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Showing posts with label Bundt Cakes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bundt Cakes. Show all posts

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Triple Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Sprinkles (#BundtBakers)


Terri of Love and Confections chose this month's theme for the Bundt Baker's --->  SPRINKLES!!  "If it can be sprinkled and used to decorate a Bundt inside or out, then it's fair game" were the guidelines given by sweet Terri. I couldn't be more delighted with this theme.  Sprinkles on top makes everything better is what I believe.  Don't you?!  Not only does sprinkles make ice cream, whipped cream, cake or cupcakes look fancy and pretty but also yummy and special too.  Thank you, Terri for picking such a brilliant theme this month!


Right away I knew I wanted to use the chocolate sprinkles I had in my pantry from King Arthur Flour.  Some sprinkles can have a very bland and stale taste but NOT the chocolate sprinkles from King Arthur.  These chocolate little treasures are like mini chocolate kisses landing on your tongue when eaten.  I honestly think they are the BEST sprinkles ever! Paired with these sprinkles I thought it only appropriate to bake a recipe from King Arthur Flour and I knew exactly which one I wanted to bake -  Chocolate Zucchini Cake.  I had baked this cake earlier this summer and was astonished at how simple and delicious the recipe came out.  It was not only moist but decadent.  Cocoa powder along with semi-sweet chocolate chips and espresso powder all make up the rich chocolate flavor and then the zucchini and sour cream added into the batter allows for a ultra moist cake. This is a cake that you will make once and then make again and again.  You can bake it in a 9x13 or a bundt pan - either way is perfectly fine.


Frost the cake with chocolate chips that are melted onto the warm cake (as the original recipe calls for) or glaze it with a simple vanilla glaze and sprinkle it with SPRINKLES as I did. Either way is delicious.  Also, keep in mind that you can use whole pastry flour instead of all-purpose flour - I used half whole wheat and half AP flour and it gave the cake a wonderful texture and flavor. 

Triple Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake with Sprinkles
                                               (recipe from King Arthur Flour)

Cake Ingredients: 
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup canola oil
1 3/4 cup sugar (I used 1 1/2 cups sugar - I also have used 1 cup maple syrup and 1/2 cup sugar with great success)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream, buttermilk or yogurt
2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup baking cocoa or Dutch-process cocoa
2 tsp espresso powder, optional but tasty
3 cups shredded zucchini (about a 10" zucchini)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Vanilla Glaze Ingredients:
2 Tbsp butter, melted
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tbsp milk (more or less if needed for desired consistency)
chocolate sprinkles

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Grease bundt pan and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and oil until smooth.  Add in sugar, vanilla extract, baking soda and powder and salt until smooth.  Beat in eggs.

Add in sour cream, buttermilk or yogurt alternately with the flour.  Add in cocoa and espresso powder, mixing until all is smooth.

Gently fold in shredded zucchini and chocolate chips.  Spoon batter into prepared pan and place into oven.  Bake for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted into center.

Mix up glaze while cake is cooling completely.   In a medium bowl combine all glaze ingredients - except for the sprinkles -  mix until smooth.  Pour glaze over cooled bundt and then sprinkle with sprinkles.  Serve with happiness!

br /> Here are this month's "Sprinkles" Bundts:



BundtBakers

#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving Bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all of our lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest Board. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme or ingredient.

Updated links for all of our past events and more information about BundtBakers can be found on our homepage.
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Thursday, June 18, 2015

Strawberry Lemonade Bundt Cake ~ #BundtBakers


 Believe it or not it's that time of the month that #BundtBakers present their creative creations of deliciousness.  This month the theme for #BundtBakers was chosen by the extremely talented,   Anne of From My Sweet Heart.  In the cake, on the cake, around the cake or all of it,  lemon was the theme.  Immediately I knew that I wanted to use the combo of strawberries and lemons.   Strawberries paired with lemons are lovely.  The sweetness of the berries balances out the tartness of the lemons and together they are a fantastic pair,   complementing one another fully.   


  I loved this cake from the moment I started mixing all the ingredients together.  The batter is flavored with grated lemon, lemon juice and a small amount of lemon extract.  All three lemon sources allow for the perfect lemon taste to the cake.  A delicate yet perfect lemon flavor shines in each bite of this cake.  Sour cream, butter and eggs all lend a hand in offering a richness to the cake too.  And then lastly the strawberries which are sliced and diced and then tossed with a little bit of flour and powdered sugar are folded into the batter to pair up with the lemon.  A perfection of a cake.



 A simple glaze of powdered sugar and lemon juice could easily be used to drizzle over this bundt.  I decided I wanted to have a bit of a fancier topping than just a simple glaze.  I also needed to cover up some of the areas on the cake that didn't release as gracefully from the pan as I had hoped.  I added some melted butter, lemon peel and dash of lemon extract to the powdered sugar and lemon juice to create exactly the topping I was after.  I was delighted visually as was my taste buds.  The frosting topped off the cake perfectly with decadence.



 Embrace the strawberry season as fresh strawberries are in abundance and bake up this cake.  Or buy some fresh strawberries at the super market if you can't pick them fresh.  This cake is perfect for those that want to impress yet simple enough to do so with truly very little effort.  


I send Anne big hugs of happiness for her fantastic choice of a "lemony" theme for our #BundtBakers group this month.  I enjoyed every minute of baking with lemons (and strawberries) by my side!   I also want to thank the creator of this group, Stacey of Food Lust People Love, for the amazing job she does to keep all the bits and pieces together to make the #BundtBakers such a fantastic group each and every month.  Merci beaucoup to both of you!!! 


Strawberry Lemonade Bundt Cake 
               (recipe adapted from I Heart Nap Time) 

 Cake Ingredients-
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
zest of 2 lemons
1/2 tsp lemon extract
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz sour cream
1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, diced
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 TBSP flour 

Frosting Ingredients-
4 TBSP butter, melted
1 cup powdered sugar
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp lemon extract
1-2 TBSP fresh lemon juice - more or less depending on what consistency you want

 Directions -

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.   Grease and flour bundt pan - set aside. 

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking soda and salt - set aside. 

In a large bowl beat together butter, sugar and lemon zest for 2-3 minutes.  Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well with each addition.  Add in lemon juice and lemon extract. 

 Add to butter mixture the flour mixture and sour cream - alternating between the 2, starting and ending with the flour.   

 In a medium bowl toss strawberries with powdered sugar and flour.  Gently fold strawberries into batter.  Pour batter into prepared bundt pan.  

 Place cake into oven and reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.  Bake for 60 min - 1 hr and 10 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the middle of cake comes out clean.  Cool cake for 20 minutes before inverting onto serving plate.  Cool completely before frosting (or glazing).

 While cake cools make your frosting.  Melt 4 TBSP of butter and pour over powdered sugar in a medium bowl.  Stir to incorporate.  Add in zest of lemon,  lemon extract and lemon juice and mix well.  Alter consistency of frosting by adding in more lemon juice if you wish. Pour over cooled cake, using a butter knife if needed to direct the frosting to a specific location.  Slice and enjoy!! 


Happy Strawberry Lemonade Bundt Cake Baking!



BundtBakers
#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving Bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all of our lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board right here. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme or ingredient. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about BundtBakers can be found on our homepage.
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Thursday, May 21, 2015

Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake with a Rocky Road Frosting (for #bundtbakers)


Are you ready for a delicious bundt cake!?  How about one that is jam packed with mini chocolate chips within a lovely vanilla cake and then topped off with a chocolate ganache, chopped almonds and mini marshmallows?  This month the Bundt Bakers group that I am part of was given spectacular guidance by Laura of  Baking in Pajamas  to incorporate the flavors of "rocky road" into a bundt cake.  Chocolate, marshmallows and chopped nuts are all ingredients that make up "rocky road".  Dried fruit can also be featured in a "rocky road"  combination, especially when found in treats made in England. 



After much thought and exploring of different cakes and combos of the rocky road flavors I decided on a simple and decadent chocolate chip cake that is then drenched in chocolate ganache.  On top of the chocolate ganache I sprinkled chopped almonds and soft mini marshmallows.  All the flavors in an American version of rocky road.  I did consider sprinkling some chopped dried apricots too over the ganache but unfortunately forgot all about it until the cake was half way gone.   I love the idea of having dried fruit in a rocky road baked sweet.  I think that would be delicious!  Those bakers in England are smart cookies for sure!


 Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake with a Rocky Road Frosting 
(cake recipe found on Boston.com)

 Cake Ingredients :
3 cups flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs + 1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract 
1 cup 1/2 and 1/2
2 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

 Frosting Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/3 cup chocolate chips, semi-sweet,  milk chocolate or dark 
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup mini marshmallows

Cake Directions -

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter and flour bundt pan and set aside.

 In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.  Pour mini chips into a separate bowl and toss with 2 Tbsps of flour mixture, coating chips well.  Set aside both bowls. 

In a large bowl beat butter until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.  Add in sugar in 3 additions, beating for 1 minute with each addition.  Add in eggs and then yolk, one at time, beating well with each addition. Lastly, add in vanilla extract.

 Put mixer on lowest speed and add into the wet mixture the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the with the 1/2 and 1/2, beginning and ending with the 1/2 and 1/2.   Add in flour tossed chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.

 Pour cake batter into prepared bundt pan.  Bake in preheated oven for 55-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean and the cake has pulled away from the sides of the pan.   Cool cake on a rack for at least 30 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. 

 While cake is cooling, make frosting.  Pour chocolate chips into a medium bowl that can be covered tightly with either a plate or tin foil.   In a medium sauce pan, heat heavy cream over medium-low heat.  Bring cream to a gentle simmer, remove from heat and pour over chocolate chips and DO NOT stir but rather cover bowl with a plate or aluminum foil and allow to sit for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes uncover bowl and gently whisk hot cream and chocolate chips together until all the chocolate has melted.  Let mixture cool and thicken for at least 20-30 minutes before pouring over cake.  Finally, sprinkle chopped nuts and then mini marshmallows over the chocolate drenched cake.  Serve and enjoy! 



Happy Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake with a Rocky Road Topping Baking!

Please take a moment to browse through my fellow Bundt Bakers "rocky road" creations.  All the links can be found below.


 
BundtBakers
#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on the BundtBakers home page.  
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Thursday, April 16, 2015

Triple Lemon Bundt Cake #BundtBakers

BundtBakers 

It is with great honor and delight that I present to you my first post as being part of a lovely group of food bloggers called, #BundtBakers.  #BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all of our lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board right here. http://www.pinterest.com/flpl/bundtbakers/ Links are also updated after each event on the BundtBaker home page. http://www.foodlustpeoplelove.com/p/bundtbakers.html


We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.  This month the lovely Anshie from SpiceRoots  has chosen the theme as "Hidden Surprise" - Bundt cakes with fillings or stuffing. There was no constraint on filling and flavor choices. The only requirement was that the cake be filled/stuffed inside.  Thank you so very, very much Anshie for all the work you put into hostessing this group this month.  It has been so much fun for me!  This month there are about 36 participants who have baked up a bundt cake with Anshie's theme of "Hidden Surprise" in mind. Please scroll to the bottom of this post to see the links to every one's cakes.  I can't wait to see what everyone has come up with.  I choose to bake a Triple Lemon Bundt Cake.  I have always loved baking with lemon.  It's fresh and light and has a lovely fragrant flavor. 
 

 If you are a lemon lover this is the cake for you as it is packed with lemon goodness both inside and out.  The cake starts off with the simplicity of a lemon pound cake that surrounds a decadent tunnel of lemon curd.  The cake is then topped off with a delicate lemon glaze. 



The beauty of this cake not only comes from it's visual presentation but also because it can feed quite a lot of hungry lemon loving mouths.  I shared the cake with my family, multiple friends and even my knitting group and I still have a nice size portion remaining.


I loved every one's happy reaction to the discovery of the surprise of the lemon curd that was slightly swirled within the cake.  The pound cake had a perfect texture that held the lemon curd enough so that it didn't fall to the bottom of the cake. If the cake had been lighter in texture it would not have worked as well. 
Grab some lemons and join me in baking up a wonderful cake that is sure to please and surprise all your lemon fans. 


Triple Lemon Bundt Cake 
(recipe slightly adapted from The Christan Science Monitor)

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
2-3 large lemons 
4 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup lemon curd (I used Dickinson's - homemade is fine too)  
1 cup powdered sugar


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour a 12 cup bundt pan - set aside. 

Beat butter until light.  Add in sugar and beat together until light and fluffy -  about 2-3 minutes.  Add in eggs one at a time - beating well in between each egg.  

Grate rind of 2 lemons (1 will be for the cake batter, the other for the glaze) and juice enough lemons to equal 1/4 cup + 2 TBSP of juice (set aside for glaze).  Add rind of 1 lemon and 1/4 cup lemon juice to the butter, sugar and egg mixture.  Mix well all together.

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add dry ingredients to butter mixture, alternating with buttermilk. Scrape down sides of bowl when needed.

Pour 1/2 of cake batter into prepared cake pan.  Spoon lemon curd into center of batter and then carefully run a butter knife through the curd and batter to slightly incorporate.  Spoon remaining batter over curd.  Smooth batter evenly with the back of a spoon or an off set knife. 

Bake for 50-55 minutes - the top will be golden brown and will not wiggle when shaken.  Cool cake for at least 30 minutes before inverting to a serving plate.  

While cake cools completely make glaze by combining powdered sugar, 2 TBSP lemon juice and 1/2 of the remaining grated rind. Add in more lemon juice if you wish to have thinner glaze.  Spoon glaze over completely cooled cake. Sprinkle remaining rind over glaze.  Slice and serve. 


Happy Triple Lemon Bundt Cake Baking!

Please enjoy the links below to see what my fellow #BundtBakers have created too! If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com. 

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Wednesday, November 27, 2013

The Cake Slice Baker's November Cake ~ Applesauce Spice Cake

 
 Hello and Happy November!!
 
I have recently joined a baking group called The Cake Slice Baker's and I couldn't be more excited!  Not only have I been able to meet a group of lovely bakers but they are also extremely talented and oh so, very friendly.  For the next year the Cake Slice Baker's will be baking from a cookbook called, Great Cakes by Carole Walter.   Each month we will choose a recipe from this book based on a poll and present it on-line on or after the 20th of each month.  This month everyone baked an Applesauce Spice Cake from Great Cakes.  I was delighted with this recipe as the cake was delicious!
 
 
 
I found this cake to be full of warm Fall flavors.  Lots of good spices, chopped fruit and nuts all surrounded by a tender and moist cake.  And then because I just love a good icing I whipped up the suggested topping of a Brown Sugar Glaze and drizzled it over the cake.  Perfection! 
 
 
 
I did change a couple of things slightly from the original recipe.  Unfortunately, I did not have any nuts in my pantry so instead I added raisins and dried cranberries which I plumped up in some boiling water for a couple of minutes. I also omitted the allspice that the recipe called for as I was in the  mood for just nutmeg and cinnamon. 
 
  The steps that were required to create this cake were put together with great thought and care. Such as sifting the dry ingredients a couple of times before adding them into the wet ingredients.  I also found it nice to add the granulated and brown sugar by the tablespoon mixing well in between each addition instead of all at once.
 
A perfect Fall cake to share a gatherings or to enjoy simply with a cup of delicious hot tea.
 
 
 
 
Applesauce Spice Cake
(recipe from Carole Walter's book, Great Cakes)
 
Cake Ingredients:
 
2 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 cup pecans, lightly toasted and chopped
1/3 cup (2/3 stick) butter
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
2 large eggs
1 medium-sized tart greening or Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped medium small (about 2/3 cup)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup sweetened bottled applesauce
 
Brown Sugar Glaze Ingredients:
 
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp light brown sugar
3 Tbsp heavy cream
3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
 
Directions:
 
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour a fluted or bundt pan.
 
2. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and spices in a triple sifter a couple of times.  Stir in chopped nuts and set aside.
 
3. In a large bowl of  mixer cream together butter and lemon rind. Beat at medium-high speed for 1 minute and then add in shortening.  Mix for an additional minute.
 
4.  Add in granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time.  This will take 3-4 minutes to complete.  Next add in brown sugar the same way and scrape sides of the bowl occasionally.
 
5. With the mixer on medium-low speed add in eggs one at a time in 1 minute intervals.  Add in fresh chopped apple (and dried fruit if you wish) along with vanilla extract.
 
6. Keeping the mixer on low speed add in flour mixture alternately with applesauce - starting and ending with the flour mixture.  Only beat batter until flour is just incorporated after each addition.  Scrape sides of bowl occasionally.
 
7. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.  Bake in the center of the oven for 50-60 minutes or until cake is golden brown and toothpick inserted into the center comes out dry.
 
8.  Cool cake for 10-15 mintues before inverting onto a serving plate.  While cake cools prepare glaze. 
 
9.  In a medium size sauce pan melt together brown sugar and butter over low heat.  Stir in heavy cream.  Cook until mixture comes to a gentle boil and then allow to simmer for 1-2 minutes.  Remove from heat to add in sifted powdered sugar - whisking until smooth.  Add in vanilla extract.  If the glaze is too thick add in more heavy cream, 1 Tbsp at a time.  Pour glaze over warm cake. 
 
~Store cake at room temperature under a glass dome or in an airtight container for up to 2 days.  If you store in refrigerator cake will store up to 10 days.  Cake should be wrapped tightly and unglazed.
 
Enjoy!  And be sure to enjoy the links below for all the beautiful Applesauce Spice Cakes that my fellow Cake Slice Baker's made too!
 
 
 
Happy Applesauce Spice Cake Baking!
 
 
 
 

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Sunday, February 10, 2013

Chocolate Ribbon Coffee Cake with a Milk Chocolate Ganache

 
Go ahead and try and reach through your screen to take a little finger scoop of that ganache. I dare ya!.... I know you want to.  How can you not when you see all that lovely chocolate yumminess right in front of you!?! And then of course seeing that pretty bundt cake of a coffee cake creation underneath the chocolate ganache probably doesn't help matters much either. I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry to be teasing you with such a delicious cake.  I will never, never, never do it again....at least not again today.  I can't promise what will happen in the future. ;-)
 
 
 
 As soon as I saw this lovely cake on Louanne's blog I took immediate action and printed off the recipe right away.  And then the skys opened up and a lovely group of ladies fell upon me.  A group of talented ladies that bake together (virtually) on a monthly basis from the cookbook called, Coffee Cakes - Simple, Sweet and Savory by Lou Seibert Pappas . 
The baking group is called, The Home Bakers.  I immediately took action and joined the group.  I could not be more delighted to have joined this group as ALL of the recipes in Lou's book are amazing!  AMAZING!!!

 
 Without fail coffee cakes make my heart do a little pitter patter dance of happiness.  In my world coffee cakes represent sweetness of friendship, closeness of family and surprises all around.  Coffee cakes can be eaten anytime of the day in my book. Morning, noon or night.  And they taste best when shared with others...especially over a hot cup of tea, coffee or even better, hot chocolate.  Happiness is life filled with coffee cakes.
 
 
 
 
Fruit is often found in these special cakes.  Then again so are spices and nuts and dried fruit.  Even better chocolate simply lives to be a in coffee cake.  Thus the beauty and reality of this Chocolate Ribbon Coffee Cake is magic.  The magic comes from the tender and light crumb of the cake that surrounds chocolate, nuts and a sprinkling of ground cinnamon.  Perfection.  Milk chocolate ganache was my desired addition to this cake. You can do as I did or leave the cake plain. Either way you will make the right choice.
 
If you do choose to top your cake with a ganache here is the recipe I used.....
 
Milk Chocolate GANACHE
 
*1/4 cup heavy cream
*1 bag milk chocolate morsels
 
In a large sauce pan heat heavy cream over medium heat just until steam begins to rise from the cream.  Remove sauce pan from heat and carefully stir in milk chocolate morsels.  Stir until morsels are completely melted and incorporated into the heavy cream.  Ganache will thicken as it cools.  Pour over cake.  Any remaining ganache can be stored in refrigerator in a sealed container.  Heat in microwave for 30-60 seconds to enjoy over ice cream, cakes or your finger.
 
Please visit the lovely Louanne's Kitchen for the full recipe of this cake.
 
 
 
Enjoy!
 
Happy Chocolate Ribbon Coffee Cake Baking!
 
This recipe has been linked up to Trick or Treat Tuesday at Inside BruCrew Life and Buns in My Oven - What's Cookin' Wednesday :-)

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