Apple and Pomegranate Upside Down Cake

It's the season for baking and I simply cannot resist making another holiday cake! I have this tried and tested recipe for Upside Down Cake that I have made many times over with various fruits and they always come out great. Last year, I made the Cranberry Upside Down Cake which not only looks gorgeous it's also truly scrumptious. I thought for a change that I will experiment with Apples - however that would feel more like an autumn cake rather than a Christmas one. To add in the festive red color of Christmas, I decided to sprinkle/dot the base of the cake with pomegranate seeds - after all - pomegranates are quintessential winter fruits that appear on our groceries just before the Christmas season.

Christmas Loaf

I have been trying to add more treats to my Christmas repertoire and I chanced upon a cake that used sugar beet and I thought to myself - why not try to make some bread or cake using it. Since red is one of the colors of Christmas then it's great to use Beet to give a vibrant red color to a cake or bread. After all sugar beet is an all natural food coloring. And, it's naturally sweet, too.

Almond Carrot Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting (Gluten-free)

I love Carrot Cake!!! Do you? I love it so much that it was actually our wedding cake - yes, inside all that fondant is this moist and scrumptious carrot cake.... I preferred it over the chocolate cake that was suggested by our cake maker. Truth be told I don't remember anymore, what the taste was like during the wedding....I am sure it was good as I loved it when I had a taste test but I was too excited about everything that was going on during the wedding day that I probably just got one bite of it - perhaps even done for the sake of having a wedding photo showing I was eating the cake....or something like that. Nonetheless, my love for the Carrot cake didn't end with my wedding cake. I still often order it when I am in Starbucks or other cafes. I did attempt once to make it but I can't remember now how it fared 'cause this was nearly 10 years ago, just after we were married. Perhaps it was bad that I never made another one.

Well, it's been 10 years since we had gotten married - Nov. 22, 2003 so I thought it was time to make some delicious Carrot Cake. However, since hubby is doing gluten-free, I decided to try a gluten-free version of Carrot Cake, with trepidation as I was totally unsure of how it will turn out. Oh, am I so glad that I made it. To be honest, I think it's even better than the regular white flour version. It is so moist and flavorful and the cake even after a day or two - retains the moisture - and, in fact, improves its flavor as it ages. Wow! I added some spices for extra flavor and they were a perfect complement to the creamy, cheesy frosting! I honestly think this is the best Carrot Cake I've had in years, I surprised even myself. The only comment hubby had (apart from totally enjoying it, too!) was to add some raisins next time. Since this was a first time experiment I thought I'll do it plain and basic first though after the first trial I fully agree that adding raisins would totally put this over the top. Since it's already made of almond flour - I didn't add any more nuts but feel free to do so when you make this - some extra crunch in there certainly can only make it better, right? So, please enjoy this gluten-free Almond Carrot Cake! I sure hope that you will enjoy this as much the whole family did. :-)

Ingredients

1/2 cup gluten-free Flour* (like King Arthur's)
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground Nutmeg
4 eggs, separated
1 1/4 cups Sugar
1-2 Tablespoons Maple syrup
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 cups grated Carrots
2 cups ground Almonds

For the frosting:

8 oz (1 block) Cream Cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup Confectioner's (Icing) Sugar
2 teaspoons fresh Lemon juice

Handy Tools:  mixing bowls, electric mixer

Procedure

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Butter an 8 x 8 square baking pan/dish. Line it with parchment paper.

In a bowl, combine the gluten-free flour, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.

Beat the egg yolks, sugar and maple syrup until thick and creamy. You may occasionally have to scrape the sides of the bowl. Stir in the lemon zest.

Transfer the egg mixture to another large bowl. Stir in the grated carrots, ground almonds and gluten-free flour mixture.

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. In two batches, fold in the egg whites into the carrot mixture.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan/dish. 

Bake the cake for about 1 hour or until top is golden and springs back when you press it lightly. 

Let the cake stand for about 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

In the meantime, make the frosting. 

For the frosting:

Beat the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually stir in the icing/confectioner's sugar and the lemon juice. Mix just until everything is combined and has reached a smooth consistency.

When the cake has fully cooled, frost it. Generously spread the frosting all over the cake. You may have a few tablespoons left-over. The photo shows quite a thick frosting and I took the liberty of making it that way since the cake is pretty thick and since it's also gluten-free - quite dense. The light and fluffy, creamy frosting provides a great contrast of textures and flavors and so the cake warranted a thicker frosting, at least in our opinion. Feel free to halve the recipe if you prefer a slightly thinner frosting.  

The cake is great to eat on the first day but it gets even better as the days pass so I suggest make this at least a day ahead. Once you have iced the cake, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 4 days, assuming it lasts that long...I seriously doubt it. :-D Please enjoy.

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Kiwi and Walnut Upside Down Cake

I have made my own share of Upside Down Cakes (Cranberry and Mango-Raspberry Cakes) and I love each of them. Moist, buttery and sweet-tangy, these cakes truly posses the kind of flavors I look for in a cake. I thought I'd be happy with these two fruit versions already but then I thought I wonder if I could actually make a version using Kiwi fruits. To be honest, I have never eaten a Kiwi cake before so I wasn't sure if this will work at all. I have often used Kiwi for smoothies and just as a snack - raw - but I have never thought of actually baking with it.

Scrumptious Apple Cake with Vanilla Custard Sauce

This Apple Cake with Vanilla Custard Sauce does not need much introduction. It is a show-stopper, indeed. So pretty to look at - my hubby says it looks like it came from a Patisserie! When you make it you are sure to impress your guests and they will think you really fussed over it. It's not really difficult (you don't even need a mixer though you may use one for convenience) and it's guaranteed to please apple lovers and even those who may not care much for them. This fall season this delicious cake has become our family's new favorite sweet treat - after all, I already made this 3 times and looks like I will be making this some more! :-)

Triple Chocolate Wacky Cake with a Dark Chocolate Ganache

Hubby and I love to entertain in our home. Nothing fancy, it's just great to have people around and talk to them and get to know them better. Often I try to inquire whether some of them have dietary restrictions or they inform me that there are certain foods that they need to avoid for some health reasons. That was the case when we invited one of our friends over for dinner. She mentioned she cannot have dairy as her constitution does not agree with it. It wasn't much of a problem for me to make a menu without dairy as many Filipino dishes hardly use it so that's fine.

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

Last Thursday, I had the opportunity to attend the Taste of Home Cooking School which was held at the Hudsonville Pinnacle Center near our area. While I have heard of Taste of Home Cooking School before, I have never gotten the chance to attend it. This time, I didn't want to miss this event and so I came.

NO BAKE White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake with fresh Raspberry Coulis

This luscious NO BAKE White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake is the ultimate summer dessert. Fresh and sweet-tangy raspberry coulis perfectly complements the rich and creamy cheesecake.Tried and tested, super easy recipe, too!

As some of you dear readers would know I am married to a British guy, my lovable and cute husband Mark...obviously I am very much in-love with him! :-) Anyway, he loves Cheesecake and I do too - I guess, most people do.... :-)

Green Tea Drizzle Cake

Whenever we visit the UK we make sure that we visit our favorite Asian restaurant - Wagamama.

It is restaurant chain with headquarters in the UK, serving pan-Asian food (mostly Japanese) in the style of a modern Japanese Ramen bar.

Fresh Strawberry Yogurt Cake

I have been making my Blueberry Sour Cream Cake for awhile now which prompted me to try pretty much the same recipe but using fresh strawberries instead! Am I glad I did! Of course, I used the Demarle Non-stick bakeware to make it perfect - particularly the lovely Sunflower Mold.

Lemon Ricotta Cake

  

Before I had my new Kitchen Aid Mixer (Pro 500), I thought I was doing well in making cakes. Then I tried baking this most delicious and amazing Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake and realize that I actually couldn't have done this with my old and cheap mixer that's now been buried 6-feet under (figuratively speaking).

Black-Bottom Cupcakes (Cream Cheese Chocolate Cupcakes)

A few years ago I saw this recipe for Black Bottom Cupcakes in a local magazine and tried it. I loved it but found it just a bit salty for my liking. I haven't tried it since then. It's been a few years now.

This Saturday, my kids wanted me to bake something for them (usually, when it's not to busy I do some baking with my kids).  Naturally, they wanted something sweet and preferably with chocolate. Now I love chocolate but I never fancy anything to overwhelmingly sweet. I looked at my fridge and tried to see what possible ingredients I have available and then I saw half a block of cream cheese that's waiting to be used. Suddenly, the Black-Bottom Cupcakes  or Cream Cheese Chocolate Cupcakes made a flashback and I thought why not re-visit the recipe?

Amazing Green Tea Cake

 

It's March and all the recipes I see so far on the  blogging world are green - could it be be because it's almost spring, or perhaps Lenten season is getting near or it could be the Irish celebration of St. Patrick's Day.... I thought once I see green all over - it's time to experiment and make my Green Tea Cake!

This is my first attempt at making a Green Tea Cake. I have a can of Matcha Green Tea that's been sitting on our cupboard for awhile now and been waiting for me to use it for something, anything.... I thought a Green cake might be nice and so here it is...

Molten Chocolate Lava Cake

 

I have always been a fan of molten chocolate cake but had always been intimidated to even try making one. However, one day I saw these beautiful heart-shaped molds from one of our thrift stores and that gave me the idea that I should at least give it a try. I immediately purchased these pretty little cups 'cause not only were they so cheap, they were also brand new. I thought to myself, these would come in handy someday.

I searched on the web for a recipe for chocolate lava cake and found this very easy recipe from Tasty Kitchen. When I read it, I thought, I can do that. I didn't have a Baking Chocolate but I have always used regular chocolate when baking anyway 'cause I think it tastes much better so I substituted it with what was available in my pantry - a 70% Dark choco bar - pretty intense but that's how we like our choco here - bittersweet. I would say - it's quite a good recipe for the cake turned out very well.  It really worked - the center was soft and when I cut into it - the gooey chocolate center flowed out like a hot lava (it is actually smoother than what the photo shows).  What's more it's so easy to make and you don't even need a mixer to do it.  I have to say though that the edges of the cake are a bit crusty though the center was truly soft. I don't know if it's the baking time that made the edges a little crusty. Original recipe called for 13-14 minutes which I think is a little too long. I have seen other recipes which only call for about 10 minutes or less. I used 12 minutes exactly but I will try doing only 10 minutes next time so it will definitely be gooey in the center and hopefully not too crusty on the edges. But if you're not so fussy --- this is a very good recipe to try! Who cares about the crusty edges when you can put some vanilla ice cream on top of this cake and see it melt with the gooey choco lava! Yum!

Ingredients

4 pieces (squares) Bitter-sweet or Semi-sweet or just plain sweet Chocolate (this is a matter of preference)*

½ cups Butter, chopped into several pieces

1 cup Confectioner's or Powdered Sugar plus an extra 1-2 Tablespoon for dusting, separated

2 whole Eggs plus 2 Egg yolks

6 Tablespoons Flour

 

*Note: You can use Baking chocolate if that is what you prefer for easier measurement, but trust me real chocolate is much better. Do not be scared if you are off by an ounce or so. I don't think it would matter much. This is the chocolate I used because my hubby and I prefer dark and intense chocolate flavor...but your cake won't be so sweet so follow your sweet cravings. I used about 4 pieces (they are individually wrapped). You can find this at Aldi's and they are cheaper than Ghirardelli's but oh so good too!

 

Procedure

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease/spray about 4 custard molds/cups or small ramekins with a non-stick spray and then place them on a baking tray (cookie sheet).

The next step requires melting the butter and chocolate. You can use the microwave to do so but I don't have one so I use the double boiler method to melt my choco and butter. If doing the double boiler method, place the butter and chocolate in a stainless steel bowl above a saucepan with barely simmering water. Make sure the bowl does not touch the water. Let the choco and butter melt.

Stir as the choco and butter melts and has become smooth in texture. A spatula is handy with this.

Add 1 cup powdered or confectioner's sugar then whisk together until smooth.

Add the 2 eggs and the 2 egg yolks then whisk together again until smooth.



Stir in the flour just until combined.

 

Divide the chocolate batter evenly among the 4 custard molds. Since it's Valentine's Day I used heart-shaped molds. 

 

 

Bake in the preheated oven for about 11-12 minutes, or until the sides are firm but still soft in the center. See photo below.

 



 

Let cool for about 2 minutes (set the timer so you won't forget!). Thereafter, invert the cakes onto serving plates. They should release very quickly. Dust with the remaining powdered sugar. Serve with some fruits on the side, if desired.

 

Serve immediately! Enjoy all that gooey chocolate goodness! And, yes this is so perfect with vanilla ice cream, too or even plain whipped cream!

 

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This recipe is featured at Ladies' Night Linky Party.

Ultimate Flourless Chocolate Cake (with Raspberry Coulis)

On a bi-monthly basis, we get a copy of the Urban St. Shore West magazine which features articles about local shops and happenings in West Michigan, particularly, our own city, Holland, MI. I always look forward to the magazine which can be found all over the shops in Holland. Every publication features a couple of really wonderful recipes from chefs, bakers or just wonderful cooks from the area. The magazine, thankfully, is also free and that's why I always get a copy! I also use it to keep track of the goings-on in our little town so that I am aware of any parades, shows, sales, announcements, etc. since I am always on the look-out for activities to bring my kids to.

For the Dec/Jan 2013 publication I chanced upon this lovely recipe for Flourless Cake from Chef Howard Norris. I have been on the look out for a good flourless recipes for awhile now since Mark began a gluten-free diet so that he can still enjoy some yummy treats without worrying if there's any gluten in it. So when I saw this and read that it was not difficult at all to do (and assumed that it must be good - it came from a local chef!) I thought, why not try it? I am so glad I did and there's no turning back from this recipe at all!

The first time I made it, I must admit I used baking chocolate albeit a very good quality one - Ghirardelli (60% cocoa). After I baked it and tasted it, I thought it just tasted like a very decadent and fudgy brownie (which is not at all an insult to the recipe for it tasted really good...just not what I expected) but when I left it overnight - something must have happened - the taste and texture improved dramatically and before I even got the chance to take some photos of the cake - it was gone - all gone! Can't really blame them or myself for eating it all too quick - it was so good!

So, I decided I need to do it again but this time with a proper chocolate bar - again using Ghirardelli (60 % cocoa) and oh I tell you - it was the probably the best flourless chocolate I ever had! This time I guarded the cake well and made sure I take some photos as proof of how yummylicious it looks - we eat with our eyes first, don't we? This time, I also made some Rasberry Coulis to go with it and of course to make the presentation complete - covered it with chocolate ganache and then placed a few raspberries on top! Wow, over the top delish! The cake is not very sweet - never really liked very sweet cakes anyway! - but it's pure chocolate goodness! Most of all, what a very easy recipe this truly is...anyone can do this, if I can, you sure can!

So here's the recipe - as is...the only adjustment I made is with regard to the Raspberry Coulis - I added a little more sugar since the cake wasn't very sweet. My only other contribution is the chocolate ganache - it's my own but feel free to make your own version. I only made it with two ingredients - chocolate and cream - didn't want to add any more flavoring and I think it really worked well with the cake - chocolate heaven, indeed!

Ingredients

4 oz fine quality bitter-sweet chocolate (not unsweetened)

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

3/4 cup sugar (I used fine white baking sugar)

3 large eggs

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder; plus additional for sprinkling (if not frosting)

Procedure

Preheat oven to 375F and spray an 8-inch round baking pan with Pam. Line bottom with a round of wax paper or parchment paper and coat with cooking spray. (I didn't do this but it probably helps in removing the cake, 'cause mine nearly broke but thankfully I frosted them so it didn't matter).

Chop chocolate into small pieces. In a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering waterm melt chocolate with butter, stirring until smooth. Remove top of double boilers or bowl from the heat, and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture. Add eggs and whisk well. Sift 1/2 cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake in the middle of the over for 25 minutes, or until top has formed a thin crust. Cool cake in a pan on a rack 5 minutes and invert onto a serving plate. Dust the cake with additional cocoa powder and serve or frost with ganache. (Cake keeps in an airtight container for one week - if you can manage to stay from it that long....I doubt it!) :-)

Chocolate Ganache

Ganache:

4 oz heavy whipping cream

4 oz bittersweet chocolate pieces (I used Ghirardelli again) 

Place the heavy cream and chocolate in a small pan together. Melt the chocolate using low heat and by stirring until it becomes very smooth and shiny. Remove from the heat and spread it on the cake.

Begin by pouring the ganache onto the center of the cake. Slowly, tip the cake from side to side to allow the ganache to flow off the sides. Stop when you have covered the entire cake. Do not touch the ganache with any utensil or tool or even your finger, or it will not have a smooth finish.

Allow the ganache to fully set before serving.

In the meantime you can make a Rasberry Coulis to go with it.

Raspberry Coulis

1 pint fresh raspberries

1/3 cup sugar

1 Tbsp arrowroot (dissolve with 1 Tbsp water)

Puree the raspberries with sugar. Strain juice (to ensure there are no seeds getting into the sauce) into a sauce pan and bring into simmer. Thicken with the dissolved arrowroot. Allow to cool before use. See photo on how you can use the coulis.

Portuguese Style Orange and Olive Oil Cake

Moist and so delicious, this orange and olive oil cake is bursting with fruity flavors from fresh orange juice!

About 2 years ago I found this lovely Orange Cake from Leite's Culinaria and immediately set out to make it! Often mistaken as a Chiffon or Pound Cake - it is not - it's denser but really moist and super-delicious. The Olive Oil used in this cake really made a lot of difference in the taste. When I can find it, I use the Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Fruity Version - not the regular EVOO - the label should state - Fruity. If you can't find it, you may also use the lighter variety.

The verdict? It was as good as promised in the recipe. I just fell in love with this cake - my ultimate favorite!

Unfortunately, I didn't have a big enough bundt pan to accomodate the entire recipe as stated in the website. It overflowed when I baked it (and yes I thought my bundt was already big enough for it!). Of course, the easiest solution would have been to just get a bigger (the largest) Bundt pan that I can find but no, I decided to take the hard way and adjust the recipe so it would just about fit my Bundt pan. Honestly, it took me nearly a year to get it right! Baking is always a precise business so when I was making this I reminded myself constantly - practice makes perfect! Eventually I got the right ratio for each ingredient - they seem to have magically worked together. I am so glad that all the effort in making it many times finally paid-off. In the end the result is well worth it. Not only did I manage to make the measurement fit my bundt I was also able to experiment  on using two loaf pans and they both came out great! So don't despair if you don't have a bundt pan for this, two regular loaf pans are good to use for this cake as well.

Most of all, when Thanksgiving and Christmas season arrive - I just add a cup or so of chopped cranberries and then it's my perfect Thanksgiving/Christmas/Holiday treat!

Ingredients 

4 large navel oranges (finely grate the orange rind and set aside the zest then squeeze all the oranges to get about 1 cup of juice)

3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder (add 1/2 tsp more if using 2 loaf pans)
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs
2 1/2 cups sugar (white)
1 cup olive oil (if you can find it get the fresh and fruity kind - see photo below or use the light olive oil)
1 to 1 1/4 cup coarsely chopped cranberries (optional)

Procedure

Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease a bundt or tube pan (at least the 10-12-cup one) and set aside. You can also use two loaf pans (9x5). Do make sure that you use light colored bundt/tube or loaf pans as the dark ones don't work well for this. The cake gets too dark.

Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

A stand mixer would be quite handy for this though a handheld one will also do (use a large mixing bowl). Beat the eggs in the mixing bowl on medium speed for about 1 minute or until combined. Get the sugar and slowly pour it in and continue to beat for about 3-4 minutes until the mixture thickens and becomes a pale yellow. Adjust the speed to low and then alternately mix in the flour mixture and the olive oil – begin and end with the flour. I divide the flour mix into three parts when I do this and then pour olive oil in between.

Pour in the orange juice and beat the batter quickly just until everything is combined. Stop the mixer. Fold in the zest. Use a spatula to scrape the batter on the sides of the bowl and incorporate it with the rest then beat again, just for a few seconds, to ensure an even mix.

Transfer the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 55-60 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few crumbs on it. For the loaf pan, about 45-50 mins. Check after about 40-45 mins in either case to see if the top is browning too much. If that happens simply cover lightly with a foil and continue to bake until the cake is done.

  

Remove from the oven and place in a cooling rack. Cool for about 30-40 mins in the pan before removing it to ensure that the cake does not break when you transfer it. Cool completely in a rack. Dust with confectioner's sugar, if desired.



Note: Patience is a virtue --- do not even think about touching it (I know it's tempting but don't!) or eating it until at least after a day. Second day, if you can wait, is even better. This cake is worth the wait. I just leave the cake in the kitchen for the waiting period (and pretend it's not there so I am not tempted to eat it!) but in the Philippines where the weather is warmer, perhaps it's better to place it in the fridge though you may want it to reach room temp before you eat it.

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Giant Oreo Cookie Cake

Since we are having a little celebration at home for my kids' birthdays (William - Oct. 28 and Sophie - Oct. 25), I thought I'd make a quick post of one of their favorite cakes. I normally like to bake from scratch but this cute cake is a great exception to the general rule. I like to make it once in awhile 'cause it's so easy and has always received rave reviews whenever and wherever served. That explains why it has been pinned on Pinterest for over 470K already!

Without much ado, it being one of the most popular cakes on the web - here's the Kraft Chocolate-Covered Oreo Cake, aka - The Giant Oreo Cake!

I followed the recipe to the letter pretty much though I note the particular brand that I use when I make this. Yummmmy!




Ingredients

1 pkg. (2-layer size) devil's food cake mix (Duncan Hines)

4 squares Baking Chocolate, Semi-Sweet (Ghirardelli)
1/4 cup butter                                                                                                         
1 pkg (8 oz) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups thawed Cool Whip Topping

12 Oreo Cookies, coarsely crushed

Procedure

HEAT oven to 350ºF.

PREPARE cake batter and bake in 2 (9-inch) round pans as directed on package. Cool cakes in pans 10 min. Invert onto wire racks; gently remove pans. Cool cakes completely.

MICROWAVE chocolate and butter in small microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Cool 5 min. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Gently stir in COOL WHIP and crushed cookies.

PLACE 1 cake layer on plate, spread with cream cheese mixture. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread top with chocolate glaze; let stand 10 min. or until firm. Keep refrigerated.

Here's the link to the original recipe from Kraft - Chocolate-Covered Oreo Cookie Cake.

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