I Blog What I Bake

Welcome to Hummingbird Cake! I had never heard of this before my husband’s co-worker put in a request for it. Yes, I take requests. Oh, and he lent us the first 3 seasons of Dexter so I could not begrudge the man some cake. I made two modifications to the recipe. 1. I did not add any nuts. Most Hummingbird Cake recipes call for pecans or walnuts. My husband is deathly allergic to both. No nuts. 2. I reduced the amount of sugar by half a cup. With all the pineapple, banana and cream cheese frosting I thought it would be better as I don’t like overly sweet desserts.  If I had to compare this cake to another dessert it would be Carrot Cake. Very similar texture and flavor. YUM!

Hummingbird Cake Recipe
(adapted from the www.joyofbaking.com and Matt K.)

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
1 – 8 ounce can crushed pineapple, do not drain
3 ripe mashed bananas

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 8oz block of cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
Approximately 3 cups confectioners sugar (add until frosting is at desired spreading consistency)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter, flour and line two 9 inch cake pans with parchment paper.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

In another large bowl, mix together the eggs, oil, vanilla, pineapple and mashed bananas. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and stir until combined. Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared pans and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack. After about 10 minutes invert the cakes onto a wire rack, remove the pans and parchment paper, and then cool completely before frosting.

Printable Recipe: Hummingbird Cake

I am a klutz. After years of dance training one would think I would be graceful. No.  I drop things all the time, walk into walls and trip over my own feet. I fall UP stairs.  So when things like red food coloring come out I always proceed with caution. Despite all my best efforts I get red food coloring all over the kitchen and myself (and to think I want a culinary torch!).  Word to the wise, should your food coloring drip, spatter or spill WIPE IT UP IMMEDIATELY. This will save you from permanently staining your lovely granite countertops. Your clothing. Your cat. Whatever.

The cake portion is yet another Magnolia recipe. It’s been a solid Red Velvet cake recipe. I have made a couple of my own edits over the years, but by and large it’s Magnolia’s.  I got a little funky and instead of doing a cream cheese frosting over the entire cake, I only put the cream cheese in the middle and decided to pour white chocolate ganache over the top. I should have let the ganache cool for a little longer than I did so it could thicken. It was still too molten when I poured it on the cake and didn’t quite have the effect I was going for since it thinned out so much (and dripped all over the place). I also used vanilla extract in the ganache, omit this. It changed the color of the ganache and gave it a brown tinge. Ick.  If you don’t like ganache or don’t want to make it you can just double the cream cheese frosting recipe and cover the whole cake it it. You can also make this into cupcakes. Just adjust the cooking time to 15-20 minutes instead of 30-40 minutes.

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting & White Chocolate Ganache

CAKE (adapted from Magnolia Bakery Red Velvet Cake)

3 1/2 cups of cake flour (not self-rising)
1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened
2 1/4 cups white granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 small bottles of red gel food coloring (I use Spectrum brand)
3 tablespoons good quality unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, well shaken
1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

CREAM CHEESE FILLING

1 8oz block of cream cheese, softened
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons of half and half, milk or heavy cream
3 cups confectioners sugar

WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE

1 11oz bag of good quality white chocolate chips
1/2 heavy cream
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

In a medium bowl sift together the cake flour and the cocoa powder. Set aside.

Using a hand held mixer, in a large bowl cream together the sugar and the butter until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Beat in red food coloring.

Combine buttermilk and salt in a measuring cup.

STIR in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk mixutre. Do not use beaters, this will make the cake very dense. I prefer light and fluffy. Do as you wish.

In a small bowl combine the baking soda and cider vinegar and watch the 3rd grade science experiment unfold (you’ll see what I mean). Stir mixture into batter.

Distribute batter evenly amongst the two prepared pans and bake in a 350 degree oven for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow to cool in pans for 15 minutes, turn out of pans and allow to cool completely on a baking rack.

While this is cooling make the cream cheese frosting and ganache.  For the cream cheese frosting beat on 8oz block of cream cheese, half a stick of unsalted butter and a quarter cup of sour cream together in a medium bow. Add half of a teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1/2 cup heavy cream and beat. Slowly add approximately 3 cups of confectioners sugar. Spread frosting over one layer of cake. Place remaining layer on top.

For the ganache, melt together an 110z bag of white chocolate chips and 1/2 cup heavy cream in a double boiler. Stir constantly. Once smooth and melted take off of heat and had 2 tablespoons of butter. Stir until melted. Allow to cool and thicken and pour SLOWLY over cake. You may not need all of the ganache.

To assemble the cake; once cooled, apply cream cheese frosting to one layer. Top with other cake layer and pour thickened ganache slowly over the top, letting the ganache make it’s own way down the cake.

Slice and enjoy! This cake is huge, share with many friends!

I’m on a berry kick lately. It must be the weather. Sunshine and heat make me want fruit. I’ve also been reconnecting with my “More From Magnolia” cookbook. As I was flipping through it on Saturday afternoon I came across the Strawberry Shortcake recipe. The whole of my experience with Strawberry Shortcake has been those packaged angel food cakes you buy at grocery story, topped with Cool Whip and strawberries. Not that appealing.  I was excited to attempt my first homemade Strawberry Shortcake!  Overall, this was fairly easy to make. My cake layers didn’t come out perfectly even, but I fixed that with a leveler. Also, my cake frosting skills are still a work in progress, but I think I’m getting better at it. I think.

Strawberry Shortcake Recipe from Magnolia Bakery

Cake
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks of butter) softened
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whipped Cream Filling/Frosting
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cups confectioners sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Berries
2 pints (4 cups) ripe strawberries sliced in half
2 tablespoons of sugar

Grease and lightly flour 3 9×2-inch round cake pans, line the bottom with parchment paper. Do this step even if you working with nonstick pans.

In a small bowl combine the flours and set aside.
In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter and the sugar until smooth (about 3 minutes).  Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy.
Add the eggs on at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition beat until the ingredients are incorporated, but do not overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl, making sure all the ingredients are well blended.

Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the layers cool in the pan for 1 hour. (YES, one hour. You can wait.) Remove from the pans and cool completely on wire rack.

To make the cream filling whip the heavy cream with the sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. How long this will take depends on how cold your cream is. I recommend chilling the bowl you will be using in the fridge prior to making the whipped cream.

Once the layers have cooled completely (LET THEM COOL OR THEY WILL MELT THE FROSTING…I’m not yelling you, just warning you) spread one-third of the whipped cream filling over the bottom cake layer, followed by one-third of the berries. Repeat with the remaining layers.  After all the layers were assembled I used the rest of the whipped cream to cover the whole cake, you can leave the sides bare if you choose.

I used 8 inch cake pans, because I didn’t have three 9×2 inch pans. Result? A REALLY TALL Strawberry Shortcake.  It was so good.  I would recommend serving this as soon as you can. The whipped cream frosting can be temperamental in the summer heat and putting cake in the fridge dries it out in no time.

Enjoy!

ps – my next post involves the left over strawberries I had from this recipe

Sugar and spice and everything nice. That is what I think of when I think of this cake.  It was so sweet and comforting and just plain good!  This recipe has already been on two food blogs that I know of, but I just couldn’t resist making it. The original recipe comes from Smitten Kitchen and Hot Polka Dot featured the cake just over a week ago. I made a couple of super minor adjustments and added the drizzle.  My first attempt at the cake didn’t quite go as planned. I ignored one of my own baking rules. DON’T RUSH. Every time I rush I make mistakes and this was no exception. Let’s just say a tablespoon and a teaspoon of baking powder produce very different results indeed.  So don’t bake rushed, don’t bake distracted and don’t drink and bake. Bad things happen.  Anyway, the second go around worked out perfectly and produced very delicious cakes!

Apple Cake
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen, “Mom’s Apple Cake”, www. smittenkitchen.com

6 macintosh apples – peeled, cored and cut thin
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
5 tablespoons of sugar

2 3/4 cups flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of salt
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
4 eggs

Cream Cheese Drizzle
Courtesy of My Baking Addiction, www.mybakingaddiction.com

4 oz. of cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
2 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

The original recipe called for a tube pan. I don’t have one, so I used two 9 inch cake pans instead. Having two cakes is never a bad thing. Line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper and butter and flour the pan.

Peel, core and chop up six macintosh apples and place in a mixing bowl.  Stir cinnamon, sugar and nutmeg into the apples and set aside.

Sift together flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg together in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl whisk together oil, vanilla, orange juice and zest.  Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ones.  Next, add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure all the ingredients are incorporated. Note: this dough is thick and sticky!!  (At first I thought I did something wrong.)

Pour half the batter into the pans. Because it’s so sticky you will have to work it to the sides with spatula.  Layer half of the apples on top of the batter. Pour the remaining batter on top and then finish with another layer of apples. Be patient with it.

Bake in a 350 oven for approximately 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.  Allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes. Turn out of the pan, remove the parchment paper and allow to cool completely on baking racks.

Now for the cream cheese drizzle.

In a medium sized bowl, cream together the cream cheese and the butter. Add the confectioners sugar, alternating with the milk and vanilla and beat until it reaches desired consistency. If it’s too think to drizzle, add more milk. If it’s too watery add more sugar.  I used a squeezy bottle to apply  the drizzle. You can also pipe it with a pastry bag.

Slice it up and enjoy with good cup of coffee!

“I can resist anything but temptation” ~Oscar Wilde

COCOA BUTTERMILK CAKE

Recipe taken from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine (www.bhg.com)

• 3/4 cup butter
• 3 eggs
• 2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk or sour

COCOA MASCARPONE FROSTING

• 4oz Mascarpone cheese (cream cheese can be substituted)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 16oz of confectioners sugar

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Line 3 8 x 1/2 inch cake pans with parchment paper and light grease and flour the pans.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. In a small bowl, combine granulated and brown sugar. Gradually add sugar mixture, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until well combined (3 to 4 minutes). Scrape sides of bowl; continue beating on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to butter mixture, beating on low speed just until combined after each addition. Beat on medium to high speed for 20 seconds more.

Spread batter evenly into prepared pans. The batter will be thick and a bit sticky. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans for 10 minutes on wire rack.

Remove cakes from pans. Remove parchment paper and let cool completely on wire racks.

In a large mixing bowl, beat mascarpone cheese or cream cheese, butter, unsweetened cocoa powder,2 milk and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until creamy. Gradually add  16-ounce box powdered sugar (and I mean GRADUALLY, if you add too much at once you will find yourself in a cloud of sugar the second the beaters hit the bowl) beating until smooth. Beat in enough additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, to reach spreading consistency. Makes 3 cups. (Basically you want it to look as creamy as at that frosting that comes out of a jar. If it’s too runny add more sugar. If it’s too dry add more milk.)

Assemble the cake a layer at a time. Use just enough frosting to adhere each layer to the next. If you use too much your cake layers are going to go sliding every which way. HOWEVER, if you are a frosting junkie and want oodles of frosting between layers, stick a skewer through the center of the cake. It will act as a support for all the layers until you finish frosting the whole thing and then let it set in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Using an offset spatula frost the rest of the cake. Frosting is a skill. It takes practice. I am working on it.

I added some shaved dark chocolate for a decorative touch. Slice this up an serve. To hell with your diet.

Thanks for reading and check back often! Some changes are coming…

Cheesecake. You know its bad for you and that’s why you love it.  Every time you have a slice of cheesecake you can’t help but feel a little naughty and a little dangerous. It’s one of the top five desserts in America and there are hundreds of varieties (it’s a very versatile dessert).  Just look at the dessert menu at the Cheesecake Factory…clearly we love our cheesecakes.

The recipe posted today is a hybrid. The cake recipe comes from my Uncle Peter, who is an excellent chef,  and the Oreo crust and raspberry topping I added myself.  I like the flavor and color combination.  The raspberry topping is also hiding the fact that I somewhat over-baked the cake and the top got all brown. Cheesecake tops should be as cream colored and smooth as possible. Mine was not. In comes the fruit. In the end I was happy I added the raspberries because it made the cheesecake just that much more rich and delicious.

OBSCENELY DECADENT CHEESECAKE
Recipe adapted from Peter Jones

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees

OREO CRUST
18 Oreos processed until fine
5 Tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted,

CHEESECAKE FILLING
2 ½ pounds of cream cheese ( 5 8oz packages), left to stand at room temp for about thirty to forty minutes
1/8 teaspoon of kosher salt
1 ½ cups of white granulated sugar
1/3 cup of sour cream
2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks plus six large whole eggs

RASPBERRY TOPPING
1 ½ Cups raspberry jelly (not jam and not preserves)
2-3 half pints of fresh raspberries (depends on how loaded up with berries you want the cake)
1/2 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice

First things first, make the crust.  Put all of the Oreos into a food processor and process until fine. There shouldn’t be any big Oreo chunks left. With the food processor still on, slowly pour in the melted butter and process until incorporated. If you don’t have a food processor, put them in a ziploc freezer bag and beat the heck out of them with a rolling pin or other heavy object. Pour the crumbs and the butter into a bowl and mix together.

Pour the crumb/butter mixture into a springform pan and press the mixture until it covers the bottom of the pan and a little of the sides. Make sure there aren’t any gaps.  Bake the crust at 325 degrees for 13 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool while preparing the cheesecake filling.

Time for the filling. Place all the cream cheese into a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, or a large bowl. (At this stage you should hear you arteries start to softly whimper.) Beat the cream cheese at medium-low speed until broken up and soft. About one minute. Scrape down the sides of bowl and paddle (or beaters).

Add the salt and half of the sugar and beat at medium-low speed until combined. Scrape down bowl and paddle. Add the remaining sugar and beat until combined. Scrape bowl – sensing a theme yet? Add sour cream, lemon juice and vanilla and beat at low speed until combined. Scrape bowl.

Add the two egg yolks and beat at medium-low speed until combined. Yup, scrape the bowl. Add the whole eggs two at a time, beating until thoroughly combined and scraping the bowl between additions.

Brush the sides of the springform pan with melted butter. Pour the filling into the cooled crust.

Wrap the bottom of the pan with foil (prevents water from getting in) and place into a water bath. A roasting pan is the only pan I had that was big enough. Fill water a little less than half way up the pan. Place the whole thing into an oven that has been preheated to 325 degrees and bake for approximately 1 1/2 hours. KEEP AN EYE ON IT. I should have been watching it closely at around the 1 hour mark. It was some where between 60-90 minutes that it browned on me.

Here it is. My brown wrinkely cheesecake. Oy. It still tasted great. Anyway, once the cheesecake is out of the oven leave it in the springform pan until almost completely cooled, about 2 1/2 hours. Once cooled, release from pan, cover with plastic wrap and set it in the fridge to set completely. At least another 3 hours.

I have zero pictures of the next part. Bear with me. Place the raspberry jelly in a small saucepan over low heat until the the jelly has liquefied. About 5 minutes. Stir in a teaspoon of lemon juice. Place fresh raspberries into a bowl and our the liquid jelly over the berries. Gently stir until all the berries are coated. Pour over the top of the cake. Cover with plastic wrap and pop it back into the fridge. Preferably overnight.

So, the next time you feel like indulging yourself with a dangerously delicious dessert this cheesecake recipe should just about do it.  Thanks for reading and thank you Uncle Peter for the recipe! Enjoy! I know I will.