FALLing for Apple Cake

Sorry for the delay in my posts! Work has been hectic lately with the Holidays coming up. My boyfriend and I went hiking and pumpkin picking in North Georgia last month and happened to stumble upon the Ellijay, GA, the apple capital of Georgia. We went Apple Picking at R & A Orchards and loved it. Of course, I had to find the perfect Fall Apple Cake Recipe.... Let me just say this one is delish. Happy Fall Y'all!!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for the tube pan

3 1/2 cups flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 1/8 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 cup honey, preferably golden blossom (I used Wildflower) 

3/4 cup strongly brewed coffee, cooled

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped coarsely

1 Granny Smith apple, sliced

Materials:

Large & Medium Mixing Bowls

Measuring cup/spoons

Spatula

Wooden Spoon

Sifter

Electric mixer

Bundt pan (or tube pan)

Toothpick

Cooling Rack

Preheat the oven to 350 °F and grease a 10-inch tube pan.
In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and sugar. Set aside. With an electric mixer, beat the sugar, oil, and eggs on low speed until combined. Add the honey and beat until well blended. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the coffee, beating on low speed until combined. Stir in the chopped apples by hand.
Pour the batter into the tube pan and arrange the sliced apples on top. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out easily, about 1 hour. Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the cake from the pan and let cool. (This cake can be baked 1 day ahead.)

Chocolate Walnut Biscotti

This is the recipe I know my parents have been patiently waiting on simply because it is that awesome. My dad says it is the best cookie he's ever eaten in his life. That's no joke folks, and that's coming from the cookie monster himself (my father).

Ingredients:
2 cups unbleached flour (King Arthur preferred)
1/2 cup cocoa powder (Hershey's preferred)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, sightly beaten
1 teaspoon orange extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
confectioners' sugar

Materials:
Medium/small mixing bowl
Large Mixing bowl
Cookie pan/Cookie sheet
Electric Mixer
Whisk
Long, small, saw-like knife

Preheat oven to 350 °F.
Butter and flour a large cookie pan.
In a small bowl, using a wire whisk, mix flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar.
Add eggs, orange extract, and vanilla.
Stir flour mixture into bowl with egg mixture into bowl with egg mixture to form a stiff dough. Add chocolate chips
Remove dough from mixer, and using a floured board gently knead walnuts (I add in the mixer not by hand) into the dough. If dough is too soft to handle, add more flour.
Cut dough into 3 parts.  Place all 3 pieces into one baking sheet.
With floured hands, form 3 long log shapes, slightly flattening each one with hands (By keeping the shapes long, cookies will cook well inside and will cut easily.)
Sprinkle tops with a generous amount of confectioners' sugar.
Bake for 25-30 minutes on middle rack of oven.
Removing baking sheet from oven and cool cookies for 5 minutes.
Remove to a cutting board and cut the loaves diagonally into 1/2 inch slices while still warm. You will need a long, small, saw-like knife.  Work quickly or the cookies will break.
Return cookies, cut side down to ungreased baking sheet and bake in 350°F oven until crisp (about 10 minutes).
Remove from oven and cool biscotti completely.
Store airtight.  Cookies will stay fresh at least 2 weeks, they also freeze well.

Yield: about 36 cookies

"Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake... It's Not Even My Birthday"

"Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake... It's Not Even My Birthday."  I was just listening to Rihanna's song "Birthday Cake," and realized I haven't posted a recipe on my blog today. Today's recipe is Martha Stewart's Yellow Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache Icing. I made this cake and icing for my boyfriend's 28th birthday. I decorated the sides with dark chocolate chips and had enough left to spell out "28" in the center of the cake.


Tip: Don't leave the cakes in the pan for too long, or you will have trouble getting them out. I learned this one the hard way because I went to go do last minute errands and shop the after Christmas sales, and I left the cake in the cake pans on the cooling rack. As a result, I had to remake the top layer since the bottom of the cake stuck to the pan. I didn't line my pans with parchment because I had high quality cake pans.  I suggest cutting a circular piece of parchment to line the cake pans.

Martha Stewart's Yellow Cake

Yield: 3 cups
Batter: For 1 8 in cake
Bake time: 45-50 mins







Ingredients:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter softened, plus more for pan/parchment
1-1/3 cups cake flour sifted, plus more for pan/parchment
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs 
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch of salt
1/2 cup milk

Materials:
Parchment Paper 
Cooling Rack
Electric Mixer
Large Mixing Bowl
Medium Mixing Bowl
Toothpick 
Measuring cups/spoons
Sifter

Preheat oven to 325°F.
Butter 8 in. cake pan, line the bottom with a round of parchment and butter & flour pan/parchment.
In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy, about 5 mins. 
Add vanilla extract and beat until combined.
Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt three times.
Add to egg mixture in 3 additions alternating with milk, starting and ending with flour.
Pour batter into pan & bake until the top is golden brown, and a tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.
Cool in pan for 10-30 minutes.
Turn out onto a wire rack, remove paper and cool completely.

**Make Cake Recipe twice or double ingredients to save time.


Dark Chocolate Ganache Icing

Yield: 3-1/2 cups

Ingredients:
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 pound bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped

Materials:
Measuring cups/spoons
Wooden spoon
Whisk
Large saucepan
Cake knife to spread icing (flat knife that's not sharp. Like a cheese knife but longer and flatter)
Spoon to spread icing on cake

In a large saucepan, bring 2 cups heavy cream, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, & 1/8 teaspoon salt to a boil.
Remove from heat; add 1 pound bittersweet chocolate roughly chopped (I used bittersweet chocolate chips, which works well too), and let stand without stirring for a minute.
Whisk just until combined.
Refrigerate, stirring occasionally until spreadable, about 1 hour.

** Ganache gets hard when left out when you are icing the cake. Constantly stir icing, so it won't solidify.

Neon Swirl Cupcakes

I tend to bake for most of my friends' birthdays. I wanted to make one of my best friend's, Hailey something cool but different. I asked her what her favorite cupcake flavor and icing was, which she told me was white cake and milk chocolate frosting.  I thought outside of the box when making these and decided to use neon color food coloring and pearl sprinkles to turn a plain recipe into something colorful and visually appealing. 

Neon Swirl Cupcakes: A Twist on Martha Stewart's White (Cup)Cake 

Yield: 3 Dozen (or 2 Dozen Cupcakes and 2 Dozen mini Cupcakes)

Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
2 tablespoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 table spoons (2-1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2-1/4 cups sugar
7 large egg whites


Materials:
Muffin tin
Cupcake liners
Large mixing bowl
Medium mixing bowl
Spatula
Measuring cups/spoons
Electric Mixer
Sifter
Toothpick 
Neon Food Coloring
4 small bowls (for different color food coloring)


1. Preheat oven to 350 °F.  Line cupcake or muffin tins with papers; set aside.  Into a medium bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt.  Combine milk and vanilla in a glass measuring cup.

2. Place butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat until pale and creamy.  With mixer on medium speed, gradually add sugar in a steady stream; continue beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low.

3. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk mixture and starting and ending with the flour.  Do not overbeat.

4. In a clean bowl of electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (I used a large bowl and a hand held mixer), beat egg whites on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.  Fold one-third of the whites into flour mixture to lighten.  Fold in remaining egg whites in two batches, being careful not to deflate the whites.

5. Divide the batter into 4 bowls (or containers).  Add neon food coloring to each container.  Then put some of each colored batter in each cupcake wrapper. Swirl with a toothpick.

6. Pour batter into prepared tins, filling cups to about 1/2 inch from the tops. Bake until a cake tester inserted near the centers comes out clean and the tops spring back when pressed lightly in the center, 18 to 20 minutes.  Remove from oven; let cool completely before icing or storing. 
**I cooked my mini cupcakes for about 6-8 minutes**

Milk Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients:

3-1/2 ounces milk chocolate

3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate 

2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

1/4  cup milk

1/4 (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

Materials:

Saucepan

Stainless steel mixing bowl (to put chocolate in over the saucepan filled with water)

Electric mixer

Spoon/offset spatula
Pearl Sprinkles
Ziploc Bag or Frosting bag

Put the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl.  Bring a saucepan filled with 1 inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water.

Stir the chocolate occasionally until melted & smooth (alternatively, put the chocolate in a medium microwave safe bowl. Melt at 50% power in the microwave until soft, about minute.  Stir & continue heat until completely melted, about 1 to 2 minutes more).

Add the confectioner's sugar, milk, butter, vanilla extract, & salt and beat with an electric mixer until smooth & creamy.  

For the Cupcake Bottoms: Divide icing evenly between cupcakes & swirl with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula.

For the Mini Cupcake Toppers: Fill a Ziploc bag with frosting, and cut one of the corner of the bag. Swirl frosting around in a circular motion. Top with Pearl Sprinkles. Use a half of a toothpick to attach the mini cupcake to the larger cupcake bottom.

Delicious "Especially Dark" Chocolate Cake

I made my Uncle a Dark Chocolate Cake with Dark Chocolate Frosting for his birthday. The cake was so moist and delicious. This is a good cake recipe for my chocolate lovers out there. I was lucky to have a great sous chef, my sweet boyfriend, Tyler, who helped me prep my ingredients and helped me frost the cake.

Pictured is my Uncle in front of his birthday cake. I used one whole strawberry as a garnish, which I cut into sections (stopping half way up the strawberry, keeping the berry somewhat in tact) and spread out to make the cake look pretty.

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling strong coffee

Heat oven to 350°F.  Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.  (I like to add a round piece of parchment paper to the bottom of my pans, but you don't have to).

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl.  Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla; With electric mixer beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Stir in boiling coffee (batter will be thin).  Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks.  Cool completely.  Frost with Dark Chocolate Frosting (see recipe below).

Dark Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

2/3 cup Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and spread evenly across the cake.

Gateau aux Pommes de la Reine des Pommes (also called "The Apple Lady's Apple Cake" in English)

My Mom's dream is to go into a French Patisserie and sample every pastry on display. If only that was possible, and France was closer...  However, this dessert allows you to bring a little bit of France and French Cuisine into your home for a fraction of the price.  I made this dessert on Easter Sunday for my Family. It was so delicious and very impressive looking.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup whole milk
4 baking apples (about 2 point total, cored, peeled, and cut into thin wedges)


The Topping Ingredients:
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Equipment:
A 9-inch springform pan


1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and set it aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and sea salt, and stir to blend.  Add the vanilla extract, eggs, oil, and milk, and stir until well blended.  Add the apples and stir to thoroughly coat them with the batter
4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake pan.  Place the pan in the center of the oven and bake until fairly firm and golden, about 25 mins.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the topping: In a small bowl, combine the sugar, egg, and melted butter, and stir to blend.  Set it aside
6. Remove the cake from the oven and pour the topping mixture over it.  Return the cake to the oven and bake until the top is a deep golden brown and the cake feels quite firm when pressed with a fingertip, about 10 mins.
7. Transfer the cake pan to a rack and allow to cool for 10 mins.  Then run a knife around the sides of the pan, and release and remove the springform side, leaving the cake on the pan base.  Serve at room temperature, cut into thin wedges.

Award Winning Brownies

Every time I make my brownies, everyone asks me for my recipe. The brownies are so moist and delicious. I definitely recommend this recipe.

Ingredients:
1-1/3  cup all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a bowl, combine, first six ingredients. In another bowl, combine oil, eggs, and vanilla; add to dry ingredients. Do not over mix. Spread in a 13 in x 9 in baking pan. Bake at 350°F for 20-27 mins or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 

Cool for 10 mins then cut with a plastic knife (plastic is easier to cut them with because it doesn't stick)

Yield: about 24 brownies

Nutritional Facts:
1 serving (1 each) equals 180 calories, 9 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 35 mg cholesterol, 77 mg sodium, 24 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein