Chocolate and Roses

 There are so many ways to frost a cake. You can spoon it on, schmear it on with a butter knife, you can create swirls and dips with the back of a spoon, you can create an ultra smooth exterior and you can pipe it on. I'm a big fan of super smooth frosting- it's the perfectionist in me that gets all giddy by flawless buttercream :-) I generally only pipe frosting when I'm doing a border on a cake or when decorating cupcakes. But I've wanted to try the piped "rose" look on a cake for awhile and I finally had the opportunity to. It's so easy!

I used a Wilton 2D tip to pipe this. I use this one the most because it makes great flowers and ruffles depending how much pressure you apply. This was my first time trying this so it's not perfect but this technique is good for hiding flaws too. You can go to Bella Cupcakes for a step-by-step on how to do this. 

I made a Devilishly Moist Chocolate Cake recommended by my friend Paloma and covered it in Berry Buttercream. The recipe for the cake is below, but you'll have to get my cookbook if you want the mixed berry buttercream recipe :-) You can use any buttercream recipe you want though to create the swirled roses on this cake or any other cake or cupcakes. Though I have to say, this cake was really good (and stayed moist for several days)!

Devilishly Moist Chocolate Cake 

slightly adapted from The Cake Book by Tish Boyle via Food.com

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• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup natural cocoa powder (not Dutch processed)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 2/3 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

Position oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat oven to 325°. Grease bottom and sides of a 9x3 inch round cake pan; dust the pan with flour and set aside.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the sugar, and using the paddle attachment, mix at low speed until blended.

Add the oil and mix a few seconds, until the dry ingredients are crumbly.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs until blended.

Whisk in the milk and vanilla extract until blended.

With the mixer at low speed, add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and mix until blended, scraping down the sides of bowl as needed.

Gradually add the boiling water and mix just until blended and smooth; scraping down sides as needed.

Pour batter into cake pan.

Bake for 45-55 minutes, until a pick comes out clean.

Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes.

Invert cake onto the wire rack and cool completely. Frost as desired.

Makes 1 9-inch round cake

If you missed it, I announced the winner of the Smucker's giveaway HERE! 

Latte Cheesecake and Wacky Weather

Happy December! I always wondered what Christmastime in a tropical climate was like. Wondered if people decorated their palm trees with C-9 bulbs and tinsel garland while wearing flip flops and tank tops, stopping to take a break to beat the heat with an icy beverage. Then I realized that 2012 would be the year that I got to experience that, only I'm still in Texas! This weather is so strange. It was 80 degrees today and does not feel the least bit like winter. I had lunch with a friend today (hi L!) and went to pick up Hayden at my mom's house, only to find him wearing nothing but a diaper helping Grandma stick candy canes in the ground. It was a sweet image, but nekkid babies playing outside in December??? It's unreal!

Needless to say, I have yet to start  my holiday baking. There has not been a single cookie to grace my Silpat lined sheets but I will get there. In the meantime, I hope you'll enjoy this recipe for Brownie Latte Cheesecake.  I made it last month as part of the Cake Slice Bakers and it was delicious.  Cheesecake is holiday-ish, right? It probably won't be a part of any cookie trays this year but sometimes you need a nice centerpiece dessert and this is it. 

Instead of a typical cookie crumb crust, this cheesecake has a thick, dense, fudgy, chocolate rich base. In contrast, the filling is ultra creamy and light in texture. The flavors of chocolate, espresso, vanilla, and Kahlua compliment each other so well. This is definitely one for sharing and a little sliver goes a long way but that's what makes it ideal for holiday gatherings and celebrations, that and it can be made a couple days in advance. I'll get my act together, paint the windows with a can of fake snow and flip the switch on my fireplace to get me in the butter baking mood. If y'all have any great holiday cookie recipes for me, please share!

Brownie Latte Cheesecake adapted from The Cake Book

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For The Brownie Layer: 

• 4 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
• 1 Tablespoon instant espresso powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

For The Latte Filling: 

• 1 1/2 pounds (24 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons espresso powder, dissolved in 1 Tablespoon hot water
• 2 Tablespoons Kahlua
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream 
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
• 4 large eggs

To make The Brownie Layer: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9x3-inch springform pan. Cut an 18-inch square of heavy duty aluminum foil and wrap around the outside of the pan. 

In the top of a double boiler, melt the chocolate with the butter over barely simmering water, stirring occasionally. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and stir in the espresso powder, vanilla extract and salt. Whisk in the sugar until combined. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, until blended. Stir in the flour until no traces remain. 

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer. Bake the brownie for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached to it. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool while you make the filling. Leave the oven on. 

To Make The Latte Filling: In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese at medium-low speed until creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar and beat until blended. Add the vanilla extract, espresso mixture, Kahlua, salt, sour cream and cornstarch and mix until well blended. At low speed, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. 

Scrape the batter onto the brownie layer and smooth the top. Place the springform pan in a roasting pan or a large baking pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come about 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan. Bake the cake in the water bath for 70-80 minutes, until the center is set but slightly wobbly (the cheesecake will continue to set up as it cools). Turn the heat off and crack the door, allowing the cake to cool in the oven for about 30 minutes. Remove the cake from the water bath and place on a rack and cool to room temperature. 

Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving. 

Sleeping Beauty

Because Sometimes You Just Need Pie

Pie is just one of those comforting desserts that warms your heart and soothes your soul. It doesn't matter if it's warm from the oven crumb topped apple pie or pucker up cool and tangy key lime pie eaten al fresco in the middle of Summer. Pie is just a comfort food, for me at least. So last month when we (The Cake Slice Bakers) were faced with the challenge to make a peanut butter and chocolate mousse "cake" I knew I'd be turning it into a pie. I use the term "cake" loosely, because there's not one part of this recipe that goes into the oven. You start with a cookie crust, layer in some fluffy peanut butter and chocolate mousse and glaze it with a healthy dose of deep, dark and rich ganache. Sounds good, right?

Peanut butter and chocolate go hand in hand. Most people love that combination, I've just never been a huge fan of it. I know you're all looking at me like I'm crazy, but it's true. I love peanut butter and I love chocolate, separately, on their own, not together. My brother LOVES it though so I made this pie for him. Lately we've all been dealing with some financial stuff. It seems everywhere I turn someone is. This economy is just rough and you do what you have to do to get by. If you're not struggling in some way, kudos to you! For my brother, he had to sell his beloved truck. He is a car "collector"- his favorites being old Cadillacs. He needed some cash flow and this truck needed to find a new home. He was kind down in the dumps about it so this pie was made for him. It was a "I'm sorry this economy sucks and you had to sell your truck, but I still love you" kind of pie. And sometimes we all need that. 

In fact right now, I could use about a dozen of these kinds of pies. If you're in the same situation, consider this pie for you! There are several steps to make this pie and several dishes to wash! There's a bowl for the crust, one for the whipped cream, another two for the mousse layers and another for the glaze, plus a food processor a saucepan and any measuring tools and spatulas. But is it worth it? heck yes! It seems rather lengthy and involved but each step is fairly simple and straightforward. It just takes time and patience but in the end you'll be rewarded with a creamy and decadent pie sure to warm your heart even if you never turn the oven on. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Pie adapted from The Cake Book by Tish Boyle

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For The Chocolate Wafer Crust: 

• 1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (I used Oreos, with the filling scraped out)
• 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

For The Peanut Butter Mousse: 

• 2.5 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream

For The Chocolate Mousse: 

• 2.5 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 oz. milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 3 Tbsp whole milk 
• 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

For The Chocolate Glaze: 

• 3 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

To Make The Chocolate Crust: In a medium bowl, stir together the cookie crumbs and the melted butter. Stir until well combined. Pat the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Refrigerate the crust while you make the peanut butter mousse. 

To Make The Peanut Butter Mousse: In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter at medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar and mix until well blended. Add the peanut butter and salt and mix until well blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Set bowl aside while whipping the cream. 

In a large clean bowl, beat the heavy cream with an electric mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Gently fold 1/2 cup of the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture until almost blended. Fold in another 3/4 cup of the whipped cream until completely blended and no white streaks appear. 

Scrape the peanut butter mousse into the prepared pie pan and spread it into an even layer. Refrigerate while you make the chocolate mousse. Cover the remaining whipped cream and refrigerate ready to use. 

To Make The Chocolate Mousse: Place both chocolates in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely ground. Leave the chocolate in the food processor. 

In a small saucepan, combine the milk and sugar and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently until the sugar dissolves. With the food processor running, pour the hot milk through the feed tube, and process until the chocolate is completely melted. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the vanilla extract, and process until well blended. Scrape the mixture into a medium bowl. 

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold 1/4 of the reserved whipped cream into the mousse. Fold in the remaining cream until completely blended. Scrape the mousse onto the peanut butter mousse layer and smooth the top using an offset spatula. Refrigerate the pie while making the chocolate glaze. 

To Make The Chocolate Glaze: Place finely chopped chocolate into a medium bowl. 

In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil.  Pour cream over the chocolate and let sit for a few minutes. Add the vanilla, then gently stir until the chocolate is completely melted and the glaze is smooth. Do not over mix or you'll incorporate air bubbles. Let the mixture cool at room temperature for 10 minutes before using. 

Pour the cooled glaze over the chocolate mousse layer. Using a small metal spatula, spread the glaze evenly over the top of the pie. Sprinkle the top with peanuts if desired, for garnish, before the glaze sets. 

Chill the pie for at least 2-3 hours before serving. Loosely cover pie and store any leftovers for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. 

Zebra Stripes and Instagram

Last month, The Cake Slice Bakers made White Chocolate Espresso Icebox Cakes. It had been on my list to make since I got The Cake Book by Tish Boyle last Fall, but last month was such a busy time for me that I just didn't get to it. And then this month, the cake of choice was a lemon roll and that didn't get baked either. It seems the 20th of every month (when we're supposed to share our cakes) comes and goes and I end up cakeless. Well being cakeless is never a good thing, so I decided to make the Icebox Cake- perfect for this hot weather we're having because I didn't even have to turn the oven on!

I've made an icebox cake before and while it was tasty, this one was so much better because it's frozen. The white chocolate espresso mousse that gets sandwiched between the chocolate wafers is so darn creamy and smooth. It's almost like a giant ice cream sandwich but with a hint of espresso and obviously way better than those fake vanilla novelties you get from the grocery store. Another great thing about this cake is that is can be made up to 2 weeks in advance, so all you need to do is pop it out of the freezer, cut off a slice or three and pop it back in the freezer. The first bit was as good as the last. Are you supposed to feed this kind of sugar laden espresso dessert to an almost one-year old? Probably not, but Hayden loved it! 

Speaking of Hayden, his first birthday is in 8 days! Where does that time go? I am so unprepared and have nothing planned for his big day. NOTHING. There will be cake, that I know. What kind? How big? What color? no clue! We may do something small for him on his actual day then have family over the following weekend for a celebration. I can't believe he has grown up so fast. I just started playing around on Instagram and am addicted already! I'm having so much fun sharing pics of Hayden on there. My Instagram name is Monica_h30 if any of you are insterested!

White Chocolate Espresso Icebox Cake adapted from The Cake Book

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• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 tsps powdered gelatin
• 2 1/4 cups heavy cream, divided
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 8 oz. high quality white chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 tsps vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp Kahlua or Frangelico liqueur 
• 1 box Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers  (you may not use the entire box)

Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, letting it extend a few inches over each short end. 

Pour the water into a small heatproof cup. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let it soften for 5 minutes. 

In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of the heavy cream along with the instant espresso powder and bring the cream to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir until espresso dissolves. Remove the pan from the heat and let mixture infuse for 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile put the cup of gelatin in the microwave and heat for 8-10 seconds. Stir until the gelatin granules have completely dissolved. Reheat for 5-10 more seconds if necessary. 

Place the white chocolate in a large bowl. Pour the hot cream  and the hot gelatin over the white chocolate. Let the mixture stand for about 30 seconds to melt the chocolate, then whisk gently until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Whisk in the vanilla extract and the liqueur (if using). Set aside to cool to tepid, about 15 minutes. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the whisk attachment, beat the remaining 1 3/4 cups heavy cream to soft peaks. Gently whisk about one-third of the cream into the cooled white chocolate mixture. Using a rubber spatula gently fold in the remaining whipped cream in tow additions. 

To assemble the cake: Scrape about 1 1/2 cups of the mousse into the lined pan and smooth it into an even layer. Using a small spatula spread a chocolate wafer with about 1 tablespoon of the mousse. Stand the wafer upright in the mousse about 1/4-inch from the short end of the pan, with the coated side of the wafer pressing lightly against the long side of the pan. 

Spread another wafer with the same amount of mousse and position it so that it forms a sandwich with the first wafer. Repeat until you have created a row of wafers and mousse. (I used 15 chocolate wafers per row x 3 rows = 45 chocolate wafers). Make two more rows of sandwiched wafers to fills the pan. Scrape the remaining mousse on top of the wafers, letting it fill all the gaps between the wafers and the sides of the pan, and spread the mousse into an even layer with a spatula. Cover it with plastic wrap, pressing it gently against the mousse. Freeze thee cake for at least 4 hours, or until firm. 

To Serve: Peel off the plastic wrap, invert it onto a platter, slice and serve. 

Tall, Dark, Rich and Handsome

This past Sunday was Father's Day. And there's nothing better than a tall luscious chocolate cake to celebrate with so I was thrilled when The Cake Slice Bakers chose this cake to bake for the month of June. Mr. H is a true chocolate lover and this cake hit the spot on so many levels. There's light and fluffy cake loaded with cocoa, a fudgy chocolate pudding to fill the layers and then it's lovingly swathed in dreamy chocolate buttercream. And just to gild the lily, you take some of the cake, crumble it up and pat it into the frosting. This is a true man's cake. 

We celebrated Father's Day with my family at my mom's house this year. My aunt, uncle and cousin were there as well as my in-law's. In total there were about 12 of us and 5 dogs- it was a full house! We had 4 different kinds of quiche (because real men eat quiche), a fresh fruit salad, Parmesan roasted tomatoes, fresh squeezed orange juice, coffee, this Brooklyn Blackout Cake (click the link to read the history) and a cheesecake that my MIL made. I'll share that one later on! There was so much food and I ate a big honkin' piece of cheesecake that I filled up and didn't get to taste the cake until the next day. But the slice pictured in this post, was all mine :-)

It just dawned on me as I was thinking of past Father's Day celebrations and June 20th, that this day in 2004 is when Mr. H asked me to marry him. I had been working that day and was tired, my feet hurt and I was hungry. Mr. H picked me up from work to take me back to his parent's house for Father's Day dinner. I remember calling my Dad on the way over there to wish him a happy day when I realized that we weren't going to his parents house. Mr. H made a detour and we were headed to Mount Bonnell (click the link to read about it)- one of my favorite places and also the place where we went on our first date 13 years ago. Mr. H was very nervous and I had an idea of what he was going to do but I wasn't totally sure. Shortly there after, overlooking the lake and a beautiful sunset, he asked me to marry him. All these years later, we have a sweet boy named Hayden Bonnell. 

Mr. H, Hayden and GrandBob

Brooklyn Blackout Cake from The Cake Book 

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For the Chocolate Blackout Cake:

• 1½ cups (6.4 oz/181 g) all purpose flour
• 1 cup (2.9 oz/85 g) natural (not Dutch-processed) cocoa powder
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups (14 oz/400 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
• ½ cup (1 stick/4 oz/113 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup (240 ml) hot brewed coffee

For the Chocolate Pudding Filling:

• 4 large egg yolks
• 2/3 cup (4.6 oz/132 g) granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (240 ml) water
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) heavy cream
• 3 ounces (85 g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Fudgy Chocolate Frosting:

• 4 ounces (113 g) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 11 tablespoons (5.5 oz/156 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 2/3 cups (6.7 oz/191 g) confectioners sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

MAKE THE CAKE

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease the bottom and sides of two 9" round cake pans. (see me NOTE below.) Dust the pans with flour.

2. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the granulated sugar and, using the paddle attachment, mix at low speed until blended.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. At low speed, add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients in a steady steam. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then beat at medium speed until well blended, about 1 minute. Add the hot coffee, mixing just until blended. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and stir the batter up from the bottom of the bowl a few times to thoroughly blend it. Scrape the batter into the prepared pans, dividing it evenly and smoothing the tops.

4. Bake the cakes for 30 to 35 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans on wire racks for 10 minutes.

5. Invert the cakes onto the racks and cool completely.

MAKE THE FILLING

6. In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt at medium speed until pale, about 1 minute.

7. In a medium heavy saucepan, combine the water and cream and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk about half of the hot cream mixture into the yolk mixture. Whisk this mixture back into the remaining cream mixture in the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Continue to boil, whisking, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the chocolate until completely melted.

8. Pass the filling through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl. Stir in the vanilla extract. Cover the surface of the pudding with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until chilled.

MAKE THE FROSTING

9. Put the chocolate in a medium stainless steel bowl and place over a pot of barely simmering water. Heat, stirring frequently, until the chocolate is completely melted. Remove the bowl from the pot and set the chocolate aside to cool until tepid.

10. In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat at medium-high speed for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat in the vanilla extract and melted chocolate, then beat until well-blended and creamy, about 1 minute.

ASSEMBLE THE CAKE

11. Using a long serrated knife, cut each cake layer in half horizontally, to make 4 layers. Reserve one layer. Place another cake layer, cut side up, on a serving plate. Whisk the chilled filling until smooth. Using a small offset metal spatula, spread half of the filling over the layer. Top with another cake layer and spread it with the remaining filling. Top with a third cake layer, smooth side up. (See my NOTE below.)

12. Break half of the reserved cake layer into large pieces and place them in the bowl of a food processor (save the remainder of the cake layer for snacking). Process the cake to fine crumbs, and set aside.

13. Using a narrow metal spatula, frost the top and sides of the cake with the frosting. Pat a generous amount of cake crumbs onto the sides of the cake, pressing them lightly into the frosting. Sprinkle the remaining cake crumbs over the top of the cake. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

STORE in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for up to 2 days.

Yield : Makes one 9-inch cake, serving 10 to 12

NOTE: This recipe had you bake a cake in 2 9-inch layer then once baked and cooled, you slice them in half to make 4 equal layers. The cake uses 3 of those layers then half of the remaining cake layer is crumbled and patted into the frosting. Instead of having to cut the cake into equal layers and worrying about all the crumbs, I simply baked the cake into 3 layers and used about 1 cup of batter to make cupcakes for the crumbs on the outside of the cake. You can make it however you want, this was just simpler and less messy in my opinion and there wasn't any cake wasted. 

Hope you all had a delicious Father's Day!

An All Occasion Cake & A Winner

Last month for The Cake Slice Bakers we made individual warm chocolate cakes and they were delicious. You might be saying to yourself, "I don't remember seeing individual warm chocolate cakes. Where are they?" And rightfully so. I never blogged them because they looked like wrinkled old men and I didn't like any of the pictures. They didn't look good but they sure were tasty. Who knew "wrinkled old men" cakes could be so good? haha! You can click over to Becca's blog, Cookie Jar Treats, for the recipe if you're interested. I'm also linking to her blog because she is the lucky winner of Baking Basics & Beyond. Congrats Becca- email me with your address!

This month we baked a Cinnamon Swirl Buttermilk Pound Cake Bundt. Yes, that's a mouthful but there's not one part of that title that I don't like. This cake has winner written all over it and it was a nice addition to our Easter dinner. I made the cake the day before we needed it and when it came down to serving it Sunday evening I was too full to eat dessert. So I didn't get a slice until the following day and I have to tell you- even on day three, this cake was not the least bit dry! I tend to shy away from pound cakes because they can be too dense and heavy and sometimes dry, but this one has changed my mind.

I only had one slice of this cake and when I was done, I was wishing I had another. It was so light and fluffy with just the faintest taste of orange zest speckled through the cake. The star of the cake was the cinnamon swirl running throughout the cake, which made it sweet and spicy. Mr. H said it reminded him a lot of a breakfast coffee cake because it was so lightly sweetened. He's right, this cake would be nice at breakfast or for dessert any time of year.

On a side note, this is what Hayden gets to go while Mommy takes pictures of food. (He's going to have so many questions someday.) He loves sitting in his highchair and "playing drums" on the arm rests or looking at the trees through the kitchen windows. On this particular day he was enjoying a snack. He is quite the curious eater and wants to try everything I eat. He follows my fork and watches me pick my food up and put it in my mouth. Just the other day at dinner while he was sitting on my lap, he reached out for my fork and put it in his mouth. I was eating gnocchi with tomato cream sauce and he loved it. :-)

Cinnamon Swirl Buttermilk Pound Cake from The Cake Book
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Cinnamon Streusel Swirl:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Buttermilk Pound Cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom (1/4 ground teaspoon nutmeg may be substituted)
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
• 1 cup buttermilk

Garnish:

• powdered sugar for dusting

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease the inside of a 10-inch Bundt pan. Dust the pan with flour and shake out the excess.

For the Cinnamon Swirl: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt, breaking up any large lumps of brown sugar. Add the melted butter and stir until blended and crumbly.

For the Pound Cake: Sift together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cardamom (or nutmeg) into a medium bowl. Whisk to combine, and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the butter at a medium speed until very creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar and beat at medium-high speed until well blended and light, about 4 minutes. At medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat in the vanilla extract and orange zest. At low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk in two additions and mixing just until well combined.

Scrape half of the batter into the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer. Sprinkle the streusel mixture evenly over the batter. Scrape the remaining batter on top and smooth it into an even layer.

Bake the cake for 65 to 75 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.

Invert the cake onto the rack and let cool completely.

Dust the cake lightly with powdered sugar right before serving.

A Birthday Cake For My Hubs!

Between February 17th and March 30th, there are 6 birthdays and an anniversary in my family to celebrate- that's about one a week...and a lot of dessert! For my brother's birthday, I made him peanut butter marbled brownies, for Jack, I made a cherry almond Bundt cake, my FIL got an icebox lemon pie, my sister got a strawberry celebration cake and my hubby got this Tiramisu layer cake. Whew! 5 birthdays down, one more to go!

This cake was the winning cake for The Cake Slice Bakers for the month of January. I was way behind on making it, but it finally got done. I really liked it and it was impressive looking (in my opinion) but it was expensive and I had major issues with the cake part of the recipe, which meant I had to make it twice at 2 in the morning. I've never made a chiffon cake before and it was looking pretty perfect until I added the butter and the batter completely liquefied and deflated my egg whites. I wasn't sure what it was supposed to look like so I forged on and baked it anyway. A few minutes later, a rubbery flat cake emerged from the oven. The second attempt was better though not perfect. If I were to make it again, I'd use a different recipe for the cake part, but the espresso syrup and the mascarpone filling/frosting were delicious.

This cake almost made me cry and I almost scrapped it and tossed it all in the trash. I would have, if I hadn't already used up 18 eggs and promised this cake to my deserving husband! This layer cake version of tiramisu is great for a special occasion and tasted just like the original, but the chiffon had a little lemon zest in it that brightened up the flavor. I really liked that addition, but Mr. H did not. If I ever have a craving for tiramisu again, I'll just stick with the classic version that uses ladyfingers, and if necessary, plop a candle in it. I'm not sharing a recipe today simply because I'm too lazy to type it out and it has so many steps and also because I did a few things differently that the original recipe called for. You can click on over to Anabel's blog for a simplified recipe, if you'd like.

Anyway, for Mr. H's 32nd birthday this year, he requested filet mignon, shrimp, cheddar cheese risotto and roasted asparagus. His wish was my command. While I played in the kitchen, Daddy and Hayden took a little snooze together on the couch. This cake was the perfect ending to a relaxed day with my family. Happy birthday, my love!

• Recipe: Classic Tiramisu (Cooks Illustrated)
• Recipe: Tiramisu Cake (Oven Delights)
• Recipe: Tiramisu Cake (Apple & Spice)