/2 pounds confectioners’ sugar
2 3/4 cups unsweetened shredded or flaked coconut, toasted
Preparation
Make the Cake:
Grease 3 8-inch cake pans and dust with flour. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk together flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl and reserve. Place butter and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment and beat until fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add 3 egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl with spatula. Lower speed and gradually add flour mixture. Batter will be thick and pasty.
Whisk together cream of coconut, coconut milk, rum and orange juice. Alternately add shredded coconut and the orange juice mixture to the batter.
In the clean bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip 6 egg whites until soft peaks form. Gently fold into batter.
Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes. Cool in pans on wire rack. Unmold cakes once cool.
Make the Frosting:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese. Add vanilla extract. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, scraping down sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Mix until combined and fluffy.
Spread 1/4-inch-thick layer of frosting on top of the first layer of cake. Sprinkle with toasted coconut. Place next cake layer on top and repeat with frosting and coconut. Repeat with the third layer, spreading frosting on top and around sides of cake. Hold cake steadily in one hand and use other hand to pat remaining coconut onto edges of cake.
CELEBRATION CAKE
This comes from Seattle’s own Macrina Bakery. I’m on their mailing list (they send out the yummiest recipes!), and I highly recommend signing up.
If I’m ever out in Seattle, I fully intend to pay a visit to any of their bakeries…
According to Macrina’s Leslie Mackie, “This is one of my favorite birthday or special occasion cakes. The natural sweet flavor of toasted coconut layered with fresh summer berries and lemon cream makes for a light yet decadent summer treat.”
To view this online, click here.
INGREDIENTS: COCONUT CAKE
1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut 1 cup coconut milk
5 egg whites
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups cake flour
1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.
2 pints fresh raspberries (for assembly)
LEMON CREAM
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup whipping cream
WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING
12 ounces white chocolate chips
8 ounces unsalted butter, room temp. 1 pound cream cheese, room temp.
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
DIRECTIONS: COCONUT CAKE
Preheat oven to 325°F. Spread coconut evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 3 minutes. Toss with tongs to toast evenly and return to the oven for 3 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a bowl. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the coconut milk, egg whites, and almond and vanilla extracts. Mix with a whisk and set aside.
Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the toasted coconut and mix on low speed using the paddle attachment for 30 seconds. Cut butter into small cubes and add to the flour mixture. Mix on low speed until it is coarse and crumbly with no visible pieces of butter, approximately 4 minutes. Add half the wet ingredients and mix on medium speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and add the remaining wet ingredients, mixing for another 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl again to ensure it is well incorporated.
Prepare a 12" x 18" baking sheet pan with 1/2" rim by brushing it with oil and lining the bottom with parchment paper. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake on the center rack for 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown. When cool, run a knife around the edge of the cake and invert onto another sheet pan. Gently remove parchment paper and then cut three 7" circles of cake. You will have excess cake scraps, which make great trifle with fresh berries and whipped cream. Cover cake circles until ready to assemble layer cake.
LEMON CREAM
Combine egg yolks, sugar and lemon juice in a medium stainless steel bowl and mix well with a whisk. Place the bowl on top of a saucepan filled with 2" of simmering water. Whisking constantly, slowly cook for about 10 minutes. You don’t want to cook this too fast or the egg will scramble. As it thickens you will see ribbons form in the custard. Add the butter and continue whisking until it is dissolved. Remove bowl from the saucepan and whisk to cool slightly. Cover with plastic wrap, allowing it to rest on the surface of the lemon curd.
Cool in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Whip the heavy cream to medium stiff peaks and fold into the chilled lemon curd. Set aside in the refrigerator.
WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING
Place the white chocolate into a medium stainless steel bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan filled with 2" of simmering water. Stir with a rubber spatula until it is completely melted. Remove bowl from the saucepan and cool to room temperature.
Place the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until the mixture is completely smooth, approximately 3-6 minutes. Add the lemon juice and then the melted white chocolate. Mix until all ingredients are fully incorporated. If it is too soft (this can happen if your room temperature is warm) chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before using.
ASSEMBLY
Begin layering the cake using a single cut layer at the base. Top with a 1/2" thick layer of lemon cream and a single layer of raspberries. Keep a 1" border at the edge of cake so when the additional layers are added it doesn’t push the filling out. Repeat with the second layer and top with the final layer. Place the cake into the refrigerator or freezer to chill for 20 minutes.
To add a crumb coat (a base coat of frosting that allows for a perfect finish), spread the sides and top with a thin layer of frosting. Chill for 30 minutes.
To add the finishing coat of frosting, start by covering and smoothing the sides before completing the top. You can add some color by taking a small portion of the white chocolate frosting and mixing a little bit of food coloring into it. Then smooth onto the sides to create color blushes. Don’t be afraid to be creative!
Chill this cake for 1-1/2 hours before serving so that it is completely set. Decorate with fresh garden flowers and raspberries.
WORLD’S BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE
This is from Yotam Ottolenghi in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “The recipe for this cake, adapted from "Sweet" by Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh, first appeared in an article written about Ms. Goh when she ran her cafe, the Mortar & Pestle, in Melbourne, Australia. Rather intimidatingly for her, the headline for the article was "World’s Best Chocolate Cake." It could actually be called lots of things: “world’s easiest cake,” possibly, requiring nothing more than one large bowl to make it all in. Or “most versatile cake,” given that it can be served without icing and just a light dusting of cocoa powder, or dressed up to the nines, as it is here, with a thin layer of chocolate ganache and served with espresso cinnamon mascarpone cream. In the Ottolenghi shops in London, it is smaller and goes by the name Take-Home Chocolate Cake, designed to be shared by four people after a meal. This larger version is no less delicious, and keeps well for four to five days. As with any baking project, you should weigh your ingredients in grams for the best results.”
Yield: 12 servings; Time: 1 1/2 hours, plus cooling.
This was featured in “Yotam Ottolenghi on Creating Recipes for His Cookbook ‘Sweet’” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
1 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks plus 1 1/2 tablespoons), at room temperature and cut into 3/4-inch cubes, plus extra for greasing the pan
7 ounces dark chocolate (70 percent cocoa solids), chopped into 3/4-inch pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee granules, dissolved in 1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons self-rising flour (see note)
1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, plus 1 1/2 teaspoons, for dusting
1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Chocolate Ganache (Optional):
7 ounces dark chocolate (70 percent cocoa solids), broken or chopped roughly into 3/4-inch pieces
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
For the Espresso Cinnamon Mascarpone Cream (Optional):
1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
3/4 cup mascarpone
Scraped seeds of 1/2 vanilla pod
2 1/2 teaspoons finely ground espresso
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 1/2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/170 degrees Celsius. Grease a 9-inch/23-centimeter round springform pan with butter and line with parchment paper, then set aside.
Make the cake: Place butter, chocolate and hot coffee in a large heatproof bowl and mix well until everything is melted, combined and smooth. Whisk in sugar by hand until dissolved. Add eggs and vanilla extract and whisk again until thoroughly combined and smooth. Sift flour, cocoa powder and salt together into a bowl and then whisk this into the melted chocolate mixture. The batter here is liquid, but don’t think you have missed something; this is how it should be.
Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until the cake is cooked and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few dry crumbs attached. The top will form a crust and crack a little, but don’t worry, this is expected. Leave the cake to cool for 20 minutes before removing from the pan, then set aside until completely cool.
Make the chocolate ganache, if desired: Place chocolate pieces in a food processor, process until fine and set aside. Combine cream and corn syrup in a small pan and place over medium-high heat. As soon as bubbles begin to appear (just before it comes to a boil), remove from the heat. Get the food processor running again, with the chocolate still inside, and pour in the hot cream in a steady stream. Process for 10 seconds, then add butter. Continue to process until mixture is shiny and smooth. (You can also make the ganache by hand; just make sure the chocolate is chopped fairly finely before adding the cream mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until almost melted, then add the butter. Stir again until the ganache is smooth.)
Use a rubber spatula to scrape the ganache into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, with the plastic actually touching the top of the ganache. Set aside until it has set to the consistency you want. If you want a thin layer to spread over the cake, it can be poured over while liquid so that you get an even, light and shiny coating. For a thicker ganache with a spreading consistency, leave it for about 2 hours at room temperature. (The ganache can be stored at room temperature, providing it’s not too warm, for 3 days or kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It can also be frozen, although it will lose a bit of its shine when defrosted.)
Make the espresso cinnamon mascarpone cream, if desired: Place all the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes, until soft peaks form.
Peel the parchment from the cake and discard. Transfer to a serving platter and spread the ganache, if using, on top of the cake. Slice into wedges, divide the cake among plates and, if using, spoon the mascarpone cream alongside. With or without icing, the cake will keep well for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container.
ROCKY ROAD CAKE
Years ago, I'd gone back to school at the local junior college, something that eventually took way longer than I'd anticipated: a few years here, a couple of semesters there, until I finally graduated in 2002. (Hooray!!!)
One of the classes that was required to graduate was a speech class. One week we had to give a demonstration speech. One of the students demonstrated how to make this cake. After her short demonstration, she passed out copies of the recipe along with pieces of cake. It’s absolutely delicious. The icing can be used on almost any kind of cake; it would be really good on carrot cake!
This recipe can also be found in my e-cookbook Off the Wall Cooking.
1 C chopped nuts
4 eggs
1 C raisins
1 C mayonnaise
1 C mini-marshmallows
1 C water
6 oz. package of chocolate
1 package (18.25 oz) Devil’s Food cake mix with pudding
Grease and flour 2 9” pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix first four ingredients in medium-size bowl.
In large bowl at low speed, mix cake mix, eggs, mayo and water until blended. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Stir the nut mixture into the cake batter, then pour into greased and floured pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes on cooling rack.
Icing (for Rocky Road Cake)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 stick butter
8 oz. cream cheese
1 box confectioners sugar
Place ingredients in bowl and cream together. When cake is cool, ice. ENJOY!
RED VELVET CAKE
We lived in Connecticut for several years while I was growing up. During this time, a lady called the local radio station and said she’d recently returned from a trip. During a stay in a fancy hotel with her husband, she had this cake in their restaurant. Returning home, she wrote to the hotel and requested a copy of the recipe, saying she’d pay for it. She received a copy of the recipe, along with a bill for $300. (This was during the mid-1960s.) Furious over the bill, she proceeded to read the recipe over the air.
1/2 C butter (note)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 C sugar
1 C buttermilk
2 eggs, well beaten
1 T vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
2 T cocoa
2 1/4 C flour (sifted)
2 oz. red food coloring
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease & flour two 8" round pans. Cream butter & sugar. Add eggs. Make paste of food coloring & cocoa. Add to 1st mix. Add salt & buttermilk alternately with flour. Add vanilla. Dissolve soda in vinegar & add this last. Blend all ingredients, as little as possible. Pour into pans & bake for 30-40 minutes. When cool, split each layer horizontally.
FROSTING FOR RED VELVET CAKE
1 C butter (note)
1 C milk
1 C sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
5 T unbleached flour
Cream butter with sugar. Cook flour & milk in saucepan until very thick, stirring the whole time. Cool. Combine 2 mixes & add vanilla, using electric mixer. Spread on cake.
NOTE: Butter must be used in the frosting, otherwise the frosting will liquefy & refuse to harden. In the cake itself, though, margarine may be used. Also, if two 9" round pans are used, layers don’t need to be cut in half.
STUFFED PINATA CAKE
This is from The Food Network, and begins, “Your guests will certainly be delighted by the sight of this bright cake. But make sure they don't put their cameras away too soon: once you cut into it, a candy surprise comes spilling out!”
Total: 3 hours 15 minutes; Active: 1 hour 5 minutes; Yield: 8 to 10; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/stuffed-pinata-cake.
Ingredients
Frosting:
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Pinch fine salt
6 large egg whites
4 sticks (1 pound) unsalted butter, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks, at room temperature
5 cups sweetened shredded coconut
Filling and Decoration:
Blue, orange, yellow, purple and pink food coloring
2 cups of your favorite small and soft candies (none in wrappers), such as gummies or candy-covered chocolates
Cake:
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pans
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
DirectionsFor the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with butter and line the bottom of each with parchment.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the milk, vanilla, eggs and egg yolk together in another medium bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium high until light and fluffy. Add about a third of the flour mixture and beat on medium low until incorporated. Now add a third of the egg-milk mixture and continue to beat on medium low until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Repeat with the remaining flour and egg-milk mixtures, finishing with the flour.
Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake until the cake bounces back when pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the cake pans on a rack.
For the frosting: Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan that can hold a heatproof stand mixer's bowl above the water.
Add the sugar, lemon juice, salt and egg whites to the mixer bowl and whisk together by hand. Set the bowl above the boiling water and whisk until the mixture is warm to the touch and the sugar completely dissolves. Transfer to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until cool and the whites hold stiff peaks, 10 to 15 minutes.
Toss in a couple of chunks of butter at a time, making sure the pieces are incorporated before adding more. After all the butter is added, continue beating on medium-high speed. The mixture will deflate and appear curdled. Continue beating until the frosting comes back together to a smooth and spreadable consistency. (If the frosting is very soft or begins to break, refrigerate until set but still spreadable, then beat until light before using.)
For the filling and decoration: Dye the coconut: Have ready 5 resealable plastic bags or plastic containers. Put 1 1/2 cups of the coconut in one container with 6 to 8 drops of blue food coloring. Put 1 cup of coconut in the second container with 5 to 6 drops of orange food coloring, 1 cup of coconut in the third with 5 to 6 drops yellow food coloring and 1 cup of coconut in the fourth with 6 to 8 drops purple food coloring. Put the remaining 1/2 cup coconut in the fifth container with 4 to 5 drops pink food coloring. Seal each container and shake vigorously until the coconut is evenly dyed. Add more food coloring 1 drop at a time as needed to get bright, vibrant colors.
Assemble the cake: Cut a 4-inch circle out of the center of each cake (reserve the small cut-out cake rounds). Put one of the cake rings on a cake stand or serving platter and frost with about 1 cup of frosting. Put the other cake ring on top and push down slightly. Fill the hole with candy. Cut one of the reserved cake rounds in half horizontally to make 2 thinner rounds. Use one to fill the hole on top of the cake. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.
Cut a strip of parchment about 30 inches long and 3 inches wide. Wrap this parchment around the cake like a collar, leaving 1 inch of frosting exposed around the bottom perimeter of the cake. Pack some of the blue coconut onto the exposed frosting to make your first strip of color. Lift the collar up another 1 inch and do the same with the orange coconut. Remove the collar and fill the remaining inch of frosting with the yellow coconut. For the top, make 1-inch-wide rings, starting on the outside and working your way in, with the purple, pink, blue and orange coconut until the top is completely covered. Let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving.
COCONUT LAYER CAKE
This comes from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “This impressive and wonderfully moist layer cake is less sweet than the usual coconut affair, thanks to a tangy cream cheese frosting on top and dose of orange juice in the batter. This is a great dessert to make in advance. You can bake the cake layers up to 3 days ahead and store them, well-wrapped in plastic, in the refrigerator. The frosted cake will keep for 2 days in the fridge as well, either under a cake dome or overturned bowl, or loosely tented with foil. Just make sure to bring the cake to room temperature before serving.” Yield: 8 to 12 servings; Time: 2 hours, plus cooling.
This was featured in “A Sugar Rush, Not Crush”, and can be viewed online here.
Also, to find more layer cakes, click here. Also, check out Melissa’s guide, “How to Frost a Cake”.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pans
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs, separated, plus 3 whites
1 1/2 cups cream of coconut
1 1/4 cups unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons coconut or dark rum
7 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
3 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
For the Frosting:
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups cream cheese, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
7 1/4 cups/2 pounds confectioners’ sugar
2 3/4 cups unsweetened shredded or flaked coconut, toasted
Preparation
Make the Cake:
Grease 3 8-inch cake pans and dust with flour. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk together flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl and reserve. Place butter and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment and beat until fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add 3 egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl with spatula. Lower speed and gradually add flour mixture. Batter will be thick and pasty.
Whisk together cream of coconut, coconut milk, rum and orange juice. Alternately add shredded coconut and the orange juice mixture to the batter.
In the clean bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip 6 egg whites until soft peaks form. Gently fold into batter.
Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes. Cool in pans on wire rack. Unmold cakes once cool.
Make the Frosting:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese. Add vanilla extract. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, scraping down sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Mix until combined and fluffy.
Spread 1/4-inch-thick layer of frosting on top of the first layer of cake. Sprinkle with toasted coconut. Place next cake layer on top and repeat with frosting and coconut. Repeat with the third layer, spreading frosting on top and around sides of cake. Hold cake steadily in one hand and use other hand to pat remaining coconut onto edges of cake.
CELEBRATION CAKE
This comes from Seattle’s own Macrina Bakery. I’m on their mailing list (they send out the yummiest recipes!), and I highly recommend signing up.
If I’m ever out in Seattle, I fully intend to pay a visit to any of their bakeries…
According to Macrina’s Leslie Mackie, “This is one of my favorite birthday or special occasion cakes. The natural sweet flavor of toasted coconut layered with fresh summer berries and lemon cream makes for a light yet decadent summer treat.”
To view this online, click here.
INGREDIENTS: COCONUT CAKE
1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut 1 cup coconut milk
5 egg whites
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups cake flour
1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.
2 pints fresh raspberries (for assembly)
LEMON CREAM
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup whipping cream
WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING
12 ounces white chocolate chips
8 ounces unsalted butter, room temp. 1 pound cream cheese, room temp.
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
DIRECTIONS: COCONUT CAKE
Preheat oven to 325°F. Spread coconut evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 3 minutes. Toss with tongs to toast evenly and return to the oven for 3 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a bowl. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the coconut milk, egg whites, and almond and vanilla extracts. Mix with a whisk and set aside.
Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the toasted coconut and mix on low speed using the paddle attachment for 30 seconds. Cut butter into small cubes and add to the flour mixture. Mix on low speed until it is coarse and crumbly with no visible pieces of butter, approximately 4 minutes. Add half the wet ingredients and mix on medium speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and add the remaining wet ingredients, mixing for another 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl again to ensure it is well incorporated.
Prepare a 12" x 18" baking sheet pan with 1/2" rim by brushing it with oil and lining the bottom with parchment paper. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake on the center rack for 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown. When cool, run a knife around the edge of the cake and invert onto another sheet pan. Gently remove parchment paper and then cut three 7" circles of cake. You will have excess cake scraps, which make great trifle with fresh berries and whipped cream. Cover cake circles until ready to assemble layer cake.
LEMON CREAM
Combine egg yolks, sugar and lemon juice in a medium stainless steel bowl and mix well with a whisk. Place the bowl on top of a saucepan filled with 2" of simmering water. Whisking constantly, slowly cook for about 10 minutes. You don’t want to cook this too fast or the egg will scramble. As it thickens you will see ribbons form in the custard. Add the butter and continue whisking until it is dissolved. Remove bowl from the saucepan and whisk to cool slightly. Cover with plastic wrap, allowing it to rest on the surface of the lemon curd.
Cool in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Whip the heavy cream to medium stiff peaks and fold into the chilled lemon curd. Set aside in the refrigerator.
WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING
Place the white chocolate into a medium stainless steel bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan filled with 2" of simmering water. Stir with a rubber spatula until it is completely melted. Remove bowl from the saucepan and cool to room temperature.
Place the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until the mixture is completely smooth, approximately 3-6 minutes. Add the lemon juice and then the melted white chocolate. Mix until all ingredients are fully incorporated. If it is too soft (this can happen if your room temperature is warm) chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before using.
ASSEMBLY
Begin layering the cake using a single cut layer at the base. Top with a 1/2" thick layer of lemon cream and a single layer of raspberries. Keep a 1" border at the edge of cake so when the additional layers are added it doesn’t push the filling out. Repeat with the second layer and top with the final layer. Place the cake into the refrigerator or freezer to chill for 20 minutes.
To add a crumb coat (a base coat of frosting that allows for a perfect finish), spread the sides and top with a thin layer of frosting. Chill for 30 minutes.
To add the finishing coat of frosting, start by covering and smoothing the sides before completing the top. You can add some color by taking a small portion of the white chocolate frosting and mixing a little bit of food coloring into it. Then smooth onto the sides to create color blushes. Don’t be afraid to be creative!
Chill this cake for 1-1/2 hours before serving so that it is completely set. Decorate with fresh garden flowers and raspberries.
WORLD’S BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE
This is from Yotam Ottolenghi in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “The recipe for this cake, adapted from "Sweet" by Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh, first appeared in an article written about Ms. Goh when she ran her cafe, the Mortar & Pestle, in Melbourne, Australia. Rather intimidatingly for her, the headline for the article was "World’s Best Chocolate Cake." It could actually be called lots of things: “world’s easiest cake,” possibly, requiring nothing more than one large bowl to make it all in. Or “most versatile cake,” given that it can be served without icing and just a light dusting of cocoa powder, or dressed up to the nines, as it is here, with a thin layer of chocolate ganache and served with espresso cinnamon mascarpone cream. In the Ottolenghi shops in London, it is smaller and goes by the name Take-Home Chocolate Cake, designed to be shared by four people after a meal. This larger version is no less delicious, and keeps well for four to five days. As with any baking project, you should weigh your ingredients in grams for the best results.”
Yield: 12 servings; Time: 1 1/2 hours, plus cooling.
This was featured in “Yotam Ottolenghi on Creating Recipes for His Cookbook ‘Sweet’” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
1 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks plus 1 1/2 tablespoons), at room temperature and cut into 3/4-inch cubes, plus extra for greasing the pan
7 ounces dark chocolate (70 percent cocoa solids), chopped into 3/4-inch pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee granules, dissolved in 1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons self-rising flour (see note)
1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, plus 1 1/2 teaspoons, for dusting
1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Chocolate Ganache (Optional):
7 ounces dark chocolate (70 percent cocoa solids), broken or chopped roughly into 3/4-inch pieces
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
For the Espresso Cinnamon Mascarpone Cream (Optional):
1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
3/4 cup mascarpone
Scraped seeds of 1/2 vanilla pod
2 1/2 teaspoons finely ground espresso
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 1/2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/170 degrees Celsius. Grease a 9-inch/23-centimeter round springform pan with butter and line with parchment paper, then set aside.
Make the cake: Place butter, chocolate and hot coffee in a large heatproof bowl and mix well until everything is melted, combined and smooth. Whisk in sugar by hand until dissolved. Add eggs and vanilla extract and whisk again until thoroughly combined and smooth. Sift flour, cocoa powder and salt together into a bowl and then whisk this into the melted chocolate mixture. The batter here is liquid, but don’t think you have missed something; this is how it should be.
Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until the cake is cooked and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few dry crumbs attached. The top will form a crust and crack a little, but don’t worry, this is expected. Leave the cake to cool for 20 minutes before removing from the pan, then set aside until completely cool.
Make the chocolate ganache, if desired: Place chocolate pieces in a food processor, process until fine and set aside. Combine cream and corn syrup in a small pan and place over medium-high heat. As soon as bubbles begin to appear (just before it comes to a boil), remove from the heat. Get the food processor running again, with the chocolate still inside, and pour in the hot cream in a steady stream. Process for 10 seconds, then add butter. Continue to process until mixture is shiny and smooth. (You can also make the ganache by hand; just make sure the chocolate is chopped fairly finely before adding the cream mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until almost melted, then add the butter. Stir again until the ganache is smooth.)
Use a rubber spatula to scrape the ganache into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, with the plastic actually touching the top of the ganache. Set aside until it has set to the consistency you want. If you want a thin layer to spread over the cake, it can be poured over while liquid so that you get an even, light and shiny coating. For a thicker ganache with a spreading consistency, leave it for about 2 hours at room temperature. (The ganache can be stored at room temperature, providing it’s not too warm, for 3 days or kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It can also be frozen, although it will lose a bit of its shine when defrosted.)
Make the espresso cinnamon mascarpone cream, if desired: Place all the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes, until soft peaks form.
Peel the parchment from the cake and discard. Transfer to a serving platter and spread the ganache, if using, on top of the cake. Slice into wedges, divide the cake among plates and, if using, spoon the mascarpone cream alongside. With or without icing, the cake will keep well for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container.
ROCKY ROAD CAKE
Years ago, I'd gone back to school at the local junior college, something that eventually took way longer than I'd anticipated: a few years here, a couple of semesters there, until I finally graduated in 2002. (Hooray!!!)
One of the classes that was required to graduate was a speech class. One week we had to give a demonstration speech. One of the students demonstrated how to make this cake. After her short demonstration, she passed out copies of the recipe along with pieces of cake. It’s absolutely delicious. The icing can be used on almost any kind of cake; it would be really good on carrot cake!
This recipe can also be found in my e-cookbook Off the Wall Cooking.
1 C chopped nuts
4 eggs
1 C raisins
1 C mayonnaise
1 C mini-marshmallows
1 C water
6 oz. package of chocolate
1 package (18.25 oz) Devil’s Food cake mix with pudding
Grease and flour 2 9” pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix first four ingredients in medium-size bowl.
In large bowl at low speed, mix cake mix, eggs, mayo and water until blended. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Stir the nut mixture into the cake batter, then pour into greased and floured pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes on cooling rack.
Icing (for Rocky Road Cake)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 stick butter
8 oz. cream cheese
1 box confectioners sugar
Place ingredients in bowl and cream together. When cake is cool, ice. ENJOY!
RED VELVET CAKE
We lived in Connecticut for several years while I was growing up. During this time, a lady called the local radio station and said she’d recently returned from a trip. During a stay in a fancy hotel with her husband, she had this cake in their restaurant. Returning home, she wrote to the hotel and requested a copy of the recipe, saying she’d pay for it. She received a copy of the recipe, along with a bill for $300. (This was during the mid-1960s.) Furious over the bill, she proceeded to read the recipe over the air.
1/2 C butter (note)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 C sugar
1 C buttermilk
2 eggs, well beaten
1 T vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
2 T cocoa
2 1/4 C flour (sifted)
2 oz. red food coloring
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease & flour two 8" round pans. Cream butter & sugar. Add eggs. Make paste of food coloring & cocoa. Add to 1st mix. Add salt & buttermilk alternately with flour. Add vanilla. Dissolve soda in vinegar & add this last. Blend all ingredients, as little as possible. Pour into pans & bake for 30-40 minutes. When cool, split each layer horizontally.
FROSTING FOR RED VELVET CAKE
1 C butter (note)
1 C milk
1 C sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
5 T unbleached flour
Cream butter with sugar. Cook flour & milk in saucepan until very thick, stirring the whole time. Cool. Combine 2 mixes & add vanilla, using electric mixer. Spread on cake.
NOTE: Butter must be used in the frosting, otherwise the frosting will liquefy & refuse to harden. In the cake itself, though, margarine may be used. Also, if two 9" round pans are used, layers don’t need to be cut in half.
Saturday, December 2, 2017
Cake!
For many of us, when we think about celebration food, cake comes to mind. Here are six yummy cake recipes to help get your holiday celebrations going, including Celebration Cake and Ambrosia Cake. Enjoy!
CELEBRATION CAKE
This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, “This cake, which was developed by the British-Israeli chef Yotam Ottolenghi, may not look perfect. You may end up with cracked layers, roughly cut edges and a white-chocolate ganache spread willy-nilly. I think it’s best if it is superrustic,’ Ottolenghi said. But it will be elegant anyway, the astonishingly good result of care and time spent in the kitchen for loved ones, and the flavors are terrific.”
Yield: Serves 10-20; Time: 24 hours, plus freezing
This was featured in “Revel in the Bounty of Spring, With a Feast From Yotam Ottolenghi” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Layer Cakes:
15 1/2 ounces dark baking chocolate (70 percent cocoa), chopped
9 ounces egg yolks (the yolks from 14 or 15 large eggs)
15 1/2 ounces superfine sugar
14 ounces egg whites (the whites from about 10 large eggs)
1 tablespoon brandy
For the Ganache:
10 1/2 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
To Finish:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
7 ounces blueberries, with 8 or so set aside for garnish
7 ounces blackberries, with 12 or so set aside for garnish
7 ounces strawberries, trimmed and thinly sliced, lengthwise
7 ounces raspberries, with 8 or so set aside for garnish
Powdered sugar, to dust (optional)
Preparation
To make the layers for the cake, heat oven to 350. Grease and line three 10-by-14-inch jellyroll pans with parchment paper. (If you only have one, you can make the layers separately.)
Put a medium-size pot with a few inches of water in it over medium heat, and bring it to a simmer. Place a large, heatproof bowl on top of the pot, making sure that the base of the bowl is not touching the water. Put the chocolate in the bowl, and melt it over the simmering water, stirring occasionally. Remove the bowl from the heat, and set aside to cool slightly.
Put the egg yolks and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer with a whisk attachment. Mix for about 3 minutes, until thick and pale, and then gently fold the mixture into the melted chocolate. Stir until almost combined, and set aside.
Put the egg whites in the clean bowl of an electric mixer with a clean whisk attachment. Beat at high speed until soft peaks form, and then gently fold them into the chocolate, followed by the brandy.
Divide the chocolate mixture between the 3 jellyroll pans (or pour a third of the mix into one, if you’re baking in 3 batches). Use a spatula to even out the tops or top, and place in the oven. Cook for approximately 15 minutes, until firm to touch and a skewer inserted in comes out clean. Set aside to cool.
Once the cakes have cooled, place a sheet of parchment on a sheet pan, and set it over one of the finished spongecakes, then flip the whole thing over, so the sheet pan is now sitting under the cake. Remove the jellyroll pan and the used paper. Repeat with the remaining cakes, placing each on a clean sheet of parchment paper and stacking them. Wrap them well with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for at least 24 hours.
To make the ganache, place white chocolate in a large bowl and set aside. Add the cream to a medium saucepan with a heavy base and place it on medium-low heat. Cook until just starting to simmer, and then pour it over the chocolate. Allow to sit for 3 minutes or so, until the chocolate has softened, and then gently stir until the chocolate is melted and fully combined with the cream. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight (or for up to 3 days).
To assemble the cake, put the ganache into the bowl of an electric mixer with a whisk attachment. Add the cream, and whip on medium-high until the mixture has achieved the consistency of soft whipped cream. (Keep a close eye on it so as not to overwhip.)
Mix the berries you are not holding back for garnish in a large bowl, and set aside.
Remove one sponge layer from the freezer at a time, and place on a serving platter or cutting board. Do not remove them all at once; they need to be frozen. Trim about 1/2 inch off all the edges to make a clean rectangle, then spread roughly 1/3 of the ganache mixture across the top of the cake. Scatter 1/2 of the berries on top of the ganache mixture, making sure they are evenly spread right to the edges of the cake. Trim the second sponge layer, place it on top of the first and cover it with another 1/3 of the ganache mixture and the remainder of the fruit. Remove the final layer of cake from the freezer, trim it and place it on top of the second, then spread the remaining ganache across the top of the cake, smoothing it with a palette knife. Place the fruit reserved as garnish in each corner of the cake, and dust the whole thing lightly with powdered sugar, if you like. If you’re not serving the cake right away, store in the refrigerator for a few hours, bringing it out 30 minutes before serving.
PUMPKIN SPICE GHOST CAKE
This is from Very Best Baking by Nestle, and begins, “Surprise your trick-or treaters with this hauntingly-good pumpkin spice cake with a rich cream cheese frosting.”
Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cooking Time: 35 minutes; Skill level: Intermediate; Makes 12 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Cake:
1 pkg. (18 oz.) spice or carrot cake mix
1 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
3 large eggs
1/3 cup water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Cream Cheese Frosting:
2 pkgs. (3 oz. each) cream cheeese, softened
2 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
*Black string licorice, NESTLÉ RAISINETS Milk Chocolate-Covered Raisins and Halloween candy corn (optional)
Instructions
For Cake:
Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease and flour two 8- or 9-inch-round cake pans.
Combine cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, water, vegetable oil and pumpkin pie spice in large mixer bowl until moistened. Beat for 2 minutes or until thoroughly mixed. Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.
For Cream Cheese Frosting:
Beat cream cheese, margarine and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar. Spread between layers and on top and side of cake.
To Garnish:
Form licorice strings into ghost shapes; press into side of frosted cake. Use Raisinets for eyes. Arrange candy corn between ghosts on side and around top edge of frosted cake.
CHERRY-MALLOW CAKE
This recipe is from the infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list and begins, “This cake is a snap to make because you use a mix. As the marshmallows melt, they rise to the top and make a glaze.”
Prep. time: 15 minutes; Cooking time: 45 to 50 minutes; Serves: 15
Ingredients
4 cups miniature marshmallows, (about 3/4 of a 10-1/2 ounce package; you can use vegetarian marshmallows, which I highly recommend)
1 package (18-1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix
1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Lay the marshmallows evenly over the bottom of the pan.
Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions. Pour the batter over the marshmallows. Spoon the cherry filling evenly over the cake batter.
Remove pan from oven and cool on wire racks.
After the cake is cool, cut into squares.
AMBROSIA CAKE
This comes from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “If you love the combination of oranges, coconut and marshmallows found in a traditional ambrosia — the salad or dessert that often also contains pineapple, bananas, cherries and some kind of creamy dressing such as whipped cream or sour cream — you’ll adore this cake. The coconut is baked into the cake layers and used as a sweet, shaggy garnish, while the oranges (in this case, diminutive, seedless clementines) are juiced into curd and sliced fresh for the filling. Then, as a final, fluffy touch, a homemade marshmallow frosting tops it off. It may be a lot of work, but it’s an impressive result. And you can make the curd and cake a few days ahead. Just be sure to make the frosting and assemble everything within 8 hours of serving. Otherwise the fruit starts to break down and the icing may crystallize.”
Yield: 12 servings; Time: 3 hours
This was originally featured in “An Ambrosial Cake, and That’s Just the Filling” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon coconut rum or dark rum (or use 1 teaspoon coconut extract)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil, melted and cooled (or use more butter)
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature, whites and yolks separated
1 1/4 teaspoons finely grated clementine zest (from about 2 clementines)
For the Filling:
1/3 cup fresh clementine juice (from about 4 clementines), plus 2 1/2 teaspoons finely grated clementine zest
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
4 large eggs
4 large egg yolks (reserve whites for frosting)
7 tablespoons sugar
Pinch kosher salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cubed
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Frosting:
4 large egg whites
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Pinch kosher salt
For Decorating and Assembling:
8 to 10 seedless clementines
1 1/2 to 3 cups shredded sweetened or unsweetened coconut, to taste
Strawberries, sliced (optional)
Preparation
Bake the cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees and place a rack in the middle. Butter two 9-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper on the bottom.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, coconut milk, rum and vanilla.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter, coconut oil and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, then beat in zest. Beat in half the flour mixture, followed by half the milk mixture. Repeat, beating just until combined and scraping down bowl as necessary.
In a separate bowl, use an electric beater to whisk egg whites just until stiff peaks form. Fold into cake batter.
Divide batter between pans. Bake until lightly golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, then unmold cakes and cool completely on rack. (Cakes can be made up to 2 days ahead; once cool, wrap in plastic and refrigerate.)
Meanwhile, make the filling: Bring clementine juice and lemon juice to a boil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, yolks, sugar and salt. Whisking constantly, slowly pour hot juice into eggs, then return mixture to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in butter and vanilla. Push through a strainer set over a medium bowl, and stir in clementine zest. Cover with plastic wrap directly on surface of curd and refrigerate until cold. (Curd can be made up to 5 days ahead.) Or to speed up cooling, set bowl of curd in a larger bowl filled with ice water and stir curd until very cold, 7 to 10 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
Prepare clementines for decorating the cake: Cut the top and bottom off a clementine and set it cut-side down on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut away peel and pith, following the curve of the fruit from top to bottom. Working over a bowl to catch the juices, carefully cut out each segment from the membrane; it should fall into the bowl as you cut. Lay segments out on paper towels to dry slightly while you cut remaining fruit.
Use a large knife to trim tops of cakes to level them, and cut both cakes in half horizontally to make layers.
Place a cake layer on a serving dish and spread a third of the curd over it, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Layer a third of the clementine segments on top of curd, spacing them evenly so cake will be balanced. Top with another layer, spread another third of curd over it, and layer with 1/2 cup shredded coconut. Top with cake layer, repeat curd and clementines, saving some clementines for top of cake. Place the remaining cake layer on top, and chill while making frosting.
Make the frosting: Bring a medium pot with 1 inch of water to boil. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and salt. Set bowl over simmering water and whisk constantly until eggs reach 160 degrees, or the sugar has melted. Remove from heat, and beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.
Immediately spread frosting on cake and press coconut shreds into tops and sides. Top with clementine wedges and strawberries if using; serve within an hour or two. (Or, keep refrigerated for up to 8 hours and wait until just before serving to top with fresh fruit.)
EASY PUMPKIN PUDDING CAKE
This is from Ashley, a high school teacher turned blogger, on her wonderful site, The Recipe Rebel. This recipe begins, “This Easy Pumpkin Pudding Cake takes just 10 minutes prep and makes it’s own caramel pudding sauce as it bakes! Perfect hot from the oven with a scoop of ice cream.”
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Makes 6 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour (I use whole wheat!)
3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cloves
3/4 cup pure pumpkin puree (not pie filling!)
1/3 cup milk (I use 1%)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
Sauce
1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
2 teaspoons corn starch
1 1/4 cup hot or boiling water
2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9" pie plate or baking dish.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and cloves with a spoon.
Add in pumpkin, milk, oil and vanilla and stir until a thick batter forms. Spread into prepared pie plate.
In a small bowl, stir together 1 cup brown sugar and corn starch until there are no clumps. Sprinkle over cake batter.
Add butter to hot water and stir until melted. Pour over brown sugar mixture in pan.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until top is completely set (keep in mind that there is a thick layer of caramel sauce in the bottom, so it may jiggle). Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator and reheat perfectly!
WORLD’S BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE
This is from Yotam Ottolenghi in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “The recipe for this cake, adapted from "Sweet" by Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh, first appeared in an article written about Ms. Goh when she ran her cafe, the Mortar & Pestle, in Melbourne, Australia. Rather intimidatingly for her, the headline for the article was "World’s Best Chocolate Cake." It could actually be called lots of things: “world’s easiest cake,” possibly, requiring nothing more than one large bowl to make it all in. Or “most versatile cake,” given that it can be served without icing and just a light dusting of cocoa powder, or dressed up to the nines, as it is here, with a thin layer of chocolate ganache and served with espresso cinnamon mascarpone cream. In the Ottolenghi shops in London, it is smaller and goes by the name Take-Home Chocolate Cake, designed to be shared by four people after a meal. This larger version is no less delicious, and keeps well for four to five days. As with any baking project, you should weigh your ingredients in grams for the best results.”
Yield: 12 servings; Time: 1 1/2 hours, plus cooling.
This was featured in “Yotam Ottolenghi on Creating Recipes for His Cookbook ‘Sweet’” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
1 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks plus 1 1/2 tablespoons), at room temperature and cut into 3/4-inch cubes, plus extra for greasing the pan
7 ounces dark chocolate (70 percent cocoa solids), chopped into 3/4-inch pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee granules, dissolved in 1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons self-rising flour (see note)
1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, plus 1 1/2 teaspoons, for dusting
1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Chocolate Ganache (Optional):
7 ounces dark chocolate (70 percent cocoa solids), broken or chopped roughly into 3/4-inch pieces
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
For the Espresso Cinnamon Mascarpone Cream (Optional):
1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
3/4 cup mascarpone
Scraped seeds of 1/2 vanilla pod
2 1/2 teaspoons finely ground espresso
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 1/2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/170 degrees Celsius. Grease a 9-inch/23-centimeter round springform pan with butter and line with parchment paper, then set aside.
Make the cake: Place butter, chocolate and hot coffee in a large heatproof bowl and mix well until everything is melted, combined and smooth. Whisk in sugar by hand until dissolved. Add eggs and vanilla extract and whisk again until thoroughly combined and smooth. Sift flour, cocoa powder and salt together into a bowl and then whisk this into the melted chocolate mixture. The batter here is liquid, but don’t think you have missed something; this is how it should be.
Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until the cake is cooked and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few dry crumbs attached. The top will form a crust and crack a little, but don’t worry, this is expected. Leave the cake to cool for 20 minutes before removing from the pan, then set aside until completely cool.
Make the chocolate ganache, if desired: Place chocolate pieces in a food processor, process until fine and set aside. Combine cream and corn syrup in a small pan and place over medium-high heat. As soon as bubbles begin to appear (just before it comes to a boil), remove from the heat. Get the food processor running again, with the chocolate still inside, and pour in the hot cream in a steady stream. Process for 10 seconds, then add butter. Continue to process until mixture is shiny and smooth. (You can also make the ganache by hand; just make sure the chocolate is chopped fairly finely before adding the cream mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until almost melted, then add the butter. Stir again until the ganache is smooth.)
Use a rubber spatula to scrape the ganache into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, with the plastic actually touching the top of the ganache. Set aside until it has set to the consistency you want. If you want a thin layer to spread over the cake, it can be poured over while liquid so that you get an even, light and shiny coating. For a thicker ganache with a spreading consistency, leave it for about 2 hours at room temperature. (The ganache can be stored at room temperature, providing it’s not too warm, for 3 days or kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It can also be frozen, although it will lose a bit of its shine when defrosted.)
Make the espresso cinnamon mascarpone cream, if desired: Place all the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes, until soft peaks form.
Peel the parchment from the cake and discard. Transfer to a serving platter and spread the ganache, if using, on top of the cake. Slice into wedges, divide the cake among plates and, if using, spoon the mascarpone cream alongside. With or without icing, the cake will keep well for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container.
CELEBRATION CAKE
This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, “This cake, which was developed by the British-Israeli chef Yotam Ottolenghi, may not look perfect. You may end up with cracked layers, roughly cut edges and a white-chocolate ganache spread willy-nilly. I think it’s best if it is superrustic,’ Ottolenghi said. But it will be elegant anyway, the astonishingly good result of care and time spent in the kitchen for loved ones, and the flavors are terrific.”
Yield: Serves 10-20; Time: 24 hours, plus freezing
This was featured in “Revel in the Bounty of Spring, With a Feast From Yotam Ottolenghi” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Layer Cakes:
15 1/2 ounces dark baking chocolate (70 percent cocoa), chopped
9 ounces egg yolks (the yolks from 14 or 15 large eggs)
15 1/2 ounces superfine sugar
14 ounces egg whites (the whites from about 10 large eggs)
1 tablespoon brandy
For the Ganache:
10 1/2 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
To Finish:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
7 ounces blueberries, with 8 or so set aside for garnish
7 ounces blackberries, with 12 or so set aside for garnish
7 ounces strawberries, trimmed and thinly sliced, lengthwise
7 ounces raspberries, with 8 or so set aside for garnish
Powdered sugar, to dust (optional)
Preparation
To make the layers for the cake, heat oven to 350. Grease and line three 10-by-14-inch jellyroll pans with parchment paper. (If you only have one, you can make the layers separately.)
Put a medium-size pot with a few inches of water in it over medium heat, and bring it to a simmer. Place a large, heatproof bowl on top of the pot, making sure that the base of the bowl is not touching the water. Put the chocolate in the bowl, and melt it over the simmering water, stirring occasionally. Remove the bowl from the heat, and set aside to cool slightly.
Put the egg yolks and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer with a whisk attachment. Mix for about 3 minutes, until thick and pale, and then gently fold the mixture into the melted chocolate. Stir until almost combined, and set aside.
Put the egg whites in the clean bowl of an electric mixer with a clean whisk attachment. Beat at high speed until soft peaks form, and then gently fold them into the chocolate, followed by the brandy.
Divide the chocolate mixture between the 3 jellyroll pans (or pour a third of the mix into one, if you’re baking in 3 batches). Use a spatula to even out the tops or top, and place in the oven. Cook for approximately 15 minutes, until firm to touch and a skewer inserted in comes out clean. Set aside to cool.
Once the cakes have cooled, place a sheet of parchment on a sheet pan, and set it over one of the finished spongecakes, then flip the whole thing over, so the sheet pan is now sitting under the cake. Remove the jellyroll pan and the used paper. Repeat with the remaining cakes, placing each on a clean sheet of parchment paper and stacking them. Wrap them well with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for at least 24 hours.
To make the ganache, place white chocolate in a large bowl and set aside. Add the cream to a medium saucepan with a heavy base and place it on medium-low heat. Cook until just starting to simmer, and then pour it over the chocolate. Allow to sit for 3 minutes or so, until the chocolate has softened, and then gently stir until the chocolate is melted and fully combined with the cream. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight (or for up to 3 days).
To assemble the cake, put the ganache into the bowl of an electric mixer with a whisk attachment. Add the cream, and whip on medium-high until the mixture has achieved the consistency of soft whipped cream. (Keep a close eye on it so as not to overwhip.)
Mix the berries you are not holding back for garnish in a large bowl, and set aside.
Remove one sponge layer from the freezer at a time, and place on a serving platter or cutting board. Do not remove them all at once; they need to be frozen. Trim about 1/2 inch off all the edges to make a clean rectangle, then spread roughly 1/3 of the ganache mixture across the top of the cake. Scatter 1/2 of the berries on top of the ganache mixture, making sure they are evenly spread right to the edges of the cake. Trim the second sponge layer, place it on top of the first and cover it with another 1/3 of the ganache mixture and the remainder of the fruit. Remove the final layer of cake from the freezer, trim it and place it on top of the second, then spread the remaining ganache across the top of the cake, smoothing it with a palette knife. Place the fruit reserved as garnish in each corner of the cake, and dust the whole thing lightly with powdered sugar, if you like. If you’re not serving the cake right away, store in the refrigerator for a few hours, bringing it out 30 minutes before serving.
PUMPKIN SPICE GHOST CAKE
This is from Very Best Baking by Nestle, and begins, “Surprise your trick-or treaters with this hauntingly-good pumpkin spice cake with a rich cream cheese frosting.”
Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cooking Time: 35 minutes; Skill level: Intermediate; Makes 12 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Cake:
1 pkg. (18 oz.) spice or carrot cake mix
1 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
3 large eggs
1/3 cup water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Cream Cheese Frosting:
2 pkgs. (3 oz. each) cream cheeese, softened
2 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
*Black string licorice, NESTLÉ RAISINETS Milk Chocolate-Covered Raisins and Halloween candy corn (optional)
Instructions
For Cake:
Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease and flour two 8- or 9-inch-round cake pans.
Combine cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, water, vegetable oil and pumpkin pie spice in large mixer bowl until moistened. Beat for 2 minutes or until thoroughly mixed. Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.
For Cream Cheese Frosting:
Beat cream cheese, margarine and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar. Spread between layers and on top and side of cake.
To Garnish:
Form licorice strings into ghost shapes; press into side of frosted cake. Use Raisinets for eyes. Arrange candy corn between ghosts on side and around top edge of frosted cake.
CHERRY-MALLOW CAKE
This recipe is from the infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list and begins, “This cake is a snap to make because you use a mix. As the marshmallows melt, they rise to the top and make a glaze.”
Prep. time: 15 minutes; Cooking time: 45 to 50 minutes; Serves: 15
Ingredients
4 cups miniature marshmallows, (about 3/4 of a 10-1/2 ounce package; you can use vegetarian marshmallows, which I highly recommend)
1 package (18-1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix
1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Lay the marshmallows evenly over the bottom of the pan.
Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions. Pour the batter over the marshmallows. Spoon the cherry filling evenly over the cake batter.
Remove pan from oven and cool on wire racks.
After the cake is cool, cut into squares.
AMBROSIA CAKE
This comes from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “If you love the combination of oranges, coconut and marshmallows found in a traditional ambrosia — the salad or dessert that often also contains pineapple, bananas, cherries and some kind of creamy dressing such as whipped cream or sour cream — you’ll adore this cake. The coconut is baked into the cake layers and used as a sweet, shaggy garnish, while the oranges (in this case, diminutive, seedless clementines) are juiced into curd and sliced fresh for the filling. Then, as a final, fluffy touch, a homemade marshmallow frosting tops it off. It may be a lot of work, but it’s an impressive result. And you can make the curd and cake a few days ahead. Just be sure to make the frosting and assemble everything within 8 hours of serving. Otherwise the fruit starts to break down and the icing may crystallize.”
Yield: 12 servings; Time: 3 hours
This was originally featured in “An Ambrosial Cake, and That’s Just the Filling” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon coconut rum or dark rum (or use 1 teaspoon coconut extract)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil, melted and cooled (or use more butter)
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature, whites and yolks separated
1 1/4 teaspoons finely grated clementine zest (from about 2 clementines)
For the Filling:
1/3 cup fresh clementine juice (from about 4 clementines), plus 2 1/2 teaspoons finely grated clementine zest
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
4 large eggs
4 large egg yolks (reserve whites for frosting)
7 tablespoons sugar
Pinch kosher salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cubed
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Frosting:
4 large egg whites
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Pinch kosher salt
For Decorating and Assembling:
8 to 10 seedless clementines
1 1/2 to 3 cups shredded sweetened or unsweetened coconut, to taste
Strawberries, sliced (optional)
Preparation
Bake the cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees and place a rack in the middle. Butter two 9-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper on the bottom.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, coconut milk, rum and vanilla.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter, coconut oil and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, then beat in zest. Beat in half the flour mixture, followed by half the milk mixture. Repeat, beating just until combined and scraping down bowl as necessary.
In a separate bowl, use an electric beater to whisk egg whites just until stiff peaks form. Fold into cake batter.
Divide batter between pans. Bake until lightly golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, then unmold cakes and cool completely on rack. (Cakes can be made up to 2 days ahead; once cool, wrap in plastic and refrigerate.)
Meanwhile, make the filling: Bring clementine juice and lemon juice to a boil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, yolks, sugar and salt. Whisking constantly, slowly pour hot juice into eggs, then return mixture to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in butter and vanilla. Push through a strainer set over a medium bowl, and stir in clementine zest. Cover with plastic wrap directly on surface of curd and refrigerate until cold. (Curd can be made up to 5 days ahead.) Or to speed up cooling, set bowl of curd in a larger bowl filled with ice water and stir curd until very cold, 7 to 10 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
Prepare clementines for decorating the cake: Cut the top and bottom off a clementine and set it cut-side down on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut away peel and pith, following the curve of the fruit from top to bottom. Working over a bowl to catch the juices, carefully cut out each segment from the membrane; it should fall into the bowl as you cut. Lay segments out on paper towels to dry slightly while you cut remaining fruit.
Use a large knife to trim tops of cakes to level them, and cut both cakes in half horizontally to make layers.
Place a cake layer on a serving dish and spread a third of the curd over it, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Layer a third of the clementine segments on top of curd, spacing them evenly so cake will be balanced. Top with another layer, spread another third of curd over it, and layer with 1/2 cup shredded coconut. Top with cake layer, repeat curd and clementines, saving some clementines for top of cake. Place the remaining cake layer on top, and chill while making frosting.
Make the frosting: Bring a medium pot with 1 inch of water to boil. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and salt. Set bowl over simmering water and whisk constantly until eggs reach 160 degrees, or the sugar has melted. Remove from heat, and beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.
Immediately spread frosting on cake and press coconut shreds into tops and sides. Top with clementine wedges and strawberries if using; serve within an hour or two. (Or, keep refrigerated for up to 8 hours and wait until just before serving to top with fresh fruit.)
EASY PUMPKIN PUDDING CAKE
This is from Ashley, a high school teacher turned blogger, on her wonderful site, The Recipe Rebel. This recipe begins, “This Easy Pumpkin Pudding Cake takes just 10 minutes prep and makes it’s own caramel pudding sauce as it bakes! Perfect hot from the oven with a scoop of ice cream.”
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Makes 6 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour (I use whole wheat!)
3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cloves
3/4 cup pure pumpkin puree (not pie filling!)
1/3 cup milk (I use 1%)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
Sauce
1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
2 teaspoons corn starch
1 1/4 cup hot or boiling water
2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9" pie plate or baking dish.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and cloves with a spoon.
Add in pumpkin, milk, oil and vanilla and stir until a thick batter forms. Spread into prepared pie plate.
In a small bowl, stir together 1 cup brown sugar and corn starch until there are no clumps. Sprinkle over cake batter.
Add butter to hot water and stir until melted. Pour over brown sugar mixture in pan.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until top is completely set (keep in mind that there is a thick layer of caramel sauce in the bottom, so it may jiggle). Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator and reheat perfectly!
WORLD’S BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE
This is from Yotam Ottolenghi in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “The recipe for this cake, adapted from "Sweet" by Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh, first appeared in an article written about Ms. Goh when she ran her cafe, the Mortar & Pestle, in Melbourne, Australia. Rather intimidatingly for her, the headline for the article was "World’s Best Chocolate Cake." It could actually be called lots of things: “world’s easiest cake,” possibly, requiring nothing more than one large bowl to make it all in. Or “most versatile cake,” given that it can be served without icing and just a light dusting of cocoa powder, or dressed up to the nines, as it is here, with a thin layer of chocolate ganache and served with espresso cinnamon mascarpone cream. In the Ottolenghi shops in London, it is smaller and goes by the name Take-Home Chocolate Cake, designed to be shared by four people after a meal. This larger version is no less delicious, and keeps well for four to five days. As with any baking project, you should weigh your ingredients in grams for the best results.”
Yield: 12 servings; Time: 1 1/2 hours, plus cooling.
This was featured in “Yotam Ottolenghi on Creating Recipes for His Cookbook ‘Sweet’” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
1 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks plus 1 1/2 tablespoons), at room temperature and cut into 3/4-inch cubes, plus extra for greasing the pan
7 ounces dark chocolate (70 percent cocoa solids), chopped into 3/4-inch pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee granules, dissolved in 1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons self-rising flour (see note)
1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, plus 1 1/2 teaspoons, for dusting
1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Chocolate Ganache (Optional):
7 ounces dark chocolate (70 percent cocoa solids), broken or chopped roughly into 3/4-inch pieces
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
For the Espresso Cinnamon Mascarpone Cream (Optional):
1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
3/4 cup mascarpone
Scraped seeds of 1/2 vanilla pod
2 1/2 teaspoons finely ground espresso
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 1/2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/170 degrees Celsius. Grease a 9-inch/23-centimeter round springform pan with butter and line with parchment paper, then set aside.
Make the cake: Place butter, chocolate and hot coffee in a large heatproof bowl and mix well until everything is melted, combined and smooth. Whisk in sugar by hand until dissolved. Add eggs and vanilla extract and whisk again until thoroughly combined and smooth. Sift flour, cocoa powder and salt together into a bowl and then whisk this into the melted chocolate mixture. The batter here is liquid, but don’t think you have missed something; this is how it should be.
Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until the cake is cooked and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few dry crumbs attached. The top will form a crust and crack a little, but don’t worry, this is expected. Leave the cake to cool for 20 minutes before removing from the pan, then set aside until completely cool.
Make the chocolate ganache, if desired: Place chocolate pieces in a food processor, process until fine and set aside. Combine cream and corn syrup in a small pan and place over medium-high heat. As soon as bubbles begin to appear (just before it comes to a boil), remove from the heat. Get the food processor running again, with the chocolate still inside, and pour in the hot cream in a steady stream. Process for 10 seconds, then add butter. Continue to process until mixture is shiny and smooth. (You can also make the ganache by hand; just make sure the chocolate is chopped fairly finely before adding the cream mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until almost melted, then add the butter. Stir again until the ganache is smooth.)
Use a rubber spatula to scrape the ganache into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, with the plastic actually touching the top of the ganache. Set aside until it has set to the consistency you want. If you want a thin layer to spread over the cake, it can be poured over while liquid so that you get an even, light and shiny coating. For a thicker ganache with a spreading consistency, leave it for about 2 hours at room temperature. (The ganache can be stored at room temperature, providing it’s not too warm, for 3 days or kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It can also be frozen, although it will lose a bit of its shine when defrosted.)
Make the espresso cinnamon mascarpone cream, if desired: Place all the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes, until soft peaks form.
Peel the parchment from the cake and discard. Transfer to a serving platter and spread the ganache, if using, on top of the cake. Slice into wedges, divide the cake among plates and, if using, spoon the mascarpone cream alongside. With or without icing, the cake will keep well for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container.
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