Sour Cream Coffee Cake

It's no secret that I cannot walk by a book store without going in for a browse... and I cannot live the store without buying a cookbook. I was especially happy when a few weeks ago I found a small booklet released by the" Company's Coming", entitled Coffee Cake Classic. Amazing recipes, I can't wait to try them. So far I only tried one, the sour cream coffee cake, which was Cass's choice. It tasted delicious and was very easy to make. The sour cream keeps it moist, can be served on its own or with a dollop of whipped cream.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter softened

1 cup of granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup of light sour cream

1 tsp of pure vanilla

2 cups of all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp of baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

Cinnamon nut topping

1/2 cup of brown sugar packed

3 tbsp of chopped walnuts or pecans

1 tsp of ground cinnamon .

Beat butter and sugar in a medium bowl until light and fluffy.

Add eggs one by one beating well after each addition. Add sour cream and vanilla, beat well.

Combine the flour,baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Add to the butter mixture and stir.

Spread  half of the mixture evenly in a greased 9 x 9 inch baking pan ( I used a larger baking pan because a doubled the recipe)

Cinnamon nut topping.

Combine the brown sugar, finely chopped walnuts or pecans and cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle half of the mixture over batter in the pan.

Drop the remaining batter by tablespoonfuls over the batter, to make it easier to spread.

Spread evenly.

Sprinkle the rest of the topping evenly over the batter

Bake in a preheated oven of 350˚F, for 40 minutes. Every oven is different so the test with the toothpick works best.

The cake is ready when the toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean!

Serve with a dollop of light whipped cream and a steaming cup of coffee.

Enjoy!

Here is a picture of the booklet that the recipe comes from

Apple UpSide-Down Cake

This is one of my family's favorite deserts with apples. Curious enough I found this recipe years ago in a "Milk" calendar, actually is the 1998 calendar and still have it. I still buy the calendar every year, I love the recipes they feature. Especially because like in the calendar's name all of them are made with milk. The calendar is sponsored by the Dairy Farmers of Ontario, and all the recipes are created especially for the calendar. a great way to include more dairy in your diet ( no offense to any vegans).

Ingredients:

Topping

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp bread crumbs

4 apples, cored and sliced

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Cake batter:

3/4 cup butter softened

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

3/4 cup ground almonds

3 eggs

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375˚F.

To make the topping, butter a 13x9 inches baking pan and sprinkle bread crumbs. Set aside.

In a large bowl toss the apple slices with brown sugar and cinnamon.

Arrange the apple slices evenly on bottom of the baking pan.

To make cake batter:

Beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Beat in ground almonds and eggs. Stir in the rest of the ingredients until smooth.

Spoon batter over apples. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes.

Or until the toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Place on a cooling rack for 15 minutes, if necessary run a knife around the edges. After 15 minutes, place the cooling rack on top of the baking pan and invert the cake. Let cool completely before cutting.

Serve with whipped cream if desired.

Enjoy!

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Lemon poppy seed cake; A lovely moist cake that looks very simple, is very easy and fast to make, but taste spectacular. Can be served on it's on or with whipped cream and fresh berries.

Great for brunch, or just for an afternoon cup of coffee with your friends.

My son Cass loves anything that has poppy seeds in it. From cakes to shortbread to poppy seed bagels. He always pairs it with a cup of hot chocolate.

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

3 tbsp poppy seeds

1 tbsp baking powder

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup butter ( or hard margarine), melted

1/3 cup cooking oil

1/3 cup lemon juice

3 large eggs

1 tbsp grated lemon zest

Lemon syrup

1/2 cup granulated sugar

6 tbsp water

1/4 cup lemon juice

Butter and line with parchment paper a 9 inch spring-form pan. Preheat the oven to 350˚F.

Combine the flour, sugar, poppy seeds and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center.

In a large mixing bowl beat the sour cream, melted butter, cooking oil, lemon juice,eggs and the grated lemon zest, until well combined.

Add the wet ingredients to the well in the dry ingredients and stir well with a rubber spatula to combine.

Pour the batter into the prepared spring-form and bake into the preheated oven for 50 minutes or until the toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

To make the syrup:

In a small heavy pan combine all the ingredients. Heat and stir on medium heat until all the sugar has dissolved, boil gently for 2 minutes without stirring. ( you should have about 1/4 cup syrup)

Do not remove the cake from pan. Place it on a cooling rack set on a baking sheet( in case any of the syrup leaks).

Slowly pour the syrup over the hot cake evenly. Let stand in pan until cool and all syrup is absorbed.

Run a knife around the edges to loosen cake. Remove to serving plate.

Serve on its on or with whipped cream and mixed berries.

Enjoy!

"Basket with Flowers" Cake

As I promised yesterday, here are some pictures with my cake.

The cake that I made yesterday at the Wilton cake decorating class.

It was so much fun, not to say how impressed my boys were with my work ( that's the best part)

I just finish course 2, and I can't wait for the course 3( in august). Until then I signed up for a 2 hours cupcake decorating workshop ( offered by Wilton). I'll let you know how that turns out.

I'm pretty happy with the way the cake turned out.

Cherry cake

My childhood's dessert. This recipe comes courtesy of my mom. My mom the greatest cook I know. A cook that cooks without a recipe or quantities and everything comes out amazing.

I tried many recipes over the years, but always come back to this one. Maybe it's just the taste of my childhood or maybe, it's just that GOOD.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup butter room temperature

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream (8 oz)

1/2 tsp vanilla

3 cups of pitted and halved cherries ( approximately)

Icing sugar for dusting (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Line a 13x9x2 inches baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking powder,baking soda and salt, set aside.

In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer for about 40 seconds, add the sugar and mix until very well combined. Beat in eggs 1 by 1 mixing well after each addition. Add the sour cream and vanilla mix well.

Stir in the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon or a spatula. Mix just until combined do not over mix .

Pour the batter in the prepared pan and arrange the halved pitted cherries cut side down on top of the batter pressing just a little to fix them well in the spot.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in preheated oven or until the toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool in the pan on the rack for 15 minutes, take out using the parchment paper, cut into squares when completely cold. Dust with icing sugar if desired .

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Streusel Cake

Crumbly cinnamon streusel ribbons in the center of this fine texture cake. It is ideal served with coffee, for a weekend brunch or for a dinner buffet. I personally love it with a cup of coffee. Even my boys like to munch on it. After is completely cool I slice it and they just walk by and grab one slice as they go about their day.

Ingredients

For filling

Unsalted butter at room temperature 2 tbsp

All purpose flour 3 tbsp

Firmly packed brown sugar 1/3 cup

Chopped walnuts 3/4 cup

Ground cinnamon 1 1/2 tbsp

For the batter

All purpose flour 2 1/2 cups

Baking powder 2 tsp

Baking soda 1/2 tsp

Salt 1/4

Unsalted butter at room temperature 3/4 cup

Granulated sugar 1 1/4 cups

Large eggs 4

Vanilla extract 1 tsp

Sour cream 1 1/2 cups.

Position rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350˚F. Butter and flour a 10 inch tube pan or bundt pan.

To make the streusel filling, in a small bowl combine the butter, flour, brown sugar, walnuts and cinnamon. Mix with a fork until crumbly. Set aside.

To make the batter.

In a bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl beat togheter the butter and granulated sugar on medium low speed until creamy . Beat in eggs one at the time.

Stir in the vanilla.

Add the dry ingredients alternating with the sour cream. Start and end with the dry ingredients. Take care to scrap the bowl after each addition. Mix on low speed just until batter is blended and almost smooth.

Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan and smooth with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle evenly with the streusel filling.

Then pour the last half of the batter and smooth it over.

Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.

TIP: try using a mixture of 2 tbsp of fine granulated sugar and 1 tsp of ground cinnamon to sprinkle on the buttered pan instead of flour. You will use about 3/4 of the mixture and use the rest to sprinkle over the top of the batter after you poured it in the pan.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Raspberry Summer Delight

A combination of rich chocolate cake with light raspberry cream, makes this cake a true summer delight

This recipe, like most of my recipes, is adjusted to suit my taste, and there is nothing better than the pairing of chocolate and raspberries.

Ingredients

For the chocolate cake

Semisweet chocolate 12 oz (350 g)

All purpose- flour 2 cups (300 g)

Unsweetened cocoa powder 1/4 cups (50 g)

Baking powder 2 tsp

Baking soda 1/2 tsp

Salt 1/4

Butter 1/3 cup (90 g )

Superfine sugar 1 1/4 cups (250 g)

Large eggs 4

Milk 1/2 cups (125 ml)

Vegetable oil 2 tbsp

For the raspberry cream

Unflavored gelatin 2 tbsp (30 ml)

Raspberry juice ( or berry juice) 1/3 cup (75 ml)

Maraschino cherry syrup 2 tbsp (30 ml)

Lemon juice 2 tbsp (30 ml)

Whole frozen thawed raspberries 1 lb. (454 g)

Whipping cream 2 cups (500 ml)

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Butter and flower a 9 inch spring-form pan.

Melt the chocolate in a double broiler over barely simmering water, set aside to cool.

Shift the flour, cocoa, baking soda,baking powder and salt in a bowl.

In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until creamy. Add the eggs one at the time beating until just blended after each addition.
Turn the mixer on low speed and add the dry ingredients alternating with the chocolate, milk and oil. Start and end with the dry ingredients. I started with 1/3 flour, 1/2 of the chocolate, 1/2 of the milk, half of the oil, then again 1/3 flour,the rest of the chocolate, the remanning of the milk,and the rest of the oil , finishing with the last part of the flour mixture.

This is how the mixture looks.
Spoon the batter into the prepared form and bake for 50 to 60 minutes (mine took exactly one hour ). Do the test with the toothpick, when it comes out clean the cake is ready.

Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, remove to wire rack and cool completely.

I like my cakes leveled it is easier to decorate. This is a easy way to level the top of the cake:

Find the lowest part of the cake, with a ruler measure from bottom to the lowest part mark with 1 or 2 toothpicks, go to the opposite site measure and mark with toothpicks at the "lowest point" do this in four sides. With a serrated knife,using the toothpicks as guide cut the top of the cake. Now you should have a leveled cake.
This is how the leveled cake should look.
For the cream:

In a small sauce pan pour the raspberry juice, sprinkle gelatin over top let stand for 1 minute. Add the sugar and stir. Don't worry if it looks like there is no more liquid left. Put on the stove and stir(on low heat) until the sugar is dissolved 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add the lemon and the maraschino juice mix set aside.

In large bowl purée the raspberry and if the seeds are something that you dislike force through a sieve. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of raspberry purée left.
Mix the gelatin with the raspberry purée. Refrigerated the mixture for 1/2 hour stirring occasionally, until starting to thicken.
In different bowl beat the whipping cream until soft picks form. Transfer the raspberry mixture in a larger bowl and gradually fold in the whipped cream.

This is how the cream looks.

Spoon the cream in the middle of the cake and with a icing spatula cover the whole cake. The cream is very easy to work with. Decorate with fresh raspberries or follow your imagination. Chill for 2 hours before serving.

And a section of the cake.

Bone appetite!