Carol's Triple Caramel Birthday Cake

Ingredients:

For the cake:
1C (2 sticks butter)
2C granulated sugar
4 eggs
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 C milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract and 1 tsp almond extract
(if you are using self-rising flour you can skip the baking powder)

For the filling:
2 sticks butter
2C packed light brown sugar
1/4 C whole milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the frosting:
1 stick butter
1C packed dark brown sugar
1/3 C heavy cream, may need a little more
1 16oz box of confectioner sugar
1 tsp vanilla
whole toasted pecans for top of cake
1 12oz pkg of mini chocolate chips for sides of cake

Directions:
For the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 3 9" cake pans.
Using a mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add granulated sugar and continue to cream well for 6-8 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add baking powder to flour. Add to the creamed mixture alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Add vanilla and almond extract and stir just until mixed. Divide batter equally among the 3 pans. Level batter in pan by dropping pan onto the counter several times to release air bubbles. Bake for 20 minutes, testing with toothpick after 18 minutes. Watch carefully to not overbake. Toothpick should have just a few crumbs attached.

Filling:
While cake is baking, in a saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar and milk. Cook and stir over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Let layers cool for 10 minutes, remove from pans. Cool. Put 1st layer on plate. Poke holes all over with a toothpick. Spread slowly 1/2 cup filling on layer. Put next layer on and poke the holes and cover with 1/2 cup of filling. Put last layer on.

Frosting:
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat and stir in brown sugar and cream. Bring to a boil, and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add confectioner sugar and vanilla. Beat with mixer until it reaches a spreading consistency. At this time it may be necessary to add a tiny bit of heavy cream, or more, if frosting gets too thick. Frost cake and press chocolate chips around sides of cake. Arrange pecans on top.

Dulce De Leche Cake Recipe

For the dulce de leche filling:
1 quart milk
1 cup sugar
a vanilla bean, split in half and seeds scraped
1 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp water

For the cake:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 sticks salt free butter, room temp
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk
5 egg whites, room temp

For the frosting:
1-1/2 sticks salt free butter
1 16oz powdered sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream, more if needed
pinch of salt
sliced almonds for garnish

Make the Dulce de Leche filling.
l. In heavy large saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, vailla bean, and the seeds and bring to a gentle simmer over mediaum heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. When the milk begins to get foamy on top, stir to incorporate the foam.
2. In a small bowl, dissolve the baking soda in the water, and add to the milk mixture.
3. Reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered at a bare simmer. Let cook, stirring occasionally without working the foam into the milk. After 1 hr remove the vanilla bean.
4. Continue cooking , skimming occasionally, until tan, very thick, and reduced to about 1 cup, 1-1/2 hrs to 3 hrs, depending on the heat of your stove. The milk will continue to darken as it cooks. Strain into a clean container and let cool. Refrigerate covered until ready to use. It will thicken as it cools, and will keep in the frig for 2 wks.

Make the cake:
1. Position a rack in the middle of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two round cake pans each 9 inches in diameter and 1-1/2 inches deep.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, using electric mixer set on med high speed, beat the butter until light.
4. Gradually add the sugar, beating until well blended. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts.
5. Reduce the speed to low and dividing the flour mixture into three batches, beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture alternately with the milk, just until combined.
6. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with clean, dry beaters and set on high speed, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
7. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the beaten whites into the batter just until incorportated. Divide the batter between the pans, smooth with the spatula.
8. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out almost clean, about 25 to 30 min. Cool in pans 10 min. Run knife around edge of pan to loosen cakes. Invert onto racks and let cool completely.

Make the frosting:
l. In a small skillet or pan melt the butter over medium-hi heat until nut brown in color, about 10 min. Remove pan from heat and pour butter into a bowl, leaving any burned sediment behind; let cool.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add confectioners sugar, vanilla, salt and butter. With the mixer on low, slowly add cream; beat until smooth. If frosting seems too thick, stir another tablespoon cream into the mixture.

Assemble the cake:
1. Carefully slice each of the two cooled cakes in half to make four layers. Set on layer on the cake plate. Generously spread about 1/3 cup delce de leche on top. Top with another cake layer and spread with another 1/3 cup of the dulce de leche. Repeat with another cake layer and top with the final forth cake layer. Set delce de leche aside.
2. Frost the toop and sides of the cake with the frosting. If using the sliced almonds, press into the sides of the cake. Drizzle wwith remaining dulce de leche sauce. Refrigerate until serving.

Dulce De Leche Cake

Hi Cake Bakers! A couple of weeks ago my sister Chris made a cake for a dinner party called Dulce De Leche Cake. I had heard of this cake, commonly called 3 Milk Cake. This is not a cake that would usually catch my eye, but she swore it was the best cake ever so of course I had to try it. I missed my bestie's birthday back in June so I decided to make it for her belated bday since she was coming for a visit! I wasn't that impressed when I tasted the filling, or the cake batter or the frosting by themselves, BUT, WOW WOW WOW altogether in the cake it is spectacular! No kidding, try it and you will be amazed how delicious it is!! Make the filling the night before and it really did take over 3 hrs to cook down. I made the layers the night before also, and wrapped them in plastic. No need to refrigerate those.
Wish I would have taken pictures of grandson Riley helping me "make" the cake. It was adorable! Recipe posted soon.

Guest Blogger: White Chocolate Mocha Cake By Andrew Walker

WHITE CHOCOLATE MOCHA CAKE


I was having a vanilla latte at Starbucks and was wondering what a white chocolate mocha cake would taste like. So, I stopped by my local store and picked up the ingredients to give it a try.

The White Chocolate Mocha Ganache was a little easier. Follow the recipe below. It is important that the ganache be allowed to cool completely. It will whip up light and fluffy fast. Refrigerate cake after it cools. This will help set the frosting.

The comments at the potluck I went to were positive. This cake will start out sweet and give an intense punch of coffee flavour at the end. Enjoy!




WHITE CHOCOLATE MOCHA GANACHE

½ heavy cream
12 oz. white chocolate, chopped
4 tbs unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp espresso powder

In small heavy saucepan, heat the cream just until it starts to simmer.
Add the white chocolate and slowly stir until chocolate is melted. Add butter and stir until butter melted.

Refrigerate until cold. Whip with wire whisk until fluffy and frost the cake.


ESPRESSO CAKE

1 pkg white cake mix
3 eggs
Water
Oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
Tsp espresso powder.

Add egg whites AND yolks to the cake batter. Add the vanilla extract to the measuring cup and fill with water according to the package directions. Dissolve the espresso into the water/extract mixture. Bake according to the temperature but add a couple more minutes to the baking time because of the addition of the egg yolks. Cool cake completely before frosting.

Banana Cupcakes with Butterscotch Cream Cheese Frosting

This cupcake is sooooo yummy! Very rich banana flavor in a tender moist cake with a butterscotch flavored cream cheese frosting! If you like banana, you are going to go crazy for this cupcake... and it's also very easy to make! Save those over ripe bananas, just mash them up and add them to the batter. Only 17 minutes to bake, 20 min to cool, frost and you can be enoying one in no time!

Recipe

Banana Cupcake Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour or 1/2 cup all purpose and 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour (that's what I use)

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 stick butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

14 cup sour cream

1 12 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 large bananas, peeled and mashed

1/2 chopped walnuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Line 1 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners

Makes 12 cupcakes

In medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In large bowl of electric mixer or using hand mixer, beat butter and sugar. Add sour cream and the vanilla. Slowly beat in the eggs, one at a time. Incorporate the dry mixture and wet mixtures together until thoroughly combined. Add the bananas and walnuts, being careful to not overmix. Using an ice cream scoop, fill each cupcake liner 3/4 way full. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops turn golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Remove cupcakes from the oven and let cool before frosting.

Butterscotch Frosting

Ingredients

6 oz cream cheese

1 cup powdered sugar

2 T unsalted butter

1/4 tsp salt

6 T butterscotch sauce, purchased or home made

In bowl of a standing mixer, combine room temperature cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and salt. Beat until smooth and creamy, 3-4 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add the Butterscotch sauce, 1 T at a time, mixing thoroughly. Chill frosting until it thickens to spreading consistency. I put mine in the freezer for 20 minutes.

Better Than Starbucks Blueberry Coffee Cake

Last summer Whitney ask me to find a blueberry coffee cake recipe just like the lowfat one she loves from Starbucks. I have finally found it! It's better than Starbucks! The best part is, with only 2 tablespoons of butter, 2 tablespoons of canola oil and 1 cup of yogurt, it comes in at 210 calories per piece! It's moist and yummy enough to serve for dessert, not just with your morning coffee! I think it would be fabulous with other fruit, such as raspberries or marionberries too.

Also, don't be tempted to exclude the pastry flour, it adds a tender crumb that is crucial to your finished product!

I made mine in a 9 inch square pan and baked it for 32 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 C all-purpose flour

1 C whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

4 T sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 C chopped walnuts

1/2 packed brown sugar

2T butter, at room temp

2T canola oil

2 large eggs

1tsp vanilla extract

1 C plain nonfat yogurt

1 to 1 1/2 C fresh of frozen blueberries, thawed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line your 8 or 9 inch square pan with foil, leaving a 6" overhang on each side so you can lift it out of the pan. Spray foil with pam.

Wisk together the 2 flours, the baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a small bowl, stir together the granulated sugar, cinnamon and walnuts. In a large bowl, beat the brown sugar, butter and oil until fluffy. Press out any lumps in the brown sugar with the back of a wooden spoon. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating until fully combined. Beat in the vanilla and yogurt. Add the flour mixture in 2 additions, stirring JUST until combined.

Spread 1/2 of the batter into the pan. Sprinkle 1/2 of the nut mixture over the batter and top with the blueberries, gently pressing them into the batter. Spoon the rest of the batter into the pan, smoothing the top. Sprinkle the rest of nut mixture over the cake, pressing gently. Bake until a woodent toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes. Let cool slightly, take hold of foil "handles" remove from pan and let cool til room temp. Cut into 2" squares.

Pineapple Upside-down Cornmeal Cake Recipe

Ingredients

3/4 C whole milk

1 C course ground cornmeal

4 oz unsalted butter

8 oz dark brown sugar (1 cup)

6 slices canned pineapple in heavy syrup

6 marischino cherries (optional)

1/3 C chopped toasted pecans

3 T juice from pineapple

3 eggs

1 C flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 C sugar

1/2 C canola oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

In a microwave-proof dish, bring the milk to a boil and add the cornmeal. Stir and let soak at room temp for 30 minutes. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a 10 inch cast iron skillet (or springform pan wrapped in foil to prevent leakage). Once the butter has melted, add the brown sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves, about 5 min. Remove the skillet from the heat and carefully place 1 slice of pineapple in the center of the pan. Place the other 5 pieces around the center slice. Place the cherries in the center of the pineapple. Sprinkle the nuts evenly over the fruit. Drizzle pineapple juice over top.

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt into medium bowl and whisk to combine.

In separate mixing bowl, whisk eggs. Add sugar to the eggs and whisk. Add the canola oil. Add the cornmeal mixture to the egg mixture and whisk. Add this to the flour mixture and stir just until combined. Pour batter over the fruit in the skillet and bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 30 min. Set plate on top and quickly invert. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Mine was done in 35 min. and was a little brown on the edges and all bubbly! It was so delicious. Make sure you soak the cornmeal the entire 30 min so it's not too crunchy. Enjoy!

Coconut Cupcake Recipe

Ingredients:

3 sticks butter

2 cups sugar

5 extra large eggs, room temp

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 tsp pure almond extract

3 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 cup buttermilk

14 oz sweetened shredded coconut (7 oz for cupcake, 7 oz for decorating)

For the frosting:

1lb cream cheese at room temp

2 sticks butter, unsalted, at room temp

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp almond extract

1 1/2 lbs confectioner's sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

In the bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix just until combined. Fold in 7 oz of the coconut.

Line muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs attached. Allow to cool for 15 min. Remove to a baking rack to cool completely.

Makes 18 - 20 cupcakes.

Make frosting. In the bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioner's sugar and mix until smooth. Frost each cupcake with a very generous amount of frosting. Decorate with coconut. You may toast coconut in a 325 degree oven for 5-8 minutes if you prefer. (stir it often)

Recipe: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Cake:
1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola or corn oil
2 lrg eggs
1 12oz bag semisweet choc chips

Frosting:
1 stick unsalted butter
room temperature
4 oz cream cheese, room temp
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup powdered sugar

Position rack in cener of oven. Butter a 9" square baking pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and butter the paper. (I used an 8"pan and it was ok)
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger into medium bowl and set aside.
In a lrg bowl, using and electric mixer on med speed, beat the pumpkin, sugar, and oil until smooth, about a minute. Scrape side of bowl as necessary. Mix in the eggs one at a time until blended. On low speed, add the flour mix, mixing just until incoorporated. Mix in chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
Scrape the batter into the pan. Bake just until the top feels firm and toothpick inserted comes out clean, approx 40 min. (Mine took 36) Transfer cake to wire rack to cool for at least 20 min.
Run a knife around the edge of the pan and invert the cake onto the wire rack. Remove the paper liner and let cake cool completely.

Make frosting:
Using an electric mixer on low speed, beat the butter, cream cheese and vanilla until thoroughly blended and smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add the powdered sugar, mixing until smooth, about 1 min, then beat on medium speed for about a minute to lighten it up.
Frost the top of the cake. I garnished the top with shaved chocolate.
The cake can be refrigerated up to 3 days, just let stand at room temp an hour before serving.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting!

Well, my first individual baking project was a success. The pumpkin chocolate chip cake was not only delicious, but it was a huge hit with the rest of the family at Thanksgiving. And if anyone is looking for a quick, easy, and tasty cake to whip up in no time, I highly recommend this cake, especially in the fall/winter season.

I’m not too familiar with baking terminology, or frankly writing about cakes at all, but I’ll try my best. I thought the cake was very moist, especially in the middle, and the chocolate chips were plentiful and not too overpowering. I was disappointed in some things, however. The first time my friends and I made this cake, about a month ago, the chocolate chips almost formed a thick layer of chocolate in the middle; it was delicious, especially served warm. But this time, the chips mainly stayed solid, and the cake had to be served at room temp and not warm, because we didn’t want to melt the cream cheese frosting. So that was a bummer, but not too big of a deal. Secondly, I really wish I could’ve served the cake warm! But that would have been extremely difficult with the cream cheese frosting, so we had to compromise.

My favorite part about this cake, other than being extremely simple and quick (which is saying something, considering I am not an experienced baker) is the cream cheese frosting. It goes really well with the slight taste of pumpkin, the decadent chocolate chips, and the dense cake itself. I don’t think any other frosting would do.

When I was making the cake at my parents’ house, my mom said beforehand she didn’t want to help me. And she didn’t! I was so proud of her. But she did warn me that I should level the ingredients in the measuring cups, make sure the oven was ready to go, etc. And she got the ingredients for me, so I was extremely grateful.

Overall, I thought the process was a great experience. I am going to continue to look out for other simple and quick cakes, just like this one, and hopefully I can continue learning from the Cake Queen herself.

Happy Thanksgiving all!

Guest Blogger

Happy Thanksgiving Cake Fans!
Tomorrow afternoon my son, HJ, comes home from college for the holiday. He is a big cake fan from way back. (my fault) He has informed me that he intends on baking a cake in my kitchen tomorrow! Yay! He has graciously accepted my invitation to blog about his cake and his experience! Watch for the "guest blogger" post!
PS. He has never singlehandedly baked a cake before.

Recipe Hazelnut Cheesecake

Ingredients
Cake
1 1/2 cups hazelnuts, toasted (direction to follow)
2 lbs cream cheese, room temperature
1 3/4 Cup sugar
4 eggs

Chocolate Crust
1 pkg Nabisco chocolate wafers
1 cube butter, melted

Caramel Sauce
1 1/2 Cup sugar
1/3 Cup water
1 1/4 Cups heavy cream
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Butter the bottom and sides of a 9inch springform pan, 3 inches deep. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread hazelnuts on shallow baking sheet and bake for 15 min. After removing from oven rub them while warm in a dish towel and the skins will come right off. They don't all have to be off. Grind them in a food processor. It doesn't matter if they are not evenly ground. Set aside.
For the crust:
Break up cookies and put in food processor. Add melted butter. Mix a few seconds til ground. Press on sides first then on bottom of pan. Bake for 10 min. Remove and cool.
For filling:
Put cheese in bowl of electric mixer. Mix on medium speed until absolutely smooth. Add sugar. Stop occasionally and scrape sides of bowl with spatula. Add eggs, one at a time, being careful not to beat any more than necessary to thoroughly mix all the ingredients. Stir in the nuts with a rubber spatula.
Pour batter into the prepared pan and then cover the outside of the pan with foil to prevent leakage. Place the pan inside another larger pan, so that the cake pan does not touch the sides, but no more than 3 inches deep. A roasting pan is perfect. Pour 1 1/2 inches of hot water in the roasting pan, place it in the oven and bake 1 1/2 hrs, or until the top is golden brown and feels dry to the touch. It should still wiggle a little. Mine took 1 hr and 25 min. Place baked cheesecake on a rack to cool. Do not cool in the refrigerator. When cool, remove sides carefully and refrigerate.

Caramel Sauce
Mix the water and sugar in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. cook over low heat for 5 to 10 min, until the sugar dissolves. Do not stir. Increase the heat to medium and boil uncovered until the sugar turns a warm chestnut brown, about 5 to 7 min, gently swirling the pan to stir the mixture. Be careful, the mixture is extremely hot! Watch very carefully at the end, as it will go from caramel to burnt very quickly. Turn off the heat. Stand back to avoid splattering and slowly add the cream and vanilla. Don't worry the cream will bubble violently and the caramel will solidify.
Simmer over low heat stirring constantly until the caramel dissolves and the sauce is smooth, about 2 minutes. Allow to cool to room temp, about 4 hrs. It will thicken as it sits.

To serve:
Put a little caramel sauce on the plate, set the slice of cheesecake on top. Put a little dollop of whipped cream on top and one hazelnut on the cream. Gorgeous!

Hazelnut Cheesecake with Chocolate Cookie Crust and Caramel Sauce

Happy Holidays Everyone!

So, I am not much of a pumpkin person. I am also not much of a pie person. (Hence, I DO have a cake blog) I am always looking for some dessert for Thanksgiving that is festive and has a fall-type flavor. I pulled out an old cheesecake recipe from about 20 yrs ago and changed it up a bit. Hazelnuts are a delicious nut and add incredible flavor to this cheesecake. The original recipe has no crust at all. What could be better than a chocolate cookie crust! And, just to top it off, I added a caramel sauce. A little caramel sauce on the plate, place cheesecake on top, and a dollop of whipped cream. There you go, the perfect Thanksgiving dessert!

Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Frosting

Ingredients


1 C all purpose flour
1/2 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 T butter, softened
3/4 C sugar, plus 2 T
1 egg, room temp
2/3 C milk, at room temp
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 T mini semisweet chocolate chips
2 T chopped toasted walnuts or pecans
Ganache frosting, recipe follows

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, set aside. Using mixer, cream the butter and 3/4 cup sugar until pale yellow, about 1 minute. Add the egg and stir just until combined. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese, 2 T sugar, and vanilla. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.
Fill prepared cupcake liners with enough chocolate batter to just cover the bottom. Add a dollop of the cream cheese filling to each, then top with remaining batter (cream cheese filling should not be visible).
bake for 17 - 20 minutes. Let cupcakes stand in the pan for 3 min, remove and allow to cool completely on rack.

Chocolate Ganache Frosting

3/4 C semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 C heavy cream
1/2 tsp instant espresso powder, optional

Place heat proof bowl over a pot of simmering water, and whisk together the chocolate chips, cream and espresso powder. Continue whisking until chocolate is melted and the mixure is thick, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. You can dip the cupcakes in the ganache or spread it on the tops. This recipe will frost 12 cupcakes, but can be doubled.

Red Velvet Cake Recipe

Red Velvet Cake

Cake
2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
2T unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 C buttermilk
1T red food coloring
1 tsp distilled white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 C sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, room temp
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour 2 9-inch with 1 1/2 inch hi sides cake pans. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into med bowl. Whisk buttermilk, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla in small bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Beat in dry ingredients in 4 additions alternately with buttermilk mixture in 3 additions. Divide batter between pans.
Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out with a few crumbs attached about 23 minutes. Check at 20 min. Cool, turn out onto racks. Cool completely before frosting.

I love a tall cake, so I wanted to make 3 layers instead of 2. Just split the measurements in half and add them to the original measurments. No, it doesn't take a math wizard. Use a calculator is you are having trouble because it's important to get the measurement right!

Cream Cheese Icing
Use the recipe from the banana cupcakes except add fresh raspberries and fresh blueberries between layers and on top. Cover and refrigerate. Let stand at room temp 1 hr before serving.
If you make 3 layers, you will need 1 1/2 recipes of frosting.

Recipe Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes 12 cupcakes

Cupcakes:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 very large or 3 small bananas, peeled
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 Cup sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, room temp
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350. Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Mash bananas with fork in another medium bowl until smooth. mix sour cream and vanilla into bananas.
Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 min. Add egg and egg yolk, beat until well blended. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with banana-sour cream mixture in 2 additions, biginning and ending with flour mixture and beating just until blended after each addition. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups (generous 1/4 C for each)
If you want to make cake layers instead, double this recipe and use 2 8 or 9 inch round pans.

Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center comes out with a few crumbs attached, about 20 minutes. Transfer to rack and let cool. For layer cakes, test after 20 min, may take 5 min longer.

Cream Cheese Frosting

2 8oz. pkg cream cheese
1 stick unsalted butter
1 Tblsp. vanilla
2 1/2 C powdered sugar
Beat cream cheese and butter in bowl until smooth. Add vanilla and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth.
This recipe will frost a 2 layer cake, cut it in 1/2 if you are only making 12 cupcakes.

Baking for a Baby's 1st Birthday, or How to Please His Parents

October 24, 2009, the birth of my grandson, Riley Matthew Soule. The day my life changed forever! From this day forward I have a reputation to uphold, be the Gigi with the goodies. This is a self imposed position I have made for myself. No one said I had to be the baking Grandma, I just knew I would love to have Riley grow up looking forward to Gigi's cakes. Riley's parents requested a banana cake since the little guy loves banana. I started thinking just a banana cupcake would do the trick, but then that seemed so small, so I bought a 6 inch round cake pan and made his cake a filled frosted mini version that any one year old would be proud of. I doubled the recipe and made the rest into cupcakes. Made a cream cheese frosting, tinted orange of course, and piped black frosting around the edges. Since the party had a Halloween theme (the children attending dressed in costume, as well as some adults) I decorated some of the cupcakes with ghoulish finger puppets, but I put dinosaurs on Riley's cake.
When these very brave parents informed me that there would be close to 30 people at this party I immediately panicked and started baking every night. I made a huge 3 layer red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. Using stencils I decorated the top with black sugar bats. (I hadn't used these before and they were not easy, the sugar bled outside the openings, I should have practiced 1st) Then I decided no birthday is complete without something chocolate, so Chocolate Cupcakes filled with cream cheese, toasted pecans, mini chocolate chips with a ganache icing.
I heard rumors from these partyers that Riley's personal cake was the favorite, of course I tried all and I think I agree, the baby got the best, just as it should be. Happy Birthday, Riley!

Coconut Cream Cake with Coconut Buttercream Recipe

Coconut Layer cakes



1 C cold unsalted butter, diced

2 C sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

3/4 tsp salt

1 Tblsp. baking powder

3 C sifted cake flour

1 1/4 C coconut milk



Preheat oven to 350. Grease 2 9" pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper, grease the paper and sides, set aside.

Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat on high speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl often, until light and fluffy, about 5 min. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides and mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and mix well, again scraping the sides of the bowl. Combine the salt and baking powder with the flour. Add about half of the dry ingredients to the batter, beat on low speed until well blended, and then add about half of the coconut milk and beat well. Add the remaining dry ingredients followed by the remaining coconut milk, beating well after each addition.

Divide the batter between the two pans and bake until the cake springs back when touched lightly in the center, 25 to 30 min. Let cool for 15, then remove from pan and let cool completely.



Coconut Syrup



1 1/2 C water

1 T granulated sugar

3/4 C sweetened flaked coconut



Bring water and sugar to boil. Stir in the coconut, remove from the heat and let sit for at least 30 min and up to 4 hrs. Strain the liquid into a clean saucepan, bring to a boil and let cook until the mixture is slightly reduced, about 5 min. Let cool.



Coconut Pastry Cream Filling



1 3/4 C coconut milk

1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise

4 egg yolks

1/2 C sugar

1/4 C cornstarch

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 C sweetened shredded and toasted coconut



spread coconut on baking sheet heated to 325 degrees. Bake 8-10 min. stirring once. Turn off the oven and let it sit in the oven until very dry and crunchy, about 15 min longer.



Place the the coconut milk in a heavy saucepan over med heat and bring just to a boil. Meanwhile, whisk together the yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl. Slowly whisk about half of the hot coconut milk into the egg mixture to temper it, or bring it up the the same temperature. Whisk in the remaining coconut milk nd add the vanilla seeds. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and again cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a plastic spatula, until it just comes to a boil and is very thick. If it starts to clump up, whisk briskly. Transfer the pastry cream to a large bowl, add the vanilla extract, and mix well. Set a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the pastry cream so that it doesn't form a skin, and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hrs.



Coconut Buttercream



3 sticks unsalted butter, softened

2/3 C confectioners sugar

1/2 C of the coconut pastry cream

pinch of fine sea salt



Beat the butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the coconut pastry cream and salt and beat until combined and smooth.



To Assemble:

Toast your 2 C natural or sweetend flaked coconut for the outside of your cake. 325 degrees for 8-10 min, stirring once.

Using a long serrated knife, slice each cake layer horizontally into 2 layers. Reserve 1 of the flat bottom layers for the top of the cake. Place another layer on a cardboard round with cut side up and brush with some of the coconut syrup. Spread 1/3 of coconut pastry cream over layer, leaving 1/2 inch border. Repeat with with other layers. Frost the sides and top of cake with the buttercream. Pat the coconut onto the sides of the cake and sprinkle the remaining coconut on the top of the cake. Store in the refrigerator but bring out 1 hr before serving.

The Soule's Birthday Cake

I felt really bad last summer when the followers voted on what my next cake would be and coconut cake lost by one vote. I really wanted to experiment with a couple of recipes. So my daughter, Whitney and her husband, Matt, have birthdays a week apart and requested this cake. (It is not possible to have a birthday in our family and not have a cake, not done, period!)

Several people mentioned that Bobby Flay had a great coconut cake recipe, but I also heard that the cake layers did not rise much. I have had great success with cakes from Caprial's Desserts cookbook, so I decided to make her cake layer recipe and coconut pastry cream filling and Bobby Flay's coconut syrup and coconut buttercream frosting recipe. You can see that there are going to be a lot of steps to this one! Believe me when Isay it is gonna be worth it!!

Because the bday dinner is on Friday night and I am back working I decide to make the layers on Tuesday night and put them in the freezer. This recipe has coconut milk in it. Fantastic for texture and taste! Make sure you buy Thai coconut milk, not the stuff you put in pina colodas. Although that is a good idea to sip a pina coloda while baking this. I could tell the minute I took it from the oven it was going to be perfect for splitting into 4 layers, got to have 4 layers for all the filling.

On Wed I made the coconut cream filling. Make sure you toast the coconut in the oven. Watch carefully! Put plastic wrap on the surface of the filling and refrigerate.

On Thurs I made the coconut syrup and the buttercream. You mix some of the filling into the buttercream frosting and it is soooo good!! I split the layers, brushed them with the syrup, filled and frosted! Fabulous! For decorating, I bought the big pieces of coconut (not flaked) in the bulk aisle at New Seasons, toasted it and pressed it onto the sides and top. You can use the regular, but I think it's prettier on the outside of the cake! We served it with french vanilla ice cream.

I heard comments at the table about how this was their favorite cakequeen concoction so far! Maybe they will comment for themselves! For me, it was worth the work, and I agree, may be the best tasting so far. And, for me to say that about a cake that has no chocolate in it, is a big deal. Recipe coming up.

Banana Cake with Caramel Frosting Disaster

What?? You say, disaster? You say, hey, that doesn't look like caramel frosting in the picture! So true, fans, it is chocolate ganache frosting! Let me start from the beginning! First, I made the banana layer cakes from a recipe I chose on foodnetwork.com. Not really happy with the height of the layers, so made 2 more layers. I could have made the layers in 8" pans so they would have been taller, but the recipe called for 9" pans. This is a risk you take when you choose a recipe you haven't made before. Ok, so on to the disappointing frosting. This recipe I found in the most recent Food and Wine. It was featured with a white butter cake, and they called it Caramel Icing. The picture looked great, and I thought it would be yummy with the banana cake. The recipe is pretty elaborate, kind of like making a caramel sauce, cook the white sugar and corn syrup til amber colored, add whole milk, cook til 235 degress on candy thermometer, stir in butter, vanilla and cream. I was really concentrating and following the directions exactly! At this point you are supposed to strain the icing into the bowl of the stand mixer and let it cool 15min. Then beat it at medium speed for 15 min. I started getting worried now because it is too runny, although the recipe says, "pour" over cake layers. Not happy. I make the decision to throw out (too distraught to eat it) this batch and try again! Here goes, I was careful to bring the temperature to 235. (oh yeah, forgot to add that I rushed to Kitchen Kaboodle and bought a new candy thermometer thinking mine was old and not working). I think at the beating at 15 min stage I was almost hyperventilating. Nothing much happening AGAIN!! Ok, then I put it in the frig. It set up a little so I poured it on each layer thinking maybe it would thicken in the frig. NOT! Called husband, who is on his way back from Duck football, begged him to stop and get chocolate to make chocolate ganache. (it's 8:45 pm)
So there ya go, I had to be creative and think of a frosting that would go with banana, pecans and caramel sauce. I love cream cheese frosting, but too sweet with the caramel, right?
The caramel soaked into the cake and was very moist, but not at all a frosting! Maybe some of the dinner guests will comment about their thoughts! I am not going to post the recipes because I think we can find a much better banana cake and I intend to figure out what is wrong with the caramel frosting recipe before you guys tackle it! So all in all, it was a learning experience, very frustrating and I definitely had to be creative!!
I'll be baking again soon, this time it's Coconut Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting for my son in laws birthday on Sept. 19th. I'm crossing my fingers!
P.S. Never Give Up is Cakequeen Motto :)