I made Erin’s baby shower cake last week from a cake mix. I had so much going on that there was no way I was comfortable having to think. I did doctor the mix up quite a bit for flavor but I was more concerned about the look of it than the flavor. If you missed the pictures from the shower here is the cake:

The cake. It wasn't so difficult.

I didn’t want just “a cake” beneath all of that cool decor, though. Read more

This was a wonderful addition to the  Plum & White Tea Scones.  I loved the color!

It tasted remarkably like blueberry.  The next time I make it I plan on adding a litle lemon juice just to cut the sweetness a bit.  This would be an amazing filling for a sponge cake as well.  This is best microwaved, in  my opinion, because there is not enough liquid to keep it from scorching over direct heat. Read more

This is my entry for Apples & Thyme, hosted this month by Marla, of Bella Baita View.

And..it is long.

I learned to love homemade jam at my Aunt Bernie’s house in Michigan. She had a farm, and I decided she had not only the perfect life, but the best farm ever. She grew raspberries, and strawberries by the gross it seemed. We spent several weeks in the summers at her place. There was nothing quite like waking up in the morning and smelling coffee Read more

Jelly roll, rolled sponge, rolled cake; call them what you want but they are impressive and really, really good.  Most people are intimidated by them because they look difficult to do but, in actuality, they are one of the quickest, easiest desserts around.  The sponge takes only about 15-20 minutes to bake, cools quickly and you can get it on the table usually in less than an hour with practice.  Give it a try, it isn’t as hard as you may think. Read more

This cake was amazing. I have really been thinking about chocolate/orange combinations lately and I had the idea to do this cake…I blogged about the menu I had planned to use it in on ApronStrings and Inge suggested I submit it for Waiter There’s Something In My….
since this month is layer cakes.

So…here is my submission. I was pleasantly surprised that the cake was beyond good. It was definitely five star calibre…and oh my goodness is it rich…Do brew a pot of good dark espresso to go with it..you will need it to cut the intensity of the cake. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time for this…I should have assembled the cake the night before and then let it chill an firm up overnight.
This is everything a chocolate ckae should be..intense in flavor, rich, creamy, with the bite of the orange curd cutting through the initial taste of the chocolate on the tongue..and then disappearing to allow the chocolate to have the last word, so to speak.

Cake:
2 c sugar
1 3/4 c flour
3/4 c hershey’s special dark cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 c buttermilk
1 c dark, strong coffee
1/2 c oil
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350
grease and flour three 8″ round pans.

Mix dry ingredients together.
Pour oil into a mixing bowl and mix sugar in on medium speed until sugar dissolves. Add eggs one at a time. Add coffee, buttermilk and vanilla and then dry ingredients. Mixture will be very thin. Seriously, it will have the consistancy of half and half. Pour 1/3 of the mixture in each of the pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until done. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes, turn out and let finish cooling.

Bittersweet Frosting

Orange Curd Filling

This orange curd is super easy and wonderful as a topping for scone, a filling for cakes, or cheesecake, or sandwiched in cookies…or licked off your fingers….. you can cook it the traditional way, or microwave it.

1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 c lemon juice
3 Tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 c water
zest from one orange
1/2 c unsalted butter cut in pieces

Whisk together the sugar and eggs until smooth. Stir in lemon juice, orange concentrate, water and zest. Microwave ar one minute intervals, stirring, until mixture coats a spoon. Remove from microwave, add butter a little at a time and whisk smooth. Chill.

Ganache
1 cup heavy cream
5 oz bittersweet chocolate chopped small

Heat cream to just a simmer. Remove from heat and add chocolate, whisking until smooth. Chill.

Assemble

Place cake layer on plate. Cover with the ganache. Place another layer on top. Cover with about one cup of curd. Place last layer on top, gently, and chill until firm.
Frost sides of cake with bittersweet chocolate frosting, smoothing over sides. Frost top of cake, leaving an unfrosted 6″ circle in center of cake top. Pipe scrolls from frosting around circle and fill with about 1/2 cup orange curd in center. Sprinkle with chocolate shot. Chill.
serves 12.

I don’t do cupcakes much. I guess with 5 boys, 3 girls, and a husband that considers 6 dozen cookies an apertif I just always made things in large quantities. Large, FILLING quantities. Cupcakes seem sweet and delicate to me.

But yesterday I wanted something different. I had made chicken with apples and lavender for TRGWT. hosted by Vanielje Kitchen and I was serving brown rice and mushroom risotto with it. I had worked on another foodie challenge all day and needed something simple..we have meetings at church each evening this week, too. So….hmmm….CUPCAKES!
Cupcakes are quick, easy to do, cute, and in my house anyway, unusual enough to be considered party food. Of course, in my house, EVERYthing is considered party food. Bologna sandwich? MMMM! PARTY!
Seriously. I don ‘t know where they get it.
These are deliciously light and tender, delicately flavored with almond and lemon peel. They take less than an hour from start to finish and you know you deserve to have one with that cup of coffee this afternoon!

Almond Cupcakes
1/2 c butter, room temp
2/3 to 1 c sugar( depends on how sweet you like it)
3 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond
zest of one small lemon
1 1/2 c flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 c milk
Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla and almond extracts and lemon peel. Mix flour, salt, and baking powder, stir in and then beat in milk.
Pour into lined muffin cups and bake 18-20 minutes at 350. cool

Cream Cheese Almond Frosting

8 oz cream cheese room temp
4 tbs butter
3 c confectioners sugar
1 tsp almond
1/2 tsp vanilla

beat butter and cream cheese together until mixed. Add rest of ingredients and beat until fluffy. Add a little cream if needed to get the right consistency. Use to frost cupcakes.

makes 12

Image: (c)MaryeAudet

So, today is the last day of the road to Chocolate Nirvana. I know, I know, it’s sad but on the bright side we have several really cool things coming up at the H& D channel here at B5…including a way cool Autumn Scavenger Hunt..and a special, channel wide thing the 18th…and don’t forget the next installment of the Christmas countdown on Wednesday, Sept. 12.

What kind of thing? You will have to check back. You should be out of your chocolate coma by then.

O.k. These are from Epicurious. They are…incredible. This is definitly a case for saving the best for last.

For hazelnut base
Unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, loose skins rubbed off with a kitchen towel, and cooled
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick ( 1/4 cup) unsalted butter
6 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped
2 large whole eggs

For ganache
2 large egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon salt
12 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped

Make hazelnut base:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter bottom and sides of an 8-inch square metal baking pan, then dust with cocoa powder, knocking out excess. Finely grind nuts in a food processor with flour, sugar, and salt.

Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan, then remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time, whisking until smooth. Stir in nut flour until just combined.

Spread batter evenly in baking pan and bake in middle of oven until top is firm and dry and a tester inserted into center comes out with crumbs adhering, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack, at least 2 hours.

Make ganache:
Lightly beat yolks in a bowl. Bring cream with salt just to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, then add half of it to yolks in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Whisk yolk mixture into remaining cream and cook over low heat, whisking, until slightly thickened and an instant-read thermometer registers 170°F (do not let boil).

Remove from heat and add chocolate, whisking until smooth. Pour ganache over hazelnut base in pan, smoothing top with offset spatula, and chill, covered, until firm, at least 5 hours.

Cut into squares with a warmed thin knife, wiping off knife after each cut, and remove from pan while still cold.

Serve truffles cold or at room temperature.

Epicurious.com © CondéNet, Inc. All rights reserved.

Very rich, delicious in small amounts.

2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
3 tbsp sugar

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk, cream butter and cream cheese. Beat in melted chocolate and sugar, scraping down the sides as needed. Use immediately, or store in an airtight container in the fridge. (I wouldn’t leave it for more than a few days, though.)

Yields about 1/3 cup.

This recipe is from Sarah at, What Smells So Good?. The recipe is actually at Group Recipes which is an incredible resource of recipes and cool people!

Banana Filled Peanut Butter Cookies

Cookie
1/2 cup stick margarine, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter (or add 2 T chopped peanuts)
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Filling
1 tbsp margarine
1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp light rum
pinch each cinnamon and nutmeg
2 small bananas, sliced
1/2 cup light cream cheese
1/2 cup smooth light peanut butter

Directions
For cookies:
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Cream together margarine and sugars until pale and fluffy.
Beat egg and vanilla, add to creamed mixture.
Stir in peanut butter.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.
Blend with peanut butter mixture.
Drop 24 balls onto an ungreased cookie sheet and press them with a floured fork.
Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool on sheet.
For filling:
In sauté pan, melt margarine.
Add sugar and increase heat to medium-high.
Stir until melted and bubbling.
Add rum, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Stir in bananas to coat, pour into a bowl and set aside.
Cream together cream cheese and peanut butter until smooth. Mash bananas and add to cream cheese mixture until smooth. Chill for 20 minutes.
Fill between 2 cooled peanut butter cookies to make sandwiches.

The alterations I plan on making to these is to use unsalted butter (I don’t use margarine). But don’t they sound incredible?

THAT got your attention didn’t it?

  I write alot about how strongly I feel about using organics when possible. I love the spectrum organic shoretening because it literally has NO trans-fats.  Hydrogenated shortenings can have a certain fraction of transfats and still have 0 trans fat per serving and I really am uncomfortable with that.

  Anyway, about a month ago I began using Spectrum, which is palm kernal oil that solidifies at room temp without hydrogenation or partial hydrogenation. All organic..and it performed beautifully in pie crust.

 However, I am so very dismayed to say that when it comes to a buttercream frosting that you can decorate cakes with (a la Wilton) your best bet is to stick with the Crisco or whatever you are currently using.

  You see, for some odd reason three of my eight children chose to be born in the first 11 days of July. The 1st, the 3rd , and the 11th.  Kyrie will be 4 tomorrow, Nick will be 7, and Matt will achieve that pinnacle of teenhood, 15, which means Driver’s Education is scheduled in the next few months. This year, to add chaos to a chaotic situation, Matt will be at youth camp the week of his birthday SO we have decidedc to celebrate all the birthdays tomorrow…complete with a homemade pizza buffet (I am trying out a mango-chicken-chipotle pizza) cakeS, homemade strawberrry ice cream, and pinata. That means that at 8 this moprning I started baking cake…a Strawberry Shortcake pan for Kyrie, a 3-D car for Nick and a fish for Matt.   They are the type that you decorate with the star tips and intricate details.

  All was going well until the frosting. The Spectrum left the frosting a little grainy..but I was o.k. with that until I tried to frost the cake and the frosting would not hold well, nor did it cover the cake surface, even after I covered the cake with a thin layer of frosting and chilled it well.

 Some of this may have to do with humidity.  We have had rain daily for 6 weeks and it is in the 90’s today and humid and rain is forcast. The Dallas area NEVER gets rain like this..They said last night on the weather that we were nearly at our annual average rainfall only 6 months into the year! Praise God our creek has not flooded excessively and the animals are well…muddy but well.

  Anyway.  The taste is excellent and for normal cake frosting I would use the combination unsalted butter/organic shortening. However for intricate cake decorating, especially since it is not something you eat on a daily basis, go with the traditional shortening for the best results.

1/2 c unsalted butter

1/2 c shortening

4 c confectioners sugar

1/2 tsp almond extract

1 tsp vanilla extract

pinch salt

2 Tbs half and half

Mix shortening and butter until blended. Mix in salt and flavorings. Mix in confectioners sugar and add milk until you achieve a creamy but firm consistancy. Frosting for one cake (2 8″ layers, one character pan, etc.)

  Have a great weekend!