Sour Cream Cake with Saffron Orange Glaze

Todays cake comes from the McCormick Shilling website.  They have a new "gourmet" collection with a batch of recipes to go with it.  The glaze on this cake is more like  a syrup and is made with Saffron.  I doubled it and baked it i a 9 x 13 bakin gpan.

Sour Cream Cake with Saffron Orange Glaze

INGREDIENTS

1 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons McCormick® Gourmet Collection Cream of Tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
2 eggs
1 container (8 ounces) sour cream
3/4 cup orange juice
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Saffron, Spanish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 9-inch round baking pan. Line bottom with wax paper circle; lightly grease wax paper.

2. Mix flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside. Beat butter, 1 cup of the sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs and sour cream; beat on low speed until well blended. Gradually add flour mixture, beating on low speed until well mixed. Spread evenly in prepared pan.

3. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until cake pulls away from sides of pan and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on wire rack. While cake is cooling in pan, mix orange juice, remaining 1/3 cup sugar and saffron in small saucepan. Bring to boil on medium heat, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Cover to keep warm.

4. Loosen cake from sides of pan with small knife or metal spatula. Invert cake onto serving plate. Pierce holes in hot cake with metal or wooden skewer. Spoon warm syrup evenly over hot cake. Let stand until cake has cooled and syrup has been absorbed. Garnish as desired.

Buttermilk-Blueberry Breakfast Cake

I forgot to post last weeks recipe so here it is!  I found this recipe on Pinterest which lead me to Alexandra's Kitchen.  It was a big hit!  I doubled the recipe and baked in a 9 x 13 baking pan.

BLUEBERRY-BUTTERMILK BREAKFAST CAKE

Serves 6-8

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tsp. lemon zest or more — zest from 1 large lemon
7/8 cup* + 1 tablespoon sugar**
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour (set aside 1/4 cup of this to toss with the blueberries)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups fresh blueberries
½ cup buttermilk***
* 7/8 cup = 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons

** This 1 tablespoon is for sprinkling on top
*** To make homemade buttermilk, place 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup. Fill cup with milk until it reaches the 1-cup line. Let stand for five minutes. Use only 1/2 cup of the prepared mixture for the recipe.

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cream butter with lemon zest and 7/8 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy.

2. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Meanwhile, toss the blueberries with ¼ cup of flour, then whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Add the flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. Fold in the blueberries.

4. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan (or something similar) with butter or coat with non-stick spray. Spread batter into pan. Sprinkle batter with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness. If necessary, return pan to oven for a couple of more minutes. (Note: Baking for as long as 10 minutes more might be necessary.) Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

 

Sometimes You Feel Like a Nut...

Today's offering is from Epicurious.com.

 What's to say except, Yum!

Almond Joy Cheesecake

Crust

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut, toasted
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted (about 2 ounces)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling

• 4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted
• 1 tablespoon coconut extract
• 1 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Glaze

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup whipping cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Wrap outside of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with foil.  If you use a 10-inch-diameter pan you do not need the foil. 

 

Finely grind cracker crumbs, coconut, almonds and sugar in processor. Add butter; process until moist crumbs form. Press mixture onto bottom and 1 inch up sides of pan. Bake crust until set and beginning to brown, about 12 minutes. Cool. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

        

For filling: Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Mix in coconut and extract . Fold in almonds. Transfer filling to crust. Bake until cake is puffed and no longer moves when pan is shaken, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool completely on rack.

          

For glaze: Combine 1 cup chocolate chips, cream and vanilla in small saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until smooth. Cool until glaze begins to thicken but can still be poured, about 30 minutes. Pour glaze over cooled cake; spread evenly. Chill cake overnight.

          

Run small knife around sides of cake to loosen. Release pan sides.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cake with Nutella Buttercream

Today's cake is a recipe from Babble.com.  It has kind of an unusual mix of ingredients.  Olive oil, instant pudding mix and sour cream.  The batter is glossy and gorgeous and it makes a dense chocolaty cake.  And you just can't go wrong with Nutella in your butter cream! 

Here's the recipe:

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bundt

4 eggs
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. olive oil
1 package instant chocolate pudding
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking powder
2/3 c. cocoa powder
1 1/2 c. flour
1 c. sour cream
½ c. water
1 c. mini chocolate chips

In a large bowl, beat together eggs, brown sugar, and olive oil, and instant pudding mix, creaming until very well mixed. Add salt, baking powder, cocoa powder, and flour. Beat just until incorporated. Add sour cream and water, and beat again just until incorporated. Fold in mini chocolate chips, then scoop batter into a bundt pan which has been generously greased and floured (use cocoa powder, instead of flour, for a nice chocolaty finish to the outside of your cake). Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes, or just until the center part of the cake ring springs back to the touch. Watch your cake closely! You don’t want to overcook it! Once cooked, wait for the cake to cool to the touch before turning it out onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool, then cover tightly in plastic wrap and store in the fridge overnight before frosting.

Nutella Butter Cream

½ c. Nutella
12 Tbsp. butter, slightly softened
3 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1-2 T. milk

In a large bowl, beat together Nutella and butter until smooth and fluffy. Slowly add powdered sugar, beating well to incorporate. Add as much milk as needed to make frosting fluffy, but soft enough to spread. Spread on cooled Chocolate Chocolate Chip bundt cake.

Seriously Good!

Today's offering is a recipe I borrowed from Mama B's Blog.  French Toast Cupcakes with Maple Buttercream and candied Bacon.  Yes, they are as good as they sound. I doubled the recipe and made 24 cupcakes.

 

 

French Toast and Bacon Cupakes

Author: Mama B

Recipe type: dessert

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Total time: 35 mins

 

Serves: 12 cupcakes

 

Ingredients

• French Toast Cupcakes: ¾ cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1½ cups cake flour, sifted
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup milk, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 eggs
• Maple Buttercream Frosting: 2 Sticks butter, softened
• 2¾ cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons heavy cream, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon maple extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Fry (or bake) up some crispy bacon and set aside (I used 8 slices maple flavored bacon for a double batch).
3. In a standing mixer, combine the butter and sugar and mix.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Set aside.
5. Add the eggs to the creamed butter one at time, waiting for each one to be fully incorporated before adding the next. Then add the milk.
6. Stir in the dry ingredients.
7. Divide the batter evenly in the muffin tin. Bake at 375* for 25-27 minutes.
8. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and cool completely.
9. Take about 1/4 cup maple syrup and bring to boil in a small pan.  Once it get's foamy, add the bacon bits and stir until the mixture is sticky.  Watch carefully or the bacon will burn!  Spread the bacon bits on a nonstick sheet and let cool.
10. For the frosting: Mix all 4 ingredients together. Beat on high speed until fluffy.
11. Frost your cupcakes and cover them with crispy bacon pieces.

I'm Back!

After a little haitus, I'm back at it again.  Another tax season, another cake on Friday...

I didn't have time last week to post February 15th's cake so here it is now.

RASPBERRY COCONUT CAKE

I used one of my favorite baking pans, a Tiara Pan or Marianne Pan.  The pan bakes a cake with a depression in the center that you can then fill with all kinds of yummy stuff. 

I used a French Vanilla cake mix, following the directions on the box.  While the cake was warm, I brushed the depression in the center generiously with Chambord.  I then combined a cup of seedless raspberry jam with 1/2 cup coconut and a tablespoon of Chambord.  I smoothed this in the center.  Cream cheese frosting was piped around the edge and then a sprinkling of love on top!

A late Passover Goodie...

I saw Jeffrey Nathan make a Marscapone and Citrus Noodle Kugel on TV and have been wanting to try it for awhile.  This is NOT a low calorie treat.  The 2 sticks of butter would make Paula Dean proud :-)  The recipe is from "Jeffrey Nathan's Family Suppers".

Kugel:
1 (12-oz.) package medium egg noodles
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces and softened
5 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
24 oz. sour cream (2-1/2 cups)
8 oz. Mascarpone cheese (comes in small tubs)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Grated zest of 1 orange
Grated zest of 1/2 lemon

Topping:
1-1/4 cups crushed cornflakes
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
8 tablespoons butter (1 stick), melted

Position rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°F. Lightly butter a 13"x9" inch baking dish.

Make Kugel:
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat and add noodles. Cook until just tender (about 8 minutes). Drain well and return to pot. Add the butter and stir until butter melts and coats the noodles.

Whisk the eggs and sugar in a medium bowl. Add the sour cream, mascarpone, vanilla and zests and whisk until just combined. Do not overwhisk or the Mascarpone will separate. Pour over the noodles and mix to combine. Spread evenly in the baking dish.

Mix the cornflakes, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Sprinkle evenly over the kugel and drizzle with the melted butter.

Bake until kugel feels set when pressed in the center, about 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve warm.