My son may be getting older, but I am not. Okay, maybe a little. But yesterday was my sons 21st birthday. Man oh man, where does the time go? Now usually he has a big to do, here at home, but this year he wanted it be just a quiet gathering, meaning, his immediate family and super-close friends. Two of the three friends could not make it due to prior obligations or work, so it came down to just enough people to sit at our dining room table.
I was at work all day, which was a 45 minute drive away. So suffice it to say, I would not be the one cooking dinner. In steps my daughter. We of course, had asked my son what he wanted for his birthday dinner and he fessed up right away that he wanted mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese. Taters are easy enough. But her macaroni and cheese are very grown up. But last night she out did herself.
Then there was the coup de ta (sp?). She made her brother a golden cake. Basically a vanilla cake. To him, as long as it is white, it is vanilla. We have not told him otherwise. She found the recipe for the cake and the frosting at Food Network, but let me tell you, there are no words to describe how good these recipes were.
Gold Cake
3/4 cup butter flavored vegetable shortening (I have no idea what she used, but I will find out)
1&1/4 cup sugar
2&1/2 cups cake flour (she used unbleached white flour)
3t baking powder
1/4t salt
8 egg yolks, beaten (I know I have given up eggs, but I did try the cake all the same, but I would love to find a substitute)
3/4 cup milk
1t vanilla
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 (9 inch ) cake pans with shortening and set aside. Cream together the shortening and the sugar. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Slowly alternate adding the egg yolks and milk with the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
Add the vanilla and mix well. Pour into the prepared pans, about half the batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a rack.
Quick Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup butter
1t vanilla extract
1-2T whipping cream
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter. Mix on ow speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.
Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading.
Suffice it to say, our dinner last night was to die for. And all thinks goes to my lovely daughter Nana Brain!!
Showing posts with label Cake. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cake. Show all posts
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Glazed Honey Bars
My daughter has a sweet tooth, and she openly admits this. I however am more a salty person, Want to know how I know? Well I used love White Russians, which are sweet and creamy, now a Dirty Martini is more my style. But I can't even remember when I had one last. Anyhow, on to more pressing issues...like food.
I am now thee official Raw Food class person at Nutrition S'Mart. And yes, I am learning right along with my students. I love cooking, but this raw stuff is still new to me, but man oh man am I having a blast. To date, I have not made a dish I have not fallen in love with and for many different reasons. For one, the ease. I taught a class last night and thee only kitchen gadgets I took were: 1) Food processor 2) Cutting Board 3) Knife) Citrus Juicer *manual* 4) Bowl and Spoon for dish, so technically this does not count.
Hello, how simple is that. Heck, if not for my purse I could have carried all of those item in with only my hands. I decided at nearly the last minute which dish I was to make and it cam out grand, but that has already been posted. What I want folks to know is that I am still on a journey, and I am not some super duper extremely perfect person eating perfect dishes. Hence this recipe. My daughter found this via The Food Network and it is from Paula Deen. Need I say anymore?
Granted, we make it as healthy as we possibly can, but there are times that you just are stuck with a decadent dish. Whether it be a salad or a dessert. These were so good, that there were none to be put in a left-over container and be put in the fridge. Make these, they are ooey and gooey, but for a treat they are perfect.
2/3 cup vegetable oil (for baking we only use coconut oil now)
1/8 cup honey(if not honey, then use agave)
1/2 sugar(we use raw)
1 egg(tofu or flax seeds are great in place of eggs)
1t ground cinnamon
1 cup self rising flour(I know my daughter used unbleached white, use what you have)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts(so that's what was missing, my daughter does not like nuts in her desserts)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1T mayonnaise
1T milk (we use almond, soy or rice)
1t vanilla extract
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8x8 pan. In a mixing bowl, beat the oil honey, granulated sugar and egg until well blended. Stir the cinnamon into the flour, then stir this into thee egg mixture and mix well. Stir in the nuts. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let stand while you are making the glaze. In a bowl, stir together the confectioners' sugar, mayonnaise, milk, and vanilla. Pour glaze over the cake and spread it with a spatula(Paula says spatuler. I love her accent). Let cool, then cut into bars.
Man were these ever good, but I could only eat these in small pieces or only one. And we all admitted that the glaze made them too sweet. See what becoming healthy does to you? Even making things from scratch and you find them too sweet. This is obviously not a dish you eat every day but once in a while is fine. Make substitutions that make it healthier and then serve it to friends, they will love you. And it is simple stupid to make...in the famous words of Paula herself.
I am now thee official Raw Food class person at Nutrition S'Mart. And yes, I am learning right along with my students. I love cooking, but this raw stuff is still new to me, but man oh man am I having a blast. To date, I have not made a dish I have not fallen in love with and for many different reasons. For one, the ease. I taught a class last night and thee only kitchen gadgets I took were: 1) Food processor 2) Cutting Board 3) Knife) Citrus Juicer *manual* 4) Bowl and Spoon for dish, so technically this does not count.
Hello, how simple is that. Heck, if not for my purse I could have carried all of those item in with only my hands. I decided at nearly the last minute which dish I was to make and it cam out grand, but that has already been posted. What I want folks to know is that I am still on a journey, and I am not some super duper extremely perfect person eating perfect dishes. Hence this recipe. My daughter found this via The Food Network and it is from Paula Deen. Need I say anymore?
Granted, we make it as healthy as we possibly can, but there are times that you just are stuck with a decadent dish. Whether it be a salad or a dessert. These were so good, that there were none to be put in a left-over container and be put in the fridge. Make these, they are ooey and gooey, but for a treat they are perfect.
2/3 cup vegetable oil (for baking we only use coconut oil now)
1/8 cup honey(if not honey, then use agave)
1/2 sugar(we use raw)
1 egg(tofu or flax seeds are great in place of eggs)
1t ground cinnamon
1 cup self rising flour(I know my daughter used unbleached white, use what you have)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts(so that's what was missing, my daughter does not like nuts in her desserts)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1T mayonnaise
1T milk (we use almond, soy or rice)
1t vanilla extract
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8x8 pan. In a mixing bowl, beat the oil honey, granulated sugar and egg until well blended. Stir the cinnamon into the flour, then stir this into thee egg mixture and mix well. Stir in the nuts. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let stand while you are making the glaze. In a bowl, stir together the confectioners' sugar, mayonnaise, milk, and vanilla. Pour glaze over the cake and spread it with a spatula(Paula says spatuler. I love her accent). Let cool, then cut into bars.
Man were these ever good, but I could only eat these in small pieces or only one. And we all admitted that the glaze made them too sweet. See what becoming healthy does to you? Even making things from scratch and you find them too sweet. This is obviously not a dish you eat every day but once in a while is fine. Make substitutions that make it healthier and then serve it to friends, they will love you. And it is simple stupid to make...in the famous words of Paula herself.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Zucchini Bread
Well to say I love coffee cake style breads is a gross understatement. I love to have a nice thick slice and dunk it my one cup of coffee in the morning. Oh heck, let's be honest, I could grab a chunk of that stuff and stab someone with my fork if they made an attempt to share a piece with me. Don't mess with my canoli's or my coffee cakes.
I had purchased three zucchini's thee other day as an emergency to hold us over until we got to the produce stand. I did not get to use them in a recipe until today. I was thumbing through two of my favorite books and could not find anything under zucchini. But I was obviously looking in the wrong place. I was scouring the entire recipe index and low and behold, looky what I found. A zucchini bread recipe. My oh my! This is so good. Takes me back to wintertime. OK so in Florida our winter is a wee bit different than the rest of the world. But a girl can hope, can't she?
Simple ingredients and oh so healthy and good. Imagine that?! Make this and you will love me in the morning. And who can we thank for this lovely recipe? You guessed it, Sarah Kramer's, 'How it all Vegan. I still say this book will save my life. Her vegan recipes are easy, simple and yet still tasty and delicious. Chalk one up for Miss Sarah folks!
1&1/2 cups flour (we ground our own)
2t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1&1/2 t cinnamon
egg replacer (to equal 1 egg) (we used cornstarch for our replacement)
1/2 cup sweetener (we used raw sugar)
1/3 cup oil
1t vinegar
1t vanilla extract
1&1/2 cups zucchini, grated (about 1&1/2 small zucchini's)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped nuts (we used almonds)
1/4 cup water (we had to use another 1/4 cup)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add the egg replacer, sweetener, oil, vinegar, and vanilla, and mix. Stir in zucchini, raisins, and nuts and mix together gently until 'just mixed."
Add a little water if the dough seems too dry. Spoon the batter into a lightly oiled loaf pan and bake for 45-50 minutes. Test with a knife to see if done. Cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving . Makes 1 loaf.
YUMMO! This is such a KEEPER!!!
I had purchased three zucchini's thee other day as an emergency to hold us over until we got to the produce stand. I did not get to use them in a recipe until today. I was thumbing through two of my favorite books and could not find anything under zucchini. But I was obviously looking in the wrong place. I was scouring the entire recipe index and low and behold, looky what I found. A zucchini bread recipe. My oh my! This is so good. Takes me back to wintertime. OK so in Florida our winter is a wee bit different than the rest of the world. But a girl can hope, can't she?
Simple ingredients and oh so healthy and good. Imagine that?! Make this and you will love me in the morning. And who can we thank for this lovely recipe? You guessed it, Sarah Kramer's, 'How it all Vegan. I still say this book will save my life. Her vegan recipes are easy, simple and yet still tasty and delicious. Chalk one up for Miss Sarah folks!
1&1/2 cups flour (we ground our own)
2t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1&1/2 t cinnamon
egg replacer (to equal 1 egg) (we used cornstarch for our replacement)
1/2 cup sweetener (we used raw sugar)
1/3 cup oil
1t vinegar
1t vanilla extract
1&1/2 cups zucchini, grated (about 1&1/2 small zucchini's)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped nuts (we used almonds)
1/4 cup water (we had to use another 1/4 cup)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add the egg replacer, sweetener, oil, vinegar, and vanilla, and mix. Stir in zucchini, raisins, and nuts and mix together gently until 'just mixed."
Add a little water if the dough seems too dry. Spoon the batter into a lightly oiled loaf pan and bake for 45-50 minutes. Test with a knife to see if done. Cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving . Makes 1 loaf.
YUMMO! This is such a KEEPER!!!
Monday, July 6, 2009
Vanilla Cake
You people are probably tired of me singing the praises of this woman and her cookbook. Her, being Sarah Kramer, the book being How it all Vegan! I simply cannot rave enough about this book. It's stylish, catchy retro styling, the ease to which the recipes are laid out and the not having to go out and purchase super weird ingredients that you will only use for one recipe. Yeah, who likes that. No one that I know of. So, hold on to your waistlines honeys, I got a cake that will knock your socks off. And could you serve it for a Birthday? By all means. The Icing/whipped cream recipe that I sued did not fit the bill for what most of us know as 'traditional' icing, but I made this cake last night and it is 75% gone as I type this post.
Please keep in mind that I use fresh ground flour and my cake is going to be heavier/earthier than those of you who use lighter, whiter flour. With that said, let's get down to some serious baking.
1&1/2 cups flour (we used whole wheat)
2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
3/4 cup dry sweetner (we used raw sugar)
3/4 cup milk (we used almond)
2 t vanilla extract
1/4 cup oil (we used peanut)
egg replacer (to equal 1 egg) (we used cornstarch)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the sweetner, milk, oil, and egg replacer and mix together gently until 'just mixed." Pour into a lightly oiled cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. Check with a knife to see if done. When cooled, ice and (recipe to follow) serve.
I wish there was some way I could hug Sarah, but all I can do is sing the praises of her book and let you folks know just how much I enjoy using her recipes.
Please keep in mind that I use fresh ground flour and my cake is going to be heavier/earthier than those of you who use lighter, whiter flour. With that said, let's get down to some serious baking.
1&1/2 cups flour (we used whole wheat)
2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
3/4 cup dry sweetner (we used raw sugar)
3/4 cup milk (we used almond)
2 t vanilla extract
1/4 cup oil (we used peanut)
egg replacer (to equal 1 egg) (we used cornstarch)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the sweetner, milk, oil, and egg replacer and mix together gently until 'just mixed." Pour into a lightly oiled cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. Check with a knife to see if done. When cooled, ice and (recipe to follow) serve.
I wish there was some way I could hug Sarah, but all I can do is sing the praises of her book and let you folks know just how much I enjoy using her recipes.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Move Over Bugs Bunny
If you haven't figured it out by now, this post will be related to carrots. I needed some carrot pulp for my marinara post and there was plenty to keep. And I knew I wanted to make carrot cake, but a bit healthier. So where did I go? I yeah, How it all Vegan. Once again these ladies...Tanya Barnard and Sarah Kramer have a splendid book. Retro look and simple recipes can keep you up to your eyeballs in new food and comfort food as well. I proved that today by making brownies and now a carrot cake.
I did make one tiny boo boo though, but easily rectifiable. I made it in a loaf pan, which is usually where I bake my banana nut bread, but I now see I need a cake pan like thee instructions dictated. But no worries, I just added 10 minutes to the bake time and Viola!
1&1/2 cups flour (we used unbleached)
3/4 cup dry sweetener(we used raw sugar)
2 t baking powder
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t salt
3/4 cup soy milk (we used almond)
2 t vanilla extract
1/4 cup canola oil (we will use this until it if done then buy it no more)
egg replacer (equal to 1 egg) (we used 3T applesauce)
1/2 cup carrot, finely shredded(we used pulp from juiced carrots)
1 t fresh ginger, grated
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sweetener, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add the milk, vanilla, oil, egg replacer, carrot, and ginger and mix together gently until 'just mixed,' Pour into a lightly oiled pan and bake fro 25-30 minutes. Check with a knife to see if done. When cooled, you can ice if you choose to, we did not.
WOW!, again. I am in a domestic mood today. And my family reaps the benefits. And I am in the process of cooking a lentil curry stew in the slow cooker, so keep your eyes peeled for the results of that dish.
This carrot cake is to die for. It is not as dark as the one you are use to, but who cares, for this sis so darned good. Yowser!
I did make one tiny boo boo though, but easily rectifiable. I made it in a loaf pan, which is usually where I bake my banana nut bread, but I now see I need a cake pan like thee instructions dictated. But no worries, I just added 10 minutes to the bake time and Viola!
1&1/2 cups flour (we used unbleached)
3/4 cup dry sweetener(we used raw sugar)
2 t baking powder
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t salt
3/4 cup soy milk (we used almond)
2 t vanilla extract
1/4 cup canola oil (we will use this until it if done then buy it no more)
egg replacer (equal to 1 egg) (we used 3T applesauce)
1/2 cup carrot, finely shredded(we used pulp from juiced carrots)
1 t fresh ginger, grated
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sweetener, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add the milk, vanilla, oil, egg replacer, carrot, and ginger and mix together gently until 'just mixed,' Pour into a lightly oiled pan and bake fro 25-30 minutes. Check with a knife to see if done. When cooled, you can ice if you choose to, we did not.
WOW!, again. I am in a domestic mood today. And my family reaps the benefits. And I am in the process of cooking a lentil curry stew in the slow cooker, so keep your eyes peeled for the results of that dish.
This carrot cake is to die for. It is not as dark as the one you are use to, but who cares, for this sis so darned good. Yowser!
Monday, January 12, 2009
Prune Cake
Whoa!
Did I mention Whoa?!
I love this woman's blog. And for may reasons. She is down to Earth, which reminds me of myself, and her pictures are to die for. But that constitutes a good camera. We have Edna (Savanah has named our Camera, Edna Mole, from the old lady clothes designer in The Incredibles) and she cooks for real. Granted, she has a lot of meat recipes and those cannot be vegetized, but some of her other stuff is OMG! We cook her Hot Crash Potatoes at least once a week. I"m not kidding. Her blog is easily surfable (that is a word cuz I made it up). But stop by and try her Prune cake.
We made it last night and it is extremely moist, but I went ahead and made the glaze. Truth be told, this cake does not need the glaze. It is pretty AOK all by itself. Is it something you could dunk? No, it is too moist and would probably fall apart in your hot beverage. So get yourself a fork and a hot beverage or a cold glass of milk, for you are going to need one or thee other, or maybe both.
Grandma Iny’s Prune Cake
Cake:
1 cup prunes
1 cup sugar ( We used Raw)
3 eggs (I did use eggs this time)
1 cup canola oil
1 ½ cups flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup buttermilk (We soured our own Rice milk with a bit of vinegar)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Cover prunes with water. Bring to a boil and cook until soft and mashable, about eight minutes.Remove from heat, drain water, and mash on a plate. Set aside. Sift together dry ingredients. Mix together oil, sugar, and eggs. Combine wet and dry ingredients, add buttermilk, and stir gently until just combined.Throw in the mashed pruned and stir gently to combine. DO NOT OVERMIX.
Pour batter into buttered baking dish (9 x 13 or so) and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE OR INY WILL PADDLE YOUR BOTTOM.
While cake has five minutes remaining, make the icing:
Icing:
1 cup sugar
½ cup buttermilk (We did sour our own rice milk with a bit of vinegar)
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon white corn syrup
¼ cup butter (I did use real butter this time)
½ teaspoon vanilla
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a slow boil. Boil without stirring for 5 to 7 minutes, or until icing starts to turn dark. Do NOT allow icing to reach soft ball stage; icing should be caramel in color, but not sticky like caramel. Icing should be easily pourable.
Remove cake from oven and pour on icing immediately.
This icing is very rich, but I would not say too rich, but for us the cake stood alone and did not need the icing, but to each his own. Try it and see what you think, you may love it and want more. But know this, the cake is EXTREMELY moist all by itself.
Thank you Pioneer Woman
Did I mention Whoa?!
I love this woman's blog. And for may reasons. She is down to Earth, which reminds me of myself, and her pictures are to die for. But that constitutes a good camera. We have Edna (Savanah has named our Camera, Edna Mole, from the old lady clothes designer in The Incredibles) and she cooks for real. Granted, she has a lot of meat recipes and those cannot be vegetized, but some of her other stuff is OMG! We cook her Hot Crash Potatoes at least once a week. I"m not kidding. Her blog is easily surfable (that is a word cuz I made it up). But stop by and try her Prune cake.
We made it last night and it is extremely moist, but I went ahead and made the glaze. Truth be told, this cake does not need the glaze. It is pretty AOK all by itself. Is it something you could dunk? No, it is too moist and would probably fall apart in your hot beverage. So get yourself a fork and a hot beverage or a cold glass of milk, for you are going to need one or thee other, or maybe both.
Grandma Iny’s Prune Cake
Cake:
1 cup prunes
1 cup sugar ( We used Raw)
3 eggs (I did use eggs this time)
1 cup canola oil
1 ½ cups flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup buttermilk (We soured our own Rice milk with a bit of vinegar)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Cover prunes with water. Bring to a boil and cook until soft and mashable, about eight minutes.Remove from heat, drain water, and mash on a plate. Set aside. Sift together dry ingredients. Mix together oil, sugar, and eggs. Combine wet and dry ingredients, add buttermilk, and stir gently until just combined.Throw in the mashed pruned and stir gently to combine. DO NOT OVERMIX.
Pour batter into buttered baking dish (9 x 13 or so) and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE OR INY WILL PADDLE YOUR BOTTOM.
While cake has five minutes remaining, make the icing:
Icing:
1 cup sugar
½ cup buttermilk (We did sour our own rice milk with a bit of vinegar)
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon white corn syrup
¼ cup butter (I did use real butter this time)
½ teaspoon vanilla
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a slow boil. Boil without stirring for 5 to 7 minutes, or until icing starts to turn dark. Do NOT allow icing to reach soft ball stage; icing should be caramel in color, but not sticky like caramel. Icing should be easily pourable.
Remove cake from oven and pour on icing immediately.
This icing is very rich, but I would not say too rich, but for us the cake stood alone and did not need the icing, but to each his own. Try it and see what you think, you may love it and want more. But know this, the cake is EXTREMELY moist all by itself.
Thank you Pioneer Woman
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