Eat This: Orange Pound Cake

One of my favorite cakes is Lemon Pound Cake. The one I made and posted HERE was well received by friends and family alike.  Coming from Florida, I love citrus.  I have posted recipes for orange marmalade, clementine marmalade and use lemon quite liberally.  Today I thought I would try the same recipe with orange as the flavor note.  It turned out nicely.  More subtle than lemon, but delicious as well.  

I also used two loaf pans this time instead of using the vintage cast aluminum Bundt pan that belonged to my grandmother.  I cooked these for one hour at 325 degrees.  It pulled away from the pan and came clear with the toothpick test.  Don't overcook.  Be sure you let the cakes cool for about 15 minutes before turning them out for the glaze.

One for us and one for a neighbor who always brings us nice food and is just a general, all around good guy.  We love to share and this is perfect for that.

The changes?  Use orange extract instead of lemon and I used the zest from the orange in the glaze as well.  Using a micro plane makes it easy!  Enjoy.

Let's Eat Cake: Lemon Pound Cake

I love lemon anything. Cake. Cookies. Whatever.  I found a recipe and modified it and this was the outcome.  I gave our neighbors half of the cake, so I wouldn't eat it all, and they proclaimed it the best lemon cake they'd ever had.  You be the judge. It really WAS pretty awesome.  It is a basic cake that you can add any kind of extract and make it your own.  Enjoy.

Eat This: Lemon Sour Cream Cake

I am crazy about lemons. In almost anything; freshly squeezed over a pork chop - a wedge served with my fried chicken .... anything.  Desserts are especially wonderful when they are really tart and sweet together.  This recipe was adapted from Ina Garten's Lemon Yogurt Cake recipe at The Barefoot Contessa.  Love her. This is not too sweet, just tart enough to be awesome.  Enjoy.

Saturday Eats: Lemon Buttermilk Cake

I love lemon cake.  I adapted this recipe from Ina Garten and really like it.  Next time, I will do it 5 minutes less, but, this is delicious.  You can also do the glaze (see recipe at the end.)

Delicious Still Warm From The Oven

Ingredients

Fresh Lemon Juice and Zest

Two 8" x 4" Loaf Pans

The Surface: Golden and Moist

Cooling on the rack

Adapted from Ina Garten's recipe:

Lemon Buttermilk Cake Ingredients

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup grated lemon zest (4 to 6 large lemons)
• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided
• 3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract (orange works too, and you can use Grand Marnier in the final glaze for a delicious change of pace)

For the glaze:

• 2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 3 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (or orange, or try Grand Marnier for a more "grownup" taste.)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch) loaf pans. You may also line the bottom with parchment paper, if desired. I cut it to almost fit the bottom and it works great.

Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, and the lemon zest. (You can also use orange in place of lemon in this recipe and it turns out really well too!)

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean. Be sure not to over do it or it will be drier than you want.

THIS STEP IS IMPORTANT:  Skip the final glaze if you want, but don't skip this one:  Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. When the cakes are done, allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and set them on a rack set over a tray or sheet pan; spoon the lemon syrup over them. Allow the cakes to cool completely.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and the lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Pour over the tops of the cakes and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides.

Mother's Day Special Request: Pineapple Upside Down Cake

My mom remembers her mother's Pineapple Upside Down Cake. Well, actually she remembers the Apricot Upside Down Cake that her mom used to make. So for Mother's Day, I thought, why not?  I snagged a recipe from one of my new favorite sites, Sunday-Suppers.com.

Baking cabinet

I enjoy baking. I have two cabinets in the kitchen devoted to baking supplies and ingredients. It's a little bit of a problem sometimes, just because I believe we have to have a back-up for the back-up as far as supplies go so there are always bags and bags of sugar, flour and other ingredients hanging around calling for us to bake them.

So, the PUD cake goes like this:

I am one of those guys who has to have it ALL on the counter, right?  Everything out and handy before I start.


I used a special PUD cake pan. Never again. Used once. Went straight to the Salvation Army box.  Give me a heavy gauge, dark steel pan any day.  This thing was way too thin and, well.. it didn't produce the prettiest product.

The first thing is to make the caramel that goes on the bottom of the pan. Sugar, one pat of butter and a teaspoon of water over medium heat until it turns dark brown... Mmmm.

Pour the caramel in the bottom of the pan, wait about 2 minutes and put in the pineapple (or whatever) slices.

The batter is simple, sweet and delicious. I used chopped, toasted pecans as my spin on it instead of macadamia nuts. I almost used pistachios, but maybe next time.

After baking, let it cool and invert on a plate.  This needs to be refrigerated and I personally like this cake ICE COLD. Delicious.

It may not be pretty around the edges but my goodness it tastes so good.  I can't wait for dessert after dinner!

Sunday-Suppers.com Pineapple Upside Down Cake

1 1/2 C sugar
8 T unsalted butter (1 stick) softened, plus more for greasing pan
1 1/2 c. AP flour
1/2 C whole macadamia nuts, toasted & rough chop (I used PECANS - its a Southern thing)
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 lg eggs
1/2 t vanilla extract
1/4 t almond extract
3/4 C whole milk
1 can sliced pineapple

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees and lightly butter a 9-inch round cake pan.Iin a saucepan over medium heat combine 3/4 C sugar & 1 T water, stirring occasionally until deep golden brown add 1 T butter. 8-11 minutes.

Pour the caramel into the prepared cakepan. let cool slightly. then lay your pineapple slices on top of the caramel.

Combine the AP, macadamia nuts, baking powder & salt.  Beat 7 T butter & 3/4 C sugar in a large bowl of an electric mixer on medium high heat until fluffy & white.  Add the eggs one at a time incorporating each completely. Beat in the vanilla, almond, & coconut extract.  Alternately add the flour mixture and the milk.  Add in 3 batches each, beginning & ending with flour mixture. Pour the batter into your prepared pan.  Bake 45-50 minutes, let cool 30 minutes then invert on plate.

Craving Satisfied: Chocolate Cake In A Mug

I love chocolate. Anyone who knows me knows it.  A friend mentioned recently in a FaceBook post that she recently made a "Cake In A Mug".  I Googled it and found so many hits it was crazy!  I had a really strong craving for chocolate after dinner, fueled by an 80 year old chocoholic mother, so I whipped it up; cooked in a tall Starbucks mug!

Chocolate Cake In A Mug

It totally hit the spot.  Here's the recipe as modified by me. I like to add a little something so here is my take on it!

4 tablespoons cake flour

4 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder (Use GOOD cocoa powder)

1/2 tablespoon instant espresso

1/8 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg beaten

3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
2 -3 drops vanilla 

In a small bowl, mix the flour, sugar, cocoa, tiny pinch baking powder and tiny pinch salt. (This can also be mixed directly into a large mug). Add egg and mix into dry mixture. Add oil and milk and mix well. Grease a tall, large mug, and pour in this mixture, scraping out with a spatula.

Place in microwave on High for 2 1/2 - 3 minutes.

Best slightly undercooked, so be careful. Microwave ovens vary - mine is mad powerful.  I cooked mine for 2:30.  Delicious topped with a scoop of frozen yogurt!

Enjoy!