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As promised, here’s one of the things I made with my own pureed pumpkin: Pumpkin Apple Spice Cake. I’ve been avidly following the Food Librarian’s bundt-cake-baking-fest and have pretty much decided to make every single one of the posted cakes. The first one I tried, given I had so much pumpkin puree as well as plenty of apples, was the Pumpkin Apple Spice Cake. What a great first choice!

I appreciated a lot of things about this cake. This recipe made 6 smaller bundt cakes, each one a wonderfully moist cake with plenty of warm, fall spices that shone brightly against the pumpkin and big chunks of apple. Apple doesn’t often tend to stand out in their flavour, but I found they did in this cake. The pumpkin taste is mild and complemented by the cinnamon and cloves. One of my favourite things about the cake was that it wasn’t very sweet – there’s not much sugar in here, and so the apple, pumpkin and spices are not overpowered with sweetness. Oh, and does this ever make for a moist cake and when it’s served the same day it’s made, it has a nice crisp crust . Yum!

I was going to make a honey frosting to go with this, but after eating my first mini-bundt, I realized it wasn’t necessary. These are great all on their own and a perfect fall bundt cake.

Pumpkin Apple Spice Bundt Cake
adapted from The Food Librarian

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger
10 Tbsp butter, softened a bit
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin purée
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups of diced Granny Smith apples
Powdered sugar to sift on top

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.

2. Mix dry ingredients in medium bowl and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until well blended. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, incorporating each completely. Add the pumpkin and blend well. Add vanilla and blend well. Stir dry ingredients into wet, a third at a time, stirring as little as possible to blend completely. Fold in the apple chunks.

4. Spray bundt pan (I used a pan with 6 mini bund molds) generously with nonstick cooking spray. Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until cake starts to turn golden brown and whole kitchen smells good. Removed from oven and let cool in the pan for five minutes. Check to see if you need to run a butter knife along to break the edge away from the pan, but be careful not to damage the sides of the cake. Invert onto a plate and allow to cool completely. Sift powdered sugar onto the cake and serve.

If you like this, you might also like:

Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Orange Spice Pumpkin Bars with Browned Butter Frosting
Fresh Mango Bread

When you hear the words, “caramel banana cake,” do you envision a moist and fluffy banana cake swimming in a pool of rich caramel, or perhaps a thick layer of it smothering the top? A decadent dessert unlike any other? I know I do, because that exactly what I thought of when I came across the caramel banana cake on Technicolor Kitchen’s site. However, that’s not exactly what I got…

What I did get was a perfectly fluffy banana cake filled with walnut chunks, dark chocolate chips and a heavy, spicy dose of cinnamon and nutmeg, with a crunchy, sandy caramel bottom, which was just fine with me! This cake is not very different from any really good banana bread or cake; it’s got just the right amount of spices, the walnut crunchiness is a great addition to the texture of the cake, and using dark chocolate chips sparingly means just occasional hints of chocolate, so as not to take away from the great banana flavour.

My caramel was not exactly the caramel I was expecting though. I think I may have let it sit off the heat too long before pouring it over the hot-out-of-the-oven cake. The texture was sandy, and I had to pretty much spread it on the bottom of the cake. It got a lot harder, and quite crumbly, and adhered well to the cake, so that one I flipped it out of the bundt pan, the thick caramel crunch layer stuck nicely to the cake. I actually enjoyed it this way, it was like having little nuggets of maple fudge in it! Next time, I think I may attempt to fix my caramel error and not let it sit off the heat, and I’ll pour (or spread) it on the cake on the top, as it is a fairly plain-looking cake. But changes or not, I’d definitely make the cake again – it’s an easy, great bundt that is wonderfully flavourful. It’s not a decadent cake, but one that you can enjoy as much as any perfectly-made banana bread, with a little bit extra thrown in.

Caramel Crunch Banana Cake
adapted from Technicolor Kitchen
Printable Recipe

CAKE
2 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 large eggs
1 ¼ cups (300ml) vegetable oil (or canola oil)
1 ¾ cups (350g) sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¾ cup (75g) coarsely chopped walnuts
85g (3oz) dark chocolate, broken into small pieces (or chocolate chips)
3 ripe bananas, diced (or mashed)

CARAMEL:
½ cup (88g) firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk
4 tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

CAKE
1. Butter and flour a tube pan or a bundt pan that can hold 12 cups; preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF.

2. Sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt and baking soda.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the eggs, oil and sugar. With the paddle attachment, mix on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure that the sugar has been incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and mix for another 30 seconds.

5. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients a bit at a time. Scrape down the sides of the bowl every now and then to ensure everything is incorporated.

6. Once the dry ingredients have been added, remove the bowl from the stand mixer and add the walnuts, chocolate and bananas. Gently fold them in with a spatula or a wooden spoon. Don’t over mix.

7. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 minutes and then test the cake to see if it’s done by poking a toothpick or cake tester into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done. If not, bake the cake for another 5 to 10 minutes.

CARAMEL (CRUNCH)
1. About 5 to 10 minutes before the cake is done, make the caramel by combining all the ingredients in a small pan. Bring to the boil and stir occasionally to ensure that it doesn’t burn. Let it boil for about 5 minutes and then turn off the heat.

2. Once the cake is out of the oven, poke holes all over the cake with a skewer. Immediately pour the caramel over the cake, stopping every now and then to let the caramel sink in. If the caramel pools in spots, poke more holes to allow it to sink in.

3. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack. Once it’s cool, loosen the cake from the sides of the pan and then unmold it onto a plate.

If you like this, you might also like:

Banana Bread with Hazelnuts
Banana Crunch Muffins
Caramel Cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting

My last post promised you the baked good I made with all my lemon-lime curd, and so here it is! A beautiful friend of mine (hello Patra!) was celebrating her birthday and the best gift I think I could probably give anyone is that of baked treats. Given I had sooo much curd, I figured I should try to make a dessert that incorporates it in some way.

I stumbled upon this recipe, and since I’ve been wanting to give Magnolia’s vanilla cupcakes a try anyway, thought the cupcakes were the perfect thing to bring to a summer birthday BBQ. And they really were!

The vanilla cupcake, but itself, is a really good cupcake. Its texture is light and cakey, as long as it’s served at room temperature. Its vanilla flavour is very present, but still quite delicate. Once the cupcakes were done baking, I cut a cone out of the top (see this recipe for reference), and filled the hollow with a generous tablespoon of the homemade lemon-lime curd. I cut the point off each cupcake cone, and placed the circular top back on top of each cupcake.

As for the frosting, I remembered making a lemon cake that had a frosting I really enjoyed. The lemon flavour was mild enough that it didn’t overpower the vanilla cupcake, but simply played along with it. I whipped up a half-batch of the frosting, and ended up with these delicious cupcakes. People ended up pleasantly surprised with the lemon curd filling, and it seemed these cakes were enjoyed by all. I thought they turned out excellently – the lemon curd in the middle was rich and decadent, but still allowed the vanilla cupcake, which was light and gorgeous in its texture, to stand out. I think these cupcakes are a wonderful summer BBQ dessert!

I only made 12 cupcakes, so I divided the following recipe in half. The recipe I have listed makes 24 cupcakes (frosting and cupcake batter).

Vanilla Cupcakes with Lemon-Lime Curd Filling and Lemon-Lime Frosting
via Cupcake Bakeshop, adapted from Cupcakes from The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook
Printable Recipe

VANILLA CUPCAKES
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Beat butter on high until soft, about 30 seconds.
2. Add sugar. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Add eggs one at a time, beat for 30 seconds between each.
4. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl.
5. Measure out milk and vanilla together.
6. Add about a fourth of the flour to the butter/sugar mixture and beat to combine.
7. Add about one third the milk/vanilla mixture and beat until combined.
8. Repeat above, alternating flour and milk and ending with the flour mixture.
9. Scoop into cupcake papers about half to three-quarters full (depending on whether you want flat or domed cupcakes).
10. Bake for 22-25 minutes at 350 degrees F until a cake tester comes out clean.

LEMON-LIME CURD
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
1 tbsp finely grated lime zest
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature

1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the lemon juice, lime juice, lemon zest, lime zest, sugar and eggs. Cut the butter into bits and add it to the saucepan.

2. Turn on the heat to medium-low and cook the mixture gently, whisking constantly, until it thickens up enough to hold the marks of the whisk and is just about to come to a simmer. This takes me usually around 20-25 minutes — better to be gentle than to curdle your eggs. The end mixture will be a buttery, creamy light yellow.

3. Remove from the heat and place into a bowl to cool. Strain it if you want to get rid of the zest. Place a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming as it cools. Store the curd in the fridge.

LEMON-LIME FROSTING
½ cup butter, softened
4 cups confectioner’s (icing) sugar
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
¼ cup light (10%) cream

1. Beat together all ingredients until smooth and creamy (I had to add some extra lemon juice to bring it to a spreadable consistency)

TO ASSEMBLE CUPCAKES
1. Using a small pairing knife, cut off the top of the cupcake in the shape of a cone. Flip the top over and cut off the cone.
2. Fill the cavity with a teaspoon or so of curd.
3. Replace top.
4. Frost with frosting.

If you like this, you might also like:

Caramel Apple Cupcakes
Lemon Raspberry Muffins
Lemon Cream Pie with Coconut Crust

It was my turn to bring the Friday snack to work, which I look forward to, as it gets me into the kitchen. I had a few bananas ripening up on the counter, so I figured I should use them in whatever I decided to bring. When searching for something tasty to make, I came across these on Miss.Cupcake Face. They sounded wonderfully appealing to me, they became my choice.

I’m so happy I made these! They have a lot of flavour, a great cakey (and sooo moist) texture (more like cake than muffins), and the frosting is incredible. I changed the recipe a bit, using equal quantities of banana and pineapple, and I think it was a wise choice. I found the pineapple flavour to be very noticeable, especially given the juicy chunks of crushed pineapple that are scattered throughout each cupcake. The banana does play a predominant role, but that’s something I’m okay with. I wanted a banana flavour, with just hints of others. The toasted pecans are a necessity, adding a great crunch to the cupcakes and that oh-so-wonderful nutty flavour. I also fortunately upped the cinnamon.

And the frosting? Droooooooool. Again, I upped the cinnamon, and thankfully so. I reduced the amounts of all the ingredients too. I don’t know how much frosting people take on their cupcakes, but even with my reduced recipe and a heavily iced cupcake, I still have at least a cup of this stuff sitting in my freezer right now (which I will of course eat from sporadically with a spoon and nothing else). It’s definitely a cream cheese frosting, and the cinnamon is very noticeable.

These are excellent and versatile cupcakes (I’m thinking next time of adding coconut and using a white chocolate frosting), and good enough to serve at any type of occasion.

Is this what a hummingbird cake would likely taste like?

Pineapple Banana Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
adapted from Miss.Cupcake Face
Printable Recipe

CUPCAKES
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups canola oil
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 3 medium sized bananas)
1/2 cups crushed pineapple (juice not included)
1 cup pecans, toasted & coarsely chopped

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two cupcake pans with cupcake liners.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine flour, salt, baking soda & cinnamon. In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla. Whisk until everything is combined. Slowly add the sugar mixture into the flour mixture. Add the bananas, pineapple & pecans. Mix until incorporated. Divide batter between the cups. Bake for about 20 minutes, rotating pans halfway through.

FROSTING
3/4 cup butter, slightly softened
8 oz cream cheese
5 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
Half and half cream, enough to get the consistency you like

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar and mix until everything is combined. Add the vanilla and the cinnamon.

If you like this, you might also like:

Banana Bread with Hazelnuts
Banana Gumdrop Loaf
Caramel Apple Cupcakes

So it’s been a while, been though I had claimed it wouldn’t be. We just haven’t been cooking or baking as much these days…combine this with the fact that there are numerous keys no longer working on our keyboard and you get very little inclination to write.

I did do some kitchen-stuff this past weekend though, so I’ll suffer through non-functioning letters to write about the birthday cake I prepared for my sister’s birthday (the meal, a wild mushroom lasagna, will follow shortly, but dessert always takes precedence!): Dorie Greenspan’s Low and Lush Chocolate Cheesecake with Cappuccino Swirl.

This cake is one good cheeseake – an exellent go-to recipe whenever you’re looking for an utterly decadent, rich cheesecake. Even the simple graham cracker rust is fantastic! The whole thing is amazingly smooth, feeling like velvet on the tongue. It’s verrrry chocolately, and tastes even better the net day, so I recommend you make it a day in advance.

I took Dorie’s “Playing Around” tip and added a cappuccino (well, coffee, since I didn’t have any instant cappuccino powder) swirl to it. Visually, it didn’t add much, but taste-wise, it added what I consider to be a necessary dimension to the cake. It definitely cut the sweetness of the cake as well.

The cake says it serves 8, but those would be some big pieces! It would easily serve 12, if not more.

It’s a perfect cheesecake, and a breeze to prepare. If chocolate and coffee is a dream combination for you, you’ll love this cake.

Low and Lush Chocolate Cheesecake with Cappuccino Swirl
adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours
Makes 8 servings (more like 16!)
Printable Recipe

CRUST
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

FILLING
1 1/2 pounds (three 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooled

CAPPUCCINO SWIRL
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder (I used instant coffee)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons boiling water.

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 1/2- or 9-inch springform pan and put the pan on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

CRUST
1. Stir the crumbs, sugar and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Pour over the melted butter and stir until all of the dry ingredients are uniformly moist. (I do this with my fingers.) Turn the crumbs into the pan and, with your fingers, press the crumbs evenly over the bottom of the pan and as far up the sides as they’ll go. Freeze the crust for about 10 minutes.

2. Bake for 10 minutes, only until the crust is lightly set and just tinged with color. Cool on a rack or refrigerate while you make the filling. Keep the oven at 350 degrees F.

FILLING
1. Cut each bar of cream cheese into quarters and toss the pieces into a food processor, along with the sugar. Process, scraping down the bowl 2 or 3 times, for a full 2 minutes. You’ll see how dramatically the cream cheese changes; it will look like white velvet at the end of its beating. Add the eggs, vanilla and salt and give the batter 4 longish pulses, the scrape down the bowl and pulse 2 more times. Pour in the chocolate and pulse and scrape a few times to blend the batter well.

2. Remove the bowl from the processor and rap it hard on the counter a couple of times to de-bubble the batter. Scrape the batter into the cooled crust.

3. Bake the cheesecake for 35 to 40 minutes if you are using a 9-inch pan or 45 to 50 minutes if you are using an 8 1/2-inch pan. The top should be puffed and set, but if you tap the pan gently, the center of the cake will still be a little shaky–that’s just fine. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and allow the cheesecake to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 8 hours or for up to 3 days.
Run a blunt knife between the crust and sides of the pan, then open and remove the sides of the springform.

CAPPUCCINO SWIRL
1. Make a cinnamon-espresso syrup by whisking together 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon and mixing in 2 tablespoons boiling water. Cool to tepid or room temperature.

2. Spoon about 1/3 of the cheesecake batter (I did this prior to adding the chocolate to it) into a measuring cup with a spout and stir in the syrup. Pour the remaining batter into the crust, then pour over the cappuccino batter, pouring so that it creates a swirl pattern in the chocolate. For good measure, take a tableknife and give the 2 batters a few extra swirls.

STORING
Wrapped well, the cheesecake will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It can be frozen for up to 2 months; defrost, still wrapped, overnight in the refrigerator.

If you like this, you might also like:

Cheesecake Pops
Super Layer Chocolate Cake
Cinnamon Squares

I love bundt cake, and I especially love this one! Bundts are so easy to make, they end up being able to feed a large amount of people, and they always look impressive. What makes this one more special? The fact that it combines dark chocolate and orange (my favourite sweet flavour combo), that it’s topped with a luscious, thick ganache, and the moist, buttery cake itself. And not only does it look amazing, it tastes just as spectacular.

When I saw The Food Librarian’s blood orange version of it, I knew I had to try it. My father’s birthday seemed like the perfect occasion, given his inclination towards anything chocolately. I made some minor changes along the way, such as substituting the buttermilk with plain yogurt (which worked perfectly, and was perhaps a bit less fattening too), and doubling the syrup recipe, as I wanted a very strong orange flavour.

My god, this is a good cake. The chunks of chocolate lend to a more interesting texture, and give you nice chocolately bites throughout. The orange glaze is soaked right up and gives the cake some softness (and a vibrant orange zing!). The cake is moist, and extremely buttery – don’t try this one if you’re dieting. And the ganache? The instant coffee adds a bit of a bitter dimension, perfect for such a sweet cake.

While Soli wasn’t fond of the cake (he’s not a orange-chocolate lover, crazy man), the rest of my family enjoyed it. I found it tasted it even better the next day; the orange flavour carried much further. This is definitely one of my favourite cakes now.

Orange Chocolate Chunk Bundt Cake
adapted from Ina Garten
Printable Recipe

CAKE
1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 extra-large eggs at room temperature (I used 5 large eggs)
1/4 cup grated orange zest (4 large oranges)
3 cups all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
3/4 cup buttermilk at room temperature (I substituted the buttermilk with the same amount of plain yogurt)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups good semisweet chocolate chunks

SYRUP (I doubled this for the cake)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

GANACHE
8 ounces good semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan.

2. Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, then the orange zest.

3. Sift together 3 cups flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine the orange juice, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately in thirds to the creamed butter, beginning and ending with the flour. Toss the chocolate chunks with 2 tablespoons flour and add to the batter. Pour into the pan, smooth the top, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, make the syrup. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, cook the sugar with the orange juice until the sugar dissolves. Remove the cake from the pan, set it on a rack over a tray, and spoon the orange syrup over the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely.

5. For the ganache, melt the chocolate, heavy cream, and coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally. Drizzle over the top of the cake.

It was my mother’s birthday a few days ago, and like last year, I volunteered to bake the cake. While I already have a favourite carrot cake recipe (that one is made in a tube pan), I decided to expand my horizons and try a new recipe – again, from the Magnolia Bakery cookbook (still itching to try it out all the time!).

This cake is a layer one, and is very good. I don’t think it beats my favourite recipe, but it’s definitely in the running! It’s extremely moist, and filled with crunchy nuts. It’s carrotiness really stand out, and it’s a dense, flavourful cake. I would recommend it to any carrot cake lovers.

The cream cheese frosting, on the other hand, is simply amazing. Best cream cheese frosting I’ve ever made, and this will be my go-to recipe from now on. I think a lot has to do with the mixing time – when it says blend for a certain amount of time, do it! I also like my addition of cream. I halved the icing recipe because I always seem to end up with an excess of icing that I have to freeze. However, this time I was sorry I did – I didn’t have enough to properly fill the layer portion.

Next time, I would add raisins, and definitely make the full recipe for the frosting. I omitted the coconut, but I am more than willing to give this recipe another go, complete with raisins, coconut and a ton of the decadent, silky-smooth frosting.

(My apologies for the quality of the photos – the cake was gone too quickly to properly capture it in all its glory!)

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing
adapted from More From Magnolia

CAKE
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon (I added almost 2 teaspoons)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil (preferably canola)
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups lightly packed shredded carrots
One 8-ounce can crushed pineapple in its own juice, with juice
1 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans (I used walnuts)
3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut (I omitted this, since I didn’t have any on hand)

ICING
1 pound (two 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, softend and cu into small pieces.
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cut into small pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
(I added cooking cream at the end, to bring it to the consistency that I wanted)

GARNISH
Coarsely chopped toasted pecans

CAKE
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and lightly flour two 9×2-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with waxed paper (I used parchment)

2. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat together the oil and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until light and thick, about two minutes. Add the vanilla and beat well.

4. Gradually add the dry ingredients, beating until well incorporated.

5. Stir in the carrots, pineapple and juice, pecans and coconut. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.

6. Let the layers cool in the pans for 1 hour (I left them cool for about 10 minutes, and they popped right out). Remove from the pans and cool completely on wire racks.

7. When the cake has cooled, ice between the layers, then ice the top and sides of the cake with the cream cheese icing. Garnish with the toasted pecans as desired.

ICING
1. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth, about 3 minutes.

2. Add the vanilla and beat well.

3. Gradually add the sugar, one cup at a time, beating continuously until smooth and creamy.

4. Cover and refrigerate icing for 2 to 3 hours, but no longer, to thicken before using.

November’s Daring Bakers’ challenge hosted by a whole slew of fantastic bakers – Dolores from Chronicles in Culinary Curiosity, Alex from Blonde and Brownie, and Jenny from Foray into Food. The challenge at hand? Shuna Fish Lydon’s Caramel Cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting.

When I first read this was to be the challenge, I was so excited that I actually didn’t wait to the last minute to bake it. First of all, I was happy that the group had gone back to the sweet route. I like savoury stuff as much as the next person, but sugar is where the heart is. Secondly, caramel is pretty much my favourite thing ever (I guess to be expected, given my inclination towards sugar!).

The recipe looks long and complicated, but it’s actually a pretty easy cake to make. My only “trouble” came with the creation of the caramel syrup, but even that was pretty easy – I got it the perfect flavour and consistency my first shot. Be warned though! That addition of cold water to the hot sugar makes quite the hiss, splatter and noise (my cat pretty much jumped to the ceiling).

I didn’t have a cake pan with high enough sides, so I decided to use a mini-bundt pan, and the recipe was the perfect amount for 6 little bundt cakes. The frosting recipe, however, yielded waaay too much (not that I’m complaining, I have it sitting in my freezer, waiting for a rainy, sugar-deprived day). Same with the caramel syrup….you’re left with a lot, but it’s great on ice cream, so no loss there.

As for the taste? Well, my cakes weren’t as light and fluffy as I expected, but a little dense. Not that I minded, I really enjoyed the texture. Of course it has a sweet, caramel-y taste, but not overpowering in the least.

However, the frosting is quite rich in its caramel flavours, as is the syrup. If you don’t love caramel and super-sweetness, perhaps you won’t be fond of this. I, on the other hand, loved it.

All in all, I really enjoyed making the caramel syrup, and seeing it used in all aspects of the cake. I couldn’t imagine eating more than one or two slices of this thing though, so best you save it for when company’s coming!

Caramel Cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting
adapted from Shuna Fish Lydon’s signature cake

CARAMEL CAKE
10 Tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/4 Cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 Cup Caramel Syrup (see recipe below)
2 each eggs, at room temperature
splash vanilla extract
2 Cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk, at room temperature

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Butter one tall (2 – 2.5 inch deep) 9-inch cake pan.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth. Add sugar and salt & cream until light and fluffy.

3. Slowly pour room temperature caramel syrup into bowl. Scrape down bowl and increase speed. Add eggs/vanilla extract a little at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down bowl again, beat mixture until light and uniform.

4. Sift flour and baking powder.

5. Turn mixer to lowest speed, and add one third of the dry ingredients. When incorporated, add half of the milk, a little at a time. Add another third of the dry ingredients, then the other half of the milk and finish with the dry ingredients. {This is called the dry, wet, dry, wet, dry method in cake making. It is often employed when there is a high proportion of liquid in the batter.}

6. Take off mixer and by hand, use a spatula to do a few last folds, making sure batter is uniform. Turn batter into prepared cake pan.

7. Place cake pan on cookie sheet or 1/2 sheet pan. Set first timer for 30 minutes, rotate pan and set timer for another 15-20 minutes. Your own oven will set the pace. Bake until sides pull away from the pan and skewer inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool cake completely before icing it.

Cake will keep for three days outside of the refrigerator.

CARAMEL SYRUP
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup water (for “stopping” the caramelization process)

1. In a small stainless steel saucepan, with tall sides, mix water and sugar until mixture feels like wet sand. Brush down any stray sugar crystals with wet pastry brush. Turn on heat to highest flame. Cook until smoking slightly: dark amber.

2. When color is achieved, very carefully pour in one cup of water. Caramel will jump and sputter about! It is very dangerous, so have long sleeves on and be prepared to step back.

3. Whisk over medium heat until it has reduced slightly and feels sticky between two fingers. {Obviously wait for it to cool on a spoon before touching it.}

Note: For safety reasons, have ready a bowl of ice water to plunge your hands into if any caramel should land on your skin.

CARAMELIZED BUTTER FROSTING
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound confectioner’s sugar, sifted
4-6 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-4 tablespoons caramel syrup
Kosher or sea salt to taste

1. Cook butter until brown. Pour through a fine meshed sieve into a heatproof bowl, set aside to cool.

2. Pour cooled brown butter into mixer bowl.

3. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, add confectioner’s sugar a little at a time. When mixture looks too chunky to take any more, add a bit of cream and or caramel syrup. Repeat until mixture looks smooth and all confectioner’s sugar has been incorporated. Add salt to taste.

Note: Caramelized butter frosting will keep in fridge for up to a month.
To smooth out from cold, microwave a bit, then mix with paddle attachment until smooth and light

Today is my birthday (I am now in my last year of my twenties, oh no!), so in “celebration” of today, a somewhat birthday-ey treat – Caramel Apple Cupcakes. I made these a few weeks ago for the Friday snack session at work, as they sounded like the perfect fall treat. And the combination of apples and caramel is one that I love…so when I read about this recipe on The Cupcake Blog, I was pretty excited.

These really are decadent treats, but not without a few flaws (though I think I have to blame myself and lack of candy-making skills).

The apple cupcake is a bit more like a muffin, but that’s not a bad thing at all, especially given the calories and fat content that is added to this dessert. I really like baking my apples and using that, rather than a chunky applesauce; it added a much more definite apple flavour to the cupcake. The recipe claims that it makes 9 cupcakes, but I needed more than that, so I made 1 1/2 the recipe, giving me 14 cupcakes to work with. The cupcakes rose up beautifully and smelled fantastic while baking.

The filling was a breeze to make, with an ideal creamy texture and sweetness. I used a plastic baggie with the corner cut off to pipe the filling into the cupcake. I didn’t increase the quantity of filling, and I had enough to put into all the cupcakes I had made.

Finally, the caramel topping. Now, this is where I met with a few problems. I prepared it as instructed, using my candy thermometer. Indeed, I did have to work fast to get the topping on the cupcakes, as it was hardening fast! And then it hardened a bit more, then, a bit more. I was very nervous that it would be a tooth-breaking substance…it was not creamy in the least.

However, the end result did not mean a trip to the dentist. The caramel topping turned into something like a Skor bar – crunchy, but an easy crunch that just exploded in your mouth with a sweet and slightly salty taste. It melded perfectly with the creamy sweet cream cheese filling, though the apple flavour didn’t really stand out. They were a rich, messy and sticky treat….much like a caramel apple, I suppose!

I loved the method of stuffing the cupcakes with cream cheese (read the recipe to see what I mean) and even if I don’t make this particular cupcake again, I will use the filling recipe and method to fill some of the other muffins I make in the future.

Caramel Apple Cupcakes
adapted from Cupcake Bake Shop

CUPCAKES
2-3 apples, granny smith
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup apple juice
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Rinse and core the apples. Place them on an ovenproof pan or baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes until soft.

2. Remove the apples from the oven, let cool slightly, then remove peel and mush the apple with the back of a fork. Measure out 1 cup of apple mush and set aside to cool.

3. Combine flour, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a medium sized bowl and whisk to combine.

4. Crack the eggs into a separate, medium sized bowl and beat with a form to break up. Add the oil, apple juice, vanilla, and cooled apple mush and mix to combine.

5. Combine the wet and dry ingredients until all ingredients come together.

6. Scoop into cupcake papers about 3/4 full so cupcakes will have a significant dome. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes, rotating the pan after 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

CREAM CHEESE FILLING
4 ounces Philly cream cheese
1/4 stick butter
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Be sure to bring the butter to room temperature by letting it sit out for 1 or 2 hours. Then beat the butter vigorously with an electric mixer.

2. Scrape the bowl and add the cream cheese and beat until combine.

3. Add the sifted powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth.

FILLING THE CUPCAKES
1. Cut out a cone from each cupcake. Flip the cone and cut off the excess. Set the top aside.

2. Fill each cavity with the cream cheese filling.

3. Replace each top.

THICK CARAMEL
1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
6 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Bring the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and sweetened condensed milk to a boil over medium-high heat stirring to combine.

2. With a wooden spoon, stir all ingredients together and then slowly add the heavy cream.

3. Continue to stir for about 20 minutes until the caramel reached 248 degrees. It is important to continuously stir the mixture and to allow it to reach temperature.

4. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and salt. Transfer to a bowl and continue to stir for 2-3 minutes allowing the caramel to cool slightly.

FINAL ASSEMBLY OF CUPCAKES
1. Using a small offset spatula, frost each cupcake with the caramel.

2. If desired sprinkle warm caramel with any number of toppings, like coconut or crushed nuts.

3. Transfer the cupcake into the freezer to allow the caramel to set without dripping over the edge of the cupcake paper.

4. Continue frosting and topping the cupcakes and try to work fast. As the caramel cools, it becomes less spreadable. If possible work in pairs and let your helper top the cupcakes and transfer them to the freezer. By the time you reach the last few cupcakes, you will not longer need to freeze them and you can take all the cupcakes out and transfer them to the counter.

5. Top off each cupcake with a popsicle or craft stick to finish off the look.

First of all – our apologies for suddenly becoming very lazy in updating! With summer comes heat and a variety of other things that are keeping our appetites and desire to hang out in a hot kitchen at bay. The last two weeks have been hectic, hot and busy, and it seems we took a mini-vacation from here.

Second of all – we’re back, even if it is on somewhat of a reduced schedule, with a Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake. I just wish I had better things to say about it!

When I saw the recipe on Alpineberry for this cake, I was instantly drawn to it. A maple syrup glaze over a brown sugar cake? It made my mouth water.

Unfortunately, the real cake did not live up to my expectations. This is not to say it wasn’t good – it was. It was just boring. Like a very moist white cake with some chocolate chips thrown in. Even the glaze was dull…hardly any flavour other than just sweet.

If I were to make it again, I would have to make a whole lot of changes, because this cake offers nothing other than occasional chocolately bites. It’s a good base bundt cake recipe, as it is quite moist and perfectly sweet, but it can hardly stand up to all the other wonderful cakes out there.

Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake with Maple-Espresso Glaze
(from Bon Appétit, October 2007)

CAKE
12 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate (or 12 ounces chocolate chip morsels)
3 cups all purpose flour (plus an additional amount for dusting pan)
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup (8 ounces/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp maple extract (you could use maple syrup instead, which is what I did – just increase the amount!)
4 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk

GLAZE
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
2 tbsp (or more) heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder

CAKE
1. Preheat oven to 325F. Generously butter a 12-cup Bundt pan then dust pan lightly with flour.

2. Place your chopped chocolate (or chocolate chips) in medium bowl. From your 3 cups all purpose flour, measure about 2 tablespoons flour and toss those 2 tablespoons in with your chocolate. (Tossing your chopped chocolate with a tiny bit of flour helps keep them evenly suspended in the batter.)

3. Sift remaining flour with baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in vanilla extract and maple extract (or maple syrup). Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

5. On low speed, mix in the flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Detach the bowl from the stand mixer and, using a spoon or spatula, fold in the chopped chocolate. Spread your batter evenly in your prepared pan.

6. Bake at 325F until cake tester comes out clean and the cake begins to pull away from sides of pan, about 60 minutes. Cool cake in pan over a cooling rack for about 30 minutes. Then invert cake onto cooling rack and let it cool completely before glazing.

GLAZE
In a medium bowl, whisk powdered sugar, maple syrup, 2 tablespoons cream, and espresso powder until smooth. If the glaze seems too thick to drizzle, add cream by 1/2 teaspoonfuls until the desired consistency. Drizzle glaze over top of cake. Allow the glaze to firm up before serving, about 60 minutes.