Sublime Lime Bundt Cake

Oh this one is special!

My friend Diane Smith at JustaPinch has come up with another great recipe.

I made this yesterday and it turned out perfectly.

This is an elegant, moist and simply delectable cake.

I might suggest that the glaze be altered to a powdered sugar/butter/lime juice “frosting”. With a tingle of green color, it would make a fine St. Patrick’s Day dessert! But the glaze as given is just great too.

But do make this. You will not be disappointed.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 c AP flour, sifted
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 c unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 8 oz pkg of cream cheese, also room temp
• 3 c sugar
• 6 lg eggs, room temp
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• juice of 1 lime and the zest
• 1/4 c butter
• 1/4 c sugar
• 3 tbsp lime juice (I used a second lime for this)
• powdered sugar for dusting

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 325° and grease and flour a 12-cup bundt cake pan
2. Sift flour and salt together in a bowl and set aside.
3. Cream butter, cream cheese and sugar on low for about 10 minutes until nice and fluffy.
4. Beat in eggs one at a time, alternating with the flour, until all incorporated.
5. Add the vanilla, almond and lime juice and zest. Just mix until combined.
6. Pour into bundt pan and bake for 1 1/2 hours or until skewer comes out clean.
7. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove unto plate.
8. Make the glaze with the butter/sugar/lime juice. Heat until all is melted and sugar has dissolved.
9. Prick the top of the cake, and pour the glaze over it.
10. Dust with powdered sugar after cake has cooled.

Related articles

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• New Years Bundt cake…..a favorite with some new tips and thanks! (chanteusedesigns.wordpress.com)
• Orange, lemon and lime poppy-seed Bundt cake with citrus cream cheese frosting (kerrycooks.wordpress.com)

Cherry Cobble Cake

This is one of those lovely little cakey things that work so nicely as a dessert or as a breakfast coffee cake.

I love cherries, and so this was a natural for me.

You could use either frozen sweet cherries or canned sweet cherries.

Don’t use the cherry pie filling.

As a matter of fact, don’t use any kind of pie filling ever. It’s not good.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 can of sweet cherries in juice or 1 bag of frozen cherries, thawed (place in a sieve and drain, SAVING the juice)
• 1 3/4 c flour
• the juice (up to 1/4 c)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 lg eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 c sugar
• 5 tbsp butter, softened
• 4 oz of cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 c cream
• 4 tbsp butter, softened
• 1/4 c flour
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Grease a 12 x 12 pan, or similar size pan. Pre-heat oven to 350°.
2. In a mixer, beat together the cream cheese, 5 tbsp butter, sugar, and eggs, until fluffy.
3. Add the vanilla, and the cherry juice, blend.
4. In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, whisking together.
5. Alternately add the flour and the cream until all incorporated.
6. Spoon into the pan. Then put the cherries on top, and press lightly, about half way into the batter.
7. Make the topping by combining the flour, rest of the butter, sugar, and cinnamon. (while cake is baking)
8. Bake for about 35 minutes. Check with a skewer for doneness.
9. Add the topping dotting the top, and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or less if the cake is pretty well done. Just turn off oven and leave cake in, until topping soft. Spread it with a knife around the top.

Serves: 9

NOTES: It might be nice to add some toasted almond slices on the top after it comes out of the oven.  

Related articles

• Cherry loaf – childhood memories (crumblyplum.wordpress.com)
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Applesauce Oatmeal Sweet Cake

Another of my luscious morning breads and cakes. ‘

This one marries two great tastes, apples and oatmeal into a spicy delight.

The author of this recipe is Jean Wilkinson from JustaPinch.

I cut the spices some to allow the apple to be more prominent and added some fresh apple to give it more crunch and taste as well.

This can be served as is for breakfast or add a broiled coconut topping for a simple dinner dessert.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 c applesauce, unsweetened
• 1 c dark brown sugar
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1/3 c butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 2 c flour
• 1 1/3 c quick cooking oatmeal
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 apple, peeled, cored and diced
• 2/3 c walnut pieces

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350° and grease a large square pan at least 2 inches deep. (I use shortening-butter has water in it and causes sticking)
2. Place butter, sugars, egg, applesauce, vanilla and spices in a bowl and beat until creamy. This will be quite loose.
3. Mix the oats, flour and baking soda in a bowl and whisk to distribute the baking soda.
4. Add to the wet and mix on low until mixed well. Remove the bowl from your mixer.
5. By hand, add the nuts and apple, and just stir until nicely mixed. Mixture is very thick.
6. Scoop into the pan, and bake for about 30-35 minutes until a pick comes out clean.
7. Either eat as is or frost with the Broiled Coconut Topping.

Serves: 8

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Apricot Bundt Cake With Almond Dust

I feel like I’m delivering a present.

Because I am!

This recipe is simply divine. And all the credit goes to Traci Bentz who posted it at JustAPinch. I tweaked it just a little bit, mostly due to what I had on hand and what I didn’t.

It was so moist, and lovely. It is huge, and heavy, and it makes a bit more batter than you can fit in, and it takes a bit longer to cook, and well, it’s worth it!

The picture doesn’t do it credit, since our camera photo program doesn’t interface with this computer, so this is a google image. So imagine the whole top covered in sliced almonds and you have it.

So make this for New Years. Make it. Trust me. You’re welcome!

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 c sugar
• 1 c butter, softened (2 sticks)
• 6 eggs
• 1 c sour cream
• 1/2 c apricot nectar (comes in a six-pack in my store)
• zest of one lemon
• 1 tsp rum extract
• 2/3 c of dried apricots, diced small
• 2/3 of a 18 oz jar of apricot preserves
• 3 c flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda

GLAZE:

• balance of the apricot preserves
• 1/2- 1 c apricot nectar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 4 oz bag of sliced almonds

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 325° Generously butter and flour a large bundt pan. (Frankly I think canola oil might be better, I’ve read that butter releases its water and doesn’t release near as good as either oil or vegetable shortening)
2. Cream together the butter and the sugar in a standard mixer until creaming and fluffy. Add each egg, one and a time, and mix in well. Add everything up to through the preserves. (Note that Traci used 1 tsp lemon extract and 1 tsp almond extract in place of my zest and rum extract).
3. Whisk the baking soda into the flour and then add in small increments until all incorporated in the batter. Then beat for about one minute.
4. Pour it into the pan. (My bundt was full to almost the top. It doesn’t rise too much, but it did rise over the top, and when it settles down after it cools, it stuck on one side, making it break the rim when it was turned out. Other than presentation, it was fine. So I would make sure that you don’t fill beyond a one inch margin at the top. Put the rest in a small buttered ramekin and try to bake it off as well if you wish.
5. Bake for 80-90 minutes. (it took me an additional 15) until wooden skewer comes out clean. Let sit for 20 minutes and then turn out onto a serving dish. Cool completely.
6. For the glaze: Place the remaining preserves into a saucepan and add about 1/3c or so of the nectar. Heat, and then add 1 tbsp of cornstarch, cook until it thickens and then add as much nectar as you wish to thin it down to the consistency you wish.
7. Prick some holes into the top the of cake and pour about 1/2 c of nectar around the top, then pour on the apricot glaze. You will have a pretty generous amount. Then just sprinkle on the almonds. They stick nicely.

Serves: 10 at least.

Related articles

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Double-Whammy Oatmeal-Choco Cake

Double whammy?

Yep. It has cake in the name, so it qualifies as a dessert, AND it has oatmeal in it so it qualifies as breakfast food!

Ya can’t beat that.

And I love cake and pie for breakfast.

So I love this.

And it’s easy to make.

And it comes from Susan Sherman at Justapinch.

So all that makes it a winner!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 3/4 C boiling water
• 1 c quick cooking oats
• 1 c brown sugar
• 1 c granulated sugar
• 1/2 butter, softened (melted makes it easier to incorporate)
• 3 eggs
• 1 3/4 c flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cocoa
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 20 oz pkg chocolate chips
• 3/4 c walnuts, chopped (or any other you like)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place the oats in a large bowl and pour the boiling water over and let sit for 10 minutes.
2. Add sugars and butter then eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.
3. Sift or whisk together the flour,  soda, cocoa and salt, and then add to the wet ingredients.
4. Stir in half the chips. (I used 2/3 of the bag but didn’t add the rest on top–I was going to use it for breakfast food after all!
5. Pour into a greased 13 x 9 baking pan and sprinkle with the rest of the chips if desired, and the nuts.
6. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. (It may be a bit wet. I turned off the oven, propped the door open with a wooden spoon, and left it about 30 minutes. It was still gooey but perfect when I cut it the next morning.)

Serves: Don’t you know by now not to ask me that when it comes to desserts?

**If using as a dessert, a nice sifting of powdered sugar might be nice. Or a dollop of whipped cream.

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Double Down Chocolate Cake

I was setting up links on the Index pages when I discovered that I had never actually posted this wonderful recipe.

While the Black Magic Cake is a great cake that you can whip up in no time, this cake is elegant and perfect for special occasions.

The picture denotes it as a three-layer, but it is a two. Make sure you use the Howl and the Moon Chocolate Frosting with it.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 oz unsweeted chocolate (4 squares)
• 1/4 c cocoa powder
• 1/2 c water
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1 3/4 c flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 c milk to which has been added 1 tsp vinegar
• 4 eggs, + 2 egg yolks
• 1 1/4 c sugar
• 12 Tbsp butter softened

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Take the first 4 ingredients (choc’s H20 and sugar) and place in a double boiler, melt the choc, stir until combined and let cool.
2. Add the dry ingredients together (flour, soda, salt) and whisk together. Add the vanilla to the milk in a separate container.
3. Beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy in a mixer. Add the cooled chocolate, add the butter, mixing on low, and then add the flour mixture and milk mixture alternatively until all is incorporated.
4. Divide between 2 floured cake pans and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes and remove from pans to wire rack to cool completely. Frost when cool.

Serves: 10

 

 

 

PineApple Upside Down Cake

Well, let me tell ya. I haven’t made a pineapple upside down cake in decades. Literally.

I recall my mother made them. I am more a frosting kinda girl, so I pretty much dropped it off my repertoire. Until.

Until I joined Justapinch and started seeing recipes in large doses, and saw this one, and just had to try it. And it was amazingly good.

So, now I found another recipe in Cook’s Illustrated, which calls for fresh pineapple and one of these days I’ll make it too, and let you know, if fresh is better than canned. For now, just weep over this, and bring out the whipped cream if you dare.

This recipe is Teresa Dilbert’s and can be found here. I reduced the sugar a bit, but that’s all.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/3 sticks of butter
• 1 c brown sugar
• 1 20 oz can pineapple slices
• Maraschino cherries
• 1/2 – 2/3 c chopped pecans
• 1 1/3 sticks of butter
• 3/4 c sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 c flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cinnamon
• 1/2 nutmeg
• 1 c buttermilk

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Using a cast iron skillet (12 inch), melt the first 1 1/3 c of butter. When melted add the brown sugar and stir until all melted in. Take off the heat.
2. Place the pineapple slices around and one in the middle and then add a cherry in the center of each. Scatter the pecans around.
3. In your mixer, place softened 1 1/3 sticks of butter and the white sugar. Cream until smooth. Add eggs one at a time and fully incorporate. Add the vanilla and mix in.
4. Add together all the rest of the dry ingredients and whisk. Then add alternately to the mixer batter, the dry ingredients and the buttermilk.
5. When mixed, using a spatula to push the batter into the skillet over the pineapple. Use a frosting off-set spatula to spread it around evenly. (Batter is fairly thick)
6. Place in a 350° oven for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out dry.

Serves: 8

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