Mississippi Mud Sheet Cake

I decided today that it was time to introduce my children to Mississippi mud cake.  The poor little darlings don't get enough sugar and butter in their diet, you know.  I can remember my mom making this a few times when I was a kid and I always loved it so much.  I went with this recipe I found at Hostess With The Mostess, because...well I just love a sheet cake.

At first I was a little disappointed with the flatness of the cake, but after all the deliciousness is added on top, turns out it's just perfect the way it is.  

Mississippi Mud Sheet Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, cut into big chunks

½ cup cocoa

4 eggs, beaten well

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups sugar

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Mississippi Mud Frosting:

One 16-ounce box (about 3 2/3 cups) confectioners’ sugar

½ cup cocoa

½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted

½ cup milk or evaporated milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups mini-marshmallows, or 3 cups marshmallows, quartered

Directions:

To make the cake, heat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 13-by-9-inch pan. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter and the cocoa and cook over medium heat, stirring now and then, until the butter is melted and the mixture is well blended, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the beaten eggs, vanilla, sugar, flour, salt, and pecans, and beat with a wooden spoon or spatula or with a mixer at low speed until the batter is well combined and smooth, and the flour has disappeared.

Quickly pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at the 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cake springs back when touched gently in the center and is beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan. *I only left mine in 17 minutes and that was plenty, the sides were just about to get crispy*

Prepare the frosting while the cake bakes; so that you will be ready to poor it over the hot cake. In a medium bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar and the cocoa, and stir to mix them well. Add the melted butter, milk and vanilla, and use a large spoon or mixer at low speed to beat everything together well. Set aside until the cake is done.

Remove the cake from the oven, scatter the marshmallows over the top, and return the cake to the hot oven form about 3 minutes, to soften the marshmallows.

Place the cake, still in the pan, on a wire rack or a folded kitchen towel. Pour the frosting all over the marshmallow-dotted cake, and cool to room temperature. Cut into small squares and serve.


*I didn't put the pecans in my cake, I sprinkled a few on top with the marshmallows*

Hope you all have a safe and fun Halloween!  Next installment will be another edition of Seven Sporadic Questions featuring my first blogger from across the pond. Stay tuned :)

Igloo Cake

It's most likely I never would have picked this recipe out on my own. But my son loves flipping through cookbooks and finding recipes and he saw this one and kept after me until we tried it.

May I just say, thank you Simon.  What a light and delicious cake, just perfect for summer!  The recipe in the book is called "Snowball Cake" but because of the shape of the bowl we used, it looked more like an igloo.  This is what it looks like after dumping it out of the bowl.

It uses a store bought angel food cake (or your own if you want to make it), and some crushed pineapple, cool whip and gelatin. It involves a little investment of time just because it has to gel a little bit.  

Here's the recipe, make and enjoy.

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2 tbsp unflavored gelatin

1/4 cup cold water

1 cup boiling water

1 cup sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

20 oz crushed pineapple, drained

16 oz cool whip thawed

1 prepared angel food cake (8 inch, cut into cubes)

1 1/2 cups flaked coconut

In a bowl, sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let stand for 1 minute. Add boiling water; stir until gelatin is dissolved.  Stir in sugar and lemon juice until sugar is dissolved.  Add pineapple.  Refrigerate until partially thickened, about 20 minutes.  Fold in 4 cups whipped topping. 

Line a 3 qt round bowl with plastic wrap.  Spoon about 2 cups of pineapple mixture into bowl.  Layer with half of the cake cubes and half of the remaining pineapple mixture. Repeat layers.  Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Unmold onto a serving plate.  Spread remaining whipped topping over dessert. Sprinkle with coconut.

Champagne Cake with Raspberry Filling

Ever since I've known my husband he has talked about a champagne cake he used to get from a local bakery where he grew up.  All the time, 24/7, that's all he talks about.  After 14 years, I finally took a hint.

This cake was AWE-sum!  I made it for my husband's birthday, and because I was pressed for time, I made the layers a few days ahead, wrapped them tightly and froze them.  It worked out just great!  (thanks Monica :)

I'm not very good at the fancy frosting thing, but I put a thin layer on first, froze it just a tad, then put the rest of the frosting on.  It kept the crumbs from getting all over the place.

This cake was so flavorful, it was light and rich at the same time.  I seriously can't wait for an occasion to make it again.  In fact I'm a little sad right now thinking about it, since it's all gone. 

Here is the recipe I found at a site called Mixing Bowl.  The article is geared towards making it for a wedding cake, but don't worry, the proportions are just right for a two layer cake.

Ingredients:

Champagne Cake
6 eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup softened margarine*
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup good-quality Champagne

Raspberry Filling
3/4 cup frozen raspberries
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon good-quality Champagne
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Water

Champagne Frosting
2/3 cup margarine
6 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons good-quality Champagne
1 to 2 tablespoons water (plus more if needed))

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.

Separate eggs, reserving whites and discarding all but one egg yolk. Set egg yolk aside. In a large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

In a medium bowl stir to combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl beat butter and sugar together with an electric mixer for about 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in the reserved egg yolk and the vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and Champagne to the butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition until just combined. Fold 1/2 of the beaten egg whites into the batter to lighten. Fold the remaining beaten egg whites into the batter. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes. Loosen sides, remove from pans, and cool completely.

To make the Raspberry filling, combine the raspberries, sugar, Champagne, and water in a small saucepan. Stir and heat over medium heat until mixture is bubbling. Strain raspberry mixture through a sieve into a bowl. Discard seeds. Pour strained raspberries back into the saucepan and heat until bubbling. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and just enough to make a slurry. Whisk cornstarch slurry into strained raspberries (add slurry slowly and if raspberries thicken up before all the slurry is gone, discard remaining slurry). Remove from heat and chill completely in refrigerator.

Meanwhile, to make frosting, beat the margarine on high speed with an electric mixer for about 30 seconds. Beat in the powdered sugar until combined. Beat in the Champagne and vanilla. Beat in enough water to make frosting of spreading consistency.

To assemble cake, spread Raspberry Filling in the center of one cake layer (leaving about 1/2 inch border around the edges uncovered). Top with the second cake layer. Frost the tops and sides of the cake with the Champagne Frosting. If desired, use a pastry bag to pipe remaining frosting in decorative designs on the tops and sides.

I decided to use the frosting between the layers along with the raspberry sauce.

Coconut Cake

I saw this cake a few days ago on Velva's blog, Tomatoes on the Vine, and knew I would be making it soon.  

This is a Thomas Keller recipe.  If you know who he is, I tip my hat to you.  I realize that not knowing who he is makes me some sort of culinary dim-wit.  I'm more acquainted with Chef-Boyardee, or the Jolly Green Giant.  But this Thomas guy certainly knows his cake!

There are a lot of steps to this recipe, but it's really not that complicated.  Just don't leave out the salt...sheesh!  It was still good even though I did forget. 

One of the steps involved dropping the warm cake face first onto the cooling rack...

...fortunately it stayed together!

Here's the recipe for you...make it if you get a chance.  It's delish!

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Ingredients:

One 15-ounce can coconut milk (not "lite")

1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3 cups cake flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup egg whites, at room temperature (from about 6 large eggs)

2 cups granulated sugar

12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks; 6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut

Meringue (recipe below)

Directions:

Pour the coconut milk into a small saucepan and whisk to blend.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the milk has reduced to 1 cup.

Meanwhile prepare an ice bath in a medium bowl and set a small metal bowl on top.

Pour the coconut milk into the small bowl.  Once the milk is cool, remove from the ice bath and stir in the vanilla.

Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees F.  Butter two 9-inch round cake pans.  Line with parchment paper, butter the parchment, and coat with flour, tapping out the excess.

Sift the cake flour and baking powder together into a bowl.  Stir in the salt.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the whites on medium speed, until they begin to froth.  With the mixer running, slowly add 3/4 cup of the sugar, then increase the speed to medium-high and continue to whip until medium peaks form.

Remove from the mixer.  (if you have only one bowl, transfer the whites to another bowl and wash out the mixer bowl.)  Switch to the paddle attachment.

Put the butter in the mixer bowl and beat on medium-low to medium speed to soften, about 1 minute.  Scrape down sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, add the remaining 1-1/4 cups sugar, and mix on medium speed until light and creamy, stopping to scrape the sides as needed.  3-4 minutes.

From this point, it is important not to over mix the batter.  Each addition does not have to be completely incorporated before you add the next; there may be some visible streaks remaining.  Add half the dry ingredients to the butter and mix on medium-low to medium speed.  Add half of the coconut milk and mix.  Add half of the remaining dry mixture, then the remaining milk and finally the remaining dry mixture.  Remove the bowl from the mixer.  Scrape down the sides and the bottom to incorporate any ingredients that may have settled in the bottom of the bowl, and mix with the spatula so there are no longer any streaks.

Top the batter with one-third of the whites and fold in gently.  Gently fold in another third of the whites and finally the remaining whites.

Divide the batter evenly between the pans and gently smooth the tops.  Bake until a cake tester or wooden skewer comes out clean, 26 to 28 minutes.  Let the layers cool on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes, then turn out of the pans and let cool completely.  

Meanwhile, spread the coconut on a baking sheet and toast lightly in the oven, 6 to 8 minutes.  Transfer to a small bowl and let cool completely.

Lay strips of parchment paper around the edges of a cake stand or serving plate to catch any excess frosting or coconut when you decorate the cake.  Position one of the cake layers in the center.  Spread a 1/3-inch-thick layer of meringue evenly over the cake layer.  Sprinkle a light layer of the coconut over the meringue.  Top with the second cake layer.  Spread the remaining meringue evenly over the sides and top of the cake.  Sprinkle the remaining coconut on the sides and the top.  Pull away and discard the pieces of parchment paper.  This cake is best served the day it is made.

Recipe for Meringue:

Ingredients:

1-1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons plus teaspoon granulated sugar

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water

3 large egg whites, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Combine 1- 1/4 cups of the sugar and the water in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat to 220F., stirring at first to dissolve the sugar.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on medium speed until they begin to look foamy, then gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar.  Increase the speed to medium-high and whip until the whites form soft peaks.

With the mixer running, slowly add the sugar syrup, pouring it down the side of the bowl to avoid the whisk.  Add the vanilla, and continue to whip until stiff peaks form and the bowl is cool.

*Just a note:  if you refrigerate this for very long, it makes the edges a bit tough.  But still yummy. 

Blueberry Cornmeal Cake

I was raised to believe that you were to drink your tea sweet, but no sugar should ever come into contact with your cornbread.  I took that at face value for a long time until somewhere along the way I had a piece of somebody's cornbread that was sweetened and fell in love.  If only my mama could see what I was doing with my cornmeal now.  She'd have me locked away.

I think it's worth the risk.  

I based this on a recipe I found at Epicurious, but didn't have any lemon so had to leave that out; and chose to put the blueberries in the cake rather than on it.  I'd say this is a pretty delicious snacking cake, and I'm sure it's something I'd like to have again sometime.

Here's the recipe:

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Glaze:
1 1/2 cups (packed) powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons (or more) fresh lemon Juice (or milk)

Cake:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel (if you've got it)
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled

1 cup of blueberries, tossed in flour to coat 

For glaze:
Combine powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice in small bowl. Stir with spoon until smooth and paste-like, adding more lemon juice by 1/2 teaspoonfuls if glaze is too thick to spread. Set aside.

For cake:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides; line bottom with parchment. Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in large bowl; whisk to blend. Whisk buttermilk, eggs, lemon peel, and vanilla in small bowl. Pour buttermilk mixture and melted butter into flour mixture. Using rubber spatula, gently fold liquids into flour mixture until just blended (do not stir). Then fold in blueberries.  Scrape batter into pan; spread evenly.

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean and cake pulls away from sides of pan, about 30 minutes.

Immediately run knife around sides of cake. Place rack atop cake in pan. Using oven mitts, hold pan and rack firmly together and invert cake onto rack. Remove pan from cake. Place another rack on bottom of cake; invert 1 more time so that cake is top side up. Stir glaze until blended. While cake is still very hot, drop glaze by tablespoonfuls onto cake; spread to within 1/2 inch of edge (some glaze may drip down sides of cake). Cool completely
 

 

Gingerbread with Spiced Creme Anglaise

In my effort to find something Irish in nature to make yesterday, I came across this gingerbread that contained Guinness, and decided to give it a try. I'm not sure if it counts as a St. Patrick themed food, but we liked it. 

I had no idea what "creme anglaise" was, but after I looked it up I found wikipedia defines it as a "light pouring custard", which is exactly what it is.  This one is the perfect complement to this spiced cake, not too heavy or sweet.  

I also made an onion soup that contained Guinness that I will try to post up soon.  Here's the cake recipe from Food Network.

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Ingredients

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 cup turbinado sugar (recommended: Sugar in the Raw)
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 cup molasses
• 1 cup Guinness, or other dark beer
• Spiced Creme Anglaise, recipe follows
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 by 9-inch cake pan and line with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, cloves, and nutmeg. In a third bowl, combine the molasses and beer and stir to dissolve. Add the dry ingredients and beer mixture alternately to the egg mixture, beating after the addition of each.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake until puffed and set, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on a wire rack. Spoon the Creme Anglaise onto the middle of 12 dessert plates. Cut the gingerbread into 12 equal portions and place on plates. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and serve.

Spiced Creme Anglaise:

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup sugar

Combine the cream, the zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale and frothy, about 2 minutes. Slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup of the hot cream, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to warm milk and stirring constantly, cook over medium heat until thick, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve warm. (Or, to serve chilled, place in an ice bath to cool, then cover with plastic wrap, pressing down against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until well chilled, about 2 hours.)

Butternut Squash Cake with Butter Rum Frosting & Skirt Steak with Radishes

Hubby got to pick last night's meal...this is what he chose.  

This cake is delicious.  Moist and flavorful, full of hazelnuts and dried cranberries.

We both thought the rum flavoring in the frosting was a bit much.  Next time would probably just add a little vanilla.  BTW, I ended up overbaking it just a bit, so if you make it, better check it 5-10 minutes before the end of cooking time according to the recipe. The recipe is from Pillsbury.  

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Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla

3 eggs

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cup buttermilk

2 cups shredded peeled butternut squash

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts

Frosting

1/2

cup butter or margarine, softened

4

oz (half of 8-oz package) cream cheese, softened

2

tablespoons rum or 2 teaspoons rum extract plus 4 teaspoons milk

4

cups powdered sugar

1/4

cup chopped toasted hazelnuts (filberts)

DIRECTIONS

• 1Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with baking spray with flour.
• 2In large bowl, beat brown sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. On low speed, beat in flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt until mixed. Add buttermilk; beat on low speed until mixed. Beat on medium speed 1 minute longer. Stir in squash, cranberries and hazelnuts. Pour into pan.
• 3Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• 4In medium bowl, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until creamy. Add rum and powdered sugar; beat on low speed until mixed. Beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Frost cake. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup hazelnuts. Store covered in refrigerator.
  

                                                    

This dish was a bit different....skirt steak over braised radishes with a mustard sauce. 

 I don't normally think of radishes as something to cook; more of a salad veggie.  They're kind of interesting, they get a lot more mellow when cooked.  Kinda like a potato with a bit of a kick. Is it something I want to eat again...well, maybe.  It was definitely fun to try.  Here's the recipe from Epicurious.  

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• 1/2 pound radishes with leaves (about 7 or 8), leaves reserved and radishes halved if large
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard
• 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon, divided
• 6 ounces skirt steak
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced

• Preheat broiler.
  Bring radishes, water, butter, and 1/8 teaspoon each of salt and pepper to a boil in a 10-inch skillet. Cover, then reduce heat and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until radishes are tender and most of liquid has evaporated, 10 to 12 minutes. Whisk in mustard. Add radish leaves and cook, tossing, just until wilted. Remove from heat and stir in half of tarragon.
  Meanwhile, coat steak with oil, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Broil on a broiler pan 4 to 5 inches from heat, turning once, 5 to 6 minutes for medium-rare. Let rest on a cutting board 2 to 3 minutes, then slice across the grain.
  Serve steak over radishes and greens and sprinkle with remaining tarragon.