Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake

I have a group of friends that I try to meet up with every couple of months just to stay connected.  Let's be honest,  it is a ladies night at the Celebration Town Tavern, usually on the patio, which may or may not include some adult beverages, not so point friendly bar food and some laughs. We all work in different areas within the same company now and always have some really good stories to share.

"I'm busy" seems to be the theme lately.  I really am!  I don't know how people with kids can possibly do it all cuz I don't have any kids and I am super busy.  It feels so indulgent to do an all about me day spent pouring through cookbooks, practicing my royal iced cookies and watching true crime TV.  Yes, I am hooked on that station, ID TV (Investigation Discovery).  It features programs like 'Sinister Ministers', 'Deadly Affairs' and 'Fatal Encounters' .  The Bellman refers to it as murder porn  Hahaha whatever, I like it, lol.

One of my Patio Night girls challenged me to do a pineapple upside down cake ------with the key word of moist ---how could I say no?!  

I totally cheated and started with a box cake.  I've made this cake before from scratch but this time I wanted to use my beautiful Bundt cake pan and knew the scratch batter would be too flimsy. I totally stole the idea from Pinterest to add the pineapple in this way rather than on top.  It slices really nice when layered like this!

Oh, and I was gifted an awesome lime green fancy whisk this week.   It worked perfectly today for this easy cake batter and there was no need to dirty up the kitchen aide mixer. Thanks Mouguett!


PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN BUNDT CAKE
Yield = 1 Bundt cake (12 servings)

1/2 C butter, melted
1/2 C brown sugar

1 20oz can pineapple slices, (reserve juice)
1 jar maraschino cherries

1 box vanilla cake mix
1 3.4oz box vanilla pudding
3 eggs
1/3 C veggie oil
1/4 C heavy cream


1.  Spray a Bundt pan with non stick spray.

2.  Evenly pour the melted butter into the bottom of the Bundt pan and top with the brown sugar.

3.  Cut the pineapple rings in half and, alternating with the cherries, place into the butter-brown sugar mixture in the bottom of the pan.

4.  In a large bowl, combine the cake and pudding mixes together. Add the reserved pineapple juice and heavy cream (the juice and cream should together equal 1 cup of liquid).  Add the eggs and vegetable oil, and mix until fully blended.

5. Pour the batter evenly over the pineapple and cherries.

6.  Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes.

7.  Let the cake cool for 10-15 minutes before inverting it onto a serving plate. Slice between pineapple rings to serve.

Enjoy!

Wickedly Chocolate Bundt Cake with Fudge Frosting

Holy wow this cake is good!  Seriously, it is the most dense and intense chocolaty cake I've ever baked.  The fudge frosting is killer. I couldn't stop eating it--I may even have licked the pan once or twice :)  Okay, not really, that would be gross.....right?

I made this cake to take to work for Boss Man's birthday. He is a chocolate fan and one of those people who doesn't like frosting --just really good dark chocolate cake.  I am kind of the opposite in that I really like frosting and the cake is merely a vessel to carry the frosting to my lips.  Yes, I am that person who always requests the frosting heavy corner piece of cake, too.

I believe this cake recipe is a keeper just in the fact that after Boss Man ate his cake he then entered my office wide eyed and asked how on earth I got that cake so intense.  "HA, winner winner chicken dinner" I said to myself! Must be the espresso powder...or all the eggs...or the really dark cocoa powder.  Whatever, it all just works. Trust me on this.

BTW, I used the Hershey's special dark cocoa powder.  I've tried all kinds of cocoa powders from fancy pantsy and expensive to some obscure chef's choice.  I always end up back with the Hershey's. To me, it really is the darkest and most intense.  

CAKE
Yield = One 12-cup bundt cake

1TBL cocoa powder
1TBL butter, melted

3/4C cocoa powder
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
1tsp espresso powder
3/4C boiling water
1C sour cream

1 3/4C flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

3/4C butter, at room temp
2C brown sugar
1TBL vanilla
5 eggs, at room temp

1.  Stir together the 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 tablespoon cocoa powder.  Using a pastry brush coat the entire interior of the bundt pan.  

2.  Add together cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and espresso powder in a medium bowl.  Add the boiling water and whisk until everything is melted and smooth.  Set aside to cool, then whisk in the sour cream.

3.  In another bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt.

4.  Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).  Add eggs until well combined.

5.  Add 1/3 of the flour mixture until combined, then half the chocolate mixture.  Repeat with another 1/3 of the flour mixture and the remaining half of the chocolate mixture.  Finally, add the last of the flour mixture and beat until just incorporated.  Be sure to stop and scrape down the sides often along the way.

5.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

6.  Bake at 350F for 45-50 minutes.

7.  Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan before turning out the cake onto a wire rack. Let cake cool 3 hours before frosting.

FUDGE FROSTING
yield = 2 cups

1/2C butter
1/2C cocoa powder
1/3C evaporated milk
3 3/4C powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

1.  In a small saucepan combine the butter, cocoa powder and evaporated milk.  Bring to a boil and add the salt, vanilla and powdered sugar.  Whisk until smooth--about 30 seconds.  This frosting will begin to harden quickly so be ready to pour!

2.  Immediately pour over your cake!

bundt!

Enjoy!


**adapted from the Brown Eyed Baker

Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Brown Butter Glaze

Does anyone else celebrate Sweetest Day?  I don't remember when this holiday started and honestly I just did a little Wikipedia search for more info:  

Sweetest Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the Great Lakes region on the third Saturday in October. It is described as an "occasion which offers all of us an opportunity to remember the sick, aged and orphaned, but also friends, relatives and associates whose helpfulness and kindness we have enjoyed."   

Okay, nice sentiment, right?!  Of course The Bellman, ever the romantic, looooves this kind of thing!  He was certainly thinking ahead this year and what a lovely surprise it was when he presented me with this beautiful bundt pan.  Sweet!  I gave him a card and an apple, meh.

I've been playing around with pumpkin and browned butter glazes.  Even though I hated covering up the beautiful design of this bundt I thought it did indeed need a drizzle of something. 

PUMPKIN BUNDT CAKE
Yield = one bundt cake

2C sugar
4 eggs
1C canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
2C flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
15 oz pumpkin (one can)

1.  Beat the sugar and eggs until well blended.  Add the oil and vanilla.

2.  In medium bowl combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt.

3.  Add flour mixture to egg mixture and stir to combine.

4.  Add pumpkin and mix well.

5.  Pour into greased and floured bundt pan.

6.  Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes.

7.  Let the cake cool 10 minutes before removing from bundt pan.


BROWN BUTTER GLAZE
Yield = 1C

1/4C butter
1 1/4 C powdered sugar
3 TBL milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp vanilla paste

1.  In a medium bowl add the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk.

2.  Brown the butter and add to the powdered sugar mixture. Whisk together until well blended.  Add more milk if needed to reach a pourable consistency.

I followed the same rules to brown the butter here as I did with the brown butter snickerdoodles from a couple of weeks ago.  It's pretty simple, trust me.

Place the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  The butter will foam and sputter and that is okay.  Just keep whisking through this process.  After a few minutes the butter will begin to brown on the bottom of the pan.  Continue to whisk and remove the butter from heat as soon as the butter begins to brown.  You'll know it is ready when it starts to smell nutty.  Kind of like those yummy cinnamon almonds sold at the mall. Be careful because it can go from zero to dark thirty in a flash. 


3.  Spoon the warm glaze over the cooled cake.


Enjoy!

*adapted from "Like The Bowl Good".

Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake

Wow, the summer has arrived in Florida and it is h-o-t.  Or as Clint Eastwood would say,  "It's not the heat, it's the humidity".  (I typed that while using my best Clint accent, squinty eye'd and all :) Yes indeed, probably not the best time of the year to have the oven on for an hour baking cheesecake.  Both the cheesecake and I even melted a bit while trying to get a photograph!

This is my take on the famous Cheesecake Factory version.  I have tried making this a couple of different ways and found that adding the chocolate chips right into the batter is the best.  Doing so does take away some of that cheesecakey tartness but the tart raspberry jam balances out the sweetness.
 
It's very yum.  I'll revisit this one in the fall when it is cooler, perhaps changing out the raspberry jam to something cranberry for the holiday season?  Hmmmmm, we shall see....
 

CHEESECAKE
Yield:  12 servings
 
CRUST:
1 1/2C chocolate graham cracker crumbs
1/4C sugar
1/3C butter, melted
 
1.  Combine all and press into a greased spring form pan.  I find that using a glass to press the crumbs into the bottom and sides helps with uniformity.
2.  Wrap bottom and sides of pan with foil.
3.  Set aside.
 
FILLING:
3 pkgs cream cheese, room temperature
3/4C sugar
1/3C sour cream
3tbl flour
2tsp vanilla
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2C white chocolate chips
3/4C raspberry jam, seedless
 
1.  Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.  Beat in sour cream, flour and vanilla. Be sure to scrape down the sides. Any lumps left in the batter will not disappear during the baking process.
2.  Add eggs, beat on low speed until combined.
3.  Fold in chocolate chips.
4.  Pour half the filling into the crust.
5.  In microwave, melt raspberry jam and stir until smooth.  Drop by teaspoonfuls over the batter (reserving some of the jam for the swirls on the top); cut through the batter with a knife to swirl. 
6.  Add remaining batter and repeat jam swirling process across the top.
7.  Place cheesecake in a larger baking pan and add about an inch of  hot water to the larger baking pan.  This is called a water bath.  It is a nice gentle way to bake cheesecake so it (hopefully) doesn't crack.
8.  Bake at 325 for 70-80 minutes.  It should still jiggle a bit at this stage. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before running a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen. 
9.  Cool for at least an hour at room temperature,  then cover with foil and refrigerate over night. Do not remove the sides of the spring form pan until you are ready to cut and serve.

Stay cool and enjoy!
 
  

 

Blueberry Lime Ginger Cheesecake Bars

Happy Memorial Day.  Whoever decided to celebrate a federal holiday on a Monday...genius!  What a glorious long weekend.  When I was growing up in Michigan, Memorial Day weekend signified the start of the summer season.  Pools get filled, patio furniture is brought out of storage and the grill is scrubbed and fired up.  I'm enjoying all my summer holiday favs today--grilled dogs, tuna pasta salad, tons of fresh fruit and cheesecake. Tomorrow I get back on my diet, I swear.

I still have a few blueberries left over from my trip to The Blue Bayou Farms and have decided to throw them together with some fresh lime and ginger into this cheesecake bar recipe.  Such a fragrant and tasty trio, I use it a lot....you'll see :)

BLUEBERRY LIME GINGER CHEESECAKE BARS
Yield: 9 x 9 pan

BASE:
1C graham cracker crumbs
1tsp ginger
2tbl sugar
1/2 stick butter, melted

1.  Combine all and press into a greased 9 x 9 pan.   I also lined the pan with parchment paper and left an overhang of paper over the edges.  Once cooled, it was much easier to lift the cheesecake in one piece from the pan.
2.  Bake at 325 for 12 minutes.
3.  Cool.

FILLING:
16 oz cream cheese, room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 limes, zested
3 limes, juiced
1/2C sugar
1 1/2C blueberries
powdered sugar, for dusting

1.  Mix cream cheese, eggs, zest, juice and sugar until well combined and smooth.
2.  Pour into cooled crust.
3.  Sprinkle blueberries evenly over the top.  They will sink into the batter as they bake.
4.  Bake 35-38 minutes.
5.  Cool at least 3 hours before removing from pan and cutting.
6.  Dust with powdered sugar prior to serving.

Happy Memorial Day and thank you to the active servicemen and women and all veterans for your service to our country.  Enjoy!

Apple Sauce Cake

 

I have a messy garage and a patio (aka catio) that desperately needs to be power washed.  Strange segway to cake I know, but hang with me a little longer and I'll get you there.  I assigned the mega task of catio mold removal to The Bellman.  He bravely ventured forth into the garage and low and behold returned with a power washer.  When did we buy that??  Hmmmm.  He insisted he had used it before but I had my doubts--not just because of the state of the catio but also because the thing was still in its original box.   Well, as he got to it and pulled the power washer out we found this:

Hard to see I know.  It was hard to read, too.  This appears to be a very old and fragile piece of paper with a hand written recipe for applesauce cake.  It is signed by someone named Mildred K.  I have no idea who that could be or how it found its way into my power washer box.  Needless to say, I think Mildred really wanted her recipe on the blog so I baked it--exactly as written.  It has a LOT of dates in it and I admit I was very tempted to do some tweaking.  But I did not and I'm glad because it baked up very tasty and moist!  Mildred, I hope I did ya proud. 

APPLESAUCE CAKE
Yield:  9 x 13 pan

2 1/2C flour
1 1/2C sugar
1tsp baking powder
1tsp baking soda
1tsp salt
1tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2C shortening
2C applesauce
2 eggs
1C chopped dates
1C walnuts, chopped

1.  Mix together flour, sugar, baking power, baking soda, salt and spices.
2.  Add shortening and applesauce.  Beat for 2 minutes at medium speed.
3.  Add eggs and beat until blended.
4.  Fold in nuts and dates.
5.  Bake 40 minutes at 350.

Thank you Mildred K.  Enjoy! 
.