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Posts Tagged ‘Baking’

Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

Posted in Cooking, tagged Apple, Baking, Cake, Caramel, Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake, King Arthur Baking Company on November 8, 2014|

Whenever I start thinking about favorite fall flavors, my first choice is always apple. Some people LOVE pumpkin with a capital “L”, but I’m an apple girl. This recipe from King Arthur Flour Company (also one of my faves) is awesome! How can you go wrong with a caramel apple in cake form?

For the topping:

2 medium apples (I used Galas.)

4 tbsp. unsalted butter

3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

2 tbsp. thawed apple juice concentrate (or boiled cider if you have it)

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 cup light corn syrup

For the cake:

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

2 tbsp. thawed apple juice concentrate (or boiled cider)

2 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (I use King Arthur.)

1 large apple, peeled & finely chopped (I used gala.)

3/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9 inch round cake pan at least 2 inches deep. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment or wax paper and spray that as well with non-stick spray.

Slice and peel the top with the stem off one of the apples and set it aside. Peel and slice 2 apples into 1/4 inch wedges. Place the apple top, stem side down, in the middle of the pan, and overlap the rest of the apple wedges in a ring around that piece.

Over low heat on your stovetop, melt the butter with the 3/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp. apple juice concentrate, 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon and 1/2 cup light corn syrup. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Pour 1/2 cup of the syrup mixture over the apple slices and set the rest aside.

For the cake: Beat the vegetable oil, 1 cup light brown sugar, 2 tbsp. apple juice concentrate, eggs, spices and salt together for 2 minutes at medium speed.

Sift together the flour and baking soda then stir this into the batter. Add the chopped apples and nuts and mix until just blended.

The batter will be thick so scoop the batter into the pan over the apple slices then carefully spread it so it completely covers the apples. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and run a knife along the outside edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Let the cake cool for 5 minutes then turn it out on to a serving plate. Make sure and save any of the tasty topping that might stick to the pan.

Reheat the reserved topping and pour it over the cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 8-10 servings

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The Pioneer Woman’s Dark Chocolate Brownies

Posted in Cooking, tagged Baking, Brownies, Chocolate, Dark Chocolate Brownies, Dessert, The Pioneer Woman on September 6, 2014| 11 Comments »

I was in a baking mood the other day and decided to try one of The Pioneer Woman’s decadent looking dessert recipes. Brownies are one of my favorite sweet treats, but I am not the best at making them. These looked pretty full proof so I decided to give it a go. How can you go wrong with all of that butter and chocolate? Mmmmm, I wish I had one right now!

1 cup unsalted butter

5 oz. baking chocolate (I used a combo of both unsweetened and semi-sweet.)

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups granulated sugar

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

3 whole large eggs

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter with the baking chocolate over low meat, whisking occasionally until smooth and melted. Sprinkle in the cocoa powder and whisk to combine. Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool for about 5 minutes.

Stir in the sugar and vanilla until just combined. Stir in one egg at a time. Gently stir in the flour until halfway incorporated then add the chips. Gently finish stirring in the flour and chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. If the center of the brownies are still too gooey or messy, bake for another 5 minutes but don’t over cook the edges. The brownies will firm up as they cool. Allow to cool completely (important), then slice and enjoy!!!

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Chocolate Mousse Cake

Posted in Cooking, tagged Baking, Cake, Chocolate, Chocolate Mousse Cake, Diethood, Whipped Cream on August 16, 2014| 11 Comments »

I hadn’t made a “fancy” dessert in a while and when I had the urge a couple of weeks ago this Chocolate Mousse Cake from Diethood fit the bill. How can you go wrong with a chocolate cake base topped with mousse and whipped cream? That’s right, you can’t!!!

For the cake:

4 tbsp. unsalted butter

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

4 large eggs

2/3 cup granulated sugar

For the mousse:

10 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 1/4 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

Pinch of salt

3 tbsp. water

For the whipped vanilla frosting:

1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 tbsp. granulated sugar

For the cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9 inch spring form cake pan with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Remove this from the heat and add the vanilla. Set this aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift the flour and cocoa powder together. In another bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until they are well blended. Pour the water into a large skillet and put the skillet over medium heat until it comes to a simmer.

Place the bowl with the egg mixture into the simmering water. Whisk this constantly until the egg mixture is lukewarm, about 2 minutes. You may need to adjust the heat a little to keep the water from coming to a full boil. You just need a gentle simmer.

Remove the bowl from the water and, using an electric mixer, beat the egg mixture until cool and tripled in volume, about 5 minutes.

Add about 1/3 of the flour/cocoa mixture at a time to the egg mixture. Gently fold this in with a spatula. Fold about 1 cup of the cake batter into the melted butter. Then pour the melted butter/batter into the remaining cake batter. Gently fold until it is completely combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared spring form pan.

Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan on a rack. Run a knife along the edge of the cake and open the spring to release the cake.

For the mousse:

Pour enough water into a skillet to reach a depth of 1 inch. Bring this water to a simmer. Pour the chocolate chips into a glass bowl and place this into the simmering water. Turn off the heat and stir until the chocolate is melted. Remove the bowl from the water and allow the chocolate to cool.

Using an electric mixer, beat the cream and salt until soft peaks form. Mix 3 tbsp. water into the melted chocolate. Slowly pour the whipped cream over the chocolate and gently fold it in until just incorporated. Spread the mousse over the top of the cake only.

For the whipped cream topping:

Combine the cream, vanilla and sugar. Beat on high with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Place the whipped cream into a zip top bag fitted with a large decorating tip. Pipe the whipped cream along the outside of the cake cover the bare cake up to the mousse. Chill for 3 hours or overnight.

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Fresh Blueberry Peach Muffins

Posted in Cooking, tagged Baking, Blueberry, Fresh Blueberry Peach Muffins, muffins, peach on July 19, 2014| 6 Comments »

I love homemade muffins, but I do not make them very often so I won’t overindulge. A couple of weeks ago, C & I went to Jackson’s Orchard in Bowling Green, KY and I stocked up on fresh peaches and blueberries. The fruit was perfectly ripe and juicy so they would be perfect for baking.

I went back to the recipe for Blueberry Lemon Muffins, dropped the lemon zest and juice, and added chopped peaches. They couldn’t have been easier and the taste was out of this world!

Stop by your local farm stand or orchard and grab up some fresh fruit. You won’t be disappointed.

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup fresh blueberries

3 medium peaches-peeled, pitted and chopped

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and put paper liners in a muffin pan. Sift together the flour, sugar, baking and salt then set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the egg, milk, and melted butter.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet, stirring until just combine. The batter will have a few lumps. Add the fruit and stir gently. Fill the muffin cups about 2/3 full and bake for 20 minutes. This recipe made about 15 regular sized muffins.

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Strawberry Country Cake

Posted in Cooking, tagged Baking, Cake, Food Network, Ina Garten, Strawberry, Strawberry Country Cake, Whipped Cream on July 12, 2014| 14 Comments »

Just a few short weeks ago, my strawberry plants were producing like crazy. I froze some, made strawberry freezer jam with some, and enjoyed the rest. I think I made strawberry shortcakes at least six times. I had used biscuits and Redi-whip for my shortcakes, but really wanted a good strawberry short”cake” recipe so off to the internet I went.

I had to look no further than the Food Network’s site, because that is where this Ina Garten beauty was located. Her strawberry country cake filled my need for a wonderful, delicious, and moist cake with whipped cream and fresh berries.

12 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

3/4 cup sour cream, room temperature

1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest

1/2 tsp. granted orange zest

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 cup heavy cream, chilled

3 tbsp. additional granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. additional vanilla extract

1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 8” cake pans with Baker’s Joy and wax paper. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt and baking soda. Set this aside.

Hull slice the strawberries and set aside. If you want a little extra sweetness in the berries, sprinkle just a little sugar on them and let them set a while. The juices and flavors will develop.

Cream the butter and 2 cups of sugar on high until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, then the sour cream, zests, and vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. On low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Combine just until smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 15 minutes then remove and allow to cool completely.

After the cake has cooled, prepare the filling by whipping the cream with 3 tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla until stiff peaks form. Slice one of the cake layers in half and spread 1/2 of the whipped cream on the bottom. Scatter half of the sliced strawberries on top of the cream and replace the top of the cake. Spread the remaining whipped cream on top and scatter the remaining strawberry pieces. You can freeze the other cake layer or just make a double helping of the whipped cream and strawberry topping.

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Triple Chocolate Cake

Posted in Cooking, tagged Baking, Cake, Chocolate, The Two Bite Club, Triple Chocolate Cake on June 28, 2014| 8 Comments »

A few weekends ago, I was having a huge chocolate craving so I searched my Recipes to Try board on Pinterest for something new. I had pinned the Triple Chocolate Poke cake from The Two Bite Club a while ago and decided this is what I wanted to try. Oh, my goodness, I am so glad I did!

This is a delicious cake made completely from scratch and it is really easy. Do you have a birthday or other special occasion coming up? This would make a great special treat for the chocolate lover in your life.

For the cake:

2 cups granulated sugar

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

For the glaze:

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 piece baking chocolate, chilled

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9×13” baking pan. In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add in the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat for 3 minutes with an electric mixer. Stir in the boiling water. The batter will be thin.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for at least 10 minutes.

Add all of the glaze ingredients except the piece of baking chocolate to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir together and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute and then cool for 5 minutes. Beat the glaze with an electric mixer for 3 minutes after it has cooled.

Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes in the cake. Pour the glaze over the top of the cake making sure to get some of the glaze into each hole. Use a rubber spatula to carefully spread the glaze over the entire cake. Grate the piece of baking chocolate over the top for a little decoration. Slice and enjoy!

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German Chocolate Upside Down Cake

Posted in Cooking, tagged Baking, Coconut, German Chocolate Upside Down Cake, Pecans on May 31, 2014| 18 Comments »

I will never claim to be a fan of shredded coconut. There is just something about the texture that doesn’t appeal to me, but I am willing to make a huge exception for this cake. This recipe was passed on to me by a former co-worker who just raved about it. She and I have similar taste in food (which means we LOVE it) so I had to make it.

Wow, was this ever tasty! I had to divide it up and share the love so I wouldn’t eat the whole thing. In face, I wish I had big ol’ piece of it right now.

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup shredded coconut

1 box German chocolate cake mix with ingredients needed for your mix

1 8oz cream cheese, softened

2 sticks of butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a 13×9 inch baking dish with non-stick spray. I like to toast the pecans in the preheating oven to bring out the oil and flavor of the nuts.

Prepare the cake batter according to package directions. Spread the pecans and shredded coconut in the bottom of the prepared pan then pour the cake batter over that.

Beat the butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth. Dollop the butter mixture over the cake batter, covering as much of the cake top as possible.

Bake for 50 minutes and devour!

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Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake

Posted in Cooking, tagged Baking, cheesecake, Strawberry, strawberry swirl cheesecake on May 17, 2014| 5 Comments »

One of my co-workers had a birthday back in February when it was absolutely frigid. We usually get ice cream cakes for office birthdays, but the weather just would not allow it. Knowing we all loved cheesecake, I volunteered to make one for her birthday and I knew just the one I wanted to try.

The sweet tartness of the berries along with the sweet tart of the cream cheese really put this cake over the top flavor wise. We loved it!! I found the recipe at recipetips.com.

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 pkgs. frozen strawberries, 10 oz. each (I still had frozen homegrown berries.)

1 tbsp. cornstarch

24 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 eggs, room temperature

Combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar. Press this mixture in the bottom of a spring form pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Blend the strawberries and cornstarch together until smooth. Pour this into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil and stir for 2 minutes. Allow the sauce to cool.

Beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy with an electric mixer. Gradually beat in the sweetened condensed milk. Add the lemon juice and mix well. Add eggs and beat on low until just combined.

Pour half of the cream cheese mixture over the cooled crust and drop half of the strawberry sauce over the cream cheese.

Carefully spoon remaining cream cheese mixture over the top of the strawberries and drop the remaining strawberry sauce on top of the second layer of cream cheese. Use a knife to swirl the strawberry sauce through the cream cheese to make a pretty design on top.

Bake at 300 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool for 10 minutes then run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake. Cool for an additional hour then refrigerate over night.

Remove the side of the pan. Slice and eat up! This cake keeps well in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days.

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Peaches On A Cloud

Posted in Cooking, tagged Baking, cream cheese, Meringue, Peaches, Peaches On A Cloud, Whipped Cream on May 3, 2014| 16 Comments »

Don’t you just love it when a new fabulous recipe just drops into your lap? I know I sure do. My co-worker, K, brought this to work a couple of months ago and I knew then and there that this would be my Easter dessert. The meringue crust is so light and airy and the creamy filling is wonderful with the peaches.

I do need to tell you that this is not one of those recipes that you can just decide to make on a whim and have it ready in 30 minutes. Make sure and read the complete recipe because there is a time commitment to it, but it is so worth it. I wish I had a piece of this right now.

Below is the photo for the entire ingredient list, but I am breaking down the recipe into three steps.

For the crust:

6 egg whites, room temperature

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar and salt until foamy. It should look like this:

Gradually add the granulated sugar, beating on high until stiff peaks form. Tis will probably take at least 5 minutes. Then it should look like this:

Spread evenly into a 9×13” greased baking dish. Bake at 275 degrees for 1 hour. Turn off the oven after the hour but DO NOT open the door. Allow the crust to cool in the oven for at least 12 hours. Again, do not open that oven door!

Before baking and cooling:

After baking and cooling:

For the filling:

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups whipping cream, whipped into stiff peaks

2 cups mini marshmallows

Beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together until smooth. Gently fold in the whipped cream and marshmallows. (Note: I forgot the mix in the marshmallows so I just sprinkled them on top.) Chill for 4 hours.

For the topping:

2 cans peach pie filling (21 oz. each)

Spread the pie filling over the cream cheese layer. Chill and enjoy! I know this is a long recipe but it is so delicious that it is worth every second.

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Chocolate Chip Comfort Cookies

Posted in Cooking, tagged Bakerella, Baking, Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Comfort Cookies, Chocolate Chips, Cookies on April 26, 2014| 7 Comments »

I needed to bake a treat for someone as a thank you gift, but couldn’t make my mind up on what I wanted to fix. You can never go wrong with one of Bakerella’s recipes, so I decided that these cookies were the perfect thing. Oh, my goodness…these are little pillows of chocolate heaven. The recipient loved them and so did I! Thank you, Bakerella!!!!

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup cocoa

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter, slightly softened

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

10 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips (The original recipe calls for dark, but I didn’t have any.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare 2 cookie sheets. In a small bowl, mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt with a wire whisk and set aside.

In another bowl, cream the butter, sugar and peanut butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla; stir until combined.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until combined. Add the chips.

Roll the dough into about 1 1/4 inch balls. I used a cookie scoop to measure the dough and then rolled the scoop into a ball. Bake for 10 minutes and allow to cool before devouring!! This recipe made about 36 cookies.

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