if the garden gives you rhubarb, bake a cake!

Published on July 3, 2018 by alisahuntsmanLeave a comment

Rhubarb is not easy to grow in the south. The high heat and humidity make it challenging for this Siberian transplant. Some of the varieties can survive in our area, Nashville zone 7a, such as Victoria, Canada Red, Cherry Red or Valentine, but afternoon shade is the key. Plant the crowns on a Northern slope or in an area that gets shade in the afternoon so that the soil temperatures stay cooler, be sure it gets plenty of water too. In my garden, I have four Victoria crowns growing, the most commonly found variety here in Nashville, and I use large, plastic bread racks to provide shade for the plants during the hottest periods of summer.

This year, I was surprised at how quickly all of the crowns grew and I was able to harvest some stalks to both make this cake and to freeze for later. One of my favorite cakes to bake is an upside-down cake. Being able to turn a fully decorated cake out of a pan is so much better than having to frost and decorate layers. As beautiful as it is, the stalks made me think of celery-luckily, it didn’t taste like celery!

This recipe is a work in progress and I am not posting it here but it is based on a Persian Love cake made with pistachios, lemon zest, cardamom and rosewater. To decorate it a little after turning it out of the pan, I sprinkled chopped pistachios and rose petals around the edges. Because this was a large cake, 9″x13″, I took it to a Master Gardener meeting and potluck dinner, I came home with a very small piece; I ate it for breakfast the next day.

Blackberry-Lime Julep Cake

Published on May 17, 2018 by alisahuntsmanLeave a comment

Well, it goes without saying, I have neglected this blog lately. As spring approached, things in the garden at home and in the Demonstration Garden got busy, very busy. As we have worked to prepare the Demonstration Garden, a small team of volunteers worked on getting the word out. The result, a chance to tape two segments for a local TV show, Talk of the Town. The plan, tie the garden into the Royal wedding happening this Saturday. The result, a Blackberry-Lime Julep Cake and opportunity to talk about flowers.

While the cake the royal couple chose sounds delicious, I had to give it a southern spin. Spring in the south means horse races, lots of flowers and a bit of bourbon drinking in the form of mint juleps. For a cake, those things all work well. Elderflowers are not easy to come by but blackberries are so I decided to make a cake that combined blackberries and lime with a rich bourbon buttercream. And for those of you that are shaking your head and wondering about the mint, I chose to use it to decorate the cake. In the photo above, you can see Mountain Mint, False Blue Indigo, Red roses, Blackberry blossoms, Cilantro blossoms, Chamomile blossoms, Tansy leaves and Thyme. If you want to use fresh flowers or herbs to decorate a cake, be sure that they have not been treated with any chemicals. These all came from the garden and were grown without any chemicals, and with the exception of the Tansy and the False Blue Indigo, they are all edible.

And because I love to swirl colors together, I marbleized the layers of the cake and I suggest you do this too! The pale green color of the lime batter contrasted nicely with the purple blackberry batter. Honestly, you could do this with blueberries as well, the recipe was adapted from one in my first book, Sky High Irresistible Triple Layer Cakes.

Blackberry Julep Cake

Makes 1 (8-inch) triple layer cake to serve about 16

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon freshly grated lime zest

½ teaspoon salt

7 egg whites

3 cups cake flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1-1/4 cups milk

Blackberry-Lime Preserves, recipe follows

Bourbon Buttercream, recipe follows

Fresh flowers, mint sprigs and blackberries for decoration

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 3 (8”) cake pans, line them with parchment paper and grease the paper. In a mixer bowl, cream the butter with the sugar, lime zest and salt until light and fluffy. Gradually add the egg whites, 2-3 at a time, beating well between additions and stopping to scrape the bowl.

2. Combine the flour with the baking powder and whisk gently to blend. In 2-3 alternating additions, beat the dry ingredients and milk into the butter mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl several times. Beat on medium-high speed for about 1 minute to smooth out any lumps and aerate the batter.

3. Scoop out 1 cup of the batter into a small bowl. Divide the remainder equally among the 3 prepared pans, smoothing out the tops with a rubber spatula. Mix 2-1/2 tablespoons of the Blackberry-Lime Preserves to the reserved batter and blend well. Drizzle heaping teaspoons of this blackberry mixture over the batter in the pans. Using a skewer or paring knife, swirl the blackberry mixture in short strokes to drag it down through the batter but take care not to mix it in.

4. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean and the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Let the layers cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn them out onto wire racks, remove the parchment paper and allow them to cool completely.

5. To assemble the cake, place a layer, flat side up on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread half of the Blackberry-Lime Preserves over the top. Place a second layer on top of the first and spread the remaining preserves over it. Finally, place the third layer on top of the second and frost the sides and top of the cake with the Bourbon Buttercream Frosting. Arrange the flowers, mint and berries around the top of the cake and the serving plate.

Blackberry-Lime Preserves

Makes about 1 cup

3 cups frozen blackberries, fresh or frozen

¾ cups sugar

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

2 teaspoons freshly grated lime zest

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1. If using frozen blackberries, allow them to thaw and the juices to accumulate. Place the berries and the juice into a blender. Puree the berries and pass them through a strainer to remove the seeds.

2. In a heavy medium nonreactive saucepan, combine the blackberry puree with the sugar, lime juice, lime zest and the ginger. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring frequently dissolve the sugar. Continue cooking, stirring often, for 20 minutes, until the preserves have thickened and are reduced to 1 cup.

Bourbon Buttercream

Makes about 3-1/2 cups

1 cup sugar

6 tablespoons Bourbon

2 eggs

3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 tablesoons freshly squeezed lime juice

1. In a small nonreactive saucepan, combine the sugar and Bourbon. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Continue to boil with out stirring, occasionally washing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush, until the syrup reaches the soft-ball stage, 238 degrees F, on a candy thermometer. Immediately remove from the heat.

2. In a large mixer bowl with the mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs briefly. Slowly add the hot syrup in a thin stream, pouring it down the sides of the bowl; be careful to avoid hitting the beaters or the syrup will splatter. When all of the syrup has been added, raise the speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture is very fluffy and cooled to body temperature. This can take 15 minutes or longer.

3. Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and gradually add the softened butter 2-3 tablespoons at a time, beating well between additions. As you’re adding the last few tablespoons of butter, the frosting will appear to break, then suddenly come together like whipped butter. Beat in the lime juice, and the frosting is ready for use.

Sky_High

Many thanks to Tuwanda Coleman and Talk of the Town for the opportunity to tape the segments and for promoting the Urban Gardening Festival. To see the segments from Talk of the Town, follow these links:

Blackberry-Julep Cake

The Royal Bouquet

pineapple upside-down slab cake

Published on January 13, 2018 by alisahuntsman1 Comment

Every month, our Master Gardener group has a potluck dinner that precedes our meeting. Each member brings a dish to feed about 8-10 people and I always bring cake. My original plan was to make an apple cake to use a few leftover apples, but when I went to the grocery store, pineapples were on sale. My plans quickly changed.

If you have spent any time on the internet looking at dessert recipes, you have seen recipe after recipe for slab pies. Honestly, I have seen too many. Yes, they are a little easier than a typical pie but I felt it was time for a change. As I planned my dessert for the dinner, I decided to double it and bake it in a roasting pan; an upside-down sheet cake. The result, a big slab of cake to feed a crowd.

One very important note to all of you bakers, this recipe is formulated by weights! Cups are great but can vary from set to set as well as from baker to baker since everybody has their own way of filling them. By using weights, you get exactly what you need! Purchasing a scale is easy, they can be found in most stores that sell baking equipment and are relatively cheap, mine cost me $15 and I use it a lot!

To make a really good pineapple upside-down cake, you must use a fresh pineapple. While canned fruit will work in a pinch, it just does not have the flavor of a fresh pineapple. If you do not want to mess with cleaning a fresh one, look in the refrigerated section of the produce department in the grocery store. Most stores will stock fresh pineapple that has been peeled and cored, keep in mind that it will also cost at least double the price.

Another reason to buy a whole fruit, the crown. Pineapple tops, if removed correctly, can be rooted and grown and in about 2 years, you will actually get a fruit. Before you cut the fruit, grab the top and twist until it releases and breaks free. You will get a little pointed knob on the bottom. Set it aside for now and carefully trim away all of the skin and eyes using a serrated knife. Cut the fruit in half, from top to bottom, and then cut each piece in half. You will have a somewhat triangular piece of fruit and the core will be at the pointed end. Using your knife, cut the core away in one long strip. Lay the piece down and slice the fruit into 3/8 of an inch thick. Take all of the little scraps and small pieces and chop them up, you will need 5 ounces, about 2/3 cup, for the cake recipe. Be sure to use the ugly pieces for this!

Use a roasting pan that is 10 inches by 13 inches or use a rectangular cake pan of a similar size as long as the sides are close to two inches high. Grease the pan well and pour in the caramel. Tilt the pan to spread it evenly across the bottom and then layer in the slices in any pattern that suits you. For my cake, I chose rows simply because they would act as a cutting guide for the person who would be slicing the cake and it worked out beautifully.

When the cake comes out of the oven, it is important that you let it sit for 10 minutes before unmolding it or the fruit will stick to the pan. The caramel is boiling at that point and it needs to cool a bit to form a bond with the fruit and the cake. If you wait too long, you will need to return it to the oven to heat it up again, so this step is not one that you want to lose track of. Set your timer for 10 minutes when you take it from the oven and wait for it! Place a sheet tray or serving platter over the cake and invert it. The cake should release immediately and fall right out onto the platter. Allow it to completely cool off before slicing or the cake will crumble.

The perfect blend of spice cake and caramelized fruit!

While your cake cools, let’s get that crown taken care of! Gently pull off the leaves of the crown until you reveal what looks like roots. Believe it or not, they are roots! When you have a nice layer of them that goes all the way around the pointed end, place it in a glass of water.

Keep it near a bright window and be sure to change the water frequently so that it does not get moldy or fermented. If all goes well, you will have roots that stretch down into the water and you can plant it in a pot. Use a light soil, one that will not hold water and make sure it is in a warm, sunny spot. It will take a long time to grow a fruit, be patient! For more information, here is a good link on growing pineapples.

This method has worked for me in the past, and it has also failed. The good news is that pineapples are affordable and you can experiment with allowing it to dry out and plant it directly into soil as well as rooting in water! Look for the grocery store to have a sale, this one was $1.89, the peeled/cored ones were $5.99!

Pineapple Upside-Down Slab Cake

serves about 36

Please note, this cake can be baked in one roasting pan, 10″ x 13″ or in two 10″ cake pans or cast iron skillets. The recipe is also easily divided in half since the ingredients are measured by weight! Cup measurements are included but are approximate amounts and may yield slightly different results.

topping

1 ripe pineapple, peeled and sliced as described above

4 ounces unsalted butter

4 ounces dark brown sugar (1/2 cup)

5-1/2 ounces light honey (1/2 cup)

cake

8 ounces unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

11-1/2 ounces granulated sugar (1-2/3 cup)

8 ounces dark brown sugar (1 cup)

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

1 pound and 6 ounces all purpose flour (4-1/2 cups)

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground mace

1 cup buttermilk

5 ounces of chopped pineapple (2/3 cup)

Preheat the oven to 325F. To make the topping, prepare the pineapple as directed and set it aside. In a skillet or saute pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the brown sugar and honey and stir to dissolve it. Bring the mixture to a slow boil and allow it to cook until it thickens a bit, 2-3 minutes. Pour the syrup into the greased pan and tilt it to spread it evenly. Carefully arrange the pineapple slices and set this aside while you prepare the cake.

To prepare the cake, place the butter, the sugars, ginger, vanilla and salt into a mixing bowl. With the mixer on low, combine the ingredients, scrape the bowl well and then allow it to cream until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix well. Be sure to scrape the bowl well to combine it evenly. Place the flour, baking powder and spices into a mesh strainer or sifter and sift it over the bowl, all at once. Fold it by hand a few times, dump the buttermilk in, all at once and fold it completely. Finally, add the reserved pineapple bits and the juice that has accumulated in the cup and finish folding it until no streaks of flour or juice remain. Carefully drop dollops of the batter over the pineapple in the pan and gently spread it out evenly over the surface. Use an offset palette knife along with a gentle hand for the best results, you do not want to disturb the pattern of the fruit!

Bake the cake until a pick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven, allow it to sit for 10 minutes (use a timer for this!) and then invert it onto a serving platter or tray. It is best to wait until it is completely cooled to cut it, you may have to restrain yourself!

guess again…a tomato spice cake

Published on September 5, 2017 by alisahuntsman2 Comments

When I signed up to attend the hypertufa workshop, read about that here, I knew that I had to bring a cake with me. As I walked in with my traveling cake safe, I heard a few gasps, and exclamations; “oh, you brought a cake!” This came as no surprise to some, especially Doris, who looked at me and smiled and said “You brought cake? Of course you did!!!” She obviously knows me, and the truth is, occasions like this are really just an excuse to take a mold down from the wall and use it!

Late summer is tomato season and if you find yourself with a few too many, consider making a cake with them. Actually, this recipe is versatile enough that you can make it with canned tomatoes, either crushed or puree, or even with tomato juice which means you can have it anytime. If you use a purchased puree or juice, check the ingredient list to make sure that ingredients such as onions or garlic are not included.

A few things to consider here. Raisins are one of those ingredients that you either love or hate. Personally, I am not a big fan but in this recipe, the golden raisins really work. Just be sure not to skip the step to plump them or they will actually draw moisture from the cake and can make it seem dry. If you use fresh tomatoes, blanch them to remove the skin and then cut each one in half and squeeze out as many of the seeds as you can before pureeing them. The nice thing about using fresh tomatoes, you can mix it up by changing the variety of tomato. Of course, you can just use a can of puree and make it anytime you want a fresh baked spice cake.

As the summer fades, spice cakes shift to center stage. Slightly denser, jammed full of warm spices, and in this case, loaded with dried fruit and nuts, spice cakes are the perfect pick-me-up as the temperatures finally start to cool off. For this cake, I combined cinnamon, allspice, cloves and freshly grated nutmeg which give the cake a warm, spicy flavor.

Guess Again Tomato Cake

with raisins and pecans

makes an 8-inch bundt cake, serves about 8-12

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup pecan pieces

2 cups cake flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

5 ounces (1 stick + 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

1-1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

1 cup tomato juice, puree or crushed tomatoes

vanilla glaze, recipe follows

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease and flour a 6 to 8 cup tube or bundt pan. Place the golden raisins in a small saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let the raisins plump until cooled. Drain well before using.

Toast the pecan pieces on a baking sheet for 5 to 7 minutes, until lightly colored and fragrant. Transfer to a dish and allow to cool.

In a mixing bowl, combine the cake flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and nutmeg. Set the dry ingredients aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium-low speed for 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg and mix completely, scraping the bowl at least once. Sift one-third of the dry ingredients over the butter mixture, fold by hand a few times and add half of the tomato. Fold a few times; sift half of the remaining spiced flour over the batter, add the remaining juice, and fold a few times. Add the last of the flour mixture, and fold the batter gently until no streaks remain. Add the raisins and pecans and fold enough to incorporate them evenly.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, spread it out evenly and bake until a pick inserted comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes, then unmold and cool on a wire rack. Using a large spoon, ladle the glaze over the top of the cake, completely covering the top and letting the excess drip down the sides randomly.

Vanilla Glaze

makes about 3/4 cup

2 cups confectioners sugar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sift the confectioners sugar into a bowl. Add the melted butter, milk and vanilla. Whisk until smooth and creamy, use at once.

This cake is from my second book, Desserts from the Famous Loveless Cafe.

fresh picked rhubarb buckle

Published on July 10, 2017 by alisahuntsman2 Comments

Rhubarb is not commonly found in southern gardens. The intense heat and humidity just do not suit the plant well. In the demonstration garden, we have learned that the best way to grow it is to plant it in an area that does not see the intense light and heat of afternoon sun. In the back of our vegetable garden, we have a shady area and in it are two rhubarb plants that are a green variety which seem to be better suited to our growing conditions.

When it comes to harvesting rhubarb, I really do not know much about when or how much to take. Since the one plant has more than tripled in size since the spring and has stalks over an inch wide, I figured it couldn’t be a first year plant and decided to harvest about a third of it. After all, we would be needing cake for our Saturday morning get together in the garden and a rhubarb buckle made with stalks from our own garden sounded perfect to me.

Color is not generally an indication of sweetness in rhubarb but the manner in which it was grown can be. Hot house rhubarbs that have been forced are generally sweeter than those grown outdoors naturally. This crop was pretty tart and I decided to let it macerate in sugar before adding it to the cake.

Having chickens in our own garden has been a wonderful experience. When we moved into the new house, we added a few more and the littles have begun laying! We have one Americauna hen who has been laying tiny green eggs. We haven’t had the heart to crack them yet, but at the rate we are going, we will have to or run the risk of being buried in a pile of eggs.

Buckles are one of my favorite summer fruit cakes. This particular recipe is so versatile that by making simple substitutions, you can have a completely different cake each time! This time though, I kept it pretty simple and just substituted rhubarb for the usual sour red cherries.

The name “buckle” comes from the manner in which some of the fruit sinking while some of the batter rises up during the baking and this can give the cake a “buckled” appearance.

With the final addition of a walnut crumb topping, the cake was ready to go into the oven.

The buckling I was hoping for was not as pronounced and I suspect that it may have needed to macerate longer or I may need to increase the amount of rhubarb in the recipe. Looks like I will have to make another soon to test the theory! Despite that, it did make a nice sweet-tart layer of filling between the cake and the crumbs, the perfect treat after spending several hours digging and pulling weeds.

Fresh Rhubarb Buckle

with Walnut-Oat Streusel Topping

makes 1 (8″x 2″) square cake serving 12-16

2-1/2 cups sliced fresh rhubarb

1/3 cup (2-1/2 ounces) granulated sugar

2 tablespoons (3/4 ounce) unbleached all purpose flour

4 ounces unsalted butter, softened

1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar

1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1-1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2/3 cup buttermilk

walnut oat streusel topping, recipe follows

In a small bowl, toss the rhubarb with the first listed sugar and allow it to macerate for an hour to produce juice. Add the flour, toss to coat it evenly and set aside while you prepare the cake. Make the crumb topping at this time and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease and flour an 8″x 8″ cake pan. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter with the second listed sugar, vanilla and salt until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, scrape the bowl after each addition and mix well. Sift the flour and the baking powder over the batter. Fold a few times, add the buttermilk and fold completely until no streaks remain. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and level it. Top the batter evenly with the rhubarb and all of the liquid in the bowl. Sprinkle the streusel over the cake and bake until a pick inserted comes out clean, about an hour and 15 minutes. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes and then turn it out onto a tray and invert it onto a rack to finish cooling.

Walnut-Oat Streusel Topping

makes 1-1/2 cups

1/2 cup (2-3/4 ounces) unbleached all purpose flour

1/2 cup (2-1/4 ounces) rolled oats

2 tablespoons (1 ounce) dark brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1/4 cup (1-1/4 ounces) chopped walnuts

Place the flour, oats, sugar and cinnamon into a small bowl. Using your fingers, mix the ingredients. Add the butter and rub the cubes into the dry ingredients until clumps begin to form. Sprinkle the walnuts over the mixture and toss together to combine. Use this immediately or store in the refrigerator for as long as three weeks.

The original version of this recipe, made with sour cherries, can be found in my book, Desserts from the Famous Loveless Cafe

black bottoms; a family obsession

Published on June 28, 2017June 25, 2017 by alisahuntsmanLeave a comment

Obsession is a strong word, but in this case, an accurate one. When I began making these for our bakery (twenty years ago), everyone in my family got hooked on them. Moist chocolate cake and a rich chocolate chip cheesecake are baked together in muffin cups and the result is a decadent, obsession worthy treat.

My preference is to bake these in giant muffin pans with a cup volume of about 7 oz or 200ml, the ones that are sometimes referred to as Texas size. Just try not to eat the whole thing by yourself! This time, I made them in standard sized muffin cups which have a volume of 3.5 oz or 100ml, but they can be made in any size pan as long as you use cupcake liners. Otherwise, it is a lot of work to pry them out of the pans.

There are a few tips I like to share in hopes of guaranteeing success for anyone that makes these. First of all, use a cream cheese that is dense rather than fat free, whipped or extra creamy. While that famous brand (named after a Pennsylvania city) is great for spreading on a bagel, it really doesn’t provide the best results for this recipe. Whatever they do to make the cheese creamy yields a filling that is thin and runny. During baking, the chips can sink to the bottom of the cupcake while the cheese floats to the top. If the filling doesn’t sink in the middle a bit, they just don’t look like they should but more importantly, the two batters bake layered. The best ones have a cheesecake center with cake on the sides and bottom and just a little of the cheese filling peeking out on top. Save your pennies and buy the store brand, it will work perfectly! You can make the filling ahead of time and keep it in the fridge; cold filling is more likely to sink in than room temp filling.

When I make these, I generally use whatever chocolate chips I have handy. However, if you use mini chips, they will be less likely sink to the bottom like the large ones will. Keep in mind that either way, the results will be delicious. Just save the freshly chopped chocolate for a different recipe since the tiny shards will color the filling and make it look more like a chocolate filling.

Want to make these quickly? Want all of them to be the same size? Use portion scoops! Seriously, purchase professional style portion scoops, also called dishers, in a range of sizes and you will not have to worry about the size or whether they will bake evenly. Depending on what size pan you use, you will need a range of scoops. For jumbo pans, #12 and #16 will work for the cake and cheesecake, respectively while #16 and #40 will be needed for a standard sized pan. Purchasing scoops is an investment but if you are regular baker, you will find yourself using these scoops for all sorts of things such as muffins, drop biscuits, cookies and more. For the best prices and range of sizes, look in a restaurant supply shop or website.

If you do not intend to use the scoops, you will need a 1/3 cup and 1/4 cup measure for the jumbo cupcakes (chocolate cake and cheesecake filling respectively) or 1/4 cup and 1/8 cup measure for the standard sized cupcakes.

Black Bottom Cupcakes

makes 12 jumbo or 24 standard sized cupcakes

12 ounces cream cheese (see notes above)

1-1/2 cups plus 2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (see notes above)

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2/3 cup unsweetened, natural cocoa powder

1-3/4 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoons salt

4 teaspoons vinegar-distilled white or cider

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup vegetable oil such as canola or soybean

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line the muffin tins with paper cups and set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream the cheese with the 2/3 cup sugar to combine, do not whip it because it will warm up (see notes above). Add the eggs, one at a time, then mix only enough to combine. Stir the chocolate chips into the filling by hand and set it in the fridge until needed.

Place a large mesh strainer or sifter into a large mixing bowl. Add the flour, remaining 1-1/2 cups sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt to the strainer and sift the dry ingredients into the bowl. Using a whisk, combine them completely. In a large liquid measuring cup, pour 1-1/2 cups water, the vinegar and the vanilla and set aside. Dump the oil into the dry ingredients and add about half of the water. Using the whisk, mix it well to create a smooth paste. Scrape the bowl and whisk in the remaining water mixture. Whisk it well and using the larger portion scoop or measuring cup (see notes above), divide the batter between the cups. Top each cupcake with a dollop of the cheesecake using the scoop or measuring cup called for in the notes above.

Bake the cupcakes until they have a little golden-brown color around the edges of the cheesecake and they feel firm around the edges of the cake, about 40-45 minutes for the jumbo size, 30-35 minutes for the standard size. To bake them evenly, be sure to turn them halfway through baking. Once baked, let them cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes then carefully turn them out and place them on a rack to cool completely. To store these, keep them in the fridge, but let them sit out a bit to warm up to room temp for serving. Freezing works well for longer storage; wrap them individually and place them in a closed container in the freezer. Allow them to thaw in the fridge, still wrapped and then serve them at room temp. They will last in the freezer for a month, maybe two but I doubt they will ever make it there…

This recipe can also be found in my book, Desserts from the Famous Loveless Cafe.

there’s gnome place like home…

Published on June 2, 2017June 2, 2017 by alisahuntsman2 Comments

Long story short, I am staying with mom while she recovers from a fall. While out in the yard, she fell, broke her leg and had to have a rod inserted to support the bone. Thankfully, she is well on her way to returning to normal but it will take some time and for the next few weeks, I will be here doing all of the things she cannot do and some of the things she does not care to do, like baking cookies.

Leaving my garden for a month was rough. We had really just begun to get the summer crops in and there is still much to do to eradicate the bermuda grass. Here in PA, spring is still in the air and the trees have only recently leafed out. In case you haven’t visited this blog before, I have posted photos of my mother’s yard before. In her community, deer are prevalent, and as a matter of fact, there are several grazing in the yard as I write this. Because they eat everything, including plants that they shouldn’t, mom gardens with things rather than plants. As you walk the yard, little statues and hidden treasures will become obvious. Of course, gnomes have a mind of there own and we never quite know where they will pop out and surprise you. Standing stock still and looking like a statue, you will almost think that someone placed them there on purpose…

Moss grows all over the yard because it is shady and moist. This little cherub spends his time watching the yard but if he knows what the gnomes are up to, he isn’t telling anyone. He sits and stares in disbelief as raccoons and squirrels come to the basin to drink water.

This little guy seems to be guarding the front door. We throw peanuts to him from the deck but he usually lets the squirrels eat them.

The yard is so lush and green right now that the only color that pops out is red.

All over the yard are these tiny blue blossoms, wish I had my wildflower book with me!

When you walk the yard, you really need to watch where you are going, it is easy to step on the residents. This moon face greets all that visit the pond.It must be nice to have the time to lounge in the woods all day.

Mom is not a big fan of chocolate so I made a batch of crispy lemon cookies with a small amount of anise seeds thrown in for fun. Since I do not have my cookbooks here to flip through, I used this recipe from Taste of Home magazine. They really are crispy and for the most part, I followed the recipe except I used fresh lemon zest instead of the extract, threw in a half teaspoon of anise seeds and scooped them out with a #70 scoop. Because I am unfamiliar with the oven here, I lowered the baking temp to 375 which allowed them to spread out nice and thin but I did have to increase the baking time by 2-3 minutes. The review, mom tested and mom approved; this recipe is a keeper!

Happy baking and gardening and if I were you, I would keep an eye on those gnomes-just leave them a cookie every now and then, that should keep them happy…

just another sunday in paris…a tuesdays with dorie post

Published on February 14, 2017February 14, 2017 by alisahuntsman12 Comments

If only I knew what a Sunday in Paris was like; someday… Actually, in this case, it is a reference to a pastry shop in Paris and that is the name of it; Sunday in Paris. This cake is a specialty of theirs and a favorite of Dorie Greenspan’s which is why she developed the recipe for her book, Baking Chez Moi. The Tuesdays with Dorie bakers chose this cake for February and it was a great cake for Valentine’s day, or any day that chocolate and peanut butter are appropriate-otherwise known as everyday in my book!

Peanut butter is not that popular in Paris where Nutella apparently reigns but here in Tennessee, it flies and fast. We took this cake to a potluck dinner and I came home with crumbs on a dirty tray. The dark, rich cake reminded me of Drakes Devil Dogs with a hint of peanut butter. To have enough for the dinner, I doubled the recipe and baked it in a pullman loaf pan to make a tall, brick shaped cake. We didn’t have any peanuts in the house but while rummaging through the cupboards, I found a Payday bar and chopped some of it up for the garnish on the top.

This is a recipe I would make again and if you have the book, do not hesitate to try it! To see what the other bakers came up with this week, visit the website! To participate, pick up a copy of the book and bake along with us.

granola cake; a tuesdays with dorie post

Published on January 24, 2017January 24, 2017 by alisahuntsman12 Comments

Back in September, I learned we were relocating again. After a few bumps in the road, we have landed back in Nashville and are settling into our new home. During the move, one of the things I missed the most was being able to bake in my own kitchen and now that I have a kitchen again, I am also baking again!

First up; granola cake. Actually, this recipe comes from Baking Chez Moi by Dorie Greenspan and not only is it the first cake I have baked in a while, it is the first time I have been able to join the Tuesdays with Dorie bakers since we started packing up for the move. Since we are back in Nashville, we are active with the Master Gardener program and this cake was a great choice for the potluck dinner we have each month. Having cut the cake into thin slices, I placed the cake on the dessert table and didn’t have any trouble convincing folks to try it!

The recipe calls for bittersweet chocolate, shredded coconut and granola which all combine to make the flavor similar to an oatmeal cookie with coconut and chocolate chips. The only thing you need to know, use a good quality granola because it is a large part of the flavor and texture of the cake. With this in mind, I made a small batch of my own granola rather than buy it.

While I am not posting the recipe for the cake, we do not post the recipes from the book out of respect for the author, I am posting the recipe for the granola that I used in the cake. This recipe is the one that I made for years when I was working at the Loveless Cafe and I suggest you mix up a batch-it’s that good!

Granola

This small recipe makes about 2 cups of granola and can easily be doubled or tripled, just store it airtight and use it within a month. My preference is to use a combination of wildflower honey and sorghum but you can use just one for the total amount. If you can’t find sorghum, molasses will work but will give it a little more color.

3/4 oz light brown sugar

1-3/4 oz pecan pieces

5 oz whole rolled oats

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon sorghum

Preheat the oven to 350. Line a baking pan with parchment paper. In a heat proof bowl, stir together the brown sugar, oats, nuts and cinnamon, set aside. In a small pan, combine the butter, honey and sorghum and over low heat, stir until the butter melts and the mixture is heated but not boiling. Pour the melted butter mixture over the oats and stir until it is combined. Dump the mixture onto the prepared pan and spread it out evenly. Bake for about 10 minutes, stir it well and continue baking for another 10 minutes or so. The time depends on how thin the layer is in the pan. Keep a close eye on the granola and stir it frequently until it turns a nice deep amber color. When the granola is the color you want, remove it from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes. Using your hands-it will still be hot and it needs to be pretty warm for this to work, break up the granola so that it will be free flowing when it cools off. Gently rub the clumps between your fingers to separate the large lumps-they will be pretty hard once cooled so do not be tempted to leave them in tact. Allow it to cool completely and store it airtight.

Want to bake along with us? Pick up a copy of the book, visit the website and get to work!

last minute cookies; coconut spritz

Published on December 22, 2016 by alisahuntsmanLeave a comment

If you are like 99% of the people I know, you are in a hurry and trying to get everything done; baking, cooking, cleaning, shopping, wrapping and more. Even though I am still trying to get my house unpacked from the move, I am also trying to do some holiday baking because it just isn’t Christmas without a small truckload of cookies in the house! The good news is, that I have found one of the quickest and easiest recipes to prepare.

Coconut Spritz cookies are easy to mix and just as easy to shape. While the dough can be shaped with a cookie press, it can also be scooped out and pressed with a cookie stamp, a flat bottomed glass or even the palm of your hand. However, if you have a cookie press, use it, it will save you some time and produce cookies that are consistent in size. One note, this dough is a bit high in fat and on the soft side. Like most Spritz recipes, you should press the dough directly onto a sheet pan that is not non-stick or lined with any kind of paper. While this may go against all you know about cookie baking, if you try to use paper or a treated pan, the dough cannot stick as you press it out and you will spend your time fighting with the press. Do not worry, after baking, you will be able to get them off the pans by simply letting them set for a minute and then lifting them with a thin spatula.

The coconut flavor mainly comes from the oil so be sure to use a virgin oil that has not been refined and stripped of the flavor. This recipe also calls for finely shredded coconut and if you plan to use the press, it must be extremely fine. Whether it is sweetened or not is hardly important but in this case, size absolutely matters! If you cannot find it at the grocery store, try a Latino market, that is where I found mine.

Coconut Spritz Cookies

makes about 72 pressed cookies

1 cup coconut oil, at room temperature-not melted

5.4 oz sugar (153 g, 3/4 cup)

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large egg yolks

10.75 oz unbleached all purpose flour (305 g, 2 1/4 cups)

1/8 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 oz extra fine shredded coconut (14 g, 1/4 cup)

3-4 tablespoons heavy cream

Coarse sugar for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 350. In a mixing bowl, cream the coconut oil with the sugar, vanilla and salt until well blended but do not mix it too long-the oil may begin to melt. Add the egg yolks and mix to combine, scrape the bowl well. Stir in the flour and baking powder and then the coconut. Mix until it comes together. Add the heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time until you have a dough that is soft and easy to shape. You may not need all of it, and the more you add, the more the cookies spread in the oven.

Using the press, deposit the cookies onto the baking pans, leaving at least 1 inch between them. Sprinkle the top of each cookie with a little coarse sugar. Bake until golden around the edges, about 12 minutes. Rotate the pans halfway through baking. Let the hot cookies set for a minute then remove them from the pan with a thin, metal spatula and cool completely on a rack. Store in an airtight container for about a week-if they last that long…

If not using a press, use a small portion scoop such as a #50 scoop. Dip the top of each ball of dough into the coarse sugar and place onto a pan. Flatten them slightly with a cookie stamp, the flat bottom of a glass or your hand. Baking times will depend on the size of the scoop used, watch them closely and adjust the time as needed.