Hubby's Requested Coconut Pineapple Birthday Cake

MOIST AND PERFECT FOR SPRING COCONUT PINEAPPLE CAKE

Before I forget, here is the recipe for the Birthday Cake I posted last night.  For this post I photoed my slice of this very delicious cake, a cake that will become a regular in our family dessert rotation...I was actually very surprised by Hubby's choice of cake...I don't remember him ever requesting a flavor other than dark, fudgy chocolate.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature

2 1/3 cups sugar, divided

6 large eggs, separated
3 3/4 cups cake flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon coconut extract

Method:

Preheat oven to 350^.  Butter and flour (and add parchment paper, also greased, if your pans stick) 3 nine-inch cake pans.  (For Hubby's party I made 2 larger layers for the ease of our large family gathering with several young children who appreciate smaller slices.  3 layers are prettier.)

In your mixer bowl with beater attachment, combine butter and 2 cups of the sugar.  Beat until fluffy. Add yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a separate bowl, sift together all dry ingredients.  Add this dry mixture to the butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  Beat slowly as each ingredient portion is added and mix only until combined.

Beat in vanilla and coconut extracts. Mix on medium for about 30 seconds or just until all ingredients are well combined.

Remove this batter to a different large bowl and clean your mixer bowl.  Whip egg whites until they hold soft peaks, then, while mixing on slow, add last 1/3 cup sugar and whip to stiff peaks.  

Gently fold egg white mixture into batter in thirds.  Spoon batter into prepared pans.

Bake for 25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. (My larger pans took an extra 5 minutes.) When done, remove pans from oven onto wire racks.  Cool for 10 minutes.  Remove cake from pans (and remove parchment paper if used)  and let sit until completely cool.

While cake bakes and cools, make filling and frosting.

Pineapple Curd Filling Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 20-oz can crushed pineapple, drained--keep both juice and pineapple

2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 egg yolks, lightly whisked

1/4 cup unsalted butter  (1/2 stick of butter)

1/2 teaspoon pineapple extract

pinch salt

Method:

Using a heavy saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch and salt.

Add the drained pineapple juice and the lemon juice.  Whisk together.

Add the yolks and cook on medium heat until mixture boils..boil for 30 seconds more until mixture becomes thick like a pudding.  Remove from heat.

Stir in butter until completely melted.  Now stir in the crushed pineapple and pineapple extract.  Let this filling cool.  If necessary refrigerate for an hour.  (This filling should be thick enough to not spread or run when spooned onto a cake layer, but soft enough to spread easily when pushed over the layer with a spoon.)

White Frosting  Ingredients and method:

8 ounces white chocolate  (Place in medium size microwavable bowl.)

1/4 cup heavy cream (Add cream to white chocolate and microwave 30 seconds, until mixture is just warm.  Stir these 2 ingredients together until smooth and creamy.  Microwave again in short bursts if necessary.)

1/2 cup butter, room temperature  (Add to white chocolate-cream mixture and stir until smooth.  If too thick or white chocolate not completely melted, microwave for 10 second bursts and stir until smooth.)

Place above into mixer bowl with beater attachment and add:

1/2 cup sour cream

1 Tablespoon coconut extract

Beat until smooth and creamy.  Mixture should now be cool.

Next, add about 6 cups confectioner's sugar.  Easiest to add 2 cups at a time and beat slowly after each addition.  When all sugar has been added, beat on medium high until smooth and fluffy.  Add enough sugar to make frosting a consistency that is  easily spreadable or that can be piped and will keep its shape.

Assembly:

Place one cake layer on cake platter and top with 1/2 of the pineapple curd filling.  Spread to within 1 inch of cake edge.  

Add second cake layer on top and then add 1/2 of the curd on top of this layer, again spreading to within 1 inch of cake edge.  (When a layer is added on top of the filling it will push the filling further to the cake edge, but not over the edge and into the area where you will want to frost.  Curd and frosting will not mix well.

Now add the top cake layer and you are ready to frost sides and top of cake.  There should be enough curd and frosting to completely cover wanted areas well.

Add sweetened, shredded coconut to sides and top of cake immediately after frosting.  As cake sits, the exterior will set up a little so that the coconut will not stick.

Note:  Any white or yellow or sponge/angelfood cake will work.  What really makes this cake wonderful is the delicious filling which keeps the cake moist.  Also this simple, beautiful frosting is a lovely white contrast to the very yellow filling, making a lovely Spring presentation.  I chose to decorate my cake top  with Spring flowers from our yard.  (See previous post.)  This cake keeps well at room temp for 2 days.

This cake would be great at a Hawaiian party or for other Tropical menu dinners.  If you love coconut and pineapple, you will love this cake!

French Fridays with Dorie: Ispahan Loaf Cake

IT'S A KEEPER!

Such a wonderful cake made from almond flour, raspberries, and fragrant rose syrup.  I've been doing needed yard work all week:  planting my summer garden (which the dog unplanted twice), mowing the lawn, trimming Winter's frost kill on trees and shrubs, raking, and getting everything ready for Spring, which here in sunny AZ is like Summer in many areas.  We've had a few mid-nineties days, but mostly eighties.  I have a "farmer tan" and I feel healthy.  I mailed away all our business taxes on Monday and I'm taking a break to get things ready for a family Easter holiday, for Hubby's and Son # 2's birthdays in a few days, and for a new granddaughter due on Sunday, or any moment  (Honey will have a new baby sister...and Honey gets to stay with me for a week).  So many special days to look forward to over the next week.  After several days of "man-work," I'm tired and anticipated some relaxing baking fun with today's Ispahan Loaf Cake.

One of the very best things about this time of year is the smell.  Everywhere.  All our citrus trees are in bloom and our yard is perfumed with orange blossoms.  Ahhhhhhhhh.  I love the outdoors.  We'll be ready for an Easter egg hunt  and our usual brunch with all the trimmings and desserts we want to try.  Of course, the Easter Bunny keeps coming to our house even though our kids are grown.  Grandkids keep the fun in so many special days.

Today's loaf fits in with our season.  When I shop at the market I find that the berries are perfect.  Beautiful raspberries are inexpensive, abundant, and beg to add elegance to my baking.  I expected a much better than average dessert.  I was not disappointed!

This cake was simple to put together, although the rose syrup is an unusual ingredient.  I read on P's and Q's that the cake needs a little something with a glaze being a good fix.  My only problem with this recipe was the baking temperature/time.  The oven is pre-heated to 350^, then reduced to 300^ as the cake is put into the oven for baking.  At 60 minutes my cake insides were very gooey and the cake seemed to need a much longer time.  I had to run a few errands so I turned the heat back up to 350^.  I should have had time to be more patient, but could not wait.  My cake took an additional 15 minutes with the increased heat...probably would have been 15 more at the reduced temperature.

No worries, this cake is incredibly delicious!  I used Trader Joe's almond meal (with the skins) so my finished loaf may look a little extra brown rather than pink, but it is a great choice.  I added a little fresh orange zest to my glaze along with the juice of that orange because I love my oranges which will be gone in another month.  It was lovely with the rose.

For fun I picked a pretty rose from my garden to garnish my plate...we have so many beautiful roses right now which are at their best before the Summer heat torches them.  And for more fun I tried to make rose petals from gum drops for my loaf top...a task my talented daughters would have done much better.  But it is all for  fun.

If I were a royal queen (I am queen of my kitchen) I would order this cake often with my afternoon tea.  At our house, King Hubby will find this loaf as a surprise for his breakfast.  (It is fun to have Son #2 back at home.  He seems to sense when every baked good is pulled from the oven, appears for a taste, and loves everything.  He especially loves this extraordinary cake and he is impressed that it could be baked with almost all almond flour.)  I'm with Cher...I want to try blackberries, and......

Thanks to some of you who suggested a glaze.  It made a delicious difference.

Happy Spring!

Basked Sunday Mornings: Sunday Night Cake

NO FRILLS CAKE WITH A SUPER DELICIOUS FROSTING--PERFECT FOR SUNDAY NIGHT

January is a strange weather month.  A week ago we had record breaking freezing temps for a week, then we enjoyed record breaking warm, sunny days...85^ here in Gilbert, AZ.  Beautiful!  Now it is raining and will continue to rain for a couple of days  Although rain is always celebrated in the desert, the past two days have been very dreary especially after Mother Nature teased us with such beautiful weather for a few days...so, it's a good indoor baking day.  

It's Saturday afternoon.  Hubby and No. 2 Son keep asking what kind of cake I am baking.  I keep telling them  that it is a Sunday Night Cake.  They are worried that I plan to make them wait until Sunday night before they can dig in. 

The kiddies are on their way over to eat their cakes.  They love it when I make them each their own.  And since we are chocolaholics they'll love their cakes dripping with this pudding-like chocolate frosting.

For today, I doubled the recipe, made a large heart-shaped cake and 3 individual cakes for those little people coming to share.  The best part is the frosting!  I made enough to pour more on each sliced piece.  I'll be interested to see how the leftovers hold up overnight...too big for my stuffed fridge.  I don't know that the frosting would be a good idea in the hot AZ summers...this is the perfect time of year for this treat.

Hubby enjoyed the cinnamon spice in the cake  as well as the rich chocolate frosting.  I baked the cake as directed by the Baked boys with the generous addition of vanilla extract to both the cake and to the frosting.  I don't know that I would personally love this cake without the frosting; with only a dusting of confectioners' sugar instead.  Oh, one more change.  I did not have unsweetened chocolate in the house and I was not in the mood to brave the rain, so I used a wonderful bar of 72% chocolate in my frosting and I must say that it was perfect.  I never mind a little extra sweet in my frosting.

Hope you all enjoyed this dessert.  For sure I'll made this frosting again.  I can envision this cake with lots of whipped cream and berries...it needs something moist and fluffy, or maybe a rich cup of cocoa would be a good pairing with a plain version of this cake. 

Looking forward to Superbowl Sunday and Cheesy Focaccia!  "See" you all then.

SPECIAL INDIVIDUAL SIZE FOR THE GRANDKIDDIES

Baked Sunday Mornings: Holiday Spice Cake

Pure Snow, Sleigh Bells, Glittering Parties, Douglas Firs, and Hot Chocolate--That's what this Cake is Imbued With!!!

Holiday Spice Cake

It’s almost Christmas.  The Baked Holiday Spice Cake with Eggnog Buttercream is perfect for this special time of year.  I did not know exactly what to expect for this cake...no photo in the book, and was a happily surprised by how delightful this cake is!  This spice cake is not typical.  Not like a more heavy flavored, traditional spice cake.  The flavors are well defined yet light, as is this cake.

And I was so happy with the buttercream frosting.  Our last episode with a similar buttercream frosting did not excite me.  It was hot here in AZ and with all the butter the recipe did not hold up well.  But today the temps are only in the mid 60's (about 72 inside) and the buttercream is perfect.  I just set the cake outside for use tomorrow at my daughter’s birthday party.  It will be well refrigerated tonight.  The frosting did not require any refrigeration, but came together exactly as it should, and with the flavor additions, it is heavenly.   It truly does “push all the romantic holiday buttons” as the Baked Boys suggest.  For sure, I’ll make this cake and this frosting again!!!

Well, the big day is almost here.  Wishing all of you a Very Merry Christmas and a Wonderful New Year.

Baked Sunday Mornings: Pumpkin Almond Cake with Almond Butter Frosting

A PERFECT BALANCE OF PUMPKIN, ALMONDS, SPICES

Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends!  Such a cherished time of year to focus on family and friends.  Great foods, such as today’s cake, make our holidays even more special as we celebrate this season.

I’ve disappeared for about 6 months; have not even opened my blog where I record what I  bake and cook with friends, and I’ve missed out on enjoying all  your tips and creativity as well as your friendships....and I'm sure, lots of wonderful food.  So many things have happened over the past few months, some hard and some wonderful; all very time consuming.  Out of necessity, I've had to put aside some of my hobbies even though these kinds of hobbies benefit those I care about.

I’ll write more about my adventures over the past 6 months later, but I’m happy to be back and am excited to see what you all are doing.

I purchased the new Baked Elements cookbook a couple of months ago and actually tagged  the Pumpkin Almond Cake as the book's recipe to bake first.  Due to ongoing events, I’d not been able to get to this recipe.  Even though it fits into fall baking perfectly, I had no time to try a new recipe, even though this one is quite routine.  I actually opened our Baked Sunday Morning site in error while working on another project, but was delighted to find this recipe for today’s assignment.   Even though I’ve been in the kitchen for days preparing and cleaning up our Thanksgiving feast, I couldn’t resist this recipe that had earlier caught my eye.  I have family and extras coming for Sunday dinner and am ready for a new dessert.

This Pumpkin Almond Cake with Almond Butter Frosting is truly a great cake.  I doubled the recipe to feed my expected crowd, turned it into a huge layer cake, and it is delicious and beautiful and a little different from our usual fare.  My frosting is not as smooth as in the given photo because I used Trader Joe’s Chunky Almond Butter...I would do this again.  We loved the crunch along with the moist, dense pumpkin-almond cake.  Even though the toasted almonds garnishing the top give some good texture, we liked the little chunks best.  Hubby commented on all the layers of flavors in this recipe; he loves them.

MY DELICIOUS SLICE--THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE "BAKED" RECIPES SO FAR!!!

My large slice is cut only1/3 across this large 10" cake (meaning someone cutting from the opposite side could end up with a slice almost 7" deep...this is a really big cake!).  The recipe calls for a 9" cake pan, however, my 10" pans were filled just past the top when baked.  I would have had extra batter if 9" pans were used.

This recipe has a perfect combination of spices, pumpkin, and almonds, creating a pleasing dessert that is almost healthy.  There are no overpowering flavors, just an enjoyable blend of many flavors that are especially craved at this time of year.

For sure, this Pumpkin Almond Cake with Almond Butter Frosting will become an Autumn staple in our house.  I’m excited to see what you all are doing and to have the chance to say “Hi,” and also to wish you all a wonderful Holiday Season!

Baked Sunday Mornings: Maple Cupcakes wiith Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

REAP MAPLE SYRUP CUPCAKES MADE WITH TOASTED WALNUTS

Twenty-five years ago we moved to the Phoenix area from Upstate New York where we had lived for 8 years, 2 of which were in Watertown, a small town that often has the distinction of being the cold spot in the nation...maybe even the world.  It was torture!  We had lake effect blizzards, incredibly cold temperatures, winters that never ended, and very short spring-like summers.  It was the extreme opposite of AZ as far as climate and landscape.  

Along with places like Vermont, which we visited during our New York years, our little town produced maple syrup.  The street in front of our house was lined with sugar maples and our back yard had 2 big, old trees that we tapped each Spring for fun.  In the early spring, as the thaws began, the sap began to run in the trees and we would tap the sugar maples and hang our little collection buckets along their trunks.  The sap would sometimes drip into the buckets and at other times it would literally run with a small stream of watery liquid.  These buckets of sap were collected and boiled down forever, it seamed, to evaporate the water and make the syrup.  I can’t remember how many, but it took many gallons of sap to produce one gallon of syrup.  As I remember, the sap was boiled for about 24 hours.  We always liked the darker, more flavorful amber syrup which was created by longer, more patient boiling.  We used the syrup by the gallons.

MY SUNDAY CLASS GETS THESE TOMORROW...I'M SURE THEY WILL ENJOY SAMPLING THIS RECIPE WHICH IS UNUSUAL FOR ARIZONA--I MADE 72 OF THIS VARIETY

Now, here in AZ,  good maple syrup is hard to find and it is quite expensive.  During the first 5 or 6 years we lived in the Phoenix valley, our New York friends felt sorry for us and  shipped maple syrup to us by the gallon every Spring.  That great tradition gradually faded away as shipping charges amounted to more than the worth of the syrup.

Every place we have lived has had unique foods that are part of the culture of the area, but as we have relocated, we always leave behind special items we grow to love and feel we need; fresh maple syrup was one of these.

TURKEY CAME TO HELP...HE ADDED THE TOASTED WALNUTS TO GARNISH THE TOPS

It was a pleasure to bake a cupcake recipe using real maple syrup.  It brought back many “sweet” memories.  When Hubby cut into his first cupcake, I could smell the maple goodness from across the table.  Divine!  And the entire house smelled like a fancy bakery from the baking maple aroma.  That was this afternoon and I can still smell it's sugary, maple fragrance.

Hubby loves maple flavored baked goods.  He takes a trip to the local do-nut shop a couple of times every week to get a few fresh maple do-nuts.  He also loves maple nut ice-cream.  I will dedicate today’s cupcakes to Hubby...and, yes, he loves this cupcake recipe as I knew he would.

TURKEY IS SO EXCITED TO FIND OUT I WILL PUT HIM IN THIS POST

Turkey and I made 2 varieties of cupcakes today...72 each.  He let me know that these are his favorites.  He loves walnuts!!!  If there are nuts leftover, he wants to take them home.  I love it when the kiddies enjoy our baking projects.  I must say that this one was a hit!




HAPPY EARTH DAY TO ALL OF YOU!  HOPE YOU ENJOYED YOUR CUPCAKES TOO.

Tuesdays with Julia and Dorie: Lemon Cake

LOVELY LEMON CAKE LOAVES

I get extra happy anytime I can bake using my backyard citrus.  I was interested in baking today's cake, which I would label as a pound cake, for two other reasons:  1.)  I needed to make 240 small desserts for a friend's birthday party (three varieties with 80 each), and 2.)  I wanted to try this recipe using only the zest of the lemon and not adding additional fresh squeezed juice as an ingredient.  I've collected many citrus using recipes for baked goods that flavor the batters and doughs with only zest and I wanted to bake this cake and learn if the zest alone added enough lemony flavor for my tastes.

By tripling the recipe, I got 5 loaves one size smaller than the recommended recipe size.  I sliced each loaf into 12 pieces and then cut each slice in half.  I topped these cake slices with sweetened fresh strawberry puree, a heavy cream/cream cheese topping and garnished with a slice of berry.   This gave me my 80 mini-desserts using lemon cake and also left me with lemon cake for family.  All my desserts had to be assembled last minute and had to travel 45 minutes...and it is 92^ outside... and the party is outside.  These desserts needed to hold up for both the car ride and also in the outdoor heat.  My desserts held up beautifully and were loved by my friend and his guests.

LEMON LOAVES TRANSFORMED INTO MINI STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES

Before slicing each loaf, I cut off the cake ends...these ends became my taste.  Verdict:  I like more lemon flavor.  

These loaves are quickly baked and produce beautiful loaves, but next time I will make a lemon glaze to drizzle over their tops.

Also, the loaves for home use were enjoyed the following day, and I liked this cake better after it had a day to "ripen."

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO DEAN!

I'm excited to see how your lemon cakes turned out and to see what you have done with them!

Baked Sunday Mornings: Chocolate Coffee (Raspberry) Cake

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY BIRTHDAY CAKE

My kitchen has been busy for the past couple of days as we have celebrated a couple of birthdays as well as a few other events that have required baking projects.  It has been fun to incorporate my baking groups projects into the special events going on at our house, and in my community.

I decided to get creative, for better or for worse, with today's Chocolate Coffee Cake which became a Spring Birthday Cake using fresh raspberries instead of coffee as a flavoring/coloring ingredient.  The flavor change was a good idea, but I had a few challenges with the cake.

RASPBERRY JAM WAS ADDED AS A FILLING ALONG WITH MY RASPBERRY BUTTERCREAM ICING

First of all, I deal with an Arizona challenge.  Today was such a beautiful day.  A perfect day for a backyard birthday party and cookout.  The temperature reached 90^ at our house...we've been about 5^ hotter than our neighbor, Phoenix, over the past couple of months.  So if you watch the national weather, we are a little warmer.  

The only thing bad about our temperature is all the butter in the buttercream frosting (and butter really is a good thing!).  It melts.    To compensate, I added powdered sugar to thicken the frosting and help it hold its shape.  But with all that butter, and 90^ and beautiful sunshine, even in the shade, it melts. So, no more buttercream frostings until next winter.  (Not to worry, I find that by adding cream cheese or other sturdy ingredients to frostings along with the butter, everything works just fine.)

CRUMB COATING HAS SET UP

The other impossibility is finding fridge space to let a whole cake set up.  What a joke at my house.  I have two fridges, and there is just Hubby and I left at home, so you'd think I could find some room, but,  HA!  Both fridges are crammed full worse than ever.  This weekend I have two birthday party's ingredients stuffed into all refrigerated spaces.  And, for the past couple of years I NEED to have several new types of cheeses, lots more butter, eggs and cream, and....I'm sure you know how it goes.  Kinda like my pantry with the dozen kinds of salts.  One or two types used to be good enough, but not any more.

THE GANACHE/GLAZE HAS SLUMPED DOWN THE CAKE SIDES

So, I have my cake all frosted with melting raspberry  buttercream, but with the addition of powdered sugar, it was under control.  Then I had to figure out how to add the ganache.  To be runny enough to drip down the cake sides, the ganache glaze had to be a little warm, but my cake did not need any more "warm."  

Being brave and knowing it would taste good, I poured it on.  As I pushed the ganache puddle from the cake top down over the sides, it did not drip down in pretty streams.  I had to let the glaze cool too much to drip.  Instead of dripping, my ganache  slithered down the sides in globs, taking some of the buttercream along for the ride.  My drips could not be like the elegant photo that goes with this recipe.  Guess I need another fridge.

My last challenge is baking with shortening.  I could not add it to a family birthday cake, not even the kind from the natural food store.  Shortening is such a turn off.  I know it has useful properties in baking, but I try to find other methods.  So I used all butter, which created a dryer, crumbly cake.  It tasted good, but could have been better. I had to think up a way to compensate.

Anyway, these were my challenges.  I was apologizing about the not-pretty cake when Stephy-Wephy told me that it was the kind of cake she hoped to find at grandma's house.  Totally homemade and festive for the party.  Of course, she helped me to feel better.  But I had seen that beautiful photo.  And my cake cannot compare.  And I know I will see beautiful cakes on your sites.  And I should be embarrassed to post my cake.  But it's all part of the experience...learning what works and sometimes what does not work.

BIRTHDAY BOY LIKED THE CAKE

OK, now to the other issues.  I decided not to do a coffee flavor cake...does not work at my house.  So, to turn this cake into a Spring birthday cake I chose fresh raspberries as I love raspberry and chocolate together.

I purchased a bottle of raspberry flavored Italian soda/coffee flavoring syrup that I brushed onto each of the three baked caked layers, adding extra flavor and moisture to the cake.  Then between each layer I smoothed on a layer of raspberry jam as well as my raspberry flavored buttercream frosting.  Besides their great flavor and buttery goodness, these fillings and syrupy additions also helped bring moisture to the cake.

THIS CAKE IS GOOD...NOT BEAUTIFUL, BUT GOOD

When comparing this cake to the Devil's Food Cake we made earlier from the "Baked" book, I personally prefer the Devil's Food Cake which I have made a few times.  In the future, I will use that recipe.

It was fun to play around with today's cake, and it did work out OK for a family birthday gathering, but I'll just say that I hope you all made wonderfully beautiful, elegant, delicious cakes that I will drool over as I read your posts. I'm sure I'll be inspired by your baking.

 

"See" you all soon.

I'm sure my cake won't take any beauty pageant awards, but it was fun to bake and decadent to eat.

MY SLICE ...DELISH!

French Friday with Dorie: Quatre-Quarts

A DELICIOUS VANILLA CAKE THAT CAN BE USED IN WAYS SIMILAR TO A POUND CAKE

I am excited by this simple cake that can compliment a meal in so many ways or is lovely on its own.  I had thought about getting fresh strawberries but decided to use what I had on hand.

THIS CAKE HAS A LIGHT AND LOVELY CRUMB--GREAT TEXTURE

With a little dark brown sugar sprinkled on the cake top before baking, this cake has a nice top crust with just a little crunch when sliced or eaten.

GARNISHED WITH ITEMS FROM THE PANTRY--DELICIOUS!

I had caramel sauce from a previous project and my grandkids were here eating bananas, or halves of bananas, so I found a good way to use those other halves.  A dab of whipped cream was a perfect addition to these garnishes.

This cake would be good with fresh peaches, any berries, grilled and coupled with a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate, it could be cut in half and assembled like a Boston cream pie..........lots of good toppings come to mind.  Quatre-Quarts is a homey version of a pound cake, but it is lighter due to stiffly whipped egg whites that have been folded into the mixture.

We enjoyed this cake warm from the oven.  It was a perfect addition to our family meal and was especially enjoyed again as a bedtime snack.

All ingredients are regular pantry items.  From the process beginnings to eating our version took only 45 minutes, and most of that was baking time.  We love fast and easy desserts...we will make this again soon.

Kris' Fresh Pumpkin Cake for Cakelets

Fresh Pumpkin Cakelets

I made treats for my Sunday school class...and several wanted the recipe so I'll post it for their use.

Kris’Fresh Pumpkin Cake—use in “cakelets”

16 oz freshly baked and pureed pumpkin

    (Or 1 16 oz can pumpkin—not pumpkin pie mixture)

½ C Sugar

4 eggs

½ canola oil

Beat oil and sugar together, add eggs, add oil, add pumpkin and beat till smooth.

2 C flour

1 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

2 t cinnamon

1 t ginger

½ t salt

sift these dry items together and then add to pumpkin mixture...mix only until combined.

Pour batter into and bake in a lined and greased 15" X 10" X 1" baking pan.  (I use a silicone non stick baking mat) at 350^ for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.

Cool for 5 minutes and invert onto wire rack if you want to cut the cake into shapes.  I did not invert, but kept cake in pan.  I used a round cutter and got 80 cakelets from one cake.  I frosted them with a dob of buttercream-cream cheese frosting...I added homemade caramel to the frosting for extra flavor and a seasonal taste.  Top with garnish of choice.  I also sprinkled a little cinnamon on top.  I used regular size cupcake papers...the mini size is too small for my cutouts.

Mix-ins can be added to cake batter before baking such as: chocolate chips, craisons, nuts, white chips, etc.  But most of these mix-ins make small shapes hard to cut out...dividing the cake into a layer cake...or just using as a sheet cake would be good with mix-ins.

This cake is pretty if left to cool for 5 min, inverted on a wire rack to finish cooling, cut into thirds and made into a rectangle shape layer cake with a buttercream frosting made wtih maple syrup, caramel, or you flavoring choice and generously added between each layer and on top.  Also works well for other shapes using the deep, at least 1" cookie cutters...try pumpkin shape, etc.

I doubled the recipe, which all fits in my mixer bowl, and got 160 cakelets, enough for my class and for my family.

Enjoy.

THESE CAKE CUTOUTS ARE QUICKER AND EASIER THAN CUPCAKES....MADE 160 IN LESS THAN 1 HOUR...PLUS TIME TO BAKE THE PUMPKIN

Baked Sunday Mornings: Boston Cream Pie Cake

TONIGHT, BUDDY, No 1 SON'S 6 MONTH OLD "BABY" IS READY FOR DINNER--SHE IS BETTER LOOKING THAN MY BOSTON CREAM PIE CAKE---SO, SHE CAN HEAD MY POST

I'M DISAPPOINTED IN THIS PIE/CAKE

It is 1:40 am Sunday morning; soon time to post.  I just finished baking and tasting the Baked Boston Cream Pie Cake.  Before baking this cake I  baked 100 mini pumpkin cakes and topped them with caramel cream cheese frosting and a Thanksgiving garnish for my adult Sunday school class...in just a few hours.  Hubby was watching the exciting ASU vs U of A football game and then caught up on current event news...I think he was waiting for his tastes especially when he saw the chocolate parts of the Boston cake coming together.
                            

Our office building, exactly 2 miles from our home,  is located in the Heritage District of Downtown Gilbert.  We rebuilt an old building that is  on Gilbert Road and across the road from a large empty lot where our annual Gilbert Days is happening. 

Gilbert Days always includes rodeos, a parade, a carnival, the farmer’s market, crafts, foods, and fun.  The news announcer for the parade sits directly across the road from our building where we and our friends have front row seats.  This morning we enjoyed all the school bands and dancers and beauty queens who perform their best for local TV.  The carnival with all the lights and screaming girls on wild rides is right outside our front windows.  And all the junk food one would expect at a carnival or state fair are right there too.    Yum if you like belly aches as it ist really junky food.

This year’s parade included some firsts.  Featured were the first garbage trucks I’ve ever seen in our parade...all washed and smelling good.  And Santa came this year...isn’t it kinda early?  High school football teams were throwing their balls and dancing down the street as part of the parade.  We had the air force jets which are a usual, but also had three restored flying-overhead airplanes...yellow...that looked like something  Wilber Wright would have flown and spewing clouds of smoke out their tails.  They were flown by the Army who also included vintage tanks and trucks in the parade.

We all enjoyed the Dancing Grandmas...have them every year...they have great dancer legs enhanced by their shimmering panty hose and mini skirts.  My friend sitting next to me wants to join them in the future but her husband says he’ll divorce her if she does...but she’s a dancer and is serious.  We had Sheriff Joe Arpio who is an Arizona hero to many and hated by others...he makes national news often and once asked Hubby to be one of his deputies.  I’m glad Hubby did not go that route...Sheriff Joe does dangerous work.

There were lots of high school bands; some of them were really good.  And because we are Gilbert, AZ, there were lots of horses and cowboys and girls, and rodeo queens, and horse poop and poop scoopers.

It is 60^ out right now, and was about 80^ earlier.  This week should linger between 70 and 80 depending on the storm systems up North.  This morning I saw some colored leaves on a few trees as I drove down the road...guess Fall is arriving early this year...usually comes mid-December.  The reds and yellows are beautiful...I guess it’s our change of seasons.

I had been ambitious and made the pie/cake recipe a few days ago, cupcake size, and I was disappointed not in the taste, but in the sinking middles.  I decided this recipe was not meant for cupcakes, which I had planned to cut in half, fill with pastry creams, and top with the ganache with fruit on top as part of my dessert table for my baby shower for a friend.  But...with the sinking middles, I filled the dips with  freshly whipped cream and added strawberries on top.  They were tasty and pretty but I knew I would need to re-do this recipe.

So tonight I did.  I got out my 8" cake pans, made the recipe as written, and one cake fell badly in the middle. UGGGG!  I noticed when portioning out the batter to each pan that the 2nd pan, getting the batter from the bottom half of the bowl, had more of the butter mixture which seemed to sink to the bottom after being folded in as the final addition to the batter.  I had noticed the same thing happened to my cupcakes.  One pan actually turned out OK, but the second pan, the pan getting batter from the bottom half of the bowl, had the sinking cupcakes.  The butter seems to separate after being folded in and even though I don’t let the batter rest and I portion it out quickly, I find buttery batter at the bowl bottom.  I don't think I should have to beat the batter into the mixture...I did fold it in well...at least I thought I did.

I had been skeptical of the sponge cake part of the recipe from the first time I read it.  My typical sponge cake recipes...my favorites are from my grandma who lived on a farm and had lots of eggs to use and often made sponge cakes, and the other I like is from William-Sonoma, both have me whip the yolk mixture and then the whites separately to fairly stiff peaks...and then fold the whites into the yolk mixture and it works perfectly every time.  But this recipe without separated eggs and with the butter/milk added at the end does not work well for me.

THE BOTTOM LAYER IS ABOUT THE RIGHT SIZE AFTER PEELING OFF THE BUTTERY BOTTOM PART...THE REMAINDER LOOKED LIKE GOOD SPONGE CAKE

I watched a how-to video of a similar Boston Cream Pie on a Joy of Cooking video.  That cake was made how I make my sponge cakes, with the separated eggs whipped and then folded into each other.  They also have the milk/butter mixture which is also added at the end, but the consistency using the separated eggs is different and the cake bakes differently.

When I dumped my cakes out of the pans there was a layer on the bottom of the most sunken cake (the butter seemed to sink worse to the cake bottom) that actually separated from the rest of the cake...a more buttery layer which I removed and threw away...so I did not cut that layer in ½.  The remaining layer, the one that got the batter from the top portion of the bowl, baked better so I cut that one in half.

But I was disappointed and just threw the rest of this cake together, just to get it done.

SEE THE GOOD PART, THE PUDDING, OOZING OUT BETWEEN THE LAYERS?--I KEEP MOVING THIS CAKE TO A DIFFERENT SPOT IN THE KITCHEN HOPING IT WILL LOOK BETTER...BUT, NO

The pastry creams were good and ganache is always good.  I put the cake all together and without letting it set up a little...well, it was almost 1 am at this point...I cut the cake and Hubby and I tried a piece.  Hubby announced that it was good, and I announced that it was ugly and not what I was after....I announced this part to myself...I’ll let Hubby think it is good.

I put the cake in the fridge where if can set up and be ready for Sunday dinner.  I’m sure some of my family will come and enjoy my mess and I’m hoping I have a few of my pumpkin cakes left over because I will be proud of those.

Oh well, kitchen fun does produce failures on occasion.  But I am determined to make this recipe again, but using my sponge cake instead of Baked’s, and I’ll let you all know how that turns out.

I’m interested to see how this worked out for my Baked friends.  Hope you all had much better luck with your pie/cakes.

THE PIECE HUBBY AND I SHARED BEFORE I SENT HIM TO BED...I DID NOT WAIT TO LET THE LAYERS SET UP, BUT IT WAS GOOEY AND GOOD

MY BABY SHOWER DESSERT TABLE

I made Caramel-Apple-Pecan-Date Cake, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Chocolate Cheesecake, Baby Feet Sugar Cookies, Sugar and Spice Nuts, Caramel Popcorn, etc mix, pumpkin cakelets, and my Frolicking Night Owl daughter made chocolate cupcakes.....and do you see the failed sponge cake cupcakes with the strawberries and cream to hide them?  I cut that part out of the pic and here it is......

HERE THEY ARE

HAVE A GREAT THANKSGIVING!  AND STAY WARM.

Baked Sunday Mornings: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake with (Cream Cheese Frosting) Coconut, Pecan Topping

TOPPING ADDED WHILE CAKE IS STILL WARM, AND THIS PIECE WAS EATEN WHILE STILL WARM...YUM!

I’ve run into several people over the past few months who are not “cake” people.  They are “pie” people, or “cookie” monsters, or “ice cream” lovers, but cake does not excite them.  Maybe a good cheesecake, but not cake-cake.

When I ask, “Why?” they answer that  cake is dry, or it lacks good flavor, or has nasty frosting or too much frosting, or needs something to wash it down, or it is just made from a box, or it is too sweet, leaving one feeling sick, or it tastes like a sponge covered in Crisco icing.  Who wants to really eat one of these kinds of traditional birthday cake?  Many feel that the birthday or wedding cake is just for tradition or for a candle-blowing-out moment...not really for eating.

I admit that in my younger years there were not many cakes I enjoyed: 

German chocolate cake (because I liked the special topping)  

Carrot cake with a cream cheese frosting

Grandma’s lemon sponge cake with a lemony icing

Oatmeal cake, again with a special topping   

ONE OF MY FAVORITE SPECIAL CAKE TOPPINGS--GREAT ON OATMEAL CAKE

NEVER anything from a box!

My mom could ruin the German chocolate cake as she liked to use Nestle’s hot chocolate mix instead of cocoa powder.  Unbelievable...she did it to brownies too, and still does to this day.  “We like a mild chocolate.” she says.  She’s an all-around good cook, but cake was never a specialty.  And she’ll never understand chocolate.

And I remember years of no butter in the house.  It was the Crisco and margarine era.  Butter was considered “bad for you,” but now it’s the other way around.

Growing up, cake usually came from a box, and for women in my mother’s age group (she's 84), cakes still do.   And judging from the large space given to  boxed cake mixes in grocery stores, that’s where most cakes still originate...and frostings too.   In the past there was one good use, but since we can no longer take home-kitchen made cupcakes into the school room to share for a child's birthday, I don't understand why anyone would use a boxed cakemix...EVER!

And that’s the problem with most cakes.  The typical person does not bake...so the choice is store bought cake with shortening frosting, or if they do bake, they are unwilling to use the best ingredients or methods.

THIS CAKE WILL SOON BE GONE...AND IT'S STILL WARM

The good thing about those boxed goods was that I could bake a cake all by myself at the age of 6; boxed cake and jello were my specialties.  When my mom had her daily nap...I was the oldest of 5 closely spaced kids and we wore her out...I ruled the kitchen. (My siblings remember I ruled with a sturdy wooden spoon.) I'll bet I made lots of sticky floors, but my mom never complained.  Back then, before all the kid safety, my mom thought it was great to wake up to the foods I had cooked.  Yes, I did get burned or cut on occasion, but I learned fast.  (There was a neighborhood market, Ernie's store, only 1 block from our house and I could take my small change and purchase dinner ingredients...yes, a quarter bought something back then....I remember cake mixes being 4/$100.)

Today’s Oatmeal Cake is a treasure.  I’ve always loved this type of cake, however, I could not get excited about a cream cheese frosting.   Like German chocolate cake, this cake traditionally comes with a special topping made with a caramely-coconut-pecan type of ingredient list.  I decided to go with tradition.

With all the oats, this cake is great for breakfast, and of course, it is perfect at any other time...like every time I walk into the kitchen.  And, I noticed everyone coming into the kitchen had the same problem. Before the cake had cooled, it had been mostly eaten.  This cake can’t miss...has all the flavors found in my favorite chewy oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe.

This is a moist, dense cake, and adding chocolate chips made a lovely treat.  My traditional recipe does not call for chocolate chips, however, adding the chips gives me a new way to enjoy this dessert.   And I do appreciate good chocolate.  Not long ago I baked a version of this cake that is a chocolate-chocolate chip oatmeal cake with a chocolate ganache topping; also very good.

This is a fun cake to bake...made with typical pantry items... and more fun to eat.  I’m sure  those “not cake” people just need to try some of these kinds of yummy cakes and they may change their minds.  With good ingredients, lots of flavor,  a  moist texture, and a great topping,  I’m sure this cake could turn more dessert eaters into cake choosers.

And being a baker who reads cookbooks and baking blogs for nighttime relaxation, I now enjoy many, many great cakes; way too many to list.

I’m interested to see how my cyberfriend’s cakes turned out...especially interested to see this cake dressed in a cream cheese frosting.  It will be fun to read your reviews.

OOZING WITH CARAMELY CHOCOLATEY COCONUT NUTTY GOODNESS, THIS CAKE'S A WINNER!

Recipe for my coconut-pecan topping:
Makes a generous amount; enough for two 9 X 13 cakes

1 1/2 (2 sticks) Cups butter
2 1/2 Cups brown sugar
1 can evaporated milk
1 Tablespoon vanilla
2 ½  Cups coconut
2 Cups chopped pecans

Using a heavy saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, and evaporated milk.  Bring to a boil over medium heat; boil for 1 minute.  Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla, coconut, and pecans.  Spread on warm Oatmeal Cake.