From the category archives:

Baking

Quick Italian Cream Cake

February 29, 2012

I made this cake for a dinner party a couple weeks ago and it was super yummy. Many people have requested the recipe, so I figured it’d be easiest to post on here. It is incredibly easy to make, but be warned it is pretty sweet, so you might want to have some coffee or milk nearby to drink with it. Enjoy!

Quick Italian Cream Cake

(from Cake Mix Miracles book)

Ingredients:

-1 (18.25-ounce) package white cake mix with pudding (I used Pillsbury Moist Supreme.)

-3 large eggs

-1 1/4 cups buttermilk*

-1/4 cup vegetable oil

-1 (3.5-ounce) can flaked coconut (I had a big bag, so I just measured 3.5 oz on my electronic scale.)

-2/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted

-3 Tablespoons rum (optional…I skipped this.)

-Cream Cheese-Pecan Frosting (see recipe below)

*I poured a little bit less than 1 1/4 cup milk in a bowl with about 1 Tb of vinegar in it and let it sit for about five minutes until it curdles.

1. Beat first 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes. Stir in coconut and pecans. Pour into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.

2. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

3. Sprinkle each cake layer evenly with rum, if desired; let stand 10 minutes.

4. Spread Cream Cheese-Pecan Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Chill 2 hours before slicing. Yield: 1 (3-layer) cake.

Cream Cheese-Pecan Frosting

Ingredients:

-1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

-1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

-1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar

-2 teaspoons vanilla extract

-1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar (I ended up using about half the box), beating until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla and pecans. Yield: 4 cups.

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Caramel Apple Cupcakes

February 20, 2011

I know this is a photography blog and not a food blog, but it’s MY blog, right? So, therefore I can put whatever I want on it. And so, I’ve decided that every once in awhile I will put up random pictures and various thoughts that I have. Today’s post is about baking, which just happens to be my “happy place”. I’ve had this recipe for awhile and was so excited to finally make it. I mean caramel apples AND cupcakes?! Does it get better than that? It’s also pretty easy, which is a plus. Enjoy! (And feel free to lick the computer screen…they look as good as they taste!)

Caramel Apple Cupcakes by Silvana Nardone (from Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine)

INGREDIENTS

~1  1/4 cups flour

~ 2 teaspoons baking powder

~1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

~1/2 teaspoon salt

~2 eggs, at room temperature

~1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

~1/2 cup granulated sugar

~1/2 cup vegetable oil

~2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

~2 rome apples (I used gala) -about 1 pound, peeled and shredded (it goes quickly if you use a standing cheese grater)

~1 1/2 cups chewy caramel candies

~1 tablespoon heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Arrange a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with baking liners. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth. Whisk in the oil and vanilla. Stir into the flour mixture until just combined; stir in the apples. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan until almost full. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry, 25-30 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

3. In a small, microwavable bowl, combine the caramels and cream. Microwave for 1-minute at medium power, then stir; repeat in 30-second intervals until melted and smooth. Let cool. Spread the frosting generously on the cooled cupcakes.

(I doubled the recipe and made 12 jumbo cupcakes!!)

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