Tag: Dessert – Cake

Carrot Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Servings: 14
Preheat: 350°
Source: FINE COOKING Feb/Mar 2001
This cake really comes into its own on its second day, when the flavors have mellowed to perfection. Serves twelve to fourteen.

Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE:
Olive oil for the pans
1 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
¾ cup olive oil
9 oz (2 cups) all-purpose flour, sifted
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp grated nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
2 Tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
~1lb. carrots, peeled and cut in 1″” chunks
4 lg eggs, at room temp
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup pecans, lightly toasted, cooled, and finely chopped by pulsing in a food processor
¼ cup dark rum

FOR THE FROSTING:
2 8-oz. pkg cream cheese, somewhat softened
½ cup honey
1 Tbsp grated orange zest
½ cup heavy cream

Directions
To make the cake – Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Heat the oven to 350°F. Oil two 9×2-inch cake pans with olive oil, line the bottoms with parchment or waxed paper, and oil the paper.

Put both sugars and the olive oil in the bowl of a stand mixer and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt, mix well, and set aside. In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, process the carrots until they’re in tiny pieces, scraping down the sides of the bowl, about 25 seconds. Measure 3 cups of carrots and set aside. In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs with a fork, stir in the vanilla, and set aside.

Beat the sugar mixture on low until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl once, 2 to 3 min. (it will look like wet sand). Continuing on low speed, gradually mix in half the dry ingredients. Add the remaining dry ingredients in 3 or 4 additions, alternating with the egg mixture, and ending with the dry; scrape the sides of the bowl once or twice. Stir in the carrots, pecans, and rum, scraping the sides of the bowl once. Let the batter sit for 15 min.

Divide the batter between the cake pans (if you have a scale, weigh them to see if they’re even) and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of each comes out clean, 35 to 40 min. Cool them in the pans on a rack for 15 min. Run a paring knife around the inside edge to release the cakes. With the help of a second rack, turn each pan over so the bottom faces up, remove the pan, and carefully peel off and discard the paper liner. Using the racks again, flip each layer over so the top faces up again. Let cool completely.

To make the frosting – When the layers are cool, put the cream cheese, honey, and orange zest in the bowl of a stand mixer and whip on high until smooth and light, 1 to 2 min., scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the cream and whip on medium, scraping the sides of the bowl, just until you see tracks from the whip or beaters, 1 to 2 min.

To frost the cake – Set one cake layer on a cardboard base or other support (like a removable tart pan bottom) and spread it evenly with about one-third of the frosting. Set the second layer on top and cover the top smoothly (or with little swirls) with about one-third more of the frosting. Coat the sides evenly with a very thin layer of frosting, and then use what remains to finish the sides with a second coat. Refrigerate the cake for several hours – this firms up the frosting and mellows the flavors – but give it some time at room temperature before serving to take off the chill.

Butterscotch-Topped Gingerbread with Sautéed Apples

Servings: 12+
Preheat: 300°
Butterscotch-Topped Gingerbread with Sautéed Apples This gingerbread is super moist with a dense crumb. Because it cooks at such a low temperature, the baking soda must be activated by the acid in the molasses and the heat of the boiling water before the cake is baked.

Sauté apples for a quick and delicious topping for ice cream, cake, or crêpes. The gingerbread above is a perfect match for a fantastic dessert that blows people away and yet is made in ten minutes. When sautéing apples, slice them thinly so they’ll cook through on the inside in the time it takes the outside to turn golden brown. But you can also serve sautéed apples with vanilla ice cream for a fantastic dessert that blows people away and yet is made in ten minutes.

Ingredients
FOR THE BUTTERSCOTCH:
3 oz (6 Tbs.) unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
FOR THE CAKE:
12 ½ oz (2 ¾ cups) cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 Tbsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
4 oz (8 Tbs.) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup sugar
1 tsp plus 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup molasses
1 ½ cup boiling water
2 lg eggs
FOR THE TOPPING:Sautéed Apples
Yields enough to top 1 cake, about 2 cups.
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp sugar
1 ¾ lb apples (ab 4 medium), peeled, quartered, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
Whipped cream (optional)

Directions
Butter and flour the sides (not the bottom) of a 9-inch round cake pan that’s 3 inches deep, tapping out the excess flour. To make the butterscotch, in a small saucepan, melt the 6 Tbsp butter and the brown sugar together, stirring for a smooth mixture. Pour the mixture into the cake pan and swirl it to cover the bottom.

Heat the oven to 300°F.

In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves; set aside. Using the paddle attachment of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy; set aside.

With a fork, stir 1 tsp of the baking soda vigorously into the molasses until the molasses has lightened somewhat and has changed in texture; this can take a minute or two. Add the molasses to the butter-sugar mixture and mix on medium until completely combined. Add the remaining 1/2 tsp baking soda to the boiling water. On low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the water to the butter-molasses mixture. Scrape down sides of bowl and mix until just smooth, . Finally, add the eggs one at a time, mixing to combine after each addition. The batter will be very thin.

Bake until the center of the cake is springy to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean, about l hour . Let cool 5 min. and then invert the cake onto a serving plate. Let cool for an hour before serving; the cake will still be warm, which is how it’s best.

Just before serving, sauté the apples. In a large skillet, melt the butter and sugar. Increase the heat to medium high and add the apples; cook, tossing frequently, until browned, about 5 min. Let them cool slightly. Top the cake with the warm apples and serve with some whipped cream, if you like.

Buttermilk Chocolate Layer Cake

Servings: 10
Preheat: 350°
Source: Gourmet 4/1993
recipeNotes: if using double walled cake pans, bake at 325.

This is the GOOD chocolate cake recipe. Frosting is excellent, but makes enough for 2 cakes.

Ingredients
For the cake layers
2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1½ tsp baking soda
2 tsp double-acting baking powder
1½ cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1¾ cup granulated sugar
4 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
4 lg eggs
For the frosting
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
8 oz whipped cream cheese
5 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
a 1 lb box confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla

Directions
Make the cake layers: Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Into a bowl sift together the flour, the salt, the nutmeg, the baking soda, and the baking powder. In another bowl stir together the buttermilk and the vanilla. In the bowl of an electric mixer cream the butter with the granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, add the chocolate, and beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture in batches alternately with the buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Divide the batter between the pans, smoothing the tops, and bake the cake layers in the middle of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Let the cake layers cool in the pans on racks for 30 minutes, turn them out onto the racks, and let them cool completely.

Make the frosting: In a bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter with the cream cheese until the mixture is light and fluffy, add the chocolate, the confectioners’ sugar, and the vanilla, and beat the frosting until it is combined well.

Assemble the cake: Arrange 1 of the cake layers on a platter, spread one third of the frosting on the top, and top the frosting with the remaining cake layer. Spread the top

1-2-3-4 Cake

Servings: —
Preheat: 350°
Cook Time: 25 min to 33min
recipeNotes: Two 8- or 9-inch layers

This cake is called l-2-3-4 because it is a very old recipe and people could remember the ingredients by the numbers without having to write it down. This is what we make for birthday cakes. It is very good plain, or with lemon curd and fresh violets.

Two 8- or 9-inch layers

Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) at room temp
2 cup sugar
3 cup cake flour
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup milk

Recipe says to bake 25 min.

Directions
Turn on the oven to 350°F. Measure all the ingredients and get organized before you begin to make the batter. The butter should be soft. Cut it into small pieces, and put in a large bowl. Measure the sugar and set aside.

Sift the cake flour, scoop into a measuring cup, scrape a knife across the top of the cup to level it, and measure 3 Cups. Put the flour in a separate bowl. Measure level teaspoons of the baking powder and add to the flour. Measure the salt and add to the flour. Mix together.

Separate the eggs. Put the whites in one bowl and the yolks in another. Have the vanilla ready, and measure the milk and set aside.

Butter the insides of two 9-inch cake pans. Rub a small amount of butter all over the inside; don’t miss the corners. Then put a tablespoon or so of flour in the pan and turn it all around so the pan is completely dusted with flour. Turn the pan upside down, and tap the edge on the table to let the extra flour fall out.

Now everything is ready to make the batter. Beat the butter with a wooden spoon or in a mixer until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat again until very fluffy and light yellow. This is what it means to cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg yolks and beat them in briefly. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and mix it in well.

Next add the flour and milk in parts. Sift about half of the flour over the butter mixture and lightly stir it in. Exchange the spoon for a large rubber spatula, and pour in about half the milk. Use the spatula to gently mix the milk into the batter. Sift over the rest of the flour and stir it in. Pour in the rest of the milk and gently mix it in.

The last step is to beat the egg whites and fold them into the batter. Put the egg whites into a very clean metal bowl, and beat with a whisk or mixer. They will gradually thicken and get very white as you beat in air bubbles. When the whites are very fluffy and will hold a soft peak shape when you lift up the whisk, they’re ready.

Scoop up some of the whites with the spatula, add to the batter, and very gently stir them in. This will lighten the batter and make it easier to fold in the rest of the whites. Then pour the rest of the whites onto the batter and begin to fold them in. Folding is more delicate than stirring. Use the spatula to lift up some of the batter from the bottom of the bowl and fold it over the whites. Turn the bowl a little and fold again. Do that just until the egg whites are mixed in. The air bubbles in the whites will give the cake a light and delicate texture.

Divide the batter between the cake pans, and put in the center of the oven to bake for about 25 minutes. When the cakes are lightly browned, and a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean, they’re done.

Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.

You can cut the recipe in half to make a single layer cake. Or a full recipe will make 32 cupcakes-fill the papers half full.