Sour Cream and Lemon Pound Cake

This flavorful recipe is courtesy of Epicurious Food Recipes.

If you're looking to provide dessert for 12 hefty adults, this is a perfect solution. The servings are huge! The recipe makes two loaf pans.

Jack added a lemon-zest, lemon juice glaze, but I preferred it without.

Very moist and lots of flavor.

Ingredients:

3 cups cake flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3 cups sugar

6 eggs, room temperature

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

1 cup sour cream

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease 16-cup tube pan. Dust pan with cake flour; tap out excess flour.
2. Sift flour, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl at medium speed until fluffy. Gradually add sugar and beat 5 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until combined after each addition. Beat in lemon juice and peel. Using rubber spatula, mix in dry ingredients. Mix in sour cream. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
3. Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Let cake cool in pan on rack 15 minutes. Cut around cake in pan. Turn out cake.
4. Carefully turn cake right side up on rack and cool completely. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Wrap in foil and let stand at room temperature.)

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Sour-Cream-and-Lemon-Pound-Cake-2121#ixzz2GqaACXnf

Red Velvet Cake with Butter Cream Frosting

My magical friend Lynn Hagen is one fabulous baker, and frequently treats us with her wonderful desserts and pastries. At our recent Cookie Exchange party, Lynn brought her award winning, triple layer, red velvet cake with butter cream frosting! Yummy! I never knew red velvet could taste so good!

When asked if I could share her recipe with you, Lynn graciously said "yes".  This New Orleans recipe is one she acquired long ago from a friend's aunt's cookbook. The frosting is a "Classic Wilton" recipe.

We hope you enjoy it as much as we have!


Red Velvet Cake (frosting recipe is below)

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups cake flour

¾ cup unsalted butter

2 1/3 cups sugar

3 tablespoons cocoa

3 large eggs

6 tablespoons red food coloring (2 bottles)

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 ½ cups buttermilk

1 ½ teaspoons cider vinegar

 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350

• Grease and lightly flour three 9x2 inch round cake pans; then line the bottom with waxed paper (or parchment paper)

• In a small bowl, sift the cake flour and set aside.  In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a small bowl, whisk together the red food coloring, cocoa and vanilla.  Add to the batter and beat well. 

• In a measuring cup, stir the salt into the buttermilk, Add to the batter in three parts alternating with the flour.  With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated, but do not over beat.  In a small bowl, stir together the cider vinegar and baking soda.  Add to the batter and mix well,  Using a rubber spatula scrape down the batter in the bowl, making sure the ingredients are well blended and batter is smooth.  Divide the batter among the prepared pans.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  Let the layers cool in the pans for 1 hour, remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

• When the cake has cooled, spread with buttercream frosting between the layers, then ice the top and sides of the cake.  One recipe is enough if spreading thin.  I use one and one-half recipes of frosting.

Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

1 cup shortening (1 Crisco white stick)

1 cup butter, softened

2 pounds powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 tablespoons milk

Method:

• Cream shortening and butter until fluffy.  Add sugar, milk and vanilla, Blend on medium speed until all ingredients are mixed well.  Blend a minute or two more until creamy in texture.
• To thin frosting, add 2 teaspoons milk per cup of stiff frosting.
• Yield: 6 cups stiff frosting – enough for a two layer cake.  

Mexican Chocolate Pound Cake

We thoroughly enjoyed the Mexican Chocolate Pound Cake recipe, however it is very rich, and only small slices were needed to satisfy even the most avid dessert lover. This recipe easily meets requirements for large gatherings, and refrigerates beautifully for up to a week!

Ingredients-------

1 (8-oz.) package semisweet chocolate baking squares, chopped*

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1/2 cup chocolate syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

Powdered sugar (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Microwave chocolate baking squares in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 minute and 15 seconds or until chocolate is melted and smooth, stirring at 15-second intervals. Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer 2 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating 5 to 7 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears after each addition. Stir in melted chocolate, chocolate syrup, and vanilla until smooth.

2. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch (14-cup) tube pan.

3. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack, and let cool completely (about 1 hour and 30 minutes). Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. Serve with Mexican Chocolate Sauce. Garnish, if desired.

NOTE: *2 (4.4-oz.) packages Mexican chocolate, chopped, may be substituted. Omit ground cinnamon.

This recipe is courtesy of Southern Living.  Photos are from Jack's Kitchen

Southern Living
NOVEMBER 2010 edition

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Always on the lookout for creative ways incorporating our prosperous harvests, I find zucchini is the easiest of all to utilize.

This easy Devil's Food Cake is a great way of integrating some fiber and nutrition into a dessert chocolate lovers are sure to enjoy, with no one the wiser as to what you have put into the cake.

First, let me admit to cheating. I used a Duncan Hines Devil's Food Cake mix.

In lieu of water, I used 2-3 cups shredded zucchini, including the skin. The zucchini squash contains lots of water and electrolytes, making for a very moist cake. Though layer cakes are perfect for this recipe, a simple cake pan was used to accommodate limited refrigerator space.

Ingredients:

Cake Mix (any flavor is fine)
3 eggs
1/4 cup oil
2-3 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini

Mix eggs, oil.
Add cake mix until blended well, but not overly beaten (too much beating will toughen the cake).

Add the zucchini, thoroughly blending. Pour into pans of your choice.

Baking time depends on your oven. This one actually baked 7 minutes sooner than it would have with water. My husband never knew about the zucchini until he had polished the cake off, and I told him.

Icing:

1/2 brick cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 - 1/3 cup pure cocoa
1 tsp pure vanilla
1-3 tbsp cold water
3/4 box of 10x powdered sugar

(for less icing, reduce the ingredients)

This is a rich cake, and no one even knows vegetables are in it.

Have fun experimenting with unconventional ingredients in your daily baking!

Easy, Cool Pineapple Upside Down Layer Cake

This upside-down layer cake is easy to create, easy to clean up, and provides a cool, interesting flavor.

 Interesting - unusual - this dessert is a crowd pleaser.

Cheater's Version: Use a cake mix.

Ingredients:

Duncan Hines cake mix (butter, yellow or pineapple flavored).

1 tall can sliced in-juice pineapple, drained, with excess juice placed in measuring cup.

1 jar maraschino cherries

oil, shortening or butter (per cake mix)

1/2 cup brown sugar

4 pieces parchment paper

Mix cake per directions, substituting mix’s water amount with the left over pineapple juice.

Line two round layer pans with fitted parchment paper (for easy cake removal)

Spray inside of pans with oil. Sprinkle brown sugar to nearly cover the parchment paper on both pans. 

Arrange pineapple slices on top of brown sugar (as desired) and embellish with cherries.

Divide cake batter evenly in round pans.

Bake per directions until toothpick comes out clean. Pop cake out on two pieces of parchment paper on cooling rack. When cool, slide one layer onto cake platter.

Filling:

1/2 brick sour cream, room temperature

2 cups 10X sugar

1 tbsp real vanilla

2 tbsp water

Cream sour cream, vanilla and one tbsp water. Slowly add sugar until the desired consistency is achieved. If necessary, use other tbsp of water. Apply to top of bottom cake layer.

Slide 2nd layer on top. Garnish with cherries or more pineapple.

Eggnog Pound Cake

At our annual Cookie Exchange, the Florida Stampers shared several wonderful recipes. Here is one which was a big hit, and enjoyed by everyone!

Kim Davenport’s eggnog pound cake:

Ingredients

1 (16-oz.) package pound cake mix 

1 1/4 cups eggnog

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Beat all ingredients together at low speed with an electric mixer until blended. Increase speed to medium, and beat 2 minutes. Pour into a lightly greased (Kim used veg spray) 9- x 5-inch loaf pan.

2. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack, and cool completely (about 1 hour).

3. Once completely cool, sift some powered sugar on top.

Kim’s Note:  I would bake for 40 minutes and check.  Insert toothpick and it needs to come out clean.  If needed, bake another 10 minutes and recheck.  Then every 5 minutes...  Do not over cook as the sides will taste burnt even if they don't get real dark.

Apple Cake

Apple Cake

Ingredients

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

1-1/2 cups butter or canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (more if your family enjoys it)

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups sliced peeled apples (Granny Smith are our favorites)

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

(NOTE: If you don't enjoy baking from scratch, try using your favorite yellow cake mix with 1 1/2 cups of butter/oil and no water)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and butter. 
2. In separate bowl, combine remaining dry ingredients and briefly mix with whisk or fingers. Then add to wet ingredients (batter will be very thick). Fold in apples and nuts.
3. Pour into a greased 10-in. fluted tube pan (bundt pan). Bake at 325° for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.
4. For a glazed appearance, melt a little butter on the top of the cake to make it shiny.
5. If desired, drizzle a honey glaze or powdered sugar glaze for more sweetness.

Honey Glaze

2 tablespoons honey

1 cup powdered sugar 

2 tablespoons water or milk (add gradually to mixture)

Drizzle atop cake

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