If you’re still working on your Christmas morning menu, this recipe for Cranberry Streusel Cake would be a good one to consider. The moist, festive cake is both easy to make and delicious. The sweet, brown sugar streusel is a nice balance to the tart cranberries.

To simplify things the morning of, have your cranberries chopped and measured, and your dry ingredients measured and combined. Now all you have to do Christmas morning is mix the  cake (wet and dry ingredients) and bake it.

I didn’t have plain yogurt so I used a combination of sour cream and buttermilk. The cake turned out great and several people asked me for the recipe. Enjoy!

Cranberry Streusel Cake
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine

Add the topping 40 minutes into baking rather than at the beginning, when it would sink too far into the cake, or at the end, when it wouldn’t sink in at all. Serves nine.
 
9 oz. (2 cups) all-purpose flour; more for the pan
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. table salt
4 oz. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, well softened at room temperature; more for the pan
1-1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup plain, low-fat yogurt (or sour cream)
1/2 cup fresh cranberries, chopped

For the streusel:
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tbs cold unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup fresh cranberries, chopped

Make the cake:
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 325°F. Lightly butter and flour a 9-inch-square baking pan. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt until blended. With an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until well blended, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium low and add the eggs one at a time, mixing until just incorporated. Using a wide rubber spatula, alternately fold the flour mixture and the yogurt into the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Add the chopped cranberries with the last addition of flour. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Tap the pan gently on the counter to release any air bubbles. Bake for 40 min.

Make the streusel:
While the cake is baking, combine the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add the butter and mix, using a fork, until the ingredients are well blended and form small crumbs. Stir in the walnuts and cranberries.

After the cake has baked for 40 min., sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top of the cake. Continue baking until a pick inserted in the center comes out clean, another 10 to 15 min. Cool in the pan on a wire rack until warm or room temperature. Cut into squares and serve.

Tags: Breakfast, brunch, cake, Christmas, Christmas baking, cranberries, cranberry, cranberry coffee cake, Dessert, holiday baking, holiday breakfast, holiday brunch, holidays

This classic recipe for German Chocolate Cake is special in Husband’s family because his mom used to make it for the family when they were growing up.  I chose to make this extremely moist and delicious cake for Father-in-law’s birthday celebration this weekend because I knew it would bring back fond memories of his beloved wife. With a smile, he took his first bite then told me it tasted just like hers. What better compliment is there?

Sure, I’ve seen recipes for updated versions of this cake, but the original recipe—the one printed on boxes of Baker’s brand German’s Sweet Chocolate—is the one I make for my family. The cake has nothing to do with Germany but was named after the man, Samuel German, who developed a type of baking chocolate for Baker’s Chocolate Company.

The recipe calls for baking the batter in three 9″ round cake pans but I made it in a 10″x15″ glass pan. It took longer to bake (approximately 50 minutes…give or take). For the frosting, make sure you buy evaporated milk not sweetened condensed milk (they are very different products).  The recipe calls for a 7-ounce bag of coconut but I’ve only seen the 14-ounce size…just measure out the needed 2-2/3 cups and you’re good to go. Enjoy!

Original BAKER’S GERMAN’S Sweet Chocolate Cake
-recipe from Baker’s Chocolate Company

1 pkg. (4 oz.) BAKER’S GERMAN’S Sweet Chocolate
1/2 cup  water
4 eggs, separated
2 cups  flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp.  salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups  sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup  buttermilk
Coconut-Pecan Filling and Frosting (recipe below)

HEAT oven to 350°F.

COVER bottoms of 3 (9-inch) round pans with waxed paper; spray sides with cooking spray. Microwave chocolate and water in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

BEAT egg whites in small bowl with mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form; set aside. Mix flour, baking soda and salt. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each. Blend in melted chocolate and vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating until well blended after each addition.

ADD egg whites; stir gently until well blended. Pour into prepared pans.

BAKE 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Immediately run small spatula around cakes in pans. Cool cakes in pans 15 min.; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Spread Coconut-Pecan Filling and Frosting between cake layers and onto top of cake.

Substitute: If you don’t have buttermilk, just add 1 Tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk; let stand 10 min.
Note: This delicate cake will have a flat slightly sugary top crust which tends to crack. The frosting will cover up these cracks.

Coconut-Pecan Filling and Frosting   
4 egg yolks
1 can  (12 oz.) evaporated milk
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 cups  sugar
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine
1 pkg.  (7 oz.) BAKER’S ANGEL FLAKE Coconut (about 2-2/3 cups)
1-1/2 cups PLANTERS Chopped Pecans

BEAT egg yolks, milk and vanilla in large saucepan with wire whisk until well blended. Add sugar and butter; cook on medium heat 12 min. or until thickened and golden brown, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

ADD coconut and pecans; mix well. Cool to room temperature and of desired spreading consistency.

USE to frost your favorite cake or cupcake recipe.

Note: Makes enough to frost top and sides of 3 (8- or 9-inch) cake layers, tops of 2 (13×9-inch) cakes or 36 cupcakes.

Tags: Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate, Baking, cake, chocolate, Dessert, German Chocolate Cake, German's Sweet Chocolate Cake

This Chocolate Stout Cake is moist, rich and very chocolatey. Need I say more?

For some reason, some of the cake stuck to the pan when I unmolded it (probably user error because that didn’t happen last time I made it). Husband, however, had a cunning plan. He joked that I should spackle it together. We had a good laugh but then I took his advice and stuck the loose cake chunks back on the cake. The cake is moist enough so it worked. I then covered the newly spackled cake with the ganache. See…chocolate fixes everything! 

Chocolate Stout Cake
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine

Rich, dark, and toasty stout beer plus deeply flavored molasses give the chocolate flavor of this cake some wonderful nuance. With this recipe, you can bake one big beautiful cake, perfect for entertaining, or a dozen irresistible miniature bundt cakes, perfect for gift giving.

Yields 1 large bundt cake or 12 miniature bundt cakes.

For the cake
1-1/4 cups stout, such as Guinness (don’t include the foam when measuring)
1/3 cup dark molasses (not blackstrap)
7-1/2 oz. (1-2/3 cups) all-purpose flour
2-1/4 oz. (3/4 cup) unsweetened natural cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed); more for the pan
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
10 oz. (1-1/4 cups) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature; more for the pan
1-1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
6 oz. semisweet chocolate, very finely chopped

For the glaze: (optional)
3/4 cup heavy cream
6 oz. semisweet chocolate

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350ºF. Butter a 10- or 12-cup bundt pan (or twelve 1-cup mini bundt pans) and then lightly coat with sifted cocoa powder. Tap out any excess cocoa.

In a small saucepan over high heat, bring the stout and molasses to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand while preparing the cake batter.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With a stand mixer (use the paddle attachment) or a hand mixer, cream the butter in a large bowl on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stop to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the eggs one at a time, stopping to scrape the bowl after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the flour and stout mixtures, beginning and ending with the flour. Stop the mixer at least one last time to scrape the bowl and then beat at medium speed until the batter is smooth, about 20 seconds. Stir in the chopped chocolate.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan (or pans), spreading it evenly with a rubber spatula. Run a knife through the batter to eliminate any air pockets. Bake until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs clinging to it, 45 to 50 minutes (about 35 minutes for mini cakes). Set the pan on a rack to cool for 20 minutes. Invert the cake onto the rack and remove the pan. Let cool until just barely warm.

Make the glaze, if using:
Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate. Let stand for 1 minute and then whisk until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Let cool for 5 minutes.

Drizzle the barely warm cake with glaze and then let cool to room temperature before serving.

Make Ahead Tips:
Wrapped tightly in plastic, the cake keeps for up to a week, or you can freeze it for up to a month. If you’re making the cake ahead, wrap it while still barely warm without the glaze. If you plan to freeze the cake, don’t glaze it until you’re ready to serve it or give it away.

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Tags: Baking, cake, chocolate stout cake, Dessert, Guinness stout, St. Patrick's Day

Rich and deliciously smooth, even the busiest of cooks has time to make this quick dessert. Pots de crème (prounounced poh-duh-KREHM), is French for “pot of cream”. Unlike traditional recipes for pots de crème which require baking in a water bath, this simplified version cuts out that step. The pudding cooks quickly then needs to chill for an hour or so in the refrigerator.

Use the best chocolate chips you can find. My favorite is Guittard brand chocolate chips because they are smooth, high quality and really delicious. For this recipe, I used ¼ cup of Guittard Semisweet Chocolate Chips and ¼ cup of Guittard Extra Dark Chocolate Chips. If you can’t find bittersweet chocolate chips, use good quality semisweet chocolate chips.

Garnish the pots de crème with a dollop of freshly whipped cream and fresh berries, or enjoy as is! It’s perfect for Valentine’s Day or any time you need a quick dessert that only makes a few servings.

Bittersweet Chocolate Pots de Crème
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine (February/March 2011) 

This quick version of a classic French pudding comes together on the stovetop in minutes and then chills during dinner. Makes 2 servings.

1/2 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup whole milk
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
2 Tbs. granulated sugar
Kosher salt

Heat the half-and-half and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until scalding hot. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl. Slowly whisk the hot milk mixture into the eggs.

Return the milk mixture to the pan, reduce the heat to low, and whisk until it thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate chips, sugar, and a pinch of salt; whisk until melted. Strain through a medium-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Divide the mixture between two 6-oz. ramekins or serving glasses. Refrigerate until set, at least 1 hour.

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Tags: chocolate pudding, Dessert, pots de creme, Quick Cooking, Valentine's dessert

Everyone needs an apple cake in their baking repertoire, and this recipe is excellent! The cake is super moist, velvety, slightly tangy from the cream cheese, and loaded with apples…YUMM!

The recipe calls for a 12-cup Bundt pan. My Bundt pan doesn’t say how many cups it holds but rather gives the size (9 3/4″ x 3 3/8″). It can hold 12 cups of water but it’s filled to the rim of the pan. This recipe has a bit too much batter for my pan so I spooned as much into the pan as I could without filling it to the very top (leaving some room for it to expand while baking). Any extra batter can be baked in greased and floured ramekins or muffin tins (they’ll bake in less time, of course).

If you don’t have a Bundt pan, you can use a different baking pan but your baking time will vary. Check out this link for different baking pan size equivalents. Because my oven is old and tempermental, I use the baking time in a recipe as a guideline. Sometimes the item in the oven needs less time, sometimes more time. If you use a different pan size, you’ll need to adjust the baking time.

The apple cake keeps covered at room temperature for several days. Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Apple Cake 
-recipe from The Grand Central Baking Book by Piper Davis and Ellen Jackson

Grand Central has baked this cake in every shape and size imaginable: as cupcakes with maple cream cheese frosting, in rounds baked in springform pans, as classic Bundt cakes and currently in long Pullman loaf pans. Because it stays moist for several days, this large cake is tailor-made for a long weekend with friends, providing dessert the first night and leftovers to nibble on for several days to come.  Serves 14 to 16.

3 cups (15 ounces) flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (8 ounces, or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups (1 pound, 1.5 ounces) granulated sugar
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 pounds tart apples (3 or 4 apples), peeled and diced into 1/2-inch chunks
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour a 12-cup Bundt pan.

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon into a bowl.

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, cream cheese, and sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture is very light in color –almost white–and the texture is fluffy, about 8 minutes. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl once during the process to ensure that the butter is evenly incorporated.

Crack the eggs into a liquid measuring cup and add the vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the eggs, letting them fall in one at a time and incorporating each egg completely before adding the next. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl once or twice during the process. 

With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients; stop mixing as soon as the flour is incorporated. Fold the apples in by hand using a stiff spatula, then scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 60 to 75 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time. The cake is ready when a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes before removing it from the pan. Cool completely, then cover with a thick dusting of confectioners’ sugar.

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Tags: apples, Baking, Breakfast, bundt cake, butter, coffee cake, Cream Cheese Apple Cake, Dessert, Grand Central Bakery

In honor of today (November 15) being National Bundt Cake Day, I’m reposting a few delicious bundt cake recipes that are perfect for the upcoming holidays.

And of course, to make a bundt cake, you have to have a bundt cake pan. I love my Nordic Ware Bundt Cake Pan. The pan is heavy duty and has a nonstick finish…it’s awesome! I actually have two of them because I make so many bundt cakes (often times multiple cakes for the same event). If you don’t have a bundt cake pan, are in need of a new one or are looking for a fun gift idea for a baker, you can’t go wrong with a Nordic Ware pan! Every kitchen should have one!! As a side note, Nordic Ware is the company that introduced the bundt cake (and the pan needed to bake it) back in the 1950s.

I believe the world is a happier place because of bundt cakes! Enjoy!

Pumpkin & Ginger Poundcake: This bundt cake is a perfect alternative to pumpkin pie!

Pear Spice Cake: Loaded with pears and warm spices, this simple bundt cake is an Autumn favorite of ours.

Cranberry-Almond Coffee Cake: Great as a coffee cake or dessert, this bundt cake is a perfect use for leftover cranberry sauce.

Tags: Baking, bundt cake, bundt cake pan, coffee cake, Cranberry-Almond Coffee Cake, Dessert, holiday cakes, National Bundt Cake Day, Nordic Ware, Pear Spice Cake, Pumpkin & Ginger Poundcake

To me, fresh apple cake is the epitome of autumn! A friend gave me a bag of apples from her backyard tree recently so, of course, I had to find something new and delicious to make with them. What I settled on was this recipe for Old-Fashioned Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting. It’s moist, delicious, super easy to make and loaded with appley goodness. 

I made a few slight changes to the recipe but nothing drastic. For the cake, I decreased the sugar from 2 cups to 1-1/2 cups, which was perfect because the brown sugar frosting adds sweetness, too. Also, I substituted 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon allspice for the 1-1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice, and added a splash of vanilla to the cake batter. I chose not to use nuts, although chopped pecans would be a good addition. I thought the cake was actually better the day after it was made so I encourage you to make it a day before you plan to serve it. Enjoy!

 Old-Fashioned Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting 
-recipe from King Arthur Flour

This cake is an old, old favorite of ours. It’s a cake where the whole is definitely more than the sum of the parts. The moist, semi-chunky cake, spread with the frosting equivalent of brown sugar fudge, is perfect served with a cup of coffee or, better still, a glass of ice-cold milk.

Cake
2 1/3 cups (9 3/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 cups (14 ounces) granulated sugar (I used 1-1/2 cups)
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice (I used 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, 1 tsp. allspice)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup (3 1/4 ounces) vegetable shortening (trans-fat free)
4 cups (12 ounces) peeled, chopped apples (about 1 pound before peeling)
1 cup (4 ounces) walnuts, chopped

Brown Sugar Frosting
5 tablespoons (2 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (3 1/4 ounces) firmly packed brown sugar (light or dark)
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) milk
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Cake: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 9 x 13-inch pan.

Mix all of the ingredients except the apples and walnuts in a large bowl. Beat until well combined; the mixture will be crumbly. Add the apples and walnuts, and mix until the apples release some of their juice and the crumbly mixture becomes a thick batter, somewhere between cookie dough and brownie batter in consistency.

Spread the batter in the prepared pan, smoothing it with your wet fingers. Bake the cake for 45 minutes, or until the cake tests done. Remove from the oven and place on a rack, to cool completely; don’t remove the cake from pan. When the cake is completely cool, frost with Brown Sugar Frosting.

Frosting: Melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and cook, stirring, until the sugar melts. Add the milk, bring to a boil, and pour into a mixing bowl to cool for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, stir in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Beat well; if the mixture appears too thin, add more confectioners’ sugar. Spread on the cake while frosting is still warm.

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Tags: allspice, autumn, Baking, brown sugar frosting, cake, cinnamon, Dessert, fall, fresh apple cake, nutmeg, potluck

This simple, fruit-studded cake is the perfect ending to a summer meal. I love the combination of peaches, raspberries and a hint of orange…delicious! I like to serve it at room temperature with a dollop of lightly sweetened, freshly whipped cream. The texture of the cake is best the day it’s made but leftovers are great with a morning cup of coffee.

I’ve tried making the cake with frozen raspberries but it works much better with fresh berries. The frozen berries make the batter too cold and then the cake takes FOREVER to bake (which results in the outside being too brown while the middle cooks). If you need to use frozen berries or peaches, let them come to room temperature before sprinkling them over the cake batter. Enjoy!

Raspberry-Peach Cake
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine

To draw out flavor from less than perfectly ripe fruit, toss it with a little extra sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Serves eight to ten.

6 oz. (1-1/3 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more for the pan
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. table salt
6 Tbs. (3 oz.) unsalted butter, at room temperature; more for the pan
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1-1/2 tsp. finely grated orange zest
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup plain yogurt

For the topping:
1/2 large, ripe peach or nectarine (about 3-3/4 oz.), halved and cut into very thin slices (aim for 1/16 inch)
3/4 cup (3-3/4 oz.) fresh raspberries
1 Tbs. granulated sugar
1 Tbs. unbleached all-purpose flour

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 9×2-inch  round cake pan. Line the bottom with a parchment circle cut to fit the pan, lightly flour the sides, and tap out the excess.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar on medium-high until well blended and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating on medium speed until just blended, and adding the orange zest and vanilla with the second egg. Using a wide rubber spatula, fold in half the dry ingredients, then the yogurt, and then the remaining dry ingredients. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the topping:
Combine the peach slices, raspberries, sugar, and flour in a small bowl. Using a table fork, mix the ingredients to evenly coat the fruit and lightly crush the raspberries. After the cake has baked for 15 minutes, slide the oven rack out and scatter the fruit evenly over the top of the cake, working quickly. Continue baking until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, another 25 to 30 minutes.

Let the cake cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the inside edge of the pan to loosen the cake. Using a dry dishtowel to protect your hands, lay a rack on top of the cake pan and, holding onto both rack and pan, invert the cake. Lift the pan from the cake. Peel away the parchment. Set a flat plate on the bottom of the cake and flip the cake one more time so that the fruit is on top. Serve warm or at room temperature.

From Fine Cooking 80, pp. 68
September 1, 2006

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Tags: cake, Dessert, orange zest, peach, raspberry

I love shortcake desserts! You pretty much can’t go wrong with a lightly sweetened biscuit (or in this case, cake) topped with fresh fruit and freshly whipped cream. YUMM! This recipe for Strawberry Shortcake is from Emeril’s Potluck Cookbookand is a perfect way to feed shortcake to a crowd. The sturdy sponge cake stands up nicely to the fruit and it’s juices…and it’s really pretty!

This dessert is best when served shortly after it’s made so if you need something made the day before an event (or even earlier in the day), find a different dessert. You can make the cake a day in advance, and prepare the strawberries and whip the cream (seperately) then assemble the dessert shortly before serving. The longer the dessert sits, however, the higher the risk of having mushy cake. If you don’t want to serve the shortcake in a bowl, you can also layer the berries and cream over the whole cake or just cut pieces of cake and pile the berries and cream on each serving. It’s not rocket science so you can make it how you want it.

Recipe changes I made: For the strawberries, I used less sugar and substituted some orange juice for the Grand Marnier (I didn’t want the pregnant ladies to get liquored up). Also, I added a teaspoon or so of vanilla to the cake.

Strawberry Shortcake
-recipe from Emeril’s Potluck Cookbookby Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, plus 2 teaspoons, softened
6 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons milk, at room temperature
3 1/3 cups granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 pounds strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and sliced
1/2 cup orange-flavored liqueur, plus a little more for drizzling (recommended: Grand Marnier)
1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
5 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and grease a 9 by 13-inch glass casserole with the 2 teaspoons of butter and set aside.

Combine the eggs and milk in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until frothy. Add 1 1/3 cups of the sugar and continue to beat at high speed until the mixture is quite thick and pale yellow, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Fold this mixture gently into the egg mixture. Gently stir in the melted butter and then transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan and bake in the center of the oven until risen and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack before proceeding.

Make the strawberry topping by combining the strawberries, remaining 2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup orange liqueur, and orange zest in a large bowl and tossing to combine. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to assemble the dessert.

Make the whipped cream by combining the heavy cream with the confectioners’ sugar in a large bowl and beating with an electric mixer or whisk until slightly thickened. Add the vanilla and continue to beat until the mixture nearly forms stiff peaks.

When ready to assemble the dessert, poke holes all over the cake using a cake tester or toothpick. Drizzle cake with a little orange liqueur. Cut the cake into 1 1/2-inch cubes and place half of the cake cubes on the bottom of a deep-sided dessert bowl. Add half of the strawberry mixture over the top of the cake cubes, juices and all, spreading strawberries evenly with a spatula and allowing the juices to absorb into the cake. Top with the remaining cake cubes and then the remaining strawberries. Top with the whipped cream and serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 hour in advance before serving.

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Tags: Dessert, shortcake, strawberry, trifle, whipped cream

There’s nothing like a good, homemade pound cake served with fresh berries.  This recipe for Sour Cream and Lemon Pound Cake is easy to make, moist and velvety, and has a light lemony flavor. It’s a great dessert for Spring and Summer celebrations and gatherings.

The first time I made the cake, it seemed a bit “eggy” to me so this time I used 5 eggs instead of 6. I also added a teaspoon of vanilla to the batter. After I took the cake out of the oven, I went for a run, which meant the cake cooled in the pan on a rack for about an hour. When I tried to turn out the cake, it stuck in a few places. I’m not sure if I didn’t grease the pan good enough or if it sat too long in the pan. Anyway, I didn’t sweat it…I just made a quick glaze with lemon juice and powdered sugar to drizzle on the cake. Not only did the glaze add more lemony flavor but it did a nice job of covering the holes. Serve with fresh berries.

Sour Cream and Lemon Pound Cake
-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine

Yield: Serves 12

3 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups sugar
6 eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease 16-cup tube pan. Dust pan with cake flour; tap out excess flour.

Sift flour, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl at medium speed until fluffy. Gradually add sugar and beat 5 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until combined after each addition. Beat in lemon juice and peel. Using rubber spatula, mix in dry ingredients. Mix in sour cream. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Let cake cool in pan on rack 15 minutes. Cut around cake in pan. Turn out cake.

Carefully turn cake right side up on rack and cool completely. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Wrap in foil and let stand at room temperature.)

Tags: butter, Dessert, lemon, pound cake, sour cream, sugar