Blueberry Lemon Buttermilk Cake

Tomorrow I'm having a surgical procedure. Nothing huge, but I will receive general anesthesia and will most likely be quite uncomfortable for a few days. Stuff like this tends to give me a little bit of anxiety in the days leading up to it. To keep my mind of off things, I headed into the kitchen over the weekend to work on some recipes and posts so you guys would be well entertained during my "down time". Working in the kitchen, concentrating on a recipe, always has a calming effect on me and helps me to clear my head and this time was no different.

First thing I made was this Blueberry Lemon Buttermilk Cake that I found once again on "Tasty Kitchen". It struck a chord with me right away for its flavor combination, but also for the simplicity of the recipe. Another bonus: getting rid of some of my very last frozen berries, which is perfect since fresh berry season is just around the corner. The cake is made quickly with just a few everyday items. Once baked, it almost appears like the cake has layers because of the blueberries sinking to the bottom and the taste is very reminiscent of an old fashioned cake you would find in Grandma's kitchen. The cake crumb is just lightly sweetened with hints of lemon throughout, without the citrus flavor being too overpowering. The buttermilk ensures a light and fluffy texture and the juiciness of the berries works perfectly. To top it all off, the cake has a crunchy sweet crust from sprinkled on sugar which is added right before baking. The sugar crust also helps balance the sweetness level.

This cake is simply wonderful for breakfast or even dessert, especially when enjoyed with a cup of coffee or tea. Since I made this on the weekend it was an amazing early morning treat that everyone in the family gave the thumbs up to. This recipe worked great with the frozen berries and there was minimal "bleeding"; however, I'm really looking forward to making it again when fresh berries are in season. Blueberry Lemon Buttermilk Cake; it's a good thing!

Blueberry Lemon Buttermilk Cake

(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup sugar plus 1 1/2 tablespoons for sprinkling on top

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 large egg

1/2 cup buttermilk, well shaken

5 ounces fresh (or frozen, un-thawed) blueberries

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan and line bottom with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

Beat butter and 2/3 cup sugar on medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add vanilla extract, lemon zest and lemon juice. Add the egg and beat well.

At low speed, mix in flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk in two batches, mixing until just combined. Carefully fold in berries.

Pour batter into cake pan, spreading and smoothing the top. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar.

Bake until cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 35* minutes. Remove from oven  and cool in the pan for 10 minutes then turn out onto a rack and cool for an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Invert onto a plate and cut into 8 slices.

*When using fresh berries start checking the cake after 20 minutes 

Adapted from: Tasty Kitchen

Chocolate-Raspberry Marble Pound Cake with Chocolate-Raspberry Glaze

Do you ever cook or bake something and when it's time to write your post you are at a loss for words? Well, that's how I feel today. I should talk about this great cake I made, but I would much rather talk about my youngest son and the awesome soccer season we've been having. Or how about my middle son, he just got done with a big science project. I could certainly tell you about the effects aspirin has on plants. Not your thing? Well then how about my oldest? She is a senior in high school and we are in the middle of prom season. Would you like to know about all the emails she sends me daily of the pretty dresses she is finding all over the internet. I could also talk about all the yard work we've been doing since our weather has been gorgeous and we are having a big graduation party coming up in just a few short months. None of those are of interest to you? Well, then can I tell you about my two silly, extremely loving dogs who've been enjoying the warmer days by exploring the yard like they've never seen it before. In fact our little Cocker Spaniel is out there with her nose on the ground and her little "nub" wagging all day long, that is as long as I'm out there with her, since she has a slight case of separation anxiety, but we'll save this subject for another time. All of those things are going on in my life and I could easily talk about all of them for hours, but coming up with an interesting post about this recipe is just not in my cards today. I really don't want to bore any of you, so I guess I better try and turn this around and bring it back to my cake (how did you like this extremely smooth transition?).

OK fine, let's talk about this recipe. This is an extremely tasty cake, which I found in a great little book called "Cake Keeper Cakes" by Lauren Chattman. This cake is a kicked up version of a marble/pound cake. Kicked up with raspberry flavor that is. The chocolate part of this cake comes from melted bittersweet chocolate which is folded into half of the dough. The other half of the dough gets some berry love from raspberry jam. Both are layered alternating into a loaf pan and then swirled with a knife to get the marbled effect. Once baked, the cake gets even more flavor from raspberry jam, which is brushed all over the cake. Last, but not least, once the cake is cool, a chocolate glaze with a little bit of Chambord liqueur adds the finishing touch for this delectable dessert. 

This is a great cake with a wonderful, but yet subtle raspberry flavor. The whole family (minus my chocolate hating husband) really enjoyed this. In fact, my youngest was terribly upset when he got home from school and realized his brother and sister had gotten to the last couple of pieces before him. Yeah, it is that good and apparently it makes a 9 year old very upset when gone. I'll be making this one again and this time a little someone already put "dibs" on the last piece.

Chocolate-Raspberry Marble Pound Cake with Chocolate-Raspberry Glaze

 ~makes 1 cake~

(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

For the cake:

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

4 large eggs, at room temperature lightly beaten

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups cake flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/4 cup raspberry jam

For the glaze:

1/4 cup raspberry jam

6 tablespoons heavy cream

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate

1 tablespoons raspberry liqueur (Chambord)

Preparation:

For the cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan and dust with sugar.

Put 1 inch of water in the bottom of a double boiler or a small saucepan and bring to a bare simmer. Place the chocolate in the top of the double boiler or in a stainless steel bowl big enough to rest on top of the saucepan, and set the bowl on top of the simmering water, making sure that the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Heat, whisking occasionally, until the chocolate is completely melted, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Combine the eggs and vanilla in a glass measuring cup and lightly beat. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.

Combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice as necessary.

With the mixer on medium-low speed, pour the egg mixture into the bowl in a slow stream, stopping the mixer once or twice to scrape down the bowl.

Turn the mixer on low speed an d add the flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. After the last addition, mix for 30 seconds on medium speed.

Scrape half the batter into a medium mixing bowl and whisk in the raspberry jam. Whisk the melted chocolate into the batter remaining in the mixer.

Scrape 1/2 the raspberry batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top, then add 1/2 of the chocolate batter. Repeat the layers with the remaining batters. Run a butter knife blade through the batter to create marbling. Do not overmix.

Bake the pound cake until it is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, invert it onto a wire rack, and then turn it right side up on a rack to cool completely.

For the glaze: Heat 1/4 cup raspberry jam until loose, and use a pastry brush to brush the warm jam all over the top and sides of the cake. Combine the heavy cream, corn syrup, and chocolate in a samll pot and heat over medium, whisking until smooth. Stir in the raspberry liqueur. Let stand until thickened, about 30 minutes. Spoon the glaze over the cake, smoothing it over the top and sides with a small metal spatula to cover. Let stand until the glaze firms up, about 1 hour. Slice and serve.

Adapted from: Cake Keeper Cakes

Piña Colada Cake for a Special Birthday

The special meal (Sauerbraten, Semmelknödel, and Blaukraut) that I featured recipes for last week were for my husband whose birthday happens to fall on Valentine's Day. It is tradition in our home, that the birthday boy or girl gets to pick the meal (homemade or eating out) and the cake. If you've been reading my blog for a while you know by now that my husband is not a fan of chocolate, with the exception of a few dishes like the German Chocolate Cupcakes he requested last year. For his birthday it is usually a given that he will pick a cake that has not one fleck of chocolate (white chocolate excluded) in it. Last year he picked Dorie Greenspan's Perfect Party Cake which is what started my blog and this year after looking through a couple of my recipe books he "settled" on Piña Colada Cake from Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes. Always up for a good challenge, I decided this would be some great practice to continue working on my layered cake skills.

Layered cakes and in specific, more than two layer cakes are something that does not come easy to me. I'm getting better at it, and the cakes do taste very good after all is said and done, but the process gives me a little bit of anxiety. Today's featured cake is composed of three key components. A brown sugar cake, a pineapple filling and a coconut buttercream. First up the cake. This cake was everything and more I had hoped for. Fantastic flavor and texture, but it gave me a little bit of trouble in the oven and happened to dome in the middle (which might be due to my oven, I haven't figured that one out yet). I had to level all three layers with a knife (not an easy task for this lefty) before being able to use them. The second component was the pineapple filling. Who knew, that a combination of crushed pineapple, sugar, lime and vanilla bean would end up tasting so utterly decadent. I could eat this stuff by the spoonful, on vanilla ice cream, Greek yogurt, etc, I'm sure you get the picture. I will definitely be making this filling again all by itself since there are so many great applications for it. The last, and most certainly not least, component was the coconut frosting, which is another winner. An Italian meringue buttercream which to me tastes so much better and lighter (if that is even possible, considering all the butter) that gets its coconut flavor from a combination of coconut milk and coconut extract. Everything came together very easy, putting it together is where the going got a little tougher for me. The cake is assembled by placing one of the cake layers on a cake plate where it is then drizzled with rum (oh yeah, baby) and a layer of the pineapple jam. Another cake layer, more rum and pineapple filling and then the final cake layer and more rum. If you look closely at my cake slice you'll see I put my second and third layer together upside down which makes the cake appear like there is a whole different layer of filling. Nope, not the case, just Susi messing up slightly ;o) I tried removing the layer so I could fix it but between the rum-drenched cake and filling it started to fall apart and I just decided to leave it as is.

The final step, frosting the cake and applying toasted coconut to the sides. For decoration I simply chose fresh pineapple slices and a bit more coconut.

The verdict? The cake is incredible! The birthday boy loved every little thing about it. A perfect balance of flavors that will just melt in your mouth. It is truly reminiscent of the drink. With a couple of teeny tiny adjustments this recipe would be perfect. First up the amount of rum, which my kids were not nearly as enthusiastic about as the adults. You could leave it out completely or replace it with pineapple juice. I also ended up reducing the rum to about 1/3 cup (I reflected this change in the recipe) total between all the layers. The 2/3 cup the recipe called for would have been overkill and I happen to like rum flavored desserts. The other thing I would change the next time is to double the recipe for the pineapple jam. There could have easily been more of that without being too much and I ended up having to spread it a little too thin around the edges so that there would be enough. I made the cake one day before my husband's birthday and while I was busy for a few hours, baking, cooking and assembling, the process wasn't too bad or difficult. One thing I did recognize is that the cake actually got better with each additional day it sat in the refrigerator. The rum had time to soak into all the layers and the flavor wasn't nearly as strong on day 3 as when it was first cut. Another plus is that the cake stayed wonderfully moist. My husband ended up taking some of it to work where it got the thumbs up and a few requests for the recipe. Would I bake this cake again? Absolutely, without a doubt, this recipe is a keeper and if Piña Coladas make you think of tropical islands, sunshine, umbrella drinks and sandy beaches give this recipe a go, chances are you won't regret it and you'll feel like you are on vacation!

Piña Colada Cake

(adapted from "Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes")

(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

For the pineapple filling:

1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple in juice (no sugar added)

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 one-inch piece of vanilla bean, split in half

For the brown sugar cake:

3 3/4 cups cake flour

1 3/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 cups light brown sugar

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 3/4 cups buttermilk

5 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the coconut buttercream:

3 egg whites

1 cup sugar

1/4 water

2 1/2 sticks (10 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract

For assembling the cake:

Brown Sugar Cake (baked and cooled)

Pineapple Filling, at room temperature

Coconut Buttercream

1/3 cup rum (light, amber, or dark, whichever you prefer)

Toasted coconut flakes

Thin slices of pineapple for decoration

Preparation:

For the pineapple filling: Combine the crushed pineapple, sugar, and lime juice in a large nonreactive skillet. With the tip of a small knife, scrape the vanilla seed into the pan; add the pod as well. Warm over medium-low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar, 2 to 3 minutes.

Raise the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, until the juices have almost completely evaporated and the pineapple has a jam-like consistency. Remove from the heat an discard the vanilla pod. Let the pineapple filling cool completely before using. (The filling can me made a day ahead and refrigerated. Let return to room temperature before using.)

For the brown sugar cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter three 9-inch cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large mixer bowl; whisk gently to combine. Add the brown sugar, butter, and 1 1/2 cups of the buttermilk to the dry ingredients. With the mixer on low, blend to incorporate. Raise the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.

Whisk the eggs with the remaining 1/4 cup buttermilk and the vanilla and add to the batter in 3 additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl well and beating only long enough to incorporate between additions. Divide the batter among the 3 prepared pans.

Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the layers cool in the pans for 10 minutes; then turn out onto wire racks, carefully peel off the paper liners, and allow to cool completely before filling and frosting.

For the coconut buttercream: Put the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment so they are all ready to go.

Combine the sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan and place over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a boil and cook, without stirring, until the syrup reaches the soft-ball stage, 238 degrees F on a candy thermometer.

Beat the egg whites briefly at medium speed.Slowly add the hot syrup in a thin stream, being careful to avoid the beaters. Continue to whip until the meringue has cooled to body temperature.

With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the butter, several tablespoons at a time, and continue to beat until a smooth, fluffy frosting forms.

Add the coconut milk in several additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl well after each addition. Add the coconut extract and mix until smooth.

For assembling the cake: Place one layer, flat side up, on a cake stand or serving plate. Carefully brush with rum. Spread half of the pineapple filling over the layer, leaving a 1/3-inch margin around the edge. Add the second layer, brush with more rum, and cover with the remaining filling. Top with the third layer, flat side up, brush with the remaining rum. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the coconut buttercream. Decorate with toasted coconut and thin slices of pineapple. 

Adapted from: Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes

Oma Ingrid's German Apple Cake

With Halloween behind us, the next holiday, Thanksgiving, is already looming over our heads again. This is another holiday I did not grow up with, but have come to love as well. Seriously, what's not to like about a holiday that is pretty much centered around good food, family and friends? There are so many delicious eats that are hard to resist. From the wonderful cooked turkey, to great sides and last but certainly not least, amazing seasonal pies and cakes.

I usually make a few very traditional dishes for our feast, but my German touches are never far. Our Thanksgiving dessert table also holds an assortment of "American" pies and at least a German cake or two. Today's featured apple cake is one that my mom (Oma Ingrid to my kids) has been baking for as long as I can remember and was also one of the first cakes I baked for my husband. Apple desserts are some of my favorites and this one is irresistible by having a fantastic nut topping. Served with some whipped cream it is a true family favorite.

The cake has three components. A crust, reminiscent of ones that are used in sweet tarts. A grated apple filling that really let's the apples shine without overpowering them with spices, and a nut crust made from butter, sugar, finely ground nuts and heavy cream. The crust is made quickly with the use of a food processor, but can also be made in a stand mixer. After pressing the crust into a greased springform pan it is set into the refrigerator while the apple filling and topping are prepared. Use your favorite apples in this, Cameo, Gala, or Honey-crisp are great choices that lend the perfect balance of sweet and tart, without getting too mushy after baking. The apples are grated before mixing them with a bit of lemon juice, sugar and flour, then placed inside the crust. Finely ground almonds or hazelnuts (my favorite) are mixed together with melted butter, sugar and heavy cream and then spread over the apple filling making sure to cover the entire cake before baking.

The cake takes a little bit time to put together, but is well worth the effort. It might not be the prettiest or most colorful cake you've ever seen, but let me tell you it makes up for it in flavor and has a wonderful rustic charm that fits so well into the season. This is a cake that is requested over and over in our home and is never missing on our Thanksgiving table. I do hope if you give this recipe a try, you'll enjoy adding some German touches to your table as well!

Oma Ingrid's German Apple Cake

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

For the crust:

250 grams all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

100 grams sugar

125 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 large egg

For the apple filling:

6 medium apples

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

For the nut topping:

125 grams finely ground hazelnuts or almonds

75 grams melted butter

100 grams sugar

3-4 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and set aside.

For the crust: Add flour, baking powder and sugar into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse again until mixture resembles coarse oatmeal. Add the egg and once again pulse until the dough comes together. Turn out onto a floured surface and quickly knead until dough comes together. Press dough into the bottom and up the sides of the prepped springform pan. Set pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling and topping.

For the filling: Peel, core and grate apples. Add them to a large bowl and toss with flour, sugar and lemon juice. Set aside while you prepare the nut topping.

For the topping: In a medium bowl combine the ground nuts, melted butter, sugar and heavy cream. Stir to combine until the mixture is like a paste.

Putting it all together: Remove springform pan with crust from the fridge. Pour apple mixture into the formed crust and spread evenly. Spread nut topping over top of the apples, making sure to cover apples completely. Bake in preheated oven for about 50 - 55 minutes. Check after 45 minutes and if the topping and crust get to dark, cover with a piece of aluminum to prevent over browning.

Remove cake from oven and cool for about 20 minutes before removing sides of the pan (make sure to run a sharp knife around the edges before attempting). Let cool completely before serving.

Adapted from: My mom

Double Apple Bundt Cake

 
I love Fall. It is most certainly my favorite season. I've always loved everything associated with autumn and this hasn't changed over the years. The smells of cinnamon, and other spices, lighting candles, being able to wear jeans and boots, all those things are special to me. I had to give up a few things that I always enjoyed during this time of year by living in Arizona, like the changing of the leaves or dark, rainy days, but even here fall has it's benefits and there is certainly something to be said about sitting around a fire pit on cooler (like 70 degrees F) evenings and finally being able to enjoy the outdoors without melting.

One of the things I think of immediately when it comes to fall are apple desserts. I love, any and everything apple and always look forward to being able to come up with new recipes and ideas to incorporate them. Since apples harmonize so incredibly well with all of my favorite spices, you will be seeing quite a few apple recipes over the next few weeks. One of the challenges I face when it comes to apple desserts is that my two older ones don't care for the texture of traditional apple pie. With this in mind, I tend to look for recipes that incorporate the apples in a way so that my kids don't complain. 

Dorie Greenspan once again to the rescue. This recipe caught me eye right away because it was a pretty economic cake that only required what I already had in my fridge and pantry. The cake gets double the apple flavor by incorporating not only grated apples, but also apple butter into the batter. Warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger only enhance the cake without being overpowering. I left most of the cake as written but made a few tiny adjustments by dusting my Bundt cake pan with sugar instead of flour, soaking my raisins for about 30 minutes in a couple tablespoons of brandy before adding them to the batter, and last but not least, adding a couple of shakes of cinnamon to my glaze.

This cake ended up being the epitome of fall and everyone in the family loved it, even my "cooked apple challenged" kids. Most of all, I was impressed by my "I hate raisins" teenager who exclaimed that by soaking the raisins prior to baking they weren't half bad and she wasn't forced to pick them out of the cake before eating. Now that is what I call success! One small change that I would add the next time (and there will be a next time) is to reduce the sugar by about one third. I thought the cake almost bordered on being too sweet, but that's certainly nothing that can't be fixed. Great cake that will certainly make any cup of tea or coffee just a little bit better during autumn!

Double Apple Bundt Cake
(adapted from Dorie Greenspan)
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup store-bought apple butter, spiced or plain (I used spiced)
2 medium apples, peeled, cored and grated (I used Granny Smith Apples)
1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped (I used pecans)
1/2 cup plump, moist raisins (dark or golden), soaked in 2 tablespoons brandy for 30 min.

For the icing:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 - 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation:

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9- to 10-inch (12 cup) Bundt pan. Dust the interior of the pan with sugar, then tap out the excess. Set aside.

Whisk together the flour; baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt.

Working with a stand mixer; preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed, scraping the bowl as needed, for 3 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth, thick and pale. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for about 1 minutes after each addition; you'll have a light, fluffy batter. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the apple butter  don't' worry if it curdles the batter. Still on low, add the grated apples and mix to completely blend. Add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the batter. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the nuts and brandy soaked raisins. Turn the batter into the Bundt pan and smooth the top of the batter with the rubber spatula.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted deep into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for 5 minutes before unmolding and cooling the cake to room temperature. If possible, once the cake completely cool, wrap well in plastic and let it stand overnight at room temperature to ripen the flavors. Ice the cake just before serving.

To make the optional icing: Put the confectioners' sugar in a small bowl and stir in a squirt or two of orange juice. Keep adding the juice a little at a time until you have an icing that falls easily from the tip of a spoon. Stir in the ground cinnamon. Drizzle the icing over the top of the cake, letting it slide down the curves of the cake in whatever pattern it makes. Let the cake stand until the icing dries, a matter of minutes, before serving.

Marbled Lemon-Blueberry Butter Cake

I'm not even sure how I found the cook book for this recipe, but I believe there was at one point a now defunct baking group (correct me if I'm wrong) making the cakes and blogging about the experience. I was in awe and ordered the book thinking I would be able to bake some of them as well. The book got delivered, and while I was looking through it I got more and more intimidated. Yes, I bake a lot, and you can give me anything from bundt cakes, to quick breads, pies, cookies, or anything else that has a homemade touch to it, I love it. But as soon as you throw in a triple layer cake, I get a little quite nervous.

The cakes in this book are gorgeous! True master pieces that would be the center piece of any special occasion. Layering and frosting cakes, especially if over two layers don't necessarily go hand in hand for me. See, I have this thing called being left handed. Now, don't laugh, but for some reason I hold knifes and tools differently than right handed people, and by doing so, certain tasks aren't quite as easy or precise (and according to my husband, look really funny). It has absolutely nothing to do with my lack of formal training, NOTHING! ;o)

When I first received "Sky High: Irresistible Triple Layer Cakes", today's recipe was actually one I bookmarked right away, only to store my book in the bookshelf never to be looked at again until a couple of weeks ago. Looking at my bookshelf for inspiration, the spine of this book caught my eye and I figured now was as good of a time as ever, plus considering I had everything I needed at home for this cake, I set out on a Friday to start. Yes, this cake took me 3 days to make. I'm sure it could have been done in a matter of hours, but I didn't want to overwhelm myself and get frustrated. 

This cake has three components. A cake part, a blueberry preserves filling, and a lemon buttercream. I started by making the blueberry jam (as the recipe advises) since it is also used to swirl into the cake batter for a marble effect. The jam is cooked quickly, and has the most wonderful flavor by adding fresh ginger and lemon juice. The second day I went ahead and baked my three 8-inch layers. The batter was mixed together quickly, and since I already had the jam made, it was ready for the oven in no time. Cooking time was pretty much spot on, and after the cakes had cooled properly, I went ahead and wrapped them tightly to start assembling the cake first thing in the morning.  On day three the first thing I had to make was the lemon butter cream. It is a Swiss meringue buttercream, meaning, you cook the sugar along with water to soft boil stage before adding it to egg whites (or in this cake whole eggs). The hot sugar syrup/egg mixture gets whipped in your stand mixer until it is cool enough to handle the butter. This can easily take 10-15 minutes. Butter is then incorporated little by little until the buttercream comes together, which is usually only during the last few additions of butter. Fresh lemon juice adds the final touch to this wonderful cream, which I might or might not have eaten by the spoon full.

Finally, the cake is assembled by layering the blueberry jam in between each cake layer. Once the cake is stacked and straight, you begin the frosting part. Here is where my dilemma came in. I know I'm not trained at all, and frosting a cake smoothly along with any kind of piping is a challenge at this point. I was not happy with my finished cake at all. I wasn't even sure if I should put it on my blog since the piping really is sloppy and there are so many wonderful bakers out there who could have done this with ease. But I figured, this is my blog, and even though it isn't the best looking cake, it certainly was incredibly tasty! The flavors worked wonderful together and I was proud after all that I overcame my fear and finished. I figured I can only get better from here, right?

Marbled Lemon-Blueberry Butter Cake

~makes an 8-inch triple-layer cake~

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract

7 egg whites

3 cups cake flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups milk

Lemon-Blueberry Preserves (recipe to follow), make this first

Lemon Buttercream Frosting (recipe to follow)

Fresh blueberries, for decoration

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of three 8-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.

In a mixer bowl, cream the butter, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon extract until light and fluffy. Gradually add the egg whites 2 or 3 at a time, beating well between additions and stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; whisk gently to blend. In 2 or 3 alternating additions, beat the dry ingredients and milk into the butter mixtures, scraping down the sides of the bowl several times. Beat on medium-high speed for about 1 minute to smooth out any lumps and aerate the batter.

Scoop 1 cup of the batter into a small bowl. Divide the remainder equally among the 3 prepared cake pans, smoothing the tops with a rubber spatula. This gives you a "clean canvas" to work with. Add 2 1/2 tablespoons of the Lemon-Blueberry Preserves to the reserved batter and blend well. Drizzle heaping teaspoons of this blueberry mixture over the batter in the pans. Using a skewer or paring knife, swirl the blueberry mixture in short strokes to drag it down through the lemon batter without mixing it in.

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean and the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Let the layers cool in their pans for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks, carefully peel off the paper liners, and let cool completely, at least 1 hour.

To assemble the cake, place a layer, flay side up, on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread half of the Lemon-Blueberry Preserves over the top. Place a second layer on top of the first and spread the remaining preserves over it. Finally, place the third layer on top of the second and frost the sides and top oft the cake with Lemon Buttercream Frosting.

Decorate with fresh blueberries.

Adapted from: Sky-High: Irresistible-Triple-Layer Cakes

Lemon-Blueberry Preserves

~makes about 1 cup~

Ingredients:

3 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

Directions:

Puree the blueberries with any juices they have exuded in a blender or food processor. Pass the puree through a coarse strainer or the medium disk of a food mill to remove the skins.

In a heavy medium nonreactive saucepan, combine the blueberry puree with the sugar, lemon juices, lemon zest, and ginger. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar. Continue cooking, stirring often for 20 minutes, until the preserves have thickened and are reduced to 1 cup. To check for proper thickness, place 1 to 2 teaspoons on a small china or glass plate and put it in the freezer until cold. Drag your finger through the thickened puree: a clear path should remain. If it's not ready, cook 5 minutes longer and repeat the test. Let the preserves cool, then cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Lemon Buttercream Frosting

~makes about 3 1/2 cups~

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

2 eggs

3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:

In a small nonreactive saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Continue to boil without stirring, occasionally washing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush, until the syrup reaches the soft-ball stage, 238 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Immediately remove from the heat.

In a large mixer bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs briefly. Slowly add the hot syrup in a thin stream, pouring it down the sides of the bowl; be careful to avoid hitting the beaters, or the syrup may splatter. When all the syrup has been added, raise the speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture is very fluffy and cooled to body temperature. This can take 15 to 20 minutes.

Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and gradually add the softened butter 2 to 3 tablespoons at a time, beating well between additions. As you're adding the last few tablespoons of butter, the frosting will appear to break, then suddenly come together like whipped butter. Beat in the lemon juice, and the frosting is ready for use.

Our Favorite Banana Cake

 

When Sam from Oh!Nuts contacted me a while ago and asked if I would like to pick a few of their products, I got excited. I mean, considering that I use nuts and dried fruit quite frequently in my recipes on this blog, I was thrilled with this offer and wrote back to Sam very grateful with a list of items. I got even more excited after looking over their website and realizing it is truly a bakers paradise. Any kind of nut or dried fruit you can think of, they have it. My selection was for dry roasted cashews, dried figs, and ground hazelnut meal. The latter got me the most excited. It is something that is readily available at any super market in Germany, but I can hardly get my hands on in the United States.  I usually make do in recipes with other nuts that I tend to grind down myself, but the consistency or flavor isn't quite the same. I'm very grateful for the opportunity Oh!Nuts gave me, and also impressed with the quality of their products. I know I will be making purchases from them in the future.

I knew right away that I was going to use the hazelnut meal to make my mom's incredible Banana Cake. This banana cake recipe is by far the best recipe ever invented! I know, this is a strong statement, and maybe I'm just a teeny bit biased when it comes to this cake, but let me explain. I have been eating and baking this cake for as long as I can remember. When I was little, my mom would bake it for us, but as I grew older and was able to help in the kitchen, this was one of the first cakes my mom let me mix up by myself.

The measurements for this cake are mostly in metric. This is how I grew up baking, and I think it is actually a much more accurate way for measuring ingredients. To do so, you'll need a kitchen scale. If you don't own one already, I urge you to purchase one, since many recipes benefit from the use of it. They are pretty inexpensive, mine happens to be one of those kitchen tools that I use almost daily.

This cake is like the perfect marriage between a banana bread and chocolate cake. The flavor is amazing. The recipe makes for a cake that is incredibly moist, not too sweet, with an amazing banana flavor, and best of all glorious chocolate. The hazelnut meal adds a wonderful nutty taste without changing the texture of the cake. Even people who do nut care for nuts in their dessert have loved this cake. The batter is made quickly, especially if you go ahead and measure out your ingredients before starting. It is baked in a bundt cake pan that has been greased with butter, and instead of flouring, is "dusted" with sugar. This adds a wonderful crust to the baked product. I usually serve this cake as is, but if I have guests, the baked cake will get a simple dusting of powdered sugar prior to plating. No glazes or frosting required.

My kids beg me to bake this cake, and many times I will go ahead and end up freezing half of it for later use, which this cake does beautifully. This recipe has been in my family for probably 40 years, and is one of my most treasured recipes. I have not met anyone who didn't fall in love with this cake and requested the recipe. I hope you'll give it a try and end up loving it as much as we do!

Our Favorite Banana Cake

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

250 g unsalted Butter, at room temperature

200 g sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 2 teaspoons vanilla sugar

3 large eggs

3 ripe bananas, mashed

2 tablespoons dark rum or milk*

300 g all-purpose flour

30 g cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

75 g ground hazelnut meal

2-3 tablespoons milk

200 g semi-sweet chocolate chips

 Powdered sugar (optional)

*I like the flavor the rum adds to the batter but if you don't use alcohol in your baking, milk will work as well

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a bundt cake pan with butter, then coat the pan in sugar. Set aside.

Working with a stand mixer, preferable fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract or vanilla sugar (if using) and beat for another minute. Add the eggs one by one; beating well after each addition.

Add the mashed bananas, dark rum (or milk), and combine. Don't be concerned if the mixture looks curdled, it will come together once you add the rest of the ingredients.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon.

Add the flour mixture to the banana batter and with the mixer on low, mix until just combined. Scrape the sides. Add the hazelnut meal, and mix again, add 1 tablespoon milk at a time if the mixture is too thick. The finished batter should be the consistency of thick pancake batter.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Fill the batter into the prepared bundt cake pan. Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove cake and set on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes before inverting. Let cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar, if desired.

Adapted from: "my mom"

Peanut Butter & Jam Cakewiches

Would you believe it if I told you I didn't grow up with peanut butter? Kind of hard to believe, isn't it. But I really didn't know about peanut butter until I met my husband. I was born and raised in Germany, and peanut butter was definitely not anywhere to be found in our house or anybody else's house for that matter. Now my husband on the other hand, born and raised in the states, had his fair share of peanut butter sandwiches growing up.

Our kids are split down the middle. Our oldest will eat it, but it isn't anything she needs on a regular basis. Our middle son will eat it 3 times a day if I let him, and the little guy will eat it, but he is more into savory foods, so he will pick a ham sandwich over peanut butter any day.  When I found this recipe in yet another "Cuisine at Home" magazine, I wasn't sure how this would go over with the entire family. Would they be split on this dessert as well, or would it be a hit?

Well... it was a definite hit. Not just with the kids, but their friends, my husband's colleagues, and even me. The dessert is composed of three separate parts, and while each one takes a bit of time they can be made ahead a day or two. All you have to do when ready to serve is assemble.

The three components of this dessert are a peanut butter cake, which is baked in a loaf pan to resemble a loaf of bread. The second component is the peanut butter frosting, and third is the blackberry jam spread.

Assembling the cakewiches is literally like making a normal PB&J. One word of advice, the recipe makes enough for 2 loafs of peanut butter cake along with the fillings. That is enough to feed a small army since a half a sandwich is more than filling for most people. If you are needing this in a smaller scale, the recipe can be halved beautifully.

Great concept; great recipe. A little more time involved then some of my other desserts, but well worth it. I loved the whimsy of this dish, it's almost like a grown-up version of a childhood classic, and is best enjoyed with a big glass of milk, even if it is just for the novelty of it.

If you are a big peanut butter and jelly fan, this dessert is definitely worth making, and I hope you'll give it a try!

Peanut Butter & Jam Cakewiches

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

Peanut Butter Cake (recipe to follow)

Blackberry Jam Spread (recipe to follow)

Peanut Butter frosting (recipe to follow)

Directions:

Assemble cakewiches by trimming off the ends of each cake with a serrated knife. Cut each cake into sixteen 1/2-inch thick slices before adding fillings.

Spread 3 tablespoons of frosting and 1 heaping tablespoon jam on a slice of cake. Top with another slice of cake and cut diagonally into 2 triangles. Repeat with remaining cake, frosting, and jam.

Peanut Butter Cake

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

sugar

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

6 eggs, room temperature

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. coat the inside of two 9x5-inch loaf pans with 1 tablespoon butter; coat generously with sugar.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; set aside.

Combine milk and vanilla in a measuring cup; set aside.

Cream peanut butter, butters, sugar and brown sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until very well combined, 5 minutes.

Add eggs to the creamed mixture, one at at time, beating well after each addition.

Alternately add flour and milk mixtures to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until mixed,  scraping sides of bowl as needed.

Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake cakes 50 minutes, then sprinkle tops with additional sugar. Loosely tent with foil if edges are getting too brown. Return the cakes to the oven; bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of each comes out clean, 10-15 minutes more. Let cakes rest in the pans on a rack for 20 minutes, then turn cakes out onto the rack to cool completely.

Blackberry Jam Spread

 Ingredients:

3 cups blackberries

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon water

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons berry juice (from the cooked berries)

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Combine blackberries, sugar, and water in a saucepan over medium-low heat; simmer until berries release juice, about 20 minutes.

Whisk together cornstarch and berry juice in a bowl, until smooth; blend into berry mixture, and cook until thickened, 2-3 minutes.

Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice. Cover and chill for about 30 minutes.

Peanut Butter Frosting

Ingredients:

3/4 cup peanut butter

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

3 cups sifted powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

Beat peanut butter and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Add powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla, mixing just until smooth and creamy.