Just Pics

Took a bunch of photos recently. The Rice Crispies were made in a jumbo muffin tin. These Peanut Butter Choc Chip Cookies came out really nice - I left out the cocoa so the peanut flavor could shine. This Chocolate Cake is from a Cooks Illustrated recipe. It was delicious with huge chocolate flavor.

Rice Crispy Treat

Peanut Butter Choc Chip Cookie

Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Cake Slice

Carrot Cake

This cake is so fruity you might call it a muffin (if it wasn't for the frosting!). This time I made cupcakes rather than a sheet cake, as cupcakes keep well as individual servings either in the fridge or freezer.


Carrot Cake

Yield: 1 sheet cake.
Baking Temperature: 350°F
Baking Time: 45 minutes


Ingredients


4 eggs
3/4 C canola oil
1/2 C applesauce
2 C sugar
3 tsp vanilla
2 C AP flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3 C grated carrots
8 oz can crushed pineapple
1 C nuts


Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Grease and flour pan.
3. Drain juice from can of pineapple, discard juice.
4. Beat together eggs, oil, applesauce, sugar, and vanilla.
5. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.
6. Stir dry mixture into wet mixture.
7. Stir in carrots and pineapple.
8. Fold in nuts.
9. Pour in pan and bake 40-50 min.
10. Cool in pan 10 min then turn out onto rack and cool completely before frosting.
11. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.
12. If you wish, top with 1-2C sweetened shredded coconut.

Tips: For cupcakes, spoon mixture into cupcake pan lined with paper cups. Bake 20 min or until toothpick comes out clean, still at 350°F. Makes 24.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield:  a double layer cake or full batch of cupcakes

Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
½ stick butter (room temperature)
1 tsp vanilla essence
4 C powdered sugar


Instructions

1. Sift or at least whisk lumps from sugar.
2. Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until blended.
3. Add sugar gradually, beating until well blended after each addition.
4. Use right away or refrigerate and bring back to room temp before using.

Lamington-style White Cake

White Cake

Yield: 8-12 slices
Baking time:  25 min
Baking temp: 350°F

Ingredients

2 C AP flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 C white sugar
6 egg whites (3/4 C)
2 tsp vanilla
12 TB unsalted butter (softened)
3/4 C whole milk or cream

Instructions

1. For two 9" round pans or one 13x9x2 pan, grease and line with parchment paper.
2. Sift or whisk together flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.
3. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar for five minutes until light and fluffy.
4. In small bowl combine egg whites, milk and vanilla.
5. Beat in 1/3 of drys to butter mixture, then 1/2 of the wet mixture, and continue. Scrape bowl often.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top with metal spatula.
7. Bake 25-30 min or until toothpick comes out clean.
8. Cool in pan 5 min then turn onto rack, remove paper, and let cool completely.
9. Frost once cool.

Tip: For a Yellow Cake variation, use three whole eggs plus one egg yolk in place of the six egg whites.
Tip: Parchment paper will really save you hassle with any cake or sheet cookie recipe. Cut a round, and it will release the bottom of the cake beautifully. For square or rectangular pans you can drape a rectangle of paper over opposite edges to lift the whole cake clear in one stroke. Don't forget to grease the pan first (true for EVERY CAKE!).

Lamingtons


Traditional Australian lamingtons use sponge cake, are completely coated with icing (top and sides), and topped with coconut. Some lamingtons have a layer of jam (fruit spread) in the middle. I am using a white cake because I can't get the hang of sponge. Here are the ingredients and instructions for turning your delicious white cake into a lamington cake. Try this recipe if you find cakes frosted american-style to be too sugary.

Ingredients

2 1/2 TBsp boiling water (50 mL)
3 TBsp melted butter (60 g)
2 C confectioner's sugar
3 tsp cocoa
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
3/4 to 1 1/2 C dessicated coconut
2-4 TBsp red jam

Instructions

1. Bake white cake as usual, in two 9" square or round pans, or a 13x9" pan if you want no jam layer
2. Chilled cake cuts much more cleanly so if you're making squares, chill first.
3. If you are using the jam layer, spread jam onto bottom layer using flat spatula, install top layer over that.
4. Cut into squares if desired.
5. Make frosting (steps 6-9)
6. Combine water, melted butter, and vanilla.
7. Sift, together, sugar and cocoa over that.
8. Beat well.
9. Spread over cake or squares.
10. Coat with coconut.

Cheesecake

Here's another winter favorite. It's rich and decadent, plus, you don't need any seasonal fruit for it! Perfect for dinner parties because it's baked the day before. This is one of the more complicated recipes I've shared but it looks harder than it is. Be sure to cook the crust through, and be sure to scrape the bowl often so the filling is homogenous. Do not overmix or it will rise and collapse, but this hasn't happened to me yet. The author warns not to use a convection oven or your cake will overcolor and overrise.

Yield: one 9" cake of 12 slices
Baking Temperature: starts at 350°
Note: bake the day before serving
Source: How to Bake by Nick Malgieri

Ingredients: Crust

3 TB unsalted butter, softened
3 TB sugar
1 egg yolk
1 C AP flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt

Instructions: Crust

1. Bring all ingredients to room temperature (especially cream cheese and eggs).
2. Preheat oven to 350°F.
3. Prepare a round, nine-inch, springform pan by buttering, then cover the bottom with a round of parchment paper.
4. In a bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
5. Beat in the yolk until smooth.
6. In a second bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
7. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture with a rubber spatula. The mixture will be crumbly.
8. Pat the dough down into the pan evenly and firmly.
9. Bake 15-20 minutes until the dough is golden and baked through.
10. Lower the temperature of the oven to 325°F.

Nut Variation

Add 1/2 C (2.25oz) finely chopped sliced or slivered almonds, or finely chopped pecans, to the dry ingredients. Make sure to bake through.

Ingredients: Filling

2 lb (32 oz) cream cheese
1 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon juice
4 eggs

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, using your mixer's lowest speed, beat the cream chese smooth (with the paddle attachment), about 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl and beater.
2. Add the sugar in a stream, mixing for another 30 seconds (or less). Scrape the bowl and beater.
3. Add one egg, lemon juice, and vanilla, mixing only until absorbed. Scrape the bowl and beater.
4. Add the remaining eggs one at a time mixing only until absorbed, scraping the bowl after each addition.
5. Wrap aluminum foil around the bottom of the pan (with the cooked crust in it).
6. Pour the filling into the pan over the crust.
7. Fill a large dish or roasting pan with water to a depth of 1/2 an inch.
8. Place your springform pan in the water bath.
9. Bake the cheesecake in it's bath for 60 minutes at 325°F, or until lightly colored and firm except for the very center.
10. Remove pan from water when the cake is done, remove foil, and cool on a rack.
11. Release the top of the cake from the sides of the pan with the point of a sharp paring knife to prevent cracks.
12. Once cool, wrap the cheesecake in plastic and chill overnight before unmolding.
13. Bring the cake out to warm to room tempterature one hour before serving. Serve plain or with berries.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Yield:  about 24 cupcakes
Baking Temperature: 350°F
Baking Time: 20 min 

Ingredients

2 ½ C AP flour
2 C sugar
½ C powdered baking cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 sticks butter (room temperature)
5 eggs
1 C buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1-4 tsp red food coloring

Instructions

1. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sift dry ingredients three times.
2. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs on eat a time, beating well after each egg.
4. Add 1/4 of dry ingredients and 1/4 of the buttermilk and mix well. Continue in this way.
5. Mix in vanilla, add food coloring to desired redness.
6. Line cupcake tin with paper cups, fill them halfway with batter.
7. Bake for 20 min at 350°F.
8. Cool for at least 5 min in pan before transferring to wire rack.
9. Cool completely before frosting.
10. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Notes: You can make a buttermilk substitute. For each cup, put in 1 TB lemon juice or white vinegar and fill with milk to 1 C, let stand 5 min. However buttermilk has a flavor and lightness that is worth buying a carton. Try buttermilk pancakes or fried chicken to use the rest of the buttermilk.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield:  a double layer cake or full batch of cupcakes

Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
½ stick butter (room temperature)
1 tsp vanilla essence
4 C powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Sift or at least whisk lumps from sugar.
2. Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until blended.
3. Add sugar gradually, beating until well blended after each addition.
4. Use right away or refrigerate and bring back to room temp before using.

Notes: Try pink frosting: add a few drops of red food coloring and 1 tsp rasberry essence in place of vanilla.
Used On:  Red Velvet and Carrot cake.