Lemon-Blueberry-Flan Bundt Cake

Ever had one of those "I've lost it and my mind has left my body" moments?  Okay, well maybe I'm the only one, but Saturday I lost it.  After dealing with what can only be described as way too much stupid the last few months I walked downstairs half-asleep, hadn't even turned on the lights yet and stepped in dog pee(I should also mention this has been a recurring theme as of late).  I'm not quite sure whom I yelled at more Hot Dog Dude or the one who I knew was really responsible - Rusty.  Yes I'm naming names; despite having two children Ted has always been my favorite (there I said it).  For years I always had my suspicions about Rusty, he just has the yeah I did it and what the hell are you going to do about it look about him.  I can't even tell you how many times I've come home from being out to find bathroom trash strewn from the upstairs to the downstairs.

I went to yoga this morning and said, "Namaste" and everything which I think means bye-bye to all the drama you dealt with before you got here, but I'm still feeling a little on edge, so let's go to a happy place and talk about this light, luscious, lemon-blueberry-flan cake.  I have it on good authority that you can serve this cake to someone and it pretty much negates anything that happened previously.  Yep, slate wiped clean.

Lemon-Blueberry Masterpiece (as aptly named by my lovely niece)

Lemon Flan:
3 cups - 2% milk (whole would work fine too)
1 cup - granulated sugar
1 tablespoon - lemon zest
4 tablespoons - lemon juice
8 egg yolks, beaten (reserve 4 of the whites for the cake batter)

Lemon-Blueberry Cake:
1/2 cup - vegetable oil
1/2 cup - unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 cups - all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon - baking powder
1/2 teaspoon - baking soda
1 teaspoon - salt
1 tablespoon - lemon zest
1/4 cup - lemon juice
1 1/2 cups - granulated sugar
1 cup - low-fat buttermilk
4 egg whites, whipped to soft peaks
6 ounces - fresh blueberries

1.  Rub a 12-cup capacity bundt pan with softened butter and spray with non-stick spray for good measure.
2.  Move the oven rack to the lower 2/3-rds and preheat to 350 degrees F.
3.  Put on a couple cups of water on in a tea kettle to boil.
4.  Whip the 4 egg whites in the bowl of a mixer or by hand until soft peaks form.  Set aside.
5.  In another large bowl add vegetable oil, butter, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, lemon zest, lemon juice, granulated sugar, buttermilk and mix until combined.  Fold in egg whites and then fold in blueberries until well combined.  Pour cake into the bottom of the bundt pan.
6.  In a small saucepan combine milk, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice and heat on medium until hot.
7.  Ladle a little bit of the milk into the egg yolks, whisking and then adding a little more milk, then add the eggs back into the saucepan and heat for one more minute.
8.  Strain the custard with a fine sieve to remove the curdled bits that will have formed from the lemon, and slowly pour the custard over the cake batter already in the pan.
9.  Place the bundt pan in a large roasting pan and pour a couple inches of boiling water in, place carefully in the oven.
10.  Bake 60-70 minutes uncovered, until a toothpick inserted comes out from the cake clean.
11.  Remove cake from roasting pan and let cool on the counter for 45 minutes and then place in the fridge to cool for another 15-20 minutes.
12.  Invert the cake onto a serving platter and keep in the fridge until really cold and ready to serve.

If this cake doesn't get you out of the doghouse, what exactly did you do, and can you share with the whole class please.  I can use a little levity around here.

Enjoy,

Gina

Lover's Coffee Cake and the horror of not being "best mom ever"

Does bringing a cake to a party negate the fact you have been absent in the hostesses' life for what seems like ages?  I'm hoping it does, I really am.  I have been feeling bad that I haven't had time these days for anything extra.  I've been missing idle moments to pick up the phone and check in on a friend, or better yet stop by just because.  I've been longing for days involving sitting around in pajamas till noon, tossing something presentable on and schlepping off for a long lunch, heading home to take a nap exhausted from lunch.  Dinner is a no-brainer, ring the delivery man and say, "surprise me".  Slinking to the couch and spending the rest of my waking moments watching junk t.v.  Does anyone know what planet this life exists on, because I want to fashion a rocket ship out of used popsicle sticks and go visit said planet.

I'm still replaying the fond memories of the 50th anniversary party my 4 siblings and myself had the pleasure of hosting for our parents.  All the extra trips getting supplies, phone calls, and e-mails were worth parting with my free time.  Even the hectic pace of finishing the cake up until the 11th hour, washing dishes for the seventh time in one day, or scraping colored icing off the walls was worth it.

  

I feel fortunate I was able to witness such an epic milestone, I know it is a privilege and something I will always look back on lovingly.

I only had a few moments after the party to reflect and deal with the flood of emotions I was feeling about my daughter graduating from college.  I had a glorious daydream before heading up that my daughter prepared a speech in which she profusely thanked her mother for all the sacrifices made over the last few years, all the cookies sent for no reason, for wrenching her back moving her 5 times, for depositing funds to make sure she was able to have enough food that week.

I watched with tears in my eyes as they commenced by, many had personalized their caps; some even had loving messages for their parents (awe).  Wouldn't that be something if my angel paid some sort of homage to her devoted, self-sacrificing (did I mention broke from paying for college) mother, I couldn't help but think to myself.

A sea of black robes went by and out of the corner of my eye I saw her, my little girl all grown up on the way towards the rest of her life.  I held my breath looking for the "I have the best mom ever" sign to pass, but no such sight, apparently she not only received her degree with honors, but she also got a honorary doctorate in the arts of distilled spirits.  Sigh.  It only took me half a second to realize, she was just having fun and being herself and just the way I want her to be. I couldn't be prouder of my daughter and the last 4 years and all the tears (at least on my part) were totally worth it.

I received a request to review "Beach House Baking Delicious Desserts" by Lei Shishak.  I wasn't sure if I could find the time, but I read a little about Lei and liked what I saw and I thought, perhaps this would be a good book to bake with over the summer and ponder the future.  The book has lots of easy recipes, a great selection of cupcake recipes, but her fun ice cream sandwich variations are something I'm really looking forward to trying. I couldn't wait to try her Lover's Coffee Cake recipe to take advantage of the fresh cherries grown here, it did not disappoint.

Lover's Coffee Cake

Streusel
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Cake
2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup (1stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 cup sour cream
1 pound sweet cherries, pitted

1)  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Liberally grease a 10-inch tube pan with non-stick spray.

2)  Make the streusel:  Combine the brown sugar, almonds, flour, cinnamon, and butter in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly and set aside.

3)  Make the cake:  Sift together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.  Set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars on medium speed for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.  With the mixer on low, add in the eggs and extracts and mix until combined.  Scrape down the bowl.  Add in half of the dry ingredients followed by half of the sour cream.  Mix well on low speed. Repeat with remaining dry ingredients and sour cream.

Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan.  Arrange the cherries evenly over the batter.  Sprinkle with half of the streusel.  Top with the remaining batter followed by the streusel.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Let cool completely in pan before inverting cake.  Place right-side up onto serving plate.  Garnish with powdered sugar.

*The only changes to the recipe I made were; used light brown sugar (didn't have dark on hand), creamed butter and sugar and then added rest of the ingredients at once (what can I say, except I'm lazy), and I used a bundt pan since I don't own a tube pan (I know, I'm equally ashamed of myself) which was inverted after only 10 minutes, because bundt pans are notorious for sticking.  The cake was quite popular around here and consumed in record time, so it will get baked again for sure.

Can we be friends again now?  Pretty please, with cherry streusel coffee cake on top.

Gina

Pumpkin Loaf Cake with Spiced Pepitas

I tend to underestimate things.  I forgot how delicious a slice of moist, spicy cake can be on a cool day in January. I have made this cake three times already since the first time I made it, I think I underestimated how little self-control I'd have around it.

One of the habits I'm trying to break this year is having big, big plans for something and having only a small window of time to get it all done.  You see I need some of my free time back because I have lots of other pans on the fire.  Besides the regular hustle and bustle around here, my daughter is graduating from college in May and I'm planning a 50th anniversary party for my parents.  It's going to be an exciting year, I just want to make sure I spread out the work and don't get all stressed out.

I already underestimated how easy it would be to pick a venue.  I spent way too many hours on the phone, internet, and scouting locations and still have more to look at this week.  You see I was married back in prehistoric times and I am not too hip on that stuff anymore.

This weekend my dryer finally gave up its fight. I've only had it for 8 years, but had both units repaired multiple times.  (Please don't make me go into my "they just don't make things like they used to spiel", I already feel ancient enough.) After having a heated argument with the dryer over whether or not it wanted to go for a spin I finally decided it wasn't worth it.  I figured I'd just run down and pick out a new set, in and out.  Except for when I got to the appliance store they had dozens of them and I knew my plan for a quick stop just flew out the window. Luckily a couple of hours later I had a set picked out, so much for all the other things on my list.

I totally underestimated how fast my dogs can stink up the sheets if I let them in the bed like I did this morning. There was no school today and I thought I'll just stay in here a bit and it will be relaxing and I can get a little work done.  Wrong, I usually ignore my dogs cries to join me, but I caved and now I have to wash the sheets again and forgot I don't get the new dryer till Thursday.  See how easy it is for plans to fall to apart.

Making another Pumpkin Loaf Cake however turned out to be a brilliant use of my time and made it seem like all things worked themselves out in the wash.  (I couldn't help myself the washer left itself wide open for that one.)

Pumpkin Cake:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup milk
6 tablespoon coconut oil, melted (or vegetable or canola oil will work too)

Glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar 

2-3 teaspoons milk 

Cayenne spiced pepitas: 

1/3 cup Pepitas 

Coconut or No-stick spray 

Pinch ground cayenne pepper 

Pinch ground allspice 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Combine flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in a large bowl and whisk together to combine. Add pumpkin, eggs, milk, and coconut oil and stir until well combined. 

Pour mixture into a greased loaf pan. 

Bake in 350 degree F oven for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool.

Heat pepitas in a small skillet on medium heat, spray the pepitas with a little spray and sprinkle with ground allspice and cayenne pepper.  The nuts only need a few minutes.  Set aside.

Mix powdered sugar and milk and drizzle over bread with a spoon. Sprinkle the nuts all over the top.

p.s.a.  Be sure and wash your hands after handling the nuts, I don't want any of you to touch and burn your eyes like some lady over here did.

Enjoy,

Gina

Ginger Cake with Candied Oranges and Orange Cream

I'm elated to share with all of you that the ongoing holiday bonanza around here has finally concluded. We had our second Christmas celebration on Monday complete with roasted pig, tamales, and 3 decadent desserts.

As happy as I am to be done with all the non-stop cooking and cleaning, I'm a little sad to see some things come to an end, such as putting away the tree.  I bought a new artificial tree this year, which I'm really enjoying.  You see there was this moving incident in which some unnamed person (HDD) was being too lazy to move our old one and it got given away.  So I decided last year to buy a fancy real one, it was tall, full, and looked glorious all decorated.  Until two weeks later when all of the branches fell like a cake yanked from the oven too soon.  Bulbs started falling off on the tile floor and I was cleaning up glass every other day so the dogs wouldn't cut their feet. 

In previous years I've left the tree selection up for family debate and usually I'm overridden, so this year I didn't leave the tree up for discussion.  You see sometimes you just have to be the head honcho in charge and boss around the minions.  I informed the troops I'm the boss around here for a reason.  I take all the decorations down from the garage, I hang all the ornaments in an orderly, perfectly spaced fashion, I'm stuck with making sure all the most breakable ones are located high enough from little fingers, I make sure the lights are spaced 1.48 inches apart, I pack it all away when the fun is over, I vacuum pine needles for three weeks, so back the hell off I'm the boss.  (I know, super adultish to throw a tantrum.)  (Probably from lack of naps I might add.)

So when it came to deciding on what desserts to serve for the 6th, I put my boss crown on and made some executive decisions. I knew right off the bat I would serve a lime, raspberry swirl cheesecake, a pan of chocolate, pecan chess bars, but for the third I just decided to wing it. This cake has a few steps, but all of them can be done the night before and the cake can be assembled when needed.   

I don't make resolutions, but I am resolute on making some changes this year.  Don't fret though; those changes have nothing to do with giving up dessert.

Ginger Cake with Candied Oranges and Orange Cream 

Cake: 

1 cup milk 

1/2 cup molasses 

3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil 

3 large eggs 

1 teaspoon orange extract 

1 cup light brown sugar 

1 cup granulated sugar 

2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 

1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons ground ginger 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 

Pinch ground cardamom 

Pinch salt 

Candied Cuties (Mandarin Oranges): 

3 mandarin oranges, sliced 1/4-inch thick (ends discarded)

1/2 cup granulated sugar 

1 1/2 cups water 

Orange Cream: 

1 cup heavy whipping cream 

1/2 teaspoon orange extract 

Zest from 1 mandarin orange 

2 tablespoons granulated sugar 

8 ounces mascarpone cheese 

Garnish: 

Candied Cutie 

Toffee bits 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Combine milk, molasses, oil, eggs, orange extract, brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and salt in a mixing bowl and mix until combined with no lumps. 

Pour the cake mixture evenly into two 8-inch or two 9-inch pans that are prepared with butter and flour or sprayed with no-stick spray and lined with parchment rounds (my favorite). I used two 9-inch pans and got thinner cakes, if you’d like thicker ones use 8-inch pans. 

Bake both pans on the same rack for 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

Note: 8-inch pans will take a few minutes longer to bake.

Add orange slices, sugar and water to a skillet and bring to a boil and let boil on medium-low heat for 20 minutes, until the liquid is thickened and syrupy. Remove pan from the heat, cover and let steep for a few hours. Remove the oranges to a rack to dry for a few hours and save the syrup. 

Combine heavy cream, orange extract, zest, and sugar in the bowl of a mixer and mix until stiff peaks form. Fold mascarpone into whipped cream. Set aside. 

To assemble cake, place one layer of cake on a plate, drizzle with half of the syrup, spread on half of the cream, add a layer of candied cuties (reserve 1 for top), add the second layer of cake, drizzle with second half of syrup, spread on the rest of the cream, top with a sprinkling of toffee bits and a candied orange. 

(The toffee bits added a little crunch, but are completely optional.)

Hoping all my friends caught in the Polar Vortex are keeping warm, I've seen pictures on the news and am reminded how grateful I am to live in a place that rarely dips below 30.

Gina

Chocolate-Cherry Hot Fudge Sauce Cake

Just the mere fact that it is Friday is cause for celebration.  In honor of this fantabulous Friday, I'm declaring it Hot Fudge Friday!  

Forget for a moment it is just another Friday, instead enter into a flaming, fudge filled fantasy of chocolate-cherry nirvana, from which you enter there is no return. 

For a moment imagine your scantily clad lover gently hovering over you dripping warm, liquid, Chocolate-Cherry Hot Fudge Cake into your agape mouth and then "duh" wake up, because you are drooling all over yourself and besides I'd have to say the cake pics are way more interesting anyways.

Chocolate-Cherry Hot Fudge Sauce Cake

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons baking cocoa

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 ounces or about 1/2 of a container of Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries, cut into quarters

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon baking cocoa

1/2 teaspoon espresso powder

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1)  Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

2)  Spray a 9" x 13" baking pan with non-stick spray.

3)  To the baking pan add the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons baking cocoa, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Add the chocolate cherry pieces, eggs, vanilla extract and water and stir to combine.

4)  In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon baking cocoa, and espresso powder.  Stir till combined and no more lumps. 

5)  Sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the top of the cake mixture.

6)  Pour the heavy cream over the top of the whole thing.

7)  Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Serve with fresh whipping cream or ice cream (or both, just saying).  I found my chocolate covered cherries at Trader Joe's, but if you can't find them, try using 1/2 cup dried cherries and 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips for a similar effect.

Matter of fact, I liked the pop of cherry so much in the cake; I might up the amount of cherries to the whole container next time.

Happy Hot Fudge Fantasy Friday!

Gina

Chocolate Mint Dessert - Happy Birthday Grandpa

I always get a little misty eyed this time of year. August 13th is a bittersweet day for me, Grandpa Silvio's birthday. His birthday was the day before mine and I still think about how he is not here to celebrate with.

I was looking through some old cookbooks the other day when I saw this Hershey's recipe with Creme de Menthe; right away I got a big smile on my face. My parents weren't big drinkers, but we always had Creme De Menthe in the house, so did Grandpa. That fact still surprises me considering the five of us were so bad. I figured this would be a perfect little dessert for us to celebrate with!

Cake

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups (16 oz. can) Hershey's Syrup

In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, butter, eggs and syrup; beat until smooth. Pour into greased 13x9x2" pan. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 25-30 mins. Cool the cake then chill it for 1 hour. 

Mint Cream

2 cups confectioner's sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 tbsp. green Creme de Menthe or 1 teaspoon mint extract and green food coloring

In a small bowl combine powdered sugar, butter and Creme de Menthe and beat until smooth. I added a little extra powdered sugar, because it wasn't the consistency I wanted.

Spread mint cream on cake, cover and chill for 1 hour.

Chocolate Topping

6 tbsp. butter

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a small saucepan over low heat melt butter and chocolate chips. Remove from heat; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. Pour chocolate topping over chilled dessert. Cover; chill at least one hour before serving.

I just had to throw this picture in for you; I thought it was kinda cool when I saw it. Help me I'm falling and can't get up (bad humor, I know). They looked good and I couldn't wait to give them a try, Happy Birthday to Me, Right! I must confess they were good, but a little too sweet and not enough chocolate flavor for my taste; hard to believe that came out of my mouth. I did change my mind though after eating half the pan.

I don't really worry about age; it is just a number after all. I'm spending my birthday prepping for my daughter's party on Sunday and I'm quite happy about that. I cook because I want to not because I have to. Wait till you see the desserts I have in the works for her.

Happy Birthday to Me, Happy Birthday to Me!!!! Now I'm happy, never stay sad for more than a moment that frown may become permanent.

Enjoy,

Gina