Friday, March 7, 2014
Happy Valley Cherry Cake
Friday, February 28, 2014
Maple Nut Coffee Cake - an adaptation.
Yesterday a co-worker quipt that I would/should be bringing in coffee cake "tomorrow" (today) - so I did. But since I wanted to pick up whatever supplies I would need on my way home and I did not have The Cake Mix Doctor cookbook at work with me, I went online to www.cakemixdoctor.com to see what recipes from the book they had posted that I might use. On one of the blog posts I found the Maple Nut Coffee cake and this comment:
"My mother always told me imitation was a fine form of flattery. And now I’ve figured out an even finer form – when someone bakes your recipes and then feels comfortable enough with them to change up the ingredients to suit their own tastes."
It occurred to me that perhaps I am looking at this the wrong way. Maybe someday I will finally try all the recipes in the first book (not to mention the second and third, etc....) but why not take the favorites and give them my own flare.
My own flare aside, I did use the recipes as it appears on the site(http://www.cakemixdoctor.com/recipe/maple-nut-coffee-cake/) to make this morning's cake. It is an adaptation of "Kathy's Cinnamon Breakfast Cake" from the first book - a coffee cake I have made on more than one occassion in it's orginal form and it always gets rave reviews. The Maple Nut adaptation is not a disappointment. I found it wonderfully delicious. We'll just have to wait to see what others might say about it.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Tennessee Jam Cake
I just attempted the Tennesse Jam Cake (page 116) and anyone who can make this cake look anything like the book cake has me beat hands down! The recipe calls for 2/3 cup of blackberry jam on top of the first layer of cake, follow that up by spreading warm caramel frosting right on top of the jam! What? Wouldn't that melt the jam? OH YEAH!! As soon as that warm caramel frosting touched the jam, things just started moving. Place that top layer on top of that and there's no chance those layers aren't sliding around!! Forget spreading any frosting on the side of the cake! I tried- the first swipe and -- " forget about it". I just poured the warm caramel frosting on top and let it go where it would. Then I carefully tried to get it all in the refrigerator where I hope it'll somehow "set up" and stop sliding around. The last thing I saw as I closed the door on the whole mess was globs of jam falling down the side. My only hope if the taste far exceeds the presentation! I might just try writing the author on this one and ask where it all might have gone wrong.
- - It was a well received cake - many comments and compliments. I found the frosting to be delicous, if a little over powering. I understand the need to add the extra cinnamon to the cake mix - it probably could have used a little more - I thought the cake lacked a little flavor. However others mentioned they thought it was just right. The jam was just tart enough to off set the sweet frosting a bit and everyone agreed that the combination was delightful.
- - It was a well received cake - many comments and compliments. I found the frosting to be delicous, if a little over powering. I understand the need to add the extra cinnamon to the cake mix - it probably could have used a little more - I thought the cake lacked a little flavor. However others mentioned they thought it was just right. The jam was just tart enough to off set the sweet frosting a bit and everyone agreed that the combination was delightful.
Cinnamon-Chocolate-Apricot Coffee Cake
Monday morning at the office - coffee cake is appropriate. As usual, this cake (page 254) is moist, tender, relatively easy to make. So it just comes down to your taste - do you want apricot, chocolate chips, and cinnamon together this morning - or at all for that matter. The combo was ok. Nothing to brag about in my book. But pleasant.
So, here is what I liked about this coffee cake. It was sweet and delicate in texture. A nice addition to my morning coffee that didn't weigh heavy in my stomach or leave me feeling guilty - though maybe I should have - I should figure the calories and fat......
What left me wanting more about this recipe--- I didn't like the way most of the apricot-chips-cinnamon streusel ended up in bottom of the pan- at the top of the cake. As instructed, I place two thirds of the batter into the pan then scattered the streusel mix over it before covering with the remaining one third of the batter. But in the oven, something took over - gravity or baking chemistry or whatever, and 95% of that "streusel" sank and/or the cake rose up around/over it. I'd prefer it be mixed throughout and get a bit of something in every bite.
Still, a relatively small criticism, of an otherwise good recipe. But in the end, I didn't feel like I wow-ed anyone. And truth be known, that's what I'm looking for -the "wow factor". If at least one of the ladies in the office doesn't ask for the recipe, I'm disappointed.
So, here is what I liked about this coffee cake. It was sweet and delicate in texture. A nice addition to my morning coffee that didn't weigh heavy in my stomach or leave me feeling guilty - though maybe I should have - I should figure the calories and fat......
What left me wanting more about this recipe--- I didn't like the way most of the apricot-chips-cinnamon streusel ended up in bottom of the pan- at the top of the cake. As instructed, I place two thirds of the batter into the pan then scattered the streusel mix over it before covering with the remaining one third of the batter. But in the oven, something took over - gravity or baking chemistry or whatever, and 95% of that "streusel" sank and/or the cake rose up around/over it. I'd prefer it be mixed throughout and get a bit of something in every bite.
Still, a relatively small criticism, of an otherwise good recipe. But in the end, I didn't feel like I wow-ed anyone. And truth be known, that's what I'm looking for -the "wow factor". If at least one of the ladies in the office doesn't ask for the recipe, I'm disappointed.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Double-Chocolate Chewies --- Almost!
Getting cold here in the mid-west. A good day to stay in. Only it's been too long between recipes. But I don't have a big variety of ingredients. I do have four different cake mixes - devils food, white, orange, and lemon. Surely there's something in this book I have all the ingredients for......
So, I sat down and started front to back - I was going to make the first recipe I came to that I already had all the ingredients for and hadn't yet made. I got all the way to page 334, but finally found it - "Double-Chocolate Chewies" - a drop cookie. I need a devils food cake mix, an egg, butter, water, pecan, and chocolate chips. Got it, got it, yep, water's still flowing, hmmm, plenty of PEO pecans around as usual, and I always have chocolate chips.
Or do I? Got the cake mix, water, butter and egg all mixed up only to find I was out of chocolate chips. Isn't rule one get out all the ingredients before starting? Heed this rule! Don't follow my fate!
Except sometimes it turns out pretty good. I found a bag of Heath chocolate toffee pieces. So I dropped not only the chocolate chips, but also the pecans and instead stirred in the entire bag of Heath pieces which was about equal to the chips and nuts combined.
The cookies taste great! The recipe says makes 42 two inch cookies. I always make my cookies bigger than that - so I got not quite three dozen - 34. The recipe claims " with the chewiness of a brownie and the crunch of a cookie,..." They are ever so slightly crunchy around the edges - not at all hard, just a nice little snap. The centers are soft with out being overly moist or gooey.
I found the recipe On a website called The Family Cookbook Project. They credit the book, so I'm comfortable linking to it for you- just remember, my edits ;)
http://www.familycookbookproject.com/view_recipesite.asp?rid=156848&uid=3245&sid=7210
So, I sat down and started front to back - I was going to make the first recipe I came to that I already had all the ingredients for and hadn't yet made. I got all the way to page 334, but finally found it - "Double-Chocolate Chewies" - a drop cookie. I need a devils food cake mix, an egg, butter, water, pecan, and chocolate chips. Got it, got it, yep, water's still flowing, hmmm, plenty of PEO pecans around as usual, and I always have chocolate chips.
Or do I? Got the cake mix, water, butter and egg all mixed up only to find I was out of chocolate chips. Isn't rule one get out all the ingredients before starting? Heed this rule! Don't follow my fate!
Except sometimes it turns out pretty good. I found a bag of Heath chocolate toffee pieces. So I dropped not only the chocolate chips, but also the pecans and instead stirred in the entire bag of Heath pieces which was about equal to the chips and nuts combined.
The cookies taste great! The recipe says makes 42 two inch cookies. I always make my cookies bigger than that - so I got not quite three dozen - 34. The recipe claims " with the chewiness of a brownie and the crunch of a cookie,..." They are ever so slightly crunchy around the edges - not at all hard, just a nice little snap. The centers are soft with out being overly moist or gooey.
I found the recipe On a website called The Family Cookbook Project. They credit the book, so I'm comfortable linking to it for you- just remember, my edits ;)
http://www.familycookbookproject.com/view_recipesite.asp?rid=156848&uid=3245&sid=7210
Monday, January 7, 2013
Orange cupcakes
This is one of those times when I cross over into one of Anne's other books. The Fresh Orange Birthday cake is on page 37 of The Cake Mix Doctor Returns and the Orange Cream Cheese frosting on page 474.
This past Saturday I hosted a baby shower for my daughter. We decided on a Cake Boss cake from our local Kroger store instead of the traditional and flavorless white cake with baby shower decoration. My daughter was thrilled at the choice. But that had a layer of chocolate cake and fudge between the layers, so I wanted an alternative for anyone who doesn't care for chocolate - sounds weird to me, but I knew of at least one guest with that peculiarity. So I selected the orange cake and decided to make them cupcakes which I displayed circling the Cake Boss cake.
My young niece liked them, eating every last bite. I found, as I have come to expect from these recipes, the cupcake nearly perfect in texture, moist, and pleasant in flavor. I was surprised, perhaps pleasantly so, that the flavor was not as intensely orange as I had expected. I liked the subtle orange flavor. The cream cheese frosting was complimentary, even refreshing. (But then I have always been "mad" about cream cheese frosting, a perfect compliment to nearly any cake, in my opinion.)
The picture is from the Cake Mix Doctor website - I tinted my frosting orange, which I thought was appropriate .
This past Saturday I hosted a baby shower for my daughter. We decided on a Cake Boss cake from our local Kroger store instead of the traditional and flavorless white cake with baby shower decoration. My daughter was thrilled at the choice. But that had a layer of chocolate cake and fudge between the layers, so I wanted an alternative for anyone who doesn't care for chocolate - sounds weird to me, but I knew of at least one guest with that peculiarity. So I selected the orange cake and decided to make them cupcakes which I displayed circling the Cake Boss cake.
My young niece liked them, eating every last bite. I found, as I have come to expect from these recipes, the cupcake nearly perfect in texture, moist, and pleasant in flavor. I was surprised, perhaps pleasantly so, that the flavor was not as intensely orange as I had expected. I liked the subtle orange flavor. The cream cheese frosting was complimentary, even refreshing. (But then I have always been "mad" about cream cheese frosting, a perfect compliment to nearly any cake, in my opinion.)
The picture is from the Cake Mix Doctor website - I tinted my frosting orange, which I thought was appropriate .
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Classic/simple!
This time around, something simple! My husband likes it plain - and chocolate - and this weekend he asked me to make his favorite - a yellow cake with chocolate frosting. So, I selected the Classic Yellow cake on page, which is actually in The Cake Mix Doctor Returns. Oh the things I do for the man I love!
Now just to poke a little fun at myself, if I had presented this cake for judging during my 4-H days, I would have, at best, hoped for a red ribbon - the first piece I cut out of the pan had two large air bubbles! Oops! Of course we known this has to do with the beating and can be somewhat combatted by dropping the pan (a short drop) a couple of times before placing in the oven- but since I baked it in a Pyrex pan, I skipped the drops.
Other than those couple of air bubbles, the texture was light and even. It was moist and tender. Tasted great! My husband had many compliments for it as well. Everything I've come to expect from these recipes. And super easy!
Next, I'll be making Orange Birthday Cake, as cupcakes however. In addition to being in the book, this recipe is currently featured on the website: www.cakemixdoctor.com/recipe/my-orange-birthday-cake/
Now just to poke a little fun at myself, if I had presented this cake for judging during my 4-H days, I would have, at best, hoped for a red ribbon - the first piece I cut out of the pan had two large air bubbles! Oops! Of course we known this has to do with the beating and can be somewhat combatted by dropping the pan (a short drop) a couple of times before placing in the oven- but since I baked it in a Pyrex pan, I skipped the drops.
Other than those couple of air bubbles, the texture was light and even. It was moist and tender. Tasted great! My husband had many compliments for it as well. Everything I've come to expect from these recipes. And super easy!
Next, I'll be making Orange Birthday Cake, as cupcakes however. In addition to being in the book, this recipe is currently featured on the website: www.cakemixdoctor.com/recipe/my-orange-birthday-cake/
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Pumpkin Pie Crumble Cake
I started this venture with cakes in mind and initially concentrated on cakes and coffee cakes. But the book does say cakes, bars, cookies, and desserts. I would place this one in the dessert category.
A little more labor intensive than previous recipes I've tried, the result is a very nice pumpkin dessert welcome at any gathering.
The crust is something between a cake and a soft cookie and I like the way it is a distinct and substantial layer- about 1/4 to 1/2 in thick. Spreading it in the pain was a challenge- the dough is very soft and sticky. I tried my wooden spoon, rubber spatula, and long frosting spreading blade. No good. You have to use your hands, as the recipes instructs, imagine that! But you'll also want to dust them (and re-dust them) with floor to aid in the spreading of the crust dough.
The filling had that wonderful creamy, smooth texture of pumpkin pie filling, but not as intense a flavor. If you want the filling to taste more like pumpkin pie, I recommend adding a little nutmeg and ginger along with the cinnamon.
The crumble top- perfect! It crumbled!! I liked that it was plentiful making it easy to cover the cake completely. I was concerned it would bake into a more solid top, almost like a top crust. But it didn't. I love crumbles on top of cakes and donuts so this was perfect.
A little more labor intensive than previous recipes I've tried, the result is a very nice pumpkin dessert welcome at any gathering.
The crust is something between a cake and a soft cookie and I like the way it is a distinct and substantial layer- about 1/4 to 1/2 in thick. Spreading it in the pain was a challenge- the dough is very soft and sticky. I tried my wooden spoon, rubber spatula, and long frosting spreading blade. No good. You have to use your hands, as the recipes instructs, imagine that! But you'll also want to dust them (and re-dust them) with floor to aid in the spreading of the crust dough.
The filling had that wonderful creamy, smooth texture of pumpkin pie filling, but not as intense a flavor. If you want the filling to taste more like pumpkin pie, I recommend adding a little nutmeg and ginger along with the cinnamon.
The crumble top- perfect! It crumbled!! I liked that it was plentiful making it easy to cover the cake completely. I was concerned it would bake into a more solid top, almost like a top crust. But it didn't. I love crumbles on top of cakes and donuts so this was perfect.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Lethal Chocolate Peppermint Cake
I'm a little worried about this one. The cake appears to be great, but I believe I messed up the peppermint frosting. I didn't measure carefully and, if it's possible, I think I had the butter too "soft". Even after adding more confectioners sugar, the frosting was not substantial enough. The layers were sliding apart. I've carefully pieced it together and placed it in the refrigerator to, hopefully, setup real good. Will let you know tomorrow!
:/
I cut the cake and put it out in the employee lounge after lunch and it was gone in no time. Because I had refrigerated the cake the ganache got a little hard and it was a little difficult to cut. The ganache broke into pieces and fell away from the cake. However that didn't seem to slow anyone down.
With a name like lethal chocolate peppermint cake I expected the peppermint to be a little overpowering but it wasn't in fact it was quite subtle and very complementary.
:/
I cut the cake and put it out in the employee lounge after lunch and it was gone in no time. Because I had refrigerated the cake the ganache got a little hard and it was a little difficult to cut. The ganache broke into pieces and fell away from the cake. However that didn't seem to slow anyone down.
With a name like lethal chocolate peppermint cake I expected the peppermint to be a little overpowering but it wasn't in fact it was quite subtle and very complementary.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Begin again.....
I recently decided to revisit this too long ignored blog and check out any possible activity as well as remind myself why I abandoned it to begin with. I'm currently sitting in a hotel room, waiting for time to pass so we can join family at breakfast ( we are from a different time zone but the body doesn't realize that).
So it has occurred to me to start up this blog again. To try again to reach the goal of getting through one and on to another of Anne Byrn's wonderful cookbooks. Obviously, I won't be making a cake here in the hotel room today. But check back in a few days- my new goal- at least one per week. And, in the meantime, I did find this YouTube video of tips from Anne Byrn. Like her recipes, these are simple, but good (true)!
3 tips from Ann.
So it has occurred to me to start up this blog again. To try again to reach the goal of getting through one and on to another of Anne Byrn's wonderful cookbooks. Obviously, I won't be making a cake here in the hotel room today. But check back in a few days- my new goal- at least one per week. And, in the meantime, I did find this YouTube video of tips from Anne Byrn. Like her recipes, these are simple, but good (true)!
3 tips from Ann.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Friendship Cake
I didn't bake three cakes all in one day - I am just catching up on posting these notes. I didn't know what to expect out of the Friendship Cake (page 179) - Like it's name sake, the Friendship Bread, you start with a "starter" recipe and "tend" it daily - this one, though, only 5 days. But it's still strange to me to leave food fermenting on the counter top. And, I goofed, though the finished product didn't suffer any - see, I started the starter, then took my cook book to work one day - to share that Hornet's Nest recipe with the three ladies who were asking for it. I forgot to bring the cook book home - for three days. Doh! - So, I'm trying to remember what ingredients to add in what amounts on what days - I didn't do too bad - here were my mistakes.
Day 3 was suppose to add the raisins. I didn't but on day 4 I added the raisins and the dried apricots - which were suppose to be added on day 4. Day 5 was suppose to add 15 oz can of crushed pineapple - I added an 8 oz can. (Do you know I couldn't find a 15 oz can of pineapple in the grocery? I found 8 oz and 20 oz - bought one of each - didn't intend to use the 8 oz in this recipe, but like I said, on day 5 my cook book was still at the office so I just dumped the 8 oz in since I didn't really remember what I was suppose to use.)
I baked the cake yesterday and took it into work this morning - it was pretty good - nice and moist, I would have like a little more fruit taste, but I thought the brown sugar, butter, and pecan topping was very good.
Day 3 was suppose to add the raisins. I didn't but on day 4 I added the raisins and the dried apricots - which were suppose to be added on day 4. Day 5 was suppose to add 15 oz can of crushed pineapple - I added an 8 oz can. (Do you know I couldn't find a 15 oz can of pineapple in the grocery? I found 8 oz and 20 oz - bought one of each - didn't intend to use the 8 oz in this recipe, but like I said, on day 5 my cook book was still at the office so I just dumped the 8 oz in since I didn't really remember what I was suppose to use.)
I baked the cake yesterday and took it into work this morning - it was pretty good - nice and moist, I would have like a little more fruit taste, but I thought the brown sugar, butter, and pecan topping was very good.
Chocolate Kahlua Cake
My first "cakes with spirit" - I took the Chocolate Kahlua Cake (page 286) to my parents house - I've never known my step mother to drink and my father stopped drinking several years ago, so I really didn't intend to take a cake with liquer in it to their house, but for two days I forgot to take it to share at work (oh, - settle down. the alcohol was "cooked out".)
My first disappointment of any recipe yet - BUT only for the "glaze" - which was just confectioners' sugar and Kahlua. Like all the other glazes and frostings, I taste tested the glaze all by itself and didn't care for it - but when ate with (on) the cake, it neither distracted from or added to the goodness of the cake.
Now, the cake - it was wonderful - very moist and delicious. Dad really liked it! And it looked good I thought - a real deep chocolate color and perfect looking cake texture. I had two pieces - I'm glad I left the rest of the cake at the parent's house or I would have been in real trouble nibbling on that all week long.
My first disappointment of any recipe yet - BUT only for the "glaze" - which was just confectioners' sugar and Kahlua. Like all the other glazes and frostings, I taste tested the glaze all by itself and didn't care for it - but when ate with (on) the cake, it neither distracted from or added to the goodness of the cake.
Now, the cake - it was wonderful - very moist and delicious. Dad really liked it! And it looked good I thought - a real deep chocolate color and perfect looking cake texture. I had two pieces - I'm glad I left the rest of the cake at the parent's house or I would have been in real trouble nibbling on that all week long.
Hornet's Nest Cake
I was sure I had already created a short blog entry on this one - I am starting to wonder what the heck is up on sites I visit on my "main" home computer -
Like so many others, I took the "Hornet's Nest Cake" (page 175) I made to work (about a week ago). Within the first half hour I had two people ask for the recipe and another a little later in the day. I would like to say this is a nice "coffee cake" - it sure would make me feel a little better about eating it for breakfast. But this is such a moist, lusious cake - well I just felt quilty calling that breakfast. It was very moist and sweet. Someone asked me why it's called "Hornet's Nest" - I guess because the butterscotch chips and nuts spread onto of the batter makes the finished cake surface resemble a "hornet's nest" (as the book puts it "...the surface is pitted with holes like a hornet's nest."
Whatever you call it or whatever you think it looks like,it's another great one.
Like so many others, I took the "Hornet's Nest Cake" (page 175) I made to work (about a week ago). Within the first half hour I had two people ask for the recipe and another a little later in the day. I would like to say this is a nice "coffee cake" - it sure would make me feel a little better about eating it for breakfast. But this is such a moist, lusious cake - well I just felt quilty calling that breakfast. It was very moist and sweet. Someone asked me why it's called "Hornet's Nest" - I guess because the butterscotch chips and nuts spread onto of the batter makes the finished cake surface resemble a "hornet's nest" (as the book puts it "...the surface is pitted with holes like a hornet's nest."
Whatever you call it or whatever you think it looks like,it's another great one.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Fiddler on the Roof
This weekend I made the cake on page 161 called "Fiddler on the Roof Cake" for my dad's best friend who is also my auto mechanic. I picked up my sports car last weekend now that spring is here and summer is on the way - so I dropped of my check for caring for my sports car - the check taped to the outside of the cake box.
Consequently I didn't actually try this cake - didn't even cut it. Uncut it looks pretty much just like the chocolate cake from Christmas eve, so I didn't bother a picture either.
The recipe started with the typical narrative about the origins and/or special information about the recipe. This one claimed the recipe was "more involved" than most the Cake Mix Doctor recipes. Well - maybe a little - seemed easy to me - dump all the ingredients except the cocoa in the mixing bowl, mix just like most the others I've made so far - here is the difference - pour half the batter in the prepared pan, mix the cocoa in the other half - pour it on top of the first half and swirl some with a table knife. Hardly that much more involved.
I have been loving this books - and her others, and these recipes. But I would be happy even if only the frostings were good - I said it before and it bares repeating - I have never found frosting recipes prior to this that were worth the work. The ready-made cans of frosting were better for much less work. But these frostings have turned me around - they have been fabulous! And the one for this cake (Chocolate Marshmellow Frosting on page 434) is another perfect example. Though we didn't get to try the cake, I did have extra frosting and my husband and I both liked it so much we were eating like candy, off a spoon, and even spread it on top of some peanut brittle.
Consequently I didn't actually try this cake - didn't even cut it. Uncut it looks pretty much just like the chocolate cake from Christmas eve, so I didn't bother a picture either.
The recipe started with the typical narrative about the origins and/or special information about the recipe. This one claimed the recipe was "more involved" than most the Cake Mix Doctor recipes. Well - maybe a little - seemed easy to me - dump all the ingredients except the cocoa in the mixing bowl, mix just like most the others I've made so far - here is the difference - pour half the batter in the prepared pan, mix the cocoa in the other half - pour it on top of the first half and swirl some with a table knife. Hardly that much more involved.
I have been loving this books - and her others, and these recipes. But I would be happy even if only the frostings were good - I said it before and it bares repeating - I have never found frosting recipes prior to this that were worth the work. The ready-made cans of frosting were better for much less work. But these frostings have turned me around - they have been fabulous! And the one for this cake (Chocolate Marshmellow Frosting on page 434) is another perfect example. Though we didn't get to try the cake, I did have extra frosting and my husband and I both liked it so much we were eating like candy, off a spoon, and even spread it on top of some peanut brittle.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Blueberry Streusel Coffee Cake
Page 272 - Very good - I think if I make it again, I'll add more blueberries - maybe put some on the bottom of the pan or layer batter/blueberries/batter/blueberries to get more mixed though out the pieces. the struesel topping was great. Really made it a "coffee cake" style cake - so ou can feel just right eating cake with your morning coffee.
I received several compliments on it, as well. Thanks everyone!!
I received several compliments on it, as well. Thanks everyone!!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Bananas Foster Upside Down Cake
Darn! Forgot to take a picture again.
But it looked a lot like this picture I found online
:
This is a fun cake to make as I got to use my iron skillet - I love that thing. covered the bottom with a mix of butter, brown sugar and rum (just a touch) then layered banana slices on that followed by the Cake Mix. Baked the whole thing right there in the skillet. Then just turned it out onto my cake server/carrier - it was beautiful - tastes great, too.
But it looked a lot like this picture I found online
:
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
The Perfect Chocolate Cake
Friday, January 28, 2011
Pineapple Inside-out Cake
Well, it smells luscious. I'm not sure the name is quite right, but not having a better suggestion, I guess "Pineapple Inside-Out Cake" (page 92) will have to do. it's made with a lemon cake mix and lemon juice is added to the glaze as well. Consequently lemon was the primary roma coming from the kitchen while cooking it. But there is indeed plenty of pineapple - both inside and placed onto (out) after drizzling the glaze on the cake. I purchased a tube pan last week, so I actually made it according to the recipe directions. I will be taking this to my mother in laws tomorrow. I can't wait to try it.
Apple Sour Cream Kuchen
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Mom's Chocolate Syrup Cake
This morning I am making the "Mom's Chocolate Syrup Cake" (page 264). This appears in the coffee cake chapter of the book so I'm comfortable taking this in for an early morning treat. I just pulled it out of the oven and it rose so high it's a good inch to inch and a half above the bundt pan. The recipe says to bake it in a tube pan, but mine is either in the basement in the nether world of boxes or was lost in one of our many moves. So, I opted for the bundt pan. I'm a little concerned about two things on this one - at $1.99 a box for Duncan Hines (the only brand I can find locally that doesn't have pudding in the mix), I opted to try the store brand at 89 cents a box. I wasn't impressed after the first minute of mixing - the batter seemed a bit grainy. But after the 2 minute beating, it looked pretty close to what I was use to with the Duncan Hines mixes. The second thing that gives me a slight concern is I think I smell something burned - but the cake doesn't look at all over baked. The recipe cautions to kep the chocolate syrup off the sides of the pan (inside) - and considering how high the cake rose, I a little syrup spilled over into the oven. A few more minutes of cooling and we will have our answer.
This was really delicious - the chocolate flavor was clear through out every bite. Great with my morning cup of coffee.
This was really delicious - the chocolate flavor was clear through out every bite. Great with my morning cup of coffee.
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