Fresh Apple Cake

Can you feel it??  Fall is in the air. The leaves, pumpkins, school back in session, crisp air, football.
FOOTBALL.
I love football.
Especially UTE football. Went to the craziest game.
Ever.
Lasted four hours. Yes, FOUR HOURS. Without OT.  A person sitting with our family asked if I was feeling sick. Jake said, "No, my mom always acts like this (covering or closing my eyes, head down, peeking through my hands) at the Utah/BYU game."  Such a great game. Read about it here. This pic was taken after the field was cleared twice, and rushed three times.
24-21.
Like I said, crazy.

 I found this recipe in one of my favorite home magazines, House Beautiful. The author calls this a "no-shop" dessert. Meaning, every ingredient is one you should have in your kitchen at all times. I think it's wonderful served at breakfast too.
Apple cake= the perfect fall treat.
Try it, I know you'll love it.




























Fresh Apple Cake
House Beautiful, Marcus Samuelsson
print recipe

2 tablespoons unseasoned bread crumbs or graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 Granny Smith, or other tart apples
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup half-and-half ( I used 1/3 skim milk, 1/3 half and half)
2 teaspoons confectioner’s sugar

Pre-heat oven to 350°. Butter a 9" spring form pan and coat with graham cracker crumbs.
Toss together the granulated sugar and brown sugar. Set aside.
Peel and core the apples, then slice one apple into 16 wedges. Combine the cinnamon and 1/3 cup of sugar mixture in a medium bowl. Add the apples wedges and toss to coat. Roughly dice the remaining apple.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and the remaining sugar mixture on medium speed until light, fluffy, and lemon-colored, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and mix until combined. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour and baking powder. Slowly add the half-and-half and mix until combined. Fold the diced apple into the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Arrange 14 of the apple wedges fanned along the outer edge of the pan and place the two remaining wedges in the center. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the center is golden brown.
Remove from the oven to a wire rack to cool completely. Run a small offset spatula around the edges to release the cake from the pan and remove the spring form. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar, then cut into 12 wedges.

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Fresh Strawberry-Jello Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting & Giveaway!

Guess what this week is? A Bountiful Kitchen's four year blogiversary.  Whoohoo.
Time to celebrate!  What says celebration better than cake, ice cream and presents?
Let's have a little giveaway. How about a couple of cookbooks -one from me, one from Tilly (mook) and gift certificates for ice cream and yogurt, also from our favorite, Tillamook! Here's the deal...

Two cookbooks:

 This one's from me. 

Guess who donated this one? 

Three of these, any flavor...

Twelve of these, any flavor and variety (light, regular)

The recipe- I made this yummy Strawberry cake a few weeks ago, by request for a family wedding celebration. It's really simple, and uses fresh strawberries in the cake and the frosting. Great for a summer celebration or a girl birthday. Or a Blogiversary ;)

The giveaway- Leave a comment, let me know- what's your favorite cake? Check back on Friday. I'll post the winner (one winner, chosen by Random Counter) and another celebration cake, made with Tillamook ice cream.  You're going to love it.



PS- I was not paid for this post, or given free products. The opinions stated are my own.

Fresh Strawberry-Jello Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

A Bountiful Kitchen, adapted (quite a bit)  from Paula Deen

print recipe

1 (18.25-ounce) box white cake mix*

1/4 cup flour
1  small (3-ounce) box strawberry-flavored instant gelatin
8-9 oz fresh strawberries (weight after trimming tops off) about 1 small basket, crushed or blended
4 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water 

1 teaspoon vanilla
Strawberry cream cheese frosting, recipe follows

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened (make sure this is room temperature)
about 2-3 fresh strawberries, cleaned and trimmed, chopped
5 cups powdered sugar 

dash of salt

small amount of milk or cream to thin the frosting if needed
sliced or whole strawberries, for garnish, optional


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with parchment paper, grease pans.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, flour and gelatin. Add pureed strawberries, eggs, oil, water and vanilla; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour into prepared pans, and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, cool completely on wire racks.

Fresh Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting:

In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in chopped strawberries.  Gradually add powdered sugar and dash of salt, beating until smooth. Thin with milk or cream if needed.

Spread frosting in between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish with fresh strawberries, if desired.

Tips:

-This recipe was tweaked according to several suggestions by reviewers on the Food Network site. 

-*I used a Betty Crocker Cake mix. The suggested cake mix weight in the original recipe is 18.25 oz. However, I found only generic (store) brands in this size of cake mix. I opted to use a popular name brand instead. I also used Jello brand gelatin. 

-The cake will have a bright pink/red color. 

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Pineapple-Coconut Cupcakes with Buttermilk-Cream Cheese Frosting

One of my favorite combos is pineapple and coconut. I never get tired of trying out new recipes with this combo. Sheri and I found this one a few months ago in Southern Living. I made it for a family party and have made it a few times since. It's a perfect recipe for wedding showers and/or baby showers.
Oh, speaking of.
I'M GOING TO BE A GRANDMA!!!!!
In November.
It's a girl.
Yippee!


















Pineapple Coconut Cupcakes with Buttermilk Cream Cheese Frosting
adapted from Southern Living
print recipe

24 paper baking cups
3 large eggs
8 oz sour cream
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coconut extract or coconut emulsion*
1/4 cup sugar
1- 18.25 oz white cake mix
Pineapple Glaze
Buttermilk Cream Cheese frosting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set rack on center of oven. Place liners in cupcake tin.

Beat eggs at medium speed with mixer for 2 minutes. Add sour cream, buttermilk, vanilla and coconut extract. Mix well. Add cake mix and sugar, beat on low speed until combined and sugar is no longer grainy, about 1-2 minutes.
Using a scoop (cookie, ice cream or small measuring cup) place batter into muffin tin lined with cupcake liners . Fill each cup about 3/4 full.
Bake at 350 for about 15-17 minutes. Remove from oven to cool.
While cupcakes are baking make Pineapple Glaze.

Pineapple Glaze

1-20 oz can of crushed pineapple, undrained
3/4 cup sugar
5 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Stir together the first three ingredients in a small saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes or until mixture starts to thicken. Make sure to cook until all of the cornstarch is dissolved, and the mixture starts to take on a glossy or translucent appearance.
Remove from heat, stir in butter and vanilla.
When the cupcakes are still warm, using a spatula, spread the pineapple glaze on top of the cupcakes.  Try to spread the glaze on so the middle of the cupcake is mounded with the glaze a bit.
Glaze all of the cupcakes. If there is any leftover glaze, go over the cupcakes again lightly, using remaining glaze. Set aside.
Prepare frosting.

Buttermilk Cream Cheese Frosting

4 oz  cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (16-oz.) package powdered sugar
1/4 to 1/3 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

dash of salt

Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add powdered sugar alternately with buttermilk, beating at low speed until blended after each addition. Add vanilla, and salt beating until blended.

The frosting should be soft, and not stiff. After the cupcakes have been glazed, frost with buttermilk frosting.
Immediately after frosting, top with a bit of coconut. 

If you would like to pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes, reduce the amount of buttermilk to two tablespoons. 

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Molten Lava Cakes

What do you do to celebrate Valentine's Day? This year, we're doing something extra special.  Our 15 year old, Jake,  has a church basketball game at- get this, 6:30 PM, February 14.
Uh.
Hello.
Person who set up the church-ball schedule: IT'S VALENTINES DAY, EVENING. WHATEVER.
If you are looking for a special treat to whip up for your sweetheart on Feb 14, try these lava cakes. I've made them twice in the past two weeks. They're quick and easy and absolutely decadent.

Molten Lava Cakes

adapted from Paula Deen

print recipe

6 (1-ounce) squares bittersweet chocolate
2 (1-ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, or semi sweet chocolate chips
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 stick) butter

1 1/2 cups confectioners' (powdered) sugar

3 large eggs, beaten
3 egg yolks

1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Generously grease 6-8 (6-ounce) custard cups. 

Melt the chocolates and butter in the microwave, or in a double boiler. Remove from heat.  Add the sugar to chocolate mixture. Mix until dissolved.  Whisk in the eggs and yolks until smooth. Add the vanilla. Fold in the flour, just until flour is no longer visible. 

Divide the batter evenly among the custard cups. 

Place in the oven and bake for about 12 minutes. The edges should be firm but the center will be soft. Remove from oven. Let sit on counter for about 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges to loosen and invert onto dessert plates.

Tips:

-Use good quality chocolate. I like Ghiradelli Bittersweet, sold in the baking aisle. 

-Make sure to generously grease the cups, or you will have a hard time removing the cakes in one piece. 

-I tested this recipe twice, found the following: it yields either 6 large cakes, meaning 6 lava cakes for people who really like a rich, good size portion of dessert. If you are serving this with ice cream and berries, you can get by with a smaller portion, or portioning out the batter into 8 cups. 

Baking time- The original recipe calls for baking at 425, I found this a little too high, and adjusted to 400 the second time. Make sure the outer edges of the cake is done, or springs back when touched, and the center has a crust on top, but is still gooey. 

-If baking ahead, you may bake the cakes for about 10 minutes and let sit for a few minutes, run the knife around the edges and let cool. When ready to serve, invert and microwave for about 15 seconds, or leave in custard cups and cover with foil and warm in the oven at 275 for about 10 minutes. 

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2011 Utah State Fair Winner: Pina Colada Cake

This recipe won the "King Arthur Flour Great Cake Contest" in the Utah State Fair last month. 

I made it last weekend. It was absolutely delicious! Coconut cake is one of my favorites. Combine it with pineapple filling? Oh goodness. I'm still thinking about it. We loved it. I know you will too. 

Pina Colada Cake

Lisa Blodgett

Print Recipe

Cake:
2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups coconut milk
1 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract
5 egg whites
Mix flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl and set aside. Place the butter in a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed with a mixer for 1 minute. Add sugar and beat for another minute. Add coconut milk and coconut extract to butter mixture. Gradually add flour mixture into the butter mixture and beat for 2 minutes. In another bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the batter and mix until all ingredients are incorporated. Grease and line two 8-inch cake pans and divide batter evenly between them. Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 23-28 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove the pans from the oven and place on a cooling rack for 5-10 minutes to cool before removing cake from the pans.
Pineapple Filling:
1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
In a saucepan combine all ingredients over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently until mixture gets a glossy look. Set aside to cool.
Frosting:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons coconut milk
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 16-ounce container whipped topping, or 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, whipped
Beat cream cheese in a bowl until smooth. Add coconut milk, powdered sugar and coconut extract. Mix well and then fold the whipped topping or cream into the mixture.
To assemble, cut both cakes open, making four 8-inch rounds. On top of one, place half the pineapple filling and top with a cake layer. Next add a layer of frosting, then a cake layer. Place remaining pineapple mixture on the cake and top with the last cake layer. Frost the sides and top of the cake. Sprinkle with coconut.
This is best when refrigerated for at least four hours.

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Sour Cream Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Here's the problem I have almost every time I make cupcakes. Well two problems.
1. They always seem a bit dry, even after following baking instructions perfectly.
2. They often sink in the middle.
Do you have the same issues? I mean, with cupcakes? Research time. I looked into this sinking problem. Googled "Why do my cupcakes sink in the middle?"  I found lots of solutions to my problems (if only all of the answers to life's questions were found on GOOGLE). After reading,  I felt the recipe had too much fat for the amount of flour, egg, etc. So, I adjusted the egg and flour. This is a common problem when baking at our altitude (4400 ft.).  For this recipe, I added a 1/4 cup of flour and another egg (yolk only).  To combat the dryness issue, I  removed 1/2 cup of butter and added 1/2 cup of sour cream.  First batch (without adjustments) yielded crater cakes, second batch- YUM.  If you are looking for answers to cupcake questions/problems etc, Cupcake Bakeshop by Chokylit is a good resource.
After working with this recipe, I was able to come up with a recipe that works wonderfully with our altitude and my oven :) Hooray!
Loved these.

Sour Cream Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
A Bountiful Kitchen
print recipe

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl.  Add the eggs and yolk one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla, sour cream and buttermilk, beat until all wet ingredients are incorporated. Add dry ingredients all at once, beat until batter is smooth, about 1 minute.
Scoop batter into cupcake liners.  Fill about 3/4 of the way full. Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in the middle.

Peanut Butter Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk or half and half (added 1 tablespoon at a time)

Place butter, peanut butter and vanilla in a large bowl, mix well.  Add salt, powdered sugar and milk or half and half and beat until smooth.

Tips:
-To insure proper rising of your cake, make sure the normally cold ingredients (butter, eggs, sour cream, buttermilk) are at room temperature.
-I like to use an ice cream scoop or large cookie scoop to place the batter into the cupcake liners.
-This recipe yields about 18 cupcakes.  The frosting will cover the 18 cupcakes. I swirled the frosting onto the cupcake with a butter knife.  If you like to pipe the frosting, or like a lot of frosting on the cupcakes, double this frosting recipe.
-If you are piping the frosting on, don't add too much milk or half and half. Add the liquid a tablespoon at a time.

linked to:

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A Dog and a Cake

Mr. J , 8 weeks old. 

A year ago, Jack entered our lives.  Brooke and Grant met Jack's mother at The Trouthunter (read about their wonderful food, beautiful views here) in Island Park, Idaho, while on a fly fishing trip.  She (the dog, not Brooke) was preggers.  Brookie bonded with Jack's mom immediately. Tom (owner) told Brookie in a few weeks, his dog would be having puppies. That's the day the campaign began.
"WE" needed a dog (because our long time pup, Hershey passed a few months earlier). Well, actually Hersh was no longer a pup, but for some reason, people in our house called him pup his whole life. Even when he was 12, or 72 (dog) years old. Is he 72 dog or human years when he is 12  years (by the calendar) old? Because dog years are more difficult than human years?? Yeah, I guess all of that napping and eating wears on you. If you're a dog. Confusing.
Anyway, over the course of two months,  I caved, and on August 3, 2010,  Jack joined our fam. Since then, he has become the new baby. It's been said labs are either chewers or diggers.
Hersh was a digger. Jack- well, I think it's safe to say, is a chewer. Here's the list, to date Not that I'm keeping track, or anything like that:

• chew toys, he pretty much shreds these in a matter of hours, sometimes minutes, even the toys that say, "Will last for months!"
• shoes, socks, towels
• flowers, plants
• bbq tools
• 12 foot umbrella on patio table (my neighbor witnessed him on top of the patio table, with a piece of the umbrella in his mouth, running in circles, umbrella spinning and shredding).
• cushions on patio furniture
• patio lounge chair
• two large pillows for dogs
• mats for inside his kennel
• new PB pillow
• new PB blanket
• 3 rugs
• electrical connection on trailer
• new dining room chair
• basketball(s)
• football(s)
• base in entry
• upholstery on chair
• electrical connection to ice cream maker
• hoses
• firewood
• sprinkler heads

Maybe I should call my insurance agent?
The most memorable Jack-offense (for me)  took place last May. My friend's son was coming home from a 2 year mission, and I wanted to make him a birthday cake.  I baked up my all time favorite cake, Laurie and Amy's Amazing Chocolate Cake, which btw, if you haven't tried it, is the best chocolate cake.
In the world.
I had just finished frosting the cake, and decided to run upstairs to change clothes before delivering the cake. I was upstairs for maybe a total of 3 minutes. When I came down the stairs, Jack was licking his chops. And looking very guilty.

"What are you doing??"  I said.  

He started to back away from me. First clue something was wrong.

I looked around and couldn't see what he was up to. Then it hit me. THE CAKE.
I looked over on the island counter, nothing. Had he pulled it onto the floor?
I ran all the way around the island, nothing.
What? He devoured the whole cake in 3 minutes? Not possible.
I glance to the right, there it is. Was. Sitting on the kitchen table.  Looking like this:

Can you say melt down?
Lots of screaming. Asking questions. WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS???  Yes, dog interrogation.
I text my friend. Sent her the pic of the cake, and a pic of the dog, with the message: I'M KILLING THIS DOG.

After I threw the gnawed cake in the garbage, I made myself a sandwich, said a few more choice things to Jack, put him in the backyard and went up to my bedroom  where I got into my bed, (with my clothes on)  and ate my sandwich.  I called a few friends who listened to me rant about my dog, then I did what every sane person would do to have closure. I baked another cake.

I'm re-posting this cake because it really is the best chocolate cake Jack or I've ever eaten (trust me I'm an expert in this field). Moist, chocolaty, dense with thick butter cream frosting. Oh, and I had to document that crazy cake story for posterity. 

You can read the original post here. 

Laurie and Amy's Amazing Chocolate Cake

print recipe

1 3/4 cups boiling water
6 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, OR chocolate chips (for a double recipe, use 15 oz. chocolate chips, which equals 2 1/2 cups.)
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder*
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
10 oz (2 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 3/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 9-inch round cake pans with circles of wax paper or baking parchment.
Pour the boiling water over the chocolate chips. Add cocoa and stir until mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool. Cream the butter and brown sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and half of the chocolate mixture. Beat on low to combine, then on high for 1 1/2 minutes. Add the remaining chocolate mixture and beat on low until mixed.

Pour batter into pans and bake 30-40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out completely clean. Cool for 10-15 minutes; remove from pans. Wrap in double layers of plastic wrap while still warm and freeze. Double recipe makes two 10" layers plus two 8" layers or four 9" layers. Never fill pans more than 2/3 full.

Frosting:

1 1/4 cups plus 2 T. butter, softened
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (For really dark frosting, use part Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa, about 4 T.)
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup plus 2 T. Milk



When cake is frozen solid, frost between the two layers and spread a thin layer over the whole cake. Freeze again for about 20 minutes. Frost again. Repeat if desired. (Frost the last time on the day you plan to serve the cake and let it stand at room temperature to thaw.)

Tips:
-*The best kind is Saco Premium Cocoa, which comes in a round container with a picture of a baker on the front.
-I doubled this and it made 4 perfect 9" layers.
-I liked the frosting best with about 1/2 cup Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa and 1/2 cup regular unsweetened cocoa.
-If you don't have time to frost and freeze the cake, freeze the layers, and frost the cake while still frozen. Use about 1/4 of frosting between layers, 1/2 on sides of cake and remaining 1/4 of frosting on top of cake.
-A few good decorating/cake baking tips can be found at:http://www.hospitalitymanagementschools.net/blog/2010/cake-decorating-tips-to-remember/

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Mango Blueberry Coffee Cake

I love this time of year. No rushrush to get school work done before games or other activities. Love to water the flowers outside in my bare feet before anyone gets up. Love to watch baseball games with a big iced drink. Love that I can swing into a farmers market, or the regular old grocery and find almost any fruit my heart desires.
I had some fresh mangoes and blueberries in my kitchen last week, and thought what better way to use them, than put them in a coffee cake. I used an Emeril recipe, that I lightened up a bit by subbing yogurt for sour cream, and added a few spices. Simple, fresh, delish. Loved the result.

Fresh Mango and Blueberry Coffee Cake
A Bountiful Kitchen
print recipe

Cake:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup vanilla or plain yogurt
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ginger, depending on your taste
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cup berries, rinsed and patted dry (I used 1 mango and enough blueberries to equal 1 1/2 cups)

Topping:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup melted butter
1 cup chopped pecans

Grease and lightly flour the bottom and sides of a 10-inch Spring form pan. Preheat oven to 375 and set the rack in the middle of the oven.
Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs.  Add yogurt and blend well. Add all of the dry ingredients to the bowl. Mix just until the wet and dry ingredients are incorporated. Fold in the berries and mangoes. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Prepare the streusel topping by mixing all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Sprinkle over the top of the cake.
Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool for about 10 minutes, and run a knife around the sides of the Spring form before detaching the side form.

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Cook's Illustrated Strawberry Cream Cake

Remember the Strawberry Cream Cake I told you I made for Brookie's birthday?
Here's the promised recipe. If you love Strawberries and Chiffon/Sponge Cake, you'll love this.

Cook's Illustrated Strawberry Cream Cake
adapted slightly from Cook's Illustrated, May 2006
print recipe

Cake:
1 1/4 cups cake flour (5 oz)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
5 large eggs ( 2 whole, 3 separated) room temperature
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla

Strawberry Filling:
2 pounds fresh strawberries( about 2 quarts) washed, dried, and stemmed
4-6 tablespoons sugar
pinch salt

Whipped Cream
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
dash salt
2 cups heavy cream

For Cake:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees, adjust rack to middle. Grease and flour a round 9 by 2 inch cake pan or a 9 inch spring form pan and line with parchment paper.
Whisk flour, baking powder, salt and all but 3 tablespoons sugar in mixing bowl.  Whisk in 2 whole eggs and 3 yolks (reserving whites), butter, water, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.

In clean bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat remaining 3 whites at medium low speed until frothy, 1-2 minutes. With machine running, gradually add remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, increase speed to medium high and beat until soft peaks form, 60-90 seconds. Stir one third of whites into batter to lighten; add remaining whites and gently fold into batter until no white streaks remain. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes our clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert pan onto wire rack, peel off and discard parchment paper. Invert cake again and cool completely about 1 hour.  Or, wrap the cake in plastic wrap and freeze for about 1 hour.

For Strawberry Filling:
Halve 24 of the best looking berries and reserve.  It is best to pick berries that are uniform in size, if possible. Quarter the remaining berries; toss with 4-6 tablespoons of sugar in medium bowl and let sit for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Strain juices from berries and reserve, you should have about 1/2 cup of liquid. In work bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade, give macerated berries five 1-second pulses.  In a small saucepan over medium high heat, simmer reserved juices until syrupy and reduced to about 3 tablespoons, 3-5 minutes. Pour reduced syrup over macerated berries, add pinch of salt, and toss to combine. Set aside until cake is cooled.

For Whipped Cream:
When cake is cooled, place cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Whisk at medium high speed until light and  fluffy 1-2 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low and add heavy ream in a slow steady stream. When almost fully combined, increase speed to medium high and beat until mixture holds stiff peaks, 2 to 3 minutes more.  You should have a total of about 4 1/2 cups of the cream mixture when finished.

Yes! Cake Assembly:
Using a large serrated knife, slice cake into three even layers.
Place bottom layer on cake plate or cardboard round( found in craft or kitchen stores) and arrange ring of 20 strawberry halves, cut sides down and stem ends facing out, around perimeter of cake layer.
Pour one half of pureed berry mixture about 3/4 cup, in center, then spread to cover any exposed cake. Gently spread about one third of whipped cream (about 1 1/2 cups over berry layer, leaving 1/2 inch border from the edge.
Place middle cake layer on top and gently press down (whipped cream layer should become flush with cake edge).
Repeat with 20 additional berry halves, remaining berry mixture, and half of remaining whipped cream; gently press last cake layer on top.
Spread remaining whipped cream over top.
Decorate with remaining cut strawberries.
Serve, or chill for up to 4 hours.

Tips:
-Don't let the length of this recipe intimidate you. If you break it down into steps, it really is not difficult.
-I hurried and read through this quickly when I was gathering all of the ingredients and cooking equipment. It wasn't till AFTER I started cooking that I realized it was meant to bake in a 9 inch Spring form and cut into three layers. So I poured it into 2-9 inch pans and figured out my mistake when the cakes came out of the oven unusually flat. I re-read the recipe. The cake actually baked up fine, I just baked it in two pans, instead of one. So to correct my mistake, I halved the recipe and baked one more 9 inch layer. My layers were slightly thicker than yours will be. If you like the look of three thicker layers, one and a half this recipe and bake it in 3-9 inch round pans.

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Amy's Bakery Black and White Cake

Last summer, I took my Mom to New York, where we visited sites and played for a week.  I love being with my mom. We love the same things. Eating. Touring museums and sites, and shopping. She LOVED the Empire State building.  This was my third trip to NY, and I've never had a desire to stand in the two hour (or more) line and go up. But Mom wanted to, so we did. It was the highlight of the trip for her.  I'm glad we did. Took this pic while we were on top.

We walked over to see Times Square at night.  It is amazing to see how many people congregate there.
Every.
Single.
Night.

We rode the entire "Hop On, Hop Off" tour bus route. Not a lot of hopping off.
See the couple behind mom? She was mad at her hubs bc she was HOT. 

An example of sites you see on the bus:  This is a butcher shop where apparently you can pick out your meat while it's still alive. Hmmm. That's what I'm thinking. Like I WANT to see this animals life before I make it into Sunday dinner? The number's on the banner, in case you are interested.

Walking in Central Park...lots and lots of walking.

Boat ride to Statue of Liberty. Harbor tour. The Met. Grand Central. Little Italy. Chinatown. Ground Zero. Saw Kathi Lee outside of the Today Show as we were passing through. Mom loves Kathi Lee.



At 75, my mom is a trooper.  When we go on a vaca together, and there are sites to see, I lay out the schedule, and off we go.  She gets up early every day, puts on her Reebok's, has breakfast  and is ready to be a tourist. She's a great travel partner.  Never complains. She can sleep anywhere, anytime. Hard bed, soft beds? Either are fine for her. Sleeping aids?  Never needs one.  At 8PM, she's done, and in bed.  Ready for the next day.

And then there's food. She'll eat anything. Fast food, slow food.  She goes along with all of my food craziness. We made a few new discoveries (to me) last summer. We stopped back at Amy's Bakery too. Discovered this place with Corrine and Brooke the summer before.

I love their cakes. Tried this one last summer. I love a good chocolate cake. This cake is moist, chocolaty, with a smooth buttery white frosting. I love the way Amy's decorates theirs with a little chocolate dot. As you can see, my dots look more like chocolate chips. I'm not exactly the Cake Boss when it comes to decorating cakes.
Taste: SO GOOD.
Dots: I'm working on it.

Amy's Bakery Black and White Cake
recipe adapted from Amy's Bakery
print recipe

5 oz  unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sour cream (not low fat)
5 tablespoons (1 oz) Valrhona cocoa powder or Dutch process cocoa powder
2 3/8 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 3/4 cups dark brown sugar, firmly packed
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4 large eggs
2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, for decorating cake

White Butter cream Frosting (see below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease, line and lightly flour 2- 9" cake pans.  Shake out excess flour.

Pour the boiling water over the chopped chocolate in a small heat-proof bowl, mix with fork until chocolate melts. Set aside to cool.

In  a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, cocoa powder and soda until the mixture is smooth.  After the chocolate mixture has cooled a bit, but is still pourable, mix into sour cream mixture until all ingredients are incorporated and mixture is smooth.

In another bowl, cream the butter and dark brown sugar together about 3 minutes.  Add vanilla. Add the cooled chocolate/sour cream mixture, mixing well.  Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Add the flour and salt all at once.  Mix for about 2 minutes or until all ingredients are incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.  Batter will be thin.

Divide the batter equally among two-9 inch prepared cake pans. Place the pans on the center rack of the oven.  Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.

Turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack and let cool completely.  You may wrap the layers in Saran Wrap before they are completely cooled and freeze, for easier handling and frosting.

When ready to frost, place one layer of cake onto platter.  Brush off any crumbs. Spread a layer of frosting on top of cake.  Place other layer on top, and frost sides of cake.  Top with remaining frosting, and frost top and any areas on sides that need touching up. When ready to finish with dots, place 1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips into small plastic (Ziploc) sandwich bag.  Microwave for about 30 seconds, or until melted.  Snip off tiny corner of the bag.  Make dots on cake.

White Butter Frosting

1 cup butter, softened, but not melted
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
milk or half and half or cream to thin about 2-3 tablespoons

Beat butter in large bowl. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and salt. Beat until smooth.  Add milk until frosting is smooth and spreadable.

Tips:
- I changed the method in which Amy's made the cake.  They take several steps to incorporate the ingredients.  I followed this the first time, but found the steps didn't make a big difference in the texture overall.
- I just looked again at the pic of the cake in my copy of Amy's Bakery cookbook,  The Sweeter Side of Amy's Bread, and see that their dots look like chocolate chips too.

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