Back to Basics

You may have noticed that I haven't posted in a bit. I started this blog as a place to keep track of my favorite baked goods, but also to keep in touch with friends I was leaving behind in my move. Baking has always been a favorite past time of mine. It helps me to de-stress. However, since starting the blog, I've found that keeping up with weekly entries has become a stress, a chore. It's another thing I need to add to my Sundays as I think about getting ready for the week. I enjoyed doing it at first, when I didn't have quite so much going on. Then I started going back to school and adding a million things to my plate. I still love baking and I will still be continuing to write posts on the blog. However, I won't be posting every week. I've decided to post when I have something to say and a good baked good to recommend. I need to go back to the basics, back to when I first started this whole thing.
The baked good this week was a test to see if this would be added to the Easter menu. It was pretty good for having almost nothing in it. I still love the good old-fashioned full calorie, full sugar carrot cake. But, if you can't have all of that (or don't want it) this is a good substitute.

Flourless, Sugarless Carrot Cake
Makes 1 9-inch cake.
Oven 350

Cake
4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup splenda or sugar substitute
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup almond meal/flour
1 1/4 cup finely shredded carrots

Frosting
1/2 cup cream cheese (can use Tofutti Vegan Cream Cheese)
2-3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
dash of cinnamon

Coat cake pan with non-stick spray. Separate 3 of the eggs, placing the egg whites and yolks in separate bowls. Add the last egg (white and yolk) to the 3 egg yolks. Beat together. Add the sugar substitute and honey, continue beating. Add the lemon juice, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and vanilla. Finally, beat in the almond meal/flour and carrots.

In a new mixing bowl, with a clean mixer attachment, beat the 3 egg whites with 1 tablespoon sugar substitute for 2-4 minutes until stiff peaks form.

Gently fold the egg whites into the carrot-almond mixture. Spoon into cake pan.

Bake for about 20-30 minutes, or just until set. The top should be slightly browned and should spring back when you push on it lightly, and a toothpick inserted into the middle should come out clean. Remove from oven and let sit on cooling rack for about 5 minutes. You can remove from pan at this point or leave it in. Allow to cool at least 45 minutes before frosting.

For the frosting, mix all the ingredients together until there are no clumps. Drizzle or spread over cake in a thin-layer.Sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired.

Showered with Love

Lots of exciting news this week....my new nephew Ian was born on Wednesday, we celebrated Valentine's Day on Thursday, family from Virgina came to visit on Friday, and I hosted a Surprise Champagne Brunch Bridal Shower for a special cousin. I have recipes to share but I have many photos too. I'll make an attempt to upload the Pink Cake Pops Recipe soon!

Home for Christmas

When someone you love finds themselves in a vulnerable situation you want to help. What do you do when you can't?

My father-in-law was admitted to the hospital last week. He complained of weakness in his legs and little to no feeling in his hands. It was awhile before we got any answers, or any indication of answers. He ended up having surgery on his spine to correct a bulging disk. Everyone we spoke with assured us it would be a quick recovery.

Unfortunately, it only got worse after the surgery. He became a completely different person on the drugs they put him on. It was a moment when we all felt so helpless. My mother-in-law was able to get him new doctors, who offered hope. They originally scheduled another surgery on his spine to correct bone spurs, but cancelled it until a later date. They had him doing physical therapy and we got photos of him walking sent to us at work.

After two weeks of holding our breath he was transferred to a rehabilitation facility yesterday. He was admitted and they immediately had him working on walking up and down the stairs! His goal is to be home for Christmas, a goal we all hope he meets.

 

 

Marbled Molasses Loaf Cake

adapted from Baking and Books

Oven 350

 

Makes 1 loaf

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
3 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

 

Generously grease a 9-by-5 inch loaf pan. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl, and stir with a fork to mix. In a large bowl, beat the butter with a mixer at high speed until light and fluffy. Add the sugars and beat to combine the ingredients well.

 

Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue mixing until the mixture is light, fluffy and smooth. 1 to 2 minutes. Stop several times to scrape down the bowl.

Add the flour mixture and the milk alternately starting and ending with the flour, beating at low speed after each addition.







Scoop out about half of the batter into a medium bowl, and add the molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves. Stir with a wooden spoon mix everything into the batter well.
















Add both batters to the pan, thin layers at a time, alternating between the plain and spiced batters. Run a knife through the batter to swirl the batters together.













Bake at 350 degrees F for about 1 hour, until the cake is golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.


**I gave this away as a gift, so I couldn't cut it. However, it is a beautiful marbled loaf inside!

Blackout

It's been a long week without power. We lost power Monday afternoon and it finally returned late Friday night. Luckily, we had many friends and family members with power, hot water, and hot coffee! We finally broke down and borrowed my parents' generator Friday night, only to have power restored a few hours later! This week's baked good is a nod to our blackout week.



(our neighbor's tree that fell down)


Generators
Makes 12 mini bundt cakes
Oven 375

Cakes
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/3 cup flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons instant espresso
1/2 cup hot water
1/4 cup dark chocolate bark, chopped

Espresso Glaze
1 teaspoon instant espresso
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup dark chocolate bark, chopped
2 tablespoons warm water

In a mixing bowl combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso.

















In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Slowly add liquid mixture to flour mixture. Mix on low speed for 5 minutes and add hot water. Mix for an additional minute.















Pour batter into mini-bundt pans (previously greased well). Sprinkle dark chocolate onto each. Bake in oven for 20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely before removing from pans.















While cakes are cooling, mix espresso and warm water in a small bowl until espresso is dissolved.

















Mix in powdered sugar.













Drizzle over cooled cakes and sprinkle with dark chocolate pieces.

Good

Have you ever felt like you could never possibly do all that you need to? That you've clearly overextended yourself but you wouldn't dream of admitting it? Is it crazy to believe that you can do it all? Maybe not crazy, as long as you realize you don't have to.

"And now that you don't have to be perfect, you can be good." - John Steinbeck

Eclair Cake

www.everydaytastes.com


1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter (1-stick)
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup water
4 large eggs
2 pkgs. (3.4 oz) Vanilla Instant Pudding
2 1/2 cups cold milk
8 ounces cream cheese, softened (room temperature)
1 container (12 oz) Cool Whip
Chocolate syrup for drizzling



Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring the water, butter and salt to boil until butter is melted. Add the flour all at once and mix rapidly with a wooden spoon.















Remove from heat and stir until the mixture leaves the sides of pan and forms a ball. Add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition until completely smooth.










Spread in an ungreased 10- by 15-inch baking pan. Bake until golden brown, about 25-35 minutes.












Crust will puff up the sides of the pan while in the oven. When removed from the oven, prick bubbles with a fork. Let cool.











For filling, use an electric mixer to beat the pudding mix, milk and softened cream cheese together until thoroughly blended. Spread pudding mixture over the baked and cooled eclair crust. Spread Cool Whip over pudding mixture. Drizzle with chocolate syrup.

Extension?

Sadly, my Summer has ended. It's back to school for me. I am excited to start teaching two new classes and many new students. It will be my first year not teaching freshman or Algebra 1. I know that most teachers dread that class, but I like to think that I had mastered it. I would have gladly taught it this year, but instead I'll be teaching more seniors.

In an effort to extend the Summer (no, it didn't work) my dessert this week is.....

Strawberry Shortcake Cake
from marthastewart.com

Oven 350

6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved


Butter a 10-inch pie plate. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl. Put butter and 1 cup sugar in mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low; mix in egg, milk, and vanilla.


Gradually mix in flour mixture. Transfer batter to buttered pie plate.











Arrange strawberries on top of batter, cut sides down and as close together as possible. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries. Bake cake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.




Bake until cake is golden and firm to touch, about 1 hour. Let cool in pie plate on wire rack. Cut into wedges and serve with whipped cream.

Honeybun

My husband's grandmother passed away this week. It wasn't unexpected, but it's never easy. We are comforted that she is no longer in pain and is finally with her husband. I have many fond memories of my husband's grandparents (taking them shopping at Walmart, painting their living room, hearing the story of how they met when he ruined her new white shoes) and I will never forget the way his grandmother called everyone "honeybun." When my husband would talk to his friends about his grandmother and they would ask, "Which one?" He'd always respond, "Honeybun." Everyone knew her as this feisty (and sometimes nagging, "Ivan...") woman who knew what she wanted. She will be missed by all.

In honor of Honeybun......

Honeybun Cake
from eatcakefordinner.com

Oven 325

1 box yellow cake mix
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine cake mix, eggs, sour cream, and oil until well blended; set aside. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl. Spread half of the cake mixture into a 9 x13 cake pan. Sprinkle with half of the brown sugar mix, covering the entire cake.








Spread the rest of the cake batter over and top with the remaining brown sugar mix. Use a knife and swirl the batter. Bake at 325 for 45-50 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.










Make the glaze: combine powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth and pour over the hot cake (right when it comes out of the oven).

Importance of Surprise

I was talking with my grandmother yesterday about birthdays. She told me that she always believed that everyone should be celebrated on their birthday. I couldn't agree more. I think that's why I always at least try to make a cake or cupcakes for the special people in my life. I hope in that way they see that I have thought about them and I care about them.

This weekend we celebrated my mother-in-law's birthday with a surprise fiesta party. She was very surprised! We decorated the back porch with sombreros, pinatas, and margaritas! I made lime margaritas and blackberry margaritas. My sister-in-law made sangria.










We had a taco bar for dinner and dessert was this "cake." It's rich, so only a little is needed. The actual cake is really brownie like in texture, just as the name suggests.

Toffee Bar Brownie Torte Cake
from The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather
Oven 350

For the brownies:
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter
16 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 cups sugar
8 large eggs
2 tbsp. vanilla extract
2½ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. salt

For the frosting:
3 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. instant espresso powder dissolved in 2 tsp. boiling water, chilled

For the filling:
16 oz. mascarpone cheese
2 tbsp. instant espresso powder dissolved in 2 tsp. boiling water
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 cup reserved frosting (above)

For garnish:
2 cups chopped toffee bits or finely chopped toffee bars


To make the brownie layers, preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Grease and flour the edges of three 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Combine the butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl set over a few inches of simmering water. Continue heating until the butter and chocolate are melted and smooth, stirring occasionally with a spatula. Remove the bowl from the heat and set aside. Transfer the chocolate mixture to a large mixing bowl.


Whisk in the sugar, eggs and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and glossy, about 1 minute. Stir in the flour and salt, and mix just until the dry ingredients are incorporated.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared baking pans. Gently smooth the batter in the pans. Bake 20-25 minutes, until the brownies are just firm to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pans 30 minutes. Then run a knife around the edge of each pan and invert the brownies onto the rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, add the chilled heavy cream to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on medium-high speed until medium-soft peaks form. Blend in the sugar, vanilla and espresso mixture, whipping just until combine. Continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Reserve and refrigerate 1 cup of the frosting for use in the filling. Set aside the rest of the frosting.

To make the filling, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the mascarpone, espresso liquid, sugar, vanilla and salt. Beat on medium speed until well blended and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gently fold in the reserved 1 cup of frosting with a spatula.

To assemble the torte, lay 1 of the brownie rounds to a large serving platter. Spread half of the filling mixture evenly over the top. Layer with another brownie round, and the remainder of the filling. Top with the final brownie layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the frosting. Garnish with the toffee bits to cover the top and sides of the cake. Use any remaining frosting to pipe decorative swirls around the top edge of the cake, if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
 

Seven Minutes

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there! We celebrated with brunch with my mother and grandmother and a picnic with my mother-in-law. Bailey woke me up with a lot of puppy kisses and a very nice card. She also decided to lay in front of the oven and "help" me make the frosting today!
  
My mother-in-law requested a chocolate layer cake with Seven Minute Frosting. I made my usual Chocolate Cake and used a whipped cream filling. Then I had to find the right recipe for the frosting. I found that this frosting has many different names (boiled icing, royal baking icing, meringue frosting). I found one that seems to be the best for mixing with a kitchenaid mixer. It tastes like a cross between whipped cream and marshmallow fluff.


Seven Minute Frosting

from bakedbree.com

1 1/2 cups sugar

2/3 cup water

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

3 egg whites

pinch salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a saucepan combine the sugar and water with a pinch of cream of tartar.Make sure that when you are cooking the sugar that you do not stir the sugar mixture. It will cause the sugar to crystallize and you don’t want that to happen.Boil the sugar until it reaches 245 degrees.

Meanwhile, put the egg whites and a pinch of salt in the bowl of a mixer with the whisk attachment. Beat until the egg whites are peaked.

Slowly pour the sugar syrup into the egg whites. I mean slowly, this sugar mixture is 245 degrees, you do not want it to splash.











Beat the frosting on high speed for about 7 minutes (hence the name seven minute frosting) or until the sides of the bowl cool down. The frosting will be light and fluffy.

Add the vanilla extract.















Once mixed frost cake as desired. *Somewhat messy to cut!

Full

I spent the majority of this week celebrating my birthday. My husband made me dinner on my actual birthday(Tuesday). My sister-in-law Samantha made me a cake on Friday and we had grilled pizzas at my in-laws.

 (Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Covered Strawberries)







My mother made me homemade pot stickers, egg rolls, and my great-grandmother's bread on Saturday.




 (My great-grandmother's bread)






My Grandmother made me an apple pie on Saturday.






 (Grandma's Apple Pie)











Then on Sunday we went to brunch at Nick's on Broadway in Providence and got a piece of my favorite cake from Pastiche.




(We ate at the bar at Nick's- awesome view right into the kitchen! Would definitely recommend it! Oh, and that's the chef's elbow and my mimosa.)











Okay, so I guess I spent the majority of the week eating! Great week!




(My meal at Nick's on Broadway - Local Spring Vegetables, Poached Eggs, and Grilled Toast.)












Also, this is my one hundredth post! Hard to believe that I've been blogging for that long. That's a lot of desserts!

(Display case at Pastiche - my favorite cake is the one with the bees!)

Yellow Roses

My grandmother turned 88 years old today. This is quite an accomplishment for anyone, but for her it's truly a great feat. She has lost the love of her life and continues her battle with cancer. Last year she requested a pink birthday party. This year she wanted yellow, lots of yellow. We set the tables up in the formal again and put a big vase of yellow roses in the middle. Grandma had very specific requests for the menu this year (BBQ chicken, deconstructed salad, rice pilaf, zucchini and squash, eggroll appetizers, and the cake). 

Cake request: A three layer chocolate cake with chocolate mousse filling, vanilla buttercream frosting and yellow roses on top. I used an old recipe for Chocolate Cake and my usual Magnolia vanilla buttercream. I watched a bunch of videos on how to create buttercream roses. It was a learning process but I definitely mastered it. Quite proud of myself and my yellow roses. I'm actually looking forward to making more of them.


It's back to work for me after a much deserved week off. Let the countdown to Summer begin!