Hummingbird Cake

Disclosure: No actual hummingbirds were harmed in the making of this cake.

I found this recipe browsing through my Big Oven app on my phone. Marked it 'Try Soon' and I have already made three of them. Only one stayed at the house, the others to mother's work and brother's work. I suppose I am good for something after all.

Hummingbird Cake

from Big Oven

Ingredients:

3 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

8 oz. can crushed pineapple with juice

1 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs, well beaten

3 medium bananas, chopped

1 cup walnuts or pecans, finely chopped

1/2 tsp vanilla

Glaze

1 tbsp butter or margarine, melted

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325F.

Generously grease a 10" tube or a fluted tube pan.

To make the cake: In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.

Next remove 2 Tablespoons of juice from the can of pineapple. Set this juice aside for the glaze

To the flour mixture, add the can of pineapple, the oil, eggs, banana, nuts, and vanilla. Stir until just blended. Do not beat.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the 325 degree oven for about 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto a wire rack and remove the pan from the cake. Cool completely.

To make the glaze: In a small bowl combine the melted butter or margarine with the powdered sugar. Add enough of the reserved pineapple juice to make a glaze of drizzling consistancy. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake. For a glaze with a whole new dimension, try substituting rum for the pineapple juice.

I'm not the most patient of people so I have tried to glaze a warm cake and the frosting melted into the cake. Yeah, don't do that. Be patient and you will be rewarded with a cake that looks store bought. I added rum to one of the glazes plus the pineapple juice. It was about 2 tsp so it wasn't overpowering at all. I sent that cake to my brother (of course).

Tine's Notes: It'll take a couple of hours to completely cool. I KNOW. If pressed for time, make the night before and leave to cool overnight. This recipe makes 14 servings, you can freeze the cake if you need to.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Let's face it, cream cheese is a blessing and a curse. It creates cheesecake and also I imagine it blocks arteries just as sufficiently. But let's not think about that just right now. Focus on the positive. Stare at this beauty... and yes, I used the real, regular cream cheese and this came out PERFECT. Light cream cheese can suck it.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake  

from Mrs. Fields' Best Ever Cookie Book

Ingredients:
-Crust
5 ounces chocolate cookie crumbs (about 1 cup)
2 tbsp salted butter, melted

-Filling
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
16 ounces sour cream (about 2 cups)
3 large eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
9 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Prepare the crust: Grind cookies into fine crumbs using a blender or a food processor fitted with a metal blade, Add butter and blend until smooth. Press crust into bottom of 9-inch springform pan, and refrigerate while preparing the filling.

3. Prepare the filling: Beat cream cheese until smooth in a large bowl using an electric mixer. Blend in sugar and sour cream. Add the eggs and vanilla, and mix until smooth.

4. Using a wooden spoon, stir in 1 cup of the chocolate chips. Pour filling into the crust-lined pan, and smooth top with a spatula. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips evenly over the top.

5. Bake 30 to 40 minutes. Turn oven off and leave cheesecake in oven for 1 hour to set. Remove from oven and chill in refrigerator until firm, about 3 to 4 hours.

Yield: 12 to 16 servings

Tine's Notes: No seriously, I understand some people are very health conscious but cheesecakes aren't meant to be low-fat. Use the real stuff, your mouth will thank me while your waist...that's another story.

Choconut Macaroons

A twist on a classic.

Choconut Macaroons
from Mrs. Fields' Best Ever Cookie Book

Ingredients:

1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp almond paste
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
2 ounces mini semisweet chocolate chips (about 1/3 cup)
3 large egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Combine almond paste and sugar in a medium bowl. Using your fingers, work paste into sugar completely. Add coconut and chocolate chips and stir to combine.

2. In another medium bowl, beat eggs whites until fluffy using absolutely clean beaters. Add cream of tartar and beat on high until stiff peaks form. Add half of beaten egg whites to coconut mixture and combine to lighten. Fold in remaining whites gently, being careful not to deflate.

3. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake for 20 minutes, or until tops are lightly browned. Cool 1 minute on the cookie sheets before transferring to a cool surface.

Tine's Notes: I used regular chocolate chips so these spread a little more than I would have liked but they came out fine. Crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside!

Mocha Mousse Cheesecake

Definitely one of those recipes that once you read the title and see the picture, you will dream about this until you make it. Is that just me? I bought a springform pan just for this baby. Well, I'm sure there was one long ago in this house... but it's hard to say where it went. I would tell you how long this cheesecake lasted in a household of 2, but it's shameful. I tried... but LOOK at it!


Mocha Mousse Cheesecake
from Mrs. Fields Best Ever Cookie Book

Ingredients:
-Crust
4 ounces chocolate chip cookie crumbs (about 1 cup)
2 tbsps salted butter, melted

-Filling
24 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
8 oz. sour cream (about 1 cup)
3 large eggs
7 oz. semisweet chocolate chips, melted (about 1 1/4 cups)
1/2 cup coffee, freshly brewed
1 tbsp vanilla extract

-Glaze
5 oz. semisweet chocolate (about 3/4 cup)
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) salted butter, softened

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2, Make the crust: Use a blender or food processor with a metal blade to grind cookies into fine crumbs. Add butter and blend until smooth. Press crust into bottom of s 9-inch springform pan. Refrigerate while preparing mousse.

3. Make the filling: In a large bowl with and elective mixer, beat the cream cheese until very smooth. Add sugars and sour cream, and blend thoroughly. Add eggs and beat until mixture is smooth.

4. Add melted chocolate, coffee, and vanilla, again blending ingredients until smooth. Pour filling into prepared pan, and bake in middle of oven for 50 to 60 minutes.

5. Turn off oven, crack door 1 inch, and leave cheesecake in oven 1 hour to set. Then remove from oven and cool to room temperature.

6. Make the glaze: In a small saucepan melt chocolate and butter over low heat; stire until smooth. Pour glaze over top of cheesecake and smooth with a  metal spatula. [When baked cheesecake has cooled, pour chocolate-butter glaze over the top and smooth with a metal spatula to form a thin chocolate frosting.] Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours or until firm. Cut and serve.



Tine's Notes: So in a [futile] effort to be healthier, I opted to use low-fat cream cheese and fat free sour cream. Let's just say, you can tell the difference-- see picture. They are really serious about fat content in cheesecake. After a couple of days, I hate to admit the consistency was less creamy and more crumbly. Also for measurements, I've started using a scale for exact measurements-- had it already, might as well use it. I used Chips Ahoy! cookies for the crust.

Thing I learned: Also, please remember to wrap the bottom of your springform with foil or you'll deal with a smoky mess the next time you use the oven. *I did.*

Luscious Lemon Bars

I love bar desserts because they are finger foods, but can also be elegant. Thus enter lemon bars.

Luscious Lemon Bars
From Southern Living

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
4 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp baking powder
Powdered sugar for topping

Preparation:
1. Combine 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup powdered sugar.

2. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender until crumbly. Firmly press mixture into a lightly greased 13x9-inch pan.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

4. Whisk eggs in a large bowl; whisk in 2 cups granulated sugar and lemon juice. Combine remaining 1/4 cup flour and baking powder; whisk into egg mixture. Pour batter over crust.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until set. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars, and sprinkle evenly with additional powdered sugar.

Easy-as-pie [pineapple carrot] cake

No really, this has to be one of the easiest cakes to make. First, it's just baked as a sheet in a 9 x 13 pan. Second, it's glazed to make it pretty for all the superficial foodies. Third, it tastes YUM. Now, I know you may see the flavor combination as strange, but the pineapple gives this cake great moisture. Recall carrot cake *cough more-like-bread cough* Yeah so this solves that issue.

I made this the night before I left for a trip to Austin for 5 days and I didn't get to see it again. Say it with me, folks. Re-frid-ger-ate. Ok thanks!

Pineapple Carrot Cake

Ingredients:
3 c. flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
2 c. sugar
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)
1 c. salad oil or your choice of vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
2 c. fresh carrots, grated
1 c. crushed pineapple (not drained)
1/2 c. milk


Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and sugar.

2. Add nuts and toss with flour mixture. Stir in oil and eggs. Add carrots, pineapple and milk.

3. Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees about 35-45 minutes. Cool, then frost with the following frosting:

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla or lemon juice
1 (1 lb) box powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 c. nuts, chopped

Tine's Notes: I added chopped pecans and used fresh pineapple and this was perfect. Honestly, you can't really taste any pineapple flavor so keep that in mind. I had extra frosting from the Red Velvet cupcakes I made a while back so I used the remainder instead of making another batch which is why my glaze is barely there. Probably better for the waist right? Sure....

Coconut goodness

Lately, I've been snacking on coconut flakes. Seriously. Straight out of the package. Sad, but true. I was determined to actually make something that contained coconut flakes rather than eating the entire package. Would I ever tell you this in real life? Most likely not.

Yesterday's lunch, I kid you not

 
What did I make? Jamie's Coconut Cake [from Paula Deen-- you just KNOW it's going to be good and unhealthy]

I only had one 9" pan so this took awhile, but helped with waiting to ice the cake which is my biggest downfall. Pretty much every cake I've ever made got iced entirely too early and got runny. This wonderful cake is pretty dense, but stacks SO well. It's lightly flavored and doesn't have any coconut extract.

It's a beauty, isn't it?

Oatmeal Cake with Broiled Icing

Got this recipe from one of the baking blogs I follow. This is a perfectly moist and light, but wannabe fancy little cake. Another great dessert to file away....

Oatmeal Cake with Broiled Icing

Cake Ingredients:
1 cup quick-cooking oats (see note)
3/4 cup water , room temperature
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Broiled Icing Ingredients:
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 tablespoons milk
3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Directions:
1. FOR THE CAKE: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Create a foil sling for the pan: cut two 16-inch lengths of foil and fold them to widths of 5 inches each. Fit foil pieces into baking dish, one overlapping the other, pushing them into corners and up sides of pan; allow excess to overhang pan edges. This creates a sling that will help you remove the cake after baking and cooling. Spray foil lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Combine oats and water in medium bowl and let sit until water is absorbed, about 5 minutes. In another medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together.

3. In bowl of standing mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium speed until combined, 2 to 4 minutes, scraping down bowl halfway through mixing. Add egg and vanilla; beat until combined, about 30 seconds. Add flour mixture in 2 additions and mix until just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add soaked oats and mix until combined, about 15 seconds.

4. Transfer batter to prepared pan and lightly tap against counter 3 or 4 times to dislodge any large air bubbles; smooth surface with spatula. Bake cake until toothpick inserted into center comes out with few crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let cake cool slightly in pan, at least 10 minutes.

5. FOR THE BROILED ICING: While cake cools, adjust oven rack about 9 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. In medium bowl, whisk brown sugar, melted butter, and milk together; stir in coconut and pecans. Spread mixture evenly over warm cake. Broil until topping is bubbling and golden, 3 to 5 minutes.

6. Let cake cool in pan 1 hour. Transfer cake to serving platter, then discard foil. Cut cake into squares and serve.

*ATK’s notes: Do not use old-fashioned or instant oats for this recipe. Be sure to use a metal baking dish; glass pans are not recommended when broiling. If you have a drawer-style broiler (underneath the oven), position the rack as far as possible from the broiler element and monitor the icing carefully as it cooks in step 5. A vertical sawing motion with a serrated knife works best for cutting through the crunchy icing and tender crumb.