Category: in my kitchen

good eats and fond memories

friends and loved ones · in my kitchen · more cake, please

Chocolate mascarpone Bundt and a happy birthday!

melodyannday3 Comments

Cake #36 was a delight to make because it was for my husband’s birthday – we chose a recipe for Chocolate Mascarpone Bundt Cake.   And, yes, it was very yummy!  Michael’s parents came over for a birthday dinner and shared cake with us!

There’s not a lot to say here, simply because it was a good recipe – and it turned out well!  However, I would say – don’t bake it the full time as recommended.  I baked this one just over and hour and I’m afraid it was just a tiny bit dry around the edges!

Chocolate is so complicated when it comes to baking because it is hard to tell when it is finished baking.   I believe that if there is cocoa in the recipe, the cake bakes and then dries out quickly.

Here is the recipe from thebakingfairy.net.    It is definitely worth attempting!

Cake #36 Chocolate Mascarpone Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

  • ⅔ cup {10.5 tbsp} unsalted butter, softened
  • 1¾ cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 8 oz mascarpone cheese {about ¾ cup}
  • 1¼ cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup cocoa powder
  • 1¾ all-purpose flour
  • 1½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

  • Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour a bundt pan very well.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy.
  • Add in the eggs and vanilla, and beat until fluffy. Stir in the sour cream and mascarpone, and mix until combined.
  • Add in the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt, and beat until creamy and fluffy.
  • Finally, stir in the chocolate chips.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan, and bake for 60-70 minutes (I wish I had only baked it for about 55 minutes, instead of 60), until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Let cake cool slightly in the pan, then invert onto a serving platter. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

happy birthday, Michael!

 

in my kitchen · more cake, please

Cake #35 Milk Chocolate Pound Cake

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One would think that at week #35 I might be growing weary of cake.  I certainly expected to be reticent by now.  However, I don’t know how I could be with this in my oven!

Cake #35, looks and smells like the epitome of a perfectly light and sweet, chocolate pound cake. Thankfully, I needed to make a thank you gift for a friend and this seemed to fit the bill!  She said she only wanted a few pieces – and since I’m actually really wanting to try this one myself, we will go halve-sies.   (I don’t even know if that’s a word, but I’m saying it anyway.)

The batter was light and fluffy – and the cake calls for milk chocolate, so we are not dealing with a dark, rich, chocolate cake.  It uses one of my favorites : a can of Hershey’s syrup.

(My apologies about these photos!  I used my phone – and they are okay, but just not as good when I use my camera.  I got so excited about the cake, I almost forgot to take any photos, so in a hurry I grabbed my phone!  better pics next time, I promise!)

   

Here’s the recipe for Cake #35: milk chocolate pound cake

( I found this recipe on Pinterest as Granny’s Chocolate Cake, on the blog : cookingbythewater.wordpress.com. It is super simple, but, I think it is going to be very, very yummy!  I will say that I’m hopeful it isn’t dry after baking so low and slow… )

Ingredients
2 sticks margarine (softened)
1/2 cup Crisco
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup milk
1 – 16 oz. can Hershey’s chocolate syrup
.
Directions
Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
Cream margarine, shortening, and sugar.
Add eggs one at a time, and beat well.
Add vanilla.
Sift dry ingredients and add alternately with milk.
Add chocolate syrup.
Mix well.
Bake in greased and floured 10-inch tube pan for 1 hour 45 minutes.

in my kitchen · more cake, please

Cake #34 Lemon Pound Cake and a happy birthday!

melodyannday4 Comments

Cake #34 – Lemon Pound Cake – is actually the famous recipe from Lady Bird Johnson.  I can tell you, it is baking right now and smells fabulous!

This cake is shipping out later this week to our friend Shannon, up in Columbus, for her birthday!  I’m so excited to share a cake with her.  She said she loves lemon, so I’m hoping this fits the bill!  What I’m looking forward to is this fabulous glaze I’ll paint on when the cake is cooled – it is different than other glazes I’ve made before!  I think it is really going to make the cake’s flavors POP!    One confession:  I did not sift 3 times.  only once.  In Shannon’s honor, I’m breaking the rules!  lol!

LADY BIRD JOHNSON’S LEMON CAKE

3/4 Cup Softened Butter
1 1/4 Cups Sugar
8 Egg Yolks
2 1/2 Cups Flour
3 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
3/4 Cup Milk
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 t. lemon juice
1 Teaspoon Grated Lemon Rind

 

Preheat your oven to 325° F.  Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy.  In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks until light and lemon colored.  Blend into the creamed mixture.  Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Resift 3 times.  Add the sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture in thirds, alternating with the milk.  Beat the batter thoroughly after each addition.  Add the vanilla extract, lemon rind and lemon juice.  Beat for 2 minutes.  Bake in a greased Bundt pan in the oven for 1 hour or until the cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and cool 19 minutes before inverting on serving platter.

 

LEMON GLAZE

2 cups powdered sugar
1-2 T. fresh lemon juice
1-2 t. buttermilk
Zest of one fresh lemon

friends and loved ones · in my kitchen · more cake, please

cake #32 Kentucky butter cake with caramel pecan bourbon sauce

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A few weeks ago, a good friend of ours had a birthday.  I found out what kind of cake he might like and planned to make something yummy for him.  Do you know what happened?

I made a disastrous version of the cake.  It was terrible!  It was so bad I just could not even bring myself to blog about it.

Today I redeemed myself – I made a Kentucky Butter Cake with caramel pecan bourbon sauce.   And, I think it may be a winner!  The caramel sauce alone I could eat every day for the rest of my life it tastes so delicious.

I will be honest and tell you that I’m not sure the sauce has the exact texture I wanted, so I’ll be experimenting with it more.  However, in today’s form it was anything but terrible.

I used the same Kentucky Butter Cake recipe from cookies and cups blog that I’ve used before.  It is definitely a keeper.  Look back a few posts to cake #26 for that recipe!   But, here’s the recipe for the caramel pecan bourbon sauce – I hope it works well for you – and I promise, I’ll keep you updated on any success I have with it.

Southern Pecan Caramel Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup pecans
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
  • 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon bourbon divided
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 10-12 minutes until browned and fragrant. Transfer pecans to a cutting board and chop.
  2. In a medium saucepan, add sugar, corn syrup and 3 tablespoons bourbon. No need to stir. Have the whipping cream measured and next to the stove at the ready. Place saucepan over medium to medium high heat (depending on how hot your stove runs). Bring mixture to a rolling boil and watching the sugar mixture deepen in color. It will go from a light corn-syrup color, to light brown to amber. The change between light brown and amber is quick. Be ready for it. When it achieves a deep brown (not burnt) color, pour the cream into the center of the pan. It will steam and bubble vigorously — that’s ok. When it calms, remove it from the stove. Stir in the salt and chopped pecans. Let it cool for about 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining teaspoon of bourbon. Transfer to a glass storage container. You can store sauce in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

 

in my kitchen · more cake, please

cake # 30 Crunchy Chocolate Chip Bundt

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Well, this is my second cake this week, because, I’ve gotta catch up!  I decided to make one for my family, because they seem to think I never make a cake for them.  I thought about it for a bit, and chose the Chocolate Chip Bundt – maybe we can eat it for breakfast over the course of some busy mornings this week?

I have this sign that says “eat cake for breakfast” so, I’m trying to live by that.

The cake appears to be similar in texture to that of a muffin, and it is crunchy because there is a pecan-brown sugar topping.  I think it looks pretty yummy.   It is not difficult to put together, and would definitely be worth making, maybe even for breakfast!  🙂

Cake #30: Crunchy Chocolate Chip Bundt (from the blog bakeorbreak.com)

Ingredients:

FOR THE TOPPING:

  • 2/3 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened and cut into small pieces
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

FOR THE CAKE:

  • 2 & 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 12 ounces semisweet chocolate mini chips

instructions:

TO MAKE THE TOPPING:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan.
  2. Stir the pecans, butter, and sugar together with a fork. Sprinkle the mixture in the bottom of the prepared pan.

TO MAKE THE CAKE:

  1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  2. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla until fluffy (3-5 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
  3. Add the flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Begin and end with flour mixture. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat just until blended. Mix in the chocolate chips. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
  4. Bake 50-55 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
  5. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan to cool completely on wire rack.
 
a bit of history · friends and loved ones · in my kitchen

memories and a few teardrops

melodyannday1 Comment

It wasn’t that long ago that I was looking online for dishes. Just a few months ago, I suppose.  I happened to mention the search to a friend of mine.  Little did I know she’d find them!

Specifically, I was searching for little glass trays with matching cups that have a tear drop design in the glass.   Perfect for a little snack and beverage, I’ve been wanting these little place settings because they would be just right for guests at a wedding or baby shower.

But really, that’s not why I wanted them.  I was looking at them because they remind me of GG, my dear Great-Grandmother, who used to serve us all manner of snacks and “splitzies” on those trays, with a little 7up in the matching cup.

When my friend texted me a photo, having found 8 sets at a local thrift store, I was elated.   I finally made it to the shop today, and I was relieved to find that they hadn’t been sold yet.  Of course, I bought all 8 sets.

Oh the memories that have been unlocked in my heart, just from seeing these little teardrop dishes today!   Her wonderful way of telling a story, the giggles and rolling laughter at her funny poetry, the crosswords, games of hide-the-thimble, strawberry picking, the snowballs at splitzie time (listen, I don’t have time to explain that one right now), the many books she read aloud to us,  her outrageous costume jewelry and that car of hers we road in around Ottumwa to the Hi-Vee or to the Baptist Temple – its all resting squarely, right on those little plates.

I’m so grateful for my GG, and her example of loving life, loving us, and loving Jesus.  Mostly, when I look at these dishes, I remember her, and I’m inspired to do the same!

 

in my kitchen · more cake, please · Uncategorized

cake # 29

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Cake #29 is a lovely Lemonade Cake with Fluffy Lemon Frosting.

My hubs bought me this delightful magazine by America’s Test Kitchen called, “Great American Cakes.”  He also got me a new bundt pan!  Let me tell you,  I have love, love, loved looking thru it and figuring out which cake to make first in the new pan.

I decided on the Pink Lemonade Cake – which by the way, mine was not pink.  The recipe was a little more complex and a lot more high maintenance than I like to tackle.  But, this one was worth it.

Now, I have to be honest and tell you that I did not follow the recipe in total – and so, when it said to NOT prepare the pan with butter and flour, I did not believe it – and I did it anyway.  Unfortunately, that resulted in the cake not coming out of the new pan very well.  However, fluffy lemon frosting to the rescue, right?

We have a friend coming over tonight, so, we will share the cake with him.

As I said, the recipe is super long, so – I will share the ingredients here, but – you can look the instructions up on ATK, if you want the full recipe!

Ingredients:

Cake:
5 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/3 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 teaspoons grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons juice
1 recipe of fluffy lemon cream cheese frosting

Frosting:
8 tbsp butter
8 oz cream cheese
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

 

friends and loved ones · in my kitchen · more cake, please

cake #28 – not a bundt birthday cake

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My son, Isaac turns 11 this week. It is quite mind-blowing to think he is going to be 11!  At the risk of sounding a little ridiculous, I have to say, I just don’t know where the time has gone.

Isaac has the best sense of humor, always making us laugh and living up to his name which means laughter.  Anyway, when my sweet boy who brings us so much joy, told me that he did not want a bundt cake, but that he wanted a layer cake with a lot of frosting, I knew what I had to do. I decided to take a one week hiatus from making bundt cakes.

We celebrated early on the 4th because daddy was home from work, and grandparents were free!  We had cake and presents, and celebrated Isaac and his life.

Here’s the cake I made:

I made a chocolate cake with a lot of chocolate butter cream.   I used a chocolate fudge cake duncan hines cake mix, with 4 eggs, 1 cup of milk, 1/3 cup of oil, and chocolate pudding mix.

My chocolate butter cream recipe was taken from the wilton’s website:   1/2 cup crisco, 1/2 cup butter, 3/4 cup cocoa, 5 tbsp of chocolate milk and a bit of vanilla.

I decorated with peppermint buttercream and mint oreos because my boy loves mint and chocolate.  Mmmmmm.

Guys!  It was fanatastic!

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in my kitchen · more cake, please

Cake #27 7-up cake

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When week#27 was getting close, I realized it was going to be a busy one, and I needed to bake ahead.  I found out my folks were having company, and so I offered to bake something for my mom that she could pop in the freezer and pull out when she needed it.  My mom has done so much for me since moving here, I feel like a cake really doesn’t even come close to repaying her!  But – indeed, it is a yummy start!

She and I decided on a summer-y, 7-up cake.  I’m hoping she saves me a bite to I can try it, but, by all appearances, I think it is going to be everything a cake should be – a pound cake but on the lighter side, full of fizzy-lemon flavor. Perfect for a hot summer day!

Its a simple recipe – I found it on pinterest!  It was posted as a cut-out newspaper recipe – so, I’m not sure who to give credit to – I do know there was a handwritten date of October 1, 1981 on the photo, so I can say it is probably an old-school recipe.  You can’t go wrong with a tried and true recipe like that!

7-up Cake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups butter

3 cups sugar

5 eggs

3 cups flour

3/4 cups 7-up

2 tablespoons of lemon extract.

Instructions:

Heat oven to 325 and prepare a 10″ tube pan.  Cream butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time and mix well.  Add flour.  Next, add 7-up and extract.  Spoon batter into prepared pan.  Bake at 325 for an hour, maybe longer depending on your oven.    When finished baking, cool and then remove from pan.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

in my kitchen · more cake, please

Cake #26. Half-way to the finish line, Kentucky Butter Cake.

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Guys, I’m officially halfway thru the year of bundt-cakes!  I can hardly believe I’ve made 26 cakes!  Who knew I could manage this – and keep up with life?   Truthfully, I’ve enjoyed it!  I’ve come to look forward to my baking time each week!

Well, week 26 is a Kentucky Butter Cake.  I made it for my friend Lisa, who helped me out with making a few t-shirts for Scenic City Children’s Choir.  She definitely deserves cake!

When she told me this was her favorite cake, I had a feeling it would be a hit.  I found a good recipe (read:it has lots of butter) and got to work.   Honestly I can tell you that I’ve never seen such a light and fluffy, yet rich cake batter!  I had a tiny taste of the batter – it was RIDICULOUSLY DE-LISH!!!  It may look simple, and un-assuming, but seriously, this is a must-try for your list, and I don’t say that every week! (Do I?)

Here’s the recipe, from cookiesandcups.com

Kentucky Butter Cake

Ingredients:

Cake
  • 1 cup butter, cubed at room temperature
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup buttermilk
Butter Glaze
  • ⅓ cup butter
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F/165°C
  2. Grease a 10″ bundt pan (I use pam spray with flour)
  3. Place all the cake ingredients in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low for 30 seconds and then increase the speed to medium and mix for 3 minutes.
  4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 65-75 minutes until a toothpick entered into the center comes out clean.
  5. When the cake is done make the glaze. Combine all ingredients into a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir continuously until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved. Do not bring to a boil.
  6. Poke holes all over the warm cake (I use chopsticks) and pour the glaze evenly on the cake while still in the pan.
  7. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan and then invert the cake onto a serving plate.
  8. I made this cake a day in advance, hoping it will be more moist and flavorful after resting overnight.

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