Thanksgiving, hell! It's Cake Day!

Ok, fine. Here's a Thanksgiving dinner, which I might add looks NOTHING like anything my family puts together. We don't have the patience to make it pretty- we just want to EAT!

Now for the good stuff!

Carrot Cake

Chocolate Cake (my favorite)

Spice Cake, with a cream cheese icing

Apple Walnut Cake- my version is made with a cream cheese glaze, but this one looks pretty good!

Foodie Friday: Boston Cream Pie

How funny is it that I found this recipe for an all-American dessert on a British website?!?

MAKES 1 X 20cm-23CM (8IN-9IN) CAKE

CUSTARD FILLING
4 medium egg yolks
100g (3½ oz) golden caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
25g (1oz) cornflour
500ml (18fl oz) whole milk

SPONGE
150g (5oz) plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
150ml (5fl oz) whole milk
30g (1¼ oz) unsalted butter diced
2 medium eggs plus 2 egg yolks extra
200g (7oz) golden caster sugar

GLAZE
100g (3½ oz) dark chocolate about 70 per cent cocoa solids
100ml (3½ fl oz) double cream

KITCHEN KIT Select a loose-bottom cake tin 20cm (8in) across and about 7cm (2¾ in) deep; alternatively, use a 23cm (9in) tin for a shallower cake.

FILLING Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl, then whisk in the cornflour. In a medium pan, bring the milk to the boil, whisk it on to the egg mixture, then return this to the pan and cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly (use a mini sauce whisk if you wish), to give a thick, smooth custard. Pour through a sieve into a large bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave to cool.
SPONGE Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Sift the flour and baking powder together. Place the milk and butter in a small pan and heat until the butter melts. Whisk the eggs, extra yolks and sugar in a large bowl for 5 minutes using an electric whisk until thick, moussey and almost white. Fold in the flour mixture in three goes, then gradually whisk in the buttery milk, again in three goes, to give a smooth batter. Pour into the cake tin. Bake until the surface is set and spongy, about 35-40 minutes for a 20cm (8in) cake, 25-30 minutes for a shallower one. Leave to cool in the tin, then run a knife around the collar and remove it.

GLAZE Break up the dark chocolate and place in a small bowl. Bring the cream to the boil in a small pan and pour over the chocolate. Leave for 2 minutes, stir, then leave and stir again until combined into a smooth glaze.

TO FINISH Split the sponge in half horizontally. Stir the custard, then spread it over the bottom half of the sponge to within 1cm (½ in) of the rim. Sit the remaining half on top. Using a palette knife, smooth the glaze over the top, letting it trickle down the sides. Set the cake to one side in a cool place for a couple of hours to set. It will keep well loosely covered in the fridge for a couple of days, in which case remove 30 minutes before eating.

Foodie Friday: Chez Panisse Almond Torte

I may have this for my birthday cake this year!

Almond Torte

Source: Chez Panisse Desserts

Author Lindsey Shere’s notes: Serve this torte with a cup of coffee or tea or a glass of Sherry, or better, an Italian Aleatico or Passito. It is also good with sliced peaches or nectarines and crème anglaise.

1¼ cups sugar
⅞ cup (7 oz./200g) soft almond paste*
1 cup (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. almond extract (optional)
6 eggs
1 cup (4.5 oz/130g) flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt

powdered sugar for dusting

*First of all, be sure to buy almond paste versus marzipan, which are often placed next to each other in the baking aisle. Second, the recipe in Chez Panisse Desserts calls for 8oz of almond paste, but we have always just used one of those tubes that usually weighs 7oz. If you don’t have a scale and can’t find a 7-oz tube of almond paste, measure out the 7/8 cup, but don’t pack it too tightly.

1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Beat the sugar with the almond paste until the almond paste is in fine pieces. Or, better, pulverize it in a food processor. Beat in the butter and the vanilla, then cream the mixture until it is light and fluffy. Beat in the whole eggs, one at a time — the eggs should be at room temperature — beating well after each addition so the eggs are thoroughly mixed in.

2. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt, and beat in just until thoroughly blended.

3. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and turn the batter into it, smoothing the top evenly. Bake for 1 to 1¼ hours (mine baked for 1¼ hours) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the center feels springy when you push it gently.

4. Let cool for about 20 minutes before releasing the sides of the springform pan.

Foodie Friday- Tuscan Apple Cake

OMG, y'all, this is so GOOD!

Ingredients

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan

2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of sea salt

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup sugar, preferably organic

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup milk

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly, plus more at room temperature for the pan

4 large firm-fleshed apples (1 3/4 pounds), peeled, cored, quartered, and cut crosswise into 1/8-inch slices

Powdered sugar, for garnish


Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Place the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract in the bowl of an electric mixer. Whisk on medium speed until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is pale and thick, about 30-60 seconds.

Fold the flour into the egg mixture with a wooden spoon until just incorporated. Fold in the milk, then the butter and finally the apple slices. Be sure not to overmix.

Butter and flour a 10-inch nonstick springform pan. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Pack the apples into the mold and flatten the surface of the cake with the wooden spoon.

Bake for 10 minutes on the floor of the oven. Transfer the pan to the middle rack and continue baking until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, for 50-55 minutes.

Remove the cake from the oven, and run a paring knife around the edge to loosen the cake from the ring of the mold. Let cool in its mold to room temperature. Unmold the cake and transfer to a serving platter. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Notes

Note: The cake can be baked up to 6 hours ahead and kept in its mold at room temperature in a cool place. It is best eaten the day it is made.

Foodie Friday- Tunnel of Fudge Cake

I *LOVE* a good chocolate cake and this is one of my favorites!

Quick Tunnel of Fudge Cake
Source: Chocolate from the Cake Mix Doctor by Anne Byrn
Servings: 16

FILLING
1 1/2 cups milk
1 pkg.(3.4 oz) chocolate fudge pudding and pie filling mix (not instant)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. butter

CAKE
vegetable oil spray for misting the pan
flour for dusting the pan
1 pkg (18.25 oz.) devil's food cake mix with pudding
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup water
4 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cups finely chopped walnuts

Place the milk in a medium size saucepan and whisk in the pudding mix. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil, 4-5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chocolate chips and butter. Stir until the pudding is smooth and thickened and the chocolate has melted. Set the pan aside.

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 deg. F. Lightly mist a 12 cup Bundt pan with vegetable oil spray, then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Set the pan aside.

Place the cake mix, oil, sour cream, water, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 min. more, scraping the sides down again if needed. The batter should look thick and well combined. Fold in the walnuts, making sure they are well distributed throughout the batter.

Reserve 2 cups of the batter. Pour the remaining batter into the prepared pan. Spoon the pudding filling in a ring on top of the batter, making sure it does not touch the sides of the pan. Spoon the reserved batter over the filling, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pan in the oven.

Bake the cake until it springs back when lightly pressed with your finger and is just starting to pull away from the sides of the pan, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. Run a long, sharp knife around the edge of the cake and invert it onto a rack to cool completely, 20 minutes more.

Meanwhile, prepare chocolate icing.

Place the cake on a serving platter and pour the warm icing over it. Let the cake rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Slice and serve.

* Store this cake, wrapped in aluminum foil or plastic wrap, or in a cake saver, at room temperature for up to 1 week. Or freeze it, wrapped in foil, for up to 6 months. Thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Her note: This cake contains a lot of walnuts simply because that's how Ella Rita Helfrich created it. If you want to cut back to 1-1/2 cups, that's fine. Just make sure the nuts are finely chopped so they don't interfere with the crumb of the cake. You can do this easily in a food processor or with a good sharp knife and a cutting board.

Pour your favorite chocolate glaze over the cake, or Martha's Chocolate Icing as I recommend here. Or just dust it with some confectioners' sugar and leave it as is. With the pudding inside, this cake needs little adornment. Note that I call for regular pudding mix here; not the instant kind."

MARTHA'S CHOCOLATE ICING
1 cup granulated sugar
5 Tbsp. butter
1/3 cup whole milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Place the sugar, butter, and milk in a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the mixture comes to a boil, 3-4 min. Still stirring, let the mixture boil until the sugar dissolves, 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat.

Stir in the chocolate chips, and continue to stir until the mixture is smooth and the chocolate has melted.

Spread the icing over the cooled cake or cupcakes of your choice.


My notes: I usually leave the nuts out altogether. I like them, but prefer the pure chocolate. I also usually skip the icing and use just a bit of powdered sugar over a slice or eat it plain.

Foodie Friday: Angelica's Carrot Cake

I love a good mystery novel. Thrillers, police procedurals, cozy mysteries, I love them all. Lorna Barrett's Booktown series combines bookstore & foodie happenings into one fun series AND she shares recipes like this one!

Angelica’s Carrot Cake

6 cups grated carrots
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup raisins
4 eggs
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts

In a medium bowl, combine grated carrots and brown sugar. Set aside for 60 minutes, then stir in the raisins.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 10 inch cake pans.

In a large bowl, beat eggs until light. Gradually beat in the white sugar, oil and vanilla. Stir in the pineapple. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, stir into the wet mixture until absorbed. Finally stir in the carrot mixture and the walnuts. Pour evenly into the prepared pans.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven until the cake tests done with a toothpick. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. When completely cooled, frost with maple butter cream frosting.

Maple Butter Cream Frosting

1 cup butter, softened
2 3/4 cups Confectioner’s sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
¼ cup chopped walnuts

Place the softened butter in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer for 30-40 seconds until whipped. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Sift the confectioner’s sugar into the bowl. Beat with mixer for 30 to 40 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl and add the brown sugar and maple syrup. Beat for 2 to 3 minutes or until the mixture is fluffy; scraping sides of bowl as needed. Stir in walnuts until just until mixed and spread on the cooled cake.

Foodie Friday- Pumpkin Spice Cake

Pumpkin Spice Cake (Country Living)
Serves: 16 Yields: 1 eight-inch 3-layer cake
Oven Temp: 350
Ingredients:
3/4 cup(s) (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup(s) firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup(s) sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup(s) pumpkin purée
1/2 cup(s) buttermilk
1 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract
2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon(s) fresh-ground nutmeg
1 recipe Pumpkin Cream-Cheese Frosting
Directions:

Prepare cake pans: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat three 8-inch cake pans with softened butter. Cut three 8-inch circles out of parchment paper and fit them into the bottom of the cake pans. Lightly coat the paper circles with butter and set aside.
Make the batter: Cream butter until smooth in a large bowl with an electric mixer set on medium speed. Add the sugars and mix until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until the mixture is smooth and light. Set aside. Combine the pumpkin purée, buttermilk, and vanilla in a medium bowl and set aside. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and nutmeg in a large bowl and set aside. In thirds, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to the butter mixture, blending well after each addition until smooth.
Bake the cake: Pour batter into the prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of each cake comes out clean -- 35 to 40 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pan on wire racks for 30 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and return to the wire racks until completely cool.
Assemble the cake: Place one layer on a cake plate and top with one-third recipe of Pumpkin Cream-Cheese Frosting. Repeat with the second and third layers. Serve or store refrigerated for up to four days.

Pumpkin cream-cheese frosting:
Yields: 3 1/2 cups
Ingredients:
1 package(s) (8-ounce) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup(s) pumpkin purée
1/4 cup(s) (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon(s) fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon(s) grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract
4 cup(s) confectioners' sugar, sifted
Directions:
Blend the cream cheese, pumpkin purée, butter, orange juice, zest, and vanilla in a large bowl using an electric mixer set at medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and creamy -- about 5 more minutes.