MAKE IT EASY

Panda Bear Cake

2011-07-18T21:04:00.000-07:00

Preparation Time: 1 Hr 30 Min
Total Time : 4 Hr 30 Min
Servings : 20

Ingredients

2	boxes Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® devil’s food or yellow cake mix
	Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix boxes
1 1/2	containers (1 lb each) Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy chocolate frosting
	Black food color
1	large marshmallow
2	small round chocolate-covered creamy mints
	Tray or cardboard (20x18 inches), covered with waxed paper or foil
1 1/2	containers (1 lb each) Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting

Methods

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Make and bake 1 cake mix as directed on box for 2 (8-inch) round pans, using water, oil and eggs. Make and bake second cake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan. Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Refrigerate or freeze cakes 1 hour until firm.
Meanwhile, in medium bowl, mix 1 container plus 1 cup chocolate frosting with food color to make black frosting. Cut marshmallow in half crosswise. For eyes, attach 1 mint to each marshmallow slice with frosting; set aside.
Using serrated knife, cut off top rounded portion of each cake to level surface. Turn cakes cut sides down. Cut cakes as shown in template. Place cake pieces on tray as directed in template, attaching to tray and each other with small amount of frosting.
To “crumb-coat” cake, spread thin layer of vanilla frosting over head and thin layer of black frosting over ears, body and paws to seal in crumbs. Refrigerate or freeze cake 30 to 60 minutes.
Frost head with some of remaining vanilla frosting. Frost rest of cake with some of remaining black frosting. To pipe on panda features, spoon vanilla and black frostings into separate resealable food-storage plastic freezer bags and cut small tip off 1 bottom corner of each bag.
Pipe or spread vanilla frosting on body to create chest. Pipe or spread black frosting on head for patches around eyes. Place marshmallow eyes on patches. Pipe or spread black frosting on snout for nose and mouth. Pipe or spread vanilla frosting on back paws to create paw prints. Pipe outline around body and front legs with black frosting. Fill in outline with additional black frosting so front legs have a thicker layer of frosting than white chest. Using metal spatula, create a different texture on the body and front legs to further define legs from chest and back paws.

Easter Bunny Cake Recipe

2011-07-18T21:01:00.000-07:00

Easter is coming. Here is one of our favorite Bunny Cake recipes from BettyCrocker.com!
Preparation time: 30 min.
Total time: 2 hrs and 10 min.
Servings: 12

Easter Bunny Cake from BettyCrocker.com

Ingredients:

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® carrot cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
Tray or cardboard, covered with foil
1 container Betty Crocker® Whipped fluffy white frosting
1 cup shredded coconut
Construction paper
Jelly beans or small gumdrops
1 cup shredded coconut
Green food color

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Make and cool cake as directed on box for two 8-inch or 9-inch round pans.

2. Reserve 1 layer for another use or to make a second bunny. Cut 1 layer in half as shown in diagram. Put halves together with frosting to form body. Place cake upright on cut edge on tray.

3. Cut out a notch about one-third of the way up one end of body to form head (small end) as shown in diagram. Attach half of cutout piece from tail with toothpicks. Frost with remaining frosting, rounding body on sides. Sprinkle with 1 cup coconut. Cut ears from construction paper; press into notch on top. Use jelly beans for eyes and nose.

4. Shake 1 cup coconut and 3 drops food color in tightly covered jar until evenly tinted. Surround bunny with tinted coconut. Add additional jelly beans if desired. Store loosely covered.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Follow High Altitude directions on cake mix box for two 8- or 9-inch round pans.

Source: Find more recipes at www.bettycrocker.com.

可爱小熊蛋糕

2011-07-05T06:56:00.000-07:00

材料：无盐黄油160g、细砂糖182g、本鸡蛋160g（小型的约4个）、朗姆酒15ml、淡奶油25g、蜂蜜10ml、低粉192g、无铝泡打粉3g、融化的黑巧克力适量

做法：
1、黄油加热至融化；
2、加糖搅拌至糖融化；
3、分5次加入蛋液，每次都要搅拌均匀；
4、加入朗姆酒，拌匀；
5、加入蜂蜜，拌匀；
6、加入淡奶油，拌匀；
7、筛入低粉、泡打粉；
8、沿不规则方向切拌成均匀的糊状；
9、将面糊装入裱花袋；
10、挤入模具中约八九分满；
11、放入预热180度的烤箱，烤制25~30分钟；
12、出炉，晾凉后用融化的黑巧克力装饰，即可。

备注：
1、黄油、鸡蛋、淡奶油等需要提前从冰箱里取出晾至室温；
2、这次偷了个懒，没有打发黄油，而是直接把黄油加热至融化，这样作出的蛋糕组织稍紧密；
3、朗姆酒起到提香的作用，没有也可不加，但香味会稍受影响。

米老鼠椰香慕斯

2011-07-05T05:51:00.000-07:00

可可戚风原料：牛奶120ml 色拉油80ml 鸡蛋5个(室温) 细砂糖100克低筋面粉100克可可粉25克

小苏打1/4茶匙（1克）柠檬汁1茶匙（5ml）盐1/4茶匙（1克）

椰香慕斯原料：牛奶100ml 椰子粉1汤匙（15克）砂糖20克椰奶85ml 吉利丁3片鲜奶油160ml

做法：

1) 将可可粉，20克细砂糖放入牛奶中搅拌均匀，接着加入色拉油和蛋黄，每加入一种原料时，务必确保充分拌匀。

2) 把低筋面粉、小苏打、盐混合后过筛，筛入搅拌好的巧克力牛奶糊中拌匀备用。

3) 在蛋清中加入柠檬汁，将剩余的80克细砂糖分三次加入蛋白，并把蛋白打至9分发。然后分3次将蛋白与巧克力面糊翻拌均匀，倒入模具中。

4) 放入提前预热的烤箱，中下层，以175度的温度，烤45分钟，出炉后立即倒扣晾凉。

5) 将晾凉的蛋糕脱模，分成均匀的蛋糕片，厚约1cm，用慕斯圈刻出米老鼠形状（或你需要的形状）备用。

6) 把椰子粉、砂糖、椰奶倒入牛奶中，用中火加热。将吉利丁用冷水泡软，加入煮热的牛奶中搅化后，自然冷却备用。

7) 用打蛋器把淡奶油打至浓稠尚可流动的状态（图12），将晾凉的牛奶与淡奶油混合均匀（图13）。

8) 用锡纸慕斯圈的外侧包好，放入一片蛋糕片，倒入做好的慕斯液（大约慕斯圈一半的高度），放入冰箱冷藏凝固。

9) 取出凝固好的蛋糕，放第二片蛋糕片，将剩余的慕斯倒入，表面抹平，放入冰箱冷藏凝固。

10) 彻底凝固好后，将蛋糕脱模，在蛋糕表面筛上可可粉即可。

超级啰嗦：

**烤制的蛋糕坯子的尺寸要比慕斯圈的尺寸大一些，这样便于用慕斯圈刻出需要的形状。

**蛋糕面糊制作过程中，注意蛋白在和面糊混合时，不要画圈搅拌，防止蛋白在搅拌过程中消泡，影响蛋糕的成型。一定要从底部用橡皮刀往上翻拌，以免出劲，影响膨发效果。

**蛋糕出炉好要立即倒扣晾凉，防止蛋糕回缩。一定要彻底冷却后再脱模，否则也会导致蛋糕的回缩。建议倒扣时间，不短于2小时。

**吉利丁片要提前用凉水泡软，然后才能使用。

**将吉利丁放入煮好的牛奶中后，要隔冷水冷却，使慕斯馅儿变得浓稠，但冷却的过程中需要搅拌，防止慕斯馅儿凝固。

**慕斯液分两次倒入，等第一次的慕斯冷藏凝固后再倒入第二次，这样有利于慕斯蛋糕的定型。

**第二片蛋糕片要比第一片小一些，这样再脱模后蛋糕外表更整洁美观。

**这个分量可以使用八寸蛋糕模、米老鼠慕斯圈来制作。

可爱猫咪便当

2011-07-05T05:38:00.000-07:00

猫咪原料：大米、海苔

配菜原料：
1.（洋葱圈）洋葱、鸡蛋、玉米淀粉、黑胡椒，面包糠
2.（土豆肉片）土豆、肉片、食盐、酱油、鸡精
3.（西兰花）西兰花、食盐
4.（鸡蛋玫瑰）鸡蛋、淀粉、食盐
5.胡萝卜、小番茄、豆腐、火腿肠、包菜

做法：

1.准备好所有食材原料
2.洋葱切成圆圈
3.鸡蛋加适量食盐、黑胡椒搅拌成蛋液
4.洋葱圈先粘上层淀粉
5.再粘一层蛋液
6.均匀裹上面包糠放锅里炸至金黄即可

7.豆腐切成薄片备用
8.修出猫咪的耳朵、手、脚、尾巴，用盐腌一会入味
9.西兰花放入盐水里焯熟
10.鸡蛋加入适量淀粉搅拌均匀
11.摊成蛋饼
12.把蛋饼切成长条卷成蛋饼玫瑰

13.土豆切块，肉片洗干净
14.锅里倒油，油热后放入肉片炒片刻，加入酱油、土豆、食盐至熟时加入鸡精
15.便当盒底铺上一层焯过水的包菜叶垫底，铺上洋葱圈，米饭用保鲜膜做出椭圆形猫咪的头放在合适位置
16.同样方法做出猫咪身体，旁边空隙填上土豆肉片、摆上耳朵、手、腿、尾巴
17.用火腿肠修出猫爪垫和耳朵、嘴巴装饰，摆上西兰花、胡萝卜刻花装饰，摆上蛋饼玫瑰、小番茄装饰，海苔剪出猫咪眼睛、花纹等，可爱的猫咪就诞生了

Cardoon Custard--Sformato di Cardi

2011-04-15T05:58:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

5 stalks cardoons, about 15 inches long, about1 1 to 1 1/2 pounds
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
3 cups besciamela sauce, recipe follows
4 eggs plus 3 yolks
1/2 cup ricotta
1/4 cup plus 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs, plus 1/4 cup toasted
Butter, for the mold

Directions

Bring 6 quarts water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons salt. Peel the fibrous part off the stalks of cardoons and cut each stalk on the bias into pieces 1/4-inch thick. Drop the pieces into the boiling water and cook 15 minutes, until tender. Drain and allow the pieces to cool. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a 12 to 14-inch saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat until smoking. Add the onion and cook 7 to 9 minutes, until soft and light golden brown. Add the cooked cardoon pieces and cook until very soft, about 10 more minutes. Remove from the heat and cool. Place cool cardoon mixture into a mixing bowl and add besciamela, eggs and yolks, ricotta, and 1/4 cup Parmigiano and season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Butter a bundt cake pan and sprinkle with breadcrumbs to coat. Pour the cardoon mixture into the prepared pan and place it in a roasting pan. Pour cool water into the roasting pan to come up 3 inches on the side of the bundt pan, and place it in the oven. Cook 1 hour, until sformato is just cooked through, then remove. The sformato is cooked when a toothpick poked into the center exits clean. Allow to rest 15 minutes before edging with a thin knife and turning out onto a plate. Sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs and remaining grated cheese before serving warm.

BESCIAMELLA SAUCE:

5 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
3 cups milk
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

In a medium saucepan, heat butter until melted. Add flour and stir until smooth. Over medium heat, cook until light golden brown, about 6 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, heat milk in separate pan until just about to boil. Add milk to butter mixture 1 cup at a time, whisking continuously until very smooth and bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes and remove from heat. Season with salt and nutmeg and set aside. Yield: 2 cups

Classic Belgian Waffles

2011-04-15T05:49:00.000-07:00

Yield: 8 to 10 (4 by 4-inch) waffles
Cook Time?: 3 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, separated
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 cups milk
non-stick cooking spray

Directions

Preheat the waffle iron according to the manufacturer's instructions. In 1 medium bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a second bowl use the wooden spoon to beat together the egg yolks and sugar until sugar is completely dissolved and eggs have turned a pale yellow. Add the vanilla extract, melted butter, and milk to the eggs and whisk to combine. Combine the egg-milk mixture with the flour mixture and whisk just until blended. Do not over mix. In third bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Using the rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the waffle batter. Do not overmix! Coat the waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray and pour enough batter in iron to just cover waffle grid. Close and cook as per manufacturer's instructions until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

Chocolate Caramel Crispy Cakes

2011-04-15T05:26:00.000-07:00

Yield: approximately 40
Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

4 (2-ounce) chocolate candy bars (recommended: Mars Bars or Milky Way)
1/2 stick unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups crunchy sweetened corn cereal (recommended: Cornflakes)
Special equipment: approximately 40 mini muffin papers

Directions

Break the candy bars into bits and drop them into a saucepan. Add the butter and melt, over lowish heat, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula. When everything is melted (the nougat-like layer takes the longest to go), tip in the cereal and turn them, with your rubber spatula, in the chocolate mixture until they are all pretty well coated.

Fill the mini muffin papers with the mixture and put in the refrigerator, on a small sheet pan or tray, for at least 1 hour.

Masa Corn Cakes with Poached Eggs

2011-04-15T05:13:00.000-07:00

Yield : 4 servings
Cook time : 30 minutes.

Ingredients

For the Salsa:

2 large ripe tomatoes (about 1 pound), finely diced
1/4 small white or red onion, finely diced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (remove seeds for less heat)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Kosher salt

For the Corn Cakes and Eggs:

2 cups whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced

2 teaspoons sugar
1/3 cup crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 large eggs
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 Hass avocado, chopped, for garnish

Directions

How to Poach EGG?

Step 1:

Crack each egg into a small cup or bowl. Bring a deep pan of water with 1 tablespoon vinegar to a simmer. Stir to create a whirlpool

Step 2:

With the whirlpool moving, quickly slide each egg into the water; the whirlpool helps the eggs keep their shape. Start timing when you add the last egg.

Step 3:

Poach the eggs for 3 1/2 minutes, or until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Recipe to try: Masa Corn Cakes with Poached Eggs.

Make the salsa: Combine the tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, cilantro and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Make the corn cakes: Warm the milk and butter in a small saucepan over low heat just until the butter melts. Combine the masa harina, 1 teaspoon salt, the sugar and queso fresco in a large bowl. Stir in the milk mixture to make a soft dough. Scoop the dough into 8 portions (about 1/4 cup each) and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with another sheet of parchment; press a pan on top to flatten into disks.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, fry the corn cakes until crisp and golden on the bottom, about 3 1/2 minutes; flip, press lightly with a spatula and cook until golden on the other side. Continue with the remaining cakes, adding more oil as needed. Season the cakes with salt; place on a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while you poach the eggs.

Bring a deep pan of water to a simmer over medium-low heat; add the vinegar. Poach the eggs.

Divide the corn cakes among 4 plates; top each cake with a poached egg, salsa and cheese; serve with avocado.

Waffle Cake

2011-04-15T05:11:00.000-07:00

Yield: 4 servings
Preparation time: 1o minutes

Directions

Toast 3 frozen waffles until crisp. Stack the waffles with some chocolate-hazelnut spread and sliced strawberries between each layer. Top with more strawberries and dust with cocoa powder.

Bunny Cake

2011-04-14T18:05:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

Cake:
2 1/4 cups (550 mL) Robin Hood® All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) granulated sugar
1 tbsp (15 mL) baking powder
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
1/2 cup (125 mL) Crisco® All-Vegetable or Golden shortening
2/3 cup (150 mL) Carnation® Regular, 2% or Fat Free Evaporated Milk
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
1/3 Cup (75 mL) Carnation® Regular, 2% or Fat Free Evaporated Milk
2 eggs

Topping:
2 cans (16oz/454g) prepared vanilla frosting
2 cups (500 mL) shredded coconut
red licorice strips
jelly beans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease two 8 or 9-inch (20 or 22cm) round cake pans.
2. Blend flour, sugar baking powder and salt together in a large mixer bowl. Add shortening, 2/3 cup (150mL) milk and vanilla. Beat 2 minutes on medium speed, scraping sides and bottom of bowl constantly. Add remaining milk and eggs. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool.

Assembly:
3. Turn one cooled cake layer upside down. Mark center of cake with toothpick. Measure about 2-inches (5cm) in from two sides of cake lining up the toothpicks. Using the tip of a sharp knife, lightly draw a 2-inch (5cm) wide x 6-inch (15cm) long oval, football shape, to make the ears. Cut with a serrated knife. The middle part of the layer will be the “bow tie” for the bunny (see photo).
4. Place whole cake layer in center of large tray. Place ears and bow tie, rounded side up, to make bunny. Frost entire surface and sides of cake, connecting the pieces together with frosting. Sprinkle with coconut. Cut licorice pieces for mouth and whiskers. Cut jelly beans in half for eyes, nose and bow tie.

Smucker Foods of Canada Co. January 01, 1900

Note:

1. To make green “grass” around bunny, toss an additional ½ cup (125mL) coconut with a few drops of green food colouring until desired colour. Place around base of bunny.

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

2011-04-14T17:59:00.001-07:00

Freezing: required

Ingredients:

24 prepared ice cream sandwiches
2 cups (500mL) whipped cream, unsweetened
1 jar (250mL) Smucker’s® Chocolate Flavoured Topping
1 cup (250mL) salted peanuts, chopped
½ cup (125mL) Smucker's® Sundae Syrup™ Caramel Flavoured Syrup

Directions:

1. Place 12 ice cream sandwiches in bottom of freezer proof 9” x 13” (23cm x 33cm) pan. Top with ½ of whipped cream, all of Smucker’s® Chocolate Flavoured Topping and ½ of peanuts. Repeat with remaining ice cream sandwiches, cream and peanuts. Garnish with Smucker’s® Sundae Syrup™ Caramel Flavoured Syrup. Freeze until solid, about 2 hours. Let stand about 5 minutes, then cut into squares.

Ice Cream Pie

2011-04-14T17:55:00.000-07:00

CRUMB CRUST INGREDIENTS & DIRECTIONS

(You can purchase a pre-made crust, but making your own is fun and easy.)

1 1/2 cups of fine crumbs from ground up graham crackers
6 tblsp melted butter (3/4 stick)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Mix all four ingredients and spread evenly in pie pan. Press firmly onto bottom and sides. Freeze for at least an hour before adding filling.

FILLING INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS

Pack approximately half a container of your favorite Turkey Hill ice cream flavor into the shell with the back of a large spoon (you may need to let the ice cream soften before doing this). Sprinkle half a cup of crushed vanilla wafer cookies (or any cookies, if you’d like) over the ice cream. Pack the remaining ice cream (perhaps a different flavor than the first) over the crushed cookies, mounding it in the center. Sprinkle lightly with more crushed cookies. Freeze for at least 2 hours prior to serving. When ready to serve, top with whipped cream if desired.

Chocolate-Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes

2011-04-14T17:35:00.001-07:00

Yield: 24 cupcakes
Times: 14 min

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

1 (18.25-ounce) package butter-recipe chocolate cake mix (recommended:

Betty Crocker)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3 eggs
1 1/3 cups cranberry-cherry juice
1/2 cup cherry pie filling

Ingredients

Frosting:

1 1/4 cups white baking chips
7 tablespoons heavy cream
2 1/2 teaspoons light-color corn syrup
1 1/4 cups whipped fluffy white frosting
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 (10-ounce) jar maraschino cherries with stems, drained

For cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 (2 1/2-inch) muffin cups with paper liners; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cake mix, butter, eggs, and cranberry-cherry juice with an electric mixer on low for 30 seconds. Scrape down side of bowl. Beat for 2 minutes on medium. Spoon 2 tablespoons batter into each prepared muffin cup. Spoon 1 teaspoon cherry pie filling on batter in each cup and top with another 1 tablespoon cupcake batter.

Bake for 12 to 16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cupcakes comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups and cool completely on wire rack.

For frosting:

Place the white baking chips in a medium bowl; set aside. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream and corn syrup over medium heat until nearly boiling. Pour the hot mixture over the white baking chips; stir until completely smooth. Let stand for 10 minutes. Stir the cream mixture into the white frosting until well mixed; set aside.

In a small microwave-safe bowl, microwave the semisweet chocolate chips on medium for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Place the maraschino cherries on paper towels to dry. Dip each dry cherry into melted semisweet chocolate and place on waxed paper-lined baking sheet until chocolate hardens.

Frost each cupcake with white chocolate frosting and top with a chocolate-covered cherry.

Toasted Angel Food Cake [Grilled Peaches]

2011-04-13T16:18:00.000-07:00

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

1 box (16 oz.) Duncan Hines® Angel Food Cake
1 1/4 cups water
6 ripe medium peaches, washed, halved and pitted
Cinnamon-sugar mixture

Directions

Move oven rack to lowest position. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pour cake mix into clean, large mixing bowl.

Add water. Prepare and bake according to package directions in ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Cool completely.

Preheat outdoor grill to medium heat, or follow alternative indoor instructions below. Clean and lightly oil grate. Sprinkle cut side of fruit with cinnamon-sugar. When ready to serve, place fruit, cut side down, on grill. Use grill pan or aluminum foil to collect syrup run-off from peaches. Cook about 2 to 3 minutes or until warm and nicely charred with grill marks. Set aside and keep warm.

Place slices of angel food cake on clean grill using a metal spatula. Watch carefully and cook about 45 to 60 seconds on EACH side or until golden brown grill marks appear.

Slice peaches and serve over warm, toasted angel food cake.

Garnish: Drizzle syrup run-off from grilled peaches over angel food cake and peaches.

Tips & Alternatives:

Angel food cake may be toasted indoors using a nonstick skillet or grill pan. Preheat pan over medium heat, then add slices of cake. Cook until golden brown on each side (about 1 minute on each side).

An alternative for the cinnamon sugar is to lightly brush the cut-side of fruit with melted butter then sprinkle lightly with brown sugar. Cook as described above. Serve fruit with a wedge of lime, if desired.

Ripe nectarines, plums and apricots are also delicious when grilled and may be used in place of peaches. To roast the fruit indoors, place fruit, cut-side-up, on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Season as above. Bake about 15 to 20 minutes in preheated 450-degree oven stirring once. Serve as above.

No time to cook fruit? Simply serve toasted angel food cake with a blend of sliced fresh strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. Or, for a contemporary twist, slice 1 pound of fresh strawberries and toss with 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 2 teaspoons of good quality balsamic vinegar.

Peach Cheesecake

2011-04-12T18:41:00.000-07:00

Prep 30 min
Inactive Prep 12 hr 0 min
Cook 40 min
Total: 13 hr 10 min

8-10 servings

Ingredients

Crust:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Filling:

2 eggs
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup peach jam, plus 1 cup

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium size bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs with the sugar and butter. Mix well and place in the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform cake pan. Make sure to press against the sides and bottom of the pan. Set crust aside.

Prepare the filling by beating the eggs and cream cheese together. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue beating until well blended. Add 1/4 cup peach jam and mix until incorporated. Pour mixture into prepared crust and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.

Remove cake from oven and top with remaining 1 cup peach jam. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate overnight.

Mascarpone Cheesecake with Almond Crust

2011-04-12T18:35:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

Crust:

1 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted
2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
2 (8-ounce) containers mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature

Topping:

1/2 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)
1/4 cup whipping cream

Directions

For the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Tightly wrap the outside of a 9-inch diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with 3 layers of heavy-duty foil. Finely grind the almonds, cracker crumbs, and sugar in a food processor. Add the butter and process until moist crumbs form. Press the almond mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan (not on the sides of the pan). Bake the crust until it is set and beginning to brown, about 12 minutes. Cool. Decrease the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

For the filling: Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, and sugar in a large bowl until smooth, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

Pour the cheese mixture over the crust in the pan. Place the springform pan in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the center of the cheesecake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour 5 minutes (the cake will become firm when it is cold). Transfer the cake to a rack; cool for 1 hour. Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.

For the topping: Combine the chocolate-hazelnut spread and cream in a small bowl. Heat in the microwave until warm, stirring every 20 seconds to blend, about 1 minute.

Cut the cake into wedges. Drizzle the chocolate sauce over the wedges and serve.

Noel Cake

2011-04-11T06:36:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

Cake:

1 (18.25-ounce) box spice cake mix (recommended: Betty Crocker)
2 (19.5-ounce) boxes chocolate cake mix (recommended: Betty Crocker)
or
Store-bought un-iced cakes: 2 (10-inch) chocolate cakes, 2 (8-inch) spices cakes, 2 (6-inch) chocolate cakes, and 1 jumbo chocolate cupcake (top cut off)

Icing:

4 (16-ounce) containers creamy white frosting (recommended: Betty Crocker)
1 (1-fluid ounce) bottle green food color (recommended: McCormick)

Decorations:

1 cup white chocolate chips
4 drops green food coloring
1 sugar cone
1 (6.4-ounce) can white decorating icing (recommended: Betty Crocker-Easy Flow)
1 package red licorice whips, 6 cut into 6-inch lengths, 6 cut into 8-inch lengths, and 6 cut into 10-inch lengths
1 (6.4-ounce) can yellow decorating icing (recommended: Betty Crocker-Easy Flow)
1 (6.4-ounce) can red decorating icing (recommended: Betty Crocker-Easy Flow)
16 birthday candles

Cake:

Directions

Mix and bake 2 (8-inch) cake layers according to spice cake package directions. Cool completely.

Mix the 2 boxes of chocolate cake together according to package instructions. Bake 2 (6-inch) and 2 (10-inch) cake layers and 1 (7-ounce) ramekin. Cool completely.

Cone Tree:

In a medium bowl combine white chocolate and 4 drops of green food coloring. Place bowl in microwave and heat at 50 percent power in 20-second intervals until white chocolate is melted and smooth. Dip the sugar cone into the chocolate and spin it around so that it is evenly coated. Remove from bowl and

let excess chocolate drip off. Place on a plate lined with waxed paper and let dry.

Assembly:

In a large bowl stir together frosting and about 10 to 12 drops of green food coloring. The icing should be a pale green color. If too light in color, add a few more drops of food coloring. Transfer the icing to plastic releasable bags or a pastry bag. Cut 1/2-inch off the corner of the plastic bags and set aside.

Cut off the top of each layer so that it is flat and even. To assemble cake, place 4-inch by 12-inch strips of parchment paper around the edge of the cake plate or stand. Place 1 (10-inch) cake layer on cake stand on top of the parchment paper. Spread a layer of frosting and top with remaining 10-inch layer. Frost cake with icing.

Place 1 (8-inch) layer on cardboard cake round. Spread an even layer of frosting and top with remaining 8-inch layer. Frost cake with icing and place on top and in the center of the frosted 10-inch cake.

Place 1 (6-inch) layer on a cardboard cake round. Spread with a layer of frosting and top with remain 6-inch layer. Frost cake with icing and place on top and in the center of the frosted 8-inch cake.

Place the small cake that was baked in the 7-ounce ramekin (or the jumbo cupcake) on top of the 6-inch layer and frost with the icing. Place the cone tree on top.

To decorate the cake, first carefully remove the parchment paper from underneath the bottom layer. Using the can of white decorating icing fitted with the star tip make small rosettes around the top and bottom edge of each cake tier and the bottom of the cone tree. Place a small rosette at the top of the cone tree.

Drape the licorice whips like "garland" around the bottom 3 cake tiers using the 6-inch lengths for the top layer, the 8-inch lengths for the middle layer and the 10-inch length for the bottom layer. Using the yellow icing can fitted with a star tip, pipe rosettes where the garland strands meet. Place 1 small rosette on top of the cone tree. Using the red icing fitted with the round tip randomly place small red dots around the cake. Place candles in the yellow icing rosettes between licorice garlands.

Lemon Bundt Cake with Berry Rhubarb Glaze

2011-04-11T06:23:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

Cake:

3 1/4 cups cake flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 cup sour cream
Finely grated zest from 1 lemon
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs
2 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen finely chopped rhubarb (thawed), about 6 ounces
1 cup (about a 12-ounce jar) red berry jam (such, strawberry, red current, lingonberry or seedless red raspberry)
1 to 2 tablespoons water
Pinch fine salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Special equipment: 10-cup bundt pan

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Generously brush the bundt pan with shortening and dust with flour.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl and set aside. In another bowl, whisk the sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla and set aside.

Whisk the eggs and sugar together in another bowl, stirring vigorously to lighten the eggs. Gradually whisk in the oil until evenly combined. Add the sour cream mixture and stir together. Add the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon just until combined but still a bit lumpy. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake the cake until it pulls away from the sides of the pan and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool 10 minutes; then unmold cake onto a rack placed over a baking sheet. Cool. (The cake can be prepared to this point a day ahead.)

When ready to serve. Combine the rhubarb, jam, water and salt in a small saucepan and simmer until the rhubarb gets translucent and syrupy, almost jewel like,, about 10 minutes. Add a bit more water, if the glaze gets too thick . Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla. Let cool slightly. Spoon some of the glaze over the top of the cake, and reserve the rest for serving with sliced cake. Serve.

Cook's Note: We like to bake this cake the day before we serve it so the flavors and texture ripen. If you bake it a day ahead, glaze the day you plan to serve it.

Nutty Orange Coffee Cake

2011-04-11T05:59:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 teaspoons orange zest
2 (12-ounce) cans refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (10 count)
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter
1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar, pecans, and zest; set aside. Separate the biscuits. Place about 3/4 teaspoon cream cheese in the center of each biscuit. Fold each biscuit in half over the cheese, pressing the edges to seal. Dip the biscuits in melted butter, then dredge in the granulated sugar mixture. Place the biscuits, curved-side down, in a single layer in the hollows of a lightly greased 12-cup bundt pan, spacing them evenly (do not stack). Place any remaining biscuits around the tube, filling any gaps. Drizzle any remaining butter over the biscuits, and sprinkle with any remaining sugar mixture. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Immediately invert the cake onto a serving platter. Combine the confectioners' sugar and orange juice, stirring well; drizzle the glaze over the warm cake. Serve warm.

Banana split

2011-04-05T20:12:00.000-07:00

Photography by Louise Lister

Ingredients (serves 1)

1 banana, peeled, cut lengthways
2 scoops vanilla ice-cream
2 tablespoons chocolate sauce (see related recipe)
3 pecans, chopped

Method

Place banana slices on a plate. Top with scoops of ice-cream.
Drizzle with chocolate sauce. Sprinkle with nuts. Serve.

Source

Super Food Ideas - April 2005, Page 22
Recipe by Alison Roberts

Whole orange cake

2011-04-05T20:10:00.000-07:00

Photography by William Meppem

Finish the Christmas feast with this beautiful whole orange cake. Fresh oranges 'rind' off this dessert beautifully!

Ingredients (serves 12)

2 small (400g) oranges
125g butter, melted
1 cup milk
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
1 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup almond meal (ground almonds)
Orange zest, to decorate
Orange icing
1 1/2 cups pure icing sugar, sifted
10g butter
2 tablespoons orange juice

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease a 24cm (base) fluted ring pan. Place oranges in a saucepan. Cover with cold water. Bring to the boil. Drain. Return to saucepan. Cover with cold water. Bring to the boil. Drain. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
Roughly chop oranges. Remove and discard seeds. Process orange until smooth. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in butter, milk, eggs, flour, sugar and almond meal until combined. Pour mixture into prepared pan.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted in cake comes out clean. Stand cake in pan for 10 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack over a tray. Cool.
Make icing Place sugar, butter and orange juice in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir for 5 minutes or until smooth. Set aside for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Pour over cake. Top with orange zest. Stand for 15 minutes or until set. Serve.

Source

Super Food Ideas - July 2010, Page 77
Recipe by Kim Coverdale

Chocolate mousse cake

2011-04-05T20:08:00.000-07:00

This is the winner of this week's chocolate food fight. Don't forget to play food fight to choose next Friday's homepage recipe!

Ingredients (serves 4)

500g dark chocolate
2 tbs golden syrup
125g unsalted butter
4 eggs
1 tbs caster sugar
1 tbs plain flour, sifted
Melted chocolate, to decorate
Chocolate sorbet, to serve
Coffee mascarpone
200g mascarpone cheese
2 tbs instant coffee
2 tbs pure icing sugar

Method

Preheat oven to 220°C. Grease and line the base of a 20cm round spring-form cake pan with non-stick baking paper.
Melt the chocolate, golden syrup and butter in a bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Set aside to cool slightly.
Place eggs and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer or use an electric hand beater and beat on high for 10 minutes until very thick and pale. Gently fold in the flour then fold in the chocolate mixture until combined. Pour into the cake pan and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and run a knife around the edge of the cake. Remove collar from cake pan and transfer the cake to the fridge for 1 hour to cool (this step is important as it sets the middle of the cake).
Meanwhile, to make the coffee mascarpone, dissolve coffee in 1 tablespoon of boiling water and set aside to cool. Beat together the mascarpone, coffee and sugar in a bowl until stiff.
To make the chocolate leaf, brush non-toxic leaves with the melted chocolate. When cool, peel the leaf off.
Slice the cake and serve with a dollop of coffee mascarpone, a chocolate leaf on top and a scoop of sorbet on the side.

Source

delicious. - May 2002, Page 98
Recipe by Valli Little

Pavlova

2011-04-05T20:05:00.000-07:00

Preparation Time

30 minutes

Cooking Time

90 minutes

Ingredients (serves 6)

6 eggwhites
1 1/2 cups (300g) caster sugar
2 tsp white vinegar
1 tbs cornflour
300ml thickened cream
2 kiwifruit, peeled, thinly sliced
1 just-ripe mango, cheeks removed, peeled, thinly sliced
2 passionfruit

Method

Preheat oven to 120°C. Line an oven tray with baking paper.
Use an electric mixer to whisk the eggwhites in a clean, dry bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition, until meringue is thick and glossy and sugar is dissolved. Rub a little meringue between your fingers, if it’s still gritty, continue to whisk until sugar dissolves. Add the vinegar and cornflour and fold until just combined.
Spoon the meringue onto the lined tray and use a spatula to shape into a 20cm disc. Bake in oven for 1 1/2 hours or until pavlova is dry to the touch. Turn off oven and leave, with the door ajar, to cool completely. Transfer to a serving plate. Use an electric mixer to whisk the cream in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Spoon onto the top of the pavlova. Decorate the top of the pavlova with kiwifruit, mango and passionfruit pulp. Serve immediately.

Source

Notebook: - January 2010, Page 158
Recipe by Sarah Hobbs

Chocolate Macaroon Cake

2011-01-31T18:58:00.000-08:00

Cake

1	box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® German chocolate cake mix
1 1/3	cups water
1/2	cup vegetable oil
3	eggs
1/2	cup flaked coconut

Macaroon Filling

1	package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4	cup granulated sugar
1/4	cup flaked coconut
	Powdered sugar, if desired

Heat oven to 325°F. Generously grease shaped Bundt® pan and bottom of Bundt® Tunnel Insert with shortening and lightly flour, or spray with baking spray with flour. Line 4 muffin cups with paper baking cups.
In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut. Place 4 cups batter in Bundt pan. Place tunnel insert on center of Bundt pan.
Bake cake 35 to 40 minutes and cupcakes 18 to 20 minutes. Using sharp or serrated knife, immediately cut off excess cake across top of Bundt and tunnel insert pans, carefully loosen tunnel insert and remove. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack, placing tunnel side down. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
While cake is cooling, in medium bowl, mix all filling ingredients except powdered sugar; set aside.
When cake is cool, turn cake over and spoon macaroon filling into tunnel. Place cake, filled side down, on serving plate. Refrigerate about 10 minutes or until filling is set. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Store covered in refrigerator.

Orange Pound Cake

2011-01-31T18:57:00.000-08:00

1	box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix
1	cup milk
1	package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
2	teaspoons grated orange peel
3	eggs
	Powdered sugar, if desired



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	About Concordance™

Heat oven to 325°F. Generously grease 9- to 10-cup fluted tube cake pan (use star, festival shape or other shape if desired) with shortening and lightly flour, or spray pan with baking spray with flour.
In medium bowl, beat cake mix, milk, cream cheese, orange peel and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Pour into pan.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Turn pan upside down onto cooling rack or heatproof serving plate; remove pan. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
Place cake on serving plate; sprinkle with powdered sugar. Store cake loosely covered at room temperature.

Profiterole cake

2011-01-31T18:54:00.000-08:00

Photography by John Paul Urizar

Ingredients (serves 8)

80g butter, chopped
1 cup plain flour
4 eggs, at room temperature
2 x 180g blocks good-quality white cooking chocolate
1 litre thick vanilla custard (we used Pauls)
1/2 cup pistachio kernels, roasted, chopped

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease and line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Place butter and 1 cup cold water in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil over medium heat. Gradually add flour, stirring constantly until mixture comes together. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter mixture for 1 minute or until pale. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating constantly until well combined. Spoon or pipe tablespoons of mixture onto prepared trays, allowing room for spreading. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 180°C. Bake for a further 30 minutes or until puffed, golden and dry inside. Transfer to a wire rack. Allow to cool completely.
Place chocolate in a heatproof, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on medium (50%), stirring every minute with a metal spoon until almost melted. Stir until smooth.
Using a wooden skewer, make 1 hole in the base of each profiterole. Grease and line a 22cm (base) springform cake pan with baking paper. Using a piping bag fitted with a 1cm-diameter nozzle, fill profiteroles with custard (see tip). Place profiteroles, in a single layer, over base of prepared pan. Drizzle with half the chocolate and sprinkle with half the pistachios. Repeat with remaining profiteroles, custard, chocolate and pistachios. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until chocolate has set. Serve.

Notes

Dip the filled profiterole bases in chocolate to seal the holes.
Make the most of summer entertaining with pasta salad recipes, potato salads, barbecue recipes and fish & seafood recipes.

Tangerine Pound Cake

2011-01-31T18:50:00.000-08:00

Pound Cake

3	cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1	teaspoon baking powder
1/4	teaspoon salt
2 1/2	cups sugar
1	cup butter or margarine, softened
1	tablespoon grated tangerine peel
1	teaspoon vanilla
5	eggs
1	cup milk

Tangerine-Rum Glaze

3/4	cup sugar
3	tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4	cup tangerine juice
2	tablespoons rum or 1 teaspoon rum extract

Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease bottom and side of 12-cup fluted tube cake pan or 2 (9x5-inch) loaf pans with shortening; lightly flour. Mix flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In large bowl, beat 2 1/2 cups sugar, 1 cup butter, the tangerine peel, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 5 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in flour mixture alternately with milk on low speed, beating just until smooth after each addition. Pour into pan(s). (If using fluted tube cake pan, place pan on cookie sheet.)
Bake fluted tube cake pan 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes, loaf pans 55 to 60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, heat 3/4 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons butter and the tangerine juice over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; stir in rum.
Immediately poke long skewer into top of baked cake at 1-inch intervals (about 20 times). Spoon glaze over cake, allowing glaze to soak into holes. Cool 20 minutes; remove from pan(s) to wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours.

Apricot Brandy Pound Cake

2011-01-31T18:49:00.000-08:00

3	cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
3	cups granulated sugar
1 1/2	cups butter or margarine, softened
1/2	cup sour cream
1/2	cup apricot brandy or apricot nectar
1	teaspoon almond extract
1/2	teaspoon salt
1/2	teaspoon baking powder
6	eggs
1	tablespoon powdered sugar, if desired



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	About Concordance™

Heat oven to 325°F. Grease bottom and sides of 12-cup fluted tube cake pan or 10-inch angel food (tube) cake pan with shortening; lightly flour.
In large bowl, beat all ingredients except powdered sugar with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan.
Bake 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Banana Boston Cream Dessert

2011-01-31T18:48:00.000-08:00

Pudding

1	package (4-serving size) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
1 1/4	cups milk
1	cup frozen (thawed) whipped topping

Dessert

1 1/2	cups Original Bisquick® mix
1/2	cup sugar
1/3	cup milk
2	tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa
2	tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/2	teaspoon vanilla
2	eggs

Topping

2	medium bananas
1/4	cup chocolate or fudge topping

Methods:

In medium bowl, beat pudding mix (dry) and milk with wire whisk or electric mixer on low speed about 2 minutes or until well blended. Fold in whipped topping. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 9-inch round cake pan. In large bowl, beat all dessert ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed 4 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan.
Bake about 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
Serve cake topped with pudding and bananas; drizzle with chocolate topping. Store in refrigerator.

Black and White Cake

2011-01-31T18:46:00.000-08:00

1/2	cup butter or margarine
4	oz unsweetened baking chocolate
1	cup water
1 1/4	cups white vanilla baking chips
1	package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
3	eggs
2	cups sugar
3	cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1/2	teaspoon salt
1 1/2	teaspoons baking powder
1	/2 cup sour cream
1	teaspoon vanilla
1	bag (12 oz) miniature semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
3	tablespoons half-and-half



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	About Concordance™

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 12-cup fluted tube cake pan with shortening (do not use cooking spray); coat lightly with flour. In small microwavable bowl, place butter, unsweetened chocolate and water. Microwave uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Continue microwaving at 15-second intervals until butter is melted and chocolate is smooth.
In another small microwavable bowl, microwave 1 cup of the vanilla baking chips uncovered on High 1 minute; stir until chips are smooth. In small bowl, beat cream cheese and 1 egg with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in melted vanilla chips on medium speed.
In large bowl, mix butter-chocolate mixture, remaining 2 eggs, sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, sour cream, vanilla and 1 cup of the semisweet chocolate chips on low speed just until mixed. Spoon 2 cups of the chocolate batter into cake pan. Drop cream cheese filling by teaspoonfuls onto batter in pan, being careful not to let filling touch sides of pan. Spoon remaining chocolate batter on top.
Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes or until toothpick inserted into chocolate cake comes out clean (white filling may cling). Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours.
In small microwavable bowl, microwave remaining 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips uncovered on High 1 minute; stir until smooth. Stir in half-and-half until smooth. Spoon over cake, allowing some to drizzle down sides. In small plastic food-storage bag, microwave remaining 1/4 cup vanilla baking chips on High 30 seconds or until melted. Squeeze bag until chips are smooth. Cut small tip from one corner of bag; squeeze bag to drizzle melted chips over cake.

Confetti Cake

2010-12-23T18:27:00.000-08:00

Celebrate New Year's or any special occasion with Confetti Cake.

Ingredients

1 1-pound box angel food cake mix
1/4 cup colored candy sprinkles
FROSTING INGREDIENTS AND DECORATIONS:
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
8 teaspoons cold water
2 cups whipping cream (unwhipped)
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Colored sprinkles
2 decorative cake sprays (available at party stores)
Wire star garland (available at party stores)
1 sheet of shiny or metallic colored paper (for year star)
Marker
Tape

Instructions

Follow the directions on the cake mix box, but just before pouring the batter into the tube pan, add the sprinkles.
Mix them quickly and gently with as few strokes as possible and pour the batter into the pan immediately. If you mix and pour too slowly, the colors may bleed and color the surrounding batter.
Make the frosting right before you plan to apply it so that it doesn't set. For best results, apply the frosting, sprinkles, and decoration no more than an hour before serving.
Combine the gelatin and water in a small saucepan.
Let it stand until thick.
Set the pan over low heat, stirring constantly until the gelatin dissolves.
Don't let it boil, as that would reduce the gelling power of the gelatin.
Remove the gelatin from the heat. While it cools a bit, combine the cream, sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl.
Whip them with an electric mixer until the mixture thickens slightly.
Gradually pour the liquid gelatin (don't let it set) into the whipped cream mixture and continue to beat at slow speed until blended. Then whip it at high speed until it's stiff and peaks form when you lift the beaters.
Frost the completely cooled cake with a generous, fluffy layer, making swirls and peaks as you go.
Add confetti (colored sprinkles) and the sparkly year decoration. (Tip: We applied the sprinkles to the sides of the cake by lightly tossing them against the frosting. After we stuck our store-bought metallic sprays entwined with a star garland into the cake, we cut a 2-inch star out of paper, wrote the year numerals on it, and taped it to the sprays.) Store the cake in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Source: FamilyFun Magazine

A Simple Black Forest Cake Recipe

2010-12-23T17:56:00.000-08:00

Cake recipes are fun to look for and there are numerous cake recipes that you can find both from cookery books as well as from online sources. This Black Forest Cake recipe is for a moist, dark chocolate cake filled with cherries and whipped cream, and garnished with chocolate curls. This is a very popular and well-known cake recipe.

Ingredients

½ cup butter, softened
11/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ cup all purpose flour
½ unsweetened cocoa power, natural
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup buttermilk

Ingredients for filling

¼ cup cherry, randy
2 cans cherry pie filling
3 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled
¼ cup confectioner’s sugar
Milk chocolate curls or shavings, for garnish
Cherries or sweet cherries, for garnish, optional

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 deg F.

Cover the cake pan with greaseproof or other non-stick paper. In an electric mixer, beat the softened butter with sugar until white and fluffy. Add one egg at a time, folding the mixture in well. Add sifted flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla extract and buttermilk, and mix until the batter is smooth.

Transfer to a cake pan and bake at 350 degrees just until set in the middle and only a few moist crumbs on it. Do not over bake. When the cake cools down, use a long serrated knife to cut the cake horizontally into 3 equal layers. It is easier to cut if kept in a refrigerator for a few hours before cutting.

Filling

Drain cherry pie filling in a colander to remove most of the thickened juices.
Beat the whipping cream with confectioner’s sugar until it thickens. Using a vegetable peeler, shave chocolate; refrigerate until the cake is assembled.

Assembling

Sprinkle each layer of the cake with cherry. Place one cake layer on a serving plate.
Spread about one fifth of the whipped cream on the layer, and strew half of the cherries on top of the whipped cream. Add the second cake layer. Spread one fifth of the whipped cream on the second layer and the remaining cherry on top. Add the third cake layer. Spread one fifth of the whipped cream on top and one fifth on the sides. Gently press chocolate curls on the sides and on top of the cake.

Hot Chocolate Meringue Cake

2010-08-28T07:27:00.000-07:00

From Country Living

Ingredients

Parchment paper
6 egg whites
1 tablespoon(s) cream of tartar
1 1/4 cup(s) sugar
3 tablespoon(s) sifted cocoa
1/8 teaspoon(s) cayenne pepper
4 cup(s) whipped cream

Directions

To make the cake: Heat oven to 200 degrees F. Line two baking pans with parchment paper and set aside. Draw two 9-inch circles in the center of the paper and set aside.
Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Stream in 1 1/4 cups sugar and continue to beat on high speed. Just as the whites reach their peaks, sprinkle in sifted cocoa and cayenne pepper and continue beating to stiff peaks.
Spread the meringue within the circles. Bake for 3 hours, turn off oven, and let sit for 1 hour.
Cool on the pan on a wire rack. Store in a very dry, cool place.
Fill the layers with whipped cream and serve within 2 hours.

Tips & Techniques

Two large spoons — one to cut and the other to scoop — make serving this cake simple.

Fresh Coconut Cake

2010-08-28T07:20:00.000-07:00

If your coconut water does not measure 1 cup (8 fluid ounces), add enough tap water so the liquid measures 1 cup. Even though fresh coconut is sublime, you can use Goya brand coconut water in place of fresh coconut water and buy coconut flakes in the baking aisle.

Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

Ingredients

Cake:
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon cake flour
12 ounces sifted cake flour (about 3 cups)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
2/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup warm coconut water (from 1 small brown coconut)
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 large egg whites
Frosting:
4 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups shaved fresh coconut, toasted

Preparation

1. To prepare the cake, preheat oven to 350°.

2. Lightly coat 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line bottom of pans with wax paper. Lightly coat wax paper with cooking spray; dust pans with 1 tablespoon flour.

3. Combine 12 ounces (about 3 cups) flour, baking powder, and salt; stir with a whisk. Place 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed for 2 1/2 minutes or until well blended. Add flour mixture and coconut water alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. In a separate bowl, beat 6 egg whites on high speed until foamy using clean, dry beaters. Add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form (do not overbeat). Carefully fold egg whites into batter; pour batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 18 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on wire racks; remove from pans. Discard wax paper. Cool completely on wire racks.

4. To prepare frosting, combine 4 egg whites, cream of tartar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Add 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Combine remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until candy thermometer registers 250°. With mixer on low speed, pour hot sugar syrup in a thin stream over egg whites. Gradually increase speed to high; beat 8 minutes or until thick and cool. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla.

5. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate, and spread with 1 cup frosting. Top with another cake layer. Repeat procedure with 1 cup frosting and remaining cake layer, ending with cake layer on top. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Gently press shaved coconut onto top and sides of cake. Store cake loosely covered in refrigerator.

Source: Cooking Light, APRIL 2010

Coconut Cake Recipe

2010-08-28T07:18:00.000-07:00

For you coconut cake lovers out there, here is a recipe that will not disappoint. Delicious, and it looks great as well!

PREP TIME: 30 Min
COOK TIME: 30 Hr
READY IN: ~ 1 Hr
SERVINGS: 8

INGREDIENTS FOR FROST

* 4 large egg whites
* 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 2 Tablespoons sugar
* 1 1/4 cups sugar
* 1/4 cup water
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 2 cups fresh shaved coconut, toasted

INGREDIENTS FOR CAKE

* Cooking spray (I use the kind with flour in it and it works like a dream)
* 12 ounces cake flour sifted (about 3 cups)
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
* 2/3 cups softened butter
* 1 cup warm coconut milk (from 1 small coconut or Goya brand coconut water)
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 6 large egg whites

DIRECTIONS FOR CAKE

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat (3) 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Beat egg whites on high speed until foamy.

2. Add 2 tablespoons sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Take caution to not overbeat. Set aside.

3. Combine 12 ounces cake flour, baking powder, and salt, whisk well. Place 1 1/2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons sugar and butter in a large bowl beat with a mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes or until light and creamy.

4. Add flour mixture and coconut water alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Add in vanilla next and carefully, fold your egg whites into the cake batter.

5. Pour the batter into prepared pans. Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes.

6. Remove cakes from the pans and let it cool completely on a rack.

DIRECTIONS FOR GLAZE

1. Combine the eggs whites, cream of tartar and salt and beat until foamy.

2. Add 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time beating until stiff peaks form. Just like we did for the cake.

3. Put 1 1/4 cups sugar and 1/4 cup water in a handled saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cook without stirring until a candy thermometer reaches 250 degrees.

4. With the mixer on low pour the extremely hot sugar syrup in a thin stream into the egg whites.

5. Gradually increase the speed to high and beat about 8 minutes. It is done when the bowl is cool to the touch. Stir in the vanilla.

6. Frost your cake. Gently arrange coconut on the top and sides of cake and serve!

Modified from a recipe at bakedbree

Fresh Fruit Tart Recipe

2010-08-16T22:33:00.000-07:00

Prepration Time30 Min

Cooking Time10 Min

Ready In40 Min

Ingredients

100 mL Water

100 g Sugar

2 T. Quantreau or Grand Marnier (optional)

1 ea. 25cm (10inch) Pan di spagna or sponge cake*

0.5 L Milk

125 g +2 T. Sugar

1 t. Vanilla essence

2 drops Lemon essence

2 ea. Eggs

2 T. Flour

Fresh Mixed Fruits

How to make Fresh Fruit Tart

1. Make the syrup for the cake by combining the 100mL water, 100g sugar and the optional liquor into a small saucepan and bringing it to the boil. Remove the pot from the stove and set aside in a cool place.
2. Combine 50g of the sugar with the milk, vanilla and lemon essence into a 3 liter (3 quart) pot.
3. Place the pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it comes to the boil.
4. In the meantime, combine 75g sugar with the two eggs in a mixer bowl and whisk together until they double in volume and are pale in color.
5. Add the flour to the egg mixture and whisk it in to mix.
6. When the milk has boiled, add the egg mixture. (you'll now see why you used such a large pot).
7. Continue to cook until you return to the boil.(stirring constantly)
8. Pour the mixture onto a baking sheet or small roasting pan and sprinkle the top with the remaining 2T of sugar (this will prevent a skin from forming ).
9. Place the cream in the refrigerator to cool.
10. While the cream is cooling, proceed to slice-up your fruit. I have chosen to use pineapple, mango, kiwi, strawberries and blueberries, although the choice is up to you and your market's availability.
11. You are now ready to begin building the tart. First, apply the simple syrup with a pastry brush, using your judgment on the amount of syrup depending on how wet you want the cake.
12. Remove the cream from the refrigerator and give it a good mixing until it is nice and smooth, then apply a layer to the cake.
13. On top of the cream, begin to layer your fruit. Here is where you can be creative with colors and patterns.**
14. Get Ooooo's and Aaaaahhs from your friends and family!
Chef's Note:
*Most supermarkets sell these cakes pre-baked for convenience. If you would like to make your own, contact me by clicking on my photo in the upper right and I'll give you the recipe we use in Italy.
**Notice I used the larger slices (pineapple) on the outer ring and smaller sizes towards the middle. You can of course cut the pineapple into smaller pieces if you like.
~You can prepare your fruit tart in advance and brush the top with gelatine to preserve the fruit. Simply place 4-6 sheets of gelatine in a small sauce pot with cool water. When the sheets are soft, pour off the excess water and place the pot on low heat. When the sheets are completely melted, use a pastry brush to paint the top of the tart.

Source:
www.food-travels.com

Children S Birthday Cake Recipe

2010-08-16T22:18:00.001-07:00

Ingredients

Cake:

1 (18-1/2-oz., 526-g) pkg. chocolate cake mix

Eggs

Water

Oil, if required

Frosting:

3/4 cup (175 g) butter, softened

2 cups (250 g) powdered sugar, sifted

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons boiling water

Decoration:

Marshmallows

Colored cake decors and M&M's

How to make Children S Birthday Cake

Grease and flour two 8-inch (20-cm) layer cake pans.
Preheat ovento350°F (175°C).
To make cake, prepare chocolate cake mix with eggs, water and oil, if required, according to package instructions.
Spread batter evenly in cake pans.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes, following package instructions to test doneness.
Cool as indicated on package.
To make frosting, cream butter and powdered sugar in a medium bowl until light and fluffy.
Dissolve cocoa powder in water; stir into butter mixture.
Fill cake, using about a third of the frosting.
Cover cake with remaining frosting, swirling it with a spatula.
To decorate cake, make figures from marshmallows as illustrated; join with wooden picks.
Cut a few marshmallows in half and press 1 side into colored cake decors.
Place marshmallows and M&M's on cake.

Source:
http://www.ifood.tv/recipe/children-s-birthday-cake

Dark Fruitcake Recipe

2010-08-16T22:14:00.000-07:00

Prepration Time10 Min

Cooking Time 4 Hr 10 Min

Ready In 4 Hr 20 Min

Difficulty LevelMedium

Servings 1

Ingredients

16 oz Citron, candied

-(or candied fruit

-and peels)

8 oz Cherries, candied

1 c Raisins, dark

1 c Raisins, golden

1 1/3 c Calmyra figs, cut

-into pieces

1 1/3 c Dates (pitted), cut

-into small slices

1 1/2 c Pecan halves

-(or walnut halves

-if necessary)

1/2 c Brandy

3 c Flour (white)

2 t Baking powder

2 t Salt

1 T Cinnamon, ground

1 t Nutmeg, ground

1 t Allspice, ground

1 t Cloves, ground

4 Eggs

1 3/4 c Brown sugar, packed

1 c Orange juice

3/4 c Butter, melted

-(cooled)

1/4 c Molasses, light

-(treacle)

How to make Dark Fruitcake

Mix fruits together in a bowl. Pour brandy over fruits. Turn fruit
mixture over every 20 minutes. Soaking time is a matter of taste, but two
hours is typical. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Prepare tube pan: grease
sides and bottom. Line bottom and sides with greased brown paper.
In a very large bowl, mix flour, spices, baking powder and salt. Stir
until spices are evenly blended throughout.
In a third bowl beat eggs until fluffy. Add brown sugar, orange juice,
molasses and butter. Mix, making sure that all the sugar dissolves.
Pour off any liquid from fruit mixture and add the fruit and the nuts to
the dry ingredients. Mix until all fruit pieces are coated. Then pour in
the liquids and mix gently until you have an evenly-mixed batter.
Pour batter into pan and bake at 300 degrees F. for 1 hour. Cover pan with
foil and bake for 1 hour more or until toothpick inserted in center comes
out clean. Cool for 30 minutes before removing from pan. Peel off paper
very carefully.
Put cake in cake tin lined with foil. For the next 3 to 4 weeks, sprinkle
a little brandy over cake twice a week. Keep cake covered and store the tin
in the refrigerator. If you prefer to omit the brandy, cover top of cake
with very thin slices of apple instead.

Source:
http://www.ifood.tv/recipe/dark_fruitcake

Little Chinese Almond Cakes Recipe

2010-08-16T21:39:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1 cup Gold Medal Flour

1/2 cup shortening (half butter)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup plus

2 tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. almond extract or vanilla

1 egg yolk

1 tbsp. water

1/4 cup blanched almonds

How to make Little Chinese Almond Cakes

Measure flour by dipping method or by sifting.
Place flour in bowl; cut in shortening finely.
Use hands to work in salt, sugar, and flavoring.
Shape into long roll, 1" in diameter; wrap in waxed paper.
Chill about 1 hr.
Heat oven to 400° (mod. hot).
Cut roll into 1/4" slices.
Place 1" apart on lightly greased baking sheet.
Brush each slice with a mixture of egg yolk and water.
Press 1/2 blanched almond into top of each.
Bake 8 to 10 min., or until light golden brown.

Source:
http://www.ifood.tv/recipe/little-chinese-almond-cakes

Foodbuzz Peanut Butter Frosting

2010-08-16T05:36:00.000-07:00

Peanut Butter Frosting

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 pound powdered sugar
1/4 – 1/2 cup of half and half, to consistency

Methods

Combine the butter, peanut butter, and vanilla bean paste in the bowl of an electric mixer.

Using the whisk attachment, whip the butter, peanut butter, and vanilla bean paste until light and fluffy.

Add the powdered sugar, and whip until it is incorporated.

The mixture will be stiff.

Gradually add the half and half, mixing on medium-high, until the icing is light and fluffy and is the right consistency for spreading.

Tiramisu

2010-08-06T03:28:00.000-07:00

Components

2 lb. 12 oz. Ladyfinger batter
9 fluid ounces Simple Syrup
2 fluid ounces Coffee or almond liqueur
1/2 fluid ounce Coffee extract
1/2 fluid ounce Vanilla extract
3 pounds Mascarpone Cream Mousse
Chocolate Ganache for decorating
Chocolate decorations, as needed

Ladyfingers

Ladyfingers are made from a spongecake batter that is piped into finger-length strips. After baking, these soft cakes may be eaten plain as a cookie or petit four. They are equally good when dried out in the oven, like biscotti. These versatile cakes are used to line the mold for a Bavarian dessert. For convenience, the batter may be piped close together to form a strip after baking and used to line a mold or torte ring.

Ingredients

3 ounces Cornstarch
4 ounces Bread flour
6 Egg yolks
6 ounces Granulated sugar
6 Egg whites
1/2 teaspoon Lemon juice

Method

1. Sift the cornstarch and flour together.

2. Whip the egg yolks with 2 ounces (60 grams) of the sugar until thick and creamy.

3. Whip the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add 2 ounces (60 grams) of the sugar and the lemon juice. Continue whipping to soft peaks, then add the remaining sugar gradually and whip to stiff peaks.

4. Fold approximately one-quarter of the egg whites into the whipped yolks to lighten them, then gently fold in the remaining whites. Fold in the flour mixture.

5. Place the batter into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip. Pipe 4-inch- (10-centimeter) long cookies onto paper-lined sheet pans.

6. Bake immediately at 425°F (220°C) until lightly browned, approximately 8 minutes.

Simple Syrup (Cake Syrup)

Ratio: 2:1

Ingredients

16 oz Sugar

8 oz Water

Method

Place water and sugar into saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool before adding flavourings.

Mascarpone Cream Filling
Yield: 3lbs

Ingredients

1 lb. 5 oz. Mascarpone , warmed to 105°F (40°C)
9 Egg yolks
8 ounces Granulated sugar
5 fluid ounces Water
1/2 ounce Sheet gelatin, softened
1 pint Heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks

Method

1. Place the warmed mascarpone in a large bowl.

2. Make a bombe batter by whipping the egg yolks in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whip. Cook the sugar and water in a saucepan until the syrup reaches the soft ball stage 240°F (115°C).

3. Pour the sugar syrup into the yolks, with the mixer running at high speed. Pour in a steady stream between the side of the bowl and the beater. Once all the sugar is incorporated, whip one more minute at high speed then reduce to medium speed and whip until the bombe mixture cools to approximately 110°F (49°C).

4. Add the softened sheet gelatin to the warm bombe batter. Stir until the gelatin dissolves completely.

5. Fold the bombe batter into the mascarpone cream.

Ganache
Yield: 2lbs

Ingredients

1 pound Bittersweet chocolate
1 pint Heavy cream
1 fluid ounce Almond or coffee liqueur

Method

1. Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in a large metal bowl.

2. Bring the cream just to a boil, then immediately pour it over the chocolate, stirring with a rubber spatula to blend. Stir gently until all the chocolate has melted.

3. Stir in the liqueur.

4. Allow to cool, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula until the desired consistency is achieved.

Assembly of Tiramisu

1. Butter and flour two paper-lined full-size sheet pans. Using a plain medium tip, pipe half of the Ladyfinger batter into 4 disks measuring 7 inches (17.5 centimeters) in diameter.

2. To make the strips of ladyfingers to line the ring mold, pipe the remaining batter into ladyfingers 4 inches (10 centimeters) long placed close together so they join at the sides and form a strip the entire length of the sheet pan. Bake as directed.

3. Lightly oil and sugar 4, 7-inch (17.5 centimeter) torte rings. Place them on a paper-lined sheet pan.

4. Cut the strip of ladyfingers in half lengthwise. Trim the strips of ladyfingers on each long edge to fit evenly inside the ring molds.

5. Position the ladyfinger strips inside the rings, cut to size to make a tight fit. Place a ladyfinger disk on the bottom of each ring.

6. Combine the simple syrup, liqueur, coffee extract and vanilla extract. Moisten the cake with half of this syrup.

7. Divide half of the Mascarpone Cream Mousse between each mold.

8. Place the second ladyfinger disk in the rings and moisten with the remaining coffee syrup.

9. Fill with the remaining Mascarpone Cream, leveling it to the rim.

10. Refrigerate or freeze the tortes for 2 hours.

11. Remove from freezer and cover the top surface with a thin layer of chocolate ganache, or sprinkle lightly with cocoa powder to garnish. Remove the rings then decorate the tortes with chocolate decorations of your choice (I made roses from chocolate modeling fondant).

_____________________________

Notes:

I made this fancy tear shaped cake by placing cardboard and heavy plastic strips in a large 14 inch round pan to achieve the shape I wanted. LOTS of tape and smaller plastic molds were used to get the shape right.

Original recipe source: OnBaking – Labensky 2005

Cookies & Cream Oreo Look-Alike Cake

2010-08-06T03:24:00.000-07:00

Yield: 12 servings

For the Cake (Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Cake)
2 cups sugar
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup cocoa powder
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup whole milk
½ cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

For the Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup sugar
1 cup (8 ounces) heavy whipping cream
12 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped

For the Ganache:
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
4 tablespoons (¼ cup) unsalted butter, cubed

1. To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Divide the batter evenly between the two pans.

3. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

4. To make the filling, with a stand or hand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the heavy whipping cream on low until it starts to become frothy and thick. Gradually increase the speed and whisk until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

5. In a large bowl beat together the cream cheese and sugar until well-blended and smooth. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in ¼ of the whipped cream to lighten the cream cheese mixture. Fold in the remaining whipped cream, and then the chopped Oreos.

6. Place one layer of the cake on a serving plate, spread the filling mixture on top, and top with the second cake layer.

7. To make the ganache, microwave the chocolate and butter in a small microwavable bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until the butter is melted. Cool for 5 minutes.

8. Spread the ganache over the top of the cake and let stand until firm. Keep refrigerated.

(Inspired by Annie’s Eats and Kraft Foods)

Hershey's Special Dark Truffle Brownie Cheesecake

2010-07-22T06:18:00.000-07:00

I do believe that a dessert this delicious is criminal. That's why I'm putting this cheesecake into the "Delicious Protection Program."

Ingredients for Brownie Layer:
6 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
1-1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/3 cup Hershey's cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Ingredients for Truffle Cheesecake Layer:
3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups (12 ounce package) Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chips, divided
1/2 teaspoon shortening (do not use butter, margarine, spread or oil)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9-inch springform pan.

2. For Brownie Layer, stir together melted butter, 1-1/4 cups sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add 2 eggs; stir until blended. Stir in flour, cocoa, baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt; blend well. Spread in prepared pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until brownie layer pulls away from sides of pan.

3. Meanwhile for Truffle Cheesecake Layer, beat cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar with electric mixer on medium speed in large bowl until smooth. Gradually beat in 4 eggs, heavy cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon salt until well blended.

4. Set aside 2 tablespoons chocolate chips. Place remaining chips in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at Medium (50%) 1-1/2 minutes or until chips are melted and smooth when stirred. Gradually blend melted chocolate into cheesecake batter.

5. Remove Brownie Layer from oven and immediately spoon cheesecake mixture over brownie. Return to oven; continue baking 45 to 50 minutes or until center is almost set. Remove from oven to wire rack. With knife, loosen cake from side of pan. Cool to room temperature. Remove side of pan.

6. Place remaining 2 tablespoons chocolate chips and shortening in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at Medium 30 seconds or until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Drizzle over top of cheesecake. Cover; refrigerate several hours until cold. Garnish as desired. Cover and refrigerate leftover cheesecake.

Source:

Submitted by: Moogie on July 21, 2010
Dining Town: Atlanta

Chocolate Nutella Molten Lava Cake

2010-07-22T05:50:00.000-07:00

What you’ll need:
6 oz of bittersweet Chocolate Chips (I used Ghiardelli)
4 tbsp of Nutella
6 tbsp of Flour
11 tbsp of Unsalted Butter
3 whole eggs + 3 additional egg yolks
1/4 cup of sugar + 2 add. tbsp
1/4 cup of chopped Hazelnuts
Strawberries

What to do:
Place your butter & chocolate chips into a double boiler & allow to melt completely over the steaming water. Stir frequently. WHILE the chocolate butter is melting. Place the eggs & sugar into the bowl of your mixer. With the whisk attachment mix on medium-high speed until they become light & thick (about 8-9 mins). When light & thick add the flour & mix together. SLOWLY & GRADUALLY pour the chocolate/butter mixture into the egg mixture. Mixing on low until well combined & develops a glossy sheen (about 5-6 mins).

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. WHILE the mixture is finishing it’s final mixing (turning glossy) GENEROUSLY spray 4 small ramekins with cooking spray. When the batter is finished it’s time to assemble:

Place your sprayed ramekins onto a cooking tray. Ladle batter HALFWAY up the side of each ramekin. Then, spoon 1 tbsp of Nutella into each ramekin. Finish ladling remainder of batter into each ramekin (do not overfill). Bake ramekins for 1o-14 mins until outside is solid and top appears to be soft (but NOT jiggly)

WHILE cakes are cooking, chop your walnuts & cut your strawberries. When cakes are ready CAREFULLY remove them from oven, place a plate on top of each one and quickly invert it. With a kitchen towel remove the ramekin, cake should fall right out. Garnish with nuts & strawberries. Serve immediately!

Buon Appetito!

Quintessential Chocolate Cake

2010-07-22T05:48:00.000-07:00

Cake
2 cups sugar
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup cocoa powder
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup scolding hot coffee

Ganache Filling
12 oz. heavy cream (about 1 ½ cups)
12 oz. baking chocolate ( I use Ghirardelli dark chips)
2 Tb. butter
2 Tb. sugar

Frosting
1 stick butter, melted (1/2 cup)
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3+ cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup cream (or milk)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. instant coffee

For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350*. Grease and flour 2- 8-9” round cake pans. Sift (or whisk) all dry ingredients in a bowl.

Beat together the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients, and beat for two minutes. Once well combined pour in the hot coffee and mix well. Pour into the cake pans and tap each pan on the counter a few times to remove any large bubbles.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes, then use the edge of the pan as a guide to cut of the round top. This makes a great mid-cake-baking snack!

Run a knife around the edges and flip out onto a cooling rack. I like to “slam” the cakes out of pan to (hopefully) insure they come out in one piece! Once totally cooled, carefully slice through the middle to make 4 thin round disks. Stack with wax paper in between, then wrap in plastic wrap. Freeze, until ready to assemble. Frozen cakes are SO much easier to handle while frosting. It also helps to keep the frosting from getting crumby!

For the ganache: Place the chocolate chips in a glass bowl.

Heat the cream, butter and sugar in a small pan. Once the cream is just barely simmering, pour it over the chocolate and allow it to sit for 5 minutes.

Then whisk until perfectly smooth. Allow the ganache to cool another 10-15 minutes before assembling layers.

For the frosting: Heat the cream in the microwave until hot to the touch, then add the instant coffee to it and mix. Place the cream in the freezer for a few minutes to cool rapidly. Using an electric mixer, mix the melted butter, vanilla and cocoa powder until well combined. Alternate, adding the cooled coffee-cream and powdered sugar until smooth. Add a little more cream or powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached.

To assemble: Take the cakes out of the freezer. Slather 1/3 of the ganache in between each layer, until all four layers are stacked.

Press the top of the cake to level it. Using a large spreader, smooth the frosting around the sides. Then frost the top and re-smooth the edges.

Use a damp paper towel to clean up the edges of the cake stand. Place the last bit of the frosting in a piping bag to “fancy-up” the edges, if you want!

Leave the cake out, at room temperature so the insides can thaw. Cake taste better when the frosting and filling are room temperature and soft!

What's your idea of the perfect chocolate cake???

Vanilla Yogurt Cake with Orange Glaze

2010-07-22T04:24:00.000-07:00

Ingredients (1 loaf):

1 2/3 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

10 tablespoons orange juice

2 cups sifted powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease one 9x5x3-inch loaf pan with baking spray.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Using a stand mixer, beat together the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed, until it turns pale yellow, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and oil, beat 1 more minute, until fully incorporated.

With the mixer on low speed, add half the amount of dry ingredients. Then add half the amount of yogurt, and 2 tablespoons of the orange juice. Add remaining dry ingredients and followed by the remaining yogurt. Remove from mixer and finish mixing by hand using a spatula until all of the ingredients are fully incorporated.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes.

Remove from oven. Using a toothpick or large wooden skewer poke holes into the cake. Using a pastry brush, brush another 2 tablespoons orange juice over hot loaf.

Let cool for 10 minutes and remove from pan. Place on wire rack to finish cooling. When cool, glaze cakes.

Combine the remaining 6 tablespoons orange juice with powder sugar together with a whisk. Pour over cakes.

Chocolate Mango Cake

2010-07-18T19:36:00.000-07:00

Jakarta - Mangga plus chocolate? This one is guaranteed to make you addicted. Moreover there is a legit layered with perfumed inserts. Piece? It is definitely not enough!

Material:
1 Recipe Flourless Chocolate Sponge

Mango Mousse:
300 g of mango puree
120 g caster sugar
10 ml lemon juice
500 g whipped cream
20 g gelatin powder, dissolve it with 2 tablespoons hot water

Complement:
Fruit Mango, diced
Lapis Legit, ready to use
Mango Jelly, ready to use

Method:

* Prepare cake according to recipe.
* Mango Mousse: Mix the mango puree, sugar and lemon juice until blended.
* Add the whipped cream and melted gelatine and stir well.
* Prepare a ring pan, pad with aluminum foil.
* Place a piece of cake at the bottom of the pan.
* Iris 3 cm wide layer legit. Arrange around cake until evenly and neatly.
* Pour the mousse mixture, flatten.
* Refrigerate several hours until hardened and frozen.
* Brush the surface with mango jelly until smooth.
* Garnish with diced mango and other decoration, if desired.
* Serve.

For two 18 cm diameter cake

Source:
Odilia Winneke - detikFood

Flourless Chocolate Cake

2010-07-18T19:30:00.000-07:00

Jakarta - Though not use wheat flour, cake this one is very soft and sticky. Smooth texture of egg whites and butter together with a sweet chocolate flavor. Once given the cream and chocolate shavings, hmmm .. more tongues caressed delicious!

Material:
180 g of dark chocolate couverture, chopped
85 g butter
70 g (3 grains) of chicken egg yolk
180 g of chicken egg white
50 g sugar
Complement:
Whipped cream
Chocolate Se-rut
Powdered sugar
Fresh Fruits

How to make

* Tim chocolate and butter until melted. Lift.
* Stir, stir until warm.
* Put the egg yolks, mix well.
* Beat the egg whites while adding sugar until thick.
* Put into the chocolate mixture, stir well.
* Pour into greased round 18 cm to 3 / 4 high brass. (Because the cake will expand somewhat
high)
* Bake in hot oven 170 C for 30 minutes.
* Remove and let cool. Remove from pan. Cake will be slightly concave in the middle.
* Place the cake on a serving plate, give the supplementary material.
* Serve.

Source:
JW Marriott Jakarta - detikFood

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cake

2010-07-17T07:52:00.000-07:00

You can use any chocolate cake recipe for the cake. I used the Magnolia Chocolate Buttermilk Cake recipe.

Magnolia Chocolate Buttermilk Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted (either in microwave or over double boiler)
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and lightly flour two 9 x 2-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with wax paper (I actually found that all of my cake pans are 1 1/2-inches deep...).

In a medium-size bowl, sift together the flour and the baking soda. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and the sugars until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the chocolate, mixing until well-incorporated.

Add the dry ingredients in thirds, alternating with the buttermilk and the vanilla extract, beating after each addition until smooth. Divide the cake batter between the prepared pans and bake for 25-35 minutes or until a cake tester (or fork, or toothpick) comes out clean.

To Assemble Cake:

Make two batches of peanut butter frosting, and one batch of chocolate buttercream.

Hershey's Chocolate Buttercream

6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened

2-2/3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa or HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chop in half one and half bags of mini peanut buttercups. Mix about 1/3 of the peanut buttercups in the chocolate buttercream. Spread 3/4 of the chocolate butter cream on top of one of the cake layers.

Place the unused cake layer on top of the layer with the butter cream. Frost the top and sides with the peanut butter frosting. Use the remaining chocolate frosting and peanut buttercups to garnish.

Source:

Submitted by: PinkApronBaker on June 17, 2010

Cornmeal , coconut milk and anise cake

2010-07-17T07:48:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

4 eggs
150g butter
2 cups white sugar
2 cups self rising flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 glass of coconut milk (200ml)
120ml milk
1 tablespoon anise seeds

Method

Preheat oven at 350 degrees.F
Cream butter and sugar, add egg yolks, cornmeal, flour, alternating with milk and coconut milk, and anise seeds .Whip the eggs white and combine carefully with previous mix.
Bake at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.

Source:

Submitted by: La vida en Buenos Aires y afines on November 14, 2009

Dulce De Leche Cake with Caramel

2010-07-17T02:46:00.000-07:00

Dulce de Leche Cake

Combine milk, eggs, and extract in a 2-quart measuring cup. (I forgot to take a picture of this).

Mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a stand mixer on low speed. Add butter and mix until mixture contains coarse crumbs.

Add all but 1/2 cup milk into flour mixture.

And beat at medium speed for 1 1/2 minutes (I actually used a timer on this... CI means business when they give you times and I didn't want Chris Kimball coming down to my kitchen and scolding me.

Add remaining milk mixture and beat 30 seconds more. Scrape sides of bowl and beat for another 20 seconds.

Divide cake mixture evenly between cake pans and bake at 350 F for 23-25 minutes.

How perfect does this cake look?

For the frosting: Melt 1/2 stick butter and add 1 cup packed dark brown sugar and 1/3 cup heavy cream.

Cook until the sugar is dissolved.

Transfer to a heat proof bowl and slowly add up to 3 cups of powdered sugar stopping when your frosting has reached it's desired consistency. NOTE - this frosting dries very quickly. Once you spread it on the cake, you must work quickly to smooth it out! If the frosting dries, add a little milk or heavy cream to smoothen it out again.

Choose your most level cake layer and place it bottom side up on a plate or turntable.

Place dulce de leche in a pastry bag with a large coupler tip and line the outside border of the cake with dulce de leche (for the dulce de leche filling, I lined this a little too close to the outside and it overflowed and streaked into my icing a bit... which I ended up liking the look of so it all worked out in the end).

Add more dulce de leche and fill in between the lines.

Repeat with remaining layers (I made a 3 layer cake).

Frost and decorate your cake (and don't listen to your boyfriend's quips about the cake looking like a stegosaurus.)

Dulce de Leche Cake with Caramel Buttercream

Cake recipe adapted from Cooks Illustrated (I also made a 3-layer cake, but this recipe is for a 2-layer cake. To add the 3rd layer, increase ingredients by 1/2)
2 1/4 cups cake flour (9 ounces), plus more for dusting the pans
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
6 large egg whites (3/4 cup), at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (12 1/4 ounces)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon table salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened but still cool
Caramel Frosting
Dulce De Leche (storebought or homemade)
Set oven rack in middle position. (If oven is too small to cook both layers on a single rack, set racks in upper-middle and lower-middle positions.) Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray; line the bottoms with parchment or waxed paper rounds. Spray the paper rounds, dust the pans with flour, and invert pans and rap sharply to remove excess flour.
Add all but 1/2 cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed (or high speed if using handheld mixer) for 1 1/2 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup of milk mixture and beat 30 seconds more. Stop mixer and scrape sides of bowl. Return mixer to medium (or high) speed and beat 20 seconds longer.
Divide batter evenly between two prepared cake pans; using rubber spatula, spread batter to pan walls and smooth tops. Arrange pans at least 3 inches from the oven walls and 3 inches apart. (If oven is small, place pans on separate racks in staggered fashion to allow for air circulation.) Bake until thin skewer or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 23 to 25 minutes.
Let cakes rest in pans for 3 minutes. Loosen from sides of pans with a knife, if necessary, and invert onto wire racks. Reinvert onto additional wire racks. Let cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours.
Layer cakes with dulce de leche, frost with caramel buttercream and decorate as you wish!

Source:
http://www.foodbuzz.com/recipes/1767342-dulce-de-leche-cake-with-caramel-frosting

Red Velvet Cakelettes with Cream Cheese

2010-07-17T00:33:00.000-07:00

Red Velvet Cakelettes
courtesy Martha Stewart

2 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted
2 TB unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 tsp red gel food coloring
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp distilled white vinegar

Preheat oven to 350F. Whisk together the flour, cocoa, and salt. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whisk together sugar and oil until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in food color and vanilla.

Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and whisking well after each. Stir together the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl (it will foam). Add mixture to the batter, and mix on medium speed for 10 seconds.

Butter and flour a 13×9 inch cake pan, and pour the batter in it. Bake 20-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely before putting it in the freezer for 15 minutes. Cut the cake in half and fill with half of cream cheese frosting (recipe follows), using the other half of the recipe to spread on top. Decorate as desired.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 package/8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 package (16 oz) powdered sugar (about 4 cups), sifted

Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in a bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add sugar gradually, beating until well blended after addition.
Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

Source:

Submitted by: HoneyandButter on July 10, 2010

Cassata Cake

2010-07-14T19:37:00.000-07:00

yield: One 9-inch layer cake

I grew up outside Cleveland, Ohio, and the cassata is the cake of my childhood. This regional specialty is a great example of how recipes take on local styles over time. Some food historians believe the cassata has its roots in fourteenth-century Arab culture. In Sicily, the long-ago homeland of the immigrants who first brought it to America, the cassata often contains candied citrus fruits, citrus liqueurs, and a glazing of chocolate or almond marzipan.

The version of the cassata cake that I grew up with was quite different: a strawberry-and-whipped-cream-clad yellow sponge cake with a ricotta cheese filling. My childhood memory of the cake is that there were always leftovers that—thankfully—lasted for days. Flavorful and moist, that final piece of cake just fell apart in your mouth.

Ingredients

For the Citrus-Ricotta Filling

2 ounces (1/4 cup) all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter
8 ounces (1 cup) superfine granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon citrus oil (pure orange or lemon oil)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup ricotta cheese

For the Cake

9 ounces (1 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 eggs, separated
16 ounces (2 cups) superfine granulated sugar, divided
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter

For Assembling

1 pint fresh strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced
4 cups whipped cream

Methods

1. To make the filling, quickly whisk together 4 tablespoons of the milk with the flour. The slurry will be somewhat thick, so whisk thoroughly to make it smooth. Press out any lumps with a flexible spatula, if necessary.

2. Whisk in the rest of the milk and transfer the mixture to a 2-quart heavy-bottom saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly. Once bubbles that burp steam form, remove the pot from the heat and continue to stir for another 30 seconds.

3. Cover the milk mixture with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface. Cool for 15 to 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, combine the butter, sugar, citrus oil, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high speed for up to 5 minutes.

5. Add the milk mixture and continue to beat on high speed until the filling is smooth, another 5 minutes. Beat in the ricotta cheese 1 tablespoon at a time.

6. Preheat the oven to 335°F and place the rack in the middle position. Line the bottoms of three 9-by-2- inch round pans with parchment.

7. Measure the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt into one bowl, and the milk and vanilla into a separate bowl. Whisk each to combine.

8. In the standing mixer fitted with the wire whip attachment, beat the egg whites on high speed to a stiff peak. Drizzle in 1 cup of the sugar while the mixer is running. Scoop the meringue into a large bowl and set aside.

9. Lightly wipe the mixer bowl and replace the wire whip with the paddle attachment. Cream the butter with the remaining 1 cup of sugar on low speed.

10. Add the egg yolks one at a time. Scrape the sides of the bowl all the way to the bottom using a flexible spatula and mix on low speed until the ingredients are thoroughly combined.

11. Alternately add the dry and wet ingredients about a quarter at a time without pausing between additions.

12. Stop the mixer and gently fold the meringue into the batter with a flexible spatula. Pour the mixture evenly into the prepared pans and bake for 27 to 30 minutes, or until the cake bounces back when lightly pressed and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

13. Cool the cakes for 2 minutes, then run an offset spatula around the edges and invert the cakes onto a flat surface. They will be very fragile, so handle them with care.

14. Assemble the extravagant cake by adding about 1 cup each of the fresh strawberries and the ricotta filling between the layers. Cover the outside of the cake with the whipped cream. Add more fresh strawberries around the edge of the cake if you like.

Source:

Epicurious | June 2010

By Warren Brown

United Cakes of America: Recipes Celebrating Every State

Chocolate Walnut and Flaxseed Bundt Cake

2010-07-13T23:50:00.000-07:00

125 min. Prep: 30 min. Cook: 60 min.
16 servings suggest servings

Ingredients

1/2	cup	walnuts	chopped
1 1/2	cups	flour, all-purpose	or you can use 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour and 1 cup of white flour
1	cup	sugar
3/4	cup	cocoa powder	unsweetened and not processed
1/3	cup	ground flax seed
1 1/2	teaspoons	baking powder
1 1/2	teaspoons	baking soda
1	teaspoon	salt
1 1/4	cups	buttermilk
1	cup	brown sugar, light	packed
2	large	eggs	lightly beaten
1/4	cup	canola oil
1	teaspoon	vanilla extract	pure
1/2	cup	water	hot
1/2	cup	prune puree	combine 1/2 cup of prunes with 3 tablespoons hot water in a food processor, process until smooth
1/2	cup	chocolate chips	bittersweet

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Coat a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray and dust with flour.

Spread chopped walnuts in a small baking pan and bake until golden and fragrant, 6 minutes.

Transfer to a plate to cool.

Mix well flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, ground flaxseeds, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.

Add buttermilk, brown sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla, beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.

Mix well hot water and prune puree in a measuring cup, add to the batter and mix until incorporated.

Fold in chocolate and the toasted nuts with a rubber spatula. Spread evenly the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake the cake until the top springs back when touched lightly and when a wood stick inserted in the center, it comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes or more.

Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Turn out onto the rack to cool completely.

Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Frozen Chocolate Cappuccino Crunch Cake

2010-07-13T23:47:00.000-07:00

9 hrs Prep: 1 hrs Cook: 0 min.

129 calories/serving (approx.)

16 servings suggest servings

Ingredients

10 3/4	ounces	cake	frozen pound, thawed, 1 each
3/4	cup	heavy whipping cream
11 1/2	ounces	milk chocolate chips	11.5 ounce packge
4	cups	coffee ice cream	softened, 1 quart
1	cup	whipped topping, prepared	frozen, thawed
1 3/4	cups	malted milk balls	coarsly crushed
1	x	whipped topping, prepared	frozen, thawed, optional
1	x	malted milk balls	coarsly crushed, optional

Directions

Created by Beth Royals of Richmond, VA.

Slice cake into 1/8 to 1/4-inch slices.

Place half of the slices on bottom of 9-inch springform pan; press down firmly.

Set remaining slices aside.

Bring cream just to a boil in medium saucepan.

Remove from heat. Add milk chocolate morsels; let stand 5 minutes.

Whisk until well combined and smooth.

Pour half of the chocolate mixture over pound cake in pan, spreading evenly to within 1/4-inch of edge of pan.

Cover; freeze for 1 1/2 hours or until chocolate is set.

Combine softened ice cream and whipped topping in large bowl.

Fold in 1 3/4 cups crushed malted milk balls.

Spread over chocolate layer in pan. Cover; freeze until ice cream is firm, about 2 hours.

Top ice cream with remaining pound cake slices; press down firmly.

Spread remaining chocolate mixture over pound cake. Cover; freeze at least 6 hours.

To Serve:

To serve, remove sides of pan. Garnish with additional whipped dessert topping and sprinkle with crushed malted milk balls, if desired.

To cut cake easily, run a knife under hot water and dry with a paper towel before making slices.

Chocolate Frosting with Bahana and Peanut

2010-07-13T22:59:00.000-07:00

Banana Cake
(yield one 7-inch round cake)

Ingredients

3/4 cup self-rising flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup vanilla castor sugar (If you won't be frosting the cake, use 6 tbsp)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg, beaten
1-2 bananas, mashed

Sift together the flour and baking soda, like 10cm off the bowl to aerate it. Add in the sugar and briefly whisk to combine. In a 1 cup capacity measuring cup, pour in the oil and egg. Top up with mashed bananas to come up to one cup full. Pour that into the flour mixture and whisk until combined. Pour into a well greased 7'' round baking tin (you can line them if you want but I have no problem releasing them from the pan) and bake it in a preheated oven of 160°C for 20 to 30 mins or until golden brown. Run a skewer through the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean, it's done.

Repeat the above recipe again to yield two layer. If you have only one pan, I'd recommend you don;t double the above recipe and leave the batter to stand while you're baking the first layer. The recipe contains baking soda and if you let it stand, you'll get banana hive cake instead. It's gonna be holey and won't look good.

Frosting

10 tbsp smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup icing sugar, sifted
100g dark chocolate
1 tbsp dark cocoa powder,sifted (use good quality one please)

Combine everything in a large bowl and place it over a double boiler. Whisk until well-combined and very smooth. Cool to room temperature and frost the cake.

Kuih Loyang / Rose / Honeycomb Cookies

2010-07-13T22:19:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
400 ml coconut milk
200 gram all-purpose flour
200 gram rice flour
2 large eggs
170 gram sugar
200ml water
1/2 tsp salt
Oil for deep frying (I used vegetable oil)

Method
1. Add coconut milk, eggs, sugar, water and salt in a mixing bowl
  and mix until well combined and all sugar are dissolved.

2. Sift and all all-purpose flour and rice flour into the mixture.
  Whisk until well combined with no lumps. If is too thick,
  add one tablespoon of water at a time until the mixture resembling of
  a pancake batter.

3. Heat up oil in a wok/saucepan on medium heat.
 Tips: dip a wooden chopstick into the hot oil,
 if the chopstick is bubbling up, it is ready.

4. Preheat brass moulds in the hot oil, about 2-3 minutes.
  The moulds have to be hot enough for batter to cling on them)

5. CAUTIOUS: Dip hot mould into batter for 10 seconds. Make sure batter coats
  only the bottom and sides of mould, never over the top.

6. Slowly lift it up and dip mould back in hot oil. Shake to release from
  mould and fry until golden brown on both sides.

7. Take it out from hot oil, and let it cool over paper towel to
  soak up all the oil.

8. Repeat until all batter is used up. Store in air-tight containers.

Steamed Rice Cake (Fatt Koh)

2010-07-13T21:36:00.000-07:00

The 2009 Chinese New Year begins on January 26th and is the year of the Ox. Well, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my readers, friends and family a "Happy Chinese New Year" or "Kung Hei Fatt Choi"!

Okay, I have just steamed some rice cake (Fatt Koh) for my kids. This version of rice cake is a little bit different than the usual ones but they tasted almost the same. The recipes require the batter to be fermented for 24 hours and then adding some Eno before they are ready for steaming. Okay, I guess you might want to know what the heck is Eno? Well, Eno is a fast-acting effervescent fruit salts, used as antacid and reliever of indigestion. They contain mostly Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid and some Sodium Carbonate.

Anyway, during the Chinese New Year, many or most family would bake or buy some steamed rice cake, supposedly to bring good luck to them. Well, I'm not sure whether it is true or not, I just like to eat them! LOL!

Steamed Rice Cake (Fatt Koh)

Ingredients

300 g Rice Flour, sifted

1 Tbsp Instant Yeast

100 g Sugar

300 ml of Warm Water

3 tsp Eno

Few drops of food coloring

Method

Combine water, sugar and yeast. Stir until well combined.

Mix in the rice flour, a little bit at time and whisk until the batter become smooth.

Let the batter fermented for 24 hours.

Then stir in the food coloring and Eno until well combined. Pour the batter onto the mold and steam for about 15 minutes. Serve warm.

2010-07-13T21:31:00.000-07:00

Chinese New Year is fast approaching. This year it falls on Valentine's Day 14th February. Kuih bahlu is one of the many traditional cakes served during the new year period.

We don't restrict ourselves to having kueh bahulu once a year but make it quite often throughout the year for our morning tea. The tiny cake is spongy and light. With not a trace of fat, butter or oil it is a dieter's dream.

Makes 16

Ingredients
1 large egg
30gm sugar
¼ tsp vanilla extract

30gm plain flour
1/8 tsp baking powder

Method
1. Place a greased kuih balu mould into a preheated 190C oven.

2. Whisk egg at full speed for 1-2 minute until light, pale and frothy.

3. Add sugar and vanilla extract and beat at full speed for another 1-2 minute until thick and creamy.

4. In another bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Fold lightly into the above mixture.

5. Scoop batter into the heated greased mould. Fill to the top of the mould.

6. Bake at 190C for 5 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

7. Remove kuih bahlu from mould with the aid of a skewer and leave to cool on a wire rack. Continue with the the rest of the batter (step 5-7).

8. Store in an airtight container.

Note
1. To make a bigger batch the recipe in imperial measure is easy to remember : 5 eggs, 5oz sugar, 5½ oz flour, 1 tsp vanilla extract, ½ tsp baking powder.

2. My kuih bahulu mould is the thick heavy metal type. A thin mould might bake differently with different times to that above.

3. If using a fish mould, 1 fish uses 2x more batter than the round mould. The fish is quite fiddly to fill as you have to try and make sure the batter gets to all corners of the fins.

Tips
1. I find that I only need to grease the mould once at start. If you find the cake sticking to the mould, then oil again lightly with a brush.
If your mould is 'newish' you will need to brush it lightly with oil after each bake.

2. Fill the batter to the top and you will end up with a nice 'skirt'.

3. I find filling the mould with this ice cream scoop is the quickest and does not disturb/deflat the 'air' in the batter too much. Scoop, squeeze and drop in one quick motion.

Update 31/1/2010

Towering Sand Castle Cake

2010-07-11T20:08:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

8-inch round yellow cake
9-inch square yellow cake
2 (12-ounce) cans whipped vanilla frosting
Vanilla wafers, 12-ounce box
4 jumbo ice-cream cups

2 small ice-cream cups
6 sugar cones
Graham cracker sticks (we used Nabisco Honey Maid Grahams Honey Sticks)
Candy seashells and rocks

Instructions

Use a long serrated knife to trim the top of the round cake flat, if needed. Cut a 5 1/2-inch and a 3 1/2-inch circle from the square cake, then stack all three pieces, spreading vanilla frosting between the layers. Frost the stack.
Use a rolling pin or food processor to crumble the wafers. With your hands, press the crumbs into the frosting, completely coating the cake. Spread frosting on the bottom of each ice-cream cup, then set them around the cake. With a serrated knife, carefully trim 1 1/2 inches from the top of 2 of the sugar cones. Set all 6 cones into the cups to complete the turrets, spreading a bit of frosting around the rims to hold them if needed.
Press 2 graham cracker-stick doors into the middle cake layer and rim the rest of the cake with graham cracker-stick halves. Sprinkle the remaining crumbs around the base and add a scattering of candy seashells and rocks. Serves 12.

SOurce:

FamilyFun Magazine

Cookie Crown Cake

2010-07-11T20:05:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

2/3 cup flour
16 1/2-ounce roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough
Template for cookie pattern
4 tablespoons yellow decorating sugar

2 (16-ounce) cans white frosting
Candy decorations (we used regular and mini M&M's, and Stardrops hard candies)
2 (8-inch) round cakes

Instructions

Knead the flour into the cookie dough to firm it up. On a floured surface, roll the dough into a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle. Using the template, cut out as many cookies as you can. Keep rerolling the dough scraps and cutting until you have 12 cookies -- 11 for the cake plus a backup. Transfer the cookies to a foil- or parchment-lined baking sheet and sprinkle them generously with yellow sugar. Bake them according to the package directions until they're golden brown around the edges. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Spoon 1/2 cup of the frosting into a resealable plastic bag. Snip off a corner of the bag and pipe designs onto the cookies. Add candy decorations as shown above. Allow the frosting to set for at least 1 hour before handling the cookies.
Use a long serrated knife to trim the top of one of the cakes flat, if needed. Place it on a serving platter, spread a thin layer of frosting on the top, then lay the other cake on it, rounded side up. Generously frost the stack and use a spoon to draw the frosting on top up to a point as shown. Carefully press the cookies around the side of the cake, piping lines of frosting between the cookies to secure them. Serves 11.

Source:'

FamilyFun Magazine

Cinnamon Surprise Coffee Cake

2010-07-11T20:03:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

CINNAMON FILLING
1 tablespoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons softened butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
COFFEE CAKE
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 16-ounce container sour cream
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Instructions

Heat the oven to 350º and grease a 12-cup bundt pan (or two 9- by 5-inch loaf pans, or two 6-cup bundt pans). To make the cinnamon filling, place the cinnamon, butter, brown sugar, and flour in a small bowl and mix with your fingers. Set aside.
For the coffee cake, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate large bowl, cream the butter and sugar, then beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the vanilla extract and the sour cream. Gradually add the dry ingredients, beating well after each addition.
Spoon half of the coffee cake batter into the large bundt pan (or, if you're using two smaller pans, one quarter of it into each pan). Crumble the cinnamon mixture over the top. Pour in the remaining batter and then use a table knife to swirl the cinnamon throughout. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes (or 35 to 40 minutes for the smaller loaves) or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.
Invert the coffee cake onto a rack and cool it thoroughly before dusting with confectioners' sugar. Place the cake on a doily-covered plate, wrap it in red or green cellophane, and tie with a bow. Serves 10 to 12.

Source:

FamilyFun Magazine

Tia Maria cheesecake

2010-07-11T07:59:00.000-07:00

Serves 16
Prep 30 mins
Cook 35 mins Plus cooling

Ingredients

For the Biscuit Crust

85g hot melted butter , plus extra butter for greasing
14 plain chocolate digestive biscuits , finely crushed

For the CheeseCake

3 x 300g packs full-fat Philadelphia cheese
200g golden caster sugar
4 tbsp plain flour
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp Tia Maria
3 large eggs
285ml carton soured cream

For the Topping

142ml carton soured cream
2 tbsp Tia Maria
cocoa , for dusting
8 Ferrero Rocher chocolates, unwrapped

MEthods

Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line the base of a 25cm springform tin with baking parchment. Blend butter and biscuit crumbs. Press onto the base of the tin, bake for 10 mins, then cool.
Increase the oven temperature to 240C/fan 200C/gas 9. Beat the cheese and sugar with an electric whisk until smooth, then whisk in the flour, vanilla, 2 tbsp Tia Maria, eggs and 285ml soured cream.
Grease sides of the cake tin with butter. Pour in the mixture and smooth. Bake for 10 mins, then turn oven down to 110C/fan 90C/ gas ¼ for 25 mins. Turn off the oven, then open the door and leave to cool inside the oven for 2 hrs. Don't worry if it cracks a little.
Mix 142ml soured cream and Tia Maria, then smooth on top of the cheesecake. Chill.

Tips

To freeze

Cover the tin, first with cling film, then foil and freeze for up to 6 weeks. Thaw in the fridge for 8 hrs before serving.

Serving tip

Remove from the tin and slide onto a plate. Dust with the cocoa through a tea strainer until the top is covered. Lightly mark the cheesecake into portions with a knife, then place a chocolate on every other portion

Source:
Recipe from Good Food magazine, November 2006.

Luscious lemon baked cheesecake

2010-07-11T07:53:00.000-07:00

Cuts into 10 slices
Prep 10 mins
Cook 40 mins plus chilling
Can be frozen baked but undecorated

Ingredients

225g digestive biscuits
100g butter , melted
250g tub mascarpone
600g soft cheese
2 eggs , plus 2 yolks
zest 3 lemons , juice of 1
4 tbsp plain flour
175g caster sugar

For the Topping

½ a 284ml pot soured cream
3 tbsp lemon curd
handful raspberries , to serve (optional)

Methods

Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line the bottom of a 23cm springform tin with greaseproof paper. Tip the biscuits and melted butter into a food processor, then blitz to make fine crumbs. Press into the tin and chill.
Whisk all the other ingredients in a large bowl until completely combined, pour into the tin, then bake for 35-40 mins until the cheesecake has a uniform wobble.
Turn off the oven and leave the cake inside until cool. When it is completely cooled, remove from the tin and top with soured cream. Swirl lemon curd over the top and decorate with raspberries, if you like.

Tip

To turn this tasty dessert into an orange or lime-flavoured cake, simply swap the zest and juice of lemon to that of your chosen citrus fruit.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, March 2009.

Onken Orange polenta with rosemary syrup

2010-07-11T07:39:00.000-07:00

Prep time: 25 min, plus cooling time
Cook time: 45 min
Serves: 8-10

Polenta cakes can be dry - but not Neven Maguire's, which is soaked in fragrant herb syrup for a luxurious taste of the Mediterranean

Ingredients

175g polenta flour
50g plain flour
1½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
5 tbsp light olive oil, plus extra for greasing
2 oranges, finely grated zest plus 2 tbsp juice
2 eggs, plus 2 egg whites
400g caster sugar
2 branches rosemary, plus extra sprigs to decorate
raspberries, to serve
Greek yogurt, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Lightly oil a 1.2 litre loaf tin and line it with non-stick parchment paper.

2. Sift the polenta, flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. In a jug, combine the yogurt, olive oil, orange zest and juice and mix well.

3. In a separate bowl, place the eggs and egg whites. Add half the sugar and beat for a few minutes until creamy. Beat in the yogurt mixture until smooth. Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined - do not over-mix.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared tin. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.

5. Meanwhile, put the remaining sugar in a saucepan with 200ml water and the rosemary branches. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Leave to cool completely, then strain through a sieve.

6. When the cake is cooked, place on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes, then invert and peel off the parchment paper. Prick the cake all over with a skewer or toothpick and drizzle over half the rosemary syrup so that it completely soaks into the cake. Leave to cool completely. Keep the remaining rosemary syrup in the fridge until ready to serve.

7. To serve, cut the cake into slices and arrange on plates. Scatter around the raspberries and drizzle with some more syrup. Add dollops of yogurt and decorate with rosemary sprigs.

Source:
From: Neven's Food from the Sun

Lemon drizzle cake

2010-07-11T07:27:00.000-07:00

Prep time : 35 min
Cook time : 1 hr 10 min
Serves: makes 1 cake

A zippy lemon sponge glazed with a delicate sugar crust from Eleanor Smallwood

Ingredients

For the cake

225g butter, softened
400g caster sugar
3 lemons, finely grated zest only
4 eggs
375g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
235ml milk

For the glaze

3 lemons, juice only
150g granulated sugar

Method

1. For the cake: preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Grease and flour a 25cm bundt tin.

2. Cream the butter and sugar with the lemon zest until pale and thick. Beating the lemon zest will help draw out the oil making the cake lovely and lemony.

3. Stir in the eggs, one at a time. If the mixture threatens to curdle, add a tablespoon of the flour to stabilise it.

4. Mix in a little of the flour and baking powder with alternate glugs of the milk until all the ingredients are incorporated.

5. Spoon the mixture into the bundt tin and bake for 1 hour – 1 hour 10 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a rack. Prick all over with a toothpick.

6. For the glaze: mix the lemon juice and sugar, just swirling gently so the sugar doesn’t completely dissolve.

7. Drizzle the lemon glaze all over the warm cake - it will seep into the holes leaving a delicate sugar crust on the surface. Decorate with flowers and eat the day you make it.

Source:
http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/599285

Black Forest Cake

2010-07-06T22:14:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

2 eggs
250g butter
1/4 cup kirsch
1/4 cup cocoa
1 cup plain flour
2 cups castor sugar
1 1/2 cups hot water
2 tsp vanilla essence
1 Tbs dry instant coffee
1 1/2 cups self raising flour
2 x 425 can cherries, drained
200g dark chocolate, chopped
2 x 300ml cartons thickened cream

Black Forest Cake Method of Preparation:

The fisrt thing you must do is get the cake pan ready so grease a deep 23 cm round cake pan, line base and sides with greased paper. In a saucepan melt the butter and stir in combined hot water and coffee, then chocolate and sugar and stir over low heat without boiling till smooth and then transfer to large bowl and cool to warm. Beat mixture on low speed with electric beater, gradually beat in sifted dry ingredients in 3 lots. Beat in eggs one at a time, then essence. Pour into prepared pan and bake in a slow oven for about 1 3/4 hours and then let it stand for 5 minutes before turning onto wire rack to cool.

Beat cream until peaks form. Trim the top of the cake to make the top flat. Split the cake into 3 even layers. Place one layer onto serving plate, brush with 1/3 of the kirsch, top with a layer of cream and half the halved cherries. Repeat layering twice more and then brush the top of the cake with remaining kirsch. Cover cake with remaining cream and then decorate the Black Forest Cake with cherries and chocolate curls.

Chocolate Cake

2010-07-06T22:13:00.000-07:00

This quick and easy cake batter is originally from Cook's Illustrated "The Best Recipe Cookbook", which is just the ticket for tried-and-true chocolate cake recipes, only adapted for blissful simplicity. The dense texture makes frosting entirely optional, so I've made this with a sprinkle of powdered sugar instead and optimized the decoration for Valentine's Day. The fact that it is made from cocoa, and quickly, without dirtying a million dishes only adds to its charm. The recipe calls for two 8-inch cake pans, but I used one cake pan and one 12-well mini-muffin pan.

Hands-On Time: 15 minutes
Ready In: 1 hour
Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup regular cocoa powder, such as Hershey's
2 teaspoons instant espresso or instant coffee
1 cup boiling water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened (I use salted)
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 large room-temperature eggs
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
powdered sugar

Directions

Heat the oven to 350, and butter and flour your pans.
In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa, instant coffee, and boiling water and leave the mixture to cool to room temperature, then stir in the vanilla.
In the bowl of an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter until it's "smooth and shiny," the recipe says, around 30 seconds. Gradually add the sugar and beat until the mixture is "fluffy and almost white", around 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating a full minute after each addition.
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add about 1/3 of the dry ingredients, followed immediately by 1/3 of the cocoa mixture and mix until the ingredients are incorporated. Repeat the process twice more. When the batter appears blended, stop the mixer and scrape the bottom and sides with a rubber spatula, then return the mixer to low speed and beat until the batter is lovely and satiny, about 15 seconds longer.
If you're using two cake pans: Divide the batter between them, spread it evenly with the spatula, and pop them in the middle of the oven to cook for 23 to 27 minutes, until they feel just springy when you press them in the center, and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs but nothing that still looks runny. If you're using a mini-cupcake pan: Scoop half the batter into a Ziploc bag, twist the bag to force the batter into a corner, and snip about a half inch off the corner with a pair of scissors. Squeeze the batter from the bag into the wells, filling each about 3/4 of the way. Fill the cake pan with the remaining batter (including any left in the bag), and pop the pans into the oven to bake (if you're using a silicone pan, stick it on a cookie sheet first).
After you remove your various cakes from the oven, cool them in their pans on a rack for ten minutes, then flip them over and out. To make the stencil for the big cake, I simply cut a heart from the center of a doily and pressed the doily to the surface of the cake before sprinkling it generously and evenly with powdered sugar through a sieve. I also added a tiny sprinkling of pink sugar for romantic effect.

*Ingredient Tips
I really think that pouring boiling water over the cocoa is the key to the cake's lush texture and fantastic flavor.

Note
The original recipe also says something about lining the pans with parchment paper, but I used Pam baking spray with the flour in it, and everything slid right out.

Banana Split Pie Recipe

2010-07-06T22:09:00.000-07:00

Photo: Fraces Janisch

By Woman's Day Kitchen from Woman's Day | August 1, 2008

Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Recipe Ingredients

1 1/4 cups light vanilla ice cream
1 ready-to-fill chocolate cookie crust (9 in.)
1/2 cup fudge sauce
2 bananas, sliced
1 1/2 cups chocolate chocolate-chip ice cream, softened
2 1/2 cups light dulce de leche ice cream
1 1/2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed

Garnish: walnuts

Recipe Preparation

1. Spoon vanilla ice cream into the cookie crust; spread evenly. Place in freezer about 15 minutes until just firm.

2. Spoon fudge sauce into a ziptop freezer bag, snip one corner and pipe sauce in an even layer over ice cream. Top with bananas. Freeze about 30 minutes until just firm.

3. Spoon chocolate chocolate-chip ice cream over bananas, spreading as evenly as possible. If needed, place in freezer to firm. Scoop dulce de leche ice cream on top. Spoon dollops of whipped topping around top edge of pie. Freeze until firm; top slices with more dollops of whipped topping, and walnuts if using.

Chocolate Custard Tarts

2010-07-06T22:02:00.000-07:00

Photo: Charles Schiller

From Woman's Day | February 15, 2005

Active Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Recipe Ingredients

Tart Shells
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold butter, cut in small pieces
Yolk from 1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Filling
2/3 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1/3 cup whole milk
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1 large egg plus yolk of 1 large egg, beaten together
Topping
1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1 Tbsp confectioners’ sugar
Decoration: chocolate curls or shavings and pink candy hearts (directions follow)
Pink Candy Hearts: Melt 1/3 cup pink candy melts (see Note) as pkg directs. Transfer to a small ziptop food bag. Seal bag; snip tip off 1 corner and pipe small hearts (see photo of tarts) on wax paper–lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until hard. Remove with a small metal spatula.

Recipe Preparation

1. Have ready four 4 x 3/4-in. tart pans with removable bottoms (see Note) and a baking sheet.

2. Tart Shells: Pulse flour, sugar and cocoa in food processor to mix. Add butter; pulse until coarse crumbs form, with some butter flecks still visible. In a cup, beat egg yolk and vanilla. Pour into food processor and pulse until dough is evenly moistened and crumbly. Turn out onto work surface; squeeze together to form a dough. Gather into a ball, then divide in quarters. Press 1 portion over bottom and sides of each tart pan. Prick bottoms with a fork. Freeze 15 minutes.

3. Heat oven to 375°F. Press nonstick foil over dough in each pan, covering dough completely. Put pans on baking sheet.

4. Bake 22 minutes or until crusts are just dry and set. Carefully remove foil (if bottom crusts have puffed, gently flatten by pressing with a measuring cup). Cool.

5. Filling: Reduce oven to 275°F. Combine cream, milk, sugar and vanilla in a 1-qt microwave-safe measure or bowl. Add chocolate. Microwave on high 2 to 3 minutes until cream barely starts to simmer. Whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Cool 5 minutes; whisk in egg and yolk until blended. Pour into tart shells (1/2 cup per shell).

6. Bake 20 minutes; rotate baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes more or until custard is set around edges but still slightly jiggly in centers. Cool on wire rack to room temperature.

7. To serve: Beat cream and confectioners’ sugar until stiff, billowy peaks form when beaters are lifted. Spoon onto tarts; garnish with chocolate curls and candy hearts. Cut tarts in half.Planning Tip: Best served the day they’re made. Can be made up to 8 hours ahead. Store covered at room temperature.Note: Tart pans and candy melts are available in stores where party and cake-decorating supplies are sold.

Chocolate Mocha Latte Pie

2010-07-06T21:59:00.000-07:00

Photo: Charles Schiller

From Woman's Day | February 14, 2006

Active Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 5 hours 30 minutes

Recipe Ingredients

Chocolate Crust
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
Yolk from 1 large egg mixed with 1 1/2 Tbsp water and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Mocha Latte filling
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 Tbsp instant espresso powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 1/4 cups whole milk
Yolks from 3 large eggs lightly beaten in a small bowl with 2 tsp vanilla extract
3 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
Topping & decorations
Sweetened whipped cream or whipped topping
Chocolate curls (directions follow)
Candy hearts (directions follow)

Recipe Preparation

1. Crust: Pulse flour, sugar, cocoa and salt in a food processor until blended. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few flecks of butter visible. Pour yolk mixture evenly over top; pulse until flour mixture starts to clump together. Gather dough; form into a ball. Flatten into a 6 1/2-in. disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour.

2. Coat a 9-in. pie plate with nonstick spray. Lightly flour disk and rolling pin. Roll dough on a sheet of wax paper into a 12 1/2-in. circle. Trim to 12 in.; discard trimmings. Place a floured hand on dough, invert (still on wax paper) onto hand and position dough over pie plate. Gently ease into plate, pressing dough against bottom and sides; carefully peel off paper. Fold edge under so it’s slightly higher than side of plate; crimp edge. Freeze 15 minutes until firm.

3. Heat oven to 350°F. Prick bottom of crust all over with a fork. Line with nonstick foil, then fill with pie weights or dried beans (see Note). Bake 20 minutes. Carefully lift out foil and weights and bake 15 minutes more, or until crust is cooked through and set. Cool completely on a wire rack.

4. Filling: In a heavy 3-qt saucepan, using a whisk, stir sugar, cornstarch, espresso powder and salt until combined. Whisk in milk until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with whisk, about 18 minutes until thickened and boiling; boil, stirring, 1 minute. Remove from heat; whisk about 1 cup hot mixture into yolk mixture until blended. Slowly scrape yolk mixture into hot mixture, stirring to prevent curdling. Stir over low heat about 3 minutes until very thick. Remove from heat; add chocolate and butter; stir until completely melted. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve set over a 1-qt measure or bowl. Scrape hot filling into crust; smooth top with a spatula. Press plastic wrap directly on surface. Refrigerate about 4 hours until cold and set, or up to 2 days.

5. To serve: Mound whipped cream on pie, leaving a border of filling visible. Top cream with chocolate curls and candy hearts. Add a candy heart or 2 to each serving.Candy hearts:Melt 1/3 cup pink candy melts* as pkg directs. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a writing tip, or to a small ziptop bag, and snip tip off 1 corner. Pipe small hearts on a wax paper–lined baking sheet. Let set at room temperature, or refrigerate until hard. Remove with a metal spatula. Store at roomtemperature.*Available where cake decorating supplies are sold.

Note: Pie weights, which are specially designed to prevent pastry shells from shrinking and puffing, are available in bakeware stores. Dried beans serve the same purpose and can be used over again endlessly.Chocolate Curls Have ready a foil-lined mini loaf pan or sturdy 3 1/2 x 2 x 1 1/2-in. pan made with layers of foil. Melt 4 oz semisweet baking chocolate with 1 tsp solid vegetable shortening. Pour into pan. Let set at room temperature. Pull a swivel-blade vegetable peeler down length of bar. Refrigerate curls until ready to use.

Mochaccino Dream

2010-07-06T21:57:00.000-07:00

Photo: Deborah Ory

From Woman's Day | April 1, 2007

Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 5 hours 15 minutes

Recipe Ingredients

Cake

1 box (18.25 oz) Moist Deluxe Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix
1 1/2 cups reduced-fat sour cream
1 box (3.9 oz) instant chocolate pudding and pie filling
1/2 cup water
2 large eggs
3 Tbsp instant espresso powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Filling

3 cups heavy (whipping) cream
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp coffee liqueur or brewed coffee
1 Tbsp instant espresso powder
1 1/3 cups hot fudge sauce (such as Mrs. Richardson’s)

Garnish: ground cinnamon, chocolate coffee beans

Recipe Preparation

1. Heat oven to 350°F. You’ll need a 9-in. springform pan coated with nonstick spray, two gallon-size ziptop bags and an 18-in. pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. (Pastry bag and tip are optional; see Step 8.)

2. Cake: Beat all ingredients in a large bowl with mixer on low speed 30 seconds or until blended. Scrape down sides of bowl; beat on medium speed 2 minutes (batter will be thick). Spread evenly in prepared pan.

3. Bake 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove sides from pan; cool cake completely. Wash and dry pan sides.

4. Insert several toothpicks halfway up side of cake all the way around. Using toothpicks as a guide, cut cake in half horizontally with long serrated knife. Set aside top layer. Return pan sides to base with cake.

5. Filling: Beat cream in a large bowl with mixer on medium-high speed until it starts to thicken. Add confectioners’ sugar; beat until stiff peaksform when beaters are lifted. Stir in vanilla. Spoon 1/2 into a ziptop bag. Stir liqueur into espresso powder in a small bowl until dissolved. Stir into remaining cream; spoon into another ziptop bag.

6. Spread top of cake on pan base with 2/3 cup fudge sauce. Cut 1/2 in. off a bottom corner of each filled bag and pipe dollops, alternating plain and coffee cream, around edge of cake in pan. Pipe alternating dollops in center. Top with remaining cake layer; spread with remaining fudge sauce. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate cake and remaining cream at least 2 hours.

7. Put pastry bag in a tall drinking glass. Hold bag of coffee cream in one hand, plain cream in the other. Squeeze bags into pastry bag at the same time so coffee cream fills one side of pastry bag, plain cream the other.

8. Remove sides of springform pan. Pipe rosettes over top of cake. (Or pipe alternating dollops of coffee and plain cream using ziptop bags as in Step 6.) Lightly dust cake with cinnamon; garnish with chocolate coffee beans. Refrigerate until serving.

Planning Tip: Can be prepared through Step 3, wrapped and refrigerated up to 1 week. Cake can be completed up to 1 day ahead. Refrigerate, covered, until serving.

Heart Shaped Cake

2010-07-06T21:53:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS

For Cake
18.25 ounces White Cake Mix

• 3 ounces Red Jell-O Powder (Strawberry, Raspberry, or Cherry flavor)
• 1 cup Milk
• 3 Eggs
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 cup Butter (melted)
• 3 cups Buttercream Frosting

For Buttercream Frosting
• 1/2 cup Butter (softened)
• 4 tbsp Milk
• 3 - 3/4 cup Confectioner\'s Sugar (sifted)
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• Liquid Food Coloring (optional)

DIRECTIONS

For Buttercream Frosting
• Take a big bowl and beat butter in it with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Keep the speed low.
• Combine sugar, milk, and vanilla with it and now beat for one minute on low speed.
• Now raise the speed of the mixer to medium and keep beating for another one minute till frosting is fluffy.
• Now add food color to it. Just put few drops at a time.
• Keep beating till the desired shade is reached.
• If frosting is thin, add more confectioners\' sugar and if it is thick, add milk.

For Cake
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Grease a 9 inches round cake pan and one 9 inches square cake pan properly. Dust uniformly with flour, keep it aside.
• Take a big mixing bowl and add cake mix, Jell-O powder, milk, butter, eggs, and vanilla.
• Now beat for one minute with an electric mixer, keeping the speed low.
• Raise the speed of the mixer to medium and keep on beating for about two minutes, till the batter is soft and properly blended.
• Now place the batter evenly in the two prepared pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, till the light brown color is reached as well as a toothpick placed in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool on wire racks for about 10 minutes.
• To make a heart shaped cake, rotate the square cake so that it seems to be a diamond.
• Now make two semi-circles from the circle cake.
• Set the semi-circles on the top two sides of the diamond to create a heart shape.
• Use buttercream frosting and decorate the cake.

Source:
http://cake-recipes.tumblr.com/

MAKE IT EASY

Panda Bear Cake

Easter Bunny Cake Recipe

可爱小熊蛋糕

米老鼠椰香慕斯

可爱猫咪便当

Cardoon Custard--Sformato di Cardi

Ingredients

Directions

BESCIAMELLA SAUCE:

Classic Belgian Waffles

Ingredients

Directions

Chocolate Caramel Crispy Cakes

Ingredients

Directions

Masa Corn Cakes with Poached Eggs

Ingredients

For the Salsa:

For the Corn Cakes and Eggs:

Directions

Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

Waffle Cake

Directions

Bunny Cake

Ingredients:

Directions:

Note:

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

Ingredients:

Directions:

Ice Cream Pie

Chocolate-Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

1 (18.25-ounce) package butter-recipe chocolate cake mix (recommended:

Ingredients

Frosting:

Toasted Angel Food Cake [Grilled Peaches]

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

Directions

Tips & Alternatives:

Peach Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust:

Filling:

Directions

Mascarpone Cheesecake with Almond Crust

Ingredients

Crust:

Filling:

Topping:

Directions

Noel Cake

Ingredients

Cake:

Icing:

Decorations:

Cake:

Directions

Cone Tree:

Assembly:

Lemon Bundt Cake with Berry Rhubarb Glaze

Ingredients

Cake:

Glaze:

Directions

Nutty Orange Coffee Cake

Ingredients

Directions

Banana split

Ingredients (serves 1)

Method

Source

Whole orange cake

Ingredients (serves 12)

Orange icing