Tag Archives: cake

CARIBBEAN CRUISE RUM CAKE

by carlina

caribbean-cruise-rum-cake.jpg

Ingredients:

2 sticks unsalted butter (250 grams), plus additional for pan
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4 large eggs at room temperature
2 tsp. rum (Bacardi Gold rum preferred)
1 cup cake flour plus additional for pan
Use an 8 cup fluted bunt pan

Preparation:

Pre-heat oven to 300° F (175° C)

Cream soft butter with sugar on medium speed of a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low, add 2 eggs (1 at a time) scraping the bowl after the eggs and add a little four to the mix. Add vanilla and rum to the mix. Add remaining 2 eggs, mix one more minute, and then add the rest of the flour until combined.

Lightly coat the bunt pan with butter, making sure to coat entire surface. Sprinkle the additional flour over the cake pan turning and tapping to ensure the pan is coated with the flour. Remove excess. Put the batter in to the pan. Put into the over for 45 minutes. The cake should be golden brown. Use a tooth pick to check for doneness. Insert tooth pick into the cake, the tooth pick should come out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before soaking.

While the cake is baking, prepare the soaking syrup.

1/2 cup rum (Bacardi Gold rum preferred)
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar

Heat water and sugar in sauce pan over low heat, until light simmer.

Remove from heat. Add rum and stir until combined. Once cake has rested for 2-3 minutes from oven, gently insert thin bladed pairing knife into the cake (three to four places only). Slowly pour 1/2 of the liquid, the cake will absorb the liquid slowly, if it doesn’t soak up the liquid straight away, wait a few minutes, then add the rest. Cool the cake completely in the pan before turning it out onto a plate. The cake is delicate and should not be moved after unmolding.

Must share with friends only.

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Photography by Stuart Spivak

OLIVE OIL and ROSEMARY CAKE

by carlina

olive-oil-cake.jpg

Ingredients:

1 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon fine salt
3 large eggs at room temperature
1-1/4 cups whole milk
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup Cointreau or other orange liqueur
1-1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil, plus more for oiling pans
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons anise seed
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup powdered sugar, for garnish
2 fresh rosemary sprigs, for garnish

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Oil a 10-inch round cake pan.

In a nonreactive saucepan, reduce the orange juice over medium heat to 1/4 cup. Add salt, stir, and let cool.

Lightly beat eggs on high for 1 minute until frothy. Add milk, sugar, Cointreau, olive oil, reduced orange juice, lemon zest, anise seed, and chopped rosemary. Mix for 1 minute until well-blended. Mix in the flour, baking soda, and baking powder until smooth.

Pour the mixture into the oiled cake pan. Bake for 1 hour.

Place on a rack to cool. Run a knife around the edges and flip over on a plate.

While the cake is still warm, use a sifter, fine sieve, or mesh colander to sprinkle powdered sugar lightly and evenly on the cake.

Garnish the cake with a rosemary sprig. Cut into wedges and serve.

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Photography by lor3nzo

GINGER-LEMON SEMOLINA CAKE

by carlina

lemon-ginger-cake.jpg

Ingredients:

10 ounces (20 tablespoons) butter
6 tablespoons minced ginger
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
2 1/2 cups cake flour
2 ounces coarsely ground semolina
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
Juice and zest of 2 lemons
1 cup buttermilk
3 extra large eggs
1/2-3/4 cup Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur
butter for greasing cake pan
flour for dusting cake pan
fresh fruit for serving
lemon zest, for garnish, if desired

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees convection (350 standard) and prepare a 10-inch cake pan by greasing, lining with a round of parchment, greasing and flouring.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, cream together butter, ginger and sugar. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, sift together salt, powdered ginger, flour, semolina and baking soda. In a second large bowl or measuring cup, whisk together lemon zest and juice and buttermilk.

When butter and sugar are thoroughly combined, add eggs one at a time, allowing each to be incorporated fully before adding the next, scraping continually. Now, begin adding your wet and dry ingredients; alternate adding flour and liquid, allowing each to be incorporated before adding more, constantly scraping.

Spoon batter into a 10-inch cake pan, until it reaches 1/2 to 3/4-inch from the top and bake* in middle of oven until center springs back when touched with fingertip. Remove from oven and, while still in pan, pour Canton Ginger liqueur over hot cake. Let cool on a rack and then remove from pan and serve in slices, garnished with extra lemon zest, if desired.

Timing/Temperature:

Convection: 325 degrees, 45 minutes
Standard: 350 degrees 1 hr. 15 min

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Photography by avlxyz

TRIPLE LAYER CARROT CAKE with CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

by carlina

carrot-cake.jpg
Ingredients:

For the cake

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 3 cups finely grated peeled carrots (about 1 pound)
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans (about 1/2 ounce)
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 8oz drained crushed pineapple
  • 1/2 cup coconut

For the frosting

  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Lightly grease waxed paper. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and vegetable oil in bowl until combined. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into sugar and oil mixture. Stir in carrots, chopped pecans, raisins, coconut and pineapple.

Pour batter into prepared pans, dividing equally.

Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans, about 45 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic and store at room temperature)

For frosting:

Using electric mixer, beat all ingredients in medium bowl until smooth and creamy.

Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with another cake layer. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer.

Using icing spatula, spread remaining frosting in decorative swirls over sides and top of cake.

Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate. Serve cake cold or at room temperature.

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Photography by Stuart Spivak

RICOTTA CHEESECAKE

by carlina

ricotta-cheesecake.jpg

Ingredients:
  • 3 pounds fresh ricotta
  • 1 tablespoon butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup grated zwieback or biscotti
  • 1 teaspoon plus 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 cup heavy cream or mascarpone, optional
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Your choice of additional flavorings like 1 teaspoon Dutch-process cocoa powder dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water, or 1/4 cup chopped citron or 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest and 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, etc.

Preparation:

Place the ricotta in a sieve over a bowl and let drain for 1 hour. Butter the bottom, sides and rim of a 3-inch-by-10-inch leakproof springform or plain round cake pan. Mix the grated zwieback crumbs with 1 teaspoon sugar and coat the pan.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the ricotta in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat at low speed until smooth. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, until smooth. Beat in the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar. Continue to beat until mixture is very smooth. Beat in the optional cream or mascarpone, vanilla and any desired flavoring. Pour into the pan and smooth the top.

Place the pan inside a roasting pan whose sides are not higher than the cake pan and add warm water to the larger pan to within 1 inch of the top of the smaller pan. Place pans in the oven and bake for 1 1/2 hours, covering the top loosely with foil after 30 minutes. Remove and let cool to room temperature in the water bath. Lift pan out, dry it and remove the foil. Refrigerate overnight, and it will firm up.

To unmold, slide a thin knife around the cake edges. Release the sides of the springform pan. If using a plain cake pan, invert onto a large plate covered with plastic wrap, tap the bottom and the cake should slide out. (If it does not, soak a towel in hot water, wring it out and place it over the bottom and sides of the pan for 10 seconds.) Reinvert cake onto a platter. Refrigerate until serving.

Makes 12 servings.

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Photography by Stuart Spivak

BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE

by carlina

blueberry_cheesecake

Ingredients:

Shortbread base

  • 3/4 sticks unsalted butter
  • 1 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping

  • 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3/4 cup blueberry or other fruit preserves
  • hot shortbread base

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cut butter into 1/2-inch pieces. In a food processor process all ingredients until mixture begins to form small lumps. Sprinkle mixture into a 9 inch pie plate and with a metal spatula press evenly onto bottom.

Bake shortbread in middle of oven until golden, about 20 minutes. While shortbread is baking, prepare topping.

In a bowl whisk cream cheese until smooth and whisk in eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Evenly spread preserves over hot shortbread and pour cream-cheese mixture over it.

Bake in middle of oven at 350°F until slightly puffed, about 30 minutes. Cool completely in pan.

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Photography by Balaji Dutt