Halloween Repeats…but with a twist!

So I’m still less than 2 weeks past Halloween, so technically I’m not that late yet.  And even though these are a few repeat recipes, they are just so darn good and pretty looking that I had to share.  The cupcakes do have a slight twist, but the pie does not.  I was just so proud of my repeat Dutch Apple Pie since I picked the apples myself at the orchard last week, so this pie is truly Farm to Table.  You can just call me Kate Gosselin…not because of the fem-mullet or divorced from a crazy husband thing…more along the lines of she’s all into the organic, natural produce thing. 

And now for my twisted cupcakes…no, these aren’t pumpkin cupcakes (although that would be heavenly)…I present to you, Orange Velvet Cupcakes in honor of Halloween!  Yes, they are complete with my favorite, Crack Icing…also known as Cream Cheese Frosting.  I simply just added 1/2 bottle of Yellow Food Coloring with 1/2 bottle of Red Food Coloring to the mix.  I’m already scheming up Green Velvet for St. Patty’s, Blue Velvet for Fourth of July…I mean, who said Red Velvet had to be Red?!  Still delicious no matter what color it is. 

Lastly, because it’s an annual blog tradition, I present to you my 2009 pumpkin.  Baby Mak has a thing for sour, fruity candy, so yes, that’s what I looked like if those darn trick-or-treaters didn’t choose wisely from our candy cauldron. 

His and Hers Pies.

I love pie.  Pie could possibly be the perfect food.  Buttery, crumbly crust filled with delicious fruity, creamy, chocolately, and/or nutty fillings.  There are a few pies I despise though and somehow I married a man who loves the very pies that make me want to hurl.  That list includes: “Stinking” Cherry Pie, Key Lime Pie, and Raspberry Pie.  I’ve already done my part to make him a Cherry Pie, so I decided I would just combine the last two flavors since I don’t really like wasting time and energy on yucky pies.  Surprisingly, my husband loved my Key Lime Raspberry Pie creation, so I don’t feel bad at all for my 2 for 1 pie trick.  I’ve never even ventured to taste this pie, but he would describe it as the perfect balance of both tart and sweet flavors.  It also proved to be quite a hit for other Key Lime and Raspberry Pie lovers.  I’ll just stick with the delicious “Hers” pie below and leave my husband and his strange taste buds to enjoy this strange green pie.  I would never trust a green pie. 

 

Key Lime Raspberry Pie, aka “His” Pie

• 8 egg yolks, beaten
• 2 (14 ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/2 cups key lime juice
• Zest from 1 lime
• 1/4 cup fresh raspberry preserves
• 1 (10 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
   

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine the egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, and lime zest. Mix well.
2. Pour into unbaked graham cracker shell. Warm the raspberry preserves in a pastry bag for 15-20 seconds in the microwave.  Pipe on top of pie and swirl with knife.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before chilling in the fridge until serving time. Top with whipped topping and garnish with lime slices and fresh raspberries.

 

 

Now, I’ve saved the best for last…Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie.  Pecan Pie is pretty sinful all by itself, but adding Chocolate and Bourbon to anything makes it better in my book.  This pie is very rich and sweet, so it’s a perfect “chick” pie.  Ladies love anything super sweet and chocolately.  I like it best when it’s served slightly warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream…so I thank you mister pie a’la mode inventor since I’m all about evening out those rich flavors with a cold, creamy treat. 

 

 

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie, aka “Her” Pie

• 1 (9 inch) pie shell (see here for my favorite pie crust recipe)
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup butter
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 2 tbsp. bourbon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped pecans

 

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a small saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup, and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cool slightly.
2. In a large bowl combine eggs, bourbon, vanilla, and salt. Mix well. Slowly pour sugar mixture into egg mixture, whisking constantly. Stir in pecans.
3. Place chocolate on bottom of pie shell.  Pour mixture into pie shell.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until set and golden. May be served warm or chilled. 

A New Chapter…and it’s looking Pretty Peachy.

After almost 10 years spent living North of the Mason Dixon line, I am about to re-embrace my Southern pride.  That’s right, Gus and I are moving to Atlanta in about a weeks time!  In honor of this news, I just HAD to bake up a homemade, from scratch, peeled the peaches myself, Peach Cobbler.  Well, that and I took on the duty of hosting our own “hoedown” going-away party this past weekend (this is what happens when you’re the only one of your friends who knows how to cook shrimp n’ grits!), and what’s a hoedown without Peach Cobbler?!  The good news for my blog is that I am going to have a lot more time on my hands with my current state of joblessness in Atlanta, but I’m welcoming the break and an opportunity to get caught up since I have quite a few sinful Southern dishes to share.  We’ll be in transit for the next couple weeks, but I’m eager to get going in my new (and even bigger!) kitchen, so y’all better get excited for a taste of the South!

Back to the mascot of my new home…This cobbler recipe can be made with just about any fruit and the topping is the perfect marriage of golden brown crunchy-ness with soft, doughy goodness.  Plus, anything topped with cinnamon sugar is an automatic winner in my book.  The peach filling can be made with frozen or canned peaches, but now that I’m about to become a true Southern belle, I can only recommend using the fresh fruit from my new home state.   It was actually a lot easier than I thought to peel the peaches once I found a great cheat method in my America’s Test Kitchen cookbook…score the peaches with an X on top, drop in boiling water for 30 seconds, and the skin peels right off.  Easy as pie, or in this case, cobbler. 

 

 

Peach Cobbler

Fruit Filling

• 8 fresh peaches – peeled, pitted and sliced into large chunks
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 3 tsp. cornstarch

Topping

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine peaches, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, vanilla, and cornstarch. Toss to coat evenly, and pour into a 9×13 baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, white sugar,  brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in butter with your fingertips, or a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until just combined.
3. Remove peaches from oven, and drop spoonfuls of topping over them. Sprinkle entire cobbler with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Bake until topping is golden brown, or about 20 minutes.

An oldie but a goodie…and an unexpected newbie.

I’m a planner.  I love making plans and lists and routines….man, do I love a good ole routine!  You could say spontaneity is not really my friend.  Every once in awhile though, I get a little bit wild and crazy and veer from my usual plans.  My office was holding a charity bake sale and I had planned for about a week to make one of my favs…Black Bottom cake, aka, Chocolate Bundt Cake with Chocolate Chip Cheesecake filling.  I’ve made it for my coworkers before as cupcakes, so I figured I would play it safe and go with something I knew everyone liked.  Well, once I made the cake, it just didn’t seem like enough when I have a certain baking reputation in the office.  It was late at night and I wasn’t about to run out to the store, so to the pantry I went to see what I could scrounge up.  I found a box of graham crackers, chocolate chips, and marshmallow fluff…I may not be able to bring a bonfire to work, but I was going to figure out someway to bring the S’mores there.   A couple google searches later and I had a graham cracker cookie dough layered with warm milk chocolate and melty marshmallow fluff, all topped with another layer of graham cracker cookie dough to keep this treat as close to the real campfire sandwich as possible.   I was pleasantly surprised in my recipe spontaneity and even more surprised when my coworkers went bonkers over these simple and unplanned treats!  Don’t get me wrong, they usually love just about any baked good, but you would have thought I put some magic koolaid in these suckers with how much they were entranced by their goodness!  It certainly doesn’t take much to make them happy…although, I learned what doesn’t make them happy…when the boss buys my whole bundt cake before they could get their ravenous little hands on it.  It was certainly flattering though, so I will definitely be repeating that cake recipe yet again to keep the baked good peace in the office. 

 

 

 

S’mores Bars (no planning necessary)

• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 king-sized milk chocolate bars (if you’re embracing spontaneity like me, then you’ll have to use about 2 cups of milk chocolate chips since that’s all you could find in your pantry)
• 1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme/fluff

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.  In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined.
3. Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan.
4. Place chocolate bars over dough.  Spread chocolate with marshmallow creme or fluff (this is where having chocolate bars instead of chips comes in handy, but it all tastes the same in the end).
5. Roll out remaining dough to about 1/4 inch thick and places as a single layer on top of the fluff (if you care less about aesthetics then just flatten the dough into small shingles and lay them together on top…i’m a tad more OCD so rolling is how i roll).
6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into bars.  Instruct ravenous coworkers to nuke in the microwave for 15-20 seconds for that authentic melty campfire taste. 

 

And just for kicks, here’s a shoutout to that oldie but a goodie Chocolate Bundt Cake with Chocolate Chip Cheesecake filling…this time with a Cream Cheese Glaze…another office winner that bosses and coworkers will fight over.

I heart Banana Cake. I don’t heart NYC.

Right after I became a Mrs., I packed up all my new kitchen gadgets and fine china and moved into a 450 sq. ft. studio in the middle of Manhattan with my brand spanking new husband.  It was quite the newlywed adventure.  I’m actually shocked that we didn’t kill each other in the first 4 months of marriage, considering the only place in the apartment where we couldn’t physically see each other was the bathroom.  I tried to love our NYC adventure, but after living in Chicago for the past 3 years, the Big Apple just didn’t stack up.  Visiting NYC is one thing, but when I lived there, the fabulous shopping and bustling of the city lost it’s magic and I just couldn’t get past the garbage piles (Thank you Jesus for alleys in Chicago) and unrelenting city noise heard at all hours.  I’m a city girl, but clearly not a New York City girl.  Thankfully four months later we moved back to Chicago, where our living space more than quadrupled (for the same amount in rent as our NYC one room palace), and I haven’t missed NYC since.  

Well, that’s kinda a lie…I did miss two things about NYC and two things only: 1.) Pinkberry, and 2.) A slice of Banana Cake from Billy’s Bakery in Chelsea.  And as of today, those two things aren’t really missed anymore because I’ve found acceptable Chicago replacements…and those replacements don’t involve smelly garbage piles or cabs honking outside my bedroom window at 4am, so they might even be better than the originals.  My Pinkberry fix was an easy cure when a Berry Chill shop opened up 2 blocks from my office in Chicago.  I even have my own Berry Chill companion at work….and we may or may not have enjoyed our favorite frozen treat in the middle of February…in 30 degree weather.  

Now, the Banana Cake fix was much harder to satisfy.  It’s not a popular cake flavor, so I’ve only found a couple Chicago bakeries that carry it and I have yet to be impressed.  Most were dry and lacking in bananananaey flavor.  Plus, I have an extremely picky palate when it comes to Cream Cheese Frosting, so I just didn’t think my own recipe could be beat.  Then it dawned on me…forget the bakeries, make your own stinking Banana Cake!  I did a lot of research…scouring cookbooks, online recipe sites, and baking forums to combine the best practices of Banana Cake making and baking….and in the end, I’m pretty sure my Banana Cake puts Billy’s to shame.  The baking method sure is strange and I was skeptical, but the result was one of the moistest, most flavorful cakes I’ve ever made.  And the masses agree…I thought Banana Cake luvahs were few and far between so I wasn’t sure how this cake would go over with my ravenous co-workers.  Well, it was devoured in record time compared to previous baked goods that I’ve brought in, so I think I’ll be keeping this one in the rotation.  Looking back, I guess I’ll always have to be somewhat thankful for garbage piles, sirens at 4am, and 450 sq. ft apartments because without them, I wouldn’t have fallen in love with Banana Cake and made an even better one in my quiet, clean, spacious Chicago home. 

P.S. – This recipe works great as both layer cakes and cupcakes…don’t worry, I conducted my own thorough taste tests on both so I could report back to you with the results.  It’s tough work being a food blogger. 

 

 

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake Batter:

• 2 cups Mashed Bananas (the browner, the better!)
• 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
• 3 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1/4 tsp. Salt
• 1 1/8 cup White Sugar
• 1 cup Light Brown Sugar
• 3/4 cup Butter, softened
• 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 tbsp. Vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups Buttermilk
• 1/2 cup Sour Cream

 Cream Cheese frosting:

• 1 1/2 pounds Cream Cheese, room temperature
• 1 pound Butter, room temperature
• 2 pounds Powdered Sugar, sifted
• 1 tbsp. Vanilla Extract

 

1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.  (I know it’s low, but trust me here!)  Grease and flour two 9-inch pans or line cupcake pans with liners. (or if you’re me, make both a 3 layer cake AND cupcakes)
2. In a small bowl, mash the bananas and add the cinnamon and nutmeg.  Stir to combine and set aside. 
3. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together.  Set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and white/brown sugar together until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla and oil. 
5. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk and sour cream.  Fold the banana mixture into the batter, then divide evenly between the pans. 
6. Bake at 275 for 1 to 1 1/2 hours for 9 inch cakes or 30-40 minutes for cupcakes.  Remove from the oven and place directly in the freezer for 45 minutes.  (Do you like moist, delicious cake?  Then do it.)
7. For the cream cheese frosting: Whip the butter and cream cheese together in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until creamed. Gradually add powdered sugar to the mixture and scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and mix until combined. The frosting can be used right away, or stored in the refrigerator up to a week (very dangerous for frosting addicts like myself). Frost cooled cakes with the cream cheese frosting.

Red Velvet: Some facts to set you straight.

A couple weeks ago I was asked by 3 different people on 3 separate occasions what exactly is Red Velvet cake…what flavor is it, how does it get red, what does it taste like, and on and on and on.  I know that Red Velvet cake is a Southern thang, but since it’s been gaining popularity lately, I just figured that everyone was up to date on their baked good knowledge…because Lord knows I am.  So if you’re one of those unfortunate souls who has yet to discover Red Velvet, let me help you out with the facts:

• Red Velvet is a mild chocolate cake…not as rich as Devil’s Food cake, but definitely not a Vanilla cake.  It’s somewhere in between, but with a lil bit of tang…you can thank the yummy buttermilk for that delish tangy flavor. 
• It MUST be covered with Cream Cheese frosting.  Some crazy Southerners also insist on topping it with chopped PEE-cans, but not this one.  Save those nuts for a PEE-can pie because they have no place in my Red Velvet cake. 
• It’s red because you dye it red with a whole lotta red food coloring.  It’s not due to some scientific baking reaction, as cool as that would be…it’s just red dye.  I’ve heard that the same group of crazy Southerners will sometimes use beet juice to dye their cake, but again, not this one.  I’m not putting beet anything in any kind of cake.  Ick. 
• It’s delicious.  Yes, that’s a fact and once you try it, you’ll understand.

I have an old stand-by recipe for Red Velvet that I’ve used for awhile and liked, but didn’t love, so I switched things up and think I really have found a winner this time.  The cake is super moist with just the right amount of chocolate and tangy flavor…and the frosting…don’t even get me started on the frosting.  I could eat it with a spoon, but I won’t so I can still fit into my jeans.  This will definitely be my go-to Cream Cheese frosting recipe from now on, but beware that it makes a TON of frosting, so if you’re like me then you better use it all up and get it out of your house because that stuff is like crack.  And I won’t be held responsible for your addiction. 

 

 *These regular size cupcakes were for my ravenous co-workers…next time I think I’ll have to bust out my jumbo cupcake pan for their hearty appetites.  Apparently they are also into hoarding my baked goods in the office refrigerator now, as I saw someone just this past Friday eating one…and I brought these in 2 weeks ago.  That my friends, is dedication.

 

*These darling mini cupcakes were for my sister-in-law’s bridal shower, as ladies always love desserts in mini form.  Why, you ask?  Well, 1). because they’re just so darn cute, and 2). because they can eat a bunch of them and tell themselves that since they’re so small, they must not be bad for you.  Oh and not only are they topped with matching red sugar, but yes, that is edible glitter you see sparkling on those babies…the ladies also love the bling. 

 

Red Velvet Cupcakes

For the Cake Batter:

• 15 1/2 ounces All-Purpose Flour (this is the first recipe I’ve used that required me to weigh the flour and sugar, but I’m a believer now… so do it and don’t complain)
• 1 1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1 1/4 tsp. Salt
• 2 tbsp. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (I upped the cocoa powder to this amount because it was originally just 2 tsp. and I like my red velvet to actually taste chocolatey and not just a hint of chocolate…you might have to use some extra red dye though because of the added cocoa, but I think it tastes better this way)
• 1 1/2 cups Vegetable Oil
• 13 ounces Sugar
• 1 1/4 cups Buttermilk
• 3 eggs
• 2 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. Red Food Coloring (I just used one entire bottle of red food coloring to cover up my addition of the extra cocoa powder)
• 1 1/4 tsp. Vinegar (white or apple cider can both work)
• 1 1/4 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1/8 cup Water

For the Crack, aka, Cream Cheese frosting:

• 1 1/2 pounds Cream Cheese, room temperature
• 1 pound Butter, room temperature
• 2 pounds Powdered Sugar, sifted
• 1 tbsp. Vanilla Extract

 

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees F.  Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder into a bowl and set aside.
2. In a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix oil, sugar, and buttermilk until combined. Add eggs, food coloring, vinegar, vanilla and water and mix well.
3. Add the dry ingredients a little bit at a time and mix on low, scraping down sides occasionally, and mix until just combined. Be sure not to over mix, or the batter will come out tough.
4. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners, scoop the batter into the liners and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.
5. For the cream cheese frosting: Whip the butter and cream cheese together in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until creamed. Gradually add powdered sugar to the mixture and scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and mix until combined. The frosting can be used right away, or stored in the refrigerator up to a week (this could potentially be very dangerous to late-night frosting spoon dippers like myself, so this is your warning). Frost cooled cupcakes with the cream cheese frosting.

I love my cupcake pushing Mama.

I could never pick my absolute favorite cupcake…classic vanilla, red velvet, carrot cake, double chocolate, banana with cream cheese frosting…I could keep going, but I’ll spare you.  Even though I could never pick a #1 favorite, this next one is definitely one of my many favorites.  Let me introduce you to my friend, Black Bottom Cupcake…she’s also known as chocolate-cupcake-topped-with-chocolate-chip-cheesecake-filling…or for short, heaven.  I didn’t even discover this little piece of heaven until a couple years ago during a trip down to Perry(dise), Georgia to visit my Mama.  She made these and I wasn’t really intrigued because 1.) No frosting?!?  How could I love something that doesn’t have frosting?  and 2.) I’m usually not a fan of anything with the word “cheesecake” in it.  One bite in and I honestly feel like I’ve been missing out for my entire life.  It’s incredibly rich, moist, fudgy, and surprisingly, I didn’t miss frosting at all.  Plus, it made me rethink my whole aversion to cheesecake…when you add chocolate chips and a chocolate cupcake to the mix, I certainly love me some cheesecake.  Sometimes all you need is for your Mama to force your finicky self to try something new and you’ll thank her for years to come. 

 

 

Black Bottom Cupcakes

Cake

• 1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1 cup Water
• 1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 tbsp. Cider Vinegar
• 1 tsp. Vanilla

Filling

• 8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup Sugar
• 1/8 tsp. Salt
• 1 cup Miniature Semisweet Chocolate Chips

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line cupcake tins with paper liners or lightly grease. 
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.  Make a small well in the center of the bowl and add the water, oil, vanilla, and vinegar.  Stir together until well blended.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, egg, sugar, and salt.  Beat for 5-7 minutes or until light and fluffy.  Fold in the chocolate chips. 
4. Fill the cupcake tins 1/2 full with cake batter and top with a heavy dollop of filling.  Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. 
5. Feel free to enjoy right outta the oven, or resist temptation and wait a day as these definitely get better over time…you can thank me later. 

Playing catch-up…The Tale of Two Cakes.

I bet you can guess what my New Years Resolution is…to be a more timely blogger!  I have so much to get caught up on that I don’t really know where to start, so I’m just gonna jump right in and pretend it’s still mid-December…

 

The tale of two cakes starts out with a very important occasion…Happy Birthday Hubby!  We celebrated Gus’ birthday in typical Gus fashion with a quiet dinner at home and his most favorite cake ever…Duncan Hines Yellow cake with Chocolate Frosting.  That’s right, the man loves his cake from a box and so cake from the box is what he got.  Every year Gus’ Mom decorates his birthday cake with pretty colored icing and perfect writing, so I tried my best to copy her work, but as we all know, decorating isn’t really my strong suit.  Looks aside, I have to say that it was a very moist cake and it took about half as long as the “from scratch” version, so I couldn’t really argue with that. 

 

Gus’ Favorite Birthday Cake

• 1 Duncan Hines Yellow Cake Mix
• 2 cans of Duncan Hines Chocolate Fudge Frosting
• Colored Icing and Sprinkles for Birthday Flair

 

1. Follow directions on the box and allow the birthday boy to lick the bowl. 
2. Frost the cake and decorate the top as best you can, even if that means it looks like an 8 year old did it. 
3. Light candles, sing Happy Birthday, watch the birthday boy try to blow out the trick candles a couple times, laugh at him, and then eat cake!

 

Just for comparison sake, I decided to go the “from scratch” route for an impromptu work holiday party later that week.  I don’t like to think of myself as a cake snob, but I always thought that “from scratch” would beat out “from the box”.  Boy, was I wrong.  And sure, I could have kept this to myself, but I like to keep it real here at Cucina di Daniella, so that means sharing the good and the bad.  Now, this recipe isn’t necessarily bad, but it just wasn’t that great.  It uses a very different mixing method, and I was definitely skeptical from the get-go and now I know why.  The cake was very crumbly and coarse…it wasn’t uber dry, but it just wasn’t very cake-like.  Definitely still edible, as my coworkers polished it off, but when compared to Gus’ favorite birthday cake, I have to say, Duncan Hines knows his stuff.   The “from scratch” buttercream was definitely tasty, so it was really just the cake that was the problem. Maybe it was just me and you’ll have better luck trying, so I’ll still post this dud of a recipe…but if I were you, I’d just go buy me some Duncan Hines and call it a day. 

 

Blah Yellow Cake (not bad, just blah)

• 1 3/4 cup Cake Flour
• 1 1/4 cup Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 2 cups Sugar
• 1 tbsp. Baking Powder
• 3/4 tsp. Salt
• 1 cup Unsalted Butter, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 4 Eggs
• 1 cup Whole Milk
• 1 tsp. Vanilla

 

1. Preheat oven to 325. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.
2. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not over beat.
3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about two-thirds full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.
4. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining batter. Once cupcakes have cooled, use a small offset spatula to frost tops of each cupcake.

 

 

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

• 1 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
• 6-8 cups Powdered Sugar
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 1 tsp. Vanilla

 

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes.
2. With mixer on low speed, add 6 cups sugar, milk, and vanilla; mix until light and fluffy.
3. If necessary, gradually add remaining 2 cups sugar to reach desired consistency.

 

Less attractive cookies are so delicious.

I despise Christmas cookies that are beautifully decorated and taste like cardboard.  What’s the point?  I would much rather have a soft, chewy, sweet, delicious cookie that looks like a 5 year old iced it.  I actually watched a Youtube video months ago on how to perfectly paint your sugar cookies, thinking that I might be able to change my ways…this lady spent about 20 minutes beautifully painting one cookie.  Then I said to myself…who am I kidding?!  I mean, if I am just going to shove that cookie in my mouth in .3 seconds than I’m certainly not taking the time to perfectly decorate each one with a friggin paintbrush.  So I focused on flavor rather than looks with this next recipe, and I am mighty glad I did.   This cookie is so delicious that I could just eat it by itself without adding icing…but I tried them both ways just to be sure.   Gus and I enjoyed these the night we decorated our Christmas tree and I was sure glad that I didn’t spend a whole lotta time decorating them as they disappeared off the plate before we even had 7 ornaments on the tree. 

 

 

Soft Sugar Cookies

• 2/3 cup Shortening
• 2/3 cup Butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cup Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 2 1/2 tsp. Vanilla
• 1 tsp. Almond Extract (trust me on this one…I’ve omitted this ingredient in the past because it just sounded like it didn’t belong…oh I was so wrong)
• 3 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 2 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1 tsp. Salt
• Optional: Use 1/3 cup colored granulated sugar to roll your cookie balls in, then press them flat with the bottom of a glass and bake as directed.   Or if you don’t think they are sinful enough, then you can top your cookies with the frosting recipe below. 

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper to keep the bottoms from browning.  (or if you like brown bottoms…hehe…then just skip the paper)
2. With an electric mixer, cream the butter, shortening, and sugar together for 2-3 minutes.  Stir in the eggs, almond extract, and vanilla.  Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt together and then slowly add to the creamed mixture until the dough comes together. 
3. Chill the dough for at least 1 hour.  For circle cookies, just roll out walnut-sized cookies balls and flatten with the bottom of a glass.  For cut-out cookies, roll the dough out on a powdered sugar covered surface to 1/4 inch thick and cut shapes with cookie cutters. 
4. Place cookies at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.

 

Sugar Cookie Frosting (This stuff is much better then that stiff, tasteless, teeth-breaking Royal Icing that fancy cookie decorator people use…This frosting is soft, spreadable, yet dries firm enough so you can stack your cookies.)

• 1/2 cup Shortening
• 4 cups Powdered Sugar
• 5 tbsp. Whole milk
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• Food Coloring

 

1. With an electric mixer, cream the shortening until it’s smooth.  Slowly add in the powdered sugar and beat until smooth.  Gradually add in the milk and vanilla and beat for 3-5 minutes or until it’s smooth and firm.  Color with food coloring if desired. 

A very sweet ending to such a very long cooking marathon.

Dessert was definitely the perfect ending to our Pre-Thanksgiving party, but I played it smart and actually started out my cooking marathon by doing all my baking a day in advance.  This way, I was able to take my time and not feel rushed as attempted to truly understand what “from scratch” meant.  It basically just means a whole lotta work.  Work that is definitely well worth it though once you take that first bite…you almost forget how much your hands and back are killing you.  Who am I kidding…pie and chocolate makes me forget my name, so I’m definitely not thinking about the physical pain from cooking. 

 

Dutch Apple Pie

This is definitely my favorite type of pie, yet this was my very first time making one from scratch.  Making the crust turned out to be a whole lot easier than I thought…but peeling, coring, and dicing all those apples turned out to take a whole lot longer than I thought.   Especially when you google “how many apples do you need for 5 cups?” and google tells you 12 apples.  Well, after spending over two hours with those darn apples, I discovered that I had 15 CUPS of apples!   Mildly irritating, but hey, now I had enough apple filling for 2 extra pies and unexpected pies make people happy.  Especially when those unexpected pies are delish and let me tell you, this one was near perfect.  The filling was not runny at all and had just the right amount of spice to it.  The topping was filled with buttery goodness and had the perfect crunch.  And a few seconds in the microwaved really gave me a whole new perspective on homemade pie.  I’m pretty much committed to this whole “from scratch” thing now that I’ve had that first sweet taste, but at least now I know how many apples are in 5 cups and I can cut down on my prep time.  Darn google. 

 

Pie Crust

• 1 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
• 1 tbsp. Sugar
• 1/4 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 cup Butter, cold and cubed
• 3 tbsp. Water, iced

Pie Filling

• 5 cups Apples, peeled/cored/sliced (I prefer a Granny Smith/Jonagold mixture…it’s a good combo of tart and sweet)
• 4 tbsp. Cornstarch
• 2/3 cup White Sugar
• 3 tbsp. Brown Sugar
• 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
• 2 tbsp. Butter

Pie Topping

• 3/4 cup All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
• 3/4 cup Rolled Oats
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/2 cup Butter, cold and cubed

 

1. To make the crust, fit your mixer with the paddle attachment and stir together the flour, sugar, and salt.  Add the butter and toss with a fork to coat.  Mix on medium-low speed until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, with the butter pieces no larger than small peas.  Add the water on low speed and mix until the dough pulls together. 
2. Transfer the dough to a work surface, pat into a ball, and then flatten into a disk.  Lightly flour the work surface and then flatten the disk with 6-8 taps of a rolling pin.  Lift the dough and give it a quarter turn.  Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour and then roll out to at least 12 inches in diameter and about 1/8 inch thick.  Fit dough into pie pan and then chill until ready to add the fruit filling.  You can go ahead and preheat your oven to 425 degrees. 
3. To make the pie filling, place the apple slices in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, combine the cornstarch, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Mix well and then combine with the apples.  Toss until all apples are evenly coated. 
4. In a large sauce pan, add 2/3 of the apple mixture over medium-high heat.  Bring it to a boil and then simmer the filling for at least 2 minutes.  Add the remaining raw fruit and then take it off the heat. 
5. Fill your pie crust with the filling and add 2 tbsp. of cubed butter to the top of the fruit.  Loosely cover with foil and bake at 425 for 10 minutes. 
6. While filling is baking, you can make the pie topping.  Combine the flour, brown sugar, rolled oats, and cinnamon in a bowl.  Mix thoroughly and then cut in 1/2 cup of butter until the mixture is crumbly.  Remove the pie from the oven and sprinkle the topping over the pie. 
7. Turn the oven down to 375 and bake an additional 35-40 minutes until the streusel is browned.  Make sure to cover your crust with foil or use a crust shield to prevent it from burning. 

 

(Stinking) Cherry Pie

Not only did I bake my favorite pie, but I also made my least favorite pie…Stinking Cherry.  You already know about my dislike of cherry, so it’s no surprise that I only made this pie out of love for my hubby.  Well, that and I wanted to try out my shiny, new lattice cutter.  The pie certainly looked pretty and I’m told by the cherry lovers at our party that it was tasty, so if you love yourself some Stinking Cherries, than I suggest you try it out.  I will say that after researching several Cherry Pie recipes, this one had the magical addition of Almond Extract, which I initially thought was pretty random, but I’m pretty sure that it’s what made the filling.  I love those magical ingredients. 

 

Pie Crust

• See recipe above and double it so that you can make a pretty lattice top. 

Pie Filling

• 2 lbs. Tart Cherries, pitted
• 1 1/8 cup White Sugar
• 3 1/2 tbsp. Cornstarch
• 1 tbsp. Butter
• 1/4 tsp. Almond Extract

 

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  In a saucepan, combine the cherries, cornstarch, and sugar.  Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes. 
2. Bring to a boil over medium heat while stirring constantly.  Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens. 
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and almond extract.  Mix thoroughly and pour into the pie shell. 
4. Cover with the top shell, seal the edges, and cut away excess dough.  Bake at 375 for 40-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.  Be sure to cover the edges of the crust with foil or a crust shield to prevent burning. 

 

Outrageous Brownies (No, I’m not a surfer dude…this just happens to be the official name that Ina Garten gave them)

I’ve been quite content with the Hershey’s brownie recipe for quite some time…that is until I saw a repeat episode of Barefoot Contessa making these “Outrageous Brownies”…and then I saw the recipe again during a demonstration at my local Crate and Barrel…and then it popped up on my screen when I was browsing the Food Network website one day…that was it.  I just knew I couldn’t ignore the signs any longer.  It was time to test out the outrageousness of Ina’s brownies.  I like Ina, but sometimes she’s just a little too uppity for my tastes and the last thing I wanted was a snobby brownie.  Well, Ina definitely proved me wrong.  These are the richest, fudgiest (is that a word?), most decadent brownies that I have ever tasted and it’s easily replaced my old Hershey standby.   The recipe makes more than a glutton could ask for, so I had more than enough for my party and a whole tray for my coworkers the next day…and just for more reassurance that Ina knows her stuff, I was told by several coworkers that it was by far the best brownie they ever tasted.  My dear Ina, I judged you before I really knew you and I was so wrong….you and your brownies totally outrageous. 

 

• 1 lb. Butter (No, it’s not a typo…I never said that Ina was heart healthy.)
• 1 lb. + 6 oz. Semisweet Chocolate Chips, divided
• 6 oz. Milk Chocolate Chips  (I like the combo of milk and dark chips, but if you don’t like variety than just stick with dark like Ina says)
• 6 oz. Unsweetened Chocolate
• 6 extra large Eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp. Instant Coffee
• 2 tbsp. Vanilla
• 2 1/4 cup Sugar
• 1 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour, divided
• 1 tbsp. Baking Powder
• 1 tsp. Kosher Salt

 

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease and flour a 13×18x1 1/2 jelly roll pan. 
2. Melt together the butter, 1 lb. semisweet chocolate, and unsweetened chocolate in a double boiler.  Once it’s smooth, cool slightly. 
3. In a large bowl, stir together the eggs, vanilla, instant coffee, and sugar.  Stir in the warm chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and allow to come to room temperature. 
4. Mix together 1 cup of flour, salt, and baking powder.   Add to the cooled chocolate mixture and stir until it’s completely incorporated. 
5. Coat the 6 oz. of semisweet chocolate chips and 6 oz. of milk chocolate chips in 1/4 cup of flour, and then fold into the batter. 
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.  About halfway through the baking time, rap the pan against the oven shelf to release air bubbles between the pan and the brownies.  Be sure to not overbake.  Cool thoroughly and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting into squares.