Cornmeal Pound Cake with Maple Honey Glaze

I've had my fair share of kitchen fails lately.

It started a little over a week ago with raspberry muffins sprinkled with lemon sugar: the taste was delightful, the appearance was dreadful.  Two days later I attempted peanut butter cookies topped with peanut brittle: once again, ugly mess.  Four days later, I tried again.  This time chocolate/red velvet marble cake.  Trash.  I was starting to get tired of wasting my butter and eggs.  

But this morning my creativity struck again.  I apprehensively  made my way into the kitchen and started pulling ingredients.  I had just enough butter left.  I felt good about this one.  I took my time.  I lined up my flour and cornmeal and sugar and began whipping egg whites.  I snuck a few bites of batter and let the oven do its thing.  At last, I had success.  Not only did this cake fill the entire house with an amazing maple aroma, it came out tender and soft and sweet.  I've still got it.

Cornmeal Pound Cake with Maple Honey Glaze

Makes one 6-cup bundt cake (double recipe for 10-inch bundt or tube pan)

for the cornmeal pound cake:
1/2 tablespoon yellow cornmeal
1 cup sugar, divided
3 large egg whites
5 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Coat a 6-cup bundt pan generously with cooking spray, using a brush to get in the cracks; sprinkle with 1/2 tablespoon cornmeal.

In bowl of mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites at high speed until foamy.  Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.  Transfer egg white mixture to small bowl.

Rinse out mixing bowl.  Use paddle to beat butter and remaining sugar (1 cup minus 2 tablespoons) at medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla and egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in sour cream.  Add flour, cornmeal, salt, and baking soda to sugar mixture, stirring to combine. Gently fold in egg white mixture.  Spoon batter into prepared pan.

Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes (this will take more like 50 minutes if you double the batch and bake in a larger pan), or until wooden pick inserted in cake comes out clean.  During last five minutes of baking, prepare the glaze.

for the maple honey glaze:
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon maple extract

Combine the glaze ingredients in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until it comes to a simmer.  Remove from heat.


Once cake is removed from the oven, poke holes into the bottom of the cake.  Gently spoon glaze over warm cake.  Let cool in pan for 20 minutes on wire rack before removing from pan to cool completely.

Adapted from Cooking Light magazine, October 2002.

Sour Cream Chocolate Bit Cake

Nathan loves this cake.



So much that when I first confronted him a couple weeks back about what kind of cake he would like for his big birthday, he replied "hmmm I don't know".  Then, the day before The Day, I asked once more and was yet again met with the same response. 

Now how does this prove that he loves this cake?  After making it my mission and pondering over and perusing through a couple of mouth-watering baker cookbooks to come up with something creative that I know he would love, I suddenly recalled this cake- a tried and true and previously requested almost weekly sweet treat that hasn't been made in far too long.  So after last years banana cake with maple cinnamon icing, and the marbled gooey butter cake I made the year before, both of which he obligingly ate the evening of his birthday and which I proceeded to polish off in the following nights single-handedly, I opted for this safe cake- a tender cinnamon cake sprinkled with chocolate chips and sugar.  Not exactly what you'd call a traditional birthday cake but once you stick some candles in it no one will ever know the difference.

Happy birthday, Nathan!

Sour Cream Chocolate Bit Cake

Makes one 8x8-inch pan

3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 tablespoon sugar

Mix butter with 1/2 cup sugar until blended, then beat in the egg.  Stir flour with baking powder, soda, and cinnamon, then blend with creamed mixture.  Mix in the sour cream.

Pour batter into a greased 8x8-inch baking pan.  Scatter the chocolate bits evenly over the batter, then sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until cake just begins to pull away from sides of pan. 

Adapted from my mom's 80's Sunset cookbook. 

Flourless Chocolate Cake

It's time for my [belated] annual post on resolutions...

Learn a language, get more sleep, organize my family recipe album, refinish the office desk, invest in a new computer, read every day, walk the dog, exercise, create wall photo collage, blog more, pray more, love more, call home more, hold hands more, travel more, laugh more. 

Now I didn't exactly make any resolutions, per se.  I made more of a long (and on-going) list of things to change and improve within myself.  Projects I want to tackle, purchases I need to make, emotions I need to express.  Just a hodge podge of self-improvements.  I've always been a list-maker, goal-setter, go-getter  (although, sometimes I wish I could forgo the pen and paper reminders and allow myself the spontaneity and freedom away from the post-it), however, that will never be me, and that's ok.  I'm a planner.  I am who I am- yes, this phrase came from a much loved quotes list stored in my phone.  And this recipe came from a much neglected goals list stored on my blog. 

I've had Flourless Chocolate Cake on my Kitchen Bucket List for quite some time now, and what better reason to bake this sinful chocolate beauty than for Valentine's Day (or simply for a chocolate lover, if nothing else).  It's rich and fudgy and gooey with a delightfully simple list of only five ingredients.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Makes one 8-inch round

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and butter an 8-inch round baking pan. Line bottom with a round of wax paper and butter paper.

Chop chocolate into small pieces. In a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate with butter, stirring, until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture. Add eggs and whisk well. Sift 1/2 cup cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven 20 minutes, or until top has formed a thin crust. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes and invert onto a serving plate  Dust cake with additional cocoa powder or powdered sugar.

Adapted from Epicurious.

Banana Butterscotch Pudding Cakes

We've decided to have children.

Whoa whoa whoa, we're not having kids yet, ....mom, we just broached the subject at lunch today.  (heck we're not even married yet (officially, anyway)).  Truth be told, we've never really had this conversation.  Yes, in five and a half years we haven't exactly talked about having kids (we've talked more about not having kids), but then my sister went and got knocked up fours years ago by my brother-in-law and now I want one too (thanks Mel, thanks). 

So today, over tacos the topic came up.  I'm not exactly sure how... somewhere in between chips and salsa we landed on talking about our house- what we like (location, location, location) and what we dislike (two-story, layout, floors), and what we'd like in a future home.  This is the part where I [casually] mentioned I still want the three bed/two bath plan- two extra rooms- one for a guest, one for an office-later-turned-children's-bedroom.  Oh yes I went there, and we had The Talk. 

Later when we got home, I was checking email and saw I had a comment on a blog post.  This is HUGE people.  I had an actual comment from an actual stranger who actually made a recipe and took time out of her day to tell me how wonderful it was.  (comments on my blog usually take form during my weekly Sunday night phone call with my parents where my mom then tells me she enjoyed my blog post the other day.  Thanks mom, thanks).  Anyway, this little comment put me on a little high and I decided to come back from my blog vacation and share something I've had stashed away.  I have tried to write many posts but sometimes I have trouble with my words- I have a lot I want to say, but at the same time I feel I have nothing to say- and end up hitting "delete" before I hit "publish".  So today I said screw it.  I will ramble today.  About tacos, and children, and Sunday night phone calls, and comments from strangers.

And I will probably ramble later this week too.

Oh, and another reason for my absence?  I blame Dexter.

Banana Butterscotch Pudding Cakes

Serves 4

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg yolk
1 banana, mashed
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/3 cup boiling water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl.  Add the sugar.  In another bowl, mix together the egg yolk, mashed banana, milk, vanilla extract and melted butter. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.  Pour into four small ramekins with enough room to pour the sauce over top.  These pudding cakes have a habit of overflowing their goodness so place the dish on a baking sheet. 

To make the sauce, place the brown sugar, corn syrup and boiling water in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil then drizzle over the cake (this could also be done in the microwave, just cook until boiling).  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until slightly firm in the center.  Allow the cake to sit for 5 to 10 minutes then serve.

Adapted from Anecdotes and Apple Cores.

Lemon Cake with Coconut Marshmallow Frosting and Toasted Coconut

So I'm sure you've figured that I have feelings for you now.

I’m talking to you, Lemon Cake.

And five years ago I said these words to Nathan and we finally became a couple. It was the best decision I’ve ever made.

He is absolutely hilarious (today I endured a brief dance breakout at Lowe’s and some very enthusiastic singing in the car), incredibly thoughtful (he’s the guy to thank for my beloved stand mixer and chi flat iron, as well as the occasional “because-I-love-you” donut, and I'll never forget that perfect proposal), does a mean worm (and has a scar on his chin to prove it), is the most adorable sleeper (we’re talking arms stretched behind his head as if he’s posing for a Levi’s ad), and has a pretty face to look at (yea, he’s a stud). It’s kind of hard to put into words how much I love this guy.

So in honor of five years with the man of my dreams, I made us a celebratory cake. Bursting with lemon, topped with a coconut marshmallow frosting and flaked, toasted coconut, it’s just a little gesture to say I love you, Nathan.

And thanks for letting me change my facebook status.



Lemon Cake with Coconut Marshmallow Frosting and Toasted Coconut

Makes one (9-inch) springform pan

2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
the zest of 3 lemons
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (this was 3 lemons for me)
3 tablespoons milk

Marshmallow Frosting
4 large egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1/2 cup unsweetened, flaked coconut, toasted if desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a round 9-inch cake pan (mine was springform) with nonstick spray.

In a small bowl, whisk together sifted flour, baking powder and salt.  In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add in cooled butter and vanilla extract, whisking until combined. Stir in all of the lemon zest. Add half of the flour mixture, stirring well, then add in the lemon juice and milk. Stir in remaining dry ingredients until batter is smooth. Pour into the greased 9-inch pan and use a spatula to even out the batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cake is set and springs back when touched. Remove and let cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in a heat-proof bowl, preferably the bowl of your electric stand mixer. Place over top of a double-boiler that contains simmering water, and whisk constantly for 3-4 minutes until the sugar has dissolved and the egg whites are slightly warm. Immediately remove the bowl and place it on your stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beating slow at first and gradually increasing the speed to high. Beat for 6-7 minutes until glossy and thick, then beat in coconut extract for another minute until combined. Frost cake as desired, then top with coconut!

Adapted from How Sweet It Is.

Confetti Cake Pie (with a graham cracker crust!)

Happy Birthday!...

...to me!! 

Well, unfortunately, my birthday fell on a Monday this year, which is the start of a work week (boo!), but fortunately, this means I get to celebrate both the weekend before and the weekend after (woo!)! 

So to start things off I made a cake.  Or a pie.  It's essentially a confetti cake baked in a graham cracker crust, so I hereby declare this a cake pie.  And it's my birthday, so I make the rules.

Now yes, this is a cake without the frosting, but no frosting needed here, my friends.  The graham crust adds a subtle sweetness to each and every bite, which works out well for me because, quite frankly, I have icing issues (I reattempted the Flag Cake over the weekend and FAIL- it has now been nixed from the newly renamed 26-during-27 list). 

As far as where the idea came from for this crazy combo?  I have no idea*.  But it was so good, I'm tempted to make another as the celebration continues this weekend with a very welcome two-day visit from my parents :)

*Another year older, another year wiser.

Confetti Cake Pie

Makes one 8 or 9-inch pie

Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 9 full-sheet graham crackers)
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar

Cake:

 6 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar

2 eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 + 1/8 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 + 1/8 cup yellow or white boxed cake mix
1/4 cup sprinkles

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  If using graham cracker sheets, using a food processor or blender, pulverize the graham crackers into a fine crumb. Pour crumbs into a medium bowl and mix with melted butter and sugar. Press into an ungreased 8-inch or 9-inch pie dish.  Bake for 8 minutes.  While baking, prepare the cake filling.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugars.  Mix in the eggs and vanilla.  Add the flour and cake mix and mix until just combined.  Fold in the sprinkles.  Spread gently into warmed crust. 

Increase oven temperature to 350.  One preheated, bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Let cool to room temperature before cutting into wedges. 

Crust and Cake adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction.




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Mini Fresh Strawberry Cakes

This one's for you...

dad.

[and Uncle David, too]*

I received an early birthday present (yes, I've mentioned it's my birthday month once before, and you will hear about it again)!  My lovely Aunt and Uncle presented me with this Nordicware Flower Cake Pan last weekend and I wasted no time in putting it to use.  These are the same wonderful people who have given me my Le Creuset French Oven and Soup Bowls, the kitchen towel seen in this post, and this super cute petite popover pan. 

They know me oh-so-well.

What to make, what to make? Fresh strawberry cake.

I first made this cake in traditional cake pan form a couple of years ago for Easter and it was a huge hit.  I've wanted to bake it ever since, but I make a lot of strawberry cake at the bakery every week, so it's always nice to play around in the kitchen at home and during the holidays, thus, it hasn't been made since, which is a bit of a tragedy because this is strawberry cake at its finest.  Bright and cheery too, it's the perfect thing to present dad this Father's Day to say "hey dad! you're kinda awesome. and i kinda love you, too" (don't be afraid to say that last part, he'll kinda appreciate it). 

Mini Fresh Strawberry Cakes

Makes 6 Flowers (+ a few mini cupcakes) or 1 (8-inch) cake round**

6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup pureed strawberries
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pink or red food coloring

Generously grease six flower pans (or one cake pan).  In medium mixing bowl, whisk together the butter and sugar.  Add the egg yolk, vanilla, and buttermilk and whisk until blended.  Blend in the pureed strawberries and a few drops of food coloring (I got a little happy here, hence my dark cakes).  Fold in the flour, baking soda and salt and whisk until no lumps remain.

Divide the batter between the pans, filling about two-thirds full.  Discard remaining batter or use for a few mini cupcakes (I got 7).  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Move to a cooling rack and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, if needed, and invert the pan to release the cakes.  Cool completely and decorate as desired. 

*Also dedicated to Adam, father to my beautiful nephew, Benjamin!
**If you want to make a two or three-inch layer cake, double or triple the recipe as needed.

Adapted from A Good Appetite.

Cake Batter Blondies

I'm totally popular.

Like, for real. 

So a girl I work with had a little birthday hoorah this past weekend (at a crazy cool mexican restaurant in Fort Worth- if you're ever in the area and craving fajitas- GO! for the atmosphere if nothing else), and being the baker I am, I refused to show up empty handed.  I initially had something else in mind, but the gorgeous weather had me planting flowers instead and before I knew it, it was 7 o'clock at night and the oven wasn't even preheated.  Shame.  So....Plan B: confetti cake blondies.  Because no birthday is truly complete without chocolate and sprinkles.

As I walked into the restaurant and plopped my tupperware down on the table, the oohs and ahhs began and the fingers started reaching.  These guys were demolished in no time.  Luckily, I planned ahead and saved a few at home for Nathan and me, but when I went in to work on Monday, a coworker mentioned he needed another one...bad.  Well, I'm a sucker for compliments, so I made sure to dive into our stash, wrap one up, and bring it the next day.  Unfortunately for the receiver, two other employees spotted me with it and the three of them had to share.  I think I heard the words "incredible brownie" uttered roughly fourteen times that day.

I'm like, totally serious.

Cake Batter Blondies

Makes one 7x11-inch pan

1 box yellow cake mix

1/4 cup canola oil

1 egg

1/3 -1/2 cup milk (I used almost 1/2 cup-- maybe 7 tablespoons total)

1/2 cup sprinkles

1/2 cup chocolate chips (can use white chocolate too/instead!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 11x7 baking pan with nonstick spray. Combine first four ingredients in a large bowl, adding the milk slowly. You want to cake batter to be as dense and thick as possible. Mix in the sprinkles and chocolate chips. Pour into prepared baking pan, sprinkle a few more sprinkles on top (and chocolate chips, if you desire!), and bake for 25-30 minutes until edges are just turning brown (I stopped at 25*). Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes so the center sets, before cutting into squares.

*The blondies will look like they are not fully done because the center will be quite gooey, but that’s what you want! After about 30 minutes of cooling, they will be easy to cut using a serrated knife.

*Do not use black sprinkles swirled into the blondies. It will turn the batter black before baking.

Adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction.

Fresh Orange Strawberry Bundt Cake

This is a love hate relationship.

I'll just say it: this. cake. sticks.  I learned this the hard way last year (sorry, mom.  I blamed it on you for telling me to dump it out of the pan too soon.)  The result was one mess of a cake; half on the serving plate, half in the pan.  Unfortunately, I could blame mom again.  I left her in charge of spraying the bundt, afterall (and picking up my dirty dishes, used ingredients, etc.  My sous chef [baker?]).  But I know better.  This cake is just plain trouble.  Not sure if it's the "moistness", the pan itself, or it's just out to get me, but it's a pain in the bundt.

Ok, now that you're probably planning on not making this cake, let me convince you otherwise because this thing is pretty much no less than amazing.  So good, in fact, that after the fall-out last Easter (no pun intended), I was still determined to make it again this year, strictly to reexperience the deliciousness that is this cake.  Super moist, tender, light, flavorful- pretty much all the yummy adjectives that food writers frown upon. 

Don't let the sticky pan issue stop you.  Simply slice straight from the bundt.  Works like a charm.  Or grease and flour the h*$# out of it. 

Fresh Orange Strawberry Bundt Cake

Makes one (10-inch) bundt

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

3 eggs
Juice of 1 orange

Zest of 1 orange

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 ounces plain or vanilla yogurt

12 ounces fresh strawberries, diced

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in orange juice and orange zest.  Alternate beating in the flour, soda, and salt and the yogurt, mixing just until incorporated.  Gently fold in the strawberries.

Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake for 60-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Allow to cool for about 45 minutes to an hour in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.  Or slice and serve straight from the pan!

Adapted from Foodista.

Toasted Coconut M&M Skillet Cookie

I know what you're thinking.

You're thinking you're going to just tra-la-la over my little commentary and jump straight to the recipe.  I've got you alllll figured out.  Oh, but I do it too.  Because let's face it...you follow a food blog for, well...the food.   You could care less about what happens inbetween the picture and the ingredients.  Ditto.  In fact, I very very rarely read a full blog post on any blog I follow (yes, guilty as charged).   So today I'm letting you off the hook.  All you're getting is a recipe.  No blahblahblah on my end.  Enjoy!

Toasted Coconut M&M Skillet Cookie

Makes 1 (8-inch) skillet (I purchased a small skillet too now!  Double the recipe for 10-12 inch skillet!)

3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg yolk (or white!  Just use half an egg)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut flakes
1/4 cup mini m&m's

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Lay coconut on a baking sheet, making sure they are in a single layer.  Bake for approximately 10 minutes, checking periodically, until lightly browned.  Be very careful not to burn!  Remove from oven and let cool.

Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees.  Cream together the butter and sugars.  Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla.  Combine the flours, soda, and salt and stir into creamed mixture.  Fold in toasted coconut.

Pour batter into greased 8-inch cast iron skillet and sprinkle with mini m&m's.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until center is slightly set. 

Chelsea Original :)

Hot Fudge Chocolate Cakes

Consider me a domestic diva.



And I live with Mr. Fix-It.

I'd say we play our gender roles appropriately.  The decorating, organizing, laundry, and cooking?  Right up my alley (well, the laundry part might be a bit of a stretch).  All things car, technology and tool?  All Nathan.  Let's go deeper:  A couple of weeks ago I was about to toss out a bad can opener.  Nope!  Not until it's taken apart and put back together!  Here's another one: We were eating lunch out the other day and it was noticed that the restaurant's entry door didn't close properly.  This was then the project during our meal.  I was perfectly content propping my feet up on his chair, sipping tea, and browsing email on my phone.  One more:  during a recent oil change, the mechanic informed me of a $300 service that needed to be done (surprise, surprise).  I was instructed to come home where it is now being done for the combined total of twenty-six bucks.  Gotta love free labor.  (I pay in the form of sugar and butter).

So while I make ooey gooey chocolate cake, Nathan unclogs dirty, hairy sink (there's my orange bobby pin!) It works out nicely. 

ps this cake is much more exciting than Kristen Stewart at the Oscars.

Hot Fudge Chocolate Cakes

Serves 4

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
6 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup hot tap water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder, and 6 tablespoons of sugar.  Stir in the milk, melted butter, and vanilla.  Mix until smooth.

Pour the mixture into 4 individual ramekins or ceramic tartlet pans (alternatively, you can pour the whole thing in a 9x5 loaf pan). 

In a separate, small bowl, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1/4 cup sugar, and brown sugar.  Sprinkle evenly over the batter in each of the ramekins.  Pour hot tap water over all (3 tablespoons each).  Do not stir!

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes of until the center is set.  Serve warm and with ice cream, if you've got it!

Adapted from Becky Bakes.

Red Velvet Marble Cream Cheese Pound Cake

I love bundts.

And Target and chicklit and sausage-topped pizza and sparkly flower earrings and Nathan.

The bundt thing though- that's a new one.  For the last nine months I hated them.  Feared them.  I cursed them from my baking repertoire last spring when my beloved orange strawberry bundt broke in half.  (Disclaimer: no flavors were harmed in the baking of said cake).

But in honor of all things valentine, I faced the bundt yet again, red velvet style, and we fell in love.  Cake pan's got some competition.  So easy, so quick, so delicious, with a slight chocolate flavor and a tangy cream cheese swirl.  And she's a beauty, too, making dark spots and fine lines look gooood. 

Red Velvet Marble Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Makes one 6-cup bundt cake (double recipe for 10 to 12-cup bundt cake)

3/4 cup butter, softened

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 eggs, room temperature

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Red food coloring

Preheat oven to 325 degrees . Use butter to generously grease a 6-cup bundt cake pan.

Cream together the butter, cream cheese, and sugar for about 5 minutes or until very light and fluffy.  Stir in the extract.  With the mixer on low speed, add the flour and the eggs alternately, beginning and ending with the flour, adding one egg at a time and small portions of flour. Do not over-mix!

Divide the batter in half.  In one half mix in 2 tablespoons cocoa powder and several drops of red food coloring until well-blended and desired "redness" is reached.

Pour half of red batter into the prepared pan.  Top with all of the white batter, and then add the remaining half of red batter last.  Gently swirl with a knife throughout the pan for a marbled effect. 

Bake at 325 degrees  for 40-45 minutes (70-75 minutes for large bundt) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Adapted from The Baker Chick.

Cranberry Cake Pie

I have mixed emotions when it comes to crust...

Absolutely looooove pizza crust.  Indifferent when it comes to bread crust- don't mind it on sandwiches, but I tend to nibble my way around the less appealing perimeter of toast, saving the best for last- the jam filled center.  And pie crust?  Well, not a very big fan.  It's just kind of...bland.  And dry.  And I'd really rather just eat the filling.  (We have a slight exception here that I feel must be noted: over Thanksgiving, my sister made a wonderful spiced crust with her pecan pie and it was phenomenal.  Best I've ever had, hands down.)

Well these mini pies have a different take on the whole traditional pie crust thing.  It's a pour-over crust that bakes up almost cake-like.  All buttery and sugary with a tender crumb embedded with tart, juicy cranberries- this is a crust I can definitely get on board with.

Cranberry Cake Pie

Makes one 10-inch pie (or 6 mini pies)

2 cups raw cranberries (fresh or frozen)
1 1/2 cups white sugar, divided
2 eggs
3/4 cup  butter, melted
2 teaspoons almond extract
1 cup all-purpose white flour

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Grease a 10-inch pie plate.  Wash the cranberries, leaving some water on them.  Place the cranberries in the pie plate and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the sugar.  

In a mixing bowl, cream the remaining 1 cup sugar with the eggs and butter.  Stir in the almond extract.  Add the flour and mix well. The batter will be thin. Pour over the cranberries.  Bake for 35 to 45 minutes (25 to 28 for mini pies) or until a tester inserted near the center of the crust comes out clean.  

Adapted from Beantown Baker.

Cookies and Cream Cake

My brother likes chocolate.

Yup.  That's him.  Digging into his cake at his second birthday, circa 1989.  He still does this by the way.  Now I'm pretty sure he never reads my blog (thanks Mike, thanks), but that doesn't mean I don't love him enough to dedicate an entire post about him (and it lets me secretly post pictures of a small, chubbier version of him 23 years ago). 

Growing up there was one thing my brother (Michael is his name if you didn't catch it) wanted on his big day:  Macaroni Grill's Warm Chocolate Cake with Fudge Sauce.  So every year, on December 15th, that is where my family would head for dinner.  And dessert.  (And I grew up in an anti-chain eating household, so this was extra special!).  We would arrive to the restaurant and wait patiently to be seated while watching the nearby chefs prepare and toss pasta dishes.  Our buzzer would eventually go off and we would then be taken to a paper-lined table where us kids would proceed to color every inch and play countless games of tic-tac-toe.  Finally, after dinner was served and cleared, the waitress would bring out a huge candlelit slab of the warm cake, make my brother stand on a chair with a napkin draped over his head and sing an a cappella rendition of "Happy Birthday".  Then, 8-year-old to 13-year-old (those are roughly the years we kept this tradition) Michael would dig in.  And eat the entire...single...piece.  By himself.  (Oh don't you worry, I got my own slice). 

But before I tell you about this cake I made just for him, I must first tell you that he also loves oreos.  So when I saw this recipe over the summer for an Oreo Chocolate Bundt Cake (I adapted it with my own twist, as you can see, it's obviously not a bundt), I knew I would be making this come December.  Three layers of chocolate cake spread with cookies and cream cheese filling and topped with a thin, sugary glaze and oreo crumbs.  A chocolate-meets-cake-meets-oreo-lovers dream.   

Happy Birthday little bro!

Cookies and Cream Cake

Makes one 6-inch round cake (If you would like to make it in bundt form, click on the link embedded in the post or at the end of the recipe)

Chocolate Cake:
6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup + 6 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons boiling water
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
6 tablespoons buttermilk

Place melted butter and sugar in large mixing bowl and mix to combine.  Add in egg and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.  Fold in flour, baking soda, and salt until no lumps remain. 

Heat water until boiling (I did this in the microwave in a 2-cup glass pyrex).  Whisk in cocoa powder.  Add in chopped chocolate and whisk until melted and combined.  Whisk in buttermilk .  Stir chocolate mixture into batter until combined.

Pour into 3 greased 6-inch round cake pans (to distribute evenly, use a third-cup dry measuring cup and add a third-cup at a time to each one until there is no more batter.  Each layer should take about two and a half, 1/3rd cupfuls).  Preheat oven to 350 and bake for 15 minutes.

While cake is baking make the filling and glaze.

Oreo Filling:

5 oreos, crushed
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Place oreos in a food processor and pulse until crumbled. Alternately, place oreos in a ziploc bag and use a rolling pin to crush. Set aside 1 tablespoon of crushed oreos for topping,

Cream together cream cheese and sugar.  Add in vanilla.  Fold in oreos.  Set aside. 

Glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 to 1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon crushed oreos (saved from earlier)

Add powdered sugar and milk to bowl and whisk to combine until desired consistency is reached and it can be poured over the cake.

Assembly:

Once cake has cooled, spread half of filling on top of one layer.  Place second layer on top of filling and spread the rest of the filling evenly over the second layer.  Top the second layer of filling with third layer of cake.  Pour glaze over top of third layer and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon crushed oreos.

Adapted from Bakers Royale.

Classic Gingerbread

How much more Christmas can you get?

It's no lie that anything with the word gingerbread screams Christmas and I always enjoy the little gingermen and gingerlady cutouts this time of year, but I was itching to make some of the classic stuff...just good 'ol fashioned gingerbread.  It pairs nicely with a hot cup of apple cider on a cold winter's night (which we've finally seen a couple cold nights this week, however hello 80's!...again...yes, I'm talking about the weather...again).

But just because it feels like summer doesn't mean I'm not thinking 100 percent Christmas.  Driving back from Oklahoma to Texas last weekend began my kick-off to officially tuning into the Christmas songs 24/7 radio stations.  You see there's this little stretch when you're close to the borders where there is literally nothing to listen to except spanish channels and country music.  PASS.  I usually end up sliding in an incredibly out-dated, dusty CD that skips every twelve seconds (I always forget my ipod dang it!), but this trip I got lucky.  I found some carols to sing to...in the privacy of my car.

So in keeping with the holiday spirit, the next afternoon I made a pan of gingerbread, dusted it with powdered sugar, and brought it to work to spread some holiday cheer :)

Classic Gingerbread

Makes one 9x9-inch pan

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup molasses

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cloves, and sugar in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk.

In separate, small bowl (I used a 2-cup glass pyrex) combine buttermilk, molasses, oil, and eggs; stir well with a whisk. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

Pour batter into a 9-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.

Adapted from Cooking Light.

Sweet Potato Casserole Crumb Cake

This is gonna be quick for two reasons.

#1: I'm busy.

#2: You're busy.

But you know, once Thursday is over and things calm down and you've done all your turkey basting and football watching and Black Friday shopping (oh who are we kidding, we all know it's turning into Black Thursday now), you might want to make this crumb cake with those leftover yams (or you could just grab some more at the store seeing as they're about 10 cents a pound right now). 

Ok, I said this would be quick so let me wrap things up.  This cake = good.  The crumb topping = makes the cake.  Buttery, sugary goodness loaded on top of a moist, fall-flavored cake.  Make it.  Eat it.  Heck, call it a coffee cake and eat it for breakfast. 

p.s. Happy Turkey Day to ya!  Hope your day is filled with fabulous friends, family, and food!

Sweet Potato Casserole Crumb Cake

Makes one 9-inch springform pan

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup mashed sweet potatoes

2 large eggs

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup apple cider (I actually used steeped Pumpkin Chai Tea)

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

Crumb Topping

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, sweet potatoes, and eggs. Beat until smooth.  Mix in the oil, applesauce and apple cider (or tea).  Add the flour, cinnamon and baking soda and mix until fully incorporated.  Pour into greased 9-inch springform pan.

In a mini-food processor pulse the crumb topping ingredients (butter, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon) until blended but crumbly (you can also do this using your hands).  Sprinkle over top of cake.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Adapted from Cupcake Project.



Double Butterscotch Cake

I've been on the mend...

It started last Thursday and it's involved a lot of kleenex, coughing, and kissless goodbyes.  Boo :(

Needless to say, I'm a wee bit tired of this constant tickle in my throat.  And my voice being zapped.  And my nose converting itself into dribbly faucet (that's an understatement but I'll spare you the details).  And this time of year...well, rest is not really in the cards.  I do work at a bakery afterall and this just so happens to be a rather busy time of year, wouldn't ya know...

But I've endured and even made a little bitty cake.  A little bitty cake with a double whammy of butterscotch.  It just sounded good.  And it was.  Super moist from the pudding and studded with butterscotch chips that caramelized into crispy on the outside, melty on the inside bits.  And yes, it involved a cake mix (again...my apologies), but I wanted something sweet that was quick to whip together.  (I'm baking 60 pumpkin pies in the morning people, sometimes a cake mix is in order).
.
Double Butterscotch Cake

1 box yellow cake mix
1 (3.4 ounce) box instant butterscotch pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 cup butterscotch chips

Empty cake mix and pudding mix into mixing bowl.  Stir until blended.  Add in sour cream, oil, and eggs, mixing until combined for about 4 minutes.  Stir in butterscotch chips.  Pour into prepared cake or cupcake pans (I did both). 

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes (6-inch cake- shown above) or 18 minutes (cupcakes) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs. 

Adapted from Just A Pinch.

Triple Chocolate Cupcakes with Pumpkin Pie Frosting

I'm a genius.

Let's reminisce.  So remember how I mentioned that chocolate and pumpkin are basically a match made in heaven?  And remember how my parents came into town last weekend for a visit?  Well my mom knows me well because she brought me a gift: some cupcake liners (it's the little things).  This prompted a mission: What can I do with these adorable liners before Halloween escapes me and turkeys and Christmas trees are in full swing? 

Hmmmm....

I must preface what I'm about to tell you by saying that I am a FROM SCRATCH baker.  Meaning I don't really do the whole box cake mix thing [which is odd because #1: I currently have 5 (yes FIVE, no lie) boxes of cake mix on my baking shelf in the pantry because for some reason I have this weird obsession with buying anything that I feel will be the base of some new and fabulous creation.  And because I have the Cake Doctor cookbook which has some pretty fabulous ideas.  And because, quite frankly, it's cheap.  And #2: I basically ate my weight in pillsbury confetti cake the summer of my senior year in college.  (what can I say- it made the perfect late night after the bar food- seriously people).  I need to create a from-scratch version of this sprinkle-filled cake.  Consider it added to The List.]

Ok, so in short, yes.  This is a cake using The Box.  Some of you may be happy to hear this, some of you may not.  But let me inform you that this is the recipe of my favorite chocolate cake recipe EVER.  And I'm a white cake person at heart; however, for some crazy reason this cake recipe is SOOO good that I actually ask my sister to make it for me in bundt cake form for my birthday every year (p.s. this is her recipe so give her a big fat thanks).  Not white cake, not confetti cake, not cookie cake- I want chocolate cake.  From a box.  It's that good. 

And chocolate cake topped with pumpkin pie?  Well, does this really sound like a bad idea to you?  I didn't think so.  Like I said...I'm a genius.

Triple Chocolate Cupcakes with Pumpkin Pie Frosting

For the cake:

Makes 26 cupcakes (or fills one bundt pan)

1 box Devil's Food Cake Mix

1 (3.4 ounce) box sugar-free instant chocolate pudding mix (regular is fine too)

1 (3.4 ounce) box sugar-free instant white chocolate pudding mix (regular is fine too)

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup applesauce

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Blend cake mix and puddings until combined.  Add in eggs, water and applesauce and mix until moistened (at medium speed for 2 minutes).  Fold in chocolate chips.   

Divide batter into 26 prepared cupcake tins.  Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool completely before topping with Pumpkin Pie Frosting.

**For a bundt pan, bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.

For the frosting:

This is basically pumpkin pie without the crust so if you already happen to have a pumpkin pie on hand, you can either scoop the pie filling out of the crust or blend the crust into the frosting.

2 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin (pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a large bowl, beat eggs.  Stir in sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.  Mix in pumpkin.  Stir in evaporated milk. 

Pour into lightly greased 9-inch pie plate (no crust needed).  Bake for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 40-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out dry.  Remove from oven and leave on counter for two hours before use.

**The pie will pipe better if you put it in a large mixing bowl and beat it for about thirty seconds to evenly distribute any moisture before loading it into your pastry bag.  

Cake Adapted from my sister, Melissa.
Frosting Adapted from Cupcake Project.

Cinnamon Apple Cake

I'm setting a record.

I verrrrrrrrry rarely make the same recipe more than once.  There are just too many goodies flooding the web and recipes sitting in the cookbooks in my kitchen and ideas floating through my head with potential to become an edible creation.  But I have been on a kick lately to share all of my tried and true favorites with you.  First my favorite banana bread, then the pumpkin cookies, followed by my go-to cornbread.  This here cake makes number four.  (btw this means it's delicious).

Now despite the fact that I have made this cake on a couple of other occasions, I had issues this time around.  So let me warn you: read the recipe ALL the way through.  Seriously.  Maybe it was just me but I had some major problems with the sugar.  (It gets divided and used in three different parts of the process- first in the batter, then tossed with the apples, then sprinkled on top).  I could not wrap my head around it for some reason and added too much cinnamon here/not enough sugar there...ugh!  Whatever.  It still turned out great and was as moist as I remember, so in the end...I win.

Oh, and as a favor to you I'm rewriting the recipe and directions so it's easier to follow.  You're welcome.

Cinnamon Apple Cake

Makes one 8x8-inch cake

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup margarine, softened

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 large chopped and peeled apple (I used granny smith)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat sugar, brown sugar, margarine, and cream cheese at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 4 minutes). Add eggs and vanilla, beating until mixed. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, beating at low speed until blended.

Combine 1/8 cup sugar and cinnamon. Combine 1 tablespoon cinnamon mixture and apple in a bowl, and stir apple mixture into batter. Pour batter into an 8-inch square pan coated with cooking spray, and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan. Cool the cake completely on a wire rack.

Adapted from Cooking Light.

Pina Colada Cakes

I've got one more for ya...

Don't get me wrong, I've been itching to dig into all of the apple and pumpkin flavors fall has to offer, but I made these a couple of weeks ago and am determined to slip them in and share them with you before summer comes to its official close (autumn starts tomorrow!).

First off, the smell.  Oh.  Em.  Gee.  The oven was giving off this warm, tropical and buttery smell the afternoon I made these guys and the taste was equivalent.  So good warm with a sprinkling of coarse sugar on top giving it a sweet little crunch.  Paradise in your mouth.

Adios summer!  See ya in nine months.

Pina Colada Cakes

Serves 4

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chopped pineapple
4 teaspoons raw sugar

Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add egg and mix until well combined. Add in vanilla and yogurt and stir. Mix dry ingredients together and add to batter, only mixing until just combined. Fold in pineapple.

Spray 4 ramekins with non-stick spray and pour batter into them equally.  Sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon raw sugar.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Idea adapted from How Sweet It Is.