Category Archives: baking

baked occasionally – dad’s black cocoa bundt cake with whiskey glaze

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Today’s Baked Occasionally comes to you slightly delayed, which is my fault this time. I spent the weekend traveling across the country so it took me a bit to get my bearings. A better-prepared and more organized person would have typed up their post in advance and had it ready to go, but I am not that person.

Baked uses this cake for their “Father’s Day” recipe, which is June 19th this year, for those of you who were wondering. My dad was never big into whiskey, though, so you would do just as well to top this with a non-whiskey glaze if you so choose.

Like my father, I am also not big on whiskey. I was, however, eyeing the black cocoa from King Arthur Flour for probably two years now, waiting for an excuse to finally pull the trigger, so I was actually very excited when Shannon chose this cake. It also re-affirmed my need purchase a new bundt pan as their recipes use a 12 cup and mine must be… well, less than 12 cups. While there was no disaster, once again my baking sheet that I place under my bundt did catch a few drops of batter.

Likes:

Great cocoa flavor – I am IN LOVE with this black cocoa. Seriously. If you’ve ever made homemade Oreos and noticed the flavor wasn’t quite right – black cocoa is what you need to take you the rest of the way.

Gorgeous dark hue – Seriously, LOOK AT THAT SHOW STOPPER.

Texture – The cake was wonderfully tender, although rather crumbly.

Dislikes:

HOLY WHISKEY, BATMAN! – My whiskey-loving co-worker definitely enjoyed this glaze. I, however, thought I might get a buzz just from eating a slice of the cake from all the whiskey that was happening in there. You could make it plain or get creative, Shannon made her own icing with coffee and a hint of salt.

Crumbly – I was worried the cake would be dry based on the crumbs, but it wasn’t at all. It does, however, make the cake a bit messy.

All in all, the cake was delicious and easy to make. Make sure you use a large (12 cup) bundt pan or you’ll risk some spill-over. My solution to this is to place the bundt pan on top of  a baking sheet while it’s in the oven so that it will catch any spill-over. The whiskey in the glaze was very strong and overpowering to me (a non-whiskey-drinker). If you’re a fan of whiskey, follow the recipe as-is. If not, then feel free to omit it altogether and use a plain glaze in its place!

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black cocoa bundt cake with whiskey glaze

Ingredients

    For the Bundt:
  • ½ cup (40 g) unsweetened dark cocoa powder
  • ¼ cup (20 g) unsweetened black cocoa powder*
  • 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
  • 1 cup (240 ml) hot coffee
  • 2¼ cups (285 g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2¼ cups (495 g) firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (210 ml) canola oil
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1½ cups (360 ml) heavy cream
    • For the Glaze:
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 2½ to 3 cups (280 to 340 g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons good-quality whiskey

Instructions

    Make the Bundt:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease the inside of a 12-cup Bundt pan, either using a baking spray or buttering the pan and then cocoa powder and knocking out the excess. Make sure all of the crevices are thoroughly coated.
  2. Place both cocoa powders and the instant espresso powder in a medium heatproof bowl. Pour the hot coffee directly over the powders and whisk until they are thoroughly combined. Set aside to cool.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
  4. In a separate large bowl, whisk the brown sugar, oil, and vanilla until combined. Add the eggs and egg yolks and whisk again until just combined.
  5. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the chocolate mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Whisk each addition gently to combine.
  6. Whip the cream just until it reaches medium peaks. Fold one-third of the whipped cream into the batter to lighten it. Fold in half of the remaining whipped cream until just incorporated, then fold in the rest until no streaks remain.
  7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the middle of the oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs, 50 to 55 minutes, then remove from oven. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
  8. Then gently loosen the sides of the cake from the pan and turn it out onto the rack so that the crown is facing up. Place a baking sheet (lined with parchment paper, if you like, for ease of cleaning) underneath the wire rack.
    9. Make the Glaze:
  9. In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream.
  10. Add the powdered sugar in three parts, whisking to combine after each addition. Add the whiskey and whisk until uniform. The glaze should be thick and ropy, but pourable—not runny and thin.
  11. If the glaze looks too thin, add the remaining ½ cup powdered sugar and whisk to combine.
    12. Assemble the Cake:
  12. Pour the glaze over the room-temperature cake in thick ribbons; it will slowly drip down the sides. If desired, add a few sprinkles to the top. Let set for about 15 minutes before serving to allow the glaze to set.
    13. Storage:
  13. The cake will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Notes

* For "dark cocoa", Baked recommends Vallrhona, which can be hard to find. Hershey's Dark Cocoa is one I use often without issue.

* You can find black cocoa at Sur la Table, King Arthur Flour, or Amazon, but you can substitute regular dark (Dutch-process) cocoa powder in a pinch.

* Make sure you use a large (12 cup) bundt pan or you'll risk some spill-over. My solution to this is to place the bundt pan on top of a baking sheet while it's in the oven so that it will catch any spill-over.

* The whiskey in the glaze was very strong and overpowering to me (a non-whiskey-drinker). If you're a fan of whiskey, follow the recipe as-is. If not, then feel free to omit it altogether and use a plain glaze in its place!

https://wee-eats.com/2016/06/06/baked-occasionally-dads-black-cocoa-bundt-cake-with-whiskey-glaze/

[ GET THE BOOK – BAKED OCCASIONS ]
[ CHECK OUT SHANNON’S POST ON A PERIODIC TABLE ]

Disclaimer: This post includes an Amazon Affiliate link. I may earn a small commission for my link to any products or services from this website. 

baked occasionally ultralemony bundt cake with almond glaze

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We return this week to our regularly-scheduled programming: Baked, Occasionally. The series where Shannon from A Periodic Table and I bake our way through Baked Bakery’s latest cookbook: Baked Occasions. Each month we will bring you a new recipe from the Baked Occasions cookbook. This month’s winner? Ultralemony Bundt Cake with Almond Glaze.

This month’s decision was exceptionally difficult, as we could have made any of the May options in the book and been equally happy with any of them. With options like Strawberry Layer Cake  In fact, we almost made more than one, but then I talked myself back off that ledge and decided that, with Spring in full swing that we would dive face first into the Ultralemony Bundt Cake with Almond Glaze. This cake is filled to the top with slap-you-in-the-face lemon flavor and accented with just a slight hint of almond that works beautifully with its bright, citrusy flavor.

A mixture of all purpose and cake flours gives this cake an extremely tender crumb while still keeping it sturdy enough to move around without problem. I took my to the thinner side and ended up regretting it. So even if you think your glaze might be a bit too thick, so long as it’s still easily pourable just stick with it and it’ll make for a thick, beautiful glaze.

I was also not prepared for how brown the cake would be and almost panicked near the end of baking when I saw the bottom of the cake. Once I cracked open the book, however, their cake is even much browner than mine, so don’t be afraid. If you start to get nervous, just place some aluminum foil over the cake during the final ten minutes or so of baking.

In the book, the Baked guys say that some people complain that this cake is “too lemony” to which I would say… then why are you eating something called “ultralemony cake”?

What I liked:

  • Flavor: This cake has an amazing bright, strong, citrusy flavor that is somehow perfectly accented by the hint of almond in the glaze. That being said, if you have allergies, feel free to skip the almond and sprinkle the cake with some candied lemon peel or just a few sprinkles instead!
  • Ease: Life is hard sometimes and I would be lying if I said the ease of this cake recipe didn’t factor into my choice this month. It’s so easy to make!

What I didn’t:

There’s really nothing that I didn’t like about this cake! If I had to pick something, I guess it would be…

  • Lemon Waste: This cake uses like a million lemons (or 10, I lost count), and I felt bad that a lot of them were going to be wasted. Slice your extra lemons and make some infused water or throw them down the garbage disposal to freshen it up. Also, did you know that if you throw a lemon chunk into your blender with warm soapy water it works wonders for cleaning it? Just some tips…
  • Arm Fatigue: Zesting lemons can be really hard on your arm, so you’ll get a really good work-out but you might have to take a few breaks in between. If you end up short a lemon, your cake will probably survive, but try to stick it through (or enlist some help from a significant other, small child, or neighbor.  If you promise them cake as a reward they may be willing to help!)

ultralemony bundt cake - wee eats

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baked occasionally ultra lemony bundt cake

Ingredients

    For the cake
  • 1 1/2 cups cake flour
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon koshersalt
  • 2 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 10 lemons, zested (about 10 tablespoons)
  • 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 3 tablespoons dark rum
  • 2 tablespoons lemon extract
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 3 large egg yolks, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
    • For the lemon syrup
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons dark rum
    • For the glaze
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons almond extract
  • 2 1/2to 3 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
    • Gear
  • 10-cup bundt pan
  • baking sheet

Instructions

    For the cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Generously spray the inside of a 10 cup bundt pan with nonstick baking spray. Make sure all of the nooks and crannies are thoroughly coated.
  2. Sift the flours, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
  3. Place the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add lemon zest and rub the zest into the sugar with your hands until it is fragrant and yellow.
  4. Pour melted butter and oil into the lemon sugar and beat on medium speed until well-combined. Add the rum, lemon extract, eggs, and egg yolks. Beat until combined.
  5. Add flour and cream alternately, beginning and ending with flour. (flour-cream-flour-cream-flour)
  6. Scrape down the bowl and mix on low speed for a few more seconds.
  7. Pour mixture into the prepared pan and place pan on a large baking sheet or sheet pan - This will help to catch any cake batter that may overflow.
  8. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick entered into the center comes out clean, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time.
  9. Transfer pan to a wire rack and cool for 30 minutes, place wire rack over half sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
    10. For lemon syrup
  10. Whisk sugar lemon juice, and rum in a small saucepan over low heat until the sugar melts.
  11. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until sugar is dissolved, stirring. Set aside until slightly cooled
  12. Gently loosen the sides of the somewhat cooled cake from the pan and turn it out onto the wire rack.
  13. Using a toothpick or skewer (something thin) poke several holes into the cake on the crown and sides. Use a pastry brush to gently brush the top and the sides of the cake with syrup, allowing the syrup to soak into the cake in between batches.
  14. Let cake cool completely.
    15. For the almond glaze
  15. Whisk together 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and almond extract together in a medium bowl. Add 1/2 cups of the confections' sugar and whisk until the mixture in pourable, but still fairly thick. If it is too thick, add a few more teaspoons of lemon juice to thin it out. If you thin it out too much, add some more confectioners' sugar.
  16. Pour glaze in large thick ribbons over the top of the bundt cake. Sprinkle almonds over the glaze and allow to set before serving, about 20 minutes.
  17. Cake will keep in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

Notes

* The rum, which I expected to taste and not like, basically disappears into this cake somehow. If you don't have rum or don't want to use rum, you can replace it with equal part lemon juice in the cake, or just omit it all together from the syrup.

* For optimal visual impact - keep your glaze on the thicker side (unlike me). You want it to be pourable but very thick.

https://wee-eats.com/2016/05/03/baked-occasionally-ultralemony-bundt-cake-with-almond-glaze/

[ Get the book – Baked Occasions ]
[ Check out Shannon’s post on A Periodic Table ]

Yotam Ottolenghi’s Cauliflower Cake

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Since its release in 2014, one recipe from Ottelenghi’s Plenty More has been receiving an awful lot of attention – cauliflower cake. It’s one of the first recipes I bookmarked as well, and it only took me about 18 months to get around to making it. Sadly, for me, that’s not too long.

I was so intrigued by this recipe, mostly because here in the U.S. anything with “cake” in it is expected to be sweet and is reserved to dessert or the occasional breakfast. This cake, however, adorned with beautiful purple onion rings, clearly this  was a different story. This brave  cake was not going the route of cowardly zucchini bread where the cook takes care to hide vegetable’s flavor beneath layers of sugar, spice, and butter.

Of course, I was most curious what the inside of the cake looked like. All of the photos online I have seen have been from the top, which is understandable as it is a gorgeous angle for this cake especially, but I really wanted to know what was happening underneath that beautiful exterior.

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The texture is somewhere between a quiche and a cake, biting into it was like biting into a fluffy, cauliflower cloud. I was a bit worried that the chunks of cauliflower in the recipe would give the finished product an odd texture, but that was silly of me. Once cooked, cauliflower becomes almost silkily tender, and melts away into the texture of the rest of the cake.

The recipe called for nigella seeds, which I was unable to find prior to making the recipe so I just rolled with it and did without. I expect they lend another layer of texture to the recipe but I thought the cake was delightful without them. If you’re interested, feel free to include them in the recipe, or you can substitute sesame seeds in their place.

The cake has a hearty, quichey flavor thanks to the eggs, but still keeps cauliflower front and center, but beautifully accented by the turmeric, onion, and loads of parmesan cheese. I suspect a picky eater would love this if you didn’t tell them what was in it first, but I couldn’t get Mr. Eats to even take a bite. It would make a delightful hearty side dish or appetizer. Serve it alongside a light salad or soup, a chicken breast, or eat it on its own.wee eats - cauliflower cake

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Yotam Ottolenghi's Cauliflower Cake

Ingredients

  • 1 small cauliflower, outer leaves removed, broken into 1 1/4-inch florets (about 1 pound)
  • 1 medium red onion, peeled (about 6 ounces)
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
  • 7 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup basil leaves, chopped
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/3 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 1/2 cups coarsely grated Parmesan or another aged cheese (about 5 oz)
  • Melted unsalted butter, for brushing
  • 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
  • 1 teaspoon nigella seeds (also known as black caraway)
  • Salt and black pepper
    • Tools
  • Whisk
  • Spatula
  • Parchment
  • 9 1/2-inch springform pan (I used a 9-inch pan)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Place the cauliflower florets in a saucepan and add 1 teaspoon salt. Cover with water and simmer for 15 minutes, until the florets are soft and break when pressed with a spoon. Drain and set aside in a colander to dry.
  3. Heat a saute pan over medium heat.
  4. Cut 4 round slices, each 1/4-inch thick, off one end of the onion and set aside. Coarsely chop the rest of the onion and place in a small pan with the oil and rosemary. Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring from time to time, until soft. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
  5. Transfer the onion to a large bowl, add the eggs and basil, whisk well, and then add the flour, baking powder, turmeric, Parmesan, 1 teaspoon salt, and plenty of pepper and whisk until smooth. Add the cauliflower florets and stir gently to combine, trying not to break up the florets.
  6. Line the base of a 9 1/2-inch springform cake pan with parchment paper. Brush the sides with melted butter, then mix together the sesame and nigella seeds and toss them around the inside of the pan so that they stick to the sides. (I skipped the seeds)
  7. Pour the cauliflower mixture into the pan, spreading it evenly, and arrange the reserved onion rings on top. Place in the center of the oven and bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown and set; a knife inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean.
  8. Remove from the oven and leave for at least 20 minutes before serving. Best served just warm, rather than hot, or at room temperature.
https://wee-eats.com/2016/04/26/yotam-ottolenghis-cauliflower-cake/

[ Recipe from: Plenty More ]

Sansa’s Lemon Cakes (a Game of Thrones recipe)

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wee eats - game of thrones lemon cake 2

It’s that time of year again, everyone. Summer may be right around the corner, but winter is definitely coming my friends! Those of you familiar with the popular Game of Thrones show (or books) will know all about lemon cakes, which are constantly referred to as Sansa Stark’s favorite treat.

These cakes hail from Tom Colicchio who created them for a 2011 Game of Thrones food truck pop up. The cake is light, springy, and filled with refreshing lemon flavor and cooking it in a water bath turns the bottom (which turns into the top) becomes a smooth, tangy custard.

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These cakes are adorable and can be turned out onto a plate to look fancy or simply eaten with a spoon out of their baking dishes!Make them ahead of time and serve them as a stress-free dessert while you watch Game of Thrones this Sunday!

I’m not sure if these are the same lemon cakes Sansa eats, but I am sure that she would definitely devour them!

wee eats - game of thrones lemon cake 4

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sansa's lemon cakes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: 6 cakes

Ingredients

  • 6 four-oz. ramekins (I used these adorable mason jars )
  • 1 9-by-13-inch baking dish
  • Butter and sugar, for the ramekins
  • 2 medium lemons, zested and juiced
  • 2/3 cup buttermilk, room temperature
  • 2 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 300F degrees. Rub the inside of the ramekins with butter and pour a teaspoon of sugar into each, tipping the ramekin around to cover all the sides. While preparing the recipe, put a saucepan of water over medium heat until steaming.
  2. Zest both lemons using a microplane grater. Juice both lemons into a small container (you will probably have more juice than you need).
  3. In a small bowl, sift together flour, salt, and sugar; set aside.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg yolks, lemon zest, and 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice, whisking to combine.
  5. Add the flour mixture and whisk until smooth; set aside.
  6. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites with an electric beater until soft peaks form. Carefully fold the egg whites into the lemon batter in two additions.
  7. Evenly divide the batter between the six ramekins, and place each into the 9 by 13 baking dish with space in between.
  8. Very carefully fill the baking dish with water until the water line reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins and cover the pan tightly with foil.
  9. Carefully transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the cakes are almost firm (about 25 minutes).
  10. Remove foil and bake until the cakes are golden, soft, and springy (about 15 minutes longer).
  11. Use tongs to remove the ramekins from the pan and cool slightly before serving.

Notes

* If you're worried about transferring a water-filled pan to the oven, you can also pull your oven rack out a bit, place the 9 by 13 dish on it, and then add the water and cover with foil.

* You can serve these warm or chilled. You can also make them in advance, chill them, and then reheat them gently in the microwave (50% power for about 15-30 seconds).

* The unmold much sturdier if they are chilled prior to unmolding.

* If you have a hard time removing the cakes from the ramekin, just run a knife around the edge of the dish to loosen it.

* You can also serve these still in the ramekins with a spoon (so the custard is at the bottom of the dessert instead of the top).

https://wee-eats.com/2016/04/19/sansas-lemon-cakes-a-game-of-thrones-recipe/

[ recipe source: Game of Thrones ]

Baked, Occasionally – Coconut Sheet Cake

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coconut cake wee eats

It’s the first Monday of the month, and you know what that means! Time for another #BakedOccasionally, when my good friend Shannon from A Periodic Table and I team up to make something delicious from the latest book from New York’s Baked bakery – Baked Occasions. Continue reading →