Kristen's Recipes

Apple Ginger Cake with Whipped Cinnamon Crème Fraîche

2 C. heavy cream

4 T. cultured buttermilk

4 apples

1½ C. flour

1¼ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1½ tsp. ground cinnamon, divided

1 C. sugar

½ C. butter, room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs, room temperature

2 tsp. grated ginger

2 T. brown sugar

Sliced almonds

To make the crème fraîche, mix heavy cream and buttermilk in a clean jar and secure a piece of cheesecloth over the top with a rubber band to allow some air flow. Place on the counter for 12 to 24 hours until it thickens (if your kitchen is cold, it might take longer). Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. If you don’t have time to make your own, you can use store-bought or replace with sour cream. Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter the sides and bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Cut a round piece of parchment paper and place in the bottom of the pan. If using a regular cake pan, line with parchment paper, enough to hang over the sides so that it’s easy to remove the cake after baking. Peel, core and slice apples into half moons and set aside. Mix flour, baking powder, salt and 1 tsp. ground cinnamon in a bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, cream the sugar and butter for about 1 minute until fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, and beat until just mixed. Add ½ C. crème fraîche and ginger; beat until combined. Mix in the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon or spatula and stir until there are no lumps or dry bits of flour. Fold about ¼ of the sliced apples into the batter and stir until fully coated. Pour batter into the greased pan and smooth out the top. With the remaining apples, create a pattern on top, laying slices however you like and pressing them slightly into the batter. Bake for 70 to 80 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the apples begin to brown too quickly, place a piece of foil on top during the last 10 minutes of baking. While the cake bakes, use an electric mixer to whip 1 C. of the remaining crème fraîche with brown sugar and ½ tsp. cinnamon until stiff peaks form. Store in the fridge until the cake is ready to serve. When the cake is done, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Run a knife along the outside edge before removing from the pan. Cool on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting. Just before serving, sprinkle with sliced almonds. Serve each slice with a dollop of whipped crème fraîche.

Zucchini Ricotta Pound Cake

Cooking spray

1 ½ C. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1 ¾ C. whole-milk ricotta cheese at room temperature

1 C. sugar

¾ C. butter at room temperature

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. almond extract

1 C. shredded zucchini about 1 medium zucchini

Preheat the oven to 325°. Spray or grease an 8 1/2- by 4 1/2­ inch loaf pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl until thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds. Use an electric mixer to cream together the ricotta, sugar, and butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy, 6–7 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until smooth, about 2 minutes more. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. With a silicone spatula, fold half of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Repeat with remaining dry ingredients, scraping the bottom of the bowl to incorporate any hidden flour. Fold in the zucchini. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and tap the pan lightly on the counter to release any air bubbles. Move the pan to a baking sheet and bake for 70–75 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out nearly clean, with just a couple of crumbs. Cool the cake in the pan for about 30 minutes, loosen from the pan by running a knife around the edges, and invert onto a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

Pistachio Lemon Cake with Strawberry + Basil Salsa

Makes 1 (9½-inch round) cake

2 sticks/8 ounces butter, room temperature plus more for greasing the pan

Zest of 1 lemon

1 C. sugar

3 eggs, room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla

1 ½ C. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. sea salt

1 C. ground pistachios (see note)

Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Strawberry + Basil Salsa (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line the bottom of a 9½-inch round pan with parchment paper. Grease the bottom and sides with butter. Cream the butter in a mixer until it’s light in color and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Rub the lemon zest into the sugar to release its oils. Add this to the butter and mix another minute. Add the eggs to the mixture one at a time, beating for 2 minutes each. Mix in the vanilla. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt and add this to the bowl all at once. Mix gently, being careful to not overmix. Add the ground pistachios. Pour the batter into your pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a rack, then turn it out to serve. Dust with powdered sugar before serving if you’d like—the cake doesn’t really need it because it’s sweet enough, but the powdered sugar makes it extra pretty. Serve with Strawberry + Basil Salsa on the side. Note: To make ground pistachios, simply put shelled, unsalted pistachios in your blender or food processor and pulse until finely ground.

Strawberry + Basil Salsa

1 pound strawberries, hulled (see note)

⅓ C. sugar (or more, depending on sweetness of your berries)

4 large basil leaves

1 T. fresh lemon juice

Slice and chop the strawberries into a ¼-inch dice and toss into a medium bowl with the sugar. Finely chop the basil and add this to the bowl along with the lemon juice. Taste and adjust as needed. Let rest for a half-hour before serving. Note: Don’t throw those strawberry tops in the trash! Put them in a pitcher of water and store in the fridge—and you’ve got strawberry water.

Romanian Intelligent Cake

2 sticks unsalted butter, melted

9 eggs at room temperature

1 tsp. lemon zest

2 cups flour, sifted

4 cups whole milk, at room temperature

Pinch of salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. rum extract (optional)

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by- 13-inch glass baking dish with parchment paper, leaving the ends long enough to hang over the long edges of the dish to help with lifting the cake out of the pan later. Melt the butter and let it cool until it is warm but still melted. Separate the eggs, placing yolks and whites in separate large bowls. Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the egg yolks with the powdered sugar and lemon peel until they become pale. While beating on low speed, slowly add the melted butter, then the sifted flour, then the milk. To the bowl of egg whites, add salt, vanilla extract and rum extract (if using). Beat until they are stiff. Using only a wooden spoon or a spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture a large spoonful at a time. Do not overmix it. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 1 hour. Resist the urge to open the oven. After 1 hour, test for doneness by jiggling the pan gently (the middle should be firm). If needed, bake for up to 30 minutes longer, checking every 10 minutes or so (again, try not to open the door too often). Turn off the oven and leave cake in the oven with the door closed for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours, or until the next day. To serve, run a paring knife around the outside of the cake to make sure it has not stuck to the pan anywhere, then use the overhanging parchment to lift cake out of the pan. Dust with powdered sugar, cut into 2-inch squares and arrange on a serving platter. When you cut into this custardy cake, it will have formed its own layers and have a slightly crispy top.

Horchata Sheet Cake

21/2 C. (312 g) unbleached all-purpose flour

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1/4 tsp. fine sea salt

3/4 C. (12 T./170 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 3/4 C. (350 g) sugar
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

3 large eggs
1 1/3 C. (305 g) buttermilk

6 T. (47 g) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 C. (300 g) sugar

1/4 tsp. Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1/8 tsp. fine sea salt

1 1/2 C. (354 g) horchata (from your favorite taquería)

1 1/2 C. (342 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla bean paste

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

2/3 C. (157 g) horchata (from your favorite taquería)

Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease a 9 × 13-inch (23 × 33 cm) cake pan.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt and set aside.  In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with the sugar on medium speed for 2 1/2 minutes, until light and fluffy and paler in color. Add the vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add one-third of the dry ingredients, mix on low to incorporate, then one-third of the buttermilk, followed by another third of the dry mixture, another third of the buttermilk, and then finally the last amount of each. Mix just until combined, then use a silicone spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything’s mixed in. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth it out, and bake until the cake is lightly golden brown and a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let the cake cool completely in the pan. Make the buttercream: In a small saucepan, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Whisk in the horchata until everything has been fully incorporated. Set over medium-low heat and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking occasionally to make sure it doesn’t burn. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat and continue whisking until the pudding has thickened, about 2 minutes. Use a silicone spatula to transfer the pudding to a plate and immediately press plastic wrap onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool for a few minutes, then refrigerate for about 1 hour or until it has cooled completely.   In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the butter on medium speed with the vanilla and cinnamon for a minute. With the mixer on low, add the cooled pudding mixture 1 T. at a time until it’s all been added to the bowl, then boost the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.   Soak the cake: Use a toothpick to poke small holes on the surface of the cake, then drizzle the horchata over the cake to soak. Spread the frosting evenly over the cake. Return the cake to the refrigerator for 30 to 45 minutes to firm up the frosting. (This makes for a clean cut, and to me, cold buttercream just tastes so much better!)

Peach Cake

1 stick butter

2 eggs

1 15-ounce can peaches

2 cups self-rising flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping:

¾ cup evaporated milk

¾ cup sugar

1 stick butter

½ cup reserved peach juice

In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and eggs. Drain peaches and reserve juice. Smash peaches; add to mixture and mix well. Add flour, cinnamon and baking soda. Mix well. Pour into a greased 9-by-13 cake pan. Bake 325 F. for 40 minutes. In a saucepan, add milk, butter and sugar. Over medium heat, bring to boil and cook for 5 minutes. Stir often. Remove from heat and add peach juice. Mix well. Remove cake from oven and allow to slightly cool. Poke holes all over warm cake. Pour warm topping over cake.

from Cooking Light, September 2003

Cake:

Cooking Spray
1 C. Flour
1/4 tsp. Vanilla
Dash Salt
4 lg. Eggs
1/2 C. Sugar
1/4 C. dark Rum
1 14oz. can fat-free Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 5oz. can Evaporated fat-free Milk

Fruit:

1 C. cubed Pineapple
1 C. cubed peeled Kiwifruit
1 C. cuped peeled Mango
1 T. sugar

Custard:

1/4 C. Egg Substitute
2 T. Sugar
1 T. Cornstarch
1/2 C. skim Milk
1/4 tsp. Vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. To prepare cake, coat a 9″ round cake pan with wax paper; coat wax paper with cooking spray and set pan aside. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife. Place 1/4 tsp. Vanilla, salt and eggs in a large bowl, beat with a mixer at high speed 2 minutes. Gradually add 1/2 C. sugar, beating until thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Sift flour over egg mixture, 1/4 C. at a time; fold in. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Bake at 375 for 20 minutse or until the cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool cake in pan on wire rack. Combine the rum, condensed and evaporated milk in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Pierce top of cake in several places with a skewer. Pour rum mixture evenly over top of the cake in two batches, beginning at outer edge and working inwards. Cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Run a knife around outside edge of cake. Place a serving plate upside down on top of cake; invert onto plate. To prepare fruit, combine all fruit with 1 T. of sugar and toss gently. Cover and refrigerate overnight. To prepare custard, place egg beaters in a bowl and set aside. Combine 2 T. sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Gradually add 1/2 skim milk, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Bring to a boil over medium heat’ cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Slowly stir in one-fourth hot milk mixture into egg beaters. Once that is mixed in, add the egg mixture into the hot milk, stirring constantly, to prevent curdling. Cook over medium heat one minute or until thick. Remove from heat and spoon into a bowl and place into a large ice filled bowl for 10 minutes or until custard comes to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/4 tsp. vanilla; spread custard over cake. Serve with fruit mixture.

Yield: 12 servings
Serving Size: 1 cake slice and 1/4 C. fruit

Calories: 255
Fat: 2.2g
Fiber: 1.2g

2 1/4 C. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/3 C. Fleischmann’s margarine, softened
1 1/4 C. sugar
3/4 C. Egg Beaters 99% Real Egg Product (3 eggs)
1 1/4 C. bananas, mashed
2/3 C. plain nonfat yogurt

In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and baking soda; set aside. In large bowl, with electric mixer at medium speed, beat margarine and sugar until well combined. At low speed, blend in egg beaters and bananas. Add flour mixture alternately with yogurt, mixing until smooth. Stir in walnuts if desired. Spoon batter into greased and floured 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack. Dust with confectioner’s sugar if desired before serving.

Caramelized Banana Upside-Down Cake

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/3 cup light brown sugar

4 large bananas, just ripe, sliced lengthwise

1/4 teaspoon table salt

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon table salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Melt the butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and salt and cook until melted, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and decoratively press the bananas (flat side down, rounded side up) into the caramel, until all of the caramel is topped with bananas. Set aside. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized bowl, and set aside.  Place the oil, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the egg and yolk, and continue whisking until smooth. Add the buttermilk and whisk again. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and using a rubber spatula, gently fold to combine. Do not over mix. Scrape the batter over the bananas and gently smooth the top. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, rotating at the halfway point, until a cake tester comes out with a moist crumb or two. Immediately run a paring knife around the edge of the pan. Let sit for 5 minutes, then carefully invert the cake onto a serving platter. If bits of caramel or banana stick to the bottom of the pan, scrape them off and place them back onto the cake. Let cool until the caramel sets a bit, about 20 minutes, or cool to room temperature. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. The cake will keep wrapped in plastic on the counter for up to 3 days, but it is best the day it is made.

Light, Fluffy Butter Cake

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar, divided

2 sticks (16 tablespoons/8 ounces/227 grams) good-quality unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¹/₄ to ¹/₂ teaspoons finely grated lime, lemon, or orange zest (optional)

1 ¹/₂ cups (200 grams) all-purpose flour (my favorite is Pillsbury bleached all-purpose flour; do not use cake flour), divided

2 ¹/₄ teaspoons baking powder

¹/₄ cup (60 milliliters) whole milk, room temperature, divided

Heat the oven to 335°F. Spray an 8-inch metal square, preferably light-colored, pan with cooking spray.  Separate the egg whites from the yolks. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add ¼ cup (50 grams) of the sugar and beat until stiff. Set aside (transfer to another bowl if you need the same bowl to cream the butter). In another large bowl, using the electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream the butter and the remaining ¾ cup (150 grams) of the sugar until and fluffy. Be patient; it may take 5 to 10 minutes. Add the vanilla and lime zest, if using. Add the eggs yolks one at a time, gradually beating for a few seconds to incorporate after each addition. In a small bowl, using a fork, mix ¾ cup of the flour with the baking powder, stirring for 1 minute to aerate. Add to the butter mixture and mix on low speed just to incorporate. Do not overmix.  Add half of the milk and mix for a few seconds to combine. Add the remaining milk, mix again to combine, then mix in the remaining flour. Add half of the egg whites and mix on low speed to combine. Using a spatula, fold the remaining egg whites into the batter. Be patient—it may take quite a few turns of the bowl to fold in the egg whites. My trick is to turn the bowl as I fold. What I do is to do a “quarter turn” of the bowl (as if I’m turning the bowl from a 0-minute position to a 15-minute position) and fold; turn the bowl to a 30-minute position and fold; turn the bowl to a 45-minute position and fold; turn the bowl to a 0-minute position and fold. Repeat the turning of the bowl and folding until all egg whites are well incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and level with a spatula. Bake for 45 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F and continue to bake for about 9 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. You will see that the cake has risen to the very top of the pan but the surface remains flat (don’t worry if you see a few bubbles). Let cool on a wire rack for 15 to 30 minutes, then invert on a plate, then invert again onto the rack or a platter. I like to wait until the day after to eat it, but you don’t have to. Let cool for a couple of hours before serving

Louisa’s Cake

9 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

3 large eggs

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 pinch salt

1 cup fresh ricotta

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 apple, peeled and grated (should yield about 1 cup)

Confectioners’ sugar for serving

Heat the oven to 400° F. Butter and flour a 9- or 10-inch springform pan. Cream the butter and sugar in a standing mixer until light and fluffy. On the lowest speed, add the eggs one at a time. Slowly add the flour, salt, ricotta, lemon zest, baking powder, and apple. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and the sides start to pull away from the pan. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn the cake out of the pan and cool completely on the rack. Sift confectioners’ sugar over the top or serve with your favorite seasonal fruit.