Spice Cake - best cake I've ever made

 This amazing recipe is from Butternut Bakery Blog

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INGREDIENTS

SPICE CAKE

• 2 3/4 cups (350g) all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cardamom
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 2 cups (380g) light brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup (200ml) vegetable or canola oil
• 1 cup (235g) unsweetened apple sauce
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup (200g) sour cream, room temperature

BROWN BUTTER CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• 1 cup (220g) unsalted butter
• 16 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 5 cups (600g) powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

DECORATIONS

• Cinnamon sticks
• Candied nuts (half the recipe)

INSTRUCTIONS

SPICE CAKE

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and prep (2) 8″ round cake pans. Coat them with a thin layer of nonstick spray and line the bottoms with a round sheet of parchment paper. Wrap in damp cake strips if you have them. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, either mixing by hand with a whisk or an electric mixer, mix together the sugar, oil, and apple sauce until the sugar is evenly moistened.
4. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla.
5. Once smooth, mix in half of the dry ingredients until combined. Then mix in the sour cream, followed by the rest of the dry ingredients.
6. The batter should be fairly thin. Pour it into the two cake pans, filling each about 2/3 full.
7. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. While the cake bakes, make the brown butter.

BROWN BUTTER

1. Add the butter to a saucepan over medium heat. Melt it down and continue to stir until it bubbles, foams, and turns a rich amber color (for more details on how to brown butter, click here). Pour the brown butter into a shallow glass dish and chill while the cakes bake.
2. Once the cakes have baked, allow them to cool in the pans for about 20 minutes. Then, flip out on to a cooling rack. If you plan on decorating the cake that same day, transfer the cakes to the refrigerator uncovered to chill completely before frosting. If you are decorating the next day, allow the cakes to cool completely at room temperature. Then wrap each layer in plastic wrap and chill overnight.

BROWN BUTTER CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1. Once the cakes are chilled, make the frosting. But first, test the butter. It should now be opaque and firm, but not hard. It should be the consistency of softened butter to where you can easy dig into it with a butter knife. If it’s not there yet, continue to chill.
2. When it’s ready, add the butter and cream cheese to a large mixing bowl. Mix until smooth, either using a hand or stand mixer with the whisk attachment.
3. Mix in 1 cup of powered sugar at a time, followed by the vanilla. If it’s still too thin, add 1/2 cup of powdered sugar at a time to thicken. Or, if your home is a bit warm, transfer the frosting to the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes to thicken.

ASSEMBLE

1. When the cakes have completely cooled, level off the tops and slice each layer in half to make 4 thin layers. You don’t have to do this, but I like how it evenly distributes the frosting throughout the cake.
2. Add a thin layer of frosting between each layer. Once all layers have been stacked, cover the cake in a thin coating of frosting to lock in the crumbs. Place the cake in the refrigerator to chill for 20-30 minutes to allow the frosting to set.
3. Once chilled, cover the cake with the remaining frosting. Add any decorations you like, such as cinnamon sticks, crumbled cake scraps, or homemade candied nuts.
4. Place the cake back in the refrigerator to chill until serving. Enjoy!

NOTES

CAKE PANS – You can also make (3) 6″ cake layers or (2) 9″ cake layers. Just make sure to watch the cook times. It make take closer to 30-35 minutes to bake in larger or multiple pans. Although I haven’t tested it, this batter should make the right amount for a 9×13″ baking dish. Bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Then, only make half of the frosting recipe to spread on top.

SPICES – Cardamom isn’t a spice that’s in everyones kitchen. If you don’t have it on hand, you can leave it out and add 1/4 tsp extra of both cinnamon and ginger to the recipe, or swap it with pumpkin pie spice.

Easy Pumpkin Cake

Yummy and  easy - from Allrecipes

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Ingredients

• 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice*
• 1 cup (240ml) canola or vegetable oil*
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree*
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• 8 ounces (224g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3 cups (360g) confectioners’ sugar, plus an extra 1/4 cup if needed
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a 9×13 inch baking pan. I always use this glass pan.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice together in a large bowl. Set aside. Whisk the oil, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, pumpkin, and vanilla extract together until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and use a mixer or whisk until completely combined. Batter will be thick.
3. Spread batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30-36 minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you find the top or edges of the cake is/are browning too quickly in the oven, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
4. Remove the cake from the oven and set the entire pan on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely. After about 45 minutes, I usually place the cake in the refrigerator to speed things up.
5. Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. If you want the frosting a little thicker, add the extra 1/4 cup of confectioners sugar (I add it). Spread the frosting on the cooled cake. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving. This helps sets the frosting and makes cutting easier.
6. Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days.

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Notes

1. Make Ahead Instructions: Prepare cake through step 4. Cover the cake tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature, make the frosting, frost, and serve. Frosted cake freezes well, up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, bring to room temperature or serve cold.
2. Special Tools: KitchenAid Hand Mixer | Glass Mixing Bowls | Glass 9×13 Baking Dish | Icing Spatula | Pumpkin Fondant Toppers | Custom Stamped Fork
3. Cupcakes: This batter yields about 24-28 cupcakes. Same oven temperature, fill the cupcake wrappers 2/3 full, and bake 18-21 minutes or until baked through. For 1 dozen cupcakes, use my pumpkin cupcakes recipe.
4. Bundt Cake: This batter will fit into a 9.5 or 10 inch bundt pan. But I suggest using pumpkin bundt cake recipe. Same great flavor and texture as this cake! You can leave out the chocolate chips.
5. 2 Layer Cake: Pour batter evenly into two 9-inch round cake pans. Same oven temperature, bake for 25 minutes or until baked through. This frosting is enough for a 2 layer cake.
6. Spices: Instead of prepared pumpkin pie spice, you can use 1/2 teaspoon each: ground nutmeg, ground cloves, ground allspice, and ground ginger.
7. Oil: Instead of 1 cup of oil, try 1/2 cup (90g) unsweetened applesauce and 1/2 (120ml) cup oil. The cake is just as moist.
8. Pumpkin: I strongly recommend using canned pumpkin puree over homemade in this recipe, though 2 cups of homemade would work just fine. I found the flavor better with canned. I prefer Libby’s brand for this cake.

Dressel's Chocolate Whipped Cream Cake

I grew up in Chicago where the Dressel's bakery was located. Every year for my birthday we'd have their famous chocolate whipped cream cake. It was sold frozen in our local grocery stores. So yummy. Most years I try to recreated it - generally with so-so results.

This year's cake was pretty close!

Thanks to Modern Honey - I found a good moist chocolate cake. I used her suggestion and did a 1 1/2 recipe to make three layers.

Chocolate Cake:

• 1 3/4 cup Flour
• 1 3/4 cup Sugar
• 3/4 cup Cocoa high quality
• 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 cup Oil canola or coconut oil
• 2 Eggs
• 1 cup Buttermilk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla
• 1 cup Hot Water

Chocolate Buttercream:

• 1 1/2 cups Butter softened
• 1 cup Cocoa
• 5 cups Powdered Sugar
• 1/3 cup Cream Half n Half or Milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. If you have a flour sifter, sift all dry ingredients.
3. In mixing bowl, beat oil, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla for 1 minute. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until combined. Pour in hot water and mix together. The batter will be liquidy but that's a good thing -- it will create a moist cake.
4. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. You can also use three 8-inch cake pans for this recipe. Pour batter evenly into each pan. Bake at 22-27 minutes. Place toothpick or cake tester in the center of the cake to check if it comes out clean.
5. Let cool before frosting.

To make Chocolate Buttercream:

1. In mixing bowl, cream together Butter, Cocoa, Powdered Sugar, and Cream until light and fluffy. You may want to add more cream or milk depending on consistency. Once the cake has cooled and has been removed from pans, frost each layer with frosting.
2. Top with chocolate shavings, chocolate chips, sprinkles, M & M's or whatever your heart desires.

Recipe Notes

*This recipe makes three 8-inch thin layers to two 9-inch thick layers. If you would like to make a thick triple layer cake, 1 1/2 times the recipe and use three 9-inch cake pans.

This is one baked good that gets even better the next day if covered.

Whipped Cream Filling and Chocolate Ganache topping

I baked three 9 inch layers with parchment paper lining the bottom of the pan. I froze them overnight, thawed slightly the next day, and sliced each one into two layers to create two - three layer cakes.

I put stabilized whipped cream between the layers (recipe below) and chocolate ganache on top.

Buttercream is just to sweet so I made this simple ganache style frosting. I melted about 4 oz of chocolate and gradually stirred in about 2/3 cup of the heavy cream to make a spreadable topping.

To make the filling:

I whipped 3 cups of heavy cream and used the Genius Kitchen recipe to stabilize (tripled it):

INGREDIENTSNutrition

• 1teaspoon unflavored gelatin
• 4teaspoons cold water
• 1cup heavy whipping cream (35%)
• 1⁄4cup sifted icing sugar(confectioners sugar)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small pan, combine gelatin and cold water; let stand until thick.
2. Place over low heat, stirring constantly, just until the gelatin dissolves.
3. Remove from heat; cool (do not allow it to set).
4. Whip the cream with the icing sugar, until slightly thick.
5. While slowly beating, add the gelatin to whipping cream.
6. Whip at high speed until stiff.

Lisa's Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Makes an 8-inch triple-layer cake; serves 12 to 16 (the book says, I say a heck of a lot more)

2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups (500 grams) sugar
3/4 cup (about 65 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (235 ml) neutral vegetable oil, such as canola, soybean or vegetable blend
1 cup (240 grams) sour cream
1 1/2 (355 ml) cups water
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs

1/2 cup coarsely chopped peanut brittle (I skipped this)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottoms and sides of three 8-inch round cakepans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.

2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk to combine them well. Add the oil and sour cream and whisk to blend. Gradually beat in the water. Blend in the vinegar and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs and beat until well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and be sure the batter is well mixed. Divide among the 3 prepared cake pans.

3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Let cool in the pans for about 20 minutes. Invert onto wire racks, carefully peel off the paper liners, and let cool completely. (Deb note: These cakes are very, very soft. I found them a lot easier to work with after firming them up in the freezer for 30 minutes. They’ll defrost quickly once assembled. You’ll be glad you did this, trust me.)

4. To frost the cake, place one layer, flat side up, on a cake stand or large serving plate. Spread 2/3 cup cup of the Peanut Butter Frosting evenly over the top. Repeat with the next layer. Place the last layer on top and frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. (Deb note 1: Making a crumb coat of frosting–a thin layer that binds the dark crumbs to the cake so they don’t show up in the final outer frosting layer–is a great idea for this cake, or any with a dark cake and lighter-colored frosting. Once you “mask” your cake, let it chill for 15 to 30 minutes until firm, then use the remainder of the frosting to create a smooth final coating. Deb note 2: Once the cake is fully frosted, it helps to chill it again and let it firm up. The cooler and more set the peanut butter frosting is, the better drip effect you’ll get from the Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze.)

5. To decorate with the Chocolate–Peanut Butter Glaze, put the cake plate on a large baking sheet to catch any drips. Simply pour the glaze over the top of the cake, and using an offset spatula, spread it evenly over the top just to the edges so that it runs down the sides of the cake in long drips. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes to allow the glaze and frosting to set completely. Remove about 1 hour before serving. Decorate the top with chopped peanut brittle.

Peanut Butter Frosting
Makes about 5 cups

10 ounces (285 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick (115 grams, 4 ounces or 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups (600 grams) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2/3 cup (170 grams) smooth peanut butter, preferably a commercial brand (because oil doesn’t separate out)

1. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Add the peanut butter and beat until thoroughly blended.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

8 ounces (225 grams) semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons (50 grams) smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons (40 grams) light corn syrup, honey or golden syrup
1/2 cup (120 ml) half-and-half

1. In the top of a double boiler or in a bowl set over simmering water, combine the chocolate, peanut butter, and corn syrup. Cook, whisking often, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

2. Remove from the heat and whisk in the half-and-half, beating until smooth. Use while still warm.

Easy Pumpkin Snack Cake

I love all things pumpkin. This cake is easy and delicious.

Thanks to Kitchen Meets Girl for this wonderful recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 15-ounce can pumpkin

For the Frosting:

• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, and beat at low speed until combined and the batter is smooth.
4. Spread batter into pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool completely before frosting.
5. To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Add in the sugar and milk and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread over cooled bars. Dust lightly with cinnamon, if desired.

Sicilian Chocolate Gelato

This is my absolute favorite homemade ice cream recipe

3 cups milk
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup good quality cocoa powder (cocoa powder quality is important - I like sharffenberger - but best of all my local Ghana Goldentree cocoa)
1 1/2 Tbs cornstarch

In medium saucepan bring 2 cups milk to a simmer. Meanwhile whisk the remaining cup of milk with the sugar, cocoa and cornstarch.

Scrape the cocoa mixture into the hot milk.

Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and bubbles a little at the edges. Stir and cook for one minute longer.

For extra smoothness, strain though a wire mesh strainer. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.

Freeze according to ice cream maker instructions.

Makes 1 quart.

Quick Lemon Meringue Pie

Crust:

Of course, you can make or buy a traditional pie crust. But to keep it quick (and because Reid doesn't really like pie crust) I just use melted butter and cookie crumbs. Here in Ghana you can buy yummy McVites Digestive Biscuits. They are easy to crumble and are delicious. Graham cracker or other cookie crumbs would work. I just crush about 1/2 or 2/3 cup crumbs (enough to cover the bottom (not sides) of a pie plate. Then I melt enough butter for the crumbs to begin to stick together - maybe about 2 tablespoons. I pat the crumbs in the bottom of a 9 inch pie plate. This is done quickly and without precision (as you can see). I wonder if you could even use whole cookies cut to fit the bottom of the pie pan. The purpose here is fast and easy!

Lemon Filling:

4 egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)

1/3 cup cornstarch

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/3 cups sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (opt)

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Whisk egg yolks in medium size mixing bowl and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine cornstarch, water, sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine. Turn heat on medium and, stirring frequently, bring mixture to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and gradually, 1 whisk-full at a time, add hot mixture to egg yolks and stir until you have added at least half of the mixture.

Return egg mixture to saucepan, turn heat down to low and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and gently stir in butter, lemon juice, and zest until well combined. Pour mixture into pie shell and top with meringue (instructions below) while filling is still hot. Make sure meringue completely covers filling and that it goes right up to the edge of the crust. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until meringue is golden. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Make sure pie is cooled completely before slicing.

Meringue Topping:

4 egg whites

1 pinch cream of tartar (opt - can't find it in Ghana)

2 tablespoons sugar

Directions

Place egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form and then gradually add sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Use to top lemon filling.