Cake
Yesterday's post dealt with pies; today offerings deal with Cake. Two of the more iconice desserts, right? Today's cake recipes deal with Classic Birthday Cake and Sweet Cherry Upside-Down Cake. Enjoy!
KENTUCKY BUTTER CAKE
This recipe is from Nell Lewis and adapted by Margaux Laskey on The New York Times cooking site, as well as in "Briliant Baking" cooking suppliment on Sunday, February 20, 2022. Margaux wrote, "If you think you don’t need another Bundt cake recipe, this one exists to prove you wrong. Adapted from Nell Lewis of Platte City, Mo., who entered the Pillsbury Bake-Off contest in 1963, it is a favorite of food bloggers and Pinterest lovers alike. On the surface, it’s not that different from your typical pound cake, but what makes it special is a vanilla-scented, buttery sugar glaze that’s poured over the still-warm cake. Left to sit for several hours before unmolding, the glaze soaks into the cake, making it incredibly tender and rich while leaving behind a delightful sugary crust. There are a lot of variations out there — some with bourbon in place of the vanilla, others with sherry — so feel free to play around."
Yield: 10 to 12 servings; Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
You can view this online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020431-kentucky-butter-cake.
Ingredients
For the cake:
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened, plus more for greasing the pan
3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour, plus more for dusting the pan
Nonstick cooking spray (optional)
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup buttermilk (see Tip)
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
For the butter sauce:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Confectioners’ sugar, for sprinkling (optional)
Preparation
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Generously butter and flour (or spray with nonstick cooking spray) a 10-inch tube pan or a 12-cup bundt pan.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or using a handheld mixer, combine the remaining cake ingredients and beat for 3 minutes at medium speed. Pour into prepared pan, level with a spatula and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes.
Shortly before the cake is done baking, make the butter sauce: Combine the granulated sugar, butter and vanilla with 3 tablespoons water in a saucepan over low heat until the butter just melts. (Do not let the mixture boil, as you do not want the sugar to completely dissolve.)
As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, leave the cake in its pan and gently poke it all the way through 15 to 20 times with a long wooden skewer or a long-tined fork. Slowly pour warm butter sauce over the cake. Let cool for at least 3 hours before unmolding from pan. Just before serving, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.
Tip
If you don’t have buttermilk, measure out 1 cup of whole milk and remove 1 tablespoon. Add 1 tablespoon white vinegar to the remaining milk and stir to combine. Let sit for 10 minutes, then stir gently before using in the recipe as you would buttermilk.
MILLION DOLLAR CAKE
This is from Allrecipes, and begins, "A cake made from yellow cake mix is frosted with a cream cheese, mandarin orange, and pineapple mixture for a light and refreshing cake."
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Additional: 9 hours; Total Time: 9 hours 55 minutes; Servings: 12; Yield: 1 (8 or 9 inch) layer cake
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/7903/million-dollar-cake/.
Ingredients
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
8 ounces cream cheese
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
2 (8 ounce) cans mandarin oranges, drained
1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
Directions
Mix and bake cake mix as per package instruction for two 8 or 9 inch round layers. Let layers cool, and then split each layer in half so as to have 4 layers.
In a large bowl, whip cream cheese until soft, and then gradually mix in confectioners' sugar. Stir in the pineapple with juice and the drained mandarin oranges, reserving about 5 mandarin orange slices to decorate the top of cake. Mix in the dry pudding mix. Fold in the whipped topping.
Place one cake layer on a cake plate cut side up; spread with frosting. Place another layer cut side down on the first one, and top with more frosting. Repeat until all layers are used, spreading last bit of frosting on top and sides of cake. Decorate with reserved mandarin orange slices. Refrigerate overnight before serving.
VEGAN TOFU CHOCOLATE CAKE
This is from Ashley Adams on The Spruce Eats. Ashley wrote, "Prepared with silken tofu in place of the eggs and butter called for in traditional recipes, this chocolate cake is one of the healthiest around, yet still so tasty. Frost with whatever dairy-free frosting suits the occasion.
"Although many recipes that call for silken tofu require that you drain the liquid from the box before using, for this recipe just open the box and pour both the liquid and tofu into the blender as directed in Step 3.
"This recipe makes one two-layer 9-inch cake."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Servings: 4; Yield: 1 cake
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/vegan-chocolate-cake-1000681.
Ingredients
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (12.3-ounce) box firm silken tofu
1-1/4 cups maple syrup
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup almond milk
1/3 cup boiling water
Directions
Gather the ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly oil or grease (with dairy-free soy margarine) 2 (9-inch) round cake pans. Set aside.
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Set aside.
Process the tofu in a blender until creamy. Add the maple syrup and oil and process until smooth.
Stir the tofu mixture and almond milk into the dry ingredients. Add the boiling water and continue to stir until the batter is just combined. (The batter should be fairly smooth but will still have some lumps in it.)
Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 15 to 20 minutes on a wire cooling rack before removing from the pans to finish cooling on the cooling rack. Once cakes are completely cool, frost with a dairy-free frosting.
CLASSIC BIRTHDAY CAKE
This is from Alison Roman in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Alison wrote, "A birthday cake needn't be elaborate. A few layers of tender yellow cake and creamy chocolate frosting will do the trick. In this version of the classic pairing, brown sugar and buttermilk provide a sophisticated flavor to the cake, and sour cream adds a slight tang to the chocolate frosting. It’s worth noting that both the cake and frosting can be made ahead. Just make sure you bring the frosting to room temperature before assembly so that it spreads easily. One note: The buttermilk and brown sugar in the batter means that the cake might appear slightly darker on the outside after baking than your typical yellow cake, but don't worry. The inside will be tender and moist."
Yield: 10 to 12 servings; Time: About 1 hour 15 minutes plus chilling
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019045-classic-birthday-cake.
While you're at it, check out Melissa Clark's wonderful guide, "How to Frost a Cake".
Ingredients
For the yellow cake:
Nonstick spray or butter for the pan
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 1-inch pieces, plus more, if necessary, for greasing the pans
3-2/3 cups all-purpose or cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 cups buttermilk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
5 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
For the chocolate frosting:
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (chocolate chips are fine)
8 ounces sour cream, room temperature
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Generous pinch of kosher salt
Lots of sprinkles
Preparation
For the cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray three 9-inch cake pans with nonstick spray or grease with softened butter. If your oven cannot accommodate all 3 pans on one middle rack, while the oven is still cool, arrange 2 racks as close to the middle as possible, allowing enough space between them for the cakes on the lower rack to rise without touching the one above it.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda together; set aside. In a medium bowl (or a measuring cup), combine the buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract; set aside.
In a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar and light brown sugar. Using an electric mixer (or the stand mixer) on high, beat everything together until it’s very light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, beating between additions. Beat the batter until it’s almost doubled in volume and very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, occasionally scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl.
With the mixer on low, gently beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture. Before it’s fully combined, add in 1/2 of the buttermilk mixture. Repeat with remaining flour and buttermilk until everything is well blended and no lumps remain.
Divide the cake batter equally among the three cake pans. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan or rack placement halfway through baking. You’ll know the cakes are done when they are golden brown, pulling away from the sides of the pan, and the tops spring back ever so slightly when you press them.
Remove the cakes from the oven and let sit for five minutes to cool slightly before inverting them onto a wire baking rack to cool completely.
Make the frosting and assemble the cake: Melt the chocolate either in a bowl in the microwave in 30-second intervals until melted, or in a double boiler or makeshift double boiler (a bowl set over a bowl of barely simmering water on the stove, but not touching the water), stirring occasionally until melted. The melted chocolate should be warm but never hot, with no visible chunks left.
Add about 1/3 of the sour cream to the melted chocolate and using a spatula, combine until no white streaks remain. Repeat with another 1/3, and finally the last 1/3. The chocolate will stiffen a bit as you add the sour cream, and this is O.K.
In a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar and salt. Using an electric mixer (or the stand mixer) on low speed at first to avoid showering yourself with sugar, and then increasing to high speed, beat until everything is fluffy and almost pure white, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the chocolate mixture and blend. Increase the speed to high and beat until everything is very fluffy and well combined, about 2 minutes.
Once cakes are cooled, transfer one layer of cake, top side up, to a large parchment-lined plate. Use an offset or regular spatula to spread frosting onto the first layer of cake. Place second layer of cake on top, bottom side up (layering the rest of cake with the flat bottoms on top makes a cake with a straight shape, rather than domed). Repeat with remaining layer.
Once all the layers are assembled, apply a thin layer of frosting all over the cake, making sure to cover the whole cake. Chill the cake for 2 hours, keeping the frosting out at room temperature.
Remove the cake from the fridge and using either an offset spatula or a butter knife, give it another coat of frosting, doing whatever decorative patterns or swirls you wish: very smooth, or peaks and valleys.
Finish and decorate with sprinkles however you please.
Tip
This cake might appear slightly darker on the outside after baking than your typical yellow cake, but don't worry. The inside will be tender and moist.
VANILLA CUPCAKES WITH BLACKBERRY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
This is from Sofia Von Porat at One Green Planet. The recipe begins, "Looking for the perfect summery vegan dessert for parties? Rich blackberry cream cheese frosting is piled high on these dense vanilla vegan cupcakes. The pink color of the frosting comes naturally from the blackberries — no food coloring necessary. These cute little cupcakes are the perfect summer dessert and great for weddings! Blackberries are in season from June till August, which means they're a great addition to classic sweets when you're looking to freshen them up for summer!"
To view this online, go to https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/vanilla-cupcakes-with-blackberry-cream-cheese-frosting/.
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil
3/4 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup blackberries (optional)
For the Frosting:
7 tablespoons vegan butter
7 tablespoons vegan cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
About 5 blackberries
Preparation
To Make the Cupcakes:
Preheat the oven at 350° F and place cupcake liners in a cupcake tray.
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.
Whisk the wet ingredients (oil, soy milk, vanilla, and vinegar) in a large bowl, add the dry mixture and stir to combine (be careful not to over mix). If you want you can even add some blackberries to the muffin mixture.
Pour the batter into the muffin tins and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Let cool completely. In the meantime, prepare the frosting.
To Make the Frosting:
Mash blackberries and press through a sieve so you get 1 tablespoon of juice.
Mix butter and powdered sugar until fluffy with an electric mixer. Add cream cheese and continue mixing. Add the juice and mix to a smooth mixture. Add more icing sugar if the mixture is too runny. Decorate on top of cupcakes.
SWEET CHERRY UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE
This is from Jerrelle Guy in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Jerrelle wrote, "There’s a little black pepper in this cake, which provides just enough heat to enhance the sweetness of the cherries. If you’re worried about the pepper, cut back on the amount called for, but if you’re excited about it, you may want to double it. This is a sweet, rustic and rich upside-down cake that’s sturdy enough to hold up to its juicy fruit topping. Once the finished cake gets inverted onto a platter, the extra cherry juice soaks back into the cake as it cools, which means it gets better as it sits. Serve the cake with lemon whipped cream made by beating cold heavy cream with the leftover lemon juice and some sugar until stiff. It’s helpful for covering up any imperfections in the cake, too!"
Time: 45 minutes; plus cooling
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021265-sweet-cherry-upside-down-cake.
Note: Under "cooking notes" (below the recipe), someone wrote, "Easy and delicious. Served with vanilla ice cream instead of the leamon whipped cream..." Either way, we're talking very yummy.
Ingredients
Yields One 9-inch cake
For the Cake:
1 pound sweet cherries, halved and pitted (about 2-1/2 cups)
1/4 packed cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black or white pepper, plus more if you like
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted and cooled to room temperature
2 large eggs, whites and yolks separated
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
For the Lemon Whipped Cream (optional):
1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Preparation
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. In a 9-inch cake pan (or cast-iron skillet), add the cherries, brown sugar, lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, the pepper, and 2 tablespoons melted butter; toss gently to combine. Place in the oven for up to 10 minutes to begin softening the cherries while you make the cake batter.
In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, granulated sugar, sour cream, vanilla and baking soda with the remaining 6 tablespoons melted butter and 1/2 teaspoon salt until smooth. Sprinkle the flour over top then fold it in until evenly combined and a thick batter is formed.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or in a medium mixing bowl with a handheld electric beater, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes or until stiff. Add 1/3 of the beaten egg whites to the cake batter and gently fold, then add the remaining egg whites and fold until fully incorporated, trying to keep as much air as possible in the whites.
Remove the hot pan from the oven, shake it gently to toss the fruit a final time, then dollop the cake batter over the top, and gently spread it evenly to the edges. (It’s OK if some fruit juice or cherries pool over the edges of the batter.)
Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven, run a butter knife around the edges, and then allow it to rest for 10 minutes in the pan before inverting it onto a lipped platter to catch any juices.
Once the cake has cooled, make the lemon whipped cream, if desired: In the cleaned bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or in a medium mixing bowl using a handheld beater, add the heavy cream, lemon juice and granulated sugar, and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds to thicken and combine, then turn the speed to high and beat until desired stiffness.
Serve the cake at room temperature, with lemon whipped cream, if using.
KENTUCKY BUTTER CAKE
This recipe is from Nell Lewis and adapted by Margaux Laskey on The New York Times cooking site, as well as in "Briliant Baking" cooking suppliment on Sunday, February 20, 2022. Margaux wrote, "If you think you don’t need another Bundt cake recipe, this one exists to prove you wrong. Adapted from Nell Lewis of Platte City, Mo., who entered the Pillsbury Bake-Off contest in 1963, it is a favorite of food bloggers and Pinterest lovers alike. On the surface, it’s not that different from your typical pound cake, but what makes it special is a vanilla-scented, buttery sugar glaze that’s poured over the still-warm cake. Left to sit for several hours before unmolding, the glaze soaks into the cake, making it incredibly tender and rich while leaving behind a delightful sugary crust. There are a lot of variations out there — some with bourbon in place of the vanilla, others with sherry — so feel free to play around."
Yield: 10 to 12 servings; Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
You can view this online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020431-kentucky-butter-cake.
Ingredients
For the cake:
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened, plus more for greasing the pan
3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour, plus more for dusting the pan
Nonstick cooking spray (optional)
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup buttermilk (see Tip)
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
For the butter sauce:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Confectioners’ sugar, for sprinkling (optional)
Preparation
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Generously butter and flour (or spray with nonstick cooking spray) a 10-inch tube pan or a 12-cup bundt pan.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or using a handheld mixer, combine the remaining cake ingredients and beat for 3 minutes at medium speed. Pour into prepared pan, level with a spatula and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes.
Shortly before the cake is done baking, make the butter sauce: Combine the granulated sugar, butter and vanilla with 3 tablespoons water in a saucepan over low heat until the butter just melts. (Do not let the mixture boil, as you do not want the sugar to completely dissolve.)
As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, leave the cake in its pan and gently poke it all the way through 15 to 20 times with a long wooden skewer or a long-tined fork. Slowly pour warm butter sauce over the cake. Let cool for at least 3 hours before unmolding from pan. Just before serving, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.
Tip
If you don’t have buttermilk, measure out 1 cup of whole milk and remove 1 tablespoon. Add 1 tablespoon white vinegar to the remaining milk and stir to combine. Let sit for 10 minutes, then stir gently before using in the recipe as you would buttermilk.
MILLION DOLLAR CAKE
This is from Allrecipes, and begins, "A cake made from yellow cake mix is frosted with a cream cheese, mandarin orange, and pineapple mixture for a light and refreshing cake."
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Additional: 9 hours; Total Time: 9 hours 55 minutes; Servings: 12; Yield: 1 (8 or 9 inch) layer cake
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/7903/million-dollar-cake/.
Ingredients
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
8 ounces cream cheese
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
2 (8 ounce) cans mandarin oranges, drained
1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
Directions
Mix and bake cake mix as per package instruction for two 8 or 9 inch round layers. Let layers cool, and then split each layer in half so as to have 4 layers.
In a large bowl, whip cream cheese until soft, and then gradually mix in confectioners' sugar. Stir in the pineapple with juice and the drained mandarin oranges, reserving about 5 mandarin orange slices to decorate the top of cake. Mix in the dry pudding mix. Fold in the whipped topping.
Place one cake layer on a cake plate cut side up; spread with frosting. Place another layer cut side down on the first one, and top with more frosting. Repeat until all layers are used, spreading last bit of frosting on top and sides of cake. Decorate with reserved mandarin orange slices. Refrigerate overnight before serving.
VEGAN TOFU CHOCOLATE CAKE
This is from Ashley Adams on The Spruce Eats. Ashley wrote, "Prepared with silken tofu in place of the eggs and butter called for in traditional recipes, this chocolate cake is one of the healthiest around, yet still so tasty. Frost with whatever dairy-free frosting suits the occasion.
"Although many recipes that call for silken tofu require that you drain the liquid from the box before using, for this recipe just open the box and pour both the liquid and tofu into the blender as directed in Step 3.
"This recipe makes one two-layer 9-inch cake."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Servings: 4; Yield: 1 cake
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/vegan-chocolate-cake-1000681.
Ingredients
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (12.3-ounce) box firm silken tofu
1-1/4 cups maple syrup
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup almond milk
1/3 cup boiling water
Directions
Gather the ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly oil or grease (with dairy-free soy margarine) 2 (9-inch) round cake pans. Set aside.
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Set aside.
Process the tofu in a blender until creamy. Add the maple syrup and oil and process until smooth.
Stir the tofu mixture and almond milk into the dry ingredients. Add the boiling water and continue to stir until the batter is just combined. (The batter should be fairly smooth but will still have some lumps in it.)
Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 15 to 20 minutes on a wire cooling rack before removing from the pans to finish cooling on the cooling rack. Once cakes are completely cool, frost with a dairy-free frosting.
CLASSIC BIRTHDAY CAKE
This is from Alison Roman in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Alison wrote, "A birthday cake needn't be elaborate. A few layers of tender yellow cake and creamy chocolate frosting will do the trick. In this version of the classic pairing, brown sugar and buttermilk provide a sophisticated flavor to the cake, and sour cream adds a slight tang to the chocolate frosting. It’s worth noting that both the cake and frosting can be made ahead. Just make sure you bring the frosting to room temperature before assembly so that it spreads easily. One note: The buttermilk and brown sugar in the batter means that the cake might appear slightly darker on the outside after baking than your typical yellow cake, but don't worry. The inside will be tender and moist."
Yield: 10 to 12 servings; Time: About 1 hour 15 minutes plus chilling
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019045-classic-birthday-cake.
While you're at it, check out Melissa Clark's wonderful guide, "How to Frost a Cake".
Ingredients
For the yellow cake:
Nonstick spray or butter for the pan
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 1-inch pieces, plus more, if necessary, for greasing the pans
3-2/3 cups all-purpose or cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 cups buttermilk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
5 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
For the chocolate frosting:
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (chocolate chips are fine)
8 ounces sour cream, room temperature
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Generous pinch of kosher salt
Lots of sprinkles
Preparation
For the cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray three 9-inch cake pans with nonstick spray or grease with softened butter. If your oven cannot accommodate all 3 pans on one middle rack, while the oven is still cool, arrange 2 racks as close to the middle as possible, allowing enough space between them for the cakes on the lower rack to rise without touching the one above it.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda together; set aside. In a medium bowl (or a measuring cup), combine the buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract; set aside.
In a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar and light brown sugar. Using an electric mixer (or the stand mixer) on high, beat everything together until it’s very light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, beating between additions. Beat the batter until it’s almost doubled in volume and very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, occasionally scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl.
With the mixer on low, gently beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture. Before it’s fully combined, add in 1/2 of the buttermilk mixture. Repeat with remaining flour and buttermilk until everything is well blended and no lumps remain.
Divide the cake batter equally among the three cake pans. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan or rack placement halfway through baking. You’ll know the cakes are done when they are golden brown, pulling away from the sides of the pan, and the tops spring back ever so slightly when you press them.
Remove the cakes from the oven and let sit for five minutes to cool slightly before inverting them onto a wire baking rack to cool completely.
Make the frosting and assemble the cake: Melt the chocolate either in a bowl in the microwave in 30-second intervals until melted, or in a double boiler or makeshift double boiler (a bowl set over a bowl of barely simmering water on the stove, but not touching the water), stirring occasionally until melted. The melted chocolate should be warm but never hot, with no visible chunks left.
Add about 1/3 of the sour cream to the melted chocolate and using a spatula, combine until no white streaks remain. Repeat with another 1/3, and finally the last 1/3. The chocolate will stiffen a bit as you add the sour cream, and this is O.K.
In a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar and salt. Using an electric mixer (or the stand mixer) on low speed at first to avoid showering yourself with sugar, and then increasing to high speed, beat until everything is fluffy and almost pure white, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the chocolate mixture and blend. Increase the speed to high and beat until everything is very fluffy and well combined, about 2 minutes.
Once cakes are cooled, transfer one layer of cake, top side up, to a large parchment-lined plate. Use an offset or regular spatula to spread frosting onto the first layer of cake. Place second layer of cake on top, bottom side up (layering the rest of cake with the flat bottoms on top makes a cake with a straight shape, rather than domed). Repeat with remaining layer.
Once all the layers are assembled, apply a thin layer of frosting all over the cake, making sure to cover the whole cake. Chill the cake for 2 hours, keeping the frosting out at room temperature.
Remove the cake from the fridge and using either an offset spatula or a butter knife, give it another coat of frosting, doing whatever decorative patterns or swirls you wish: very smooth, or peaks and valleys.
Finish and decorate with sprinkles however you please.
Tip
This cake might appear slightly darker on the outside after baking than your typical yellow cake, but don't worry. The inside will be tender and moist.
VANILLA CUPCAKES WITH BLACKBERRY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
This is from Sofia Von Porat at One Green Planet. The recipe begins, "Looking for the perfect summery vegan dessert for parties? Rich blackberry cream cheese frosting is piled high on these dense vanilla vegan cupcakes. The pink color of the frosting comes naturally from the blackberries — no food coloring necessary. These cute little cupcakes are the perfect summer dessert and great for weddings! Blackberries are in season from June till August, which means they're a great addition to classic sweets when you're looking to freshen them up for summer!"
To view this online, go to https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/vanilla-cupcakes-with-blackberry-cream-cheese-frosting/.
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil
3/4 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup blackberries (optional)
For the Frosting:
7 tablespoons vegan butter
7 tablespoons vegan cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
About 5 blackberries
Preparation
To Make the Cupcakes:
Preheat the oven at 350° F and place cupcake liners in a cupcake tray.
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.
Whisk the wet ingredients (oil, soy milk, vanilla, and vinegar) in a large bowl, add the dry mixture and stir to combine (be careful not to over mix). If you want you can even add some blackberries to the muffin mixture.
Pour the batter into the muffin tins and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Let cool completely. In the meantime, prepare the frosting.
To Make the Frosting:
Mash blackberries and press through a sieve so you get 1 tablespoon of juice.
Mix butter and powdered sugar until fluffy with an electric mixer. Add cream cheese and continue mixing. Add the juice and mix to a smooth mixture. Add more icing sugar if the mixture is too runny. Decorate on top of cupcakes.
SWEET CHERRY UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE
This is from Jerrelle Guy in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Jerrelle wrote, "There’s a little black pepper in this cake, which provides just enough heat to enhance the sweetness of the cherries. If you’re worried about the pepper, cut back on the amount called for, but if you’re excited about it, you may want to double it. This is a sweet, rustic and rich upside-down cake that’s sturdy enough to hold up to its juicy fruit topping. Once the finished cake gets inverted onto a platter, the extra cherry juice soaks back into the cake as it cools, which means it gets better as it sits. Serve the cake with lemon whipped cream made by beating cold heavy cream with the leftover lemon juice and some sugar until stiff. It’s helpful for covering up any imperfections in the cake, too!"
Time: 45 minutes; plus cooling
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021265-sweet-cherry-upside-down-cake.
Note: Under "cooking notes" (below the recipe), someone wrote, "Easy and delicious. Served with vanilla ice cream instead of the leamon whipped cream..." Either way, we're talking very yummy.
Ingredients
Yields One 9-inch cake
For the Cake:
1 pound sweet cherries, halved and pitted (about 2-1/2 cups)
1/4 packed cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black or white pepper, plus more if you like
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted and cooled to room temperature
2 large eggs, whites and yolks separated
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
For the Lemon Whipped Cream (optional):
1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Preparation
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. In a 9-inch cake pan (or cast-iron skillet), add the cherries, brown sugar, lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, the pepper, and 2 tablespoons melted butter; toss gently to combine. Place in the oven for up to 10 minutes to begin softening the cherries while you make the cake batter.
In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, granulated sugar, sour cream, vanilla and baking soda with the remaining 6 tablespoons melted butter and 1/2 teaspoon salt until smooth. Sprinkle the flour over top then fold it in until evenly combined and a thick batter is formed.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or in a medium mixing bowl with a handheld electric beater, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes or until stiff. Add 1/3 of the beaten egg whites to the cake batter and gently fold, then add the remaining egg whites and fold until fully incorporated, trying to keep as much air as possible in the whites.
Remove the hot pan from the oven, shake it gently to toss the fruit a final time, then dollop the cake batter over the top, and gently spread it evenly to the edges. (It’s OK if some fruit juice or cherries pool over the edges of the batter.)
Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven, run a butter knife around the edges, and then allow it to rest for 10 minutes in the pan before inverting it onto a lipped platter to catch any juices.
Once the cake has cooled, make the lemon whipped cream, if desired: In the cleaned bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or in a medium mixing bowl using a handheld beater, add the heavy cream, lemon juice and granulated sugar, and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds to thicken and combine, then turn the speed to high and beat until desired stiffness.
Serve the cake at room temperature, with lemon whipped cream, if using.
Comments
Post a Comment