Dozen Flours

Inspiration in the thread count

noreply@blogger.com (Julia from Dozen Flours) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:21:00 +0000

Shortly after I completed the Happy Bee Day cake, my client Shauna was so delighted with her order she asked me if I would be interested in helping her with another baby shower. I was immediately interested because baby shower cakes usually offer the most creative challenges and have thus become my favorite type of party cake to make. However when Shauna told me that she wanted something with "...flowers and butterflies in soft pinks and lavenders..." I was a little deflated. So much so that I actually tried to talk her out of it. I asked for the mom-to-be's name so that I could take a peek at her registry to see if there was anything in there that could offer me inspiration. Shauna dealt with my artistic neurosis happily and sent me a link a few minutes after I asked. True to Shauna's word, Erin's, the mom-to-be, registry was brimming with pink and purple butterflies and flowers. Surprisingly the only things that she registered for was for various parts of the Gabrielle Nursery Bedding Collection. Could I translate the bedding into a cupcake design? A few weeks before the cake order was due I decided to make a pilgrimage to my local Pottery Barn Kids store so I could see the bedding up close. The sheets captured my attention first with their heart shaped leaves and arched branches in a mottled palette of browns, pinks, and lavenders. The large, echoing flowers in various sizes looked as though they had been traced from a cookie cutter. I started to "see" the finished cupcakes as I waited in line with a new muse: a pillowcase in the Gabrielle pattern. I just couldn't help myself.
You see, anyone that knows me knows how much I love bedding! I rarely ever buy a matched set and take pride in piecing together patterns and solids to create looks that I can call my own. I have created entire ensembles from sheets I bought from clearance bins, duvets from estate sales, and pillow cases from thrift stores. Some of my favorite patterns are from the late 1960s that have been washed so many times you would think they were 400 thread-count Egyptian cotton but...I digress. :) So where were we? Cupcakes! So along with some photos of the crib bumper I was able to create a entire cupcake theme using the pattern in the sheets. I decided early on that I'd try to create unique patterns for all the larger cupcake, keep the mini cupcakes simple, and focus on reinforcing the color palette into the cake pops. For a little something extra I hand-painted the new parent's initials on to the anchor cuppies. These two cupcakes held the banner that I hand-painted with the phrase "Cailín leanbh nua". It means "welcome baby girl" in Gaelic and was chosen by Shauna because the new parent's were, as Shauna said it, "300% Irish." And in keeping with the Irish theme, I made my go-to Guiness Chocolate Stout cupcakes and and topped them with Bailey's Irish Cream Cream Cheese frosting. I didn't want to use alcohol in the frosting and ended up using favored non-dairy creamer which to my surprise worked nicely.

Bailey's Irish Cream Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup Irish cream flavored coffee creamer ( or actual Bailey's Irish Cream)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon of cream of tarter
1 box (16 oz.) confectioners sugar (maybe more, maybe less)

1. Combine butter, cream cheese, salt, cream of tarter. Beat until light and fluffy and little to no clumps of butter are visible. Scrape down blade and bowl.
2. Add half of the confectioners' sugar slowly, beating on low speed. Scrape down blade and bowl.
3. Beat in irish cream coffee creamer one tablespoon at a time until desired consistancy is reached.
4. Add more powdered sugar until you get to your desired consistency and taste.

Yield: Enough to frost 24+ cupcakes
Would I Make This Again?Although using non-dairy creamer probably wouldn't be my go-to when making a frosting, it's nice to know there is a solid alternative to flavoring frosting when alcohol isn't an option.

R2D2 much fun

noreply@blogger.com (Julia from Dozen Flours) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 06:51:00 +0000

Sometimes all you really need is a little pomp and circumstance to make a cake great. I made this little R2D2 for my friend's son, Luke's fifth birthday party. He might only be five but he's a huge Star Wars fanatic and really wanted an R2D2 cake for his party. I couldn't say no, could I? When Luke saw the finished product, oh how I wish I had had a camera! He was SO excited!
I made Mr. R2D2 entirely out of fondant but only because I didn't have enough gum paste on hand. I started out with a basic shape and slowly filled it up using layers of other colors and shapes. For a brief moment I considered putting a few tiny LEDs inside R2's top "eye" but just ran out of time. Maybe next time. :)

Happy Bee Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Julia from Dozen Flours) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 03:32:00 +0000

Hi everyone! It's been a long, long time since I've make a cake like this one (or blogged in general...my apologies for that). So long, in fact, that I had to read up on some of my techniques for working with fondant. Thank goodness Elisa Strauss wrote a cookbook! A few months ago a college from work referred her friend Shauna to me to make a cake for a baby shower she was hosting. Her theme was classic Winnie the Pooh and wanted something with warm yellows, sagey greens, and snuggley browns. She sent me a photo of a cake that she liked but gave me artistic freedom to make changes as I saw fit. I tried to stick to her original muse as much as I could. I made the colors a little softer, made the bees cuter, and "Julia-fied" the overall look. :) In addition to the beehive cake I also made 30 cupcakes and 24 cake pops. The beehive cake was made entirely out of my tried and true Chocolate Stout Cake. It's perfect for carving as its dense texture really holds its shape well. I made it two days early so it could sit in the fridge and chill. This allows the chocolate flavors to really blossom and develop. I filled it with chocolate ganache and chocolate cream cheese frosting and did two layers of Italian meringue buttercream on the outside to seal and stabilize the cake further. This also provides an excellent canvas for the fondant.

The cupcakes were a combination of the same chocolate flavor and one of my favorites, Vanilla Malt. It's a great alternative to just plain vanilla but really benefits from a dominantly flavored frosting like milk chocolate. However, since I needed to dye the cupcake frosting green and yellow, it had to have a white base so chocolate was out of the question. So I added a layer of homemade dulche de leche between the cupcake and the frosting for just a little extra flavor. No matter how cute it looks, it still has to taste good! I had so much fun making this cake! It's nice to know that I haven't forgotten everything I've learned over the years. And the best part, it got me to post again and for that I'm beeyond happy. :)

PS: If anyone knows where I can find these little fluted cupcake liners, I would be very appreciative. I ordered them a few years ago and can't remember where I found them online. They are rigid and don't need to bake in a cupcake pan. I love them!

Malt-Ball Cake
adapted from Brooklyn's Baked Bakery

Cake
2 1/4 cups cake flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup malted-milk powder (I like Carnation brand)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (Best quality you can get. It has a big influence on the flavor!)
2 cups ice water
4 large fresh egg whites, at room temperature (avoid egg whites in the carton)

MAKE THE CAKE
Preheat the oven to 325°. Butter and flour three 8-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper or line a a cupcake tin. In a large bowl, whisk the flours with the malt powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.

In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter with the shortening until creamy. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat at medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the dry ingredients in 3 batches at low speed, alternating with the ice water, occasionally scraping down the side of the bowl.
In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites at medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the batter. Divide the batter between the pans, spreading it evenly, and bake the cakes for 40 to 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 20 minutes, then invert them onto a rack and let cool completely. Peel off the parchment.

To make cupcakes, bake for approximately 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven the moment that the cake is solid on the surface and when you put a toothpick in the center of one of the cakes it comes out clean. Let them sit on a cooling rack in the pan for about 5 minutes. The cupcakes will continue to bake while they cool off and they get more stable too so don't be tempted to pick them up or they will crack.

Home made Dulce de Leche

1 can of sweetened condensed milk
pinch of salt

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425F.

Pour condensed milk into pie plate and stir in a generous pinch of salt. Cover pie plate with foil and crimp foil tightly around rim. Put in a roasting pan, then add enough boiling-hot water to reach halfway up side of pie plate, making sure that foil is above water. Bake, refilling pan to halfway with water about every 30 minutes, until milk is thick and a deep golden caramel color, about 1 1/4 to 2 hours. Remove pie plate from water bath and transfer toffee to a bowl, then chill toffee, uncovered, until it is cold, about 1 hour.

Yield: 1 9x9 cake (enough to make about 25 cake pops) and 18 cupcakes Would I Make This Again?Yes! I love these recipes. They are now a part of my go-to list!

Juanita's Space-Time ContinuYum Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Julia from Dozen Flours) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 07:00:00 +0000

It has been months since I made this cake but it was a recipe that I really wanted to blog about. For one, it tastes fan-freaking-tastic and I don't even like chocolate cake. But, more importantly, making this cake reminded me of the all the reasons why I enjoy baking, most specifically, the ability to trigger a taste-memory or feeling of nostalgia for the recipient.

On a crisp, chilly Sunday morning, while eating breakfast with my boyfriend's mom and dad, I learned that his dad had a birthday fast approaching. For my gift to him I offered to make him any dessert he wanted. At first he politely declined but in almost the same breath he changed his tune. "You know," he said, his eyes grew wide, "there is actually this one cake my mother used to make. I haven't had it in decades, but I remember it was chocolate and it was made with..." and he paused, "...it was made with MAYONNAISE!" Without missing a beat (or even a hint of a wince), I flashed him a dimpled smile and said, "I can make that! What flavor frosting?" He looked almost childlike and practically blurted, "Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting! That's just how she made it." In that moment, I was so excited to make it I think I actually clapped and bounced up and down a little in the booth.

On the day of his birthday, my boyfriend treated him to lunch and since I couldn't go, he broght the cake with him. Later that evening I got the sweetest text message from his dad. Unfortunately I don't have it verbaitum but it was something along the lines of, "...Your cake created a bit of a space time continuum! For a few minutes today I felt like a little boy sitting at my mom's kitchen table. It was wonderful! Thank you so much!..."

My heart swelled a little in that moment. Mission accomplished.

Juanita's Space-Time ContinuYum Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

Cake
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped (try using block chocolate and not chips if you can. I used chocolate from Trader Joe's)
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Droste is my preferred brand)
1 3/4 cups boiling water
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour (unbleached is fine)
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar or light brown sugar + 1 tablespoon of molasses
1 1/3 cups full-fat mayonnaise like Hellman's or Best Food's brand (do NOT use reduced-fat, fat-free, olive oil based mayo, or Miracle Whip)
2 large eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Frosting
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped (try using block chocolate and not chips if you can. I used chocolate from Trader Joe's)
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter , room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For cake
Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour three 8-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Combine chopped chocolate and cocoa powder in medium metal bowl. Add 1 3/4 cups boiling water and whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Set aside.

Sift flour, baking soda, and baking powder into another medium bowl. Set aside.

Using electric mixer, beat both sugars and mayonnaise in large bowl until well blended, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition - about a minute each. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture in 4 additions alternately with chocolate mixture in 3 additions, beating until blended after each addition and occasionally scraping down sides of bowl and the beater. Divide batter among prepared cake pans (about 2 1/3 cups for each).

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 30 to 32 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 20 minutes. Run small knife around sides of cakes to loosen. Carefully invert cakes onto racks and let cool completely. Wrap in plastic and store in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or until the cake is totally chilled. I would strongly encourage you to store it at least 24 hours though. This helps the flavor to become more developed and makes the cake easier to frost.

For frosting
Place chopped chocolate in medium metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (NOT boiling!) and stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Carefully remove bowl from over water and let melted chocolate cool until lukewarm, stirring occasionally.

Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth and creamy. Sift powdered sugar over butter and beat until well blended, about 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Add melted chocolate and beat until well blended and smooth, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl and the beater.

Assembly
Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread 3/4 cup frosting over top of cake layer to edges. Top with second cake layer; spread 3/4 cup frosting over. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining frosting decoratively over top and sides of cake. Cover with cake dome and let stand at room temperature at least an hour before serving.

Yield:Depends on the way you cut this little cake but about 6-8 pieces. Would I Make This Again? Yes. This is my new go-to chocolate cake recipe. It was so moist, very chocolaty but not overly so, and it's fun to make. Good conversation piece!

wouldn't pink blueberries be purple?

noreply@blogger.com (Julia from Dozen Flours) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 04:35:00 +0000

Hello everyone! A big, huge hug to all of you that took the time to send me email and leave comments...wow, I was pretty overwhelmed by the outpouring of support! You guys are really very special to me and it means a lot that you all care so much. Your encouragement has contributed to me being able to move forward. Everyday is getting a little better.

This winter in Seattle has been a bit strange. We had a lot of snow around Thanksgiving, but since then we've only seen a few flurries and a lot of rain. We've been spared the frigid temperatures that so much of the country has been suffering with. But because the weather has been so mild, many of my spring bulb have started to pop-up all over my yard! This has me thinking about cleaning out my plant beds and planting something new, but what? Well, I was at the doctor's office one day a few weeks ago and while flipping through a magazine, an article about pink blueberries caught my attention. Yep, you read that right, PINK blueberries! How fun! I can't wait to plant a pair in my yard and make a batch of pink blueberry muffins. Stark Bro Nursery has them available for sale (along with a lot of other great plants!) and calls them Pink Lemonade Blueberries. I wonder if the name is indicative of the flavor? I can't wait to find out! And here's a bonus: they've graciously agreed to give my readers $5 off any order $50 or more. Just enter coupon code: 12FLOURS (valid 2/10 - 4/30, 2011, 1 use per customer.)

By the way, I have been baking a little and plan to blog a few things that I've made very soon. Thanks for sticking with me!

I'm still here

noreply@blogger.com (Julia from Dozen Flours) — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 22:06:00 +0000

Hi. I bet you've been wondering where I've been since October. I'm still here, lurking about.

On November 4th I lost my dad, without warning, a month and a day shy of his 76th birthday. He died at his kitchen table early in the morning. It was exactly how he wanted to go (on his terms) and I'm grateful for that. He was my biggest fan and I have never adored anyone more than him. To say that I miss him doesn't seem to convey the emotion of what I'm feeling properly. But I do; I miss my Dad terribly and I think about him every single day.
I'm doing my best to get life back on track while still taking time to be patient with myself. I'm slowly getting there and I appreciate you all being patient with me. Grief is a peculiar journey but I'll be back soon, I promise.

Favorite Things Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Julia from Dozen Flours) — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 05:39:00 +0000

And now for something new! I've decided that if I'm going to keep blogging, I'm really have to shake things up a bit around here because I'm a bit bored of my cookie-cutter posts. Don't fret, I'll still do the regular baking posts but I feel like they're a bit too predictable. So today, lovely readers, I'm going to highlight some things I genuinely love... in no particular order.

Geninne's Birds

Geninne's artwork just makes my brain happy. I have a strange love affair with color and her work that celebrates it. It's effortless and whimsical, and just dances on the line of becoming cartoony without crossing it. I absolutely adore her work, especially her bird series. Each watercolor painting has so much to look. I like her work so much in fact, that I'm toying with the idea of using one of her designs as my very first tattoo. (Eep!) Thanks to Amanda from introducing her work to me.

Global Knives
Last year, after years of putting it off, I took a knife skills class. What a revelation! I learned how to chop, and dice onions, peppers, tomatoes, carrots, melons, you name it! But the key is a set of good knives and I mean good knives, not the junk that are flimsy or have plastic handles. Luckily, I got a small set of Globals as a gift (they are not cheap!) but they are worth every penny. I find that having one long Chef's knife and one smaller paring knife is really all your need.

The Gardyn

I watched this video a few months ago and it's haunted me in a good way ever since. It's just so clever and sincere. It was a gift that the creator made to give to his mom on Mother's Day. Read the story behind the video to learn more.

So Much Pun!
And just to start your weekend on the right foot, here's a punny site that I just discovered that will make you chuckle. I love the pun graphic above and this one. If they made either of these into a t-shirt I'd buy it!

Here's a question for you: What are you going to be for Halloween this year? I need a suggestion for a scary costume. Help!

Sam & Tyler's Cherries Jubilee Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Julia from Dozen Flours) — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 23:13:00 +0000

First let me take a moment to express my deepest, most sincere thanks to everyone for sending me their heartfelt comments and emails. They have meant a great deal to me and I cannot thank you all enough for taking the time to send them. I honestly had no idea that my little blog could mean so much to so many people. So here’s to leaving the past behind me and focusing on what’s to come. So far life has been pretty good!

Over the next several posts I'll share with you what I was been busy making over the last, er, year or so, but today, I want to tell you about a very special cake I made a few weeks ago for some unbelievably sweet and thoughtful little kids who just adore their mom and dad.

I was at my friend’s house one day when some kids from the neighborhood were outside playing. They know that I love to bake and had the opportunity to sample a few of my confections. One of the little girls, Sam and her little brother Tyler, ran up to talk to me. A little out of breath from playing (I love seeing little kids playing – so rare these days!), Sam sat down on a stool and looked very serious. “Julia? We were wondering. Would you make us a cupcake?” Her little brother Tyler was silent, stared at me intensely, and had a huge smile from ear to ear.
“Only one cupcake? Why?” I replied. I couldn’t help but notice how serious Sam was taking this conversation. She was all business.

“The reason I’m asking is because, well....it’s our parents anniversary in a few weeks and we want to give them a cupcake. And since we’re not allowed to use the stove we can’t bake them anything so we thought maybe you could do it. We’re gonna get up early, at like SIX o’clock when my mom and dad are still asleep. We’re gonna make them breakfast in bed. Yeah...cereal for my mom and toast for my dad. I’m allowed to use the toaster.” Tyler never took his eyes off of me, still smiling from ear to ear.

Okay, first of all this kid had me at “cupcake” but now I was drowning in a pool of cuteness. I kept my calm and business-like demeanor. I thought I should make this official so I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and started to take their order. “Instead of just one cupcake I think that it would be more fun for everyone to get a piece a cake, don’t you think? Would it be okay if I made a big cake?”

“Definitely!” Sam was practically glowing with delight. Tyler was shaking his head in agreement an exaggerated fashion, still smiling widely.

“So what kind of cake would you like?”

“Um, a round one. Yeah, a round would be good.” (Priceless!)

“And what flavor?”

After much discussion and collaboration, we decided on a flavor both parents would enjoy. “My mom and dad love chocolate covered cherries! Oh boy do they!” Sam and Tyler giggled with delight, obviously recalling some memory where their parents were enjoying the confection.

I drew a little cake design so they could picture what it would look like and got their approval. I wrote down all the details, especially noting the fact that the cake had to have a cherry on top as this was Tyler's only request. It was official.

The plan was to deliver the cake the night before, leave it at my friend’s house and then Sam would come and get it very early the next morning to retrieve it. Part of their order was for me to write “We love you mom and dad” on the top but I decided to let the kids do this by writing on a little banner I made out of gum paste. The night I delivered it, they came over, Sam having just gotten out of the tub. They loved the cake and the banner idea. I handed each of them a food-coloring based marker and let them write what they wanted. This is what they wrote:Everything went according to plan. The kids were ecstatic and Mom and Dad loved the cake. Overall it was a smashing success. Everyone was happy, especially me. What amazingly thoughtful kids! This will be a precious little baking memory I won’t soon forget.
Oh, and if you’re curious if I got paid, I did! Sam, along with a few other girls from the neighborhood, gave me a manicure and pedicure, put my hair in a pony tail, and did a full makeup courtesy of Barbie’s makeup line. I was exceedingly sparkley and oh so shiny. Tyler even got in on the fun. He brought me a cup of water and gave me an orange-flavored Pixie Stick. :)

Cherries Jubilee Cake
I strongly recommend making this cake the day before you need it. The flavors really develop the longer it can sit. Note that you don't need to make the filling - you can skip this step entirely if you want.

Cake Assembly Instructions:
1. Make the filling. Cover.
2. Make the cake. Let the cake cool completely. Cover.
3. Let them both sit in the fridge over night.
4. Slice the cake in half, horizontally.
5. Spread the filling on the bottom layer of the cake and top with the top layer of cake. Put the cake in the fridge to firm up (about 1/2 hour or several hours).
6. If you want cherries as garnish on your cake, drain 8 maraschino cherries on paper towels. Try to remove as much moisture that you can. Set aside. Get any sprinkles you want to use ready -- a few teaspoonfuls is all you'll need.
7. Remove your cake from the fridge. Set aside.
8. Make the glaze and pour it over the cake. Quickly decorate with sprinkles and maraschino cherries, if desired.
9. Let the cake sit for at least a half hour or until you're ready to eat it.
10. Enjoy!!
Cake
adapted by Anne Byrn

1 package (18.25 ounces) plain white cake mix (one without pudding in the mix!)
2 cups premium brand melted ice cream - I used Kroger brand (Premium Selection) Cherries Jubilee but Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia is also an excellent choice
3 large eggs, at room temperature

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly mist a 12-cup Bundt pan with vegetable oil spray, then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Set the pan aside. (Or just use Pam with Flour - I love this stuff!)

Place the cake mix, melted ice cream, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with the rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed. The batter should look thick and well blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the rubber spatula. Place the pan in the oven.

Bake the cake until it springs back when lightly pressed with your finger and just starts to pull away from the sides of the pan, 38 to 42 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. Run a long, sharp knife around the edge of the cake and invert it onto a small rack, then invert it again onto a second rack so that the cake is right side up to complete cooling, 30 minutes more.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake Filling

1 pound bag of powdered sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened and cut into 1/2 inch slices
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup Cherries Jubilee Ice cream
8-10 chocolate covered cherries
8 maraschino cherries, stems removed
2-3 tablespoons of the juice the maraschino cherries came in

Using the whisk attachment on your electric mixer, mix the powdered sugar, salt, vanilla and milk at low speed until smooth. Add butter, one slice at a time, until incorporated add shortening and whip at highest speed 10-12 minutes, until volume increases by at least 50%.

Add 1/4 cup of the melted ice cream, all the chocolate covered cherries, and the maraschino cherries. Mix on medium speed until well blended. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of ice cream and the juice. Blend again and set aside.

Chocolate Glaze
adapted by Anne Byrn

Don't make this until you've assembled your cake. Have your sprinkles and whole maraschinos ready because your glaze is going to set up quickly and you'll want to get your sprinkles and cherries on the cake before it sets.

1/2 cup of sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
2 1/2 tablespoons of whole milk
3 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (or use chips)

In a small saucepan add the sugar, butter, and milk together and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Continue to mix until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate chips. Let it sit for 2 minutes or until the chocolate chips are melted. Whisk everything together until it's well blended and smooth. Slowly pour the glaze over the cake, going around the top of the cake so that the glaze can run down the sides. You may not use all your glaze, but it's really your choice how much you want to use.

Yield: 8 to 16 servings, depending on how you cut the cake
Would I Make This Again?I love making cakes using melted ice cream cakes. You have the option of keeping it super simple and just having the cake, splitting the cake and filling it, topping it with glaze, or go all out like I did and do all three. It never fails to impress!

Blissful Berry Buckle

noreply@blogger.com (Julia from Dozen Flours) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 15:19:00 +0000

Many of you are probably wondering why my blog posts have become so infrequent. For months now I’ve been struggling with what to do with the blog as it has become a bit of a love-hate relationship. It’s perplexing because it has been such an important part of my life. And although I can honestly say it still is, it’s evolved into something very different. Much of this has to do with where I am in my life now; there have been a lot of changes.

Last year, my marriage unraveled, fell apart, and ultimately ended. I managed to pick of the pieces and move on, but the blog took the biggest blow as my attention span was forced to widen to a world outside of my kitchen.

It didn’t occur to me until a few months ago why my blog, something I loved and cherished so much for so many years, had become something I avoided. For years I was in the type of marriage where everything seemed fine but deep down, we were in trouble and I felt terribly alone. Looking back now I knew then that things were not good but I refused to admit to myself what was happening and that’s right around the time that I started blogging. I guess you could say I stuck my head into the proverbial batter.

Through baking and blogging I received lots of attention, praise, adoration, and encouragement (thank you all so much for that!). It was the perfect distraction. Without really realizing it, I found a proxy to give me everything I was lacking emotionally in my marriage and somehow it bridged the gap. The more I baked and posted the more feedback I’d receive and the happier and less alone I felt. But during those late nights while I stayed up to finish a cake, I couldn’t help but to think about how my marriage was eroding and how hopeless I felt, how unhappy I really was. But eventually I had to face reality and in what seems like a blink now, it was all over. I was a single mom with a mortgage and baking seemed like the last thing on earth I wanted to do.

I took the time to tell my friends and family about my failed marriage, but it occurred to me that I’ve never taken the time to tell you. It wasn't until this very moment that I felt like the time was right to share this news with you.

Today, I am a much happier and confident that I’m where I am supposed to be. I feel really hopeful about my future and although I do have my days, life is good. As for the blog, well, I’m not really sure what will become of it. Maybe the blog will evolve to become more than just about baking. After all, there’s more to me than just the sweets I whip up in my kitchen; perhaps it’s time the blog follow suit.

For now, though I leave you with a very special Berry Buckle I made back on a Valentines Day. The combination of lemon and buttermilk gives this buckle a zesty edge but the berries soften it just enough to keep it from being overwhelming. It was so delectable I barely had time to take pictures before it was fully consumed.

Blissful Berry Buckle
adapted from Rustic Fruit Desserts

Crumb Topping
1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
zest of 1 medium normal-sized lemon (avoid zesting any green rind)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, cubed

Cake
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
zest of 1 medium (normal) sized lemon (avoid zesting any green rind)
2 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup of buttermilk, at room temperature
2 cups of fresh strawberries, raspberries, and/or blueberries (you can use frozen fruit too)

Lemon Syrup
1/3 cup sugar
juice of 2 medium sized lemons (avoid the giant lemons)

Preheat the oven to 350F. Generously butter (you'll need an additional tablespoon of unsalted butter, softened to room temperature) a 9" square baking pan and set aside.

To make the crumb topping, mix the flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest together in a bowl. Add the butter and use a fork, your fingers, or pastry cutter to cut the butter until it is the size of peas and looks crumby. Evenly spread the crumb topping onto a plate and place it in the freezer.

To make the cake, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and lemon zest together on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl and beaters at least once, until it turns white and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat for 30 seconds each, scraping the bowl and the beaters in between eggs. Stir in the flour in two additions, alternating with the buttermilk. Gently fold in half of the berries (1 cup). Pour the batter into your prepared pan, smooth out the surface, and evenly distribute the remaining berries over the surface of the batter.Sprinkle the chilled crumb topping evenly over the berries and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until it's lightly golden brown and the top is firm to the touch.

About 15 minutes before the cake is done, start the lemon syrup: Combine the sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan and whisk until blended. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until syrupy but still a little runny. The glaze will bubble while cooking, so you may need to remove it from the heat to check that it is thick enough.

Pour the glaze over the cake as soon as it is removed from the oven. (If the syrup becomes too thick, you may need to reheat briefly.)

This is great right out of the pan, but gets even better the next day. It is wonderful served warm with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Yield: It really depends on how you cut it, but plan on 6 to 8 servings.
Would I Make This Again? Yes, it's not overly sweet and it's light but satisfying. It's perfect for a late night snack or for breakfast. Use the fruit you have in the house, frozen or fresh, it will work. I made this with a container of mixed fresh fruit that I just happened to have picked up at the grocery store the day before. It's just yummy.

I absolutely loved this dessert. It was the first thing I baked after a long dry spell of not wanting to bake anything. As I measured out the ingredients, listened to the mixer's cadence, and breathed in the glorious bouquet of lemon and baked berries, I felt my love for baking slowly return to gently warm my heart again. It was in that moment that I knew that I was going to be just fine. :)

Pretty Flower Cupcake Tower

noreply@blogger.com (Julia from Dozen Flours) — Tue, 18 May 2010 04:19:00 +0000

This year is flying by, hasn't it? It seems like February was just a week ago and here it is almost June. Well in spite of the fact that I seem to be living in a time warp, I have been one busy bee! As you can see, I've been making cupcakes... lots and lots of them, one-hundred and sixy of them to be exact! And not just any cupcakes, but wedding cupcakes. My favorite kind!The days that let up to Mother's Day weekend were very busy around my house. Not because it was Mother's Day, but because I had to be ready for Chuck and Leslie's big day! They got married in a gazebo, in the charming little town of Poulsbo, Washington surrounded by their family and friends. Their reception was hosted just a few yards away at a roof top restaurant called The Loft. It was a gorgeous venue that not only had incredible views of Liberty Bay, but had some of the best food I've ever had at a wedding.I made a total of 160 cupcakes, in two different sizes, and four different varieties: Chocolate Stout with Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting, Southern Red Velvet with Sweet Cream Cheese Frosting, mini Luscious Lemon with Lemonilla Buttercream, and my personal favorite, mini Homemade Caramel with Caramel Browned Butter Frosting. I even made a little cupcake menu and displayed it near the cupcakes so the guests knew what they were eating.The trickiest part of this order wasn't its sheer size, but it was the logistics of getting the cuppies there and setup intact. Poulsbo is a few hour journey from my house, so I decided that instead of stressing out the day of the wedding and rushing, I'd pack everything up that I'd need, stay at a hotel near the venue the night before, and assemble everything there. This was no small task but proved to be the right choice. I got up early Saturday morning, started with the whipped chocolate ganache (I had to whip it there in my hotel room with my stand mixer!) and worked my way through through the menu. I wished I had more time to decorate each cupcake a bit more thoughtfully, but overall the end product looked very close to what I had envisioned.I had to use a drawer to hold some of the cupcakes because I ran out of counter space in the hotel room!I made all the flowers and leaves that you see in the photos out of gum paste (about 300 all together.) I started working on them on and off about two week before the wedding and right up until a few days before the wedding! Some were very elaborate, like the roses, which took me about an hour to make each one. Eventually I got it down to about 10 minutes per blossom. In addition to the roses, I also made about seven different varieties of other flowers, including daisies, buttercups, and hydrangeas. And for variety I also hand-painted the bride and groom's initials onto white and dark chocolate wafers using gold luster dust. asion.
I was lucky enough to be a guest at the wedding and had a great time meeting Leslie and Chuck's family and friends. It was a little strange for me to be at the event and actually watch my work be consumed (I usually like to cut and run), but it was a joy to see. It was such a glorious, wonderful event and I was so beyond thrilled to be a part of it. Congratulations Leslie and Chuck! I'm already looking forward to making your 1-year anniversary cake!

Southern Red Velvet Cake
adapted from Elisa Strauss

3 1/2 cups cake flour
3/4 cup unsweetened of the best quality cocoa you can find like Scharffen Berger (not Dutch process)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups canola oil
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) liquid red food coloring that's used for airbrushing
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup full fat buttermilk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons baking soda (make sure it's fresh!)
2 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Whisk the cake flour, cocoa and salt in a bowl.

Place the oil and sugar in bowl of an electric mixer and beat at medium speed until well-blended. It will look thick and yellowy. Slowly beat in eggs and mix for one minute at a time. After the last egg is added, mix on medium speed for 30 seconds and clean off your blade. Add the vanilla.
Take a minute and make sure you have nothing blocking your way between you and your mixer. Make sure your mixer blade is secured and the bowl is locked in tight. Seriously, what you are about to do can turn you and your kitchen a dull shade of pink in a blink! With machine on the lowest setting, slowly, I mean very slowly, add red food coloring. Adding just a squirt here and there and take your time to let it mix at least 10 seconds in between each addition of color. Do not add a bunch at once. Remember to keep the speed to a minimum to avoid splashing. When all the food coloring is added, carefully scrape down the blade, the bowl, and let the mixer run for a good solid minute.

Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk in two batches. When you add the flour, use a small spoon to premix the flour into the red batter a little. This will help avoid the flour from escaping in a cloud in your face. Scrape down bowl and beat just long enough to combine.

Place baking soda in a small dish, stir in vinegar and add to batter with machine running. Note: if you mix together the vinegar and baking soda and you get just a little fizz, go to the store and buy new baking soda! This is what will make your cupcakes rise so don't cut corners here. Beat for 10 seconds. Don't fret, the batter will be runny.

Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3 of the way full. If you're neurotic like me, I like to fill mine about so they weight 1.8 ounces each (yes, I weigh each one I pour to ensure that they bake evenly. Crazy? No. A little OCD, maybe.)

Let them bake for about 15-18 minutes. After 15 minutes, check to see how they are doing using a toothpick to test. You know they are done when a few little bits of cake stick to the toothpick.

Remove the pan from the oven and let rest on a wire rack for about 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and let cool completely.

Personally, I like to freeze these cupcakes for at least a day but no more than five days. I think that it helps the flavors to mature and also adds a bit of moisture to the crumb. You can certainly eat them as soon as you want, but waiting pays off if you can stand it. :)
Yield: About 30 cupcakes
Would I Make This Again? Honestly, I don't like red velvet cake and I grew up in the south! However, out of all the red velvet cake I've ever had, this was the best. Moist, light, just the right amount of chocolate. Pretty darn good!

the king of cakes: Baumkuchen

noreply@blogger.com (Julia from Dozen Flours) — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 19:29:00 +0000

Several years ago, back before I started this blog, I used to work at a small software company in Seattle. When I first started there it was a definitely a startup environment: we worked a lot of long hours and didn't have a lot of money to spend on morale events. However, that changed when I volunteered to make a surprise cake for one of my coworkers on their birthday. Everyone liked it so much, I found myself volunteering to bake every time I had the opportunity.As the company grew, I baked more and more, sometimes baking as many as three desserts an evening. There was one dessert in particular though that I made that made me think that I might have a knack for baking: Baumkuchen (translated as "tree cake"). This cake was requested by my friend Sean who had just moved back to Seattle after many years of living in Japan. He explained how popular a treat they are there and how much he loved it. Traditionally, the Japanese version is baked on a spit so that then the cake is cut, it resembles the rings that are found on the inside of a tree. I did a bit of research and found a traditional German version of the cake, which is baked in a traditional cake pan and under a broiler.From start to finish, this cake takes several hours to prepare and make. I think the first time I made it I literally used very bowl I had in the house! But when it was done, it was really something to be proud of. Although it wasn't the Japanese treat that he had come to love, he enjoyed the German version too. So much so that three years later when I asked him what I could bring to his annual holiday party, he asked that I make it again.

Baumkuchen

2/3 cup of dry roasted almonds
30oz of apricot preserves (not jelly or jam)
13oz almond paste (not marzipan!)
1/3 cup half and half, cream, or milk at room temperature
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons dark rum
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sifted cake flour
3/4 cup cornstarch
10 egg yolks, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
10 egg whites, at room temperature
dash salt
1/2 cup sugar

Chocolate Glaze

1/3 cup unsalted butter
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
3 tablespoons dark rum
Edible Glitter in your choice of color, optional

Grease and flour two 8x2 or 9x2-inch pans; set aside. Finely grind almonds using a food processor and set aside. Pour all the preserves into a saucepan and slowly warm the preserves on low heat. You'll know it's ready when the preserves loosen an stir easily. Remove from the heat and pour the preserves through a sieve, discarding any pulp. Remove 3/4 cup of the preserves into a small bowl and set both bowls aside.

Combine the cake flour and cornstarch and sift twice. Set aside.

Crumble the almond paste into bowl of a stand mixer and run the mixer with the paddle attachment for about a minute to warm it. Gradually add cream or milk, beating at low speed with electric mixer till smooth - about a minute. Transfer the almond paste mixture to a large mixing bowl and set aside.

In same small bowl you used to mix the almond paste, beat the butter for two minutes on medium speed until fluffy. Add the rum, lemon zest, and vanilla and mix for another 30 seconds being sure to scrape the bowl at least once.

Remove the bowl from the base of the stand mixture and very gently stir in the flour and cornstarch mixture just until combined.

Stir the butter/flour mixture into the almond paste mixture until it's well combined.

Using the same bowl, beat the egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar on medium speed for 6 to 8 minutes or until it becomes thick and light yellow colored. Fold the eggs into almond paste mixture.

In a large, clean mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites and a dash of salt on the highest speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, beating to peaks are stiff. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into almond paste mixture until no large clumps of egg white or almond paste exist.

Adjust oven rack so that the bottom of the pans will be about 5 to 6 inches from broiler. Carefully spread about 1/2 cup of the batter in a very thin layer over the bottom of the prepared pan. To make this easier, use the bottom of a small metal ladle, pushing from the center of the cake pan to the edge, being sure to cover the entire surface of the pan with the batter.Before you start baking, bring a pen or pencil and something to write on and place it near the oven. Then, bring a kitchen chair into the kitchen and set it up so it's directly in front of the oven. You're going to be spending a bit of time here and having a seat makes life a lot easier, believe me!

Turn the broiler on and when it's fully heated, set a timer for 2:05 -- you should only need to bake the first several layers for 2 minutes each but the 5 seconds gives you a little count-down to putting the cakes into the oven, ensuring they get their every second of their two minutes.

Slide the cake pan into the oven, keeping the door open. Broil for about 2 minutes or till deep golden brown and batter is set. Do not walk away from the oven or take your eyes off the cake. Seriously, don't be tempted to multi-task! Watch the cake carefully and turn it half way after about a minute or so ensure each layer is baked evenly. When it's nice and golden, remove the pan from the oven. Spread another 1/2 cup batter and repeat the process. Don't close the oven in between layers because it gets too hot and will effect your cook time. Make one mark on your paper to represent one layer. Make a mark on the paper after each layer to help you keep track of where you are in the process.

After every two layers of cake, generously pour 2 tablespoons of warmed apricot preserves from the larger bowl on top of the broiled batter to about 1/2 inch from edge. Sprinkle the preserves with about 1 tablespoon of the ground almonds. Then carefully spread another 1/2 cup batter evenly over nut layer, pushing the batter all the way to the sides of the pan. Broil until golden brown, top with another 1/2 cup of batter and repeat process until you reach the top of the pan. Try to end with at least one batter layer. Note: Keep in mind that the crepes will cook faster the more you add to the pan because they are that much closer to the heat.

When you get to the top of the pan, turn off the broiler, and cool the cakes completely in the pans on wire rack. When cooled, loosen and remove sides of pan using a knife. Repeat the process with the second cake pan.

Remove the cake and place on a cake board or small plate and continue to cool on a cooling rack. Place the cooling rack over the sink or over a pan.

In small saucepan bring remaining glaze to boiling boil gently for 3 to 5 minutes or till reduced by about one-third. Spread Apricot Glaze over top of tortes, allowing it to drizzle down sides of the cake. Make sure every part of the cake is covered with the preserves. Chill for at least an hour.When the cake has 10 minutes left to chill, prepare the chocolate glaze: In small heavy saucepan over low heat, melt together butter and chocolate, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in corn syrup and rum till smooth. Add a little edible glitter to the mixture (I use a toothpick to flick a few blobs of glitter into the chocolate. Be careful not to add too much glitter. Let the mixture thicken slightly for about 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the refrigerator and set it on top of a cooling rack over the sink or over a roasting pan. Slowly pour the chocolate over the cake, being sure to cover the sides of chilled torte. Try to avoid touching the glaze in any way.

If desired, tortes may be prepared ahead and chilled; let stand at room temperature about 1 hour before slicing thinly to serve. Cut with a very sharp knife and be sure to wipe the knife after each slice.

(not the best photo of the inside of the cake, sorry!)

Yield: Because the cake is so rich, this cake can feed a lot of people. Between the two cakes, you can easily feed 12-16 people.
Would I Make This Again? This was my second time making it. I would make this again, although it's so special (and time consuming!) I think it may be a few years before I make it again.

Aliana's Birthday Brownie Heart and Pops

noreply@blogger.com (Julia from Dozen Flours) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 06:56:00 +0000

I made this asymmetrical-on-purpose brownie birthday treat to celebrate little Aliana's 5th birthday. To help me get calibrated to the way she made her hearts, Aliana drew me several hearts just to help me get inspired. Big colorful, curvy, bubbly, slanted hearts filled several pages of paper and some even had smiley faces on them! Kristina, Aliana's proud mom, told me that sometimes Aliana liked to add a little bumpy border to the outside of hearts too.
I came up with a simple plan of creating one big brownie for the kids to devour at Aliana's birthday party - no forks required! Along with the brownie, Kristina asked that we have a few cake pops too which I made using the left over brownie that I carved to create the cake. My original plan was to insert the brownie pops into the bumpy cereal treat border, but unfortunately they were much too soft to keep hold of them. At the last minute I used the outside edge of the brownie to secure the pops and it did a pretty good job of holding onto them, although several drooped a bit.
Speaking of cereal treats, I used Trix cereal instead of Rice Krispies as something different. I wanted something that would look pretty from the get go; I didn't want to worry about covering the cereal treas with fondant and Trix is perfectly colorful. It was so successful, that Kristina swears that for now on, all cereal treats in her family will be made out of Trix. I bet Fruity Pebbles would have been a good choice too.I now have a new found respect for anyone that's good at writing words with frosting. I suppose this gets easier with more and more practice but it was a lot harder than I expected. I ended up going back over the letters with a dampened paintbrush to clean them up a bit. It was a lot of fun to make this cake and I'm just thrilled with the way it came out. It just makes me happy looking at it!

Kid-Friendly Super Brownie Cake
adapted by Martha Stewart

1 cup (2 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped*
12 ounces of good quality milk chocolate, coarsely chopped*
3 cups sugar
8 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 14-inch round baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang on 2 sides. Set aside.

Place butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) simmering water; stir frequently until chocolate and butter are melted, about 7-15minutes. Be careful not to let any moisture collect in the bowl as it will keep the chocolate from melting as it should. Remove bowl from heat; let cool to room temperature, 15 to 20 minutes.

Stir sugar into cooled chocolate mixture until combined. Whisk in eggs one at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Whisk in vanilla. Gently fold in flour and salt.

Pour batter into prepared pan, shake the pan to ensure that the batter is in the pan evenly and smooth top with an offset spatula. Bake for 25 minutes, remove it from the oven and wap it again the counter hard! You *want* it to fall and open up any hot spots that may have been trapped. Continue baking another 10-20 minues, until the brownie tester inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool .

Run a knife or offset spatula around the edges of the pan. Using parchment, lift brownies out of pan and onto the rack. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into the desired shape. Brownies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

* Try to avoid brands like Hersheys, Nestle's, or Baker's. These brands have a lot of sugars, water, binders, and frankly just don't taste that great. Trader Joe's makes an excellent bittersweet and dark chocolate at a around $5 a pound. I also really love Guitard and Scharffen Berger but they can be pretty pricey. Also, avoid using chocolate chips if you can as they have binders in the chips and make it a little harder to melt them.

Yield: Enough brownie to make a very large heart and 26 brownie pops. Enough to feed about 24 kids and their parents!
Would I Make This Again? Yes! This recipe was really good and a great one when you are feeding little kids and you don't want to blow the kids away with an overly intense chocolate flavor.

Matched: Starbucks Pumpkin Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Julia from Dozen Flours) — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 04:17:00 +0000

I've been making pumpkin bread for many years, even before I ever started baking with any confidence. This was mostly due to how easy this recipe is to make. All you do is dump all the ingredients into a bowl, mix it until it's all blended together, pour it into prepared loaf pans, and bake at 350 a little more than an hour, and eat. It's that easy!

A few weeks ago I was in Starbuck's and overheard two customer's praising the pumpkin loaf. Being the ever so curious person that I am, I had to get a peek of the wondrous loaf myself. It looked very similar to my pumpkin bread and I wondered if it tasted the same too. So I bought a slice, you know, for research purposes. ;)

The most obvious difference were the pepita seeds that adorned the top of the slice I purchased. Not only did it give a the bread a little visual appeal, but it added just the right amount of texture and a little hint of nutty flavor. However, inasmuch as the bread had a pleasant flavor, it was milder than my pumpkin bread and the texture was a bit denser too. It's not to say that it was bad in any way, it was just different. Overall though, in a blind taste test, I'd like to think that based on freshness of flavor and texture, I am not sure my pumpkin bread would win, but I think it would be a very close match. If nothing else, at $2 a slice, my pumpkin bread is a lot less expensive and it makes your whole house smell divine when it's baking.

Nevertheless, this is one of my favorite go-to recipes and I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do. One of the things I love about this recipe is that by just changing the method in which you mix the ingredients together, you can get two very different treats. You'll find the two variation in the recipe that follows.

Pumpkin Bread:2 Ways

1 cup of canola or vegetable oil
1 cup of water, at room temperature
1 15oz can or 2 cups of 100% pure pumpkin
4 eggs
3 cups of sugar
3 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 teaspoons of baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt
1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon of ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly ground is best)
1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamom
1/4 to 1/2 cup of roasted pumpkin/Pepita seeds (optional)

"Dump & Mix" Pumpkin Bread
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease two large loaf pans (I use Pam with Flour).

Dump all the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Mix to blend everything together. Add all the dry ingredients and mix together for about a minute until well blended and all batter looks one color and one texture.

Evenly distribute the batter between both loaf pans. Scatter a few handfuls of Pepita seeds (optional) over the top of the bread and push down slightly them to ensure that they stick to the batter. Bake for 70 minutes to 90 minutes, until the center comes out clean when tested with a wooden toothpick. Let cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes and then remove from the baking pan to cool completely. Keep covered or wrapped in plastic. Or wrap in heavy foil and freeze for up to 4 months.

"Light and Fluffy" Pumpkin Cake
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans.

Combine all the dry ingredients together into a bowl and whisk until evenly combined (or sift if you'd like).

In the bowl of the stand mixture, mix together the oil, water, and pumpkin for 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for 1 minute each. Slowly add the dry ingredients in two or three parts, stopping just when they are absorbed. Don't over mix.

Evenly distribute the batter between the two cake pans. Bake for 20-30 minutes (check every 3-5 minutes after 20 minutes) until the center comes out clean when tested with a wooden toothpick. Let cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes and then remove from the baking pan to cool completely. Eat plain or frost with your favorite frosting.

Yield:Makes 2 large loaves, or 5 mini loaves, or 24-30 cupcakes or muffins
Would I Make This Again? Yes and I do every year!

Fire Engine Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Julia from Dozen Flours) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 02:48:00 +0000

Is it already January 11th? How'd that happen so fast? It feels like the month of December all but evaporated and January is just speeding by too. I know I've been a bit slug about posting and I do apologize for that. I'm going to try to get back to my normal schedule of posting at least once a week.It's been a while since I've dragged out the fondant supplies but it was well worth the effort. I was asked to make this cake for my friend's son, Connor, to celebrate his first birthday. Stephanie asked for simple fire engine cake that would be big enough to feed about ten people, but I couldn't help but get but get a little carried away.Since little Connor's tummy isn't really ready for all the dairy and gluten that are standard fare in a traditional birthday cake, I suggested that I make a vegan cake that was also gluten free. After a little bit of discussion, Stephanie eventually picked a carrot cake with chai buttercream and I set to work. I know what you're thinking, but if you've never tried a vegan cake, you're in for something really special. I love that the ingredients aren't muddled; instead textures and flavors are celebrated boldly. When I first moved here ten years ago, I tried my first vegan apricot thumbprint cookie from The Flying Apron Bakery and I was hooked forever! So I was thrilled when I received their cookbook, "Flying Apron's Gluten-free & Vegan Baking Book" from my friend Mandy for Christmas. I was so excited I think I actually jumped up and down! I couldn't wait to try making one of Jennifer Katzinger's recipes in my kitchen.(Thanks Mandy!)As for the design of the cake, I didn't have a muse really, but made the cake just by looking at a few photos online and imagining it in my head. To make the cake, I baked one single layer half-sheet cake and cut it into three pieces that were roughly 10" x 5" (I used a tissue box measure the pieces). With the left over cake, I cut two small squares about 3" or so leaving one nice piece to snack on (or to give your lactose and egg intolerant neighbor) and stacked those on top to create the front part of the fire truck. I used the chai buttercream to fill and frost the cake, chilled it for about an hour to firm up, and finally covered and decorated it using Satin Ice fondant.And because I love this cookbook and bakery so much, I'm giving away one to one lucky reader. To enter, just leave me a comment below (no email please) and please be sure to include a link to your blog or your email address in your comment. *If you don’t provide a way for me to contact you, you will not be entered to win! Contest is only open to those that live in the United States (my apologies to my foreign readers!) All entries must be received by January, 15th. A winner will be selected at random and announced on Sunday, January 17th.Sorry - this contest is now closed.

And the winner is.... Samantha, entry 27! Congrats Samantha!

Vegan Carrot Cake with Chai "Buttercream"
adapted from Jennifer Katzinger

Cake
2 cups of brown rice flour
1 1/4 cups garbanzo/chickpea flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup of canola oil
2 cups water (room temperature)
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
1 cup agave syrup*
1 cup frozen 100% pineapple juice concentrate that's been defrosted and at room temperature
5 medium organic carrots, grated (about 1 1/4 cups)
2 cups chopped walnuts
1 cup golden raisins

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Spray either 3 9" cake pans or 1 half-sheet pan with plan vegetable cooking spray and then line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the rice and chickpea flours, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

In very large bowl, combine the canola oil, water, vanilla, agave syrup, and juice concentrate together. Stir together until it's pretty well combined.

Add the flour mixture to the canola oil mixture and mix together until thoroughly combined. Be sure to break up and clumps.

Using the bowl that you had previously used for the flour mixture, combine the carrots, coconut, walnuts, and raisins. Mix it together as best as you can (it's okay to use your hands!) and then fold it into the canola/flour mixture until it's combined.

Pour the batter into the pan(s) and shake it a bit to even it out. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the tops of the cake is slightly golden brown. Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack before you remove it from the pan. Once it's totally cool, you can frost it.

Chai "Buttercream"
1 2-pound bag of powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
2 1/2 teaspoons ground clove
2 cups vegetable shortening (you can also use solid Palm oil but it can be hard to find)
3/4 cup really hot, strongly steeped chai tea (I like Numi's Ruby Chai)
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a little bowl combine the salt, cardamom, and ground clove. Add it to the powdered sugar and mix just until it's combined. Sift the powdered sugar mixture and set aside.

In a stand mixer, beat the vegetable oil by itself on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Slowly add the powdered sugar mixture in three batches, beating until soft and somewhat incorporated, being sure to scrape down the bowl and the beaters at least once.

Add half of the very hot chai tea and mix together by hand, doing you best to break up the sugar mixture. The hot tea should soften the sugar mixture and although it will still be thick and lumpy and probably even a bit difficult to mix, it will eventually soften up and absorb the majority of tea. Repeat the process again with the remaining tea and mix together as best as you can. Put the mixing bowl back on the stand mixer and mix on low for about 20 seconds, just to get it moving in the bowl. Gradually increase the speed to medium-high and mix for a long as five to eight minutes until the buttercream comes together and you don't see any clumps of shortening. Be sure to scrape down the bowl and the blade (yes, even if you have a Beater Blade!) When it's good and incorporated, cover it with plastic wrap and keep it at room temperature until you're ready to use it.

Yield: The cake makes about 18 cups of batter, enough to make lots of cupcakes, 3 9" cakes, or one half-sheet cake. The buttercream makes about 6 1/2 cups of frosting.
Would I Make This Again? I would as it was really very good and it's a great choice for those who are lactose and gluten intolerant. I think next time though I might make a maple buttercream or something a little more benign so as not to compete with the carrot cake.

* The cookbook giveaway is not sponsored by Fly Apron Bakery. I'm giving it simply because I love them!

"Butternut Miss It" Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Julia from Dozen Flours) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 06:10:00 +0000

How in the world do I find the words to convey how much I absolutely love this cake? There doesn't seem to be enough adjectives to quite describe how lovely it really is! I love this cake so much; I made it FIVE times in one week! And this is coming from someone who really does not like making the same thing more than once. You really butternut miss it!

I had my eye on this recipe for several months but kept forgetting about it. This all changed about a week ago when I accepted an invitation to dinner at my friend's house. Not wanting to arrive empty handed, I stopped by the store the night before to pick up the ingredients for my Cream Sherry Cake (one of my favorite "go-to" recipes). However when I went to my trunk to grab my reusable grocery bag, I saw the February/March 2009 issue of Fine Cooking Magazine just sitting there. It was then that I remembered why it was in the car: this cake! I quickly turned to the recipe and was relieved to see that I had almost all the ingredients in my pantry. I just needed to pick up a small butternut squash, a pint of buttermilk, and some crystallized ginger.

One of my favorite things about this cake was the batter. It starts out very thick, but once the butternut squash starts to soften and cook down, the cake almost blooms in the oven, rising high in the pan. And if you’re thinking that no one will like it because it has butternut squash in it, have no fear! Because the squash is grated prior to adding to the batter, its favor isn’t overwhelming, in fact it becomes mellow and sweet. My son who wouldn’t normally be caught in the same room with a butternut squash, couldn’t get enough of this cake! So much so he insisted on having it for breakfast! A few tips about making this recipe:

Be sure to use only fresh butternut squash. Frozen squash will not work! Look for one that's very firm and the flesh is free of blemishes. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin and be sure to peel down far enough to get to the bright orange flesh. Use the big, wide holes on a food processor or a cheese grater to shred the butternut squash.

If you can find it, I strongly encourage you to use freshly grated nutmeg. If you are fortunate enough to have a bulk section in your local grocery store, look to see if they carry the whole seed. If you can buy just one seed, you can probably get it for less than .40 cents! It tastes a million times better than the already-ground stuff. Don’t despair if you can’t find it; I promise the cake will still taste good using the ground stuff.

If you can swing it, make the cake at least a day or two before you need it. Its flavor actually improves with age. Keep it cold until you need it but let it come to room temperature at least 30 minutes before serving.

This cake is great served all by itself, but holy cow is it good served warm or with a little scoop of butter pecan ice cream. Thanks to my good friend Adele for the suggestion! Pure genius!

"Butternut Miss It" Cake
adapted from FineCooking.com

Cake
3 cups (13 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda (note that there is no baking powder in this recipe)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon *freshly* grated nutmeg (use ground nutmeg if you can't find fresh)
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
3/4 cup buttermilk (low fat)
2-1/4 cups peeled and grated butternut squash (about 8 ounces)

Icing
1 cup confectioners sugar
2-4 tablespoons buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon finely chopped crystallized ginger (optional)

Make the cake
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 325F. Butter and flour a 10-cup Bundt pan; tap out excess flour or just use Pam for baking (my personal favorite).

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

In a large bowl with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter alone for 1 minute until it's soft. Add the sugar and mix on medium speed until well combined for 1 minute. Scape the bowl and the beater. Add the oil and beat another minute.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing for 30 seconds between each one, on low speed. Add the vinegar and vanilla and mix again until just combined (30 seconds). Add half of the flour mixture on low speed, just combined. Add half of the buttermilk and mix until just combined. Repeat with the remaining flour and buttermilk. Mix again for 15 seconds on medium speed until it's well combined. Scrape down the bowl and the beaters.

Stir the squash into the batter in two parts and mix on low speed. Give it a good mixing on medium-high speed for 5 seconds. Transfer the thick batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Place the pan on top of a cookie sheet and bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes to 60 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Carefully invert the cake onto the rack and remove the pan. When the cake is completely cool, transfer it to a serving plate. Do not cover the cake until it's completely cool.

Make the icing
In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar, buttermilk, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt until smooth. Add more buttermilk, a few drops at a time, as needed, until the icing is pourable but still quite thick. Pour the icing back and forth in thick ribbons over the cooled cake. You may have some left over, so don't feel pressure to use all the icing.

Scatter the ginger on top. Let the icing set at room temperature, about 45 minutes, before serving (it gives it time to really soak into the cake).

Yield: about 12 to 15 slices, depending on how big you cut it.
Would I Make This Again?Yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes.

St. Nick's in Woodinville: Yummy Treats & Great Wine!

noreply@blogger.com (Julia from Dozen Flours) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 17:46:00 +0000

If you're in the greater Seattle area and want to try some fabulous Syrah wine, stop by Robert Ramsay Cellars today! I'll be there serving my Milk Chocolate Alderwood Smoked Bacon (while it lasts!) and Dark Chocolate Anise Bark with Roasted Cashews and Sour Cherries. Come by and say hello!
Robert Ramsay Cellars
19495 144th Ave. NE #235
Woodinville, Washington USA

Ginger-Mascarpone Icebox Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Julia from Dozen Flours) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:10:00 +0000

This past weekend I met up for a potluck with a few of the folks that I went river rafting with back in September. I wanted to make something that would appeal to a lot of people, was creamy and cold, and didn't involve chocolate. I was having a bit of trouble finding a recipe that would meet all my requirements until last weekend. I was in the Houston International Airport, on my way home to Seattle after visiting my dad in Florida, when I picked up Fine Cooking's Sweet Cakes magazine. I saw a photo of this recipe and knew I had found a winner.

If you love the flavor of spicy gingersnap cookies and the cold, creamy texture of tiramisu, you'll love this easy to prepare no-bake dessert. In less than thirty minutes of work in the kitchen and an overnight stay in the refrigerator, you can have a wonderful company worthy dessert that will have everyone begging for the recipe.

Ginger-Mascarpone Icebox Cake
adapted from Fine Cooking
12 ounces gingersnap cookies (any brand that makes a hard, crunchy kind of gingersnap)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 8oz package full fat cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
2/3 cup sugar; more for the pan
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (if you have vanilla paste, use it!)
2/3 cup crystallized ginger, minced finely (check the bulk section of your grocery store)
16 oz full-fat mascarpone cheese
1/3 cup heavy cream

Grease an 8 or 9oz springform pan lightly with butter. Dust the pan with a little sugar and knock out any excess. Set aside.

Run the gingersnap cookies through a food processor or blender on high until a you get fine, consistently shaped crumbs (no big clumps). Combine the gingersnap crumbs and butter, rubbing them together with your fingertips to combine thoroughly. Sprinkle half of the crumbs over the bottom of the pan and pat down evenly; set the rest aside.

With an electric mixer, whip together the cream cheese, yogurt, sugar, vanilla, and candied ginger until smooth, scraping down the sides. Add the mascarpone and whip until the mixture for 2 minutes. Add the cream and whip for 1 minute. Don’t overwhip or the mixture may separate.

Carefully spoon half of the mascarpone cream over the gingersnap crust, spreading it evenly to the edges of the pan. Sprinkle *half* of the remaining crumbs over the mascarpone cream in the pan (it doesn't have to be a perfect layer of crumbs, but be sure to pay attention to the edge of the pan.) Top with remaining mascarpone cream and finish with the remaining crumbs.

Gently tap the pan on the counter to eliminate any air bubbles. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

To serve, warm a sharp knife under hot water and dry it off. Cut one slice, clean the knife and warm it again before cutting the next slice.

Yield: 8 to 10 slices
Would I Make This Again?Yes, it was very easy, unique, and the texture takes everyone by surprise. This cake made a lot of people really happy!

Tummy Huggin' Nutty Toffee-Date Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Julia from Dozen Flours) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:52:00 +0000

When the weather turns chilly and the days get shorter, it's the time of year that calls for a warm, soul-satisfying dessert. No one can deny that cookies right out of the oven or a bowl of hot apple crisp does job well, but sometimes you want a warm confection that's both elegant and unique. This dessert delivers on both accounts! Not only does this recipe look beautiful, taste heavenly, and travel well, but it's completely unexpected. Its cozy flavor and hearty texture is sure to make everyone happy; it's like a big bear hug for your tummy!
The secret to this fabulous cake is the use of Medjool dates. Their flavor and texture is what really makes this cake unique but they can be a little tricky to find sometimes depending on where you live. I have found them in both the bulk and produce sections of grocery stores. If you can't find them locally (Trade Joe's sells them!), then I'd encourage you to order them online. While you can find dates in the grocery store in the dried fruit section, they are almost always something other than Medjool. Those nameless varieties lack the necessary flavor and moisture needed to make this cake correctly.

Tummy Huggin' Yummy Nutty Toffee-Date Cake
adapted from Kate Neuman

Cake
10-14 Medjool dates (7 ounces), pitted
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon full flavored unsulfured molasses (if all you can find is mild-flavored, it will do just fine)
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
kosher salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup walnut halves
1/2 cup pecan halves
2 tablespoons corn syrup

Toffee Sauce
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Cake
Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan or two 6-inch rounds. Line the bottom with parchment paper and butter the paper.In a small saucepan, simmer the dates in the water over moderately low heat until the liquid is reduced by half and the dates are very soft, about 10 minutes. Scrape the dates and liquid into a food processor. Add the molasses and puree. Let cool.
In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt. In another bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter with 1/2 cup of the brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla, then beat in the dry ingredients. Beat in the date puree. It won't look like it's much batter, but you'll have plenty!

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the cake is springy to the touch. Let cool for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a rack. Peel off the parchment paper and return the *paper* to the pan - clean side down.
Meanwhile, spread the walnuts and pecans in a pie plate and bake for about 9 minutes, until fragrant and golden. Let the nuts cool slightly, then chop them very coarsely. In a small bowl, stir the corn syrup with the remaining 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.

Scatter the nuts over the parchment in the cake pan and drizzle the corn syrup mixture on top. Carefully return the cake to the pan (the same way it came out) and bake for 15 minutes. Let cool slightly, then invert the cake onto a plate, replacing any nuts stuck in the pan.
Toffee Sauce
In a medium saucepan, combine the butter and sugar and bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring. Off the heat, add the cream. Return the sauce to a boil and cook until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Stir in the salt and let cool slightly.

Drizzle some of the toffee sauce over the cake and serve, passing the rest of the sauce on the side.

Note: You can make this cake up to three days in advance, being sure to cover tightly with plastic wrap and storing at room temperature. I think the flavor actually improves with age! However, right before you're ready to serve the cake, microwave it with the plastic wrap for 2 to 3 minutes on low power or until it's between being warm and almost hot. Keep the toffee sauce covered and at room temperature too and microwave that as well until it's back to being thick but drizzly or just wait and prepare the toffee when you're close to serving the cake.

Yield:Since this cake is very dense and rich, you can cut the slices smaller than normal. But, because the cake is SO good, everyone will want seconds, so be prepared. I made this recipe using two 6" cake pans and each cake yielded about 5 servings each.
Would I Make This Again? Yes, without a doubt. This is one tasty cake!

Boss Hog Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Julia from Dozen Flours) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:54:00 +0000

Last Tuesday night I took a chance and responded to a "cake wanted" ad on Craigslist. Michelle was planning a surprise pig-themed party for her husband who was graduating from the Police Academy and was looking for someone to make a cake for the big event.
Having never made a cake for someone I didn't know before, I wasn't sure if I'd have a chance at scoring the gig but decided I would try anyway. When I wrote to Michelle I explained that I wasn't a professional baker, just someone who loved to bake and included a link to my blog. Within about a half hour she wrote me back and said the job was mine. Woo hoo!Michelle's had two requirements: the cake had to convey a pig/police theme and it had to be chocolate. Her exactly words were: "Derek LOVES chocolate. His ideal dessert is chocolate cake with chocolate sprinkles, with chocolate ice cream, with brownies, drizzled with chocolate syrup, with a side of whip cream." So chocolate is what she got! I decided to go out and made a chocolate espresso cake filled with bittersweet chocolate ganache and frosted with chocolate Italian meringue buttercream. I'm not a big chocolate fan but I have to say that the buttercream was dreamy and it was super decadent. And although it was chocolaty, it wasn’t too over the top. It's definitely a keeper! I've always found ganache to be a tricky medium with which to fill a cake. This is because to achieve a substantial layer of it, you have to get the temperature just right. If it's too warm it will literally drip right off the cake and if it's too cool it will solidify to the point where it's not spreadable. So what to do? I found that if I spread a thin layer of ganache on the cake and gave it a moment to set, I could easily add another layer without worrying about it dripping. I did this three of four times until I got the nice thick layer of ganche. I'm sure there must be a better way to this, but this is what worked best for me.I wasn't sure what to use to cover the cake. At first I thought about using fondant or even Oreo crumbs but knew the flavors would detract from the sincere chocolate goodness the rest of the cake boasted. So instead I decided to repurpose the leftover cake crumbs to coat the outside of the cake. As I carved the donut shape out of the cake, I saved all the crumbs and pieces I could and then frozen them briefly to firm up. I then ran the crumbs through a food processor in small batches and lightly pressed handfuls of the crumbs into the cake's surface (Tip: When I did this, I placed the cake on a large cooling rack over the sink. This made clean-up a lot easier!) My only gripe was that I was running a bit low on crumbs. If I had about 2 more cups, I would have had a more even texture. Overall though I was very pleased with the outcome.

Chocolate Espresso Cake
adapted from Elisa Strauss

2 2/3 cups (12 ounces) All-purpose unbleached flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder, best quality you can find (I prefer Droste)
2 cups (14 ounces) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup full fat sour cream, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature
10 ounces espresso coffee, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350F. Brush the bottoms and sides of the pans with melted butter and line the bottoms with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, coco powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine the sour cream, vanilla, and almond extract. Set aside.
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitter with a paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar and beat on medium speed until smooth.

Set the mixer to low speed and add the eggs, one at a time, scraping thoroughly between each addition.

Alternately add the flour and sour cream mixtures to the butter mixture in two batches, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl after each addition.

Gradually pour in the coffee. Scrape down the bowl and beat until thoroughly
combined.

Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans. For 9-inch cake pans, bake 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean; for half-sheet pans, bake 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean; for cupcakes, bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until they spring back after being touched. For this specific cake, I used the entire recipe to make one layer of cake in a 14" pan and baked it for 25 minutes.

Allow the cakes to cool for 20 minutes. Once the cake is cool, release it from its pan by running a metal spatula or knife along the sides of the pan. Flip the cake over onto another pan or cake board and peel away the layer of parchment.

Chocolate Ganache

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy cream

Place the chocolate into a large stainless steel bowl and set aside.

Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking often. Just when the cream starts to come to a boil, pour it over the chopped chocolate and let it sit for 3 minutes.

Whisk it until it is smooth and no lumps appear.
(I doubled this recipe for this specific cake)

Chocolate Italian Meringue Buttercream
Adapted from Collette Peters

5 large eggs white, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter
3/4 + 1/4 cup of granulated sugar, divided
1/4 cup water
1 pound or 4 sticks unsalted butter, softened and cut into 1 tablespoon pieces
1/2 cup melted bittersweet chocolate, cooled

Combine 3/4 cup sugar and the water in a small saucepan and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Slowly heat the mixture, stirring constantly, until it starts to bubble. Reduce the heat to low and insert a candy thermometer. Do not continue to stir.

Using a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites in a large mixing bowl on medium speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat at high speed until soft peaks form.

Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Meanwhile, boil the sugar mixture until it reaches 248-250 degrees. DO NOT LET THE TEMPERATURE EXCEED 250 DEGREES F!

Remove from the heat and immediately pour the hot sugar into a glass measuring cup to stop it from cooking.

Turn your mixer on low speed and slowly pour a little of the hot sugar into the bowl. Slowly add the remaining sugar. Beat on high speed for minutes, then reduce to low until the mixture is cool (you should be able to place your hands on the sides of the mixer bowl and not feel a substantial amount of heat). This should take about 3 minutes. Add the cooled (do not add hot melted chocolate as it will ruin your buttercream!) melted chocolate a few tablespoons at a time and whip on high for 30 seconds or so until it's combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.

Spread on the cake immediately or store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Yield: 4 1/2 cups of buttercream

This little guy was about 4 inches high and made out of Rice Krispy Treats and gum paste. I used a 14 inch cake pan to make the cake, it was about 6 inches tall and it weighed 37lbs!

October Spice Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Julia from Dozen Flours) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Today is my birthday! And just like every birthday for the last six years, I made a dessert to share with my friends and family. I know it's odd and might even seem a little self-aggrandizing, but it's something I really look forward to doing every year.

The last three or four birthdays I've made cookies, but this year I thought I would make something a little different. This is actually the third time I've made this recipe in the last few weeks. As it bakes, it fills the entire house with the quintessential aroma of autumn. Wisps of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and cardamom gently fill the kitchen and then slowly pervade the rest of the house like creeping ivy. Even after the cake is long gone, the scent of it baking in the oven will linger for a day or two.

The roasted pecans give the cake a wonderful crunch and add just the right amount of texture to this dense little cake. And the cream cheese frosting? Well, cardamom is my favorite spice when it comes to baking and I just love the way the two work together. The unexpected floral notes of the cardamom warm up the tartness of the cream cheese and make the frosting something special. There's a bit of cinnamon in there too just to balance everything and to keep the cardamom from being too overwhelming.

As for turning 35? I’m not sad! So far my thirties have been pretty darn amazing. I wonder what this year has in store!

October Spice Cake
adapted from Gourmet

Cake
2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (I use Trader Joe's) or you can use 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves)
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups plain, unsweetened applesauce - I love Santa Cruz brand (shake/mix the container of applesauce prior to measuring) Tip: I found the Trader Joe's brand to be too bland and would not recommend using it this recipe.
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Cardamom-Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
5 oz cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/5 teaspoon ground cardamom

Cake
Preheat oven to 350F with rack in middle. Butter a 9-inch square cake pan and set aside. While the oven is preheating, spread an even layer of chopped pecans into an oven proof pan (I use a stainless steel frying pan) and place into the oven. When the oven reaches 350F, set a timer for 3 minutes. Remove the pan and allow the nuts to cool while you prepare the cake. Don't turn off the oven.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside.

Beat butter, brown sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in applesauce (it will curdle, but don't worry). At low speed, mix in flour mixture until just combined, then stir in the pecans (if using).

Spread batter evenly in pan and bake until golden-brown and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake to loosen, then invert onto a plate. Re-invert cake onto a rack to cool completely.

Cardamom-Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with an electric mixer at high speed until fluffy. Sift confectioners sugar and cinnamon over cream cheese mixture, then beat at medium speed until incorporated.

Spread frosting over top of cooled cake.

Yield:One recipe makes about 9 to 16 servings. I have also made this recipe using a 9"x13" pan with great success, just make a recipe and a half.
Would I Make This Again? Yes, this is one of those go-to recipes now.

Vanilla Giveaway Winner

noreply@blogger.com (Julia from Dozen Flours) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 02:05:00 +0000

Congratulations Di for winning my Singing Dog Vanilla giveaway! Lucky duck!

Buster Brown Cupcakes with Delicious Frosting and a Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Julia from Dozen Flours) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 15:00:00 +0000

I'm back from my Grand Canyon rafting trip and can honestly say I had the best time of my life. I learned to camp, row a river raft, and a lot about myself. I even rowed a class 3 rapid! It was a lot of work being on the river, but the simplicity that came from letting go of modern life and truly relaxing made the experience just extraordinary. It didn't hurt that the Canyon is just so incredibly beautiful either. There's so many stories, so many things I want to tell you all about, but I'll save that for another post when I have the photos organized and ready to share. Until then, let's get to back to business, shall we? On to the cupcakes!

A few weeks before I left for my trip I received an email from a reader, Jennie, asking me if I had ever heard of Buster Brown Cake. She didn't provide a recipe so I hopped onto Google and found one on Midwest Living Magazine's website. I wasn't super impressed at first because it looked like just another brown sugar butter cake, but the frosting piqued my curiosity. It starts with making a roux like substance out of milk and flour that is slowly brought to a boil and let sit in the fridge for two hours. I wondered what a frosting made with flour would taste like? Would its texture be thick and pasty? I wasn't able to read the article that accompanied the recipe, so I know nothing of its origin; but my guess is that it is probably linked to the Buster Brown comic strip that was popular during the early 1900s. Maybe it was the winning recipe for a contest? Whatever the impetus was, this recipe is a keeper! I loved the tender crumb of the cake and its lovely butterscotchy-caramel flavor. And the frosting, wow! It lived up to its namesake because it really was delicious. I mean really, really good! It has the most wonderful creamy texture that was light and had the perfect amount of sweetness. And as an added bonus it was very stable and held its shape.

The day after I received the email from the reader about the Buster Brown cake, I was contacted by Jennifer from Singing Dog Vanilla. She had graciously offered to send me a sample of their organic pure vanilla extract. What perfect timing! I have to say that I was just blown away by this vanilla and I've tried a lot of vanilla extracts over the years. There's no added sugar or fructose - just water, organic alcohol, and organic vanilla beans so you're left with a very true vanilla flavor. Jennifer was kind enough to offer one of my lucky readers their choice of organic vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, vanilla beans, organic ground cinnamon, or cinnamon sticks. How cool is that?! Considering how good their vanilla is, I can't wait to try their cinnamon.

To enter for your chance to win you must leave me a comment below (no email please), and provide a link to your blog or some means of reaching you. If you don’t provide a way for me to contact you, you can’t win! Contest is only open to those that live in the United States (my apologies to my foreign readers!) All entries must be received by midnight Friday, October 16th. A winner will be selected at random and announced on Monday, October 19th.

Thank you to everyone for who wished me well on my trip and for being patient while I have gotten back into the swing of modern life. It took a good two weeks to adjust! I promise to get back to posting more regularly too. I have a backlog of recipes just waiting to be posted - everything from homemade bread to a new cheesecake recipe that will make you weep it looks so darned good. :)

Buster Brown Cupcakes with Delicious Frosting
adapted from Midwest Living Magazine

Cupcakes
2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 cup shortening (not butter flavored)
2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 egg yolks, at room temperature
1 cup buttermilk (low or full fat), at room temperature
2 egg whites, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a muffin pan with 18 cupcake liners and set the pan aside.

In a medium bowl stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and vanilla; beat for 2 minutes. Add egg yolks 1 at a time, beating for 1 minute each. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to shortening mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.

In a medium mixing bowl beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Gently fold egg whites into the beaten mixture. Fill each cupcake liner a little more than half-full.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (if a few crumbs stick to the toothpick, it's ok). Let the cupcakes sit in the pan for 5 minutes before cooling thoroughly on wire racks.

Delicious Frosting
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup of white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon of salt

In a screw-top jar, shake milk and flour until well combined. Place milk mixture in a small saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly - it will take several minutes. It will eventually get really thick and look a little like a thick paste. Like this:Reduce heat; continue to cook and stir for 2 minutes more - be careful not to scorch it! Remove from heat. Transfer cooked mixture to a small bowl (preferably metal). Cover surface with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or until thoroughly chilled. It will look thick, like this:
In a large mixing bowl beat butter, sugar, salt and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed for 5 minutes. Add the chilled milk and flour mixture, 1/4 at a time, beating on medium speed after each addition until smooth. Let it sit in the fridge for about 20 minutes to thicken. Makes about 3 1/4 cups frosting.

When the cupcakes are completely cooled, frost each cupcake with a generous amount of frosting and enjoy!

Yield: 18 +/- cupcakes and about 31/4 cups of frosting

The Grand Canyon is Calling...

noreply@blogger.com (Julia from Dozen Flours) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 07:05:00 +0000

Guess what my dear readers? I'm off on a big adventure! I'm so excited I can hardly stand it!

This Friday afternoon I depart for Flagstaff, Arizona to go white water rafting through the Grand Canyon for 14 days (my trip officially starts on the 13th). I'll be covering 225 miles of the Colorado River from Lees Ferry to Diamond Creek. I'm going with a group of 11 other rafters, the majority of which are river guides, so I'll be in really good company. Now I should mention that I've never rafted nor camped a day in my life but I thought it was high time that I experienced both. I guess I'm a "jump into the deep end" kind of gal!

It's really a trip of a lifetime and I'm beyond thrilled to have the opportunity to go. But don't fret! I'll be back before you know it and have lots of great stories and photos to share. Be well everyone! I'll miss you!

Namita's Piano & Guitar Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Julia from Dozen Flours) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:52:00 +0000

Namit's turned 11 and celebrated with piano and guitar themed birthday party. She was very clear that she didn't want anything too girly and definitely no pink! When her mom Sonie, my coworker, gave me free range to come up with something on my own the first thing I thought of was using the designs that I had seen a Flight of the Conchords poster that was designed by Dan Kuhlken & Nathan Goldman of DKNG studio for HBO. It was kismet!

The amplifiers, speakers, guitars, pianos, and other musical equipment were made from gum paste that I dried out completely over the course of a week. I then hand painted each decoration using liquid food coloring that was mixed with vodka and left to dry for two days.

Click here to see a larger view the slideshow

teensy-weensy turnovers

noreply@blogger.com (Julia from Dozen Flours) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:03:00 +0000

Aren't these darling? Kids of all ages can't help but fall head-over-heals in love with these little guys - they are just so adorable! And if cuteness wasn't enough, they are a breeze to make, relatively inexpensive, and you don't have to have any special equipment to make them. Wouldn't these would be a fun little project for the wee-ones to make the next time you have a rainy Saturday and nothing fun to do?

I got inspired to make them after reading about the Pie Pops that swept the web a few weeks ago. I went home to make them only to find that I only had four lollipop sticks left in my supplies. So, instead of making pie on a stick (which is really pretty ingenious), I made turnovers.

I made mine with apple pie and blueberry pie filling, but really the sky's the limit. You could use jam, nut butter, fresh fruit, even a few chocolate chips, or sweetened cream cheese. What would be your filling of choice?

Teensy-Weensy Turnovers
Turnovers
1 package (2 sheets) of refrigerated pie crust (or make your favorite recipe) - at room temperature
A few tablespoons of the pie filling of your choice
1 egg white, whipped with a fork until frothy

Glaze
4 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Milk (enough to be thin)

Few tablespoons of cinnamon sugar (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Flour your counter with a little all-purpose flour. Unfurl the pie dough and cut as many 2-inch circles that you can. You can use a round cutter or fluted and if you don't have a cookie cutter, use a plastic lid or a glass to cut the dough. Using a fork, gently prick the top-center of the dough to make vent holes.

Repeat process with the remaining scrap dough (you'll need to roll it out first before cutting). I found that after you roll out the dough scraps, the dough doesn't bake up as evenly. It's still very good, it just doesn't look as pretty. Just for fun, try making little gallettes with your left over dough.

2. Directly below the holes, in the bottom-center of the circle of dough, place about 1/4-1/2 teaspoonful of your pie filling - seriously, it's a tiny amount. Be careful not to overfill or it will cause your turnover to burst open and make it difficult to close.

Using your finger or a Q-tip, very lightly, moisten the edge of the pie with just a teeny-tiny amount of water. If you can see water, then you've used too much -- you just want to make it tacky. Use a paper towel to blot the excess water (or pie filling) away if necessary.

3. Fold the top of the pastry up and over the filling so that the edges of the dough line up and press down slightly to make sure that it sealed.

4. Now -- you can stop here if you want, but for that extra special crimped look, slowly "stamp" the edges of the little turn over using a lollipop stick or even a toothpick. I think this is what makes it look very "turnover-y".

With a clean pastry brush, brush the entire surface of the pastry with the whipped egg white. This will make them look shiny and golden brown when they come out of the oven. Transfer to ungreased cookie sheets (I baked mine on Silpat mats). Bake in the center of the oven for 9-12 minutes or until golden. Remove to wire racks to cool.

To make the glaze, combine powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough milk for it to be thin enough to drizzle. Use a fork to drizzle the glaze over each turnover. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar if desired. Let dry completely. Store in an air tight container.

Yield: About 24-30 or so cookies
Would I Make This Again? Yes, although next time I'd like to try making them with puff pastry instead.