Kristen's Recipes

Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting

 

2 C. (256 grams) cake flour (not self-rising)

2 tsp. (8 grams) baking powder

½ tsp. (3 grams) fine sea salt

8 T. (112 grams) unsalted butter, softened

1 C. (200 grams) sugar

3 large eggs, left at room temperature for 30 minutes

1 ½ tsp. (7 ml) vanilla extract

¾ C. (177 ml) whole milk

For the chocolate frosting

5 ounces (142 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ C. (120 grams) sour cream

1 T. (15 ml) whole milk

1 tsp. (5 ml) vanilla extract

Pinch of fine sea salt

Rainbow sprinkles

 

Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Butter and flour an 8 x 8-inch baking pan, tapping out any excess flour. Into a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk, beat butter and sugar together on medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time until incorporated. Add vanilla and beat for 5 minutes more. Reduce mixer speed to low and alternate between adding the flour mixture (in 3 parts) and the milk (in two parts), starting and ending with flour. Mix just until batter is smooth — do not overmix. Spread batter into pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, just until a cake tester comes out clean from the center. Cake will be pale, not brown. Cool completely before frosting. For the chocolate frosting Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler or in short bursts (about 30 seconds each) in the microwave, stirring between bursts. When melted, stir in sour cream, milk, vanilla and salt until smooth and glossy. Spread immediately onto cooled cake. Decorate with sprinkles. Frosting will set over time.

Peach Upside-Down Cake with Vanilla Caramel Sauce

 

Peach Topping

2 Peaches, sliced thinly into half-moons

1 tsp. Butter

1 tsp. Honey

Squeeze of Lemon

 

Cake Layer

1.5 C. + 2 T. Almond Flour

¼ cup Melted Butter (measure after melting)

¼ cup Honey

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 tsp. Lemon Juice

1 tsp. Coconut Milk

2 Eggs

¾ tsp. Baking Soda

 

Vanilla Caramel Sauce

3 T. Full Fat Coconut Milk (or Cream)

1 T. Maple Syrup

1 T. Sugar

1 T. Butter

¼-1/2 tsp. Vanilla

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. To make the peach topping, melt the butter and honey in a small skillet, then add the peach slices. Toss the peach slices in butter/honey mixture and add a squeeze of lemon. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until peaches begin to soften. Shut off heat and set aside until they cool. Lightly grease a 7-inch pan with a small amount of butter. Trace the bottom of the pan with a pencil on parchment paper and cut out circle. Place parchment circle on the bottom of the inside of the pan. Arrange peach slices in desired pattern on the bottom of the pan. I arranged mine in a wheel pattern. In a large mixing bowl, mix almond flour, butter, honey, vanilla, lemon juice and coconut milk until well combined. Whisk eggs in a small bowl and add to large mixing bowl, then add baking soda and mix until combined. Pour batter into pan over the peach slices. Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes, or until top of cake is golden and slightly firm. Remove and let fully cool. While the cake is cooling, make the sauce. In a small saucepan, heat butter, maple syrup and sugar on medium heat until melted. Add coconut milk. Stir or whisk until sauce begins to bubble. Let the sauce bubble for around 30 seconds, stir, and lower the heat to medium low. Add ¼ tsp. vanilla. Taste and add the additional ¼ tsp. vanilla for a stronger vanilla flavor, if desired. Allow the sauce to bubble and slowly boil again while stirring until sauce thickens and coats a spoon (this will take a few minutes, but it starts to thicken quickly so try not to walk away from it). Turn the heat off but keep the pan on the burner to keep the sauce warm. Once the cake is cool, carefully loosen the cake from the pan and flip it upside down onto a plate. Drizzle the warmed sauce over the cake or pour and spread the caramel over the top. Enjoy!

 

Lemon Crunch Cake

 

1 cup granulated sugar

zest of 1 lemon, peeled with a vegetable peeler into strips. You want the yellow part, with as little of the bitter white as possible. Note: you don’t want the peel of the lemon, just the outer zest. Use a serrated vegetable peeler for best results and just peel off the yellow part, leaving the bitter white behind.

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp lemon extract

topping

1/4 cup granulated sugar

 

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly spray and line a 9×9 baking dish with parchment paper. The paper is optional but helps lift the cake out for easy slicing. Put the sugar and zest in a food processor and process until the zest is completely incorporated, and the sugar is moist and pale yellow. Note: if you don’t have a processor then grate the zest of 1 lemon and mix with sugar by hand. Cream the butter and sugar together in a stand mixer, or in a bowl with a hand held mixer. Beat in the eggs, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Add the lemon juice and extract to the buttermilk. Alternately add the flour and buttermilk to the creamed sugar and eggs. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. Blend until everything is well combined, but don’t over mix. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out evenly. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the entire surface. Note: I know, it seems like a lot, but go with it, it makes a nice crust. Bake on the middle rack for about 30 minutes, or until golden.