Something Different
Many times, we tend to want something a little predictable: apple or pumpkin pies, peanut butter cookies, chocolate cake...
But every once in a while, it's nice to have something different, something a little surprising.
Today's post fits the something different bill. Check out the Cherry-Cola Dump Cake, the Whole Roasted Pineapples, or any of the other yummy desserts in today's post. Enjoy!
OLIVE GARDEN'S CHOCOLATE LASAGNA RECIPE
I was on Olive Garden's emailing list for a while. This was one of the recipes on the list. The recipe starts with, "Layers of rich chocolate cake and sweet buttercream icing… no longer being served at Olive Garden, but you can still enjoy it at home!"
Ingredients
Cake
6 cups cake flour
5-1/4 cups sugar
2-1/4 cups baking cocoa
2 tablespoons baking soda
4-1/2 cups milk
1-1/2 cup butter
12 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Butter Cream
2/3 cup water
4 tablespoons meringue powder
12 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1-1/4 cup shortening
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon clear almond extract
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
1 teaspoon colorless butter flavoring
Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 10-inch springform pans.
Cake
In mixing bowl, stir together sifted cake flour, sugar, cocoa and baking soda. Add butter and mix well. Add milk, eggs and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Pour about 5 cups of the cake batter into each prepared pan. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cake center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before you remove the cake from the pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Butter Cream
Combine water and meringue powder; whip at high speed until peaks form. Add 4 cups of sugar, one cup at a time, beating after each addition at low speed. Alternately add shortening and remainder of sugar. Add salt and flavorings; beat at low speed until smooth. Thin out 1/2 of the frosting with a little extra water. The thinned frosting is used as the filling between layers.
To Assemble
Place one 10 inch cake on a large round plate or a large round cake platter. Spread 1/2 of the thinned frosting on top. (Only frost the top of the cake) Sprinkle very lightly with semi-sweet chocolate chips. (There are very few chips on this layer, usually only 1 or 2 per wedge, so sprinkle very very lightly).
Place the second cake on top of the first. Frost the top with the remaining thinned frosting. Sprinkle with semi-sweet chocolate chips. (You can be a bit more generous with this layer).
Place the third layer on top of the second. Frost the top with all of the Butter Cream that was not thinned. This is a thick layer of frosting so pile it on. Try to get the top as smooth as you can. Sprinkle with semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Cut the cake into wedges, as you would cut a pizza. Using chocolate syrup, create a design on your dessert plate. Place the wedge of chocolate lasagna at the 11 o’clock position on your dessert plate with the point facing down. (So that you can see some of the syrup design).
WHOLE ROASTED PINEAPPLES
This was in an article titled "Vision Quest, Recipes for Eye Health" in the July 2020 issue of Taste for Life (page 15).
I had picked up a copy of Taste for Life at Rollin' Oats, a Florida health food store with two locations (Tampa and St. Petersburg). Since I live close to the St. Pete store, I try to go there as often as possible (though not often enough, as far as I'm concerned). If you're ever in the area, I highly suggest giving them a try.
This recipe has a prep time of 30 minutes and serves 6.
Ingredients
2 Tbsp coconut sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp coconut oil
2 pineapples, peeled
To Garnish
Toasted coconut flakes
Dairy-free ice cream
Fresh mint
Maple syrup
Lime zest
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Add coconut sugar, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper to a small bowl and mix together.
Place a large non-stick pan over a medium heat and add coconut oil. When hot, add whole peeled pineapples. Turn pineapples so they color on all sides. Sprinkle over sugar mixture while they are cooking.
When pineapples are golden, place them onto a baking sheet and then into over for 15 to 20 minutes.
Once pineapples are baked, carve them at the table. Serve with toasted coconut flakes, ice cream, fresh mint, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a little lime zest.
ORIGINAL PLUM TORTE
This is from The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. It begins, “The Times published Marian Burros’s recipe for Plum Torte every September from 1983 until 1989, when the editors determined that enough was enough. The recipe was to be printed for the last time that year. 'To counter anticipated protests,' Ms. Burros wrote a few years later, 'the recipe was printed in larger type than usual with a broken-line border around it to encourage clipping.” It didn’t help. The paper was flooded with angry letters. “The appearance of the recipe, like the torte itself, is bittersweet,' wrote a reader in Tarrytown, N.Y. 'Summer is leaving, fall is coming. That's what your annual recipe is all about. Don't be grumpy about it.' We are not! And we pledge that every year, as summer gives way to fall, we will make sure that the recipe is easily available to one and all. The original 1983 recipe called for 1 cup sugar; the 1989 version reduced that to 3/4 cup. We give both options below. Here are five ways to adapt the torte.” Yield: 8 servings; Time: 1 hour 15 minutes.
This was featured in “Eating Well” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
3/4 to 1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup unbleached flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt (optional)
2 eggs
24 halves pitted purple plums
Sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon, for topping
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream the sugar and butter in a bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and eggs and beat well.
Spoon the batter into a springform pan of 8, 9 or 10 inches. Place the plum halves skin side up on top of the batter. Sprinkle lightly with sugar and lemon juice, depending on the sweetness of the fruit. Sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, depending on how much you like cinnamon.
Bake 1 hour, approximately. Remove and cool; refrigerate or freeze if desired. Or cool to lukewarm and serve plain or with whipped cream. (To serve a torte that was frozen, defrost and reheat it briefly at 300 degrees.)
Tip
To freeze, double-wrap the torte in foil, place in a plastic bag and seal.
CHERRY-COLA DUMP CAKE
This yumminess comes from Betty Crocker, and begins, "Super easy to prepare: Just mix devil's food cake mix with cola and pour over cherries. Bake for one hour and voila!"
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Servings: 9
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 jar (16 oz) maraschino cherries with juice (without stems)
1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ devil’s food cake mix
1 cup cola-flavored carbonated beverage
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Into ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish, “dump” cherries with cherry juice.
In medium bowl, mix cake mix and carbonated beverage. “Dump” mixture over cherries.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool about 15 minutes before cutting and serving cake.
Expert Tips
Serve with whipped cream and additional cherries.
You could substitute cherry pie filling in place of the maraschino cherries and juice.
BUTTER MOCHI
This is from Genevieve Ko in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. She wrote, "Tender and chewy, this big-batch dessert — as comforting as cake and as fun as bar cookies — is always a hit at parties. Mochiko, sweet rice flour, not only gives it its distinctive marshmallow-like softness, but it also lends a natural sweetness. This version of butter mochi uses only coconut milk for its richness and subtle nutty taste, but you can substitute equivalent amounts of whole milk, evaporated milk or a combination of those liquids. Butter mochi develops a crackly top that stays crunchy the day it’s baked, making it a delicious dessert to eat without adornment. But, if you’d like more crunch, you can sprinkle dried shredded coconut evenly over the top before baking, or, for a tangy, colorful top, you can coat it with the passion fruit glaze below."
This was featured in "The Best Party Dessert Comes From Hawaii", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022347-butter-mochi.
Yield: 1 (9-by-13-inch) cake; Time: 2 hours, plus cooling
Ingredients
For the Mochi:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for greasing the pan
3 cups mochiko (sweet rice flour), like Blue Star brand
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
4 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
2 (13.5-ounce) cans unsweetened coconut milk (scant 3-1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
For the Passion Fruit Glaze (optional):
1-1/2 packed cups confectioners’ sugar
2 to 4 tablespoons passion fruit pulp or purée (see Tip)
Pink or red food coloring (optional)
Preparation
Make the mochi: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch cake pan, then line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.
Whisk the mochiko, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Prepare the batter in a stand mixer or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer or whisk: Whisk the eggs and sugar until pale yellow and thick. Continue whisking while pouring in the coconut milk, then the butter and vanilla. Continue whisking while gradually adding the mochiko mixture. Whisk until the batter is completely smooth. Pour into the prepared pan, then tap it against the counter to get rid of any air bubbles.
Bake until golden brown and crackly, 1 hour 15 minutes to 1-1/2 hours. When you press the center, it should bounce back but not indent at all. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Use the parchment paper to slide the cooled mochi out of the pan.
The mochi is delicious plain, but you can add a glaze if you’d like: Mix the confectioners’ sugar with 2 tablespoons passion fruit pulp until smooth. It should be thick but drippy. If needed, add another 1 to 2 tablespoons pulp. If you’d like to create an ombré or sunset effect, scrape some into another bowl or multiple bowls and tint with food coloring. Spread the glaze evenly over the mochi, in stripes if you’d like, and let stand until set.
Cut the mochi into squares or bars. Serve immediately, or keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Tip
You can buy pure passion fruit purée from specialty markets and some grocery stores in the frozen fruit section. If you can’t find the fruit or purée, you can substitute passion fruit juice or nectar, but it will be much sweeter. To prepare passion fruit pulp from fresh fruit, halve 2 fruits and scrape the pulp into a small microwave-safe bowl or saucepan. Warm by microwaving for 15 seconds or heating on low until loose and runny. Press through a sieve to extract the pulp from the seeds.
PEAR AND GINGERSNAP CRUMBLE
This is from the November/December 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times (page 42), and begins, "Canned pears are already tender, so this crumble only needs to bake until the juices bubble, cutting the cooking time to less than half that of making this dessert with fresh fruit." Makes 8 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/pear-and-gingersnap-crumble/.
Ingredients
2 29-oz. cans pear halves in heavy syrup
3 Tbs. diced crystallized ginger
5 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
10 oz. (about 40) gingersnap cookies
3 Tbs. dark brown sugar
1 pint low-fat vanilla ice cream
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375F. Coat 8-inch baking dish with cooking spray, and set aside.
Drain all but 1/3 cup syrup from canned pears. Cut pears into large chunks. Toss pears, reserved 1/3 cup of syrup, ginger and 1 Tbs. butter in prepared baking dish.
Pulse cookies in food processor until coarsely crumbled. Add sugar and remaining 4 Tbs. butter, and pulse to blend. Sprinkle cookie mixture over pears. Bake 18 minutes, or until juices bubble. Spoon into bowls, top with dollop of ice cream, and serve.
But every once in a while, it's nice to have something different, something a little surprising.
Today's post fits the something different bill. Check out the Cherry-Cola Dump Cake, the Whole Roasted Pineapples, or any of the other yummy desserts in today's post. Enjoy!
OLIVE GARDEN'S CHOCOLATE LASAGNA RECIPE
I was on Olive Garden's emailing list for a while. This was one of the recipes on the list. The recipe starts with, "Layers of rich chocolate cake and sweet buttercream icing… no longer being served at Olive Garden, but you can still enjoy it at home!"
Ingredients
Cake
6 cups cake flour
5-1/4 cups sugar
2-1/4 cups baking cocoa
2 tablespoons baking soda
4-1/2 cups milk
1-1/2 cup butter
12 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Butter Cream
2/3 cup water
4 tablespoons meringue powder
12 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1-1/4 cup shortening
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon clear almond extract
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
1 teaspoon colorless butter flavoring
Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 10-inch springform pans.
Cake
In mixing bowl, stir together sifted cake flour, sugar, cocoa and baking soda. Add butter and mix well. Add milk, eggs and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Pour about 5 cups of the cake batter into each prepared pan. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cake center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before you remove the cake from the pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Butter Cream
Combine water and meringue powder; whip at high speed until peaks form. Add 4 cups of sugar, one cup at a time, beating after each addition at low speed. Alternately add shortening and remainder of sugar. Add salt and flavorings; beat at low speed until smooth. Thin out 1/2 of the frosting with a little extra water. The thinned frosting is used as the filling between layers.
To Assemble
Place one 10 inch cake on a large round plate or a large round cake platter. Spread 1/2 of the thinned frosting on top. (Only frost the top of the cake) Sprinkle very lightly with semi-sweet chocolate chips. (There are very few chips on this layer, usually only 1 or 2 per wedge, so sprinkle very very lightly).
Place the second cake on top of the first. Frost the top with the remaining thinned frosting. Sprinkle with semi-sweet chocolate chips. (You can be a bit more generous with this layer).
Place the third layer on top of the second. Frost the top with all of the Butter Cream that was not thinned. This is a thick layer of frosting so pile it on. Try to get the top as smooth as you can. Sprinkle with semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Cut the cake into wedges, as you would cut a pizza. Using chocolate syrup, create a design on your dessert plate. Place the wedge of chocolate lasagna at the 11 o’clock position on your dessert plate with the point facing down. (So that you can see some of the syrup design).
WHOLE ROASTED PINEAPPLES
This was in an article titled "Vision Quest, Recipes for Eye Health" in the July 2020 issue of Taste for Life (page 15).
I had picked up a copy of Taste for Life at Rollin' Oats, a Florida health food store with two locations (Tampa and St. Petersburg). Since I live close to the St. Pete store, I try to go there as often as possible (though not often enough, as far as I'm concerned). If you're ever in the area, I highly suggest giving them a try.
This recipe has a prep time of 30 minutes and serves 6.
Ingredients
2 Tbsp coconut sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp coconut oil
2 pineapples, peeled
To Garnish
Toasted coconut flakes
Dairy-free ice cream
Fresh mint
Maple syrup
Lime zest
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Add coconut sugar, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper to a small bowl and mix together.
Place a large non-stick pan over a medium heat and add coconut oil. When hot, add whole peeled pineapples. Turn pineapples so they color on all sides. Sprinkle over sugar mixture while they are cooking.
When pineapples are golden, place them onto a baking sheet and then into over for 15 to 20 minutes.
Once pineapples are baked, carve them at the table. Serve with toasted coconut flakes, ice cream, fresh mint, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a little lime zest.
ORIGINAL PLUM TORTE
This is from The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. It begins, “The Times published Marian Burros’s recipe for Plum Torte every September from 1983 until 1989, when the editors determined that enough was enough. The recipe was to be printed for the last time that year. 'To counter anticipated protests,' Ms. Burros wrote a few years later, 'the recipe was printed in larger type than usual with a broken-line border around it to encourage clipping.” It didn’t help. The paper was flooded with angry letters. “The appearance of the recipe, like the torte itself, is bittersweet,' wrote a reader in Tarrytown, N.Y. 'Summer is leaving, fall is coming. That's what your annual recipe is all about. Don't be grumpy about it.' We are not! And we pledge that every year, as summer gives way to fall, we will make sure that the recipe is easily available to one and all. The original 1983 recipe called for 1 cup sugar; the 1989 version reduced that to 3/4 cup. We give both options below. Here are five ways to adapt the torte.” Yield: 8 servings; Time: 1 hour 15 minutes.
This was featured in “Eating Well” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
3/4 to 1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup unbleached flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt (optional)
2 eggs
24 halves pitted purple plums
Sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon, for topping
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream the sugar and butter in a bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and eggs and beat well.
Spoon the batter into a springform pan of 8, 9 or 10 inches. Place the plum halves skin side up on top of the batter. Sprinkle lightly with sugar and lemon juice, depending on the sweetness of the fruit. Sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, depending on how much you like cinnamon.
Bake 1 hour, approximately. Remove and cool; refrigerate or freeze if desired. Or cool to lukewarm and serve plain or with whipped cream. (To serve a torte that was frozen, defrost and reheat it briefly at 300 degrees.)
Tip
To freeze, double-wrap the torte in foil, place in a plastic bag and seal.
CHERRY-COLA DUMP CAKE
This yumminess comes from Betty Crocker, and begins, "Super easy to prepare: Just mix devil's food cake mix with cola and pour over cherries. Bake for one hour and voila!"
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Servings: 9
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 jar (16 oz) maraschino cherries with juice (without stems)
1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ devil’s food cake mix
1 cup cola-flavored carbonated beverage
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Into ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish, “dump” cherries with cherry juice.
In medium bowl, mix cake mix and carbonated beverage. “Dump” mixture over cherries.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool about 15 minutes before cutting and serving cake.
Expert Tips
Serve with whipped cream and additional cherries.
You could substitute cherry pie filling in place of the maraschino cherries and juice.
BUTTER MOCHI
This is from Genevieve Ko in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. She wrote, "Tender and chewy, this big-batch dessert — as comforting as cake and as fun as bar cookies — is always a hit at parties. Mochiko, sweet rice flour, not only gives it its distinctive marshmallow-like softness, but it also lends a natural sweetness. This version of butter mochi uses only coconut milk for its richness and subtle nutty taste, but you can substitute equivalent amounts of whole milk, evaporated milk or a combination of those liquids. Butter mochi develops a crackly top that stays crunchy the day it’s baked, making it a delicious dessert to eat without adornment. But, if you’d like more crunch, you can sprinkle dried shredded coconut evenly over the top before baking, or, for a tangy, colorful top, you can coat it with the passion fruit glaze below."
This was featured in "The Best Party Dessert Comes From Hawaii", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022347-butter-mochi.
Yield: 1 (9-by-13-inch) cake; Time: 2 hours, plus cooling
Ingredients
For the Mochi:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for greasing the pan
3 cups mochiko (sweet rice flour), like Blue Star brand
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
4 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
2 (13.5-ounce) cans unsweetened coconut milk (scant 3-1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
For the Passion Fruit Glaze (optional):
1-1/2 packed cups confectioners’ sugar
2 to 4 tablespoons passion fruit pulp or purée (see Tip)
Pink or red food coloring (optional)
Preparation
Make the mochi: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch cake pan, then line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.
Whisk the mochiko, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Prepare the batter in a stand mixer or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer or whisk: Whisk the eggs and sugar until pale yellow and thick. Continue whisking while pouring in the coconut milk, then the butter and vanilla. Continue whisking while gradually adding the mochiko mixture. Whisk until the batter is completely smooth. Pour into the prepared pan, then tap it against the counter to get rid of any air bubbles.
Bake until golden brown and crackly, 1 hour 15 minutes to 1-1/2 hours. When you press the center, it should bounce back but not indent at all. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Use the parchment paper to slide the cooled mochi out of the pan.
The mochi is delicious plain, but you can add a glaze if you’d like: Mix the confectioners’ sugar with 2 tablespoons passion fruit pulp until smooth. It should be thick but drippy. If needed, add another 1 to 2 tablespoons pulp. If you’d like to create an ombré or sunset effect, scrape some into another bowl or multiple bowls and tint with food coloring. Spread the glaze evenly over the mochi, in stripes if you’d like, and let stand until set.
Cut the mochi into squares or bars. Serve immediately, or keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Tip
You can buy pure passion fruit purée from specialty markets and some grocery stores in the frozen fruit section. If you can’t find the fruit or purée, you can substitute passion fruit juice or nectar, but it will be much sweeter. To prepare passion fruit pulp from fresh fruit, halve 2 fruits and scrape the pulp into a small microwave-safe bowl or saucepan. Warm by microwaving for 15 seconds or heating on low until loose and runny. Press through a sieve to extract the pulp from the seeds.
PEAR AND GINGERSNAP CRUMBLE
This is from the November/December 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times (page 42), and begins, "Canned pears are already tender, so this crumble only needs to bake until the juices bubble, cutting the cooking time to less than half that of making this dessert with fresh fruit." Makes 8 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/pear-and-gingersnap-crumble/.
Ingredients
2 29-oz. cans pear halves in heavy syrup
3 Tbs. diced crystallized ginger
5 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
10 oz. (about 40) gingersnap cookies
3 Tbs. dark brown sugar
1 pint low-fat vanilla ice cream
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375F. Coat 8-inch baking dish with cooking spray, and set aside.
Drain all but 1/3 cup syrup from canned pears. Cut pears into large chunks. Toss pears, reserved 1/3 cup of syrup, ginger and 1 Tbs. butter in prepared baking dish.
Pulse cookies in food processor until coarsely crumbled. Add sugar and remaining 4 Tbs. butter, and pulse to blend. Sprinkle cookie mixture over pears. Bake 18 minutes, or until juices bubble. Spoon into bowls, top with dollop of ice cream, and serve.
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