Chocolate Skillet Cake

This cake is really good. Like really good. It’s also really simple. Just the best chocolate cake ever baked in a cast iron skillet (!!) smothered with melted Nutella on top and covered with a sprinkling a chopped hazelnuts. I made this simple cake to test out my new cast iron skillet. To see if it would, you know, really work. It did. I am officially positive that all cake’s taste better when they’ve been baked in a skillet. Also, I made this cake last night and it’s up this morning. That’s how badly everybody wanted to dig their forks into this cake. 😀

Ingredients: Chocolate Cake

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg, room temperature

1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup boiling water

Optional: Nutella

Optional: Chopped Hazelnuts

Recipe: Chocolate Cake

Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9 inch cast iron skillet.

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

Add the egg, vanilla, buttermilk, and butter. Beat on medium-high speed until combined well, about three minutes.

Stir in boiling water, the batter will be pretty thin- don’t worry about it.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

While cake is still warm frost Nutella over it and then sprinkle chopped hazelnuts over it. Then eat it 🙂

Enjoy!

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Vanilla Raspberry Pound Cake

This pound cake is amazing. Seriously, it’s the best pound cake I’ve ever had, but King Arthur can take credit for that because I got the recipe from them, adapting very slightly. I mean the blog/brand King Arthur, not an actual king, or anything 😛 The pound cake is soft and dense, but it almost melts in your mouth, and then there are the pockets of tangy raspberries which make this cake oh so much better. The vanilla glaze makes the top slightly crunchy and crisp- delicious.

Ingredients: Pound Cake (adapted slightly from here)

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

5 large eggs, room temperature

3 tablespoons milk

1 and 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 cup frozen raspberries

Vanilla Glaze

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon water

Recipe: Pound Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9″ x 5″ x 2 3/4″ loaf pan.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the butter, cream cheese, salt, sugar, baking powder, and vanilla extract until well combined.

Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; the mixture may look slightly curdled. After you’ve added the final egg, beat at high speed for 3 minutes.

Once all the eggs are added, stir in the milk.

With the mixer going at low speed, slowly sprinkle in all the flour until just combined.

Bake for 55 minutes before pouring on the glaze, then bake for 15-20 more minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. The middle may look underdone- that’s okay.

Cool on a rack for 5 minutes before turning out.

Vanilla Glaze

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl until syrupy. It will be thick at first.

Lightly brush, or pour, it over the pound cake after the cake has been in the oven for 55 minutes. (See above)

Enjoy!

Flourless Chocolate Cake

I’ve always wanted to make a flourless chocolate cake, but never got around to it. My advice? Make this cake now. It’s fudgy, dense, and super chocolatey. I topped it with raspberry coulis and whipped cream. Do not skip the coulis- it’s tangy, full of raspberry flavor and so amazing.

Ingredients: Cake

2 and 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

6 ounces unsalted butter

5 large eggs, cold

1 cup granulated sugar

1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons water

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder

Raspberry Coulis

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 and 1/2 tablespoons water

12 ounces raspberries, (if frozen, thaw them)

Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Recipe: Cake

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 300°F. Grease a 9″ round cake pan and line it with parchment paper. Dust with cocoa powder.

Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave or in a medium metal bowl set in a skillet of barely simmering water, stirring with a rubber spatula until smooth.

Remove  bowl from heat and let cool slightly.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt, and water. Beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is very foamy, pale in color, and doubled in volume, about 2 minutes.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually pour in the chocolate mixture. Increase the speed to medium high and continue beating until well blended, about 30 seconds.

Add the cocoa powder and mix on medium low just until blended, about 30 seconds.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a pick inserted in the center comes out looking wet with small gooey clumps, 35 to 45 min. Don’t overcook. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 30 min.

If necessary, gently push the edges down with your fingertips until the layer is even. Run a small knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake.

Cover the cake pan with a wire rack and invert. Remove the pan and parchment and let the cake cool completely. The cake may look cinched in around its sides, which is fine.

Transfer to a cake plate. Cover and refrigerate the cake until it’s very cold, at least overnight.

Raspberry Coulis

Heat sugar and water in a small saucepan on low heat until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Takes about 5-8 minutes.

Blend sugar syrup and raspberries in a food processor until smooth.

Push through sieve.

Store covered in fridge.

Whipped Cream

Put a medium bowl and whisks in the freezer for 5-10 minutes.

Beat all ingredients until soft peaks form.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Banana Cream Pecan Cake

I know, I know, another cake recipe, but this one was too good to not post! This cake is seriously amazing. The banana cake is fluffy and moist, the pudding/filling is creamy, the chocolate frosting is the best chocolate frosting I’ve ever had, and the candied pecans just top it all off. My family loved it.

Ingredients: Banana Cake (from here, adapted very slightly)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 and 1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (3 bananas)

Banana Cream Filling (from here)

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/16 teaspoon table salt

1/4 cup half-and-half (or heavy cream)

2 and 1/2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten

1 cup milk, I used whole

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon butter

1 medium banana, sliced and layered below the pudding

Chocolate Frosting (from here)

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 cup whole milk

3 cups powdered sugar

Candied Pecans

1 pound pecans

1 egg white

1 tablespoon water

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

Recipe: Banana Cake

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease two 8×8 pans and line them with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the sour cream and vanilla extract. Mix in the mashed bananas.

Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until flour disappears.

Spread cake batter evenly into the  two prepared pan.

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool completely before filling and frosting.

Banana Cream Filling

Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a medium saucepan on low heat. Whisk in the half-and-half, followed by the egg yolks and milk until the mixture is smooth.

Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and becomes smooth. This can take between 5 and 10 minutes. The finished texture should be like not quite set pudding, very thick but not gelatinous.

Remove the pan from heat and strain. Whisk in butter and vanilla.

Let the mixture cool.

Chocolate Frosting

Beat butter until fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Mix in cocoa powder, vanilla, and milk.

Beat in powdered sugar until smooth.

Frost cake.

Candied Pecans

Preheat oven to 250F.

Mix cinnamon, sugar, and salt together in a bowl.

Whip egg white and water, in a separate bowl, until foamy.  Toss pecans in egg white mixture.

Pour cinnamon/sugar mixture over the pecans and toss until evenly coated.

Spread on cookie sheet and bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Garnish cake with them.

Enjoy!

Coconut Cake

The cake is fluffy, and soft, flavored with a hint of coconut, and the frosting is marshmallow covered in coconut flakes. I filled it with store-bought lemon curd. So good. Anyway, I made this awesome cake for my mom’s birthday. She requested coconut cake and lemon filling, so I just did what she said, but it turned out great! Sorry I don’t have a picture of the inside, but it seems a little weird to give someone a birthday cake with a piece cut out of it 🙂

Ingredients: Cake (from here) Makes two 8 inch cakes

5 large egg whites, room temperature

3/4 cup whole milk, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 and 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract

2 and 1/2 cups cake flour, pre-sifted

1 and 3/4  cups granulated sugar

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature and cubed

Filling

1/3 cup lemon curd

Frosting (from here)

1 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons water

2 large egg whites, at room temperature

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (add 1/4 teaspoon more after beating if your frosting isn’t stiff enough)

1/8 of salt

coconut flakes

Recipe: Cake

 Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease, line with parchment, and flour two round 8-inch pans.

In a medium bowl or measuring cup, combine and stir the egg whites, 1/4 cup of milk, and the vanilla. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the dry ingredients together on low speed for 30 seconds.

Add the butter and remaining 1/2 cup of milk, and mix on low speed until just moistened. Increase to medium speed and mix for 90 seconds.

Scrape the sides of the bowl and begin to add the egg mixture in 3 separate batches; beat on medium speed for 20 seconds after each addition.

Divide the batter in two, spreading it evenly with a small offset palette knife.

Bake 25-35 minutes or until a cake tester comes clean when inserted into the center. Be so careful to not overbake. Check cake at 20 minutes, but not before, and once you feel it’s almost ready, set the timer for 2 minute intervals.

Let cool on racks for 10 minutes before loosening the sides with a small metal spatula, and invert onto greased wire racks. Gently turn cakes back up, so the tops are up and cool completely.

Frosting

In a small saucepan, combine the granulated sugar with the water and bring to a boil over moderately high heat, while it boils stir constantly until the sugar has dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes.

In a large bowl of a standing electric mixer, beat the egg whites with the pinches of cream of tartar and salt until soft peaks form.

With the mixer at medium speed, carefully pour the hot sugar syrup into the egg whites. Continue beating the frosting until cool and billowy, about 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

 

Mixed Berry Crumb Cake

Fluffy moist yellow cake, full of berries, and topped with a brown sugar crumb topping. The best crumb cake ever, or coffee cake. Depending on what you call it. Either way you’ll love it 😉

Ingredients: Cake (from here) Makes one 9 inch layer

3 large egg yolks, room temperature

1/2 cup whole milk (separated into 2 tablespoons and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons)

1 and 1/8 teaspoon vanilla

1 and 1/2 cups pre-sifted cake flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 cup mixed berries, frozen

Crumb Topping (from here)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

1 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

Recipe: Crumb Topping

Combine both sugars, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl.

Add the melted butter and then flour.

Set aside and make the cake

 Cake

Preheat oven to 350F and grease 9 inch cake pan.

In a small bowl lightly combine the egg yolks, 2 tablespoons of milk, and vanilla.

In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend.

Add the butter and remaining milk. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium speed for 1 and 1/2 minutes to aerate the cake’s structure.

Gradually add the egg mixture in three batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition.

With a spoon, stir in mixed berries.

Pour into pans and smooth the surface with a spatula.

Crumble topping on cake.

Bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Make sure the middle is done.

Let cool in pan for ten minutes and then invert onto a wire rack to completely cool.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

Mini Angel Food Strawberry Shortcakes

Light and fluffy mini angel food cakes with homemade strawberry syrup and creamy whipped cream, sounds good, right? It is. These two cakes are amazing. You have to try these right now. Seriously, drop everything and make these.

Ingredients: Angel Food Cake (adapted slightly from here)

1 and 1/2 cups egg whites (10-12 large), room temperature (make sure to separate when cold!)

1 and 1/2 cups sugar, divided

1 cup sifted cake flour

1 tsp cream of tartar

1/4 tsp salt

2 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Strawberry Sauce

4 cups sliced and hulled strawberries (about 1 pound)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup water

Whipped Cream

1 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Recipe: Mini Angel Food Cakes

Preheat oven to 325F.

In a small bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup sugar and the cake flour. Set aside.

Beat egg whites until frothy, then add cream of tartar and salt.

Beat until fully incorporated. Then begin to add the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar 1-2 tablespoons at a time. When sugar has been added, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Soft peaks are when the egg whites stand up then droop when you lift the whisks up.

Don’t be afraid to slow down the mixer and check a few times as you get close. Do not beat all the way to stiff peaks.

Once you have soft peaks, add the vanilla  and beat for a few seconds to evenly distribute.

Sift the flour/sugar mixture over the egg whites in 6-8 addition and gently fold it in after each addition. It is better to take your time and do it gently than to rush and deflate the egg whites.

Spoon batter into two ungreased mini tube pans with a removeable bottoms. Smooth the top with a spatula and tap the pan on the counter once or twice to ensure that there are no large bubbles lurking beneath the surface.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the tops spring back when touched.

.Allow to cool completely or overnight on a wire rack.

Gently run a thin knife around the sides, then around the bottom, of the pan to release the cake when you are ready to serve it.

Strawberry Sauce

Combine all the ingredients in a small pot over medium heat.

Bring to a boil for a few minutes then cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes.

Serve warm or cold over the angel food cake.

Whipped Cream

Freeze a small bowl and mixers for 15 minutes.

Beat all the ingredients until soft peaks form.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

Berry Upside Down Cake

I got this fantastic yellow cake recipe from, of course, The Cake Bible. It’s very fluffy and combines the texture of white cake with the flavor of yellow cake. I turned it into a berry upside down cake by just putting mixed berries and a brown sugar glaze in the bottom of each cake pan. This layer cake pairs perfectly with the whipped cream.

Ingredients: Brown Sugar Glaze (from here)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 cups mixed berries, frozen

Cake (from The Cake Bible)

6  large egg yolks

1 cup whole milk (separated into 1/4 and 3/4)

2 and 1/4 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups pre-sifted cake flour

1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Whipped Cream

1 and 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Recipe: Glaze

Melt butter in skillet over low heat. Add brown sugar and stir occasionally until melted. When brown sugar is melted turn off the heat but leave the glaze on the stove. When cake batter is done pour the glaze into the cake pans and dump the fruit over it.

Cake

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a small bowl lightly combine the egg yolks, 1/4 cup of milk, and vanilla.

In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend.

Add the butter and remaining 3/4 cup of milk. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium speed for 1 and 1/2 minutes to aerate the cake’s structure.

Gradually add the egg mixture in three batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition.

Pour into pans, over the fruit,  and smooth the surface with a spatula. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool in pan for ten minutes and then invert onto a wire rack to completely cool.

Whipped Cream

Chill bowl and whisks in the freezer for 15-30 minutes.

Whip cream, sugar, and vanilla until thick and fluffy.

Pipe or frost onto cake.

Enjoy!

Nonpareil Chocolate Cake

This chocolate cake is amazing! Seriously, it’s fudgy, moist, slightly dense, and super chocolatey 🙂  And the frosting is creamy, fluffy, and sweet. Nonpareils were the theme of the cake, as you can tell.

Ingredients: Cake

2 cups granulated sugar

1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, room temperature

1 cup whole milk

1/2  cup unsalted butter, melted

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

Frosting

2 and 1/2 sticks salted butter

6  cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon whole milk plus 1 teaspoon

blue food coloring

pink food coloring

yellow food coloring

nonpareils (for decoration)

Recipe: Cake

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour, and parchment paper three 6-inch round baking pans.

Stir together sugar, flour,  baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, butter, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed of mixer for 2 minutes or until smooth.  Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin).

Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

Frosting

Whip butter for about three minutes until it lightens to an ivory color. Mix in the powdered sugar until creamy. Beat in the milk. Keep beating until light and fluffy. Separate frosting into three parts and color each a different color. Frost the cake!

Enjoy!

Almond Cake

It’s a slightly dense, slightly fluffy cake flavored with almond extract. I do not include the recipe for the frosting because it (unfortunately) separated and I didn’t think it was good enough for the blog. This cake is amazing, however and would be perfect with some whipped cream and fruit or a light, fluffy frosting.

Ingredients: Cake (I got it from The Perfect Cake but I use almond extract instead of vanilla)

1 and 1/2 plus 2 tablespoons pre-sifted cake flour

1 and 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

4 egg whites, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 cup whole milk

Recipe: Cake Preheat oven to 375F and make sure there is a shelf on the bottom rack of the oven. Grease, line with parchment paper, grease again, and flour two 8×8 pans.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whip egg whites until foamy, then add 1 tablespoon of the measured sugar and whip until stiff but not dry.

In another large bowl beat butter until soft. Add remaining sugar and cream until completely blended into a granular paste. Beat in almond extract. With mixer on low speed, alternatively add the flour and milk to the butter-sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour.

With a rubber spatula fold egg whites into the batter, using a light touch.

Divide batter between cake pans and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool the layers in their pans on a wire rack for ten minutes. Then invert on the wire rack and cool completely.

Enjoy!