Cakes
It seems like I've run across quite a few cake recipes lately. Today's offerings include Black Forest Layer Cake and Strawberry Country Cake. Enjoy!
RAINBOW SPRINKLE CAKE
This is from Julia Moskin in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, “In the 1990s, when home bakers started putting rainbow sprinkles in their cakes, as well as on their cakes, the Funfetti craze was born. Pillsbury introduced its Funfetti cake mix in 1989, and the idea was quickly adopted by home cooks for waffles, pancakes and cupcakes. Now, as seen on photo-friendly social media sites like Instagram and Pinterest, rainbow sprinkles are decorating everything from morning smoothie bowls to late-night martinis. But the Funfetti layer cake is still the most fun. You can buy premixed rainbow sprinkles, but professionals mix their own to get just the right color combination. (Coming up with a signature "house blend" is a good Saturday morning project for kids.) And though it may be tempting, do not use any sprinkles made with natural colorings in the cake -- they fade away, instead of leaving beautiful streaks of color.” Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Time: 1-1/2 hours, plus cooling.
This was featured in “The Funfetti Explosion” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), slightly softened, more for pans
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, more for pans
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
2/3 cup whole milk
1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
1 whole egg plus 2 egg whites
1/3 cup rainbow sprinkles (not pastel, or naturally colored)
For the Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, slightly softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), slightly softened
1/8 teaspoon fine salt, more to taste
3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted, more to taste
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup rainbow sprinkles (see note)
Preparation
Make the cake: Heat oven to 325 degrees and place a rack in the center. Butter and line the bottoms of two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Butter the parchment. Flour the pans, coating the bottom and sides, then tap out any excess flour.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, stir together milk and vanilla.
In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and, with mixer running, slowly add egg and whites and beat until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape down bowl. Add half the flour mixture, then the milk mixture, then the remaining flour mixture, beating to blend after each addition. Scrape down bowl and blend once more. Remove bowl and use a spatula or spoon to mix in sprinkles by hand.
Divide batter evenly between the pans and bake until the tops are just dry to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Rotate the pans halfway through baking.
Transfer pans to a wire rack and let cool completely, at least 4 hours, before turning out.
Make the frosting: In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, butter and salt together at medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and, with mixer running, slowly add sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in vanilla just until incorporated. Taste frosting; you should be able to taste the cream cheese and a little bit of saltiness, as well as the sweetness. If desired, add more salt or sugar. Keep refrigerated.
Turn cooled cakes out of pans. Using a bread knife, cut off any domed or uneven parts of each cake to make flat surfaces. Place one of the cakes on a platter or a cake stand, cut side up. Using an offset spatula, frost the top. Stack the other layer on top, cut side down. Place remaining frosting on top of the cake and, working from the center outward, frost the top and sides of the cake.
Place a baking sheet under the platter or cake stand, to catch any fallen sprinkles. Sprinkle the top with a layer of sprinkles. Toss remaining sprinkles at the sides of the cake, or press handfuls of sprinkles gently up the sides to make a thicker coating. Gather fallen sprinkles and repeat until coated to your liking.
Refrigerate cake 30 minutes or longer to set. Serve cool.
Tip
Julia's house blend: 2 parts blue, 1 part yellow, 1 part orange, 1 part bright pink. It's best not to use white, light pastel or "natural" sprinkles. They just disappear (poof!) into the cake after baking.
CHRISTINA TOSI'S CROCKPOT CAKE
This comes from Same Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, "Christina Tosi, the pastry chef and an owner of Momofuku Milk Bar, sits near the beating heart of David Chang’s eclectic and innovative Momofuku restaurant empire. Off the clock, though, her cooking runs to inspired simplicity, as in this simple, tangy, slightly-caramelized at the edges slow-cooker cake, a version of which appears in her cookbook from Clarkson Potter, “Milk Bar Life.” Slow-cooker recipes invariably tell you to make something at night and enjoy them in the morning, or to make them in the morning and eat them after work. That only works if you don’t sleep much, or have a part-time job. This is a recipe for a weekend afternoon, or for cooking from the moment you get home until the very near end of a dinner party. It is a four-to-six hour affair."
Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Time: About 5 hours
This was featured in "The Slow Cooker, Redeemed", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017227-christina-tosis-crockpot-cake.
Ingredients
1/2 pound unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup neutral oil, like canola or grapeseed
1-1/2cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Preparation
Put all but 1 tablespoon of the butter and the sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer and cream with the paddle attachment at medium-high speed, until the mixture is smooth and pale, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Mix in the eggs and vanilla, then continue to mix for another 3 minutes, until fluffy. Add the buttermilk and oil and mix briefly to combine.
Set the mixer to a very low speed and add the cake flour, baking powder and salt, mixing for a minute or so and scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice, until the batter has just come together, with no lumps.
Use the remaining tablespoon of butter to grease the interior of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, then pour the batter into the pot. Cover and cook on low for somewhere in the neighborhood of 4 to 6 hours, until the cake has set and is cooked through at the center. To serve, run a knife around the edge of the slow cooker to loosen the cake and then carefully invert onto a platter, or simply spoon the cake out of the slow cooker.
BLACK FOREST LAYER CAKE
This yumminess is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "If you’re looking for a baking project or beautiful (and wildly delicious!) layered cake for a special occasion, look no further than this Black Forest Layer Cake. Three layers of a moist chocolate cake are separated by a from-scratch cherry filling (made with dark sweet cherries) that’s both rich and tart in its taste, then frosted with a Swiss buttercream frosting and decorated with shaved chocolate and a pile of maraschino cherries. What makes this cake truly special is the “double dam” frosting border! Frosting is piped twice on the outside edge of the cake layer so there’s a thick layer of buttercream that holds in the cherry filling. The end result is a dramatic black and white look and a touch of extra Swiss buttercream for frosting lovers. This cake is an absolute stunner, and it will reward the baker and the guests alike!"
Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes; Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes; Servings: 12
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Cake
2 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1-1/4 cups water
2/3 cup butter, softened
1-1/3 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
Cherry Filling
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup water
1-1/4 cups frozen dark sweet cherries, thawed, drained, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon butter
Frosting
6 egg whites
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups butter, softened and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoons vanilla
Decorations
1/2 cup shaved semisweet chocolate baking bar (about 1 oz)
1/2 cup maraschino cherries with stems, well drained and patted dry
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottoms and sides of 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line with cooking parchment paper.
In small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another small bowl, beat baking cocoa and 1-1/4 cups water with whisk until well blended. Set both bowls aside.
In bowl of electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat 2/3 cup softened butter and 1-1/3 cups sugar on medium speed 2 to 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally, until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in eggs, one at a time, just until smooth. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla. On low speed, beat in one-third of the flour mixture, then half of the cocoa mixture, beating well after each addition, just until smooth. Repeat with flour mixture and cocoa mixture, ending with flour mixture. Scrape side of bowl occasionally. Pour 1-2/3 cups batter in each pan; spread evenly. Tap pans on counter 2 to 3 times to eliminate air bubbles from batter.
Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, beat 1/2 cup sugar and the cornstarch with whisk. Beat in 1/3 cup water until smooth. Stir in chopped cherries. On medium-high heat, heat cherry mixture to boiling; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in 1 tablespoon butter. Pour into small bowl. Refrigerate uncovered at least 1 hour.
In medium glass or metal bowl, beat egg whites and 1-1/2 cups sugar with whisk until blended. Set over pan of simmering water, beating occasionally, 16 to 20 minutes or until sugar has dissolved and egg mixture reaches 160°F. Remove from heat; pour into bowl of electric stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on high speed 2 to 3 minutes or until glossy peaks form and bowl has cooled to feel slightly warm. Still on high speed, slowly add 1-1/2 cups butter, one piece at a time, scraping side of bowl occasionally, until mixture is smooth, thick and shiny, 12 to 14 minutes. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla. If mixture separates, beat until smooth.
Fit decorating bag with 1/2-inch round piping tip; fill with frosting. Place one cake layer on serving plate. Pipe a thick frosting border around top edge of cake layer. Pipe a second border just inside the first border. Spread 2/3 cup of the cherry filling over top of cake inside borders. Top with second cake layer; repeat borders and filling. Place third cake layer on top. Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting. Press shaved chocolate around bottom half of cake. Refrigerate 1 hour.
When ready to serve, mound maraschino cherries in center of cake. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.
Expert Tips
We tested this recipe with an electric stand mixer. An electric hand mixer may also be used, but for the frosting, start on low and gradually increase speed, ensuring the mixer’s motor can handle it; the beating time may take a little longer.
To make shaved chocolate for this recipe, we used a 62% cacao semisweet chocolate baking bar. Use a vegetable peeler to shave chocolate easily.
Soft butter is important in this recipe. To soften butter, cut in small pieces, and leave at room temperature. A faster method is to microwave butter in 5-second increments at 50% (Medium), turning the butter frequently so butter is softened but not melted.
Black Forest cakes typically have brandy in the cherry filling. Stir in 2 tablespoons brandy when adding the butter to the cherry filling, if desired.
If crumbs get in the frosting while frosting the cake, scrape off your icing spatula into a separate bowl so as not to get crumbs on the frosted cake.
A turntable is helpful when decorating a cake. You can build your cake on the flat surface, and it allows you to turn the cake as you frost, which makes it easier to decorate.
To keep your serving plate clean while frosting the cake, place strips of waxed paper around edge of plate. Remove after frosting, and decorating is complete.
There are different types of buttercream: Simple or American (butter and powdered sugar), Decorator's (typically using shortening and powdered sugar), French (egg yolks, sugar syrup and butter), Italian (sugar syrup, egg whites and butter) and Swiss (egg whites and sugar heated, and lots of butter)!
Making Swiss buttercream is a process that takes some patience. Heat egg whites and sugar in a double boiler until it reaches 160°F. Put egg-sugar mixture in a mixer fitted with whisk attachment, and beat until cooled. Slowly add 1-1/2 cups butter piece by piece so butter is nearly emulsified into the mixture. Take your time doing this! It will look like soft white meringue until the butter takes hold and becomes frosting. (It will not have frosting texture until nearly the last piece of butter is added.)
There are two types of cherries—sweet and sour. Sour cherries, also called pie cherries, tart cherries or tart red cherries make wonderful pies. Sweet cherries are great for eating fresh, but not for pies. Maraschino cherries are preserved sweetened cherries and are perfect for this cake. We used frozen dark sweet cherries to avoid the process of pitting.
ALMOND FUDGE BANANA CAKE
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Makes 16 Servings
Ingredients
3 extra-ripe, peeled medium Dole bananas
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup margarine, softened
3 eggs
3 tablespoons amaretto liqueur, or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Dole chopped almonds, toasted, ground
BANANA CHOCOLATE GLAZE:
1 pureed, extra-ripe small Dole banana
1 ounce (1 square) melted semisweet chocolate
Ingredients
Mash bananas (1 1/2 cups). Beat sugar and margarine until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, liqueur and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients. Stir in almonds. Add to beaten mixture alternately with bananas. Beat well. Turn batter into greased 10-inch bundt pan. Bake in 350 degree F. oven 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out nearly clean and cake pulls away from sides of pan. Cool 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan to wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle glaze over top and down sides of cake.
TOMATO SOUP CAKE
This came from Carroll Pellegrinelli on The Spruce Eats. She wrote, “Tomato Soup Cake you say? Yuk. That’s what I thought about this cake. It’s not like that at all. First of all, you can’t even taste or smell any tomatoes. Secondly, if you enjoy spice cakes, you’ll enjoy this one too. The cream cheese frosting makes it taste even better.”
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Yield: 24 pieces (24 servings)
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon*
1/2 teaspoon cloves*
1-1/2 teaspoon allspice*
1 10 ounce can tomato soup
1/2 cup butter (melted or vegetable oil)
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk (or water)
For the Frosting:
1 pound cream cheese (room temperature)
1/2 cup/4 ounces butter (room temperature)
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
Directions
Gather the ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. (325 degrees F. for a dark or glass pan). Grease an 13 x 9 baking pan. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground all spice in a large bowl with a wire whisk. Set the bowl aside. In a medium bowl, combine the tomato soup, melted butter, eggs and milk. Mix completely. Add the soup mixture to the flour mixture and mix until completely combined. Carefully, pour the cake batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake the cake for at least 40 minutes or until it is tested done. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack.
Once the cake is completely cool, make the frosting. Beat the cream cheese until it’s fluffy. Add the butter until the mixture is even fluffier. Slowly add the milk. Be sure to mix each time the milk is added. Add the vanilla and continue to mix the frosting. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Continue to add the sugar until all of it is used. If the frosting seems too dry, add a tablespoon of milk at a time. Frost the cake with the cream cheese frosting. If you don’t want that much frosting, the excess can be frozen for a later use.
*Feel free to substitute nutmeg for one of the spices you don't happen to have.
STRAWBERRY COUNTRY CAKE
This is from Ina Garten, star of The Food Network’s Barefoot Contessa. Total Time: 1 hr 15 min; Prep: 30 min; Cook: 45 min; Yield: 2 (8-inch) cakes; Level: Intermediate
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/strawberry-country-cake-recipe.html?oc=linkback.
Ingredients
12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
For the filling for each cake:
1 cup (1/2 pint) heavy cream, chilled
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter the bottom of two 8-inch cake pans. Then line them with parchment paper and butter and flour the lined pans.
Cream the butter and sugar on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, then the sour cream, zests, and vanilla, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix well. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda. On low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and combine just until smooth.
Pour the batter evenly into the pans, smooth the tops, and bake in the center of the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then remove to wire racks and let cool to room temperature. If using 1 cake, wrap the second well and freeze.
To make the filling for one cake, whip the cream, sugar, and vanilla in a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until firm. Slice one of the cakes in half with a long, sharp knife. Place the bottom slice of the cake on a serving platter, spread with 1/2 the whipped cream and scatter with sliced strawberries. Cover with the top slice of the cake and spread with the remaining cream. Decorate with strawberries.
RAINBOW SPRINKLE CAKE
This is from Julia Moskin in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, “In the 1990s, when home bakers started putting rainbow sprinkles in their cakes, as well as on their cakes, the Funfetti craze was born. Pillsbury introduced its Funfetti cake mix in 1989, and the idea was quickly adopted by home cooks for waffles, pancakes and cupcakes. Now, as seen on photo-friendly social media sites like Instagram and Pinterest, rainbow sprinkles are decorating everything from morning smoothie bowls to late-night martinis. But the Funfetti layer cake is still the most fun. You can buy premixed rainbow sprinkles, but professionals mix their own to get just the right color combination. (Coming up with a signature "house blend" is a good Saturday morning project for kids.) And though it may be tempting, do not use any sprinkles made with natural colorings in the cake -- they fade away, instead of leaving beautiful streaks of color.” Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Time: 1-1/2 hours, plus cooling.
This was featured in “The Funfetti Explosion” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), slightly softened, more for pans
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, more for pans
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
2/3 cup whole milk
1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
1 whole egg plus 2 egg whites
1/3 cup rainbow sprinkles (not pastel, or naturally colored)
For the Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, slightly softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), slightly softened
1/8 teaspoon fine salt, more to taste
3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted, more to taste
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup rainbow sprinkles (see note)
Preparation
Make the cake: Heat oven to 325 degrees and place a rack in the center. Butter and line the bottoms of two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Butter the parchment. Flour the pans, coating the bottom and sides, then tap out any excess flour.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, stir together milk and vanilla.
In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and, with mixer running, slowly add egg and whites and beat until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape down bowl. Add half the flour mixture, then the milk mixture, then the remaining flour mixture, beating to blend after each addition. Scrape down bowl and blend once more. Remove bowl and use a spatula or spoon to mix in sprinkles by hand.
Divide batter evenly between the pans and bake until the tops are just dry to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Rotate the pans halfway through baking.
Transfer pans to a wire rack and let cool completely, at least 4 hours, before turning out.
Make the frosting: In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, butter and salt together at medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and, with mixer running, slowly add sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in vanilla just until incorporated. Taste frosting; you should be able to taste the cream cheese and a little bit of saltiness, as well as the sweetness. If desired, add more salt or sugar. Keep refrigerated.
Turn cooled cakes out of pans. Using a bread knife, cut off any domed or uneven parts of each cake to make flat surfaces. Place one of the cakes on a platter or a cake stand, cut side up. Using an offset spatula, frost the top. Stack the other layer on top, cut side down. Place remaining frosting on top of the cake and, working from the center outward, frost the top and sides of the cake.
Place a baking sheet under the platter or cake stand, to catch any fallen sprinkles. Sprinkle the top with a layer of sprinkles. Toss remaining sprinkles at the sides of the cake, or press handfuls of sprinkles gently up the sides to make a thicker coating. Gather fallen sprinkles and repeat until coated to your liking.
Refrigerate cake 30 minutes or longer to set. Serve cool.
Tip
Julia's house blend: 2 parts blue, 1 part yellow, 1 part orange, 1 part bright pink. It's best not to use white, light pastel or "natural" sprinkles. They just disappear (poof!) into the cake after baking.
CHRISTINA TOSI'S CROCKPOT CAKE
This comes from Same Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, "Christina Tosi, the pastry chef and an owner of Momofuku Milk Bar, sits near the beating heart of David Chang’s eclectic and innovative Momofuku restaurant empire. Off the clock, though, her cooking runs to inspired simplicity, as in this simple, tangy, slightly-caramelized at the edges slow-cooker cake, a version of which appears in her cookbook from Clarkson Potter, “Milk Bar Life.” Slow-cooker recipes invariably tell you to make something at night and enjoy them in the morning, or to make them in the morning and eat them after work. That only works if you don’t sleep much, or have a part-time job. This is a recipe for a weekend afternoon, or for cooking from the moment you get home until the very near end of a dinner party. It is a four-to-six hour affair."
Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Time: About 5 hours
This was featured in "The Slow Cooker, Redeemed", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017227-christina-tosis-crockpot-cake.
Ingredients
1/2 pound unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup neutral oil, like canola or grapeseed
1-1/2cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Preparation
Put all but 1 tablespoon of the butter and the sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer and cream with the paddle attachment at medium-high speed, until the mixture is smooth and pale, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Mix in the eggs and vanilla, then continue to mix for another 3 minutes, until fluffy. Add the buttermilk and oil and mix briefly to combine.
Set the mixer to a very low speed and add the cake flour, baking powder and salt, mixing for a minute or so and scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice, until the batter has just come together, with no lumps.
Use the remaining tablespoon of butter to grease the interior of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, then pour the batter into the pot. Cover and cook on low for somewhere in the neighborhood of 4 to 6 hours, until the cake has set and is cooked through at the center. To serve, run a knife around the edge of the slow cooker to loosen the cake and then carefully invert onto a platter, or simply spoon the cake out of the slow cooker.
BLACK FOREST LAYER CAKE
This yumminess is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "If you’re looking for a baking project or beautiful (and wildly delicious!) layered cake for a special occasion, look no further than this Black Forest Layer Cake. Three layers of a moist chocolate cake are separated by a from-scratch cherry filling (made with dark sweet cherries) that’s both rich and tart in its taste, then frosted with a Swiss buttercream frosting and decorated with shaved chocolate and a pile of maraschino cherries. What makes this cake truly special is the “double dam” frosting border! Frosting is piped twice on the outside edge of the cake layer so there’s a thick layer of buttercream that holds in the cherry filling. The end result is a dramatic black and white look and a touch of extra Swiss buttercream for frosting lovers. This cake is an absolute stunner, and it will reward the baker and the guests alike!"
Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes; Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes; Servings: 12
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Cake
2 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1-1/4 cups water
2/3 cup butter, softened
1-1/3 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
Cherry Filling
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup water
1-1/4 cups frozen dark sweet cherries, thawed, drained, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon butter
Frosting
6 egg whites
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups butter, softened and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoons vanilla
Decorations
1/2 cup shaved semisweet chocolate baking bar (about 1 oz)
1/2 cup maraschino cherries with stems, well drained and patted dry
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottoms and sides of 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line with cooking parchment paper.
In small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another small bowl, beat baking cocoa and 1-1/4 cups water with whisk until well blended. Set both bowls aside.
In bowl of electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat 2/3 cup softened butter and 1-1/3 cups sugar on medium speed 2 to 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally, until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in eggs, one at a time, just until smooth. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla. On low speed, beat in one-third of the flour mixture, then half of the cocoa mixture, beating well after each addition, just until smooth. Repeat with flour mixture and cocoa mixture, ending with flour mixture. Scrape side of bowl occasionally. Pour 1-2/3 cups batter in each pan; spread evenly. Tap pans on counter 2 to 3 times to eliminate air bubbles from batter.
Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, beat 1/2 cup sugar and the cornstarch with whisk. Beat in 1/3 cup water until smooth. Stir in chopped cherries. On medium-high heat, heat cherry mixture to boiling; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in 1 tablespoon butter. Pour into small bowl. Refrigerate uncovered at least 1 hour.
In medium glass or metal bowl, beat egg whites and 1-1/2 cups sugar with whisk until blended. Set over pan of simmering water, beating occasionally, 16 to 20 minutes or until sugar has dissolved and egg mixture reaches 160°F. Remove from heat; pour into bowl of electric stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on high speed 2 to 3 minutes or until glossy peaks form and bowl has cooled to feel slightly warm. Still on high speed, slowly add 1-1/2 cups butter, one piece at a time, scraping side of bowl occasionally, until mixture is smooth, thick and shiny, 12 to 14 minutes. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla. If mixture separates, beat until smooth.
Fit decorating bag with 1/2-inch round piping tip; fill with frosting. Place one cake layer on serving plate. Pipe a thick frosting border around top edge of cake layer. Pipe a second border just inside the first border. Spread 2/3 cup of the cherry filling over top of cake inside borders. Top with second cake layer; repeat borders and filling. Place third cake layer on top. Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting. Press shaved chocolate around bottom half of cake. Refrigerate 1 hour.
When ready to serve, mound maraschino cherries in center of cake. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.
Expert Tips
We tested this recipe with an electric stand mixer. An electric hand mixer may also be used, but for the frosting, start on low and gradually increase speed, ensuring the mixer’s motor can handle it; the beating time may take a little longer.
To make shaved chocolate for this recipe, we used a 62% cacao semisweet chocolate baking bar. Use a vegetable peeler to shave chocolate easily.
Soft butter is important in this recipe. To soften butter, cut in small pieces, and leave at room temperature. A faster method is to microwave butter in 5-second increments at 50% (Medium), turning the butter frequently so butter is softened but not melted.
Black Forest cakes typically have brandy in the cherry filling. Stir in 2 tablespoons brandy when adding the butter to the cherry filling, if desired.
If crumbs get in the frosting while frosting the cake, scrape off your icing spatula into a separate bowl so as not to get crumbs on the frosted cake.
A turntable is helpful when decorating a cake. You can build your cake on the flat surface, and it allows you to turn the cake as you frost, which makes it easier to decorate.
To keep your serving plate clean while frosting the cake, place strips of waxed paper around edge of plate. Remove after frosting, and decorating is complete.
There are different types of buttercream: Simple or American (butter and powdered sugar), Decorator's (typically using shortening and powdered sugar), French (egg yolks, sugar syrup and butter), Italian (sugar syrup, egg whites and butter) and Swiss (egg whites and sugar heated, and lots of butter)!
Making Swiss buttercream is a process that takes some patience. Heat egg whites and sugar in a double boiler until it reaches 160°F. Put egg-sugar mixture in a mixer fitted with whisk attachment, and beat until cooled. Slowly add 1-1/2 cups butter piece by piece so butter is nearly emulsified into the mixture. Take your time doing this! It will look like soft white meringue until the butter takes hold and becomes frosting. (It will not have frosting texture until nearly the last piece of butter is added.)
There are two types of cherries—sweet and sour. Sour cherries, also called pie cherries, tart cherries or tart red cherries make wonderful pies. Sweet cherries are great for eating fresh, but not for pies. Maraschino cherries are preserved sweetened cherries and are perfect for this cake. We used frozen dark sweet cherries to avoid the process of pitting.
ALMOND FUDGE BANANA CAKE
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Makes 16 Servings
Ingredients
3 extra-ripe, peeled medium Dole bananas
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup margarine, softened
3 eggs
3 tablespoons amaretto liqueur, or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Dole chopped almonds, toasted, ground
BANANA CHOCOLATE GLAZE:
1 pureed, extra-ripe small Dole banana
1 ounce (1 square) melted semisweet chocolate
Ingredients
Mash bananas (1 1/2 cups). Beat sugar and margarine until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, liqueur and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients. Stir in almonds. Add to beaten mixture alternately with bananas. Beat well. Turn batter into greased 10-inch bundt pan. Bake in 350 degree F. oven 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out nearly clean and cake pulls away from sides of pan. Cool 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan to wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle glaze over top and down sides of cake.
TOMATO SOUP CAKE
This came from Carroll Pellegrinelli on The Spruce Eats. She wrote, “Tomato Soup Cake you say? Yuk. That’s what I thought about this cake. It’s not like that at all. First of all, you can’t even taste or smell any tomatoes. Secondly, if you enjoy spice cakes, you’ll enjoy this one too. The cream cheese frosting makes it taste even better.”
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Yield: 24 pieces (24 servings)
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon*
1/2 teaspoon cloves*
1-1/2 teaspoon allspice*
1 10 ounce can tomato soup
1/2 cup butter (melted or vegetable oil)
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk (or water)
For the Frosting:
1 pound cream cheese (room temperature)
1/2 cup/4 ounces butter (room temperature)
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
Directions
Gather the ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. (325 degrees F. for a dark or glass pan). Grease an 13 x 9 baking pan. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground all spice in a large bowl with a wire whisk. Set the bowl aside. In a medium bowl, combine the tomato soup, melted butter, eggs and milk. Mix completely. Add the soup mixture to the flour mixture and mix until completely combined. Carefully, pour the cake batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake the cake for at least 40 minutes or until it is tested done. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack.
Once the cake is completely cool, make the frosting. Beat the cream cheese until it’s fluffy. Add the butter until the mixture is even fluffier. Slowly add the milk. Be sure to mix each time the milk is added. Add the vanilla and continue to mix the frosting. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Continue to add the sugar until all of it is used. If the frosting seems too dry, add a tablespoon of milk at a time. Frost the cake with the cream cheese frosting. If you don’t want that much frosting, the excess can be frozen for a later use.
*Feel free to substitute nutmeg for one of the spices you don't happen to have.
STRAWBERRY COUNTRY CAKE
This is from Ina Garten, star of The Food Network’s Barefoot Contessa. Total Time: 1 hr 15 min; Prep: 30 min; Cook: 45 min; Yield: 2 (8-inch) cakes; Level: Intermediate
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/strawberry-country-cake-recipe.html?oc=linkback.
Ingredients
12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
For the filling for each cake:
1 cup (1/2 pint) heavy cream, chilled
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter the bottom of two 8-inch cake pans. Then line them with parchment paper and butter and flour the lined pans.
Cream the butter and sugar on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, then the sour cream, zests, and vanilla, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix well. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda. On low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and combine just until smooth.
Pour the batter evenly into the pans, smooth the tops, and bake in the center of the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then remove to wire racks and let cool to room temperature. If using 1 cake, wrap the second well and freeze.
To make the filling for one cake, whip the cream, sugar, and vanilla in a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until firm. Slice one of the cakes in half with a long, sharp knife. Place the bottom slice of the cake on a serving platter, spread with 1/2 the whipped cream and scatter with sliced strawberries. Cover with the top slice of the cake and spread with the remaining cream. Decorate with strawberries.
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