Night of the Living Baker

I'm getting old!!

2011-04-04T17:00:00.000-07:00

Today is my birthday, and my awesome boyfriend spent 3 hours baking a cake for me! Now I'm the girl who reminds everyone my birthday is coming up. I also believe in a "Birthday Week". That means I get to call the shots all week! Sucks for everyone else, but awesome for me!

By the way if you live in Atlanta you need to check out Grindhouse Killer Burgers. They have some great cheap food and play horror movies on the wall! My type of place! I've been planning to eat there for about a month, and it was so worth it.

Anyway, I was so proud of my boyfriend for baking i thought i would share it! He usually isn't the best at baking, but this cake rocked! He even did decorative piping on the cake, which look better than what i could have done. It is a cookies and cream cake, which the recipe is posted on my blog.

St. Pattys Day Bread

2011-03-15T20:30:00.000-07:00

So i thought i would do something a little different for St. Patrick's day. I didn't want to bake something green or something with Guinness in it. I don't mind eating green beer baked goods, but that's so expected. I've been watching Good Eats a lot lately and it inspired me to find out history about a country or food of that country. So long story short, i found out (from old Irish cook books) that they grow mostly strawberries and raspberries. Now if your from Ireland and that's a lie, I'm sorry.

Anyway, i made strawberry bread! Now at first i wasn't so sure about strawberry bread. Strawberries tend to get mushy and gross when cooked, but it turned out amazing! I love fruit in my bread, apples, raisins...This bread is prefect for breakfast or covered in whipped cream as a "light" dessert. It's also great toasted or crisped up on a griddle.

In the recipe it called for 2 cups of strawberries, fresh or frozen, but to me it wasn't enough. i would bump it up to 2 1/2 or 3 cups.

Strawberry Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups of vegetable oil
2 cups strawberries
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2, 9x5x3 loaf pans ( i used 1, 12x5x2 1/2 loaf pan) Mix all dry ingredients together, then add eggs, oil, and vanilla. Mix until incorporated, then fold in strawberries.
Divide batter into pans if using 2. Bake for 1 hour or until top is golden brown. Let it cool in the loaf pan of 10 minutes then flip out.

Blueberry Puffs

2011-02-28T21:22:00.000-08:00

I saw this recipe in a old Kraft magazine, the small amount of ingredients appealed to me. Plus I bought some ramekins 4 months ago that needed to be broken in.
Now I'm all about homemade, but it was nice to take a break and buy croissants. This recipe is the easiest thing ever, so if your a beginner this is perfect! I was pretty happy with the taste of these "puffs", the blueberries just burst in your mouth. My boyfriend ate 2 before they even cooled down. I could even eat these for breakfast, but then again I could eat cake for breakfast.

Now this recipe called for 10 ramekins 1/2 cup in size. My ramekins were about a 1 cup, so i only used 5.

Blueberry Puffs

1 pack of large croissants
1 1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 package (8oz) cream cheese
2/3 cup of sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups milk

Place croissants evenly in ramekins, sprinkle blueberries on top. Beat cream cheese til smooth, then add sugar, eggs, vanilla. Slowly add in milk. pour over croissants and blueberries, i filled it almost to the top. Let stand for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake 20 to 25 minutes.

Vegan Vanilla Cupcake

2011-02-13T16:54:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to try a vegan recipe for a long time. Instead of experimenting, i wanted to try a well known one first. This recipe is from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World. The cupcake had a nice flavor, but seemed heavier than a regular (egg and butter) cupcake. These recipe would be great if you don't have eggs but need something sweet. I just put a simple Vegan Vanilla Frosting on it.

Vegan Vanilla Cupcake

1 cup soy milk (i used vanilla flavored)
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tbsp. cornstarch
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 baking soda
1/4 tsp salt (increase salt to 1/2 tsp. if using oil instead or margarine)
1/2 cup non-hydrogenated margarine, room temperature, or 1/3 cup canola oil (I used Earth Balance, I found it at some Walmarts and Trader Joe's.
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract or more vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners. Whisk the soy milk and vinegar in a measuring cup and set aside for a few minutes to get curdled. ( mine just looked extra foamy)

If using margarine- Sift the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl and mix. In a separate bowl use a mixer to cream margarine and sugar together for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla extract and other extract, if using, then alternate beating in the soy milk mixture and dry ingredients, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl a few times.

If using oil- Beat together the soy milk mixture, oil, sugar, vanilla, and other extracts if using, in a large bowl. Sift in the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and mix until no large clumps remain.

Fill cupcakes liners 2/3 of the way and bake for 20-22 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack, let cool before frosting. Yields about 12 cupcakes.

Vegan Vanilla Frosting

1/2 cup non-hydrogenated shorting
1/2 cup non-hydrogenated margarine (I used Earth Balance)
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup soy milk (I used vanilla flavored again)

Beat the shortening and margarine together until well combined and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat about 3 minutes. Add vanilla and soy milk and beat for another 5-7 minutes or until fluffy.

Strawberry Cupcake

2011-01-14T19:19:00.000-08:00

If you haven't heard Georgia has been covered in snow for the past 4 days. I have been stuck in my house doing nothing. Why didn't i post on here? I didn't have sugar, vanilla, or butter. Not much can be made without those..Once the snow melted to the point we could drive, the first place i went was to the grocery store. Now most of you know about Nutella, but for those sheltered folks, Nutella is the most amazing peanut chocolate concoction. Now I've seen Nutella, but i don't care much for peanut butter. The reason why i never bothered to buy it. I have bought many chocolate peanut butters but none worth buying again. I'm the person when they make a peanut butter & jelly sandwich its mostly jelly. Anyway, I bought it, and i freaking love it! So much so my sandwich is now equal if not more Nutella than jelly.
While eating my strawberry jelly and Nutella sandwich, i thought this would be an awesome cupcake! So here it is, strawberry cupcake with Nutella icing!!

Strawberry Cupcake

1 1/2 cup of all purpose flour
1 tsp of baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 oz or 1 stick of unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
1/4 cup whole milk
1/3 cup chopped up strawberries ( i used frozen)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all the dry ingredients together (flour, baking powder, and salt) and set aside. Cream butter until fluffy, gradually add the sugar until incorporated. Add the whole and egg whites slowly, mix until blended. Add half of the dry ingredients and mix until almost incorporated then add the rest and mix until blended. Pour into baking cups and place in the oven for about 20-25 minutes. Makes about 12 cupcakes.

At this time this is my favorite strawberry cupcake recipe from Sprinkles..but its not enough strawberry tasting for my likes. I'm on a mission to find/make a better one.

Nutella Frosting

1/2 cup Nutella
3-5 tbsp of whole milk or heavy cream
3 cups of confectioners sugar
1 tsp of vanilla
1 stick of butter

Cream butter until fluffy. Add Nutella and vanilla, mix until blended. Then add confectioners sugar mix until incorporated. Add a tablespoon or 2 of milk at time until smooth.

My frosting came out runny, i added milk like a crazy person, but still had a lovely taste to it. Don't do what i did! Slowly add your milk!

Peppermint Cupcake

2010-12-12T20:49:00.000-08:00

I love the Holiday's and nothing says its almost Christmas than peppermint ice cream, white chocolate covered Oreo's, and egg nog. My favorite holiday treat is peppermint bark, so i thought i would make a cupcake inspired by it. This is just a simple chocolate cake with a mint frosting. The frosting has the perfect minty taste, not over powering. I think this would taste even better with semisweet curls on top. I tried making the frosting look like swirls of a candy cane, but yeah, as you can tell it just turned pink. I think next time i try swirling it, i would drop the color in the bag instead of mixing it in a bowl. The color gets to mixed in and muddy.

As of right now this is my favorite chocolate cupcake recipe, its super moist and has a great flavor. I would only fill the batter half way in the liner, these puppies got huge in the oven.

Chocolate Cupcake

8 ounces sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup strong brewed coffee
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour into cupcake liners about 2/3 full. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks.

Peppermint Icing

8 tablespoons of butter (1stick) room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Mix everything together until smooth.

Cookies 'n Cream Cupcake

2010-12-03T21:51:00.000-08:00

I love cookies and cream ice cream, so i knew i had to try this recipe when i saw it. Even if you're just a fan of Oreo's I'm sure you'll love these too. I think kids would love these also, their favorite things together; cookies and cupcakes! The recipe is a basic vanilla cake with crushed Oreo's mixed in and a vanilla buttercream. With holidays around the corner, i promise to make more holiday themed treats! Or you could also try using the Holiday Oreo's (the red ones) and make this recipe...

Cookies 'n Cream Cupcake

1 3/4 cups cake flour, not self-rising
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes (room temp)
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pack of Oreos

Preheat oven to 325°. Line cupcake pans with paper liners, twist oreos apart and put frosted side in the paper liner; set aside. Empty the pack of oreos in a bowl or bag and crush the life out of them. I put them in a bowl and used a potato masher and mashed the crap out of them. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.

In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat. Add about half of crushed oreos.

Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about two-thirds full.

Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.Makes about 30 cupcakes

Vanilla Buttercream

3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream (i need about 3)

Mix together sugar and butter, preferably in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Start on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.

Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.

I piped on the icing, which was hard, the icing was a little stiff. I used the left over oreo crumbs and sprinkled it on top of the icing.

Gâteau au chocolat fondant de Nathalie

2010-11-14T10:11:00.000-08:00

If you read my last post, White Chocolate Truffle Cake, you know it was a huge fail. I was determined to make a another cake that wouldn't die in the fridge. I found this recipe in the book A Homemade Life, which was a great book by the way. After each chapter she has a recipe, this was one. In her book she says the cake tastes even better the next day, and i totally agree. Don't get me wrong, it tasted great out of the oven, but the next morning (yes i had a slice for breakfast) it was amazing. The cake is very rich, but it also reminds me of a brownie, just not as dry. I made some homemade whipped cream to top the cake, which of course is optional.

Gâteau au chocolat fondant de Nathalie
or, Kate's Winning-Hearts-and-Minds cake
adapted from Je Veux du chocolat!, by Trish Deseine

7 oz best quality dark chocolate
7 oz unsalted European-style butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, the brand i used was Lurpak
1 1/3 cup sugar
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 8 inch round cake pan, i used a springform pan so i could easily get the cake out. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and butter that. Finely chop the chocolate, a serrated knife made this a little easier, and melt the chocolate gently with the butter in a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring regularly to combine. Add the sugar to the chocolate-butter mixture, stirring well, and set aside to cool for a few moments. Add eggs one at a time, stirring well after each one. Then add flour. The batter should be smooth, dark and gorgeous. Pour the batter into your buttered cake an and bake for 25 min, or until the center of the cake looks set and top is shiny and a bit crackly-looking. At 20 min i checked on it every 2 min. You'll know its done when it jiggles only slightly, if at all. Let cake cool in its pa.n for 10 min, then carefully turn the cake upside down and flip it top side, so that the crackly side is facing upward.

Whipped cream

2 tablespoon of sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Place a metal bowl in the freezer for 10 min. Pour heavy whipping cream and sugar into bowl, and whisk until stiff peaks are formed.

White Chocolate Truffle.......Cake!

2010-11-13T13:51:00.000-08:00

When i saw a recipe for this i about died. I love white chocolate truffles and cake! What a wonderful idea to put them together! This cake is pretty rich, the "truffle" topping actually tastes like a truffle. My only problem is it took forever for the cake to firm up. I made it last night, and it finally got hard this afternoon. I think next time i make this i will add a raspberry coulis. It would add such a great flavor and color to it.

White Chocolate Truffle Cake

butter, for greasing
2 eggs
4 tablespoon superfine sugar (I used regular sugar)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 3/4 oz white chocolate melted
unsweetened cocoa for dusting, optional

Truffle topping

1 1/4 cups heavy cream
12 oz white chocolate
9 oz mascarpone cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 inch round springform pan ( i couldn't find a 8 in, so i used my 9in). Whisk eggs and the sugar in a mixing bowl for 10 min, or until the mixture is very light and foamy and the whisk leaves a trail that lasts a few seconds when lifted. Sift the flour and fold in with a spoon. Fold in the melted chocolate. Pour into the pan and bake in the oven for 25 min or springy to the touch. Let cool. To make the topping, place the cream in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. cool slightly, then add the white chocolate and stir until melted and combined. Remove from heat and continue to stir, when almost cool add the mascarpone cheese. Pour the mixture on top of the cake and chill for 2 hours. Remove from pan and sprinkle with cocoa powder.

EDIT

What a failure. I later checked on my cake for a bite, to my surprise there was a puddle and a sad cake in the middle...it looked like someone left a ice cream cake in the sun all day. I worked all night on that cake, its such a disappointment to see my hard work go to waste. I followed the recipe, but i guess it never fully hardened. Anyway, I'm going to leave the recipe up and maybe someone will have better luck at it.

Easy French

2010-11-02T15:21:00.000-07:00

I love french food, so i thought it would be perfect to make a classic, Profiteroles . This is a perfect light dessert to end any meal. Profiteroles can be filled with any flavor ice cream or whipped cream. I decided to stick with ice cream, i used a good quality vanilla, but any flavor can be used.

The recipe i used was in French, so i had to improvise a little. French doesn't translate perfectly to English, but the recipe was so simple i just went with it.

Profiterole

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 stick of butter
1 cup of all-purpose flour
3 large eggs

Ganache

1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups chocolate

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place water, milk, butter, and salt together in a saucepan. Once it comes to a boil take if off the heat and add all of the flour at once. Stir until dough forms, put back on heat for about a minute or two. Take back off heat and add one egg at a time, stir until dough forms. I used a pipping bag with a #1 star tip and pipped them on a cookie sheet, you can use 2 spoons. You want the size of a ping pong or golf ball. I melted a little of butter and dipped a spoon in the butter and pushed down on the points so they wouldn't burn.Once done put the profiterole in the oven for 10 minutes. When 10 minutes pass turn down the oven to 320 degrees and bake for 25 minutes. Try not to open the door! When they are golden brown they are done. Let cool, and cut tops off. Scope ice cream into the profiterole and top with ganache. To make the ganache put heavy cream in a saucepan and heat to a boil, take off heat and add chocolate and stir! Enjoy!

Halloween Cupcakes

2010-10-27T20:55:00.000-07:00

I dont know if you have ever heard of the movie "Return of the Living Dead", but it has to be my all time favorite "horror" movie. That's is how i picked my blog name. So these cupcakes are influenced by my favorite movie.

Its almost Halloween so these seem perfect! I made a Death by Chocolate cupcake and Red Velvet cupcake. Since its Halloween I'm changing the names.

Death by Chocolate Cupcake or "Death by Tarman"

What you need:

3/4 cup boiling water
3/4 cup cocoa powder
6 ounces butter
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk together boiling water and cocoa. Cover and set aside. With a mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and continue creaming until light and fluffy. Sift together the flour, baking soda and baking powder and add this mixture, alternately with the buttermilk. Add cocoa and water mixture and mix until thoroughly combined. Scoop into cupcake pans and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Let cool completely before decorating. Dip tops of cooled cupcakes in the warm ganache and let set. Makes about 20 cupcakes.

Ganache:

8 ounces chocolate (i used semi-sweet)

3/4 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons butter

Put chocolate and place in a stainless steel or glass bowl. Bring cream and sugar just to a boil in a small saucepan and then pour over chocolate. Whisk together and then stir in butter until melted.

Red Velvet Cupcake with Cream Cheese Frosting or "Brains for Freddy"

What you need:

3 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
6 tablespoons red food coloring
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour three 9- by 2-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with waxed paper.

To make the cake: In a small bowl, sift the cake flour and set aside. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a small bowl, whisk together the red food coloring, cocoa, and vanilla. Add to the batter and beat well.

In a measuring cup, stir the salt into the buttermilk. Add to the batter in three parts alternating with the flour. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated, but do not overbeat. In a small bowl, stir together the cider vinegar and baking soda. Add to the batter and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl, making sure the ingredients are well blended and the batter is smooth.

Divide the batter among the prepared pans. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the layers cool in the pans for 1 hour. Remove from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack. Makes about 36 cupcakes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

What you need:

4 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
a pinch of salt
2 & 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

In a bowl, with your electric mixer on medium high speed, beat together cream cheese, butter and salt until creamy. With mixer on low speed, make 1/2 cup additions of sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Increase the speed of your mixer between each addition.

I added a drop of red food dye to the frosting so the brains would be pink.

The Beginning

2010-10-27T13:16:00.000-07:00

I have always loved cooking, but that doesn't mean I've always been good at it. I have had my share of disasters. I love sweets (who doesn't) and loved baking. I always used box mixes until the day i had homemade. Since then i always go out of my way to make homemade, and in doing that i have discovered amazing desserts that they dont offer in a box.

So hopefully you learn somethings or it at least makes your mouth water.

Cheers