lemon olive oil cake with apricots and rosemary

July 25, 2012Andrea

Brian and I have spent a total of maybe thirty nights apart since we were married six and a half years ago. We’ve racked up seventeen of those nights in the last seven months, since the beginning of 2012, and have another ten on the calendar for August and September. We’re each traveling for work more than ever before, being pulled to New York, Connecticut, Chicago, Florida, Philadelphia, New Orleans, and New Hampshire this year alone.

An essential part of travel, for each of us, is the exploration of local food. Before we embark on a journey we ask friends, Facebook, and Twitter for restaurant recommendations. I look through the archives of Bon Appetit, Saveur, Gourmet, and The New York Times to see what I can find about the culinary scene. While visiting, Instagram is aflutter with food and drinks consumed. If we’re apart, iPhone photos are swapped between Brian and I; visual descriptions of whatever treats have been found both away and at home. We stay connected through the food we eat, never liking to spend a meal separately.

The best part, though, is the gifts given upon return. That little piece of an experience apart that lets the other know they weren’t really that far away at all. From New Orleans there was duck jerky from Butcher and, that one time, two pounds of sliced ham from Mother’s. From Florida, a special spice rub from 4Rivers BBQ. The exchange goes the other way, too, with the homemade pot roast awaiting my return from New York in February, or the whisper of a ‘fruit surprise’ in the kitchen just two weeks ago.

I’d returned early-ish on Sunday morning. Having photographed a wedding in northern Virginia with Sarah the night before, we’d each been anxious to get home to our husbands. An early departure with a quick stop at Starbucks had us back in Charlottesville by 10am, just in time for me to crawl in bed for the last 30 minutes of weekend snuggling with Brian and the pups. As we recapped our two nights apart, Brian rattled off the list of goodies he’d picked up at the farmers’ market the morning before. Excited to see my surprise, I padded out to the kitchen to investigate. And there sat the prettiest, rosiest apricots in my very favorite bowl.

Just the thought of Brian coming across those apricots at the market makes me smile, because I know that he would never have picked them up just for himself. No, he saw the pretty fruits and thought ‘Andrea would like to bake something with these.’ and whisked them away to our house where, two days later, they were the stars of this cake.

We adored this cake. Not too sweet (Brian's favorite kind) but bursting with the flavor of fresh apricots. The base has an almost poundcake-like consistency...dense and a bit spongey. The earthiness of the rosemary was the perfect compliment to the brightness of the fruit. Be sure to pick good apricots; they'll make all the difference.

Lemon Olive Oil Cake with Apricots and Rosemary
serves 8
adapted from Gourmet, April 2006
Ingredients
3/4 cup olive oil (extra-virgin if desired), plus additional for greasing pan
1 large lemon
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary
1 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
5 large eggs, separated, reserving 1 white for another use
3/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
10 fresh apricots, halved and pitted
Method
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with some oil, then line the bottom with a round of parchment paper. Oil the parchment.
Finely grate enough lemon zest to measure 1-1/2 teaspoons and whisk together with flour. Add the chopped rosemary and whisk. Halve lemon, then squeeze and reserve 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice.
Beat together yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and add olive oil (3/4 cup) and reserved lemon juice, beating until just combined (mixture may appear separated). Using a wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture (do not beat) until just combined.
Beat egg whites (from 4 eggs) with 1/2 teaspoon salt in another large bowl with cleaned beaters at medium-high speed until foamy, then add 1/4 cup sugar a little at a time, beating, and continue to beat until egg whites just hold soft peaks, about 3 minutes.
Gently fold one third of whites into yolk mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
Transfer batter to springform pan and gently rap against work surface once or twice to release any air bubbles. Place apricot halves in a decorative pattern across the top of the cake, cut-side up. Sprinkle top evenly with remaining 1-1/2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until puffed and golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then run a thin knife around edge of pan and remove side of pan. Cool cake to room temperature, about 1-1/4 hours. Remove bottom of pan and peel off parchment, then transfer cake to a serving plate.

categories cake, dessert
tags apricot, cake, lemon, olive oil, rosemary

double chocolate cake, raspberry filling, vanilla meringue buttercream (oh my!)

June 19, 2012Andrea

chocolate cake vanilla buttercream-3.jpg

March 5, 2012. That is the original date on this post, the date that I thought I would be sharing this cake with you. Three days after my honey's birthday, one hundred and four days ago. Bella Eats has not gone this long without a real post since the great silence of 2010, when I took a few months off in the midst of starting my company, teaching architecture to hopeful college students, and redesigning this site. I hoped then that such a long break would never happen again, but I suppose that one can never predict life's ebbs and flows. I won't bore you with what I've been up to. If you're interested, I invite you to visit my other passions, Andrea Hubbell Photography and Beyond the Flavor, for peeks into my latest projects.

Rather than start off with apologies I'd like to have a little celebration. That's what cakes are for, right?! This particular cake was baked to celebrate Brian's 30th birthday. Thirty! 30. The big 3-0. We both reached that milestone in March with mixed emotions, though most of them good. I've never thought of myself as one who is aware of age. But perhaps that was because I was the one still in my 3rd decade while most of my friends were beginning their 4th. Maybe it is my change in career (there are a lot of young, talented photographers that I've surrounded myself with lately) or the launch of Beyond the Flavor (where we find ourselves often interviewing young, talented chefs/farmers/bakers) but I've found myself on several occasions lately thinking 'Gosh, I'm old!'. I know that it's silly, and that those of you reading this who are dancing your way through your fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh decades are rolling your eyes at this very moment. But, it’s true.

And I’ve realized, each time that I think ‘Gosh, I’m old!’, that it really isn’t a bad feeling. With ‘old’ comes comfort, and experience, and tradition. For example, I love that I can look back over the last few years and see four variations of this chocolate cake. Three years ago, when Bella Eats was in its infancy, I made a double chocolate cake with raspberry filling to celebrate my love’s twenty-seventh birthday. It was my very first layer cake...ever. And the next year, a double chocolate cake with praline topping to celebrate his twenty-eighth. And the following year, a double chocolate cake with mocha cream for his twenty-ninth (although, somehow, this version never made it to the blog). I have, just now, read those first two cake posts, and am completely delighted with how much has changed since then.

In 2009 I had just lost my first job out of graduate school. I’d completed my master’s in architecture the previous spring unsure of what I wanted to be when I grew up. Employment in architecture was the clear path, but I wasn’t feeling compelled to follow it. Secretly, I hoped that I wouldn’t receive a job offer after school, and that I would be forced to think outside of the box to find my true calling. Instead, a position at a landscape architecture firm landed in my lap, and I took the opportunity to explore something similar, but different, from what I’d been trained to do. 2009 brought the loss of that job, and a position back in an architecture firm. Also, I was baking in my cramped, red countertop kitchen.

In 2010 I was still working for that same architecture firm, although the writing was on the wall that I might not be for long. It was a tough year for architects; a year when the economy forced many of us to find alternate paths. I was beginning to find mine when I wrote Brian’s birthday cake post in March, having recently photographed a few projects for the firm and a few family portraits for friends. Soon after, I would receive an offer to teach architecture at the University of Virginia. And, I was still baking in my cramped, red countertop kitchen.

Although there isn’t a proper post for Brian’s 29th birthday cake, I can remember with some clarity what was happening in 2011 and feel I should document it here. I’d recently quit my architecture job, declined a second semester of teaching at UVA, and launched into my photography company as a full-time career. It was scary, and unpredictable, and I had no idea what I was doing. Brian found a new job that same month, sending himself off in a new direction entirely. We were hopeful, and excited, and ready for what the world had to offer. But still, I was baking in my cramped, red countertop kitchen.

And here we are in 2012. Life has more certainty to it. My career path is clear, Brian’s career path is clear, we are both loving our jobs. After a decade together (yes, we started dating when we were 20!) and six years of marriage we’ve finally planned a honeymoon to Spain. Looking back on B’s 28th birthday post, my favorite lines are these: We've started a ‘thirty before thirty’ list, although I don’t think either of us has finalized the catalog of things we’re set to accomplish. A lot can happen in two years’ time, and I’ve come to terms with the reality that is a sliding scale of goals, an evolving list of priorities. The point is to think about it, to make an effort towards trying new things, towards bettering and challenging ourselves in the smallest or biggest of ways. We definitely didn’t complete the items on the list, and probably never completed the list itself, but I like to think that we still approach life in the same way. And yes, I baked his thirtieth birthday cake in our cramped, red countertop kitchen.

Much has changed these last three years. My job. My career path. My writing and my photography. Even our kitchen, since we just spent the last month remodeling it (!!!!!!!). But the one constant, that one element in each of these posts aside from the double chocolate cake, is Brian. He who makes growing old comfortable, enjoyable, and welcome. May we have many more birthdays to celebrate, with some variation of this double chocolate cake. xoxo.

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chocolate cake vanilla buttercream-4.jpg

Double Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Filling and Vanilla Meringue Buttercream
Makes 12-14 servings. Cake recipe from Epicurious, Vanilla Meringue Buttercream recipe adapted from Martha Stewart
Ingredients
for cake layers:
3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut
1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk (for dairy free variation: mix 1 1/2 cups soymilk with 1 tablespoon cider vinegar and set aside to curdle)
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
for raspberry filling:
2 10-oz bags frozen raspberries, thawed
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
for vanilla meringue buttercream:
5 large egg whites
1 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
pinch of salt
1 lb (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
Method
make cake layers:
Preheat oven to 300* F and grease two 10″ cake pans, or three 8″ or 9″. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper.
Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well.
Divide batter between pans (pans should only be half full – if you use 8″ pans you will have some batter leftover) and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes for 10″ pans, 50 minutes for 8″-9″ pans.
Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.
make raspberry filling:
Puree the raspberries in a food processor or blender. Press the puree through a fine-mesh strainer with the back of a spoon, removing the seeds. Heat the puree in a small pot with the sugar and cornstarch until mixture boils, stirring constantly. As it boils, it should quickly thicken. Let cool.
make frosting:
To make the frosting, combine the egg whites, sugar and salt in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture reaches 160° F and the sugar has dissolved.
Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and the mixture has cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes.
Reduce the speed to medium and add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, adding more once each addition has been incorporated. If the frosting looks soupy or curdled, continue to beat on medium-high speed until thick and smooth again, about 3-5 minutes more (don’t worry, it will come together!) Stir in the vanilla extract and mix just until incorporated.
Keep buttercream at room temperature if using the same day, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat with paddle attachment on low speed until smooth again, about 5 minutes.

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categories cake, dessert, sweets
tags birthday cake, chocolate cake, fresh berries, layer cake, raspberry filling, vanilla meringue buttercream

cornmeal cake with peaches + rosemary

August 03, 2011Andrea

I find it appropriate that I am following up a post about summer tomatoes with a post about summer peaches. Brian and I have long had the argument over which is our favorite summer fruit, with him typically landing on the tomato side of the line and me on the peach. It is a close race, for sure. Both are delicious only during their season, each overlapping the other during July and August in Virginia. We rarely eat tomatoes outside of summer, and never peaches, unless we've put some away in jars and freezer bags. The limited window of availability makes peaches and tomatoes all the more special, precious even, and we indulge ourselves in both when they are available. Right now, as I write this, there are roughly 20 pounds of peaches and 30 pounds of tomatoes spread across my dining room. 50 pounds of fruit, friends. I think we have a problem...

After venturing out to Chiles Peach Orchard with a girlfriend a few days ago, I found the first thought swirling through my head involved a dense, peach-topped, breakfast-y cake. A cake with some heft; a good base to start the morning off just right. After some searching I came across Emeril's Cornmeal Olive Oil Cake with Poached Peaches...(the name goes on...), and modified it to suit my own desire for a simple, one-component breakfast cake. I am so very, very pleased with the result. The rosemary-scented cornmeal crumb is dense and savory with moments of crunch and highlights of salt. It sounds strange, I know, but there really are occasional bites that taste salty, while the majority offer a mild sweetness courtesy of the honey and fruit. It is a cake full of wonderful contrasts; sweet paired with salty, the crunch of cornmeal with the softness of peaches.

I wouldn't pigeonhole this cake into the dessert category; it really could pass as a cornbread side dish at a backyard barbecue. But I think the perfect place for it would be brunch...where savory sweets are wanted and expected. It is a new favorite in our house, for sure, and even further muddies the race between the tomato and the peach...

Cornmeal Cake with Peaches + Rosemary

adapted from Emeril Lagasse via Food Network

serves 8

Ingredients

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1/2 tsp minced, fresh rosemary

2 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

2/3 cup milk

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 ripe peach, sliced thinly (1/8-inch thick)

Method

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease and flour a 9 by 2-inch round cake pan. (next time I will use a springform pan so that I can remove the cake whole)

Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in the cornmeal and the rosemary.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs, egg yolk, milk, olive oil, and lemon zest with an electric mixer until frothy. Add the sugar and honey, and mix to combine. Add the dry ingredients and beat until the batter is smooth. Pour into the prepared pan and top with the peach slices.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 35 minutes, or until a tester comes out with a few crumbs attached. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack. If using a springform pan you can remove the cake whole, otherwise you can slice it in the pan and remove individual slices to serve.

categories breakfast, cake
tags breakfast, brunch, cornbread, cornmeal cake, olive oil cake, peaches, rosemary, savory

dulce de leche cupcakes

May 25, 2011Andrea

There's something in the water around here. It seems as if Brian and I are surrounded by friends having babies! We have officially become the only couple amongst our close Charlottesville friends who does not have a tiny addition to the family. And, it kind of freaks me out. Just a bit. We're not ready for all of that yet, but it sure does get the gears in your head turning when you're tickling those tiny toes or witnessing first giggles. Those turning gears, they're something that I was never all that sure I would experience and now that I am...wow. Mind-boggling. Brian has asked me more than once who I am and what I've done with his wife, for this whole biological clock thing was never something that either one of us gave a whole lot of merit. Well it exists, I assure you.

The arrival of these tiny humans brings along something that I can wrap my mind around...baby parties. The kind where both men and women are invited, and the focus is on good food and fun [yard] games and great friends giving advice to the new parents-to-be. I love an excuse to plan a party, and the arrival of a new being sure seems like a wonderful reason to celebrate!

A couple of Saturdays ago I helped to plan a baby party for our good friends Tommy and Kristin. Their little girl arrives in just over a month, and we couldn't be more excited and happy for them! This party was a fiesta of sorts, decorated with bright balloons and citrus-y hues. We had carnitas tacos, and veggie tacos, and cilantro lime slaw, guacamole, black beans, and dulce de leche cupcakes. I fully intended to photograph the carnitas to share with you but, well, when you're co-hosting the party it is tough to remember to pick up your camera. I did manage to capture some images of the cupcakes, so they will have to do. I promise, you won't be disappointed.

These cupcakes come from Joy, who never ceases to amaze me with the cleverness of her recipes. If I think of something, chances are Joy's already done it. And every single recipe I've ever tried of hers has been a winner, so I typically don't question her methods. This was no exception. Seriously, who could go wrong with cream cheese and dulce de leche whipped into a buttercream frosting? It is one of the best things you'll ever taste, I promise.

Dulce de Leche Cupcakes

from joy the baker

makes 24 cupcakes

For the Cupcakes:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cup buttermilk

For the Frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup dulce de leche (I used canned, Nestle brand, dulce de leche. Not the best, and next time I'll find a better brand, but it still worked well in the frosting.)

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 to 3 cups powdered sugar

To make the cupcakes:

Place racks in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line two cupcake pans with paper or foil liners. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add butter and sugars. Beat on medium speed until fluffy and pale brown, about 3 minutes. Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add one egg. Beat on medium for one minute. Add the remaining eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute between each addition. Stop the bowl and scrape down the sides as necessary. Beat in vanilla extract.

Add half of the flour mixture to the egg and butter mixture. Beat on low speed and slowly drizzle in the buttermilk. Beat until just incorporated. Stop the mixer, scrape down the bowl and add the rest of the dry ingredients. Beat on low speed until just incorporated. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and finish incorporating with a spatula. Try not to over mix.

Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake pans, filling each liner about 2/3 full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the cakes comes out clean. Let rest in the cupcake pans before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Cupcakes should be completely cooled before frosting.

To make the frosting:

Place cream cheese in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds, until very soft and pliable. Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the butter and dulce de leche. Beat on medium speed until well incorporated. Stop the mixer and add the salt and powdered sugar. Beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until fluffy and lighter in color.

Use a large frosting tip to swirl the frosting onto the tops of the cupcakes.

Garnish with fleur de sel, or coarse sea salt.

For more pictures of Tommy + Kristin's baby party, visit the AHPhoto blog!

categories baking, cake, dessert
tags buttercream, caramel, cupcakes, dulce de leche, frosting

swedish visiting cake

April 12, 2011Andrea

Spring. My backyard has gone from yellow to pink to white (or, daffodils to plum and apple blossoms). Each afternoon over 60° has me longing to get outside, in the sunshine, with a glass of white wine in my hand. Preferably, with my husband or a girlfriend by my side and my dogs at my feet. This season brings with it a jovial state of mind. And with that comes the desire to be amongst friends, sharing in the pleasantness of open windows and the greenish light of sunbeams passing through new growth.

I believe it is imperative for every person to have a quick and simple cake in their repertoire. One that, when invited over for a last-minute afternoon visit, or next-day weekend brunch, is easy to whip up using ingredients always on hand. I have a few, but I think that this Swedish Visiting Cake is my very favorite. Not too sweet, but with a substantial, moist crumb, it can pass for either dessert or a morning coffee cake. I adore the crunch of almonds atop the dense base, and the way the edge and bottom of the cake crisp to create a shell that keeps it all together. You know, just in case you choose to pick up an entire slice between your thumb and forefinger. No need to dirty a dish if you're sitting outside and your other hand is occupied with a glass...

I found this recipe last year on Melanger, and it is not surprising that after making it once it has remained at the top of my list. Julia's taste in baked goods is steady; never too rich, most often simple and leaning towards rustic, always comforting. If you haven't yet, you should visit her lovely site.

Swedish Visiting Cake
from Baking: From My Home To Yours by Dorie Greenspan, via Melanger
serves 8
I realized this time, after I'd already prepared the pan and staged the table for photographs, that I was out of vanilla extract. So, I used a full teaspoon of almond extract instead. The cake is delicious both ways.
Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more to grease pan
1 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
zest from 1 lemon
2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Method
Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat oven to 350°. Butter a seasoned 9-inch cast iron pan. (If you don't have a cast iron pan, a 9-inch cake pan works as well).
Pour sugar into a medium bowl and add lemon zest. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar, until the sugar is moist and fragrant.
Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking to combine.
Add the salt and extracts and whisk to combine.
Stir in the flour using a rubber spatula.
Fold in the melted butter.
Pour batter into your prepared pan and smooth top with rubber spatula. Sprinkle almonds over the top of the batter and finish with a sprinkle of sugar.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until the edges are golden brown and starting to pull away from the edge of the pan.

categories baking, cake, simple, dessert
tags almond cake, breakfast cake, coffee cake, dessert, quick cake, simple cake, swedish visiting cake

red velvet cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting

February 09, 2011Andrea

We're not big on Valentine's Day plans in our house, typically choosing to stay home for a dinner cooked together paired with a nice bottle of wine. And really, how is that different from most nights around here? But this year Brian has something special up his sleeve, and despite my persistent quest for answers, he hasn't slipped me the slightest hint about what he's up to. It's impressive, really, because we're usually the couple that exchanges gifts as soon as we've purchased them, never able to hold out for the birthday, anniversary, or holiday they are truly meant for. I've got to say, I'm pretty excited. The anticipation is killing me! :)

When you're a recipe blogger you really can't avoid Valentine's Day, despite our typical lack of celebration at home. The red food coloring and sprinkles and heart-shaped cookie cutters are part of the job, and I really am okay with it. Any excuse to bake is fine by me. This year for my Valentine's baking (a week early, so that I could share with you here) I decided to go with a more natural palette - a toned-down burgundy cake and cream frosting, adorned with a simple craft ribbon. Which, I think, makes these red velvet cupcakes the perfect "all-grown-up" Valentine's Day dessert.

Now I wouldn't call myself a red velvet cake aficionado, as I've never really understood the appeal of it before now. It's just red cake...right?!? Not really. I love the subtle chocolate flavor and soft crumb of these cakes, made light and moist with buttermilk. And the cinnamon cream cheese frosting is so completely delicious that it's a wonder any made it to the domed tops. Seriously, I could have eaten the entire bowl on its own. Don't skip this frosting in favor of a fluffy white version, the cupcakes just wouldn't be the same.

Happy Valentine's Day, all! I hope you spend the day, and each one after that, with those you love.

PS: There's nothing wrong with sprinkles, and if you're looking for some (along with the story of my breaking a little boy's heart), I suggest my Valentine's Day post from last year. :)

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

from Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook via Joy The Baker

makes 12 cupcakes. double the recipe to make two 9-inch layer cakes.

Cupcake Ingredients

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2-1/2 Tablespoons red food coloring (I used a gel food coloring...about 1 tsp mixed with enough water to make 2-1/2 tablespoons...which is why my cupcakes are more burgundy than red)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1-1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

Method

Preheat oven to 350*. Line standard muffin pan with paper liners.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg, and beat until well-incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed.

In a separate bowl, mix together the cocoa, food coloring, and vanilla extract to form a paste. (I used 1 tsp of gel food coloring with water added to equal 2-1/2 tbsp, which is why I think my cupcake color isn't as vibrant as Joy's.) Add to the batter and mix thoroughly, until completely combined. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to be sure that all of the batter is equally colored.

Turn the mixer to low and slowly add half of the butter milk. Mix to combine. Add half of the flour and mix to combine. Repeat with the last of the buttermilk and the last of the flour. Scrape the bowl, turn mixture to high, and beat until smooth.

Turn the mixer back to low and add the baking soda, salt and vinegar. Turn mixer up to high and beat for 1-2 minutes until smooth.

Spoon the batter into paper-lined cupcake pan and bake at 350* for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. If you have doubled the recipe and are baking 2 pans at once, be sure to rotate the pans halfway through baking.

Cool on rack in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting Ingredients

I go light on frosting, so this made the perfect amount for a double-batch of cupcakes. If you're making a layer cake, you'll probably want to double it.

2-1/3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

3 Tablespoons butter, room temperature

4 ounces cream cheese, cold (I used room temperature)

scant 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method

Cream the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Add the powdered sugar and cinnamon and mix at medium-slow speed until well combined.

Add the cream cheese all at once and beat at medium-high for 5 minutes, or until the frosting is light and fluffy. Do not over-beat as the frosting can become runny quickly.

categories baking, cake, sweets
tags chocolate, cream cheese frosting, cupcakes, dessert, red velvet, valentine's day

lemon-drenched lemon cakes

January 14, 2011Andrea

Today I made and re-photographed this Lemon Drenched Lemon Cake for a project I am working on with Retail Relay. Also, for a dinner party Brian and I are going to tonight. Except this time, I am topping it with Blackberry Compote. MmmHmm...

Happy Weekend, Everyone!

This recipe makes 2 cakes. After reading some comments from Joy's readers I would not recommend trying to bake this cake in any pan other than loaf pans. Also, I used ALL of the syrup. I just kept brushing layer upon layer of syrup over the tops of the cakes, allowing each application to soak in before adding another. And, when there was just a bit left in the bowl, I poured it onto the serving plate and plopped the cakes right on top of it, allowing the bottoms to soak it up and get nice and lemon-y. If you're not a lemon fanatic like me, you might want to only use 1/2 the syrup.
Lemon Drenched Lemon Cakes
Recipe adapted from Dorie Greenspan via Joy the Baker. Be sure to check out the lovely pictures of this cake on Joy's site, since I was a bit of a slacker and didn't get many...
Cake:
2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
2-1/3 cups sugar
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
6 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
2/3 cup heavy cream
zest of 2 lemons, finely grated
1 stick, plus 7 tbsp unsalted butter (15 tbsp total), melted and cooled
Syrup:
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
juice of two lemons
Method:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9x5-inch loaf pans, dust the insides with flour and tap out the excess. Even if the pans are nonstick, it’s a good idea to butter and flour them.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Put the sugar and the lemon zest in a large bowl, working with your fingers, rub them together until the sugar is moist and thoroughly imbued with the fragrance of lemon.
Add the eggs and whisk them into the sugar, beating until they are thoroughly incorporated. Whisk in the extract, then whisk in the cream. Continuing with the whisk, or switching to a large rubber spatula, gently stir in the dry ingredients in 3 or 4 additions; the batter will be smooth and thick. Finish by folding in the melted butter in 2 or 3 additions. Pour the batter into the pans, smoothing with a rubber spatula.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. As soon as the cake goes into the oven, make the syrup. After about 30 minutes in the oven, check the cakes for color- if they are browning too quickly, cover them lightly with foil tents.
Stir the water and sugar together in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the sugar melts, then bring to a boil. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Pour the syrup into a heatproof bowl and let cool.
When the cakes test done, transfer them to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes before unmolding them and turning them right side up on the rack. Place the rack over a baking sheet lined with wax paper and, using a thin skewer, cake tester or thin-bladed sharp knife, poke holes all over the cakes. Brush the cakes all over with the syrup, working slowly so that the cakes sop it up. Leave the cakes on the rack to cool to room temperature.
Blackberry Compote
Ingredients:
3 cups fresh or frozen blackberries
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
Method:
Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a strong simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until compote has thickened and reduced. Allow to cool, and serve over slices of cake.

categories baking, cake, sweets, dessert
tags blackberries, cake, compote, lemon, loaf pan, pound cake

celebrate with citrus cupcakes

August 19, 2010Andrea

Last weekend we gathered with friends to celebrate the forthcoming birth of a new family. The party [yes, party. this was not a baby shower. and yes, boys were invited.] was co-hosted by myself and two lovely ladies, all of us brought together by our shared bond to Joe and Erin, the parents-to-be. The event was in the works for two months. Dozens of emails were passed between the three hostesses as we planned. The only request from Erin was that there be no diaper decorations and no silly shower games. No problem.

We decided to throw a simple summer party and to decorate using colors inspired by the nursery; shades of blue, yellow, and green. There was fruit-laden sangria and homemade lemonade, pulled-pork sandwiches and corn straight from Erin's family's farm. The weather was kind, overcast and cool with only the slightest spattering of rain. We sat outside sharing stories and laughter as candlelight flickered across happy faces long into the night.

Also, we ate cupcakes.

[To see more images of the evening, visit the AHPhoto blog.]

I love an opportunity to make cupcakes, and an outdoor summer party seemed to be the perfect occasion. A quick email to Erin verified that she had no preference for cake flavor, which was lucky because I had already decided that chocolate wasn't an option. It just didn't fit in with the party decor, which is a perfectly valid excuse I assure you.

And so I was left thinking about vanilla and lemon. It is no secret that I am a fanatic for citrus-flavored sweets, with four lemon cakes, citrus scones, key lime butter cookies, and coconut lime bars all listed on the Bella Eats recipe page. I should probably apologize for giving you yet another citrus dessert...but I won't. You just can't go wrong with citrus, and that requires no apology.

The cake itself is actually a modification of an old favorite, borrowed from the Lemon Mousse Cake I made for my own birthday a few months ago. It is a chiffon cake, made light and spongy by the egg whites folded into the batter just before baking. The addition of lemon and orange zest brightens the flavor, but it is the swirl atop the golden domes that truly stands out. The meringue buttercream seemed to be a hit, although it is the most unusual frosting I have ever tasted. A finger swiped across the side of the mixing bowl produces a dollop of ultra-creamy spread that melts as soon as it hits the tongue. At first the taste buds are overwhelmed with the flavor of butter, which then melts away to become a bright pop of lemon, that then fades to the slow warmth of Grand Marnier. It is a three-step process using each third of the tongue - front, middle, back - in succession, with each flavor forming its own distinct statement. And it isn't too sweet, so you could easily eat several cupcakes without causing your teeth to ache.

Not that I would know that...

The frosting shapes beautifully, and despite my fears did not melt in the warm and humid evening air. A summer winner, for sure.

Sunshine Citrus Cupcakes

cake modified from the greyston bakery cookbook, pg. 46, frosting from gourmet makes 18 standard cupcakes Cake Ingredients:

5 eggs, separated
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup milk
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups sugar
2-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tbsp orange zest
1/2 fresh lemon, seeds discarded

Frosting Ingredients:

4 large egg whites
1 cup sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons and softened slightly
1/3 cup orange liqueur such as Grand Marnier
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Cake Method:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350º. Line 1 standard muffin tin with 12 liners, and another with 6 liners.
In a small bowl, combine the egg yolks, butter, milk and vanilla. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 1 cup of sugar, baking powder and salt to blend. Add the lemon and orange zest and blend with your fingers to separate clumps. Add the egg yolk mixture and stir until well combined. Set aside.
In a clean dry bowl, using clean dry beaters, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until they hold soft peaks. Lower the mixer speed to medium and gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating the whites until they hold stiff peaks. Stir about one-third of the egg whites into the batter to lighten. Gently fold the remaining whites into the batter, in two batches, to blend thoroughly.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pans, filling each muffin cup 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted near the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
Set the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes to cool. Remove the cupcakes from the pans and allow them to cool completely on wire racks.

Frosting Method:

Heat whites and sugar in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, whisking constantly, until sugar is dissolved and a thermometer registers 160°F. Remove bowl from heat and beat mixture in standing electric mixer on medium-high speed until thick, glossy peaks form. If mixture is still warm, continue beating until cool. (this takes about 10 minutes)
With mixer running, add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Add liqueur and lemon juice, beating on high speed until smooth and fluffy, about 10 minutes. If buttercream begins to separate, beat on high speed until smooth.

Assemble:

Use a pastry bag to pipe frosting over cupcakes once they are completely cool. Keep refrigerated until ready to consume.

Congratulations Joe and Erin, we are so excited to meet your baby boy!

categories baking, cake, life
tags baby shower, citrus, cupcakes, friends, meringue buttercream

blueberry hill cupcakes, and a happy 4th to you!

July 02, 2010Andrea

The 4th of July is upon us already! I'm not sure why 2010 is in such a hurry to rush on by, but I do wish that she would slow down just a bit. I had big plans for this week, some favorite salads and cocktails and desserts to share with you before the holiday weekend ahead of us. But, well, time flew.

I did manage to share one dessert with you, and here is a second. The first was somewhat healthy, this one is not. Both are delicious, and either would make a nice addition to your picnic, bar-be-que, or party. How to choose...

I am keeping things short and sweet today, because I have family in town! That means wandering shops on Charlottesville's Downtown Mall, stopping for gelato, lunch on a patio, pampering with my Momma, vinho verde on the back deck, sausages on the grill. And that's just today! Oh, the weekend we'll have.

I hope that yours is just as lovely. What are your plans? (I really do want to know!)

Perhaps you could make these cupcakes? Lemony and chock-full of bright bursts of blueberry, they absolutely scream summer. You'll love them, I'm sure.

Blueberry Hill Cupcakes with Blueberry Glaze

cupcakes from bon appetit, glaze from bella eats I've heard good things about the frosting that accompanies this recipe on bon appetit, but wanted something lighter and with a bit of color. I bet a lemon buttercream or a lemon glaze would also be really delicious. Also, my "glaze" originally started out as a full-blown buttercream frosting. I frosted one cupcake, but found the very sweet topping to be very overpowering. The cake itself is so delicious that you really want to let it shine. Cupcake Ingredients

3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk or low-fat yogurt
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 1/4 cups fresh blueberries, frozen for 4 hours

Glaze Ingredients

2-3 tablespoons blueberry puree (about 1/2 cup blueberries, pureed and strained if desired...I did not strain)
4 tbsp butter (1/2 stick), room temperature
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar

Method

Preheat oven to 350* F. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners. Sift flour and next 4 ingredients into a large bowl. Whisk the melted butter and oil in a separate, medium bowl. Add eggs; whisk to blend. Whisk in buttermilk, milk, vanilla extract, and zest. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients; whisk just to blend. Stir in frozen blueberries.
Divide batter among liners. Bake cupcakes until a tester inserted into center comes out clean, 23-27 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to racks; cool.
Beat butter in electric mixer with whisk attachment until creamy. Add about 1/2 the sugar slowly. Add 2 tbsp of the blueberry puree and continue whisking to blend. Add the last of the sugar and whisk to blend. Taste, and add more blueberry puree if desired. You want the consistency to be like a loose buttercream; easy to spread but also easy to control (you don't want it running down the sides of your cupcakes).
When the cupcakes are nearly cool, brush them lightly with the glaze. You will find that the glaze will harden nicely in about an hour.
Keep stored at room temperature in an air-tight container.

categories baking, cake
tags blueberry, cupcakes, glaze, lemon

happy, happy day

June 29, 2010Andrea

Last year at this time I was posting regularly about our backyard vegetable patch. I’d shared potato salad with our sugar snap peas, an earthy, herby frittata, and a rosy beet risotto. The garden was, while a bit overgrown, orderly and walkable. I visited it every day, scurrying through the gate in the morning after my runs to pick raspberries for breakfast, losing myself to daydreams as I stood with a hose each afternoon and soaked the soil under the tomatoes and peppers. I was oh-so-proud of our little plot, and oh-so-excited to share its progress with you all.

In December, after harvesting the last of the carrots for our Christmas dinner, Brian and I mourned the fact that those were probably the last vegetables we’d see come from our current backyard. We were planning to move this Summer, and didn’t think it would be very smart to put a lot of time, money, or energy into a piece of land that would no longer be ours in just six months’ time. It made me sad. Very, very, sad.

March came and went without us ordering organic compost to till into soil already rich from three years of amendment and gardening. There was no sprinkling of lettuce, kale, carrot, or beet seeds; no elaborate map drawn to show the exact location of each plant to come. May 15th, the last frost date for our part of Virginia, rolled by without us spending a Saturday planting tiny tomato, cucumber and pepper plants. The weeds grew, and grew, and grew...and I just let them.

Multiple friends who don’t know our plans to move, but do know the joy we get from growing our own food, have asked “how’s that garden of yours?”. This single question, innocent as it is, elicits a panicked look from Brian, who tries to change the subject before I can launch into our sorrowful (to me) tale. About how, no, we didn’t plant any vegetables in our backyard this year. And no, we don’t think we’ll be moving into a new house in time to establish a new garden. And yes, I am devastated that we’re not spending a portion of our weekends weeding and watering and planting and harvesting. Harumph.

In hindsight, we should have planted summer veggies. Things never move as quickly as anticipated, and our putting the house on the market was no exception. By now we could have been eating our own lettuce, cucumbers, sugar snap peas, and beets. Instead we’re buying them at the farmer’s market, which is the next best thing, but still not quite as satisfying. I’m getting over it. Really.

However...our berries have been AMAZING this year. Strawberries, red and golden raspberries, gooseberries, blackberries. Thank goodness for hardy perennial fruit that grows no matter the neglect it’s received! Those shots at the top of the page are from my visit to the garden last Friday morning, when I first noticed that the blackberries are starting to ripen. I did a little dance, hurried back inside for my camera and a bowl, and proceeded to pick every single fully-black berry on the vine. Happy, happy day.

This cake was actually made with blackberries that we grew last summer and froze. We had 8 quarts in our own freezer, and many more were given to friends. I'm betting that our harvest will be doubled this year, and we're not moving until I am proven right. Stubborn? Not me.

Even if you have fresh blackberries on hand, you should still freeze them for at least 4 hours before adding them to the batter. The frozen berries, with the help of the syrup, will stay firmly rooted to the bottom of the pan without rising to the top (which will become the bottom) of the cake.

The whole wheat flour provides the cake with a dense crumb, perfect for picking up between two fingers. I made it for dessert, but I think it is even better for breakfast. Not too sweet, hearty with whole grains, a nice compliment to a cup of coffee.

Blackberry Upside-Down Cake

from Sweet and Natural Baking, by Mani Niall serves 10 Ingredients fruit

1/3 cup liquid fruit juice concentrate (or, agave nectar)
2 tbsp canola oil
3 cups frozen blackberries

cake

3 large egg whites, at room temperature
3/4 cup liquid fruit juice concentrate (or, agave nectar)
2/3 cup skim milk
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp canola oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp fine sea salt

Method

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 10-inch ovenproof skillet or springform pan with vegetable oil spray.
For the fruit: In a small saucepan, bring the fruit juice concentrate and oil to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes. Pour into the prepared pan. Immediately arrange the blackberries in the pan in a single layer. Work quickly, as the syrup will harden rapidly. Place in the freezer while preparing the batter. (This will keep the fruit from floating to the top of the batter while baking.)
For the cake: In a medium bowl, using a handheld electric mixer at high speed, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the fruit juice concentrate, beating until stiff peaks form. Reduce the speed to low and add the milk, oil and vanilla, mixing until well combined.
In another medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt until combined. Add to the liquid ingredients and whisk until smooth. Remove the pan from the freezer and pour the batter over the fruit.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a cake rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the inside of the skillet or springform to loosen the cake. Invert onto a serving plate. Let stand for 5 minutes so that the cake can absorb the juices. Remove the skillet of release the sides of the spring form and carefully lift off the bottom. Serve the cake warm or at room temperature.

categories baking, cake, garden
tags blackberry, cake, garden, local, whole wheat

a persuasive cake

April 01, 2010Andrea

Here we are at the end of March. Spring has claimed her space and unpacked her bags, kicked off her shoes and accepted a glass of lemony iced tea. She's fully settled in and ready to chat for awhile, her pony-tail bobbing enthusiastically as she shows you what's in store for the next few months.

There are predictions of 83* sunny days in Charlottesville this weekend...83*! That is shorts weather, my friends, and tank tops and strappy sandals and [eek!] swim suits weather. It was all very exciting until I pulled out a pair of those shorts last night and realized that this month coming to an end, the month full of birthdays and cake and cocktails, has done a number on certain, *ahem*, areas. Those well-intentioned New Year’s resolutions set in January were shaken with the arrival of Brian’s birthday 29 days ago, and continued to slowly slip away as we celebrated our way through March.

This last weekend was the culmination of all of that good cheer. With my Daddy in town for four days spoiling us rotten, there were indulgent meals shared at favorite restaurants and bottles of wine Brian and I could never justify buying ourselves. As a “thank you!” for all of that generosity we had a little barbeque Saturday afternoon, complete with Double H Farm baby back ribs smoked on the Big Green Egg, the best baked beans I’ve ever had, salad with a hearty base of [local!] emerald green spinach and a delightfully moist lemon mousse cake. Although the air was a crisp 50*, we had a cloudless Caribbean-blue sky and a brilliantly radiant sun to warm our skin and confirm the departure of [old man] Winter.

And now today, with all of those birthdays behind us and the very last of that lemon mousse cake tossed away in the trash (but not before a bite or two passed my lips to verify its staleness) it is time to think of April, the second to last month before the water flowing steadily through our surrounding rivers warms to a point that justifies the loading up of kayaks and the donning of swim suits. It’s time to welcome the farmers back to downtown Charlottesville, to our Saturday morning City Market that starts this weekend(!), and to embrace the first gifts of Spring. It’s time to lighten up and brighten up, to take a break from all the sugary-sweet goodness of March and indulge in the green that comes with April.

But first, I want to give you more cake.

With a buoyant crumb that bounces back at the poke of a finger and an airy, lemon-tinted mousse so cool and refreshing you'll have to fight yourself not to finish the entire bowl in one sitting, this cake seems to be the perfect welcome for Spring. It's a persuasive cake, the kind that you want to always have under a dome on your counter, ready to share with important guests while sitting on the front porch drinking a tall glass of iced tea. It seems that, when being offered a cake like this one, it would be impossible for those guests to leave.

That's my hope anyway, as I embrace Spring and ask her to stick around for awhile.

This is a very long recipe, but is actually very simple. Especially if you divide the tasks between two days - the cake and lemon curd on the first, the mousse, frosting and assembly on the second.

Lemon Mousse Cake

from the greyston bakery cookbook, pg. 46

serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

for the cake

5 eggs, separated
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup milk
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups sugar
2-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 fresh lemon, seeds discarded

for the lemon curd

2 large eggs
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 medium lemons)
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

for the lemon mousse

1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup lemon curd

for the lemon buttercream frosting

6 tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
3 tbsp heavy cream
1-1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon extract

Method make the cake (up to one day ahead)

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350*. Grease and flour two 8" round cake pans and line the pan bottoms with parchment rounds.
In a small bowl, combine the egg yolks, butter, milk and vanilla. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 1 cup of sugar, baking powder and salt to blend. Add the egg yolk mixture and stir until well combined. Set aside.
In a clean dry bowl, using clean dry beaters, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until they hold soft peaks. Lower the mixer speed to medium and gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating the whites until they hold stiff peaks. Stir about one-third of the egg whites into the batter to lighten. Gently fold the remaining whites into the batter, in two batches, to blend thoroughly.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pans, filling them equally. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sides of the cakes begin to pull away slightly from the pans and a wooden skewer inserted near the center of the cake comes out clean.
Set the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes to cool. Turn the cakes out onto the rack and carefully remove the parchment. Reinvert the cakes and allow them to cool completely on wire racks.
If making the cakes the night before (as I did), wrap them tightly with plastic wrap once entirely cool and keep at room temperature.

make the lemon curd (up to one week ahead)

In a small saucepan set over medium-low heat, whisk the eggs and egg yolk with the sugar, lemon juice and salt. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, for 10 minutes or until thickened.
Remove the curd from the heat and add the butter, stirring until melted. Strain the mixture through a mesh sieve into a small bowl. Stir in the lemon zest.
Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic directly on the entire surface of the lemon curd to prevent a skin from forming. Chill the curd in the refrigerator until firm.

make the lemon mousse

In the bowl of an electric mixer set on medium-high speed, beat the cream until it holds soft peaks. Working in three batches, gently fold the cream into the lemon curd. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using.

make the lemon buttercream frosting

In a clean bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, sugar, cream, vanilla and lemon extract. Mix on medium-low speed until well combined.

assemble the cake

With a long serrated knife, trim the rounded top off each cake layer to create a flat surface.
Squeeze half of the juice from the lemon over the cut side of one layer of cake. Place that layer, cut side up, on a serving plate. Spread the lemon mousse evenly on top.
Carefully place the next layer, cut side down, on top of the first layer. Squeeze the rest of the juice from the lemon on top. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the lemon buttercream frosting. Place the cake in the refrigerator for at least an hour to set. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

categories cake
tags birthday, buttercream, chiffon, curd, layers, lemon, mousse, vanilla

tall, dark, handsome and dreamy

March 29, 2010Andrea

March is a month full of birthdays, a month for celebrating family and friends. Twelve family members and good friends, to be exact. It seems that every other day Brian and I are passing a card between us, signing our names and licking an envelope, sending our best wishes and good cheer zipping across the country to loved ones. Each of these special days surely contributes to my attachment to this third month of the year, with so many excuses to reach out and connect with people we don’t see or talk to nearly enough.

It is a part of the start of Spring, the phone calls and cards and Facebook messages, a routine as comfortable and happy as the emergence of lemon-hued daffodils and the pop of blushing cherry blossoms. We send wishes for a year better than the last, marvel at the changes that have come in just twelve months' time. Across the line there are promises to visit, promises to talk more, promises to write often. The phone disconnects and we return to our routines, our hearts a little more full with the knowledge that we are better for knowing that other person, for being able to share another year with them even if from a distance.

I’ve come to think of March as the beginning of the new year, with all of its fresh growth and rekindled promises to keep in better touch, rather than the dreary gray and reclusive hibernation that is typical of January. I find myself with renewed motivation, making plans while seeking spontaneity, striving to keep up with the ever-changing state of the surrounding environment. Each new clump of tiny chartreuse leaves, each cotton ball puff of Bradford Pear blossoms is a reminder of time's quick passage, a kick in the backside that jolts the gears in my head to life, prompts me to take action on the ideas swirling through my brain.

I realize that these feelings come in part because Brian and I each celebrate our birthdays in March, his falling on the 2nd and mine on the 29th. We can’t help but to reflect on years passed as yet another draws to a close, setting goals for the coming weeks or in our case, the next two years before we hit the big Three-Oh. Three. Oh. Wow.

We've started a ‘thirty before thirty’ list, although I don’t think either of us has finalized the catalog of things we’re set to accomplish. A lot can happen in two years’ time, and I’ve come to terms with the reality that is a sliding scale of goals, an evolving list of priorities. The point is to think about it, to make an effort towards trying new things, towards bettering and challenging ourselves in the smallest or biggest of ways.

One of the ways I am seeking to improve upon what is already a lovely life is to increase the connections we have with distant friends and family beyond the every-few-months phone calls. I want to follow through on the March promises, pick up the phone more frequently to catch up with those we hold dear. This is a goal I'm not willing to let slide, a priority at the top of my list as I embark on my 29th year. Phone calls to loved ones. Often.

And, if I had my way, along with those phone calls there would be more cake. Shared on actual birthdays. We'd sit across from each other at my dining table, forks in hand, three-layer pillar between us. There would be wine and coffee, stories and laughter, a vase of Spring flowers in the corner. It would be so simple if only I could convince each person we love to move to Virginia, to live within a few hours of Charlottesville. Perhaps a task for the 'forty before forty' list...

This cake I'm sharing today was made for Brian, on his 28th birthday, just 3 weeks ago. It is the same chocolate cake that I baked for him last year, which was the first from-scratch cake I'd ever made. When I asked Brian what I should make for his birthday this year he requested the same chocolate cake, and left the frosting and adornment up to me.

The praline was a good choice, the crunchy texture a nice contrast to the dense, moist crumb of the cake and the creamy, stick-to-your-tongue ganache. The whole ensemble is tall, dark, handsome and dreamy, just like my Hubb.

Happy 29th year, my love. I feel certain it will be a good one.

I said it last year and I'll say it again, this is the best chocolate cake recipe. Ever.

Double Chocolate Cake with Praline Topping

Makes 12-14 servings. Cake recipe from Epicurious, praline recipe from Bon Appetit Ingredients for cake layers:

3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut
1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk (for dairy free variation: mix 1 1/2 cups soymilk with 1 tablespoon cider vinegar and set aside to curdle)
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

for ganache:

1 pound fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut
1 cup heavy cream (or soy creamer)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter (or margarine)

for praline topping:

3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup pecans, toasted, chopped

Method make cake layers:

Preheat oven to 300* F and grease two 10″ cake pans, or three 8″ or 9″. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper.
Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well.
Divide batter between pans (pans should only be half full – if you use 8″ pans you will have some batter leftover) and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes for 10″ pans, 50 minutes for 8″-9″ pans.
Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.

make ganache:

Finely chop chocolate. In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan bring cream, sugar, and corn syrup to a boil over moderately low heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted. Cut butter into pieces and add to frosting, whisking until smooth.
Transfer frosting to a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until spreadable (depending on chocolate used, it may be necessary to chill frosting to spreadable consistency). I found that stirring this over a bowl of ice water did a great job of cooling it off quickly and evenly.

assemble cake:

Use a serrated knife to cut off domes of cakes if needed (mine came out perfectly flat, so there was no need to take a knife to them).
Place first layer on the plate you'd like to keep the cake on. Spread a layer of ganache across the top of that layer, about 1/8-inch thick. Place the second layer on top of the first, and spread ganache on top of it. Place the third layer on top of the second, and cover the sides and top of the cake with ganache.

make praline:

Stir first 3 ingredients in a large, heavy sauce pan over medium-high heat until butter melts. Boil 1 minute without stirring.
Remove pan from heat, whisk in sugar and vanilla.
Add pecans, stir just to incorporate.
Pour praline over top of cake and spread to edges, working quickly to get even coverage before praline sets.

Cake will keep stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days (and will stay incredibly moist, too!)

categories cake
tags birthday, cake, chocolate, ganache, layers, pecans, praline

the clearest route

March 07, 2010Andrea

Why, hello March! How sneaky of you, creeping up behind me quickly and quietly, propelling past February’s tail just outside of my peripheral vision. It was nice of you to bring gifts - warm, sunshine-filled afternoons set against a bright, sapphire sky.

Walking through the park on Thursday, I noticed that beds are filled with the lime green leaves of young daffodils, and the tiny bell-shaped snowdrops are in full bloom. I even unbuttoned my coat, let it drape open to expose my sweater-clad chest, loosening the protective shell I’ve encased my body in for months.

Friday morning I glanced out my kitchen window and a bright spot of yellow caught my eye. Crocuses(!), peeking out from underneath a layer of leaves and mulch.

And yesterday, out taking care of errands with Brian, wandering in and out of shops, I had to dig my sunglasses out from their hiding place in our car. Oh Ray-Bans, how I’ve missed you!

As I write this, there is bright southern light streaming through the back door of my kitchen, the pattern of the glass casting a gridded shadow across the floor. And the window right over the sink, open as wide as it will go, grants permission to the cool breeze to filter through, picking up the scent of banana bread before moving on to the rest of the house. So motivating, the near-Spring feel of the space is calling to me, luring me to the pantry to gather ingredients for my next project.

I am constantly amazed at the affect that weather has on moods, on preferences, on behavior.

I am inspired to cook again, to browse my books and magazines in search of the perfect use for the local spring produce arriving any week now. Arugula and swiss chard, broccoli and kale. Green, green and more green.

The need to see something grow, to cover my hands with soil and coax tiny seeds to life, is overwhelming. The desire to walk out my back door with clippers in hand, returning with arms full of fresh produce, is palpable. Soon, so very soon.

Oh, and we've been talking about moving. Wanting to start over on a new (old) house, to tackle different renovation projects and to pick out brighter paint colors. I am addicted to our local real estate site, checking my email for new listings first thing each morning.

And then there's photography, which I've been practicing regularly. Photographs of people and flowers and jewelry and food are popping up on my newly established Flickr page. It seems that inspiration is everywhere, and I am desperate to capture it all.

It's a very nice change, this desire to invent, to create, to produce in place of the urge to sit still with a mind devoid of motivation. I credit the Spring-ish weather, feeling as if I am emerging from hibernation, stretching my legs and taking confident strides towards goals set with the new year. Some personal, some professional. Some big, some small. All important.

At any given moment my mind is flickering between half a dozen thoughts, trying to decide which to settle on and move forward with. I am often overwhelmed, the trails in front of me not entirely clear and me standing at the head of them with my shoes laced up, ready to go but not sure of which to choose.

But when the kitchen is an option, it is undoubtably the route that I embark on. Always the clearest, with a succinct set of instructions to accompany me, the outcomes are mostly joyous. Even if I get lost. And then there's that southern light, and the crisp breeze, and the possibility of banana-scented air. Who can say no to that?

And so, in this time of overwhelming possibility I’ve busied myself with baking, covering my hands (and face, and hair, and thighs) with flour, watching cakes and cookies rise to gentle domes through the oven door. I enjoy the satisfaction of this productivity, of harnessing some of the energy emanating from the Earth as it prepares for this next season, directing it towards bowls of sifted sugar and flour, creamed butter and silky eggs. As my hands work to chop walnuts and mash bananas my mind is able to wander, to slowly wrap itself around all those other thoughts, to sort through and file them away for a different time when the sun isn't shining through the window quite so perfectly.

This cake, while not the prettiest kid on the block, certainly has the possibility of being the most popular with its stellar personality. So dense, so moist, the banana-scented crumb is perfectly balanced with dark chocolate and toasty walnuts. I brought it in to share with my office, a group notoriously hesitant about sweets, and it was polished off within a day. That says something, something very good, I assure you.

banana cake with dark chocolate and walnuts

from gourmet, february 2008 serves 8-10 Ingredients

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened, plus 2 tbsp, melted and cooled
1 cup sugar, divided
2 large eggs
1-1/4 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
2/3 cup fat-free, vanilla, greek yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 (3-1/2 to 4-ounce) bar bittersweet chocolate, or 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts, toasted, cooled and coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Method

Preheat oven to 375* with rack in middle. Butter a 9-inch square cake pan.
Stir together flour, baking soda and salt.
Beat together softened butter (1 stick) and 3/4 cup sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time until blended. Beat in bananas, yogurt and vanilla (mixture will look curdled).
With mixer at low speed, add flour mixture and blend until just incorporated.
Toss together chocolate, nuts, cinnamon, melted butter and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl. Spread half of banana batter in cake pan and sprinkle with half of chocolate mixture. Spread remaining batter evenly over filling and sprinkle remaining chocolate mixture on top.
Bake until cake is golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Cool cake completely before cutting.

retail relay

Charlottesville folks, have you heard of Retail Relay? I had my first experience with the company last week, and am so impressed by the service they are providing to local consumers and businesses. It's a one-stop shopping experience for most of your favorite local food providers, at no additional cost to you. Our order included items from Foods of all Nations, Feast, The Organic Butcher, Belle Haven Farm Bakery and Mona Lisa Pasta. I'll be doing a post about the experience soon, but wanted to extend a coupon code they've offered my readers as soon as possible.

**For $10 off your Retail Relay order of $50 or more, enter 'bellaeats' in the coupon bar on the online order form.**

categories cake
tags banana, cake, chocolate, walnut

immediately, if not sooner

December 29, 2009Andrea

I know that I am so late in saying this, but,

MERRY CHRISTMAS! HAPPY HOLIDAYS! WARMEST WISHES!

I hope that you all had as lovely a holiday as Brian and I did, filled with family, friends, good food, wine, multiple desserts and maybe even a little bit of snow.

Charlottesville actually had a lot of snow last weekend, just a few days before Christmas. We did go out and frolic around in the drifts - laughed as the dogs frog-leaped through fluff as high as their shoulders, got in a workout shoveling multiple routes to the car and street, attempted the creation of a snow angel and a snowman - but mostly we watched the accumulation from behind our windows, warm and toasty in fuzzy socks with hot coffee in hand. It was so peaceful, the snow falling silently on the other side of the glass, the city slipping into a lazy slumber as it was blanketed in white.

I managed to tear myself away from the windows and snow-watching for a short time in order to bake, feeling the need for the tiniest bit of productivity and worrying that we would lose power and the opportunity. I had cake on the brain, particularly a store-bought, rum-soaked pound cake that my family consumed by the dozens when I was young. We'd hand the mini cakes out as holiday gifts to all of our friends, and keep a stash of them in our pantry for months after Christmas. It had been years since I'd had one of those cakes and I wanted one. Immediately, if not sooner.

While this isn't exactly the cake of my youth, it has all of the most important attributes. To me it screams "Winter! Holidays! Friends!". It is rich and dense, heavy with vanilla flavor and soaked with rum, and will warm you from inside out. It is the perfect cake to whip up as snow falls outside your window, and lovely to share the next day with friends who walk a mile through two feet of fluff to visit with you.

Vanilla Bean Pound Cake with Rum Caramel Sauce

adapted from Paula Deen and Bon Appetit serves 12 Cake

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for pan, room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
2-1/2 cups sugar
5 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1/2 tsp fine salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean

Preheat oven to 350*. Butter and flour a tube cake pan, knocking excess flour from pan.
With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and shortening. Add the sugar a little at a time, and blend well. Add eggs one at a time, blending after each addition.
Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder in a separate bowl. Add to the butter mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the milk, starting with the flour and ending with flour. Mix in the vanilla and the scraped-out insides of the vanilla bean.
Pour into your buttered and floured baking pan and smooth the top of the batter. Bake for 60-75 minutes, until the top is starting to turn golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool on rack completely before removing from pan.

Rum Caramel Sauce

1 cup dark brown sugar
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp spiced or dark rum

In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt your butter. Stir in sugar until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add cream and rum and bring to a simmer, cooking until sauce thickens and is reduced to about 1-1/2 cups, about 5 minutes.
Drizzle rum sauce over individual slices of cake.

Sauce can be prepared up to 2 days ahead. Refrigerate, and reheat on stovetop when ready to serve.

categories baking, cake
tags pound cake, rum, vanilla

positively dreamy

December 03, 2009Andrea

Its that time of year again, when each week offers a party of some sort, when all around our house you’ll find little pieces of paper scribbled with frantic ‘to do’ lists, when our kitchen becomes coated with a fine film of flour and the den floor is sprinkled with a confetti of wrapping paper, ribbon and tape. Our tree is up and decorated, a Christmas-themed Pandora station dialed into the iPod sitting in its dock, and my cravings for mulled cider and creamy eggnog are daily occurrences. There’s no denying it, the holidays have latched on to our life and won’t be letting go until January.

I am feeling particularly festive this year, I think because, for the first time ever, Brian and I are staying in Charlottesville for Christmas. In our own house with our own vintage-inspired silver tree and fresh wreath hanging on our door. We’re pretty excited, especially since we managed to convince two of our four sets of parents to come and visit. We’ll have my momma and stepfather for Christmas and Brian’s dad and girlfriend to help us ring in the New Year. Thats two big meals to host and we, who love to entertain, have already started planning the menus.

By now you’ve all probably figured out that I love to bake. Dessert is the first course of menu planning that I tackle, I can’t bring myself to buy bread from a store if we’re having guests over for a meal (unless its an Albemarle Baking Co. baguette, because they are magical) and whenever I am asked to contribute a dish to a dinner party I offer up a cake or pie. I’ve developed a bit of an obsession, and have been known to get downright giddy as I browse my cookbooks and magazines looking for the perfect cookie recipe. So, as you can imagine, I get pretty darn excited about holiday baking.

These days I'm leaning towards heavy, comforting desserts; dense cakes, thick custards, rich pies. I'm craving chocolate, in all forms, the darker the better. I've dog-eared pages to mark recipes for Spiced Ginger Cookies, Rum-Drenched Pound Cake and Dulce de Leche Bread Pudding. And for this Chocolate Bourbon Bundt Cake, which I actually made for a dinner with friends months ago. That was before the cold air hit Charlottesville and, while this dessert is really good no matter the time of year you make it, when I took my first bite I couldn't help but to think of December. And hot cider. And twinkling lights on trees. And snow.

This gem of a recipe will surely have a place on one of our holiday menus or perhaps as a take-along dish for a party. Dense and moist with a deep, dark chocolaty flavor laced with a hint of bourbon, the cake is easy to make, better when made a day or two in advance and, to top it all off...positively dreamy. I promise that not a crumb will remain after your party. But if I'm wrong and there are some leftovers, a thick slice makes a mighty fine accompaniment to your morning coffee.

Chocolate Bourbon Bundt Cake

adapted from Gourmet, September 2005 Ingredients

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process) plus 3 tbsp for dusting pan
1-1/4 cups brewed coffee
3/4 cup bourbon (I used Maker's Mark)
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
confectioner's sugar for dusting

Method

Position oven rack in middle of oven and preheat to 325*. Butter 10-inch bundt pan well, then dust with 3 tbsp cocoa powder, knocking out excess.
Heat coffee, bourbon, butter and remaining cup of cocoa powder in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, whisking, until butter is melted. Remove from heat then add sugar and whisk until dissolved, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and cool for 5 minutes.
As chocolate cools, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Whisk together the eggs and vanilla in a small bowl, then whisk into cooled chocolate mixture until combined well. Add flour mixture and whisk until just combined - the batter will be thin and bubbly. Pour batter into bundt pan and bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes.
Cool cake completely in pan on a rack, about 2 hours. Loosen cake from pan using tip of a dinner knife, then invert rack over pan and turn cake out onto rack.

categories baking, cake, dessert
tags bourbon, cake, chocolate

many happy moments

September 30, 2009Andrea

I've been trying to write this post for days (days, I tell you!). As you'll see eventually, its about a plum cake. The problem is, I don't have much experience with plums. Other than eating them raw at their peak of ripeness - the sweet-tart juice running down my arms to my elbows - plums and I haven't made a close acquaintance. We've flirted a bit in the past after a quick saute' in a pan along with a dab of butter and some brown sugar, strengthening our relationship with the aid of a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. And, there was that lovely marriage of blackberries and plump black plums that produced a few jars of delicious jam this summer... But when it comes down to memories - the kind of memories evoked by the first bite of a beloved (or even hated) food - plums and I are complete strangers. plum cake-1

I’m fairly new to the world of writing, having only started forcing myself to practice regularly when I started this blog and discovered how much I enjoy it. I’ve learned in the six months since defining the direction of bella eats that writing about personal experience is much easier than writing about something I lack a connection with. Occasionally, I won’t even realize that I have something to write about until suddenly, the words start pouring out of my fingertips as memories flash through my head in a slideshow of my past - ranging in age from 2 days to 25 years. And so, these last couple of days I’ve sat behind my computer writing a sentence here and there, just waiting for those hidden plum-inspired memories to present themselves. plum cake-2

This evening, as I was in the middle of my uninspired third draft, my Momma called for a chat. She had some bad news about an elderly relative, my grandfather’s sister. My Great Aunt isn’t doing very well, in fact hasn’t been for awhile, and Momma wanted to update me on her status. Our conversation eventually turned to more trivial subjects to lighten our mood, and my unsatisfying third draft came up. As I explained my writer’s block my Momma chuckled, and proceeded to share with me a few of her own childhood memories of plums, of which she has many. plum cake-3

She told me about “plumjum”, my grandfather’s favorite spread for toast, and how his sister (yes, the very same as mentioned above) used to make him jars of it with plums from another sister’s trees. She laughed about how surprised she was when, at an older age, she learned that the coveted spread was in fact a simple plum jam. Those family trees that produced the fruit that formed the jam were a favorite playground for my Momma and her cousins, a treetop haven where they ate as many plums as they could stomach while spitting the pits at each other (she was a bit of a tomboy, my mother, having grown up with all male cousins). As we laughed about her memories, events she probably hasn’t thought about in years, I was reminded again of how powerful food is, and thankful that even though she hasn’t read it yet, this post evoked happy thoughts of her past during a time of sadness. plum cake-5

As far as my future with plums goes - and based on my family history with the fruit - I feel pretty confident when I say that we've got many happy moments ahead of us. And you can bet (a plum cake, perhaps?) that a few jars of "plumjum" will be produced this weekend from the best possible specimens, packed up and shipped to Florida for my Momma and grandfather to enjoy. With love. plum cake-7

In the last few weeks, I’ve seen plums pop up in magazines and on some of my favorite blogs, tempting me with their deep red-purple skin and sunset-hued flesh. I'd always thought of them as a summer fruit, but apparently this is the time of year when the European varieties hit their peak. I came across a container of Italian Plus last week and, unable to resist the petite, egg-shaped beauties, immediately started plotting their fate. We decided to host a little brunch at our house last Saturday morning, and so the idea of a plum coffee cake was born. On Friday I consulted numerous recipes before deciding on an adaptation of one I'd had my eye on since August. Perhaps it wasn't meant to be a breakfast treat, but I think it served our purposes just fine. Better than fine, actually, as this cake was one of the best things I've ever tasted. Truly. The tartness of the fruit was nicely balanced by the not-too-sweet dough, the perfect compliment to a cup of black french-roast coffee. plum cake-8

If you'd like this cake for breakfast, make it the night before and wrap it tightly in plastic, letting it sit on your counter until the morning. Then, about 15 minutes before you're ready to eat it remove the plastic, pop it in the oven to re-heat for a few minutes before turning on the broiler to crisp the top and caramelize the edges. Plum Cake adapted from Rustic Fruit Desserts by Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson
P. 39 August 2009 Gourmet magazine inspired by Whitney in Chicago Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature, for pan
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
zest from one lemon
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups stone fruit, halved then sliced to about 1/4" thick. [I used 18 Italian plums. You'd probably use 1/2 as many if you used a larger variety]
juice from 1/2 a lemon
1-2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
1/4 cup sliced almonds, chopped a bit

Method

Mix the flour, salt, baking powder and lemon zest together in a bowl, set aside.
In a stand mixer with paddle attachment (or with a handheld electric mixer) cream the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed for 3-5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix.
Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and stir just until a smooth dough forms. Pull together in a ball and wrap with plastic wrap, flattening to a disk about 1-inch thick. Freeze for 30 minutes.
While the dough rests, place your sliced plums in a bowl and drizzle with lemon juice and 1-2 tbsp sugar, depending on the sweetness of your fruit. Let sit until dough is ready.
Preheat oven to 375*. Butter a 10" spring-form pan. Remove dough from freezer and divide into two equal pieces. Pat one piece into the bottom of the buttered pan, making sure to cover the surface evenly. Spread your fruit over the dough, distributing evenly. Break the remaining dough into 1-inch globs and distribute over the surface of the fruit. Sprinkle with the turbinado sugar and the almonds.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until bubbly and golden. [mine took closer to 40 minutes]

This cake keeps on the counter, wrapped tightly in plastic, for about 3 days. I think, in fact, that it is best on the second day. plum cake-11

I followed the original recipe closely except for the following adaptations: Because about 1/2 of my plums were still a little green on the inside and therefore quite tart, I chose to macerate the fruit for a bit before layering it with the dough. Even if I use very sweet fruit in the future, I won't skip this step. The sugar helped the fruit to caramelize at the edges, producing a wonderful texture. The addition of lemon zest to the dough and slivered almonds to the top of the cake are two tricks that I use quite often in fruit cakes and crumbles. I think that everything is better with a touch of lemon and a few almonds. plum cake merge 1

categories baking, breakfast, cake
tags almonds, cake, lemon, plum

perfect summer cupcakes

July 03, 2009Andrea

Let's talk about cupcakes. Really, really, good cupcakes that don't need too much of an explanation. Why? Because its a three-day weekend dear readers, and I have a date with my husband and some good friends at the bowling alley in an hour! I want you to have this cupcake recipe today though, just in case you want to make them for a 4th of July party, summer picnic or barbeque, a little girl's birthday party or just because you have a craving for some chocolate this weekend. They would be well-received at any event, as they were at our barbeque last Saturday. cupcake 4

Many thanks to the lovely Tara, whose family is filled with a bunch of chocolate fiends, and whom I knew would pull-through for me when I asked "What is your favorite chocolate cupcake recipe?". Pull-through she did, even helping me out as I pondered the type of frosting to use. You see, as I've mentioned before, my dessert of choice for any outdoor event in the middle of a hot Virginia summer typically involves lemon. After realizing this problem, I decided to go with chocolate for our barbeque, but was worried that a chocolate on chocolate combo would be too heavy and rich. Tara agreed, and supported my idea of going with a berry-flavored buttercream, a la Love and Olive Oil. Now, if only I could learn to decorate my cakes as beautifully as both of these ladies do... cupcake 2

The cupcakes were delicious - rich and moist with a delicate crumb and perfectly domed tops. The tang of fresh raspberry puree' whipped into sweet buttercream frosting complimented them wonderfully. The combination was so good, in fact, that they caused a dear friend of ours to eat the two cupcakes sent home with her that were meant for her 3-year old daughter. Shhhh...I won't tell, no worries. I can't say that I wouldn't do the same thing. For those of you celebrating, have a Happy 4th! cupcake 6

Chocolate Cupcakes original recipe from Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook (One-Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes) with adaptations suggested by Tara at Seven Spoons makes 24 cupcakes Ingredients:

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups dutch-process cocoa powder
2-1/2 cups sugar
2-1/2 tsp baking soda
1-1/4 tsp baking powder
1-1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs, plus 1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup milk (I used 2%)
1/2 cup vegetable oil, plus 2 tbsp
1-1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups warm water

Method:

Preheat oven to 350*. Line two standard 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners.
Sift together the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer. With the paddle attachment, mix in the eggs, yolk, milk, sour cream, oil, vanilla and warm water. Beat on low speed until smooth and combined, about 3 minutes.
Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about 2/3s full. I actually over-filled mine a bit, and still had enough left over for 2-3 additional cupcakes. Next time I’ll probably plan to make 30 cupcakes total with this recipe.
Bake, rotating pans halfway through, for 20-27 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Mine took 26 minutes, but like I said, they were slightly over-filled.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Raspberry Buttercream Frosting inspired by Love and Olive Oil I made two batches of this frosting for 24 cupcakes and had about 1/4 of it left. Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups confectioner's sugar
5 tbsp fresh raspberry puree, strained
3/4 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

Cream the butter in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment until light and fluffy. Slowly add 1 cup of the sugar and beat until smooth.
Slowly add the raspberry puree and mix until combined.
Add remaining confectioner's sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, and beat until well incorporated.
Add the vanilla extract and continue to beat at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.

The frosting can be made the night before, but do not refrigerate it. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. cupcake 7

categories baking, cake
tags buttercream, chocolate, cupcakes, martha stewart, raspberry

there are worse things

June 18, 2009Andrea

Hello. My name is Andrea. I have a food blog...and an addiction. To cake. Specifically, lemon cake. If you've ever visited my recipes page, you may have noticed that I have a cake section. In that section there are currently just three cake recipes, and one of them is Molly Wizenburg's Lemon Yogurt Cake which is absolutely delicious. Soon there will be two more cake recipes, just after I hit "publish" on this post. And those two recipes will also be for lemon cakes. See? I think that 3 out of 5 recipes warrants the declaration of an addiction. lemon cake 1

I noticed my problem as I was flipping through magazines and cookbooks trying to decide on a dessert for an upcoming barbeque. I knew I wanted something manageable at an outdoor party, a treat that could be eaten with one’s fingers while holding a napkin rather than dirtying a plate and fork. As I flipped pages and placed stickies on the recipes of interest I started to notice a trend - lemon cupcakes with raspberry glaze, lemon cream cheese bars, lemon cooler cookies - lemon, lemon, lemon. Hmmm... lemon merge 2

The issue became even more apparent when I opened my drafts folder and came across two more lemon recipes that have graced our kitchen in the last month, Lemon Drenched Lemon Cakes and Lemon Bundt Cake with Strawberry Rhubarb Syrup. Clearly, I have a problem. I’ve since decided to go with chocolate for the barbeque...I think. lemon cake 5

In my defense, there are some things that you should know about lemon cakes (besides the obvious, which is that they are delicious) - and the first is that there are so many variations that one can make a different lemon cake recipe every week and never get bored. I promise. Take, for example, the Lemon Drenched Lemon Cakes that I found on Joy’s site, which she herself declares are the best pound-type cake she’s ever had. Ever. Who can resist trying that recipe? lemon pound 3

And then there’s the Lemon Bundt Cake that Food Network named one of the top 7 Cakes For All Occasions. And they just had to go and drizzle it with a Strawberry Rhubarb Syrup. I dare you to defy that temptation. I certainly gave in and made it over Memorial Day weekend for a cook-out at a friend’s house. It was delicious, even though I made it the day before (as recommended) but didn’t have the proper cake covering apparatus that would have kept it from getting a little dry. Its a good thing there was that syrup to pour all over the top... lemon merge 1

Another thing you should know about lemon cakes is that they are very refreshing. This makes them especially tempting when the event for which the cake is planned will take place outdoors, during the hot Virginia summer, after a few rounds of rowdy backyard games. And, they pair nicely with a chilled glass of white wine, always a bonus. That argument alone makes me want to ditch my chocolate cupcake idea for next week's barbeque...what do you think? So, dear readers, I fear that I lack the proper motivation to get over this little addiction of mine, and I’m pretty sure I don’t want to. Which means you may be subjected to additional lemon cake recipes in the future, most likely several before the end of the summer. There are worse things, I suppose. lemon pound merge 2

This recipe makes 2 cakes. After reading some comments from Joy's readers I would not recommend trying to bake this cake in any pan other than loaf pans. Also, I used ALL of the syrup. I just kept brushing layer upon layer of syrup over the tops of the cakes, allowing each application to soak in before adding another. And, when there was just a bit left in the bowl, I poured it onto the serving plate and plopped the cakes right on top of it, allowing the bottoms to soak it up and get nice and lemon-y. If you're not a lemon fanatic like me, you might want to only use 1/2 the syrup. Lemon Drenched Lemon Cakes Recipe adapted from Dorie Greenspan via Joy the Baker. Be sure to check out the lovely pictures of this cake on Joy's site, since I was a bit of a slacker and didn't get many... Cake:

2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
2-1/3 cups sugar
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
6 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
2/3 cup heavy cream
zest of 2 lemons, finely grated
1 stick, plus 7 tbsp unsalted butter (15 tbsp total), melted and cooled

Syrup:

1/3 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
juice of two lemons

Method:

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9x5-inch loaf pans, dust the insides with flour and tap out the excess. Even if the pans are nonstick, it’s a good idea to butter and flour them.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Put the sugar and the lemon zest in a large bowl, working with your fingers, rub them together until the sugar is moist and thoroughly imbued with the fragrance of lemon.
Add the eggs and whisk them into the sugar, beating until they are thoroughly incorporated. Whisk in the extract, then whisk in the cream. Continuing with the whisk, or switching to a large rubber spatula, gently stir in the dry ingredients in 3 or 4 additions; the batter will be smooth and thick. Finish by folding in the melted butter in 2 or 3 additions. Pour the batter into the pans, smoothing with a rubber spatula.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. As soon as the cake goes into the oven, make the syrup. After about 30 minutes in the oven, check the cakes for color- if they are browning too quickly, cover them lightly with foil tents.
Stir the water and sugar together in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the sugar melts, then bring to a boil. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Pour the syrup into a heatproof bowl and let cool.
When the cakes test done, transfer them to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes before unmolding them and turning them right side up on the rack. Place the rack over a baking sheet lined with wax paper and, using a thin skewer, cake tester or thin-bladed sharp knife, poke holes all over the cakes. Brush the cakes all over with the syrup, working slowly so that the cakes sop it up. Leave the cakes on the rack to cool to room temperature.

The recipe recommends that you make this cake the day before you plan to consume it. If you do, be sure to wrap it very well to keep it fresh overnight, or keep it in a cake dome. My gentle tenting over a dinner plate didn't work so well. And don't spoon the glaze over it until you are ready to serve. Lemon Bundt Cake with Strawberry Sauce recipe adapted from foodnetwork.com Cake:

3-1/4 cups cake flour, sifted (I used 1/2 cake flour and 1/2 whole wheat pastry flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 cup sour cream
zest from one lemon, finely grated
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs
2 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil

Syrup:

about 6oz of fresh or frozen rhubarb, chopped finely
1-1/2 cups strawberry jam
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Generously brush the bundt pan with butter and dust with flour.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl and set aside. In another bowl, whisk the sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla and set aside.
Whisk the eggs and sugar together in another bowl, stirring vigorously to lighten the eggs. Gradually whisk in the oil until evenly combined. Add the sour cream mixture and stir together. Add the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon just until combined but still a bit lumpy. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake the cake until it pulls away from the sides of the pan and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool 10 minutes; then unmold cake onto a rack placed over a baking sheet. Cool. (The cake can be prepared to this point a day ahead.)
When ready to serve. Combine the rhubarb, jam, lemon juice and salt in a small saucepan and simmer until the rhubarb gets translucent and syrupy, almost jewel like,, about 10 minutes. Add a bit of water, if the glaze gets too thick . Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla. Let cool slightly. Spoon some of the glaze over the top of the cake, and reserve the rest for serving with sliced cake. Serve with fresh strawberries.

categories baking, cake
tags bundt cake, lemon, pound cake

it will do

May 22, 2009Andrea

Last weekend was the epitome of the perfect Spring weekend. Saturday was kicked off with a trip to the farmer's market, where a lovely assortment of spring greens, asparagus, green onions and fresh eggs were purchased as we browsed the stalls, cup of coffee in hand. After that was strawberry picking in the country, where Brian and I desperately tried to find enough perfectly ripe berries in the sea of green-tipped adolescents to make our 25 minute drive worth it. ginger merge 4

Apparently the field had been picked clean by a gaggle of girl scouts the weekend before and hadn't quite recovered yet. Now I have nothing against girl scouts, but when they clean out the strawberry field I am left with a few bitter thoughts in my head. If you've been reading for awhile, you'll know that Virginia's strawberry season is short and I look forward to it all year long. Luckily my momentary bitterness was nothing a strawberry frozen yogurt and a trip to the reservoir to let the dogs swim couldn't fix. ginger merge 3

On Sunday we continued our celebration of spring weekend by grilling out with friends. Brian has been working to perfect ribs on our Big Green Egg grill for a year now, with a long hiatus in the middle for those cold winter months. We thought that this weekend was going to be it, the moment when the ribs would come off the grill after spending hours smoking over low heat, perfectly moist and fall-off-the-bone tender. ginger 5

I anticipated telling you all about them and had their post written in my head. It was going to be so perfectly coincidental that our first attempt at ribs on the Big Green Egg had been exactly one year prior, on the weekend of my graduation from UVA's M.Arch program, and that exactly 12 months of debates and research and a dozen racks of ribs later I would be sharing with you the perfect rib recipe. Sadly, it isn't so. ginger merge 2

While their flavor was delicious, as it always is, the tenderness of the ribs just wasn't where Brian wants it to be. We'll get there, I promise, and you all will be the first to know - after we call all of the friends whom we've been experimenting on to gleefully tell them that we have finally mastered ribs on the Big Green Egg and to please, please, stop by for another taste-test. Until then, a recipe for ginger bundt cake with ginger-infused strawberries will have to do. ginger 8

And it will do, I promise, because here's the thing about this cake - it. is. delicious. I knew it would be a success as I was blending the farm-fresh eggs into the batter and it was turning the beautiful golden color you see above. The texture was just what cake batter should be, and the color given to it by those vibrant orange egg yolks (which you just can't get from grocery store eggs) was so beautiful that I did a little dance after each addition. The ginger-infused syrup for the strawberries is so perfect that I can't help but think of cocktail recipes that will utilize it all summer long. ginger 10

This cake fits right in at the backyard barbeque, nestled in between ribs on the grill and the last few games of Baggo. It has a consistency similar to pound cake, and if you choose to forego the strawberries one could easily eat a piece with their hands without it crumbling to bits. This would be very helpful if a second serving were desired after the backyard games had begun, which is not unlikely. I hope you'll give it a try this Memorial Day weekend, and if you do, be sure to save some for the next day. For as good as it is on a sunny afternoon piled high with gingered strawberries and accompanied by a glass of white wine, its even better with coffee the next morning. Trust me, it will do. ginger 12

The recipe for Double-Ginger Sour Cream Bundt Cake with Ginger-Infused Strawberries can be found here, or in the April 2009 Bon Appetit. The turbinado sugar I dusted on the inside of the bundt pan didn't stay crystalized like the pictures show in the magazine. Instead the sugar melted and formed a perfect crust on the outside of the cake. We loved it. I substituted white whole wheat flour for the all-purpose and it was delicious. ginger 9

categories baking, cake
tags cake, ginger, strawberries, whole wheat

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