Recipes Discovered – Recipes

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2  cups all purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 large egg
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 cup milk
• 2 pints blueberries, about 4 cups
• 1/2 cup butter, cold
• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13 baking pan. Set aside.

Sift together the flour, the baking powder and the salt. Set aside. Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the milk. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Scatter blueberries on top of batter. Set aside.

Combine the butter, sugar, flour, baking powder, and cinnamon for topping with a fork or your fingers to make crumbly mixture. Sprinkle this over the batter.

Bake for 45 minutes, then test for doneness by gently inserting a fork. If it does not come out clean, give the cake another 5 to 10 minutes to bake.

Cool on a wire rack.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I will definitely fold the blueberries into the batter in the future because they didn’t sink as they were supposed to. I might also lower the temperature to 350 since the bottom of the cake was burnt.

The second time I made this recipe, I lessened the flour to 3 1/4 cups, folded the blueberries into the cake batter (after tossing them with 1 tablespoon of flour), and baked the cake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. It turned out perfect!

If baking in a glass dish, lower temperature to 325 degrees.

I tried substituting peaches and blackberries for the blueberries. The cake was still good, but not as spectacular as with blueberries.

Recipe adapted from Sharon Gibbons.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa power
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pudding:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
• 3/4 cup boiling water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, and baking powder. Add milk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth. Stir in pecans. Pour batter into an ungreased 1-quart casserole dish.

For the pudding, mix sugar, cocoa, and coffee. Gradually stir in boiling water. Pour over cake mixture.

Bake about 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Serves 4.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Not a lot of flavor. Strange texture.

Recipe courtesy of Bake or Break.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 3/4 cups sugar
• 6 large eggs
• 3 cups cake flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• Zest from 2 lemons
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Grease/flour/spray a 10-inch tube pan. Set aside.

With a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream together butter and cream cheese. Add sugar gradually and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time. Next, add cake flour and salt. Mix; then, add vanilla and lemon zest.

Pour batter into pan. Bake for about an hour and fifteen minutes or until done. Cool the cake in the pan for about 10 minutes, then finish cooling on a wire rack.

Once cool, combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl. You may have to add more powdered sugar or lemon juice to get the proper consistency (thick, but pourable). Once mixed, add the vanilla extract and drizzle over the cake.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I used 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour.

Recipe adapted from Southern Living Magazine.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

Cakes:

• 1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 extra-large eggs at room temperature
• 1/8 cup grated orange zest (2 large oranges)
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 3 ounces buttermilk at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup good semisweet chocolate chunks

Syrup:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Ganache:

• 4 ounces good semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 6 individual serving baking molds or 12 mini cake molds.

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, 1 at a time, then the orange zest.

Sift together 1 1/2 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 1 tablespoon flour and add to the batter. Pour into the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 30 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the molds on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

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 pans, put them on a rack over a tray, and spoon the orange syrup over the cakes. Allow the cakes to cool completely.

For the ganache, bring the cream to a boil over medium heat and then pour over the chocolate. Stir until smooth and allow to cool slightly. Drizzle over the top of the cakes.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I used whole milk instead of buttermilk.

Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

Angel Food Cake:

• 2/3 cup cake flour
• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1 cup egg whites
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tsp. cream of tartar
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract

Devil’s Food Cake:

• 1/2 cup powdered cocoa
• 1 cup strong coffee
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1-1/2 cups cake flour
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda

Peanut Butter Mousse:

• 12 oz. cream cheese
• 1-3/4 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 2 cups peanut butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup heavy cream

Ganache:

• 2 lb. chocolate, chopped
• 2 cups cream

Directions:

Angel Food Cake:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut parchment paper or wax paper to fit the bottom of a 10-inch round cake pan. Do not grease the pan or paper. Sift together flour and confectioners’ sugar. Set aside. Place egg whites in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer. Beat slowly while adding the salt and cream of tartar, then continue beating for 1 minute, or until soft peaks form. Increase speed to medium; add sugar, by tablespoons until it is all incorporated, then beat 1-1/2 minutes longer. When egg whites are still, add vanilla and almond extract. Remove bowl from mixer and sprinkle half the flour-sugar mixture over the egg whites. Fold in with rubber spatula; sprinkle with remaining flour-sugar mixture and fold again, using a minimum number of strokes so that the egg whites don’t deflate. Gently spoon mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until golden brown. Do not over bake or the cake will sink in the middle.

Devil’s Food Cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil a round 10-inch cake pan and line it with parchment paper. Sift cocoa into mixing bowl, then drizzle in the coffee while whisking to make a smooth paste. Set aside. Combine shortening, sugar, vanilla and eggs and beat for 2 minutes at medium speed. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Alternately add the coffee-cocoa mixture and the flour mixture to the egg-sugar mixture and continue beating until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes.

Peanut Butter Mousse:
Into the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the cream cheese until light and creamy. Gradually beat into he confectioners’ sugar, then the peanut butter. Continue beating until thoroughly incorporated and fluffy. If mixture looks lumpy, add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. It may not smooth out, but it will be easier to blend. Transfer mixture to another bowl and set aside. Place the heavy cream in the electric mixer bowl and whip until stiff. Carefully, but thoroughly, combine both mixtures. Set aside.

Ganache:
In a saucepan, over medium heat, bring the cream to a boil and stir in chocolate. Remove from heat, cover pan and let chocolate melt. Whisk to combine thoroughly, then let cool to room temperature.

To Assemble:
When both cakes have cooled, carefully slice them in half horizontally with a sharp serrated knife (the longer the better), so that you now have four cake layers. To slice angel food cake, spray the knife with oil. Holding the top of the cake with your flat open hand, use a sawing action to slice through. Do not put pressure on the knife, or the cake might tear; just let the sawing action do its work. (If the cake sinks in the center, fill it in with some extra mousse. Make this the top part 1 layer and it will be easier to level off.) Place 1 layer of devil’s food cake on a plate and spoon a third of the peanut butter mousse on top. Add a layer of angel food cake, then spread with another third of the mousse. Add second devil’s food layer, then remaining mousse. Top with remaining angel food layer. Whisk the ganache, then spread over the cake with a spatula, frosting both top and sides generously. Refrigerate for at least two hours before serving. Serve chilled; slice with warm, wet knife.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I used 9-inch cake pans. The devil’s food cake took about 35 minutes, but the angel food cake was done in 30 minutes.

Recipe courtesy of Stephan Pyles.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 30 Oreo cookies, crushed
• 5 tablespoons butter, melted
• 32 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot water, cooled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the Oreo cookie crumbs and the butter. Mix well and press mixture into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add 1 cup white sugar mixing until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat at low speed until smooth. Stir in sour cream, coffee, vanilla, and salt. Add the melted chocolate and beat briefly on low speed to combine. Pour mixture into prepared crust.

Bake in the center of oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Lower the temperature to 200 degrees and continue to bake for 2 hours (or until cheesecake is almost set). Turn the oven off, but leave the cheesecake in the oven with the oven door closed for 2 more hours. Remove from the oven and refrigerate overnight.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe courtesy of All Recipes.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 1 cup strong coffee
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup sour cream

Filling:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or 1 cup chopped, toasted pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a bundt pan.

Bring coffee and butter to a simmer in heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Beat together cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips or pecans. Spoon this mixture into the center of the cake batter. Keep this mixture away from the sides of the pan. Swirl with a knife.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, remove the cake from the pan to cool completely.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

A boxed devil’s food cake can be used in place of the homemade chocolate cake. Just prepare it according to the package directions.

Recipe adapted from Bake or Break.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 1 cup Guinness (or other dark stout)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup sour cream

Filling:

• 14 ounces individually wrapped caramels
• 1 can (5 ounce) evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Frosting:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup milk or cream, or more if needed
• 1 pound box confectioners’ sugar (3 1/2 cups)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper.

Bring stout and butter to a simmer in heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Pour 1/2 of the batter into prepared pans (1/4 of the batter in each pan). Bake cakes for 15 minutes.

While the cakes are baking, melt caramels, butter, and milk in a sauce pan over medium low heat. When the cakes comes out of the oven, pour melted caramel mixture over cakes, sprinkle with pecans, and chocolate chips, and then pour the remaining cake batter over the top the caramel. Bake for an addition 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the cakes from the oven, run a knife along the outside, and allow to cool in the pans. When the cakes are cool, remove from the pans and place the bottom layer on a cake plate.

To make the frosting, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and stir in brown sugar and cream. Bring to a boil and allow to cook for 3 minutes. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Beat with a handheld electric mixer until it reaches a spreading consistency. At this time it may be necessary to add more milk, if frosting gets too thick. Immediately pour a thin layer of frosting on the bottom layer, place the second cake layer on top, pour the remaining frosting over the cake and sprinkle top with chopped pecans.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Several notes -
This can be made with a box cake instead of homemade.
Coffee can be substituted for the Guinness (although then it would be a Sober Turtle Cake!)
The cake can be made into a 9×13 sheet cake – just bake the bottom layer for 20 minutes and then the top layer 30 to 35 minutes.
The frosting is very difficult to work with because it hardens rather quickly, however, the filling is sweet enough that the frosting isn’t necessary.

My own concoction.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dark brewed coffee or 1 cup water with 1 tablespoon instant coffee
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped or 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter or spray a bundt pan.

Bring stout and butter to a simmer in heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.

In another bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix well. Stir in pecans or chocolate chips. Spoon this mixture into the center of the cake batter. Keep this mixture away from the sides of the pan. Swirl with a knife.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, remove the cake from the pan to cool completely.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

A devil’s food cake mix could be used in place of the homemade cake. Just mix the cake according to the package instructions, pour it into the pan, and add the cream cheese mixture.

Recipe adapted from Bake or Break.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 3 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup water

For the icing

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

For the cake: Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees. Lightly grease ten 9-inch cake pans, or use 2 or 3 cake pans at a time, and place a rounded piece of parchment paper in the bottom of each pan. The paper can be reused after the cakes bake.

Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.

Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer; beat on medium speed until light and creamy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time; beat until smooth. Reduce the speed to low and add the sifted dry ingredients 1 cup at a time; beat until incorporated. Still on low speed, add the evaporated milk, then the vanilla and water, beating until well combined.

Place about 1/2 cup of batter in each of the cake pans; use the back of the spoon to spread it evenly. The batter should just cover the bottom of the cake pan. Bake 2 or 3 layers at a time on the middle oven rack anywhere from 8 to 16 minutes. (A layer is done when you hold it near your ear and do not hear it sizzle.) As the cake layers are done, run a spatula around the edge of the pan and ease out the layers. Remove the parchment paper, and let them cool.

To make the icing: Combine the sugar and evaporated milk in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the chocolate and butter; warm through, stirring, until both have melted. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla extract, stirring to combine. The icing will be thin but will thicken as it cools. It will take about a half hour to the icing to be thick enough to spread. Stir it occasionally as it cools.

Place the bottom layer on a cake plate; spread 2 or 3 spoonfuls of icing on each layer. (Don’t worry if a layer tears; no one will notice when the cake is finished.) Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining icing; push any icing that runs onto the plate back onto the cake.

Nutrition:

Based on 16 cake slices: calories: 545, total fat: 26 g, saturated fat: 16 g, sodium: 121 mg, cholesterol: 121 mg, carbs: 74 g, fiber: 2 g, protein: 8 g

Substitutions:

I would make one and a half batches of the icing – it’s easier than going back and making more.

Recipe courtesy of The Washington Post.