Week 15 was a bit of a gamble.  I didn’t really have anyone to bake for, so I decided to test something that I was considering baking for a wedding shower brunch in a few weeks.     My idea was to create A bundt cake that was like having a cherry cheese danish.

What came out of the oven was pretty yummy – but it wasn’t totally what I was hoping for.  The cherry and the cream cheese all sand to the bottom of the cake while baking.  So, I’m still thinking about how to try again, and what to differently.  I’ll be sure to let you know how it turns out, if and when I complete a re-do.  I know for sure I’d do a cream cheese topper, possibly with more cherries too!

For now, here’s what it looked like!

Cherry cheese Danish cake

Ingredients:

Golden cake mix
4 eggs
½ cup oil
1 cup milk
cherry pie filling
small cubes of cream cheese (about 4 oz.)

Instructions:

Prepare your pan with baking spray.  Mix ingredients (except the cheese cubes and pie filling) on medium for 2 minutes.  Pour half the batter into the pan.  Scoop cherry pie filling around the center of the pan.  Then pour rest of the batter to cover the pie filling.  Take the cubes of cheese and scatter around on the dough.  ThenBake at 350 for 45 minutes.

I set out to experiment with how to make a Strawberry Buttermilk Bundt cake.  It was kind of  an idea for a  “breakfast-ish” cake.  Seriously – I’m always looking for reasons to eat cake for breakfast.

It isn’t quite strawberry season, so I used ingredients like strawberry jello and strawberry jam.  And look, I enjoy a cake from scratch, but I’m not afraid to work at doctoring up a cake mix either!

The first go-round I used too many heavy ingredients and the cake sank about halfway through baking. You can see in the photo of the slice, how it indents – that’s where it sank.   I was terribly disappointed because I was supposed to share this cake with friends!   But, let me tell you!  It was very rich and moist!  My family loved partaking in my unfortunate mistake!

Strawberry buttermilk part 1 (fail)

Ingredients:
White cake mix
1 small Strawberry jello box
Four eggs
½ cup yogurt
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup jam
½ cup oil

Instructions:
Prepare bundt pan with baking spray.  Mix ingredients together, on medium speed for 2-3 minutes.  Bake at 350- for 50 minutes.
This cake sank while baking, so, I won’t be sharing this one with friends!

Here’s what I whipped up instead!

Strawberry Buttermilk Bund (part 2)

Ingredients:
White cake mix
1 small Strawberry cream pudding box
4 eggs
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup oil
½ cup jam, heatened to thin, drizzled/ swirled into  the cake batter.

Instructions:
Prepare pan with baking spray.  Mix ingredients (not including the jam) at medium speed for 2-3 minutes.  Pour batter into pan, then gently swirl jam into batter.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

This cake turned out much more soft and lightly moist, but not nearly dense as the first cake.  My friends enjoyed this version of the cake, and I did too!  I might make this one again… I certainly will keep trying this idea once strawberries are in season.

A really long time ago, I’m gonna guess around 15 years ago, when we were still living in the Beaver Creek apartments on Hixson Pike, I bought a Family Circle Magazine.   In that magazine was a recipe for Carrot Cake, which I made, and have made many, many times since.  It is a keeper recipe,  a family favorite for sure, because it is has the best balance of fruit and nut flavors, and because it has a texture you can not mess up.  Not too dense, not too firm – the crumb is just right!

Well, I decided to try making it in a bundt pan for the first time, in honor of my mom’s 70th birthday – because she loves carrot cake!  But, I didn’t just make carrot cake for this special occasion!  I decided to borrow an idea from another recipe and add a cheese cake filling inside the bundt!

I can assure you cake #9 was a huge success! And, my mom mentioned to me today that the cake, several days now after her birthday, was even better with time – it remained moist and delicious!  If you love cheesecake, and carrot cake, you don’t want to miss this recipe!

Carrot Cake with Cheesecake filling.

Cake Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon all spice
1/4 tsp  nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large carrots, finely shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)
1   8 ounce can crushed pineapple in juice
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup toasted coconut

Cheesecake Filling Ingredients:
8 oz full fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
4 tablespoons pineapple juice (pineapple juice?)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
heavy cream as needed, for desired consistency
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Instructions:
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat the bundt pan with cooking spray (I use pam with flour).

In a medium-size bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and salt. In a large bowl, beat sugar, oil, eggs and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the vanilla until blended. On low speed, gradually beat in flour mixture until smooth. Stir in carrots, pineapple with its juice, nuts and coconuts. Spoon two-three cups of the batter in the bottom of the bundt pan.

Cream together the cheesecake filling ingredients, softened cream cheese and sugar first, then add the other ingredients .  Using an icecream scoop, gently scoop the filling around the center of the bundt pan, being careful to not allow the filling to spread out touching the edges of the pan.    Then carefully poor the remaining carrot cake batter over the filling.

Bake the cake at 350 for 45 minutes, then lower the temperature to 325, cover the cake with foil and bake it for another 15-20 minutes.  When the cake has cooled for 20 minutes, remove it from the pan to cool completely.

Make the frosting when the cake is completely cooled.  Whip the ingredients together to the desired consistency – and then pour over the cake.

Well, I knew it was gonna happen.  Listen guys, I’m practicing.  I even said that from the beginning, right?  I know a lot of folks were super nice, and gave their votes of confidence, swearing I didn’t need to – that they’d buy my cakes now.  But guess what?!    It has been confirmed.  I need to practice.

The Twinkie cake was a yummy and stellar idea in theory.  I mean, what can go wrong?  How could a giant version of a twinkie be bad?  Let me tell you:  It can be dry. Just ask my friends who had the cake.    Making a sponge cake with cream filling is a delicate matter and I, unfortunately missed the mark.

Now, when I embarked on this 52 cake journey, I didn’t think about how sad I would feel when it came time to let everyone know I made a bad cake.  And worse, I didn’t consider how deep my heart would sink knowing that my not-so-good cake was a part of a special family celebration.     But, I’m thinking about it now…  I assure you…

Friends, I know this to be true: God can use all things to draw me to Himself, even cake baking.  I have been reminded of so much over the weekend.  Even when I fail at baking, I am still cherished and treasured by my Heavenly Father.  Who I am does not revolve around being good at something, or being good at all for that matter.  Rather I must continue to find my identity in Christ.    These things are true no matter how many people know I made a bad cake.    Paul’s words in Phillipians could not be more true, even on my cake adventure – He is faithfully continuing His work in my heart!

After much debate with myself,  I’m going to give the recipe here, in case you want to give it a shot!  You may have better finesse with the sponge cake and filling than I did!

Very Vanilla “Twinkie” Bundt Cake
dapted from Pure Vanilla by Shauna Sever

3 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste {optional}
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs + 4 egg yolks
1 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 325. Prepare a bundt pan by spraying with non-stick cooking spray or brushing with melted butter. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer {or a large bowl}, beat together butter, vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste until smooth. Slowly pour in sugar until well combined and fluffy.

4. Add vegetable oil and beat until incorporated. One by one, add eggs and egg yolks, beating well after each addition.

5. Carefully add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the wet mixture, then 1/3 of the buttermilk, alternating until all of the flour and buttermilk is added. Mix until just smooth and incorporated.

6. Pour or spoon batter into prepared bundt pan evenly. Smooth out the top. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a skewer or knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 45 minutes to an hour before attempting to remove from pan. There have been many a bundt cake casualty from impatient bakers trying to flip over a still-warm bundt.

For Marshmallow Filling

1 stick butter, softened
1 7.5 ounce container of marshmallow creme
1 teaspoon vanilla extract OR vanilla bean paste if you like the little specks like I do. 🙂

Beat all ingredients together until well mixed. Transfer to a piping bag with a round tip, or a zip top plastic bag with one corner snipped.

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I will say here that I used a bismarck tip to fill the cake – and this was the first time ever that I attempted to fill a cake, or any baked good for that matter.  I’m still mulling over how I can accomplish this skill differently and be successful!  I’ll keep you posted.

Hey!  In case I haven’t said it recently – I’m so glad you’re on this adventure with me!  🙂

I have strong, hearty memories of food from my childhood. They are as clear and present in my mind as though they happened yesterday, or maybe last week.

When I think about celebrations and special foods my mom made there is one cake that stands out!  Chocolate Cherry Sheet Cake.  Rich and moist filled with cherry pie filling, it was smothered in chocolate sauce.  It not only smelled fantastic while it was baking, the first bite was even better.

I know now why Chocolate Cherry Sheet Cake was a go-to recipe that mom made often: it was my dad’s favorite!  Now, my dad loves all things chocolate and cherry. Every Christmas you can be sure he gets a box or two of chocolate covered cherries from us!

For me, as a wife-mom-friend baker, often it is more than just creating a simple pleasure.  Sometimes I imagine I’m a kitchen warrior, favorite red spatula in hand, fighting off this crazy outside world with a sweet little morsel of peace and calm, warm from my oven.  If you are my loved one, I will discover your favorite and I will bake it again and again so you will know, no matter what: you belong here.  you are special. you are loved.  

Anyway- when mom asked if I might be able to squeeze her in on the “cake-a-week” list because my aunt and uncle were coming in from Ontario, I was quick to say yes!  And what did I decide to try?    This one’s for my dad, who has great affection for chocolate covered cherries:   Chocolate Covered Cherry Bundt.  Its my alternative to mom’s Chocolate Cherry Sheet Cake.  From the looks of things, it turned out pretty well!  Can’t wait to see what dad thinks!

Chocolate Covered Cherry Bundt Cake

(oh, and I used MyRecipeMagic.com’s recipe as a reference point, but really the cake is just my mom’s recipe.)

Cake Ingredients:

1 devils food cake mix
1 Can (20 oz) cherry pie filling
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Chocolate Glaze Ingredients:

1/2 cup half n half
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
6 oz of semi sweet chocolate chips
2 tbsp corn syrup

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350.  Prepare bundt pan with baker’s spray or butter and flour.  Combine cake ingredients and scoop into the pan.  Bake for about 45 minutes, maybe a bit longer.

When the cake has cooled for about 20-30 minutes, remove from the pan.   Once it is cool to the touch make the glaze. First, put the chocolate and syrup in a medium sized mixing bowl.  Put halfnhalf and sugar in a small sauce pan, heating over medium heat until cream is hot and sugar is dissolved.  Pour the milk mixture over the chocolate until the glaze is smooth.  Drizzle over the cake.

Cake no. 5  :   Toffee Caramel Crunch bundt 

(taken from Carlsbadcravings.com)

Well, I’m just gonna come out and say it.  I regret giving this cake away.  Now I know, I know, I know, I can’t eat all of the cake that I bake this year.  But let me tell you: I want to.    This one is definitely going on the “keeper” short list!  It was gooey, sticky, sweet and basically amazing.  At least that’s what I heard, since I didn’t actually taste it.     But, You can see for yourself in the photos…

Oh my goodness, I can’t wait to make it again so I can have a piece.  or two.  or three.  Maybe you should make it for your super bowl party.  It is definitely a crowd pleaser.

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened,
• 2 cups light brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 8 oz.  bag of toffee bits (I use Heath Bits O’ Brickle Toffee Bits)
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• nonstick cooking spray
• 1 Recipe Easy Creamy Caramel Sauce

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1-2 – 3/4 cup evaporated milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Add butter, brown sugar, water, and salt to medium saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring until butter melts.
2. Bring to boil for 5 minutes (it will bubble a lot!), stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup evaporated milk and vanilla. Add additional evaporated milk to reach desired consistency.