baking

Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake

Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake
Yields: 1 3-layer cake
Original recipe here .
For the cheesecake:
2 oz. white chocolate, chopped
16 oz. cream cheese, room temperature (2 packages)
1/2 cup + 2 tbsn. sugar
1 tbsn. flour
2 eggs, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tbsn. heavy cream
For the cake:
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsn. cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 tbsn./ 1 oz. red food coloring
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. white distilled vinegar
For the cream cheese frosting:
16 oz. cream cheese/ 2 blocks, room temperature
8 tbsn./ 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 – 3 cups powdered sugar
pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 350 F. To make the cheesecake, melt the white chocolate, set aside to cool slightly. In a large bowl using an electronic mixer, mix the cream cheese on low speed until creamy. Add the sugar and mix slowly until smooth. On low speed, mix in the flour. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl and beater with a rubber spatula. Add one egg at a time, mixing well after each addition, scraping the sides of the bowl. Mix in the vanilla and cream until the mixture is smooth. Using a large spoon, stir in the melted white chocolate until incorporated. Pour the batter into a parchment paper lined 9-inch spring form pan. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the center is set when you slightly shake the pan. Allow to cool before removing from the spring form pan. Allow to cool completely before assembling the cake.
For the cake, preheat the oven to 350 F. Sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa and salt into a medium bowl. Beat the eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and vinegar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until well combined. Add the dry ingredients and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Divide the batter evenly between 2 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans and bake for 25 – 30 minutes, rotating halfway through, until an inserted toothpick in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cakes cool for 10 minutes, then invert each onto a plate, then invert again onto a cooling rack and let them cool completely, then level.


To make the cream cheese frosting, cream together the cream cheese and butter in a stand mixer until creamy and smooth. Turn the mixer on low and add the vanilla and salt. Then add the powdered sugar slowly. Once mostly incorporated, turn back to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy. To assemble the cake, place your bottom layer of cake on the dish/ plate you will be serving it on with the leveled side facing up. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese frosting on top – it doesn’t matter how messy it looks since it will be covered. Transfer the cheesecake to the top of the cake, then spread another thin layer of cream cheese frosting on top of the cheesecake. Top with the remaining layer of cake – leveled side down so that you have a clean surface. Use the rest of the cream cheese frosting to frost the entire cake. Enjoy!

Mini Doughnut Muffins

I’ve been thinking about doughnuts since the Food Network began advertising the new Doughnut Wars show.

Ingredients
Doughnut Muffins
  • 3 c. All-Purpose Flour
  • 2½ t. Baking Powder
  • ¼ t. Baking Soda
  • ¾ t. Salt
  • ½ t. Ground Nutmeg
  • 10 T. Unsalted Butter, softened
  • ¾ c. plus 2 T. Granulated Sugar
  • 2 Large Eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 t. Pure Vanilla
  • ¾ c. Whole Milk, at room temperature
  • 2 T. Buttermilk, at room temperature
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
  • 8 T. (1 stick) Unsalted Butter, melted
  • 1 c. Granulated Sugar
  • 1 T. Ground Cinnamon
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2, 24-cup mini muffin tins with cooking spray.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.
  3. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the milk and buttermilk.
  4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time until just combined. Beat in vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, beat in ? of the flour mixture until combined and then half of the milk mixture. Repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with the flour mixture. Beat on low speed just until incorporated. Do not over mix.
  5. Fill the prepared muffin cups just to the rim with batter, about a spoonful. Bake, one pan at a time, until lightly golden and firm to touch, 15 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking time. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
  6. While the muffins cool, combine the sugar and cinnamon in a large, resealable plastic bag. Brush each muffin generously with melted butter. Place a few muffins in the bag with the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Shake well to coat the muffins. Repeat with remaining muffins.
Notes
-For Jelly Doughnut Muffins, I omitted the nutmeg and filled middle of the doughnut muffin with strawberry jam before baking and shook in a bag with powdered sugar after they had cooled. You could also fill them with jam after baking, with a pastry bag and small tip. -Makes about 40 doughnut muffins.

via Mini Doughnut Muffins .

Making Banana Bread

I’ve got two bananas getting over ripe. I bought them for Zack being out here but he didn’t stay as long as I had planned. I’m not feeling inspired to make anything in the kitchen, but those bananas are only going to get sadder looking by tomorrow.

I found this recipe:

Banana Bread Recipe
Prep time: 5 minutesCook time: 1 hour
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INGREDIENTS
3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
METHOD
No need for a mixer for this recipe. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4×8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

Cookies for a Smartie Party

smartiecookies

Super Smarties® Cookies

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup each butter and shortening, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

2 cups rolled oats (not instant)

1 1/2 cups NESTLÉ® SMARTIES® candies (about six 56 g pkgs)

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Stir together flour, salt and baking soda in small bowl. Beat together butter, shortening, sugars and vanilla in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in rolled oats and 1 cup (250 ml) SMARTIES® until well combined.

Drop dough by tablespoonfuls (15 ml) about 2-inches (5 cm) apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Flatten cookies slightly; press 2 or 3 remaining SMARTIES® into each. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on baking sheet 5 minutes; transfer to baking rack to cool completely.

Makes about 48 cookies.

The above recipe was one I cut and pasted several years ago. I think it was from the Nestle site at the time. Anyway, the recipe on their site now is a little different.

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups SMARTIES candies (about six 50g pkgs)

Tools required:
Electric mixer, baking sheets

Step 1:
Preheat oven to 375?F (190?C). In large bowl, beat softened butter and packed brown sugar with electric mixer until creamy. Beat in vanilla and eggs.

Step 2:
Beat in flour, baking powder, and salt.

Step 3:
Drop slightly rounded tablespoons about 2-inches (5 cm) apart onto greased baking sheets. Flatten cookies slightly and press 5 SMARTIES into top of each. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes.

Makes about 50 cookies

Smartie Cookies from Chatelaine Magazine
Preparation time 20 minutes
Baking Time 8 minutes
Makes 18 large cookies

Ingredients
2-1/4 cups ( 550 mL) all-purpose flour
3 tsp ( 15 mL) baking powder
1 tsp ( 5 mL) salt
1 cup ( 250 mL) butter, at room temperature
1 cup ( 250 mL) brown sugar
1 cup ( 250 mL) granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp ( 5 mL) vanilla
12 oz ( 360 g) Smarties or other coated chocolate candies, about 1-1/2 cups

  1. Arrange oven racks in centre of oven and preheat to 375 F (190 C). Grease 2 cookie sheets or coat with cooking spray. Measure flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Stir with a fork until well blended.

  2. Using a wooden spoon, stir butter in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Gradually stir in sugars until well mixed. Then, add eggs, 1 at a time, stirring after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Gradually stir in flour mixture until combined. Do not use an electric mixer and don’t over-mix. Stir in Smarties.

  3. Measure 1/4 cup (50 mL) batter onto a greased cookie sheet. Repeat, leaving about 4 inches (10 cm) between each cookie. Do not pat cookies down. Bake in centre of preheated oven until edges are light golden but centre is still soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove sheet from oven but leave cookies on baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then, using a wide spatula, carefully slide cookies onto a rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container or sealed plastic bag in a cool place for up to 1 week. We do not recommend freezing.

I’m Making Pancakes to Cure a Headache

Buttermilk Pancakes

A splash of vanilla and a small pat of butter are the secret ingredients to these decadent, fluffy pancakes.

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp (45 mL) granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
  • 1-3/4 cups (425 mL) buttermilk
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) butter, melted
  • 2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) canola oil

Preparation

In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, butter and vanilla; pour over dry ingredients and whisk until combined but still slightly lumpy.

Lightly brush large nonstick skillet or griddle with some of the oil; heat over medium-high heat. Using scant 1/4 cup (50 mL) per pancake, pour in batter; spread slightly to form pancakes. Cook until bubbles appear on top, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until bottom is golden brown, about 1 minute. Transfer to rimmed baking sheet; cover and keep warm in 250°F (120°C) oven.

Source : Canadian Living Magazine: July 2006

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