White Chocolate and Raspberry Cake

I know I've mentioned the numerous Sunday Dinners we have.   Sitting at the end of the table, gazing over the family and food makes me so happy.   I also love to end the meal with dessert.   I'm not sure why I made this cake other than we love white chocolate and raspberries.   It turned out great, and the touch of Chambord on every layer added more of that wonderful raspberry flavor.   It didn't last long as the kids took the majority home with them after our dinner was done.

White Chocolate and Raspberry Layered Cake

 Cake Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 C all-purpose flour
• 1 t baking soda
• 1 t baking powder
• 1 t salt
• 6 (1 ounce) squares white chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 C hot water
• 1 C unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 C sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 T vanilla bean paste
• 1 1/4 C buttermilk 

Directions:   Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare three 8 inch round cake pans with shortening and flour.  Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, set aside.  In small saucepan, melt the white chocolate and hot water over low heat. Stir until smooth, and cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well with each addition. Add vanilla bean paste.  Stir in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk. Mix in melted white chocolate.

Pour batter into prepared cake pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.  Set aside to cool.


White Chocolate Buttercream Ingredients:

• 6 (1 ounce) squares white chocolate, chopped
• 2 1/2 T all-purpose flour
• 1 C milk
• 1 C butter, room temperature
• 1 C confectioners sugar
• 1 t vanilla bean paste

Directions:  In a medium saucepan, combine the white chocolate, flour and milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is very thick. Cool completely.

In large bowl, cream the butter, confectioners sugar and  vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add cooled white chocolate mixture. Beat at high speed until it is the consistency of whipped cream. 

Additional Ingredients:

• Raspberry Jam
• Chambord
• White Chocolate curls
• fresh Raspberries

To assemble cake:   Cut each cooled cake into 2 layers.   Smear dollop of buttercream onto cake plate and place 1st layer.   Brush that layer with Chambord then add a couple tablespoons of Raspberry Jam, spreading to cover the layer.   Place the 2nd layer next, brush with Chambord and then add a couple tablespoons of white chocolate buttercream, spreading to cover the layer.   Repeat with remaining four layers and then completely frost the cake.

I used a box grater on the large size to grate a room temperature bar of white chocolate with gave me small curls.   Using parchment, I applied the curls to the sides of the cake then topped it with fresh raspberries.

Pumpkin Roll

After my mother had her back surgery, I wanted to make something yummy for her.   Since we are finally in autumn I grabbed my new favorite, the trusty pumpkin, and made a lovely pumpkin roll with a cream cheese frosting garnish with salty roasted pumpkin seeds and dusted with freshly grated nutmeg.

Pumpkin Roll

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 C brown sugar
• 1 C vegetable oil
• 1/2 C apple sauce
• 1 t vanilla
• 2 C canned pumpkin
• 4 eggs
• 2 C flour
• 1 T baking powder
• 2 t baking soda
• 1 t salt
• 1 T cinnamon
• 1t ground cloves
• 1 t freshly grated nutmeg

Directions:   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   Grease and flour a jelly roll pan and set aside.   Sift together the flour, baking powder, soda, salt and spices and set aside.  In a large bowl combine the sugar and oil.   Blend in the applesauce, vanilla and canned pumpkin.   Beat the eggs in one at a time.   The 1 cup at a time, add the flour mixture.   Spread the batter into jelly roll pan and bake for 20-24 minutes.   Remove from oven and let cool a bit.   Generously dust a large kitchen towel with confectioners sugar and turn out the cake.   Sprinkle top with confectioners sugar and gently roll cake up to cool.

 

 While the cake is cooling, toast some pumpkin seeds for garnish...

 

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

• 2 8 oz pkgs cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 C butter, softened
• 2 C confectioners sugar
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 t freshly grated nutmeg

Directions:   In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter, then mix in the vanilla and gradually the confectioners sugar.   Add the nutmeg and if it's too thick, thin with a bit of heavy cream to your desire consistency.

To assemble the pumpkin roll, gently unroll cake and fill center with frosting.   Roll back up and transfer to serving platter.   Frost the outside of the roll, garnish with crunchy and salty roasted pumpkin seeds and dust with freshly grated nutmeg.   SERVE!

 

White Raspberry Cake

I made this cake for Emma's 8th Birthday last month - and it was really good.   So good, in fact, it didn't last long in our house!   Fairly easy to make and if you are pressed for time, use a box cake mix and store bought buttercream frosting!

White Raspberry Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 egg whites
• 1 C milk
• 3 t vanilla
• 3 C cake flour, sifted
• 4 t baking powder
• 1 1/2 C sugar
• 1 t salt
• 12 T unsalted butter

Directions:   Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.   Prepare 2, 9 inch round cake pans by buttering and flouring or line with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine egg whites, 1/4 C milk and vanilla.   Mix and set aside.   In large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt and beat on low speed until incorporated.   Add the butter and remaining milk to the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until moistened.   Increase speed and gradually add the egg white mixture (in 3 batches), beating well after each addition.   Pour into pans and bake 30 minutes until top springs back when lightly touched.

Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

• 2 C shortening
• 8 T butter
• 1/3 C heavy whipping cream
• 2 t raspberry extract
• 8 C powdered sugar

Directions:   In mixer beat shortening and butter until light and fluffy.   Add the cream and raspberry extract and mix well.   Add 1/2 powdered sugar and beat for 5 minutes.  Add remaining sugar and continue to beat.  If it is too thick, add a bit more cream.   For the fluffiest buttercream, beat for an additional 5 minutes or longer.

To assemble:   Cut each cooled cake in half to form 2 layers.   I put a dollop of buttercream down on my patter first, to secure the first layer.   Top with raspberry jam then add another cake layer, topping with buttercream.   Add another cake layer, repeat with raspberry jam and add last cake layer.   Tint the remaining buttercream frosting if you want to get a soft pink color and frost entire cake.   I embellished with edible pearls and piped icing.

Carrot Cake

My husband just had a birthday and asked for Carrot Cake to celebrate.   Okay... I have a GREAT recipe that is moist, uses OLIVE OIL and tastes amazing!

CARROT CAKE

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 C olive oil
• 2 C brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 3 T dark molasses
• 3 C carrots, finely grated
• 2 C flour
• 2 t baking soda
• 1 T cinnamon
• 1 t nutmeg
• 1 t ground cloves
• 1 t salt
• 1 C walnuts, chopped
• 1/2 C raisins
• 1/2 C golden raisins  

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 2 pkgs. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 C butter, softened
• 1 t vanilla
• 2 - 2 1/2 C powdered sugar
• 2 T half and half (to thin, just in case)

Directions:   Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.   Butter and flour 2 cake pans and set aside.   In large mixing bowl, whisk olive oil and brown sugar together.   Add eggs and molasses and mix well.   Stir in carrots, flour, soda, spices and salt mixing well.  Add nuts and raisins and stir until incorporated.   Spoon into prepared cake pans and bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean and then cool.

In a separate bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter.   Add powdered sugar 1/2 C at a time until the desired sweetness, adding a bit of half and half if necessary to thin.  Frost cooled cake and enjoy!

In the photo below... I actually have 5 layers.   I increased my recipe to an additional 3rd, baked 3 cakes and once cooled, split them.   I didn't use the last half as the cake towered tall (though it was eaten).   

Cake Balls - simple yet scrumptious!

Have you ever had cake balls???   I wasn't aware of this phenomena until my friend Susan Spense of HWA mentioned it to me.   I ran home and had to make my own version of this - which I did!   WOW do they taste good and are so easy to make.   I love the endless possibilities you have in creating different things to roll them in over the standard dip in chocolate.   Since the cake balls are fairly sweet, I tried making a coating that was yummy but less sugary.   Here is my version!

Cake Balls rolled in cocoa pecans

Ingredients:

• 1 box yellow cake mix, prepared as directed
• 1 container buttercream icing
• 1 C. pecans
• 2 T cocoa powder

Directions:

Prepare the cake per the package instructions.   Cool completely.   Once cooled cut the cake up and transfer into a large bowl.   Crumble the cake with your clean hands and then add the complete container of buttercream icing.   Mix well until the frosting is completely incorporated into the cake.   Place the bowl into the refrigerator for an hour to cool.   Roll cake mixture into 1 inch balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

In a food processor,  process the pecans until fine.   Gently mix in the cocoa power and put into a pie plate.   Roll each cake ball through the pecan cocoa powder to coat and place back onto the parchment lined cookie sheet.  

Keep refrigerated until you are ready to serve.   Store in an air tight container.   Use your imagination to create different coatings such as coconut, white or milk chocolate or sprinkles.

New twist to a tried and true dessert.

Love the Mandarin Orange Cake recipe that you find in so many cookbooks and on-line.   My Mother has been making it for years and it's been a staple at family birthday parties and celebrations.   I made it this weekend for my Brother's 48th birthday but wanted to put a twist on it... and I did.   What could offer more of a twist than Grand Marnier!   It was cool and creamy, but had depth and superb taste.  Try it and let me know what you think!   Thanks to Amanda for the use of her ultra hip animal print plate!

Grand Marnier and Mandarin Orange Cake

Ingredients:
Cake - 

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 4 eggs
• 1 stick butter
• 1 can mandarin oranges
• 1/4 C. Grand Marnier liqueur

Frosting - 

• 1 pkg instant vanilla pudding
• 1, 8 oz tub Cool Whip
• 1, 8 oz can crushed pineapple
• 1/4 C. Grand Marnier liqueur

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   Butter and flour 3 cake pans.   In a mixer, combine cake mix with eggs and softened butter.   Beat until incorporated.   Drain mandarin orange juice into a measuring cup.   Remove 1/4 C of the juice (should measure 2/3 C juice total) then add 1/4 C grand marnier and add to cake mixture.   Add oranges and beat until fluffy.   Pour into cake pans and bake for 25 minutes or until done.

For frosting, mix pudding and pineapple together, add Grand Marnier.   Carefully blend in cool whip and keep in the refrigerator until ready to frost the cake.

Once cake has cooled, remove from pans.   Brush each cake with Grand Marnier, letting it soak in until super moist.   Assemble one layer at a time, frosting in between, then finishing the outer frosting.   I had to use a toothpick in the center of the cake to keep it from slipping as we drove to my brother's house for the party.   Keep in the refrigerator and reserve any left over frosting to top each slice with... Delicious!

Lemon and Sour Cream Pound Cake with homemade Lemon Curd

Amazing is the word that describes this ultra moist and extremely lemony pound cake.   Topped with delicious homemade Lemon Curd, you will be saying "welcome spring" with this recipe.   I loved working with the lemons as my entire kitchen smelled so good!

Lemon and Sour Cream Pound Cake with homemade Lemon Curd

Ingredients - Pound Cake:

• 3 C cake flour
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 C or 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 C sugar
• 6 eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 C fresh lemon juice
• 2 T grated lemon peel
• 1 C sour cream

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.   Grease 2 loaf pans and then dust with flour, set aside.   Sift flour, soda and salt together in a medium bowl.   In a mixer, beat butter until fluffy.   Add sugar and continue to beat for 5 minutes.   Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined after each one.   Add lemon juice and lemon peel.   Next beat in flour, about 1/2 C at a time, until incorporated.   Gently mix in sour cream and transfer batter to pans.   Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.   Cool for 15 minutes then turn out of pan.

Ingredients - Lemon Curd:

• 2 C sugar
• 6 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 C grated lemon rind
• 3/4 C fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 C butter, room temperature

In a double boiler, add sugar, eggs, lemon rind and lemon juice.   Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and coats the back of your spoon.   Add butter, one tablespoon at a time and whisk until blended.   Chill, then garnish each piece of pound cake the with curd.