Cinnamon Toast Crunch Apple Slice

Posted on June 23, 2021 by sparecake

I’d never heard of apple slice before, but it’s apparently just a huge slab of apple pie, so we’re off to a good start. The traditional version has crushed corn flakes in it, but this recipe (smartly) uses Cinnamon Toast Crunch instead. Ideally you’re doing it in a quarter sheet pan, but if you don’t have one of those, the dimensions are definitely close enough to a 9×13″ that you might as well just use that, as I did!

Ingredients:

Slice:

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1 egg, separated
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons whole milk
  • 1 cup crushed Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal
  • 5 cups thinly sliced peeled tart apples (about 5 large) (I can never be bothered to peel!)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (I don’t like it, used a bit more cinnamon)
  • 1/2 cup toffee pieces

Glaze:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons whole milk

In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt, then cut in the butter with knives, a pastry cutter, or your hand until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Put the egg yolk into a measuring cup then add enough milk to reach 1/3 cup. Drizzle the egg/milk into the flour mixture while stirring the mixture with a fork until the dough comes together into a ball.

Divide the dough into 2 even portions and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350.

Roll one of the portions of dough out to ~9×13, big enough to fit either your 9×13″ pan or the sliiiightly larger quarter sheet pan, and lay the dough in the bottom of an ungreased pan.

Working on sizing!

Sprinkle the Cinnamon Toast Crunch over the spread dough.

In a large bowl, stir together the apples, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, then spread that mixture over the Cinnamon Toast Crunch and bottom layer of dough.

Sprinkle the toffee pieces over the apple mixture.

 

Roll out the remaining piece of dough large enough to cover, and place over the apple mixture. Beat the egg white and brush over the top crust.

Bake 45-50 minutes until golden brown.

When the slice is baked, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough milk to make the glaze a drizzling consistency, then drizzle over the still-warm pastry.

Cool completely before slicing. Serve with some vanilla ice cream if you’ve got it!

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Apple Slice

From Sweet ReciPeas.

Slice:

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1 egg, separated
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons whole milk
  • 1 cup crushed Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal
  • 5 cups thinly sliced peeled tart apples (about 5 large)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup toffee pieces

Glaze:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons whole milk

In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt, then cut in the butter with knives, a pastry cutter, or your hand until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Put the egg yolk into a measuring cup then add enough milk to reach 1/3 cup. Drizzle the egg/milk into the flour mixture while stirring the mixture with a fork until the dough comes together into a ball. Divide the dough into 2 even portions and let rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350.

Roll one of the portions of dough out to ~9×13, and lay the dough in the bottom of an ungreased pan. Sprinkle the Cinnamon Toast Crunch over the spread dough.

In a large bowl, stir together the apples, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, then spread that mixture over the Cinnamon Toast Crunch and bottom layer of dough. Sprinkle the toffee pieces over the apple mixture.

Roll out the remaining piece of dough large enough to cover, and place over the apple mixture. Beat the egg white and brush over the top crust. Bake 45-50 minutes until golden brown.

When the slice is baked, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough milk to make the glaze a drizzling consistency, then drizzle over the still-warm pastry. Cool completely before slicing.

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Corned Beef Pie

Posted on June 16, 2021 by sparecake

Some British comedian I like was on a morning show a few weeks ago, and shared a clip in which someone mentioned corned beef pie. I had to try that immediately, got the ingredients the very next day, and really, it was everything I hoped it would be. I will very definitely be making this one again.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
  • 2 celery sticks, diced
  • 1 large waxy potato, about 9 ounces, peeled and cut into 1/2″ dice
  • 12oz tin corned beef, broken into large chunks
  • splash  Worcestershire sauce
  • 9 ounces dark beef stock
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • salt and white pepper
  • pie crusts (I used pre-made)
  • 1 egg, beaten

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-low heat and add the onion, carrot, and celery.

Cook 5-10 minutes until the vegetables start to soften, but don’t change color. (I found this took longer.) Add the potato and cook an additional 5 minutes, then stir in the corned beef.

Add the Worcestershire sauce and beef stock and raise the temp to bring to a boil. Reduce the heat back down and simmer until the carrots and potatoes are tender and most of the liquid is evaporated. (This also took a bit longer for me.)

Almost all evaporated!

Taste the mixture and add salt and pepper, if necessary, then let cool.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 9″ pie pan with a crust, and pour the filling mixture in.

Sprinkle with the parsley. Top with the other crust, and seal using some of the beaten egg. Crimp the edges, then brush the top with the remaining beaten egg.

Bake 30-35 minutes until golden, then cool 15-20 minutes before slicing. Super good!

Corned Beef Pie

Adapted a bit from the BBC.

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
  • 2 celery sticks, diced
  • 1 large waxy potato, about 9 ounces, peeled and cut into 1/2″ dice
  • 12oz tin corned beef, broken into large chunks
  • splash  Worcestershire sauce
  • 9 ounces dark beef stock
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • salt and white pepper
  • pie crusts
  • 1 egg, beaten

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-low heat and add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook 5-10 minutes until the vegetables start to soften, but don’t change color. Add the potato and cook an additional 5 minutes, then stir in the corned beef. Add the Worcestershire sauce and beef stock and raise the temp to bring to a boil. Reduce the heat back down and simmer until the carrots and potatoes are tender and most of the liquid is evaporated.

Taste the mixture and add salt and pepper, if necessary, then let cool.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 9″ pie pan with a crust, and pour the filling mixture in. Sprinkle with the parsley. Top with the other crust, and seal using some of the beaten egg. Crimp the edges, then brush the top with the remaining beaten egg. Bake 30-35 minutes until golden, then cool 15-20 minutes before slicing.

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Gourd Soup

Posted on June 9, 2021 by sparecake

I love butternut squash, and I love bread, and this recipe manages to get delicious bread-i-ness into a healthy squash soup. Perfect! It’s a historic recipe, shared by Old Sturbridge Village, which is fun. I believe they’re cooking in a pretty enormous pot over the fire, so you may need to halve the recipe to fit on your stove.

Ingredients:

  • 3 onions
  • 4-5 pounds butternut squash
  • 1/4 pound butter
  • 1/2 loaf of stale, crusty bread
  • 2 quarts beef or chicken broth
  • cayenne pepper
  • salt
  • additional butter or oil for frying bread

Peel and slice both onions and squash. Melt the butter in your largest pot, then add the onions and squash.

Cook until the squash is tender, stirring frequently. Add the broth and simmer until the squash and onions are very tender.

Meanwhile, grate 1 cup of bread crumbs from the loaf. Cut the remaining bread into cubes and fry in butter or oil, in batches if needed.

Just before serving, press the soup through a colander to puree. (To modernize further/simplify, you can use an immersion blender to smooth out the vegetable chunks.) Stir in the bread crumbs to thicken.

Add some salt and cayenne, to taste. Serve with a few pieces of fried bread on top of each bowl.

Gourd Soup

From Old Sturbridge Village.

  • 3 onions
  • 4-5 pounds butternut squash
  • 1/4 pound butter
  • 1/2 loaf of stale, crusty bread
  • 2 quarts beef or chicken broth
  • cayenne pepper
  • salt
  • additional butter or oil for frying bread

Peel and slice both onions and squash. Melt the butter in your largest pot, then add the onions and squash. Cook until the squash is tender, stirring frequently. Add the broth and simmer until the squash and onions are very tender. Meanwhile, grate 1 cup of bread crumbs from the loaf. Cut the remaining bread into cubes and fry in butter or oil, in batches if needed.

Just before serving, press the soup through a colander to puree, or puree with an immersion blender. Stir in the bread crumbs to thicken. Add some salt and cayenne, to taste. Serve with a few pieces of fried bread on top of each bowl.

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Cheesecake Cookies

Posted on June 2, 2021 by sparecake

Extremely soft, simple, cookies that are realistically more a nice vanilla than cheesecake flavored. Whatever it is, it’s still a good flavor!

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces full fat cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line to baking sheets, then set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until fluffy and smooth.

Add the sugar and beat again until light and fluffy.

Beat in the eggs and vanilla.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually beat into the butter mixture until just incorporated.

Drop by rounded tablespoons on the lined sheets – these cookies don’t grow during baking, so you can space them closer together than I did.

Bake 10-11 minutes, until juuuuust starting to brown on the bottom.

Cool on a wire rack, then sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Yum!

Cheesecake Cookies

From Yellow Bliss Road.

  • 8 ounces full fat cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line to baking sheets, then set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until fluffy and smooth. Add the sugar and beat again until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs and vanilla.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually beat into the butter mixture until just incorporated. Drop by rounded tablespoons on the lined sheets.

Bake 10-11 minutes, until just starting to brown on the bottom. Cool on a wire rack, then sprinkle with powdered sugar.

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Chocolate Buckwheat Cake

Posted on May 26, 2021 by sparecake

Last year at work we grew buckwheat for the first time. We brought it to a historic mill at the neighboring Metropark system, and just last week got back the first batch of buckwheat flour! This is the first thing I made with the flour, and was a success! There’s surprisingly little flour, but somehow you still get a great texture in the final product. When just cooled I thought there was a slight hint of bitterness, but the next day it was no longer noticeable in the remaining cake. This is something of a ‘grownup’ chocolate cake, as it’s not super sweet, but it’s very nice and everyone I shared with enjoyed it.

Buckwheat after being threshed. The mill is able to clean out the extra bits of chaff before grinding.

Ingredients:

Sponge:

  • 3/4 cup lukewarm water
  • 1 teaspoon instant yeast
  • 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
  • 1 tablespoon honey

Cake:

  • 4 large eggs, separated
  • 3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1/4 cup Dutch process unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 pinch kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

To make the sponge, place the water in a medium bowl and sprinkle the yeast over it. Add the flour and honey and whisk together.

Cover and let sit until it has both large and small bubbles, about 1 hour. While you wait, place a rack in the middle of the oven, grease a 9″ springform pan, and separate the eggs, putting the whites in a bowl large enough to beat them up in. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Once the sponge is complete, combine the chocolate and butter in the bowl of a double boiler over simmering water. Melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally, until completely melted and smooth.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, and 1/4 cup of the sugar.

Continue to whisk, adding the yolks one at a time, until completely mixed, then stir in the sponge.

In a large bowl, add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar to the egg whites. Beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.

Gently fold half the egg white into the chocolate mixture until smooth.

Fold in the remaining egg whites until just combined.

Gently transfer into the prepared pan. Bon Appetit says to ‘smooth the surface’, but this batter is enough of a liquid that there’s not much smoothing to be done.

Bake 40-45 minutes, until it passes the toothpick test. A few small crumbs still came out on the toothpick at 40 minutes for mine, but at 42 it was done.

Cool the cake in the pan, then remove the side of the pan and sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.

Using the sifter now would’ve looked nicer… next time.

Chocolate Buckwheat Cake

From Bon Appetit.

Sponge:

  • 3/4 cup lukewarm water
  • 1 teaspoon instant yeast
  • 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
  • 1 tablespoon honey

Cake:

  • 4 large eggs, separated
  • 3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1/4 cup Dutch process unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 pinch kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

To make the sponge, place the water in a medium bowl and sprinkle the yeast over it. Add the flour and honey and whisk together. Cover and let sit until it has both large and small bubbles, about 1 hour. While you wait, place a rack in the middle of the oven, grease a 9″ springform pan, and separate the eggs, putting the whites in a bowl large enough to beat them up in. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Once the sponge is complete, combine the chocolate and butter in the bowl of a double boiler over simmering water. Melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally, until completely melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, and 1/4 cup of the sugar. Continue to whisk, adding the yolks one at a time, until completely mixed, then stir in the sponge.

In a large bowl, add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar to the egg whites. Beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Gently fold half the egg white into the chocolate mixture until smooth, then fold in the remaining half until just combined. Gently transfer into the prepared pan. Bake 40-45 minutes, until it passes the toothpick test. Cool the cake in the pan, then remove the side of the pan and sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.

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Pineapple Filled Jelly Roll

Posted on May 19, 2021 by sparecake

A big fluffy roll full of delicious! Why not?! It uses a regular sized jelly roll pan, which was what I was going for after seeing several cake recipes that would have required buying a new pan.

Ingredients:

Pineapple Filling:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups minced canned pineapple
  • 1 1/2 cups pineapple juice
  • 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Cake

  • 4 large eggs, cold from the fridge
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and then cooled to room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
  • powdered sugar
  • 8 ounce tub Cool Whip, moved to the fridge to thaw

To make the pineapple filling, combine the sugar, flour, and salt in the top of a double boiler over simmering water.

Stir in the eggs, pineapple, and juice, and continue to stir until the mixture thickens, which will take several minutes.

Add the butter to the thickened mixture and stir until melted in, then remove from the heat and allow to cool. The filling can be made a few days ahead and stored in the fridge.

To start the cake, first make sure there’s a rack on the center shelf of your oven, then start it preheating to 375 degrees. Grease an 18×13″ jelly roll pan, then line with parchment. I wasn’t sure if, later, the silpats I have that fit my pan would be too heavy and would crush the cake, so I did actually use parchment for this one.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs, baking powder, and salt, using the whisk attachment on high speed if you have a stand mixer. Continue whisking until the mixture is pale and thick enough to hold a mark when the whisk passes through, at least 10 minutes, maybe longer with a hand mixer.

Reduce the mixer speed to medium-high and drizzle in the cooled butter and the vanilla until just combined.

Reduce the speed further to low and add the flour all at once, beating just a few seconds until combined. Fold the mixture once or twice with a rubber spatula to ensure no unmixed spots remain at the bottom of the bowl, then gently turn the mixture out into the prepared pan.

Gently spread until it makes an even coat over the whole bottom – it may not feel like enough batter, but it’ll reach!

Bake 15 minutes, or until the top is just set but not yet browned, rotating halfway through.

Remove from the oven and sift/sprinkle a thin layer of powdered sugar over the surface of the cake. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan. I have a plastic-y knife called a Bakeware Buddy that’s not supposed to damage your pans, so I used that just in case. Spread a clean kitchen towel over the cake, then carefully flip the cake out onto the counter, towel-side down.

Peel the now-exposed parchment off the cake, then, starting at one of the short ends, gently roll the cake and towel into a log.

Allow to cool completely wrapped up with the towel, then gently unroll and remove the towel.

Starting from the end that had been the inside of the roll, fill with the pineapple filling, leaving some clear space at the other edges to allow for spreading.

Roll back up as you work, and once filled position the cake so that it’s seam-side down.

Spread the Cool Whip over the surface, and serve. This is another one that I finished, then in this case cut into thirds and froze 2/3, so it wouldn’t get gross soggy before I could eat the whole thing, and I didn’t notice any degradation of texture in the parts that were frozen and thawed. Handy!

Pineapple Jelly Roll

Adapted from AllRecipes and Food Network.

Pineapple Filling:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups minced canned pineapple
  • 1 1/2 cups pineapple juice
  • 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Cake

  • 4 large eggs, cold from the fridge
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and then cooled to room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
  • powdered sugar
  • 8 ounce tub Cool Whip, moved to the fridge to thaw

To make the pineapple filling, combine the sugar, flour, and salt in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir in the eggs, pineapple, and juice, and continue to stir until the mixture thickens, which will take several minutes. Add the butter to the thickened mixture and stir until melted in, then remove from the heat and allow to cool. The filling can be made a few days ahead and stored in the fridge.

To start the cake, first make sure there’s a rack on the center shelf of your oven, then start it preheating to 375 degrees. Grease an 18×13″ jelly roll pan, then line with parchment.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs, baking powder, and salt, using the whisk attachment on high speed if you have a stand mixer. Continue whisking until the mixture is pale and thick enough to hold a mark when the whisk passes through, at least 10 minutes, maybe longer with a hand mixer. Reduce the mixer speed to medium-high and drizzle in the cooled butter and the vanilla until just combined. Reduce the speed further to low and add the flour all at once, beating just a few seconds until combined. Fold the mixture once or twice with a rubber spatula to ensure no unmixed spots remain at the bottom of the bowl, then gently turn the mixture out into the prepared pan. Gently spread until it makes an even coat over the whole bottom.

Bake 15 minutes, or until the top is just set but not yet browned, rotating halfway through. Remove from the oven and sift/sprinkle a thin layer of powdered sugar over the surface of the cake. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Spread a clean kitchen towel over the cake, then carefully flip the cake out onto the counter, towel-side down.

Peel the now-exposed parchment off the cake, then, starting at one of the short ends, gently roll the cake and towel into a log. Allow to cool completely wrapped up with the towel, then gently unroll and remove the towel. Starting from the end that had been the inside of the roll, fill with the pineapple filling, leaving some clear space at the other edges to allow for spreading. Roll back up as you work, and once filled position the cake so that it’s seam-side down. Spread the Cool Whip over the surface, and serve.

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Buttermilk Bundt

Posted on May 5, 2021 by sparecake

This bundt came out great! It’s not particularly tart, or anything else that really comes to mind with buttermilk, it’s just…cake flavored. Good cake flavored? It doesn’t feel heavy, but it is dense enough that I’ve been feeling satisfied after eating normal human slices, not the mega chunks of cake I may at other times consume. (Looking at you, Moravian Sugar Cake…) It also freezes and bounces back fast! I made this the day before leaving on a trip, cut it into rough quarters, and froze 3. I kept the thawed part in a ziplock, and (once I was back home) when I ate the last thawed slice, would just move another frozen piece out into the bag to thaw for the next day’s dessert. Handy-dandy! Even the chocolate on top freezes/thaws no problem.

Cut up to freeze a bit before bagging and longer storage.

I never end up using all the milk/buttermilk I buy at once, so to prevent it going bad I tend to measure 1 cup into (pre-sharpied) ziplocks. If you lay them in the freezer on a sheet pan, they’ll freeze flat, and then you can take them out of the pan and store them as a little flat sheet whichever way is most convenient, and they thaw again quickly, with all that surface area. When thawed they may look a bit weird, but have always worked great for baking in anything I’ve put them in.

The only thing to be aware of when starting this cake is that many of the ingredients should be room temperature when you start, but if you’ve thawed your buttermilk (if needed) and given everything else a while to come up to temp, get at it!

Ingredients:

Cake:

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup salted butter, room temperature (how many years since I last bought salted butter?!)
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 5 eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

Glaze (can be made thinner than shown, to drizzle more nicely):

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 or more tablespoons very hot water

Preheat oven to 325. Heavily grease a bundt pan using shortening, then flour the pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt, then set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then beat in the vanilla.

Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl between each.

Add the dry goods in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk in 2, beating until just combined.

Gently transfer to the prepared pan and bake 1 hour, or until it passes the toothpick test.

Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then flip a wire cooling rack onto the pan and then turn the pan/rack so that the bundt is upside-down. Let sit for 1 minute, then lift the pan off. If it doesn’t come easily, run a thin knife along the inside of the pan and try again.

Once the cake has mostly cooled, combine the butter and chocolate of the glaze in a medium dish. Microwave 30 seconds, then stir/swirl. Microwave again in short burst, stirring in between, until the butter and chocolate are completely melted, then stir in the powdered sugar. Stir in 2 tablespoons of hot water, then add more as desired to thin for texture.

I left mine more of a soft clay than a glaze, because I wanted to hurry up and get it in ziplocks, but you can do what looks nicest to you! Drizzle/pat on, and enjoy!

Buttermilk Bundt

Cake from Bake at 350, glaze a bit adapted from The Spruce Eats.

Cake:

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup salted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 5 eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

Glaze:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 or more tablespoons very hot water

Preheat oven to 325. Heavily grease a bundt pan using shortening, then flour the pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt, then set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then beat in the vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl between each. Add the dry goods in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk in 2, beating until just combined.

Gently transfer to the prepared pan and bake 1 hour, or until it passes the toothpick test. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then flip a wire cooling rack onto the pan and then turn the pan/rack so that the bundt is upside-down. Let sit for 1 minute, then lift the pan off. If it doesn’t come easily, run a thin knife along the inside of the pan and try again.

Once the cake has mostly cooled, combine the butter and chocolate of the glaze in a medium dish. Microwave 30 seconds, then stir/swirl. Microwave again in short burst, stirring in between, until the butter and chocolate are completely melted, then stir in the powdered sugar. Stir in 2 tablespoons of hot water, then add more as desired for texture. Drizzle over cooled cake.

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Moravian Sugar Cake

Posted on April 28, 2021 by sparecake

A really light, poofy cake with a crunchy sugar top! I brought this into work and 1 person had 3 pieces and then asked me to bring in more!

Ingredients:

  • 2 packages active dry yeast
  • 1 cup warm water (110-115)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs, well beaten
  • 1 1/2 cups melted butter, divided
  • 1 cup hot mashed potato
  • 5-6 cups sifted flour
  • 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
  • 5 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Soften yeast in the warm water; let stand 5-10 minutes. Mix together the sugar, salt, beaten eggs, and 1 cup of the melted butter.

Clearly my butter wasn’t 100% melted. Oh well.

Gradually beat in the mashed potato.

Add 1 cup of the flour; beat until smooth.

Stir in the yeast and beat in enough of the remaining flour to form a light soft dough. I got to 5 cups, then added another third before realizing I wasn’t making/didn’t want a dense bread, and left it at that, which was the right move.

Cover; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 2 hours.

Divide dough into 3 portions and press evenly into 3 greased 9” square pans.

I don’t have 3 9x9s!

Cover; let rise until doubled.

Blend together the brown sugar and cinnamon. Make indentations about 1 inch apart in dough in each pan and spoon sugar mixture into each depression. Drizzle remaining ½ cup melted butter over top of dough.

Bake at 350 about 20 minutes.

Moravian Sugar Cake

From the Pennsylvania Dutch Cookbook: Fine Old Recipes Made Famous by the Early Dutch Settlers in Pennsylvania.

  • 2 packages active dry yeast
  • 1 cup warm water (110-115)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs, well beaten
  • 1 1/2 cups melted butter, divided
  • 1 cup hot mashed potato
  • 5-6 cups sifted flour
  • 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
  • 5 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Soften yeast in the warm water; let stand 5-10 minutes. Mix together the sugar, salt, beaten eggs, and 1 cup of the melted butter. Gradually beat in the mashed potato. Add 1 cup of the flour; beat until smooth. Stir in the yeast and beat in enough of the remaining flour to form a light soft dough. — got to 5, then added 1/3 and then realized i wasn’t making bread and didn’t need dense. Cover; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 2 hours. Divide dough into 3 portions and press evenly into 3 greased 9” square pans. Cover; let rise until doubled. Blend together the brown sugar and cinnamon. Make indentations about 1 inch apart in dough in each pan and spoon sugar mixture into each depression. Drizzle remaining ½ cup melted butter over top of dough. Bake at 350 about 20 minutes.

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Pineapple Crumb Cake

Posted on April 21, 2021 by sparecake

We’re making a bit of a mess here today, but not too bad, and for worthwhile results! A pineapple right-side-up cake, because who needs flipping?! This should in theory be cooked in a 10″ cast iron skillet, but if you do it in a dutch oven, you can just throw the lid on with leftovers, which seems convenient to me! I figured this must be bigger than 10″, as I didn’t have to overlap the pineapple rings at all, but even if it was a bit bigger, that did not result in the cake cooking any faster than the expected time.

Ingredients:

Topping:

  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • a pinch salt

Cake:

  • 2 teaspoons canola oil
  • 8 fresh pineapple rings, 1/2″ thick (you can probably find these somewhere in a refrigerator case in your supermarket’s produce section)
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 egg yolks

Glaze:

  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tablespoon dark corn syrup (…I only had light, it was fine)
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • a pinch salt

To make the topping, combine all the topping ingredients in a small bowl. Using a fork or your fingers, combine until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is in small pieces. Cover, and put in the fridge until needed.

To make the cake, heat the oil in a 10″ cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the pineapple rings and cook until lightly browned on each side, about 1 minute each, then remove and repeat with the remaining pineapple. Let cool, then wipe out excess grease.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter in a large bowl, and beat together until combined on medium speed.

Add the milk and vanilla and beat again, on low speed, until combined, then increase the speed to high and beat for an additional 2 minutes.

Again at low speed, add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Gently transfer the batter to the skillet, then place the browned pineapple rings on top, overlapping if needed.

Sprinkle the refrigerated topping evenly over the top. Bake 35-40 minutes, until what you can see of the surface of the cake is golden.

When the cake is done baking, combine the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture reaches a simmer, then cook another 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the mixture is smooth.

Drizzle over the cake, slice, and ideally serve with vanilla ice cream!

Pineapple Crumb Cake

From Bake or Break.

Topping:

  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • a pinch salt

Cake:

  • 2 teaspoons canola oil
  • 8 fresh pineapple rings, 1/2″ thick
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 egg yolks

Glaze:

  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tablespoon dark corn syrup
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • a pinch salt

To make the topping, combine all the topping ingredients in a small bowl. Using a fork or your fingers, combine until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is in small pieces. Cover, and put in the fridge until needed.

To make the cake, heat the oil in a 10″ cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the pineapple rings and cook until lightly browned on each side, about 1 minute each, then remove and repeat with the remaining pineapple. Let cool, then wipe out excess grease.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter in a large bowl, and beat together until combined on medium speed. Add the milk and vanilla and beat again, on low speed, until combined, then increase the speed to high and beat for an additional 2 minutes. Again at low speed, add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gently transfer the batter to the skillet, then place the browned pineapple rings on top, overlapping if needed. Sprinkle the refrigerated topping evenly over the top. Bake 35-40 minutes, until what you can see of the surface of the cake is golden.

When the cake is done baking, combine the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture reaches a simmer, then cook another 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the mixture is smooth. Drizzle over the cake, slice, and ideally serve with vanilla ice cream!

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Peanut Butter, Apple, and White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted on April 14, 2021 by sparecake

There’s a lot going on in these cookies, but you know all those flavors go together, and you probably already have everything in your pantry/fridge, so… go for it. You’ll be happy you did.

Ingredients:

  • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup diced apples
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment/silpats and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar. Add the egg and vanilla, beating until well combined, then the peanut butter.

Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, beating until just combined, then add the apple and white chocolate chips, again beating until just evenly mixed through.

This would no doubt be easier with a stand mixer and the paddle attachment than with a hand mixer, but we work with what we’ve got!

Using a medium cookie scoop, or a regular spoon if that’s what’s available, scoop the dough into balls.

Press down on each ball with the tines of a fork, first in one direction and then crossed to make an X a second direction, partially flattening the dough ball.

Bake 10-12 minutes, then cool on the pan 15 minutes before transferring to a rack to finish cooling, or a serving plate. I have just been cooking these up 2-3 at a time in the toaster oven, keeping the rest in the freezer, so I’ve been eating them red hot as soon as I can pick up a bit. Deeelicious.

Peanut Butter, Apple, and White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Slightly reorganized from Picky Palate.

  • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup diced apples
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment/silpats and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar. Add the egg and vanilla, beating until well combined, then the peanut butter. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, beating until just combined, then add the apple and white chocolate chips, again beating until just evenly mixed through.

Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop the dough into balls. Press down on each ball with the tines of a fork, first in one direction and then crossed to make an X a second direction, partially flattening the dough ball. Bake 10-12 minutes, then cool on the pan 15 minutes before transferring to a rack to finish cooling, or a serving plate.

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