Let Them Eat Cake
If you love cake as much as I do, today's post is for you. Check out the Caramel Cake, the Chocolate Guinness Cake, and the rest of today's yumminess. Enjoy!
STRAWBERRY VANILLA CAKE
This yumminess is from Macrina Bakery. (If I'm ever lucky enough to end up in Seattle, Washington, I fully intend to stop in here. Also, you can get onto their monthly recipe subscription by clicking here.)
Anyway, Macrina Bakery's Leslie Mackie wrote, "Strawberries are available year-round, but those from your garden or local farmstand, ripened by warm days and sunshine, are the sweetest of all. Strawberries are best when they're simply allowed to shine. You can enjoy their natural sweetness without competing flavors. This cake is a perfect example of that philosophy, showcasing local strawberries layered with vanilla cake and lightly sweetened whipped cream. This recipe is from our forthcoming cookbook, Macrina at Home. Until then, bake it while local berries are at their peak."
To view this online, click here. Makes one 6-inch cake
Ingredients
2 cups cake flour
2-1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
6 egg yolks
1 Tbsp + 2 tsp pure vanilla extract, divided
3/4 cup whole milk, divided
12 Tbsp (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
6 cups fresh strawberries, divided
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 cups heavy cream
Garnish: garden strawberries and leaves
Directions
Preheat oven to 325°F. Brush two 6-inch cake pans with neutral oil on base and sides, and line with cut-out circles of parchment paper, plus 3-inch strips on the sides. These will extend higher than the sides of your cake pans. The oil will adhere parchment to the pan and protect the cakes from sticking.
Sift flour, 1-3/4 cups of the sugar, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.
In a separate bowl add the egg yolks, 1 Tbsp vanilla and 1/4 cup of the milk. Mix with a whisk and set aside.
Add butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Cream for 4 to 5 minutes, until pale in color. Add the flour mixture, pulsing a few times, then mixing on low to fully combine. With mixer on low speed, slowly add the remaining milk. Increase to medium speed and mix for 30 seconds.
Add a third of the egg mixture and mix on medium speed for 20 to 30 seconds. Scrape bowl’s sides to make sure everything gets incorporated. Repeat the process 2 more times, until all egg mixture is incorporated.
Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans. Place on oven’s center rack. Bake for 30 to 32 minutes or until golden brown. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
Let cakes cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then invert and remove from pans. Peel off parchment and let cool completely.
Sort through your strawberries, choosing 1 cup of beauties for garnishing. Cut the remaining 5 cups into quarters. Place in a medium saucepan. Cook over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes to release the juices. In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1 Tbsp cornstarch. Add to the berries and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes to dissolve sugar and slightly thicken the cooked strawberries. Pour into a separate bowl and let cool to room temperature.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip heavy cream with remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tsp vanilla. Whip to medium-stiff peaks then keep cool in the refrigerator.
Cut each cake in half horizontally, creating a total of 4 layers. Set aside.
If you wish you can trim the golden-brown surface of each layer top and bottom, but truly it’s just for presentation purposes and reduces the size of your overall cake.
Place a cake layer onto your presentation plate and spread with ⅓ cup cooked strawberries. Top with 3/4 cup of sweetened whipped cream and level with a spatula. Repeat these steps with the second and third layers of cake, finishing with the final cake layer on top. Press down lightly on the top layer to level. Make sure sides are aligned for the final exterior frosting. Chill cake for 20 minutes to set up.
Add remaining cooked strawberries to the last of the whipped cream. Mix them only partially. It’s nice to see some pieces of strawberry in the frosting. Frost the cake’s exterior with the whipped cream, smoothing surfaces with a spatula. Garnish by placing the remaining strawberries on top and around the plate. To complete the summer cake presentation, I like to add garden strawberries and leaves also. Chill cake until ready to serve.
PEACH DUMP CAKE
This is from Lena Abraham at Delish. For this yumminess, Lena wrote, "Summer is easily one of the busiest times of the year, and when you have a potluck every other night, the last thing you want to do is spend even more time in a hot kitchen. Introducing: the peach dump cake. With only three ingredients but endless flavor, this is the summer dessert that we come back to again and again."
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Yield: 12 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a27973835/peach-dump-cake-recipe/.
Ingredients
Cooking spray
2 (15-oz.) cans sliced peaches in syrup
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 box yellow cake mix
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter, very thinly sliced
Ice cream, for serving
Ingredients
Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9"-x-13" baking dish with cooking spray. Combine peaches along with syrup and cinnamon in prepared baking dish and stir to combine.
Pour cake mix over peaches in an even layer. Layer butter evenly on top.
Bake until fruit is bubbly and cake is cooked through, 50 to 55 minutes.
Serve with ice cream.
CARAMEL CAKE
This yumminess is from dcarrier1021 on allrecipes, and starts off, "This caramel cake includes a delicious homemade caramel frosting that's easy to make with butter, brown sugar, and evaporated milk. Everyone loves this layer cake!"
Prep Time: 40 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Additional Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes; Servings: 12; Yield: 1 (3-layer) 9-inch cake
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/260883/caramel-cake/.
Ingredients
Cake:
3 cups white sugar
1-1/2 cups butter
5 large eggs
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Caramel Frosting:
1 (16 ounce) package brown sugar
1 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 (16 ounce) package confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Directions
Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans.
To make the cake: Place white sugar and butter into a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Add flour mixture in batches, alternating with milk, beating batter briefly after each addition. Add vanilla extract; beat until batter makes ribbons when falling from the beaters.
Divide batter among the prepared cake pans.
Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges to loosen. Invert carefully onto a cooling rack. Let cool, about 30 minutes.
To make the frosting: Combine brown sugar, butter, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until brown sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes.
Add evaporated milk and continue stirring. Bring to a gentle boil and let bubble for about 4 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid sticking. Remove from heat and allow to cool, about 5 minutes.
Mix confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract into brown sugar mixture using an electric mixer until frosting caramelizes and thickens to the desired consistency.
Spread frosting onto cooled cake layers. Stack layers; ice top and sides.
CARROT CAKE
This is from Dorie Greenspan in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this yumminess, Dorie wrote, "This classic carrot cake recipe is not overly spiced, and it has texture from the grated carrots, shredded coconut, chopped nuts and raisins. If your dried fruit feels dry, plump it either by steaming the fruit for a couple of minutes; pouring boiling water over the fruit then draining it; or even just running it under hot tap water. Pat the fruit dry before using it. There’s enough frosting to fill the layers and cover the sides and top of the cake, but each layer is covered generously, so generously that when the next layer goes on the frosting ripples out around the edges. Then just swirl the frosting over the top, leaving the sides bare."
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes, pluse at least 15 minutes' refrigeration; Yield: 8 to 12 servings
This was featured in "The Baker’s Apprentice: Carrot Cake," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015523-carrot-cake. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more. Go ahead, I'll wait. (Tap, tap, tap...)
Ingredients
For the Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups grated carrots (you can grate the carrots in a food processor fitted with a shredding blade)
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup shredded coconut, sweetened or unsweetened
1/2 cup moist, plump raisins (dark or golden) or dried cranberries
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola or safflower oil
4 large eggs
For the Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 pound (3-3/4 cups) confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract
1/2 cup shredded coconut, optional
Toasted finely chopped nuts and/or toasted coconut, for topping, optional
Preparation
For the cake: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour three 9-inch round, 2-inch deep cake pans, flour the insides and tap out the excess.
Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside. In another bowl, stir together the carrots, chopped nuts, coconut and raisins.
Working in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a whisk, beat the sugar and oil together until smooth. Add the eggs one by one and continue to beat until the batter is even smoother. If you are working in a mixer, reduce the speed to low, if you're working by hand switch to a large rubber spatula, and gently stir in the flour mixture — mix only until the dry ingredients disappear. Just as gently, stir in the chunky ingredients.
Divide the batter among the baking pans and slide the pans into the oven. Bake the cakes for 40 to 50 minutes, rotating the pans top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The cakes are properly baked when a knife inserted into the centers of the cakes comes out clean; the cakes will just start to come away from the edges. Transfer the pans to cooling racks, cool for 5 minutes, then turn out onto racks to cool to room temperature. (At this point, the cakes can be wrapped airtight and kept at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to 2 months; thaw before frosting.)
For the frosting: Working in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar and continue to beat until the frosting is velvety smooth. Beat in the lemon juice or extract.
If you'd like to have coconut in the filling, scoop out about 1/2 of the frosting and stir the coconut into this portion.
To frost the cake, place one layer of the cake, right-side up, on a cardboard round or a cake plate. If you've added coconut to the frosting, use half of coconut frosting to generously cover the first layer. Use an offset spatula or a spoon to smooth the frosting all the way to the edges of the layer. Top with the second layer, this time placing the cake top-side down. Frost with the remainder of the coconut frosting. Top with the last layer, right-side up and use the plain frosting to cover the top — and the sides, if you want – of the cake. Finish the top layer with swirls of frosting. If you want to top the cake with toasted nuts or coconut, sprinkle on these ingredients now, while the frosting is soft. Slide the cake into the refrigerator for 15 minutes, just to set the frosting.
Serving: The cake can be served as soon as the frosting is set. It can also wait, at room temperature and covered with a cake keeper, overnight. The cake is best served in thick slices at room temperature and, while it's good plain, it's better with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or even some lemon curd with a little whipped cream folded in.
Storing: Covered the cake will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. It can also be frozen, uncovered, and then, when it is firmed, wrapped airtight and kept in the freezer for up to 2 months; defrost, still wrapped, in the refrigerator overnight.
CHOCOLATE GUINNESS CAKE
This is from Nigella Lawson at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Nigella wrote, "For me, a chocolate cake is the basic unit of celebration. The chocolate Guinness cake here is simple but deeply pleasurable, and has earned its place as a stand-alone treat."
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Yield: One 9-inch cake or 12 servings
This yumminess was featured in "AT MY TABLE; A Feast for a Holiday, Or Everyday Exulting", and can be viewed online at the bottom of the article or at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1875-chocolate-guinness-cake.
Note: Take time to read the article; very interesting!
Ingredients
For the Cake
Butter for pan
1 cup Guinness stout
10 tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups superfine sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
For the Topping
1-1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup heavy cream
Preparation
For the cake: heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line with parchment paper. In a large saucepan, combine Guinness and butter. Place over medium-low heat until butter melts, then remove from heat. Add cocoa and superfine sugar, and whisk to blend.
In a small bowl, combine sour cream, eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add to Guinness mixture. Add flour and baking soda, and whisk again until smooth. Pour into buttered pan, and bake until risen and firm, 45 minutes to one hour. Place pan on a wire rack and cool completely in pan.
For the topping: Using a food processor or by hand, mix confectioners' sugar to break up lumps. Add cream cheese and blend until smooth. Add heavy cream, and mix until smooth and spreadable.
Remove cake from pan and place on a platter or cake stand. Ice top of cake only, so that it resembles a frothy pint of Guinness.
BETTER-THAN-ANYTHING CAKE
This is from Everyday Diabetic Recipes, and begins, "Sure, you've probably had a good cake, and maybe even a great cake, but have you ever had a Better-Than-Anything Cake? This make-ahead poke cake is moist, creamy, crunchy, chocolatey, and most importantly, diabetic-friendly!"
Cook Time: 25 minutes; Chill Time: 4 hours; Serves: 18; Serving Size: 1 (2-1/2 x 3-inch) piece
To view this online, go to https://www.everydaydiabeticrecipes.com/Cakes/Better-Than-Anything-Cake.
Ingredients
1 (16-ounce) package sugar-free chocolate cake mix
1-1/4 cup diet cola
2 (6-ounce) containers Boston cream pie yogurt, light
1/4 cup fat-free milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (8-ounce) (8-ounce) container frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
1 tablespoon chopped toffee bits candy
2 tablespoons fat-free, sugar-free caramel sauce
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine cake mix and soda; whisk until batter is smooth. Pour into baking dish.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool completely. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke about 30 holes over entire cake.
In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, milk, and vanilla; mix well. Pour mixture into holes. Evenly spread whipped topping over cake and sprinkle with toffee bits.
Cover and refrigerate 4 hours, or until ready to serve. Drizzle with caramel sauce just before serving.
STRAWBERRY VANILLA CAKE
This yumminess is from Macrina Bakery. (If I'm ever lucky enough to end up in Seattle, Washington, I fully intend to stop in here. Also, you can get onto their monthly recipe subscription by clicking here.)
Anyway, Macrina Bakery's Leslie Mackie wrote, "Strawberries are available year-round, but those from your garden or local farmstand, ripened by warm days and sunshine, are the sweetest of all. Strawberries are best when they're simply allowed to shine. You can enjoy their natural sweetness without competing flavors. This cake is a perfect example of that philosophy, showcasing local strawberries layered with vanilla cake and lightly sweetened whipped cream. This recipe is from our forthcoming cookbook, Macrina at Home. Until then, bake it while local berries are at their peak."
To view this online, click here. Makes one 6-inch cake
Ingredients
2 cups cake flour
2-1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
6 egg yolks
1 Tbsp + 2 tsp pure vanilla extract, divided
3/4 cup whole milk, divided
12 Tbsp (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
6 cups fresh strawberries, divided
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 cups heavy cream
Garnish: garden strawberries and leaves
Directions
Preheat oven to 325°F. Brush two 6-inch cake pans with neutral oil on base and sides, and line with cut-out circles of parchment paper, plus 3-inch strips on the sides. These will extend higher than the sides of your cake pans. The oil will adhere parchment to the pan and protect the cakes from sticking.
Sift flour, 1-3/4 cups of the sugar, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.
In a separate bowl add the egg yolks, 1 Tbsp vanilla and 1/4 cup of the milk. Mix with a whisk and set aside.
Add butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Cream for 4 to 5 minutes, until pale in color. Add the flour mixture, pulsing a few times, then mixing on low to fully combine. With mixer on low speed, slowly add the remaining milk. Increase to medium speed and mix for 30 seconds.
Add a third of the egg mixture and mix on medium speed for 20 to 30 seconds. Scrape bowl’s sides to make sure everything gets incorporated. Repeat the process 2 more times, until all egg mixture is incorporated.
Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans. Place on oven’s center rack. Bake for 30 to 32 minutes or until golden brown. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
Let cakes cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then invert and remove from pans. Peel off parchment and let cool completely.
Sort through your strawberries, choosing 1 cup of beauties for garnishing. Cut the remaining 5 cups into quarters. Place in a medium saucepan. Cook over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes to release the juices. In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1 Tbsp cornstarch. Add to the berries and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes to dissolve sugar and slightly thicken the cooked strawberries. Pour into a separate bowl and let cool to room temperature.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip heavy cream with remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tsp vanilla. Whip to medium-stiff peaks then keep cool in the refrigerator.
Cut each cake in half horizontally, creating a total of 4 layers. Set aside.
If you wish you can trim the golden-brown surface of each layer top and bottom, but truly it’s just for presentation purposes and reduces the size of your overall cake.
Place a cake layer onto your presentation plate and spread with ⅓ cup cooked strawberries. Top with 3/4 cup of sweetened whipped cream and level with a spatula. Repeat these steps with the second and third layers of cake, finishing with the final cake layer on top. Press down lightly on the top layer to level. Make sure sides are aligned for the final exterior frosting. Chill cake for 20 minutes to set up.
Add remaining cooked strawberries to the last of the whipped cream. Mix them only partially. It’s nice to see some pieces of strawberry in the frosting. Frost the cake’s exterior with the whipped cream, smoothing surfaces with a spatula. Garnish by placing the remaining strawberries on top and around the plate. To complete the summer cake presentation, I like to add garden strawberries and leaves also. Chill cake until ready to serve.
PEACH DUMP CAKE
This is from Lena Abraham at Delish. For this yumminess, Lena wrote, "Summer is easily one of the busiest times of the year, and when you have a potluck every other night, the last thing you want to do is spend even more time in a hot kitchen. Introducing: the peach dump cake. With only three ingredients but endless flavor, this is the summer dessert that we come back to again and again."
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Yield: 12 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a27973835/peach-dump-cake-recipe/.
Ingredients
Cooking spray
2 (15-oz.) cans sliced peaches in syrup
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 box yellow cake mix
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter, very thinly sliced
Ice cream, for serving
Ingredients
Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9"-x-13" baking dish with cooking spray. Combine peaches along with syrup and cinnamon in prepared baking dish and stir to combine.
Pour cake mix over peaches in an even layer. Layer butter evenly on top.
Bake until fruit is bubbly and cake is cooked through, 50 to 55 minutes.
Serve with ice cream.
CARAMEL CAKE
This yumminess is from dcarrier1021 on allrecipes, and starts off, "This caramel cake includes a delicious homemade caramel frosting that's easy to make with butter, brown sugar, and evaporated milk. Everyone loves this layer cake!"
Prep Time: 40 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Additional Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes; Servings: 12; Yield: 1 (3-layer) 9-inch cake
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/260883/caramel-cake/.
Ingredients
Cake:
3 cups white sugar
1-1/2 cups butter
5 large eggs
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Caramel Frosting:
1 (16 ounce) package brown sugar
1 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 (16 ounce) package confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Directions
Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans.
To make the cake: Place white sugar and butter into a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Add flour mixture in batches, alternating with milk, beating batter briefly after each addition. Add vanilla extract; beat until batter makes ribbons when falling from the beaters.
Divide batter among the prepared cake pans.
Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges to loosen. Invert carefully onto a cooling rack. Let cool, about 30 minutes.
To make the frosting: Combine brown sugar, butter, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until brown sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes.
Add evaporated milk and continue stirring. Bring to a gentle boil and let bubble for about 4 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid sticking. Remove from heat and allow to cool, about 5 minutes.
Mix confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract into brown sugar mixture using an electric mixer until frosting caramelizes and thickens to the desired consistency.
Spread frosting onto cooled cake layers. Stack layers; ice top and sides.
CARROT CAKE
This is from Dorie Greenspan in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this yumminess, Dorie wrote, "This classic carrot cake recipe is not overly spiced, and it has texture from the grated carrots, shredded coconut, chopped nuts and raisins. If your dried fruit feels dry, plump it either by steaming the fruit for a couple of minutes; pouring boiling water over the fruit then draining it; or even just running it under hot tap water. Pat the fruit dry before using it. There’s enough frosting to fill the layers and cover the sides and top of the cake, but each layer is covered generously, so generously that when the next layer goes on the frosting ripples out around the edges. Then just swirl the frosting over the top, leaving the sides bare."
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes, pluse at least 15 minutes' refrigeration; Yield: 8 to 12 servings
This was featured in "The Baker’s Apprentice: Carrot Cake," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015523-carrot-cake. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more. Go ahead, I'll wait. (Tap, tap, tap...)
Ingredients
For the Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups grated carrots (you can grate the carrots in a food processor fitted with a shredding blade)
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup shredded coconut, sweetened or unsweetened
1/2 cup moist, plump raisins (dark or golden) or dried cranberries
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola or safflower oil
4 large eggs
For the Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 pound (3-3/4 cups) confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract
1/2 cup shredded coconut, optional
Toasted finely chopped nuts and/or toasted coconut, for topping, optional
Preparation
For the cake: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour three 9-inch round, 2-inch deep cake pans, flour the insides and tap out the excess.
Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside. In another bowl, stir together the carrots, chopped nuts, coconut and raisins.
Working in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a whisk, beat the sugar and oil together until smooth. Add the eggs one by one and continue to beat until the batter is even smoother. If you are working in a mixer, reduce the speed to low, if you're working by hand switch to a large rubber spatula, and gently stir in the flour mixture — mix only until the dry ingredients disappear. Just as gently, stir in the chunky ingredients.
Divide the batter among the baking pans and slide the pans into the oven. Bake the cakes for 40 to 50 minutes, rotating the pans top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The cakes are properly baked when a knife inserted into the centers of the cakes comes out clean; the cakes will just start to come away from the edges. Transfer the pans to cooling racks, cool for 5 minutes, then turn out onto racks to cool to room temperature. (At this point, the cakes can be wrapped airtight and kept at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to 2 months; thaw before frosting.)
For the frosting: Working in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar and continue to beat until the frosting is velvety smooth. Beat in the lemon juice or extract.
If you'd like to have coconut in the filling, scoop out about 1/2 of the frosting and stir the coconut into this portion.
To frost the cake, place one layer of the cake, right-side up, on a cardboard round or a cake plate. If you've added coconut to the frosting, use half of coconut frosting to generously cover the first layer. Use an offset spatula or a spoon to smooth the frosting all the way to the edges of the layer. Top with the second layer, this time placing the cake top-side down. Frost with the remainder of the coconut frosting. Top with the last layer, right-side up and use the plain frosting to cover the top — and the sides, if you want – of the cake. Finish the top layer with swirls of frosting. If you want to top the cake with toasted nuts or coconut, sprinkle on these ingredients now, while the frosting is soft. Slide the cake into the refrigerator for 15 minutes, just to set the frosting.
Serving: The cake can be served as soon as the frosting is set. It can also wait, at room temperature and covered with a cake keeper, overnight. The cake is best served in thick slices at room temperature and, while it's good plain, it's better with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or even some lemon curd with a little whipped cream folded in.
Storing: Covered the cake will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. It can also be frozen, uncovered, and then, when it is firmed, wrapped airtight and kept in the freezer for up to 2 months; defrost, still wrapped, in the refrigerator overnight.
CHOCOLATE GUINNESS CAKE
This is from Nigella Lawson at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Nigella wrote, "For me, a chocolate cake is the basic unit of celebration. The chocolate Guinness cake here is simple but deeply pleasurable, and has earned its place as a stand-alone treat."
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Yield: One 9-inch cake or 12 servings
This yumminess was featured in "AT MY TABLE; A Feast for a Holiday, Or Everyday Exulting", and can be viewed online at the bottom of the article or at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1875-chocolate-guinness-cake.
Note: Take time to read the article; very interesting!
Ingredients
For the Cake
Butter for pan
1 cup Guinness stout
10 tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups superfine sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
For the Topping
1-1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup heavy cream
Preparation
For the cake: heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line with parchment paper. In a large saucepan, combine Guinness and butter. Place over medium-low heat until butter melts, then remove from heat. Add cocoa and superfine sugar, and whisk to blend.
In a small bowl, combine sour cream, eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add to Guinness mixture. Add flour and baking soda, and whisk again until smooth. Pour into buttered pan, and bake until risen and firm, 45 minutes to one hour. Place pan on a wire rack and cool completely in pan.
For the topping: Using a food processor or by hand, mix confectioners' sugar to break up lumps. Add cream cheese and blend until smooth. Add heavy cream, and mix until smooth and spreadable.
Remove cake from pan and place on a platter or cake stand. Ice top of cake only, so that it resembles a frothy pint of Guinness.
BETTER-THAN-ANYTHING CAKE
This is from Everyday Diabetic Recipes, and begins, "Sure, you've probably had a good cake, and maybe even a great cake, but have you ever had a Better-Than-Anything Cake? This make-ahead poke cake is moist, creamy, crunchy, chocolatey, and most importantly, diabetic-friendly!"
Cook Time: 25 minutes; Chill Time: 4 hours; Serves: 18; Serving Size: 1 (2-1/2 x 3-inch) piece
To view this online, go to https://www.everydaydiabeticrecipes.com/Cakes/Better-Than-Anything-Cake.
Ingredients
1 (16-ounce) package sugar-free chocolate cake mix
1-1/4 cup diet cola
2 (6-ounce) containers Boston cream pie yogurt, light
1/4 cup fat-free milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (8-ounce) (8-ounce) container frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
1 tablespoon chopped toffee bits candy
2 tablespoons fat-free, sugar-free caramel sauce
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine cake mix and soda; whisk until batter is smooth. Pour into baking dish.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool completely. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke about 30 holes over entire cake.
In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, milk, and vanilla; mix well. Pour mixture into holes. Evenly spread whipped topping over cake and sprinkle with toffee bits.
Cover and refrigerate 4 hours, or until ready to serve. Drizzle with caramel sauce just before serving.
Comments
Post a Comment