yellow cupcakes

So yummy!  Hanna said “Lisi, I never ever like cupcakes and I actually like these!!”  Sylvie and I agreed 100 percent.  And mind you – this tasting was w/out the icing.  Sylvie picked this recipe — eager to bake from this very pretty decorating book called Hello, Cupcake!  We were baking for My Sister’s Place again – and she wanted to make something a little more special and exciting.  And that meant decorating.  To be honest, I wasn’t sure I was going to let the girls decorate because I wanted the cupcakes to look just so – but soon remembered that they are very capable and creative 11 year olds!  Thank goodness we were all in it together because their help cut my time in half.  But don’t worry, these are super simple to make.  I promise.  The key is baking time (as usual) try to remove from oven when there is only a tiny moist crumb on a toothpick.  I know a pain, but worth the extra effort to check, and check again and again toward the end of baking time.

vanilla cupcakes (from Hello, Cupcake by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson):

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin cups with liners.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

Combine the milk, oil, and vanilla extract (I do this in liquid measuring cup).

With the paddle attachment of your electric mixer (or hand held beaters) beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Scrape down the bowl after a few minutes and beat for a few minutes longer.  Around 6-7 minutes.

Add the eggs, one at a time and once combined, scrape again.  On the lowest speed, add the the flour mixture alternately with the milk mixture in batches.  Begin, and end with flour.  Mix until JUST blended.

Fill the cupcake liners two thirds full. Bake until golden and a toothpick comes out JUST clean — 15 – 20 minutes. Once you are able to handle the cupcakes, remove from the pan and let cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar for the easiest treat – or many any frosting of your choice! Decorate and have fun – Enjoy –

ice box zebra delight

This is a very old fashioned dessert – but it has never ever lost its appeal.  Mark said “This is slice number four…I’m going to have to ride (my bike) 100 miles tomorrow morning!”  And Mike was lamenting the absence of my ginger cookies but sang a different tune when he sampled this treat.  He said “So light, so airy, hands down the best thing you have ever made!”  This is a perfect treat for summer  –  you can make it in advance and although rich in chocolate flavor it is not too heavy.  Serve it with ice cream and you have such and easy sweet to serve.  My mom made this when we were young and I remember thinking that it must be so difficult to make.  But as usual (with me) it is not!  Well, if you decide to make thin chocolate wafer cookies on your own, then yes, this is more work.  But I happen to love the Famous Chocolate thin chocolate wafters by Nabisco that you get in that yellow box.  I do.  The recipe for this is actually on the box!!  I tweaked it a bit – making it in a cake pan so that I could invert it and coat with ganache – but you don’t have to – really up to you.  If you follow the directions on the box you simply make a zebra roll.  And that is quite good.  I’ll list the ingredients and then how I made this one – and you can play around.  Even if you throw all the cookies and whipped cream in a big bowl, and served with a spoon and some chocolate sauce and ice cream…well – that is just the same!   Enjoy this one!’

Basic recipe is first, then what I did in addition is below that.

ice box zebra delight (from the Famous Chocolate thin chocolate wafer box):

2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 package (9 oz) Famous Chocolate Wafers
ice cream
ganache – optional

With whisk attachment beat the cream until stiff peaks form.   Towards the end, add the vanilla

Spread 1-1/2 teaspoon (I did a bit more) whipped cream onto each wafer, stack then stand on the edge on a plate.  Keep going until you finish with the cookies.  Spread the remaining cream on top and sides.

Then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.  Cut into diagonal slices to serve.

You can also freeze until firm and wrap tightly and store for up to 2 months!  Remove from freezer and place in fridge for at least an hour until you are ready to serve.

I lined a cake pan with plastic wrap – so that the sides overhang.  I placed some whipped cream down first, then i filled the bowl with the long tube that is described above — I put that in the center.  After that I just layered the cookies and the cream all around.

Once frozen, invert the pan and pull the frozen dessert out with the help of the plastic wrap.  If it is too cold, just run the bottom of the pan under hot water.  Then take your ganache (the recipe is in the blog) and pour over the concoction and cover the top and sides.  I served with both chocolate and vanilla ice cream.

Alternatively you can just drizzle ganache on top – or skip it.  You can also place all in a bowl, and scoop out with a spoon.  Again, feel free to add some chocolate sauce in there.

You cannot go wrong!

Enjoy –

cinnamon almond snack cake (made from ground almonds – no flour) healthy!

Sylvie LOVED this cake.  Rob and I did too.  The cinnamon topping is soo very full of flavor and the cake is dense, moist and satisfying.  Really!  Again from my almond flour cookbook that I’m having so much sweet success with.  About a month ago I was convinced that Greg had a gluten sensitivity or Celiac so I quickly ran out and got a few gluten free cookbooks – this being one of them.  I like this cookbook because the ingredients are familiar and healthy.  Greg’s been tested and now I’m 95 percent sure that he doesn’t have it – but he does need to gain weight – and best in a somewhat healthy way.  So I figured that baked goods made with almond flour would be somewhat caloric – but healthy and full of protein.  And really, a good snack for all of us.  Unfortunately, Greg (and Andy) didn’t love it – but i think it was just the slivered almonds on the top.

Try it – I don’t think you will be disappointed.  Oh, I added the chocolate chips to the recipe (had to!) although the recipe called for nuts and currents.  I’ll include both options in the recipe.  Enjoy!

You will need agave nectar and grapeseed oil which you should be able to now find in the supermarket.  Or buy agave nectar online for better price.

cinnamon almond snack cake (slightly adapted from The Gluten-Free Almond flour cookbook by Elana Amsterdam which was inspired by lucyskitchenshop.com):

cake–
2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup walnuts (or not — here I added chocolate chips!)
1/2 cup dried currents or raisins (I didn’t – just used the chocolate chips)
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1/4 cup agave nectar
2 large eggs

topping–
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease an 8 inch baking pan with grape seed oil and dust with almond flour.

Combine the almond flour, sea salt, baking soda, chocolate chips (or walnuts and currents!) in a large bowl.  Whisk and stir to combine.

In a medium bowl, stir together the grape seed oil, agave nectar and eggs.

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until thoroughly combined – and then spread into the prepared pan.

Make the topping by combining the cinnamon, grape seed oil, agave nectar and almonds together…and then sprinkle the topping all over the batter.

Bake for 25-35 minutes — a tooth pick should come out just clean.  Keep checking.  Cool and serve.

pumpkin choc chip muffins (healthier side)

We all just LOVED these muffins!  So did Sylvie’s new camp friend Kate who came by to meet us — oh, and her mom and her sister too!  Verrry successful.  I froze a bunch of these to save for another day, but throughout the day (and next day) Andy continually defrosted them one by one.  Once defrosted he heats for 5 seconds enjoying the gooeyness of the chocolate with the fresh pumpkin flavor.  He especially loves it when I bake things that are on the moderately healthier side because he thinks he can chow.  I try to dissuade him from overeating but he smiles his sweet smile and well, it is a loosing battle.  I know it is not the season for pumpkin loving, but I had a can of puree that won’t make it to the winter and well – these really are good anytime of year.  Enjoy them!

pumpkin chocolate chip muffins:

I found these on The Very Best Baking Recipes and followed the directions to the T. So I’m just going to send you the link to make my life easier. 🙂

pumpkin muffins (click on that and you will be redirected)

Enjoy!

bittersweet chocolate soufflé (you can make in advance!) and flourless for passover

Big hit.  Big Big hit.  Sooo delicious.  Pure chocolate, pure happiness.  Rob ate one, and said – you know, I could easily eat the whole tray and I mean it.  Sylvie, Andy and Greg all said so good mom…so so good.  I gobbled mine up fast – as if someone was trying to steal it from me.  Greg and Andy’s friends were over – Connor said, “did I just eat that, or did I die and go to heaven?”  He sure knows how to compliment me (maybe he just wants to keep the treats coming.)  Matt was also verrrry happy and loved the freshly whipped cream that went with it.  I decided to make these on the fly on Saturday afternoon.  I had all the ingredients in the house and I bet you do too!  (Maybe?)  Rob and I thought we’d go out and catch up – but suddenly we had 5 extra boys and at that point it just didn’t seem like a good idea.  Rob seemed so sad, I think he was looking forward to a yummy meal (since he splurges a bit on Saturday nights) and here we were ordering in.  In addition to all that, this was my last meal because I had to fast (liquids) on Sunday for my upcoming colonoscopy on Monday so I too really wanted a good treat that would last me 24 hours.  I scanned my books and found this delicious and fairly simple recipe from Alice Medrich’s book, Bittersweet.  Sylvie jumped right in, enjoying prepping the ramekins (buttering and sugaring) while I got the ingredients together.  Not too much work here – just whipping up egg whites which I guess is the only part that some may find intimidating – but it isn’t.  The best thing about these is that you can make them up to two days in advance (store in the fridge) – and bake them on the day you plan to serve which is such a treat for a dinner party.  Make these and enjoy!

Please use the BEST chocolate you can possibly find and afford as this dessert will showcase that chocolate.  Alice Medrich uses 70% bittersweet chocolate.  I used half 70% bittersweet chocolate and half 62% semisweet – as I was not certain that the kids would like it if it was too bitter.  Up to you – and you know your guests.  If you only have semisweet chocolate and would like it richer in chocolate flavor then you can reduce the sugar to 1/4 cup if desired as well.

This recipe calls for eight 6 oz. ramekins.  I used that size but also added 2 larger ramekins and with added baking time they worked just as well.

I doubled the following recipe.

bittersweet chocolate souffles (from Alice Medrich’s Bittersweet with the addition of a speck of salt):

about 2 – 3 tablespoons sugar for ramekins
little melted butter for ramekins
8 ounces bittersweet 70% chocolate, finely chopped (or as mentioned above a sweeter chocolate if preferred)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/3 cup milk (this worked with the skim I had in the house but if you have whole, go for it)
3 large eggs, separated, at room temp
plus one large egg white, room temp (I forgot this!  So my rise wasn’t great…but yours will be!)
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 skant teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup sugar

topping:
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon sugar

If you are baking the soufflés immediately, then preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place the rack in the lower third of the oven.

Melt a little butter and with a pasty brush or paper towel, cover the entire ramekin, including the top lip.  Place some sugar on top of the butter and rotate the ramekin around so that the sugar sticks to all of the butter.  As you rotate, pour the extra sugar into the next ramekin and begin again.

Place the chocolate, butter and milk in a medium sized metal bowl and place over a pot of barely simmering water (water shouldn’t touch the bowl). (Or use a double boiler.)   Gently melt and remove the chocolate from the water bath once smooth.  Add the egg yolks and mix well.  (Batter might seem oddly stiff at this point, don’t worry.)

With the whisk attachment and on medium speed (or hand held beaters) beat the egg whites (remember to add the 4th white) with the cream of tarter and salt until soft peaks form (so eggs have a form, but they don’t really hold their shape.)  Then gradually pour in the 1/3 cup sugar and then mix at high speed until the whites get nice and stiff but don’t look dry.

Fold about a fourth of the egg whites into the chocolate/egg mixture to lighten it a bit.  Then fold in the remaining whites carefully – and try to incorporate with out over mixing.

Fill each ramekin 3 quarters full.  ** The soufflés can be prepared up to this point, and placed covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days – then bake directly from the fridge.

Place the soufflés on a baking sheet and place in the oven.  Now this is the most important part…as you don’t want them too soft and don’t want them to dry out.

Bake until they rise and crack on top.  A wooden skewer or toothpick should come out with moist and gooey but not liquidy.  This will likely take 14-16 minutes but you really need to watch them as all ovens vary.  Oh, and if you refrigerated them, they might take a minute or two longer.

To make the whipped cream, place all ingredients into the mixer and whip on medium high speed until it holds a soft shape.  Please don’t buy whipped cream.  Really, this makes a huge difference!

Serve immediately from oven with a little powdered sugar and a dollop of whipped cream.  Yum!

momofukus butter cake bars

OK, so these bars were interestingly good which I know can be a shaky description.  But read on.  Karen LOVED LOVED LOVED them.  Effusive.  Rob liked them saying if you like custard they are right up your alley.  Someone also said that the inside looked like snot which is not so nice…but gave us a laugh and I guess if your snot is yellow and custard-y then so be it.  Did I mention that Karen LOVED these?  The crackly top and oozing custard was my fave.  The bottom of the cake was my only issue.  I rarely use a box cake mix but this recipe called for it so I gave it a whirl.  The taste isn’t for me so I ate the top off.  Anyway, if you look at all the comments from Tastspotting.com and from Some Kitchen Stories (who posted these on Tastespotting) you will see many a fabulous comment.  We all got the recipe from Gilt Taste when they featured the bars and the recipe from Momofuku.  Enjoy –

momofukus butter cake bars:

Find the recipe at Tastspotting.com

Only tip I have is to maybe use a 9×9 cake pan — as these are super gooey and easy to under bake.  Enjoy!!

gluten free banana cake

Another recipe that is gluten and dairy free…and protein packed, and very tasty!  Rob, Alisa and I enjoyed in the morning as it is a healthy way to start the day.  Eggs, bananas, almond flour…dark chocolate.  All good!  The kids didn’t love this one I think because I used bitter chocolate, but I imagine semi-sweet chips would change that a bit.  Just don’t expect a buttery rich cake.  Obviously.  But it is good, and fits the bill especially if you are sensitive to gluten.  I have to make next time John is over and truly see if it passes the test.  I’ll keep you posted…in the meantime, enjoy!

chocolate chip banana cake (from The Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam):

3 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1/4 cup agave nectar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup coarsely chopped dark chocolate (she suggests 73 percent – but again for kids or for sweeter flavor go semi-sweet)
1 cup (2 to 3) very ripe bananas (mashed)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9 inch pan with grape seed oil and dust with almond flour – or use a parchment or foil liner.

In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, baking soda, and salt.

In a medium bowl whisk together the grape seed oil, agave nectar, eggs and vanilla extract.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently stir to combine.  Fold in the chocolate and mashed bananas and then pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 33-43 minutes – but check often and try not to over bake as usual!

Let the cake cool in the pan then serve.

Enjoy-

chocolate banana muffins

These were really yummy.  They are called muffins, but really more like mini chocolate banana cakes.  Moist and super tasty, these were a hit with all.  Even those who don’t love banana liked these little guys.  It took Sylvie a while before she could taste the banana, but my friend Suzanne said her girls knew it right away.  Andy loved these – and on day 2, 3 and 4 popped them in the microwave for 12 seconds to re-goo chips and cake.  This is a super simple treat – and just another idea when trying to eat up those brown bananas.  Enjoy!

chocolate banana muffins (from Nick Malgieri’s The Modern Baker):

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 3 medium bananas)
1/2 cup sour cream
12 tablespoons butter (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3 large eggs
chocolate chips (to taste — maybe 3/4 cup to 1 1/2 cups)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 muffin tins with paper.

In a smallish bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and chips.  Set aside.

In another bowl, stir together the smashed banana and sour cream.  Set aside.

With the paddle attachment of your mixer, beat the butter until a little lighter and fluffy – about 3 minutes.  Then add the white sugar and beat another 3 minutes or so.  Mix in the brown sugar, then the eggs, one at a time until incorporated.  Scrape down the bowl a few times during this process.

On the lowest speed, add 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by 1/2 the banana mixture.  Scrape down and follow with the next third of the flour mixture, and last  half of the banana.  Again, scrape, then gently fold in the last third of flour and chocolate chips if desired.

Scoop into tins and bake until the muffins rise and are a bit firm to the touch.  A toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs.

Remove from oven and 10 minutes later, remove from pan and place on a wire rack to cool.

remember the gingerbread pudding cake for this Thanksgiving…

Don’t forget this gooey gingerbread pudding – always a good go to this holiday.  My sis in law Kathy now makes this for us each Thanksgiving…and with great success!!

Other good ideas, gingerbread cookies, apple cake bars, caramel shorties, gingerbread and white choc chunk brownies, banana toffee cake, orange cake, and cranberry apple crisp.  Oh, and of course my last post that is just under this.

There are so many more though…so look through the recipe index and also at the 20 crowd pleasers to date post packed with all time favorites regardless of the season!

Enjoy your holiday!!

cranberry pecan pumpkin upsidown cake

OH, I’ve been working hard to get this one in by Thanksgiving.  I do hope I made it in time for you to get the ingredients (not many!) and change your menu a bit.  (Btw, no mixer involved and this cake keeps nicely overnight.)  Salted nutty candied pecans combined with sour bursts of cranberries, fragrant cinnamon and the autumnal taste of pumpkin, this is scrumptious.  And so pretty.  I finally got it right on my third attempt.  Now it will be easy for you!  The first time I made it, it was delicious – but the topping overwhelmed the cake.  When I inverted the pan, it oozed all over the platter.  I knew something was wrong.  Company was coming so I started to fret especially since I was psyched to share this w/my fruity male friends (in the sense that they like fruit desserts).  I was wondering what I would quickly whip up for them when Sylvie announced that she fixed it.  She simply spooned up the extra the topping surrounding the cake and exclaimed that not only was it all set, but we now had a yummy caramel/cranberry/pecan sauce for ice cream.  I also under baked that cake – but my guests loved it.  Loved it.  Especially Marco and Jason.  Although a success, I fiddled with the topping on my second attempt (sauce was nice but not necessary) and this time it was too sugary.  Today I finally made it correctly — and added a little sea salt to the caramel topping and oh, the day was complete.  It is complete!  I urge you to try this and impress your company.  Enjoy –

If you have a large can of pumpkin puree – save the rest in another container.  I had leftover, so I made pumpkin waffles that I will post asap.

cranberry/pumpkin upside-down cake (slightly adapted from Emily Luchetti’s A Passion for Desserts):

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt or Maldon salt is so good in this
2 cups cranberries
3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted first
2 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup vegetable oil (just under 1/4 cup actually)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (use less if not kosher)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Toast pecans as instructed in baking tips.  (I usually toast a lot of nuts at one time – then place them in an airtight container for the next time I need toasted nuts.)

Line a 9 inch square pan with parchment (just on the bottom)

Gently melt the butter then add the brown sugar.  Stir to combine.  Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.  The butter may ooze out a little, that is OK.  Sprinkle on the sea salt.

Mix together the cranberries and toasted nuts.  Place them evenly on top of the brown sugar/butter mixture.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin puree and oil.  In another bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

Gently fold the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture.  Then scoop out and place batter on top of the pecans and cranberries.  Carefully spread the batter evenly trying not to mix in the (soon to be) topping.

Place in the oven for 40-45 minutes – or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cake sit on wire rack for 10-12 minutes.  Run a knife around the edges.  Place a large plate or platter on top of the cake.  Invert the cake and plate together and remove the pan (it might be hot!)  Carefully peel off the parchment paper.

Serve warm or at room temperature with some freshly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.