Cream Cheese Pound Cake

 

 

My sweet boy, turned 20 years old on the 11th of April.

I have always made my kids birthday cakes, I don't think I've ever bought them a cake at the store, or maybe once?  Although I can honestly say, I don't remember ever doing it.  

But anyway, some of their cakes I decorate with fondant, and some with icing, and then some are just plain cakes, it all depends on what they request for that year.

 

 

For his 20th, he just wanted me to make one of his favorites, which is pound cake.  That's it, a simple pound cake, no parties, no big get togethers, nothing, just a cake and dinner with dad and mom, and his sister.

So that is what I did.

I have to say, this is probably one of my favorite cakes too.  I much prefer a simple, plain cake, to one that is slathered in frosting and icing.  

 

 

 

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Source:  A Spicy Perspective

 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened (3 sticks)
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 6 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour

 

 

Directions:

 

• Set out the butter, eggs, and cream cheese to come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Move one oven rack to the center of the oven and remove any racks above it.
• Pull out a standard 12-cup capacity bundt pan. Grease the bundt pan with extra butter or shortening, then scoop 1/4 cup sugar into the pan and shake it around until the fat is well coated in sugar. Dump out any excess sugar. Set aside.
• Place the softened butter and cream cheese in the bowl on an electric. Beat on high until the mixture is totally smooth. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula, then add the remaining 2 3/4 cups sugar. Beat on high again for 3-5 minutes to cream the ingredients until very light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl again.
• Turn the mixer on low and beat in the eggs, vanilla extract, baking powder, and salt. Then slowly add the flour a little at a time, until fully combined. Once the batter is smooth, turn off the mixer, as to not overmix the batter.
• Scoop the batter into the prepared pan. Bake on the center rack for 80-90 minutes. After 80 minutes, test the cake by inserting a toothpick deep into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, take the pound cake out of the oven.
• Let the cream cheese pound cake rest in the pan for 15 minutes. Then carefully flip the cake onto a platter or baking rack.

 

Bolo Bem Casado - Well Married Cake

Think of a divine cake, vanilla, spongy, soft, with this dulce de leche filling.  I think it may be one of the easiest cakes to make, but one of the most delicious you'll ever eat.

The name is quite funny, if you translate it word for word from Portuguese to English, it will mean Well Married Cake.  Yep!!!

Which I can understand because the cake layer together with the caramel flavor of the dulce de leche, makes the perfect combination.

I have been trying to make more easy, different desserts, for our weekends.  For that purpose, I've been tapping into my Portuguese and Brazilian roots, and bringing to life favorite recipes from long ago.  

The kind that were passed down from generation to generation, or even the one dessert that you remember eating as a child.  

I have many that my great grandmother used to make for us, and I wish more than anything that she was still around to help me in the kitchen, and to continue sharing with me her experience, trust and tried recipes and so on.

I may not have her, but I do have many of her recipes.  Can't wait to bring them here to the blog and share them with you all.

Bolo Bem Casado 

For the cake:

4 eggs

1 and a half cups of sugar

3/4 cup oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 and a half cups of all purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

3/4 cup of water

For the Dulce de Leche:

I cooked a can of condensed milk (please look online on how to do it, I used my instant pot for mine)

 

For the drizzle:

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat the eggs with the sugar until soft and pale yellow.  Add in the oil, vanilla and beat well for another minute.  Next, add in the flour, baking powder and water, and combine until well incorporated.

Pour into a greased 13 x 9 inch pan.    Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center, comes out dry.

Remove from oven and set aside until completely cooled.  Then remove from pan, and slice in half to create two layers.

Place one of the layers back in pan, then spread the cooked condensed milk (dulce de leche) over it.  Top with the remaining layer.

In a small saucepan, add the water, sugar and vanilla extract.  Mix well and then bring to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes.  Remove from heat.   Drizzle onto the cake, making sure to cover it well, then pour any remaining syrup into the sides of the pan so the cake absorbs it.

Sprinkle on powdered sugar.  Enjoy!!!

Banana Crumb Coffee cake

 

I have a very similar recipe, already here on the blog. But can we ever have too many banana cake recipes?   I don't think so. 

 

Well bananas are my favorite fruit, right up there with strawberries.  When it comes to dessert though, I am not a huge fan of strawberry anything, I much prefer banana flavored.  I guess that's a good thing because bananas are one of those foods in my kitchen that go bad really quickly, so I'm always on the lookout for a good way to use them up.

 

If you're looking for a few recipes to make using your ripe bananas, just do a quick search here on the blog, I have a quite a few waiting for you to try.

 

 

 

The trick to this amazing coffee cake, is to layer the batter and the topping. 

 

Ask me if I did that this time? 

 

No, no I didn't.  I was quickly getting this recipe together, in the middle of cooking dinner, and proceeded to dump the whole batter in.  When I realized what I had done, I grabbed a spoon and just stirred it all up, then added the topping.

 

Not what it is supposed to be, at all, but you know the taste is still there and that is what matters.

 

Besides, who has never made a mistake in the kitchen?  Cause this girl right here, still makes quite a few to this day.  You would think that with as much as I cook and bake, and how much time I spend in the kitchen, I would be an expert, but nope, mistakes are still made.

 

Anyway, this is the perfect coffee cake for a breakfast, a brunch, an afternoon dessert or a family get together.

 

So good!

 

 

 

Banana Crumb Coffee Cake

 

 

Ingredients

Crumb Layers 

1/2 cup cold butter (8 tablespoons), cut into small cubes  

1 cup all purpose flour 

1 cup packed light brown sugar 

1/2 cup granulated sugar 

1 tsp ground cinnamon 

 

Cake 

2 cups all-purpose flour 

3 tsp baking powder 

1 tsp ground cinnamon 

1 tsp salt 3 ripe bananas, peeled and mashed 

1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature 

1 cup granulated sugar 

2 large eggs 

1 tsp vanilla 

1 cup milk 

 

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar 

1-2 tbsp 

 

 

Instructions 

Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease a 9" x 13" baking dish with butter or cooking spray; set aside. 

 

In a large bowl, use your hands or two forks to crumble together the cold butter cubes, flour, sugars, and cinnamon until the mixture resembles a crumbly topping. Set aside the crumb mixture. 

 

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside. In a stand mixer, mix softened butter on medium until creamy, about 2 minutes. 

 

Add the sugar and mix for another minute, until well incorporated. Then add the eggs, vanilla, and mashed bananas, and mix just until ingredients are incorporated (do not overmix!) 

 

Turn the mixer down to low, and alternate mixing in milk and flour until all ingredients are combined. 

 

Pour half of the cake mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with ⅓ - ¼ of the crumb mixture. Then pour the remaining cake mixture on top of that layer and finally, top evenly with the remaining crumb topping. 

 

Bake at 350º for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. 

 

 

To make the glaze: 

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk. Add more milk as needed until you get the glaze consistency you prefer. Set aside. 

 

Cool at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before drizzling the glaze over the top, slicing, and serving.

Churros Cake

Stop what you're doing, go into your kitchen, and get this cake baking in the oven.  I don't care what you go do for the next 40 to 50 minutes while it bakes, but you have to get this cake in the oven, like NOW.

I am always in the kitchen and usually have a cake baked every week, or some other type of sweet treat or dessert.  I just love having that special something for the kids, for the husband, or for me to enjoy on a lazy afternoon, with a cup of coffee.

The first time I made this cake, I was a little apprehensive, only because I wasn't quite sure how the whole condensed milk in the bottom of the cake pan, was going to work out.  But the minute that I inverted that cake into the cake platter, I got it, and you will too.

So, let's get going.  You don't need anything too out there, matter of fact, you should have all these ingredients in your pantry, and since we are all under quarantine anyway, it may just be the perfect moment to whip up something special for your family.

You won't regret it, and if you're anything like me, it may just become your favorite cake.

Sorry Tres Leches, but the Churros cake may have just surpassed you.

Churros Cake

1 can condensed milk
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cup oil
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder (I would actually suggest using 2 teaspoons instead, as the whole tablespoon sometimes makes the quite dense)


Preheat the oven to 350º F.

Grease a bundt cake pan with either butter and flour, or non stick spray.   Pour the can of condensed milk into the pan and then place in the fridge to chill, while you prepare the cake batter.

In a big bowl, mix the flour and baking powder, set aside.

In a blender, beat 1 cup sugar, 3 eggs, 3/4 cup oil, 1 cup milk and 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, for about 3 minutes.

Add the blender mixture into the flour mixture, stir.  Try not to over beat the batter, just mix until all ingredients are combined.

Remove the cake pan from the fridge, and then slowly and very carefully pour the cake batter in, being careful not to mix the batter into the condensed milk. 

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Remove from oven and let cool down for 5 minutes before inverting onto cake platter.

Bolo de Milho (Brazilian Cornmeal Cake )

There is a special moment in every day life, when you're Portuguese that is, that you have this thing called "lanche".

It is typically in the afternoon between lunch and dinner, and is comprised of a cup of coffee or tea and a slice of cake, some fresh bread with butter, or a sandwich etc.

There really isn't a translation to the word and it's not something that I see many other countries doing, unless in Europe, or Brazil.  It is certainly not something done in America where I've lived for the last 21 years.

But, it is something I try to hold on to as part of my heritage, and really, who says no to a slice of yummy cake mid afternoon?

I try to make a cake every few days, my family has gotten used to it and almost expect it.  When one is finished, I start thinking about which to make next.

This cake that I'm sharing today is certainly one of my favorites, although not a fave or even liked by my son Nicholas, who can not stand cornbread or cornmeal of any kind.  To him, it's a texture thing, and I get that as corn does have that unique texture, almost grit to it, but I absolutely love it.

Typically you would add guava paste.  It is very similar to the Marmelada that we make with the Quince fruit, but using Guava instead.  You can find it at Walmart and local ethnic stores.

Basically you just cut it into small cubes and gently drop them into the cake batter before baking.  I didn't have any guava paste on hand, so I substituted with half teaspoon drops of raspberry jam.  It still turned out phenomenal.    This step is optional though, and you don't have to add anything to the corn cake, it is equally delicious without.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Bolo de Milho (Brazilian Cornmeal Cake)

1 cup flour
1 cup Corn Meal (I like using yellow, but you can use white corn meal too)
1 tbsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1cup sugar
2 eggs
½ cup Vegetable Oil
1 cup milk
Guava Paste cut into half inch cubes, or jam of your choice (optional)



Heat oven to 350°F.   Grease a cake pan, bundt or 13x9.  Set aside.

In a mixer bowl, beat eggs and sugar until creamy and pale yellow.  Add the oil and milk.

In a separate bowl, mix together flour, salt, corn meal and baking powder.  Add to egg mixture and mix until smooth.

Pour batter into greased cake pan.  If adding guava paste or jam, gently drop around the cake batter.  They will likely sink to the bottom, but that is ok.  Bake for about 30 minutes, until the cake starts pulling away from the sides, or a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.  If using bundt pan, invert cake onto plate.

Copycat Starbucks Banana Bread

You're probably thinking "Another banana bread recipe?".

I know, it's a very common dessert to make, and I think everyone has their own favorite recipes.  I myself have made this numerous times, with numerous recipes and some have been great, others have been flops.  But, that is the way it goes when you bake, constantly trying, experimenting, failing and trying again until you find that one recipe you know will never fail you.

I came across this recipe in a youtube video and happened to have a bunch of bananas that had become overripe, which in my house means, no one will touch it, not even with a 10 foot pole.

After trying this recipe, I must say that it is one of the most delicious banana bread I've ever had, and hey, much cheaper than going to Starbucks and paying 4 dollars for a slice, right?

Quick note, the recipe calls for walnuts but I didn't have any on hand, the only thing I had was sliced almonds and that is what I used.  Still turned out very good.

Copycat Starbucks Banana Bread

Source:  My Frugal Adventures

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg
1⅛ cup sugar
½ cup vegetable or canola oil
2 tablespoons buttermilk or milk
½ teaspoon vanilla
3 bananas mashed very well
½ cup chopped walnuts



Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Add flour, baking soda and salt to a small bowl and set aside. Mix egg, sugar and oil and stir until well combined.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir well. The mixture will be thick and dry. Next add milk, vanilla and bananas and stir until incorporated. Mix in walnuts and pour into a loaf pan.

Cook 50-75 minutes, checking regularly until a knife comes out clean.

{ Christmas Fruit Cake }

 It's that time of the year.  By now, if you're going to be making Fruit Cakes for Christmas, you need to start baking them or at the very least figuring getting all your ingredients ready to go.  The sooner you make them, the better they turn out.

I actually made my first in October, and today I made another two.  I'm using a completely different recipe, one which I got from one of my favorite vloggers Helen from Wright At Home on Youtube.

This is her grandmother's recipe, and I truly believe that the best recipes are those handed down from generation to generation.  Too often I see people trying to create shortcuts or substitute this for that ingredient in an attempt to make things more glamorous, but it doesn't always turn out well.  It's been my experience that the simplest of ingredients and the simplest of recipes are often the best ones.

This was my first time using Helen's recipe, and I think it may just become my go to and favorite for the holidays.

Christmas Fruit Cake

Source: Helen Wright

200 gr flour
200 gr butter
200 gr sugar (I used half light brown sugar and half white)
4 eggs
800 gr fruit
half tbsp salt
4 tbsp spice and cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped cherries
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup raisins
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


In a bowl, mix all the ingredients, until well incorporated.  I used my kitchenaid which made it easier to mix everything.

Line a cake pan.  The recipe didn't specify the size, but I used a round 8 inch pan for mine.  Make sure to line the bottom and sides of the pan.  Most fruit cakes require you to then wrap the pan in newspaper or brown paper and tie it, but this recipe didn't say to do that.

I was wondering if it would affect the bake, but it didn't and it baked up beautifully.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 for one hour and a half to two hours.  The cake is ready when you insert a wooden skewer and it comes out completely dry.  Helen actually makes it a point to say that is what her grandmother used to say, so it needs to be absolutely dry which will help it keep for a long time once it's out of the oven.

Once baked, removed from oven and allow to cool completely, then poke holes with a wooden skewer and pour over either whiskey, brandy or rum. 

I use rum in my cakes, that's our preference.  There really is no measurement but if you need to measure then I would say about 2 tablespoons or so.

Allow it soak in, then double wrap the cake in saran plastic wrap, then double layer of aluminum foil.  You can keep the cakes in a tupperware cake box, or as they are, but keep them out of sunlight and in a dark spot.  I keep my cakes in the pantry.

Every week, until Christmas, unwrap them and feed them again with more drink of your choice.  These cakes will keep for a really long time.

Enjoy :)

Chocolate Orange Drizzle Cake

In the world of cakes, I am one who prefers simplicity.

Maybe it's the fact that I grew up used to simple homemade vanilla cakes, those that my grandfather would throw together at midnight, just because the 4 grandchildren said they wanted cake.  He was awesome like that.

He never really measured, he never really used a recipe, he actually didn't cook much but we all knew him for his perfect cakes.  There were no rich sweet gloopy frostings slathered on top, or complicated fillings.  They were homemade, plain, not too sweet, with a dusting of powdered sugar, and enjoyed over a cup of tea.

Those memories have stuck with me my whole life.

I'm not a huge cake fan, I've always been more into savory than sweets, and I really dislike very rich cakes especially with tons of frosting.  They make me feel quite sick, to be honest.  But once in a while I'll get a hankering for a slice of fluffy cake and I have to cave.

And here we are.....

If you like chocolate oranges, you are in for a treat, because this cake tastes just like one of those. My son loves the chocolate oranges and he was quite excited when I handed him a slice of this cake after photographing for the blog.

The recipe comes from one of my very much loved British cookbooks that I've had for many years.

Chocolate Orange Drizzle Cake

For the cake
1 ½ sticks of butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
3 large eggs
Grated rind of 2 oranges
1 ¾ cups self rising flour, sifted
2 tbsp milk

For the topping
Juice of 2 oranges
½ cup sugar
2 oz. semisweet chocolate

Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Grease and line a 7 in. round pan.  Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well.  Add the grated orange rind, flour and milk and fold in with a metal spoon.

Turn into the prepared pan, smooth the top and bake for 30-40 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the pan.

When cool, score the top of the cake lightly with a sharp knife.  Put the orange juice and granulated sugar into a pan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved.

Bring to the boil and boil for 1-2 minutes.  Pour over the cake.

When all the juice has soaked in, carefully remove the cake from the pan.  Melt the chocolate and drizzle over the top.

You can leave it as is, or do a dusting of powdered sugar like I did.

Victoria Sponge

If I were told to pick just one dessert, whatever it was, to have for the rest of my life, the choice would be simple, Victoria Sponge.  With Strawberry Jam and fresh whipped cream.

I can't begin to tell you how delectable this cake is.  It tastes like a million bucks, but it's actually quite easy to make, when you have the right recipe.

I struggled for years to get it right.  I always ended up with a not so spongy sponge cake, it was flat, it was chewy, it was terrible and nothing like what it's supposed to be.

After trying many recipes, I almost gave up on the idea of being able to produce a delicious Victoria Sponge, that is until I realized that the perfect recipe had been sitting in my pantry all along.

A few years ago I bought 2 cookbooks packed with British recipes, the best of the best the most common cakes, desserts and breads. 

So this afternoon while browsing through one of the books, I came across the recipe and I almost didn't make it for fear it would just be a waste of ingredients again, but I decided to set those fears aside and go for it.  I am SO glad I did.

THIS is it folks, this is the perfect no fail Victoria Sponge. 

But I'm going to stop talking and just share the recipe so you can go ahead and make it for your family too.....or for yourself.  Trust me, I know.  I have to be very careful not to inhale this baby all on my own.

VICTORIA SPONGE

1 and 1/4 cups self rising flour, sifted
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup soft butter or margarine
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
Strawberry Jam
Powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 325 F.  Grease and line two 8 in. round sandwich pans.  Put all the ingredients except the jam and powdered sugar in a standing mixer and beat the living daylights out of them.

When the batter is fluffy, very pale and almost mousse-like, divide it between the two pans and smooth out.  Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center, comes out clean.  The cakes should be springy to the touch.

Cool on a wire rack, and when cool sandwich them together with strawberry jam and dust the top.

If you want to use cream as well, use a layer of whipped cream on top of the jam before placing the second cake on top.

Enjoy!!!

Carrot Cake

Hello friends, I'm pretty sure you're surprised to see me here.  I know, I've been an awful food blogger, but so much has been going on in my life the past year and a half, that it's been quite hard to consolidate my personal life, moving across States, dealing with some family health issues and cooking.

Some meals have been whatever is on hand.  Some meals have been based on the cheapest ingredients I could find, some meals have happened thanks to local take outs.  But, with that said, the love that I have for being in the kitchen and cooking, has never diminished in any way, shape or form.  It's just had to take a back seat.

I don't know how things will go from this moment on, but I've been severely lacking some updates here on the old blog, and I've also terribly missed trying new recipes, posting, sharing and all that fun stuff.

So I'm back, and I decided that the way to come back would be by bringing some cake for us to share over a cup of coffee.

There are not many cakes I consider my favorites, I would have to actually state quite firmly, that my cake loves center on Chocolate, Tres Leches, or Carrot.  That's it!!!  I am not saying I won't eat others, but I don't crave them, I don't go out of my way to make them or have them, they're just there.

Right, so Carrot Cake, homemade, with fresh carrots, some mixed nuts thrown in, cinnamon and sweetness......all rolled into a great Fall cake.

If you want to make something for your family, that is not out of a box (and I'm totally not judging, boxed mixes live in my pantry and are often used in a pinch), then give this one a try. 

Carrot Cake

Source:  All Recipes

4 eggs
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped pecans. Frost the cooled cake.

{ Cinnamon Roll Cake }

Oooooohhhhh my word.  This cake is just beyond words.

If you're looking for simple cake to enjoy with a cup of hot coffee, then look no further, this is it.

I am not going to waste anymore time, but jump right into the recipe, because I know that is what you're waiting for.

Cinnamon Roll Cake

Source:  Rumbly in my Tummy

Cake:
3 c. flour
1/4 tsp.salt
1 c. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 c. milk
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. butter, melted

Topping:
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Directions:
Mix everything together except for the butter. Slowly stir in the melted butter and pour into a greased 9×13 pan. For the topping, mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Drop evenly over the batter and swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 for 28-32 minutes.

Glaze:
2 c. powdered sugar
5 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

While warm drizzle the glaze over the cake.

Banana Nut Cake with Caramel Icing

Oh my.....ooohhhhhhhh myyyyyyy!!!!

Ok so you all know Miss Kay from the Duck Dynasty series right?  Remember I shared her Honey Pecan Pie a while back?  And that was like, so good.

Well going through her cookbook earlier, I came across this recipe for banana cake, and what do you know, I actually have a bunch of bananas that are going bad and need to be made into bread, cake, smoothies etc.

THIS though, oh my goodness, it's so good.  Moist, flavorful all on it's own, but then throw in some caramel icing and it takes it to a whole other level.

If you have to make just one cake in the next week or two, let it be this one, you won't be disappointed.  And trust me when I tell you that Miss Kay's Duck Commander Kitchen is one cookbook every kitchen should have.

Banana Nut Cake with Caramel Icing

Adapted from:  Miss Kay's Duck Commander Kitchen

2 cups all purpose flour
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 medium ripe bananas
2 eggs
chopped almonds

Caramel icing
1 stick butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup milk
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour the cake pans or bundt pan.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add the shortening, buttermilk and bananas.  Mix with the electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Add the eggs and beat 2 more minutes.  Fold in the almonds.

Pour the batter into 2  9-inch pans, or a bundt pan.  Bake until the layers start to pull away from the sides and a toothpick inserted in the center of a layer comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.

Let the layers cool in the pans for a few minutes, then run a spatula around the sides and invert the layers onto a wire rack to cool completely.

While the layers are cooling, make the frosting.  In a saucepan on medium heat, bring the butter and brown sugar to a boil and boil for 2 minutes.  Add the milk and bring back to a boil.  Remove from heat and let cool slightly.  Stir in the powdered sugar.

When the cake layers are cool, frost the top of one layer.  Put the other layer on top and frost the top and sides.

Note:  I used my bundt cake and did not frost the inside or all around the cake, just the top.

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Salted Caramel Sauce

Stop what you're doing, go into the kitchen and bake this cake.  Right now!

No really, I know you probably think I've lost my mind, but I haven't, it's just that I need you to enjoy this cake as much as I am.



Calories you may ask?  I have no clue, haven't even attempted to figure it out because I figure it's somewhere in the gazillion calories, but I don't care....because I really needed some Fall goodness, and because one bite of this amazing spiced cake with that caramel drizzled all over, and it's like an out of body experience.

*sigh*

No more talking, here's the recipe.  And if you don't make it today, don't blame me for missing out on something phenomenal.  Just saying!

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Salted Caramel Cake

Adapted from:  Chow.com

For the cake:

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
2 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil, plus more as needed
4 large eggs
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée (not pie filling; about 1 3/4 cups)

For the salted caramel sauce:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3/4 stick), cut into 6 pieces
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon fine salt

To serve:

Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)


For the cake:

Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Coat a 12-cup Bundt pan with vegetable oil and flour and tap out any excess flour.

Place the measured flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to aerate and break up any lumps; set aside.



Place the sugar and measured oil in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until the sugar is incorporated, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle with a rubber spatula.



Return the mixer to medium speed and add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, about 1 1/2 minutes total mixing time. Reduce the speed to medium low, add the pumpkin, and beat until just combined, about 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle with a rubber spatula.



Turn the mixer to low speed, slowly add the flour mixture, and beat until almost completely incorporated, about 1 minute. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in any unincorporated flour at the edges with a rubber spatula, making sure to scrape to the bottom of the bowl.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour to 70 minutes.

Remove the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Turn the cake out onto the wire rack and cool completely.



For the salted caramel sauce:

Melt the butter in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the sugar, cream, and corn syrup; stir until the mixture is smooth and bring to a boil. Continue to boil, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes more. Remove from the heat, stir in the salt, and set aside to cool slightly.

To serve:

Dust the cake with powdered sugar (if using), slice, and serve with the salted caramel sauce.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

I'm not a huge fan of cakes, frankly, I have to be in the mood for cake.  But the past few days I had been craving cake, I don't know why, just really really really wanted some.

So while looking through my Bisquick cookbook my eyes landed on the Cream Cheese Pound Cake and I knew that was the one I had to have.

It's such a quick recipe to put together and it results in a delicious, light, airy, pound cake which is perfect on it's own or topped with some fruit.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

3 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
3/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 eggs
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
Powdered sugar, if desired


Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 10-inch angel food (tube) cake pan, 12-cup fluted tube cake pan or 2 (9x5-inch) loaf pans.

Beat all ingredients except powdered sugar in large bowl on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 4 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan.

Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; turn pan upside down onto wire rack or heatproof serving plate. Remove pan; cool cake completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Makes 16 servings

Bisquick Upside Down Pineapple Cake!

I love Bisquick, it's one of those pantry staples that I always keep on hand.

But did you know that's it's not just good for pancakes and biscuits? I think far too many times it's taken for granted because this little box can make so much more, like a delicious fluffy cake.

So here's what happened, I got a craving for something sweet, and I haven't made Pineapple Upside Down cake in a long, long, lonnnnnng time.......but I also wanted to make a super fast recipe without too many ingredients.

Little did I know that Bisquick has a great recipe for just what I was looking for.

I changed a few things, for one, I didn't use pineapple slices because all I had on hand were chunks.

I also omitted the pecans and the cherries. But it's SO SO good, I've had two slices already, so so bad.

QUICK PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE
Credit: Bisquick

1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 can (8 oz) pineapple slices, drained, cut in half
2 tablespoons chopped pecans, if desired
Maraschino cherries, if desired
1 1/2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup milk or water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg


1. Heat oven to 350°F. In 9-inch round pan or 8-inch square pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over melted butter. Arrange pineapple slices in single layer over sugar mixture. Sprinkle with pecans. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice (cherries with stems can be added after baking).

2. In large bowl, beat remaining ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed 4 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake a few minutes so brown sugar mixture can drizzle over cake; remove pan.

Cool at least 10 minutes before serving. Store loosely covered.