Blood Orange Cake with Honey Whipped Cream

Or "how Samantha makes things much more difficult than they need to be."

About a month ago Audra at the Baker Chick posted a wonderful blood orange yogurt cake.  It sounded simply amazing and ridiculously easy to whip together.  The simplicity of the recipe was built around the 6 oz container of yogurt.  All of the other ingredients were measured using this container.  Easy peasy.   No need for measuring utensils.  Just a 3:2:1 ratio. Oh...and self rising flour.

Well...

I use yogurt a lot.  I have long ago given into purchasing the large tubs of plain yogurt instead of individual serving sizes.  So no 6 oz container to conveniently measure out my other ingredients.   To make matters more complicated, yogurt isn't sold by volume...it's sold by weight.  How to figure the volume of the other ingredients?

Ugh.  This is where the obsessive compulsive fabric dyer in me took over.  On a daily basis I convert units of measure and compare ratios to ensure the fabric I dye is consistent from one batch to the next.  Math.  Math everywhere.  This ratio of weight to volume was right up my alley...frustrating as it was.

After poking around I found that a cup of yogurt weighs roughly 8.6 oz...so 6 oz by weight of yogurt would be about 0.69 cups by volume.  (WHY do we use oz for weight and volume...things needn't be this complicated).  Multiplied by the units conveniently listed in Audra's recipe and voila...the measures listed below...within a few teaspoons...

Okay...I'll stop with the math.  Seriously...buy a 6oz container of yogurt...it will make the process so much easier!

Second problem...I don't have self rising flour.  Thankfully that's an easy enough fix.  Self rising flour is just boring old flour with salt and baking powder already mixed in..roughly 1 1/4- 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder and 1/2 tsp of salt per cup of flour. 

Now...I finally had a recipe.  And a bit of a headache from making things harder than they need to be.  This cake is certainly worth it.  And please do visit Audra's site to see the much less migraine-inducing method of measuring.

adapted from Sylvia Bors recipe via Audra at TheBakerChick

yields one 9-inch singe layer cake

The Ingredients:
for the cake
6 oz yogurt (or 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp)
2 blood oranges, both juiced, one zested
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp safflower oil or vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

for the frosting:
1 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon honey


The Process:
Preheat the oven to 350

In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt,  orange juice, and oil.  Beat the eggs in one at a time until incorporated.  In a separate bowl sift together sugar, flour, baking powder and salt.  Mix the dry ingredients into the yogurt mixture, one third at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.

Lightly oil a 9" cake pan and line with parchment paper.  Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top.  Bake for 30-35 minutes.  Reduce the oven temperature to 325 and bake an additional 10-20 minutes, depending on the oven.

Remove cake from pan and allow to cool completely.

While the cake cools, in a chilled bowl whisk the honey into the whipped cream.  Beat the cream until stiff peaks form.  Spread onto the cooled cake.

The Review:
After the headache of math and measuring I was almost immediately rewarded with the most amazing smells...lightly citrus and wonderfully cakey...

But my oven is finicky.  The center of the cake did not seem to want to set.  At the end of the full 20 minutes after dropping the temperature to 325 the toothpick finally came out clean...and the edges a little browner than I'd like.  I may have to bake the cake at 325 for the duration next time...or split the batter between two pans...

My cake mounded a lot in the center.  I suspect this may have to do with using fresher baking powder and all purpose flour in lieu of self rising flour whose leavening has been sitting for god knows how long.  The height didn't bother me in the slightest.  I may have obsessed a bit about the math, but not having a level cake.  Meh.

The flavors are so simple and clean.  And not overly sweet.  The whipped frosting was the perfect topping, creamy and ever so slightly sweet, without weighing down the cake or overpowering the citrus with cloying sweetness.   I'd love to try the cake again.  Perhaps with lemon.  And almond extract.  Or if I get really ambitious...layers...

I confess...I had some for breakfast.  Judging from the bit of frosting missing this morning I take it the cat did too...

It is that good.

Plum Pudding with Bourbon Hard Sauce

We wish you a merry Christmas,
We wish you a merry Christmas,
We wish you a merry Christmas,
And a happy new year!

Good tidings we bring
To you and your kin.
Good tidings for Christmas,
And a happy new year!

Oh, bring us a figgy pudding,
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding,
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding,
And a cup of good cheer!

We won't go until we get some,
We won't go until we get some,
We won't go until we get some,
So bring some out here!

We wish you a merry Christmas,
We wish you a merry Christmas,
We wish you a merry Christmas,
And a happy new year!

What better treat to end the year with than a classic Plum pudding!  This is not an old world recipe, requiring twenty plus hours of prep or that hard or track ingredient, suet.  Rather, this steamed bread and fruit dessert is a little less involved, but just as pleasant.  And the bourbon hard sauce may be just enough to coax the  carolers to move along...or perhaps enticing enough to encourage them to stay. 

adapted from the BHG Cookbook

serves 8-10

The Ingredients:

for the pudding

5 slices of wheat bread, tron into small pieces

2/3 cup evaporated milk

2 egg whites, slightly beaten

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup cooking oil

1/4 orange juice

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

12 oz pitted prunes, diced

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

2 1/2 tsp apple pie spice (cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg and cardamom)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

for the hard sauce:

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

1 Tbsp bourbon

"In half a minute Mrs Cratchit
entered--flushed, but smiling proudly--with the pudding,
like a speckled cannon-ball, so hard and firm, blazing in half
of half-a-quartern of ignited brandy, and bedight with
Christmas holly stuck into the top."  

--Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol  

 

The Process:

In a large bowl, soak the bread in the evaporated milk for about three minutes or until the bread is softened.  Using a fork, stir the bread gently to break up the pieces.  Whisk in the egg whites, brown sugar, oil, orange juice, and vanilla.  Carefully fold in the prunes and walnuts.

In a medium mixing bowl stir together the whole wheat flour, spice, baking soda and salt.  stir into the bread and prune mixture until just combined.  

Lightly oil or grease a 6 1/2 cup tower mold or bundt pan.  Pour the batter into the mold.  Cover with foil; press foil tightly against the mold's rim.

Place the mold on a rack in a deep kettle.  Add boiling water to a depth of about 1-inch.  Cover the kettle.  Bring water to a gentle boil and steam for 1 1/2 to 2 hours for the bundt pan, or 2 1/2 to 3 hours for the tower mold.  Add more boiling water as necessary.  The pudding is finished when a wooden pick or skewer inserted in the center of the pudding comes out clean.

For the hard sauce, in a small bowl beat together butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes or until the mixture is well combined.  Beat in the bourbon.  Spoon into a serving bowl and set aside.

Remove the pudding mold from the kettle.  Cool the pudding for 10 minutes and remove from mold.  Serve warm with bourbon hard sauce.

The Review:

Pudding is a deceptive term...this is more of a spice cake.  But the pudding tradition is one of streaming bread based treats instead of baking. This particular pudding was dense, moist and full or spice and bits of fruit.

While it wasn't presented in all of the glistening glory of Mrs. Crachit's masterpiece, for the newbie pudding maker, and those tasting a steamed bread pudding for the first time, this version is a safe introduction.  Next year's maybe the more ambitious Christmas pudding...

Audra's Margarita Cupcakes

A huge thank you to Audra of the Baker Chick for this recipe. After a full day of packing and moving heavy boxes, I wanted to provide all of the friends who helped us move with a summertime "adult" sweet. Truth be told...I sort of planned the house warming around the thought of making these alcoholic cupcakes.

In an ideal world, these tequila filled and frosted gems would have been coupled with Audra's mojito cupcakes. Unfortunately, the kitchen became so beastly hot with all of the other cooking going on that I could only tolerate keeping the oven on for one batch of cupcakes.

Perhaps next time....

Adapted from Audra's recipe at The Baker Chick

The Ingredients:
The cupcake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
3 limes, zested and juiced
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk

The Filling
1/2 lb fresh strawberries, washed and hulled
1 lime, zested and juiced
1/2 cup tequila
2 Tbsp sugar

The Frosting:
1 cup non-hydrogenated shortening
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly chilled
4 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup strawberry tequila filling

The Process:
For the cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 325˚ F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; whisk to blend. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the lime zest, lime juice and vanilla. Slowly mix in the dry ingredient a third at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. Beat each addition just until incorporated.

Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about three quarters full. Bake 20-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the filling:
In a blender or a food processor, add the strawberries, lime juice, tequila and sugar. Puree the mixture until there are no chunks of strawberry. Set aside.

Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, use a small paring knife to cut a cone out of the top of each cupcake. Remove the cut-out cake and spoon a tablespoon of strawberry puree into each cupcake. Replace the top part of the cone, cutting the tip to leave room for the filling. For alternative filling methods, check out the photo laden tutorials on Annie's Eats.

Prepare the frosting in a large mixing bowl: cream together the shortening and butter on high until well mixed and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time alternating with a tablespoon at a time of the Strawberry puree. Mix until the frosting is thick and creamy, like the consistency of ice cream. Spread or pipe on cupcakes With a teaspoon, sprinkle some coarse sugar around the edge of the cupcake and top with a lime wedge.

My Modifications:
Were nearly non-existent...I was so excited to try these cupcakes out as is. My cupcakes lacked the sugar rim and were not nearly as photogenic as Audra's; however, they all disappeared in a heartbeat.

The Review:
I think these were the biggest hit of our house warming, and well worth reheating the entire kitchen to prepare. The tequila packed quite a punch when the cupcakes were freshly filled and frosted, but after chilling about 30 minutes, the booze was much more subdued and the strawberry flavor truly shown through. I loved the citrus-y hint of lime in the cake.

I had wanted to accompany these cupcakes with Audra' mojito ones as well, for a truly relaxing and booze end to a long day of move heavy boxes. However, one batch of cupcakes heated up our kitchen almost more the I could bear. Of course it doesn't help that our moving day was a balmy 90+ degrees...

Penuche Fudge

If you haven't visited the blog Good Graces, what ever is keeping you? Mary Catherine's blog is everything a food blog should be...wit, whimsy, sarcasm and sweetness all playing supporting roles to some of the richest recipes and most touching bits of storytelling you may ever encounter. Her posts are always a treat to read. And her food insights...heavenly.

Traditional penuche, as well as Mary Catherine's recipe, call for brown sugar. With our pending move, my pantry is absent this usual staple...but never fear, molasses and granulated sugar make a fair substitute, as the recipe below reflects.

Thank you for this marvelous idea!

adapted from her penuche frosting recipe at Good Graces.

The Ingredients:
1 stick of butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2-3 Tbsp molasses
1/4 cup milk
2-3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup toasted pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped

The Process:
Melt the butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Stir in the sugar and molasses (or one cup of brown sugar) until well combined. Boil gently for a minute or two and slowly stir in the milk. Return the mixture to a boil and remove from heat to cool slightly. Once cool and no longer bubbling (about 10-15 minutes) whisk in the powdered sugar until you reach a desired consistency. Stop here for an amazing frosting.

For a decedent fudge, butter an 8 x 12 inch pan (or 9 x 13 pan for a thinner fudge) and sprinkle with about half of the chopped nuts. Whisk a little more powdered sugar into the penuche to create a slightly thicker consistency. Spoon the penuche into your pan. Sprinkle with the remaining nuts, gently pressing them into the fudge with a spatula. Swirl the top with a bit of a flourish and chill until set, about 1 hour.

I dare you to wait that long...

My Modifications:
You truly must read Mary Catherine's original post.

Have you yet? Good.

My major modification as I mentioned above was substituting granulated sugar and molasses for brown sugar. Sacrilege to the traditionalist, I know!

A plethora of penuche fudge and frosting recipes exist if this one doesn't tickle your fancy. Some add vanilla and corn syrup, some use sweetened condensed milk, some follow a more traditional fudge format, some are sheer blasphemy. All I'm sure are a delight.

The Review:
Unlike most powdered sugar based frosting I've tried, this did not have the same cloyingly sweet quality. Oh, never fear. It will certainly sate your sweet tooth. But the almost artificial and slightly taste I've come to associate with powdered sugar was thankfully absent.

The fudge was smooth and rich, perhaps a bit grainy where the sugar had not fully dissolved. And completely and uttering decadent.