Peach Ginger Cake
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Unbleached Flour
2 Tablespoons Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
½ Cup Softened Butter
1 ¼ Cups Sugar
3 Large Eggs
1 ½ Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 Pint Ciao Bella Peach Ginger Sorbet
Frost With Classic Butter Frosting
Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour two 8 inch round cake pans.
In a medium bowl, stir flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, with a mixer at medium speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture alternately with Peach Ginger Sorbet, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat just until smooth, frequently scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Divide batter between prepared pans; spread evenly. Bake for about 30 minutes or until done (toothpick inserted in center comes out clean). Remove from oven and cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around layers to loosen from sides of pans. Invert onto racks to cool completely.
Prepare Classic Butter Frosting. Place one layer, rounded side down, on a cake plate. With a narrow metal spatula, spread 2/3 cup frosting over layer. Top with second layer, rounded side up. Spread remaining frosting over side and top of cake. Serves 12
Angel Food Cake
INGREDIENTS
12 Egg Whites
1 ½ Teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1 ½ Cups Sugar – Divided
1 ½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
½ Teaspoon Almond Extract
1 Cup Sifted Cake Flour
¼ Teaspoon Salt
You Can Either Top With Fruit or Frost
Preheat oven to 375° F. You will need a 10 x 3 ¾ Inch Angel Food Cake Pan
In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat egg whites with cream of tartar at high speed until foamy. Add ¾ cup of the sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating constantly until sugar is dissolved; egg whites are glossy and stand in soft peaks. Beat in vanilla and almond extracts. Sift together flour, remaining sugar and salt. Sift about ½ cup of the flour mixture over whites and gently fold just until flour disappears. Repeat, folding in remaining flour mixture ½ cup at a time. Pour into UNGREASED 10 x 3 ¾ inch Angel Food pan. Gently cut through batter with metal spatula. Bake in preheated oven for about 30 to 40 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched with finger. Invert cake in pan on funnel or bottle neck. Cool completely, about 1 ½ hours. With narrow spatula or knife, loosen cake from pan and gently shake onto serving plate. Top with fruit or frost, if desired. Serves 12
Streusel Coffee Cake
INGREDIENTS
Topping:
½ Cup Brown Sugar
¼ Cup Sifted Unbleached Flour
¼ Cup Butter (Room Temperature)
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
Cake:
1 ½ Cups Sifted Unbleached Flour
2 ½ Teaspoons Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon Salt
1 Beaten Egg
¾ Cup Sugar
1/3 Cup Buttermilk (or Sour Milk)
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
For the topping: In a small mixing bowl, combine topping ingredients and blend with fork until crumbly. Set aside.
For the cake: Combine 1 ½ cups sifted flour with baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. In a separate medium bowl, beat together egg, ¾ sugar and 1/3 cup melted butter. Next add the buttermilk and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture and mix well. Pour batter into a greased 8 inch square pan or a 9 inch layer cake pan. You could also use a bundt pan if you with. Sprinkle topping crumb mixture evenly over the batter. Bake in a preheated oven at 375º F for 30 minutes or until done. Partially cool in the pan on a wire rack. Cut coffee cake while still warm and serve warm for breakfast, brunch or an anytime treat.
Healthy Breakfast Muffins
A Perfect Way to Start the Day!
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Unbleached Flour
1 Cup Wheat Flour
1 ¼ Cups Raw Sugar
1 Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
½ Teaspoon Salt
2 Cups Grated Carrots
1 Peeled & Chopped Apple
1 Cup Raisins
1 Egg
2 Egg Whites
½ Cup Apple Butter or Apple Sauce (you choose)
¼ Cup Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
2 Tablespoons Chopped Walnuts
2 Tablespoon s Toasted Wheat Germ
Preheat oven to 375º F. Spray 18 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, apple butter/apple sauce, oil and vanilla. In a large bowl, stir together flours, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in carrots, apples and raisins. Stir in egg mixture until moistened. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them about ¾ full. Be careful not to over-fill as they will spill over while cooking. In a small bowl, combine walnuts and wheat germ and sprinkle over the muffin tops. Bake at 375º F for 15 to 20 minutes or until the tops are golden. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. A good start to the day. 18 Servings
Blueberry Scones
INGREDIENTS
3 Cups Self Rising Flour
½ Cups Plus 1 ½ Tablespoons Sugar
¾ Cup Chilled Unsalted Butter – Cut Into ½ Inch Cubes
1 ½ Cups Dried Blueberries
1 Cup Plus 1 Tablespoon Buttermilk
1 ½ Tablespoons Finely Grated Lemon Peel
Move oven rack to middle shelf and preheat oven to 425° F. Grease or line baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk self rising flour and ½ cup sugar in a large bowl. Using fingertips, rub in chilled butter until pieces are size of small peas. Add dried blueberries and toss to coat. Mix 1 cup buttermilk and finely grated lemon peel in measuring cup. Pour buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients and stir until dough begins to form. Transfer dough to lightly flour work surface and gather together. Knead dough briefly. Divide dough in half and for each half into ball and flatten into 1 inch thick disk. Cut each disk into 6 wedges. Transfer scones to prepared baking sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. Brush tops with remaining 1 tablespoon buttermilk and sprinkle with remaining 1 ½ tablespoons sugar. Bake for about 25 minutes or until scones are golden brown on top and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. When done remove from oven and cool a bit. Eat warm with butter.
Epiphany Cake
This cake goes by a few names: Epiphany Cake, King’s Cake or Christ Cake. There are many traditions surrounding Epiphany. One very popular tradition involves hiding small items in the cake.
On the night before the feast of Epiphany, a special cake would be served with three beans hidden within, two white beans and one black one. Whoever found the beans would be the “Kings” at the Epiphany feast. Dressed in fine robes, they would preside over the feast and before leaving would hand out small gifts, equivalent to frankincense, myrhh and gold.
In the royal courts of the Middle Ages, Epiphany Cakes would contain a bean for the king and a pea for the Queen. Whoever found the bean and the pea would be the King and Queen of the feast.
A traditional “Christ Cake” is popular in many countries of the world. A tiny plastic or ceramic statue of Christ would be baked into the cake. Whoever found the statue would be especially blessed throughout the coming year.
Epiphany Cake
INGREDIENTS
2 Eggs
1 Cup of Sugar
1 Cup of Sour Cream
½ Cup Butter
2 ¼ Cups Unbleached Flour
3 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Teaspoons Salt
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
½ Teaspoon Lemon Extract
Small China Token or Dried Bean
For Frosting
2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 Tablespoon Butter
2Tablespoons Lemon Juice (or enough to moisten into paste)
Crushed Nuts or Sprinkles to Decorate
Beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffly. Add the sour cream, butter, vanilla and lemon extract. Mix together in a separate bowl flour, salt & baking powder. Lightly fold in the sifted flour mixture. Spoon the batter into the greased 8×3 inch cake pan (you can use a bundt pan if you wish). Remember that you can also line the cake pan with parchment paper. Make sure you add either the token or beans.
Preheat oven to 325° F for about 35 minutes. Don’t open the oven door. Be patient! When done, remove cake from the oven and cool the cake before frosting.
Frost the top and sides of the cake after mixing all of the ingredients. Decorate with crushed nuts or sprinkles if you wish.
Chewy Ginger Snaps
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups + 2 Tablespoons Flour
½ Teaspoon Ground Cloves
2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
½ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Cup Softened Butter
1 Cup Sugar
¼ Cup Dark Molasses
1 Egg
3.5 Ounces crystallized Ginger (coarsely chopped)
¼ Cup Turbinado Sugar for Rolling Dough
Preheat oven to 375° F. Sift dry ingredients together. Set aside. Combine softened butter, sugar, molasses and egg. Using a mixer, beat well. Stir in crystallized ginger. Sift dry ingredients together. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture. Mix well. For 1 inch balls and roll in turbinado sugar. Place on greased (or use parchment paper) cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
Peach Crumb Pie
INGREDIENTS
½ Cup Unbleached Flour
¼ Cup Sugar
¼ Cup Light Brown Sugar
3 ½ Cups Sliced Peaches
½ Teaspoon Cinnamon
¼ Cup Unsalted Butter
1 Baked Pie Crust
½ Cup Chopped Nuts
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
Combine flour, sugar and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture is like coarse crumbs. Add Nuts. Sprinkle ½ mixture on pie crust. Arrange peach slices on crumbs. Sprinkle with lemon juice and top with remaining crumbs. Bake in a, preheated 425° F, oven for 15 minutes and then for 30 minutes at 375° F. When done remove from oven and cool.
Pumkin Gingerbread
INGREDIENTS
3 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Olive Oil
5 Eggs
2/3 Cups Water
15 Ounces Pumpkin Puree
2 Teaspoons Ground Ginger
1 Teaspoon Ground Allspice
1 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Salt
3 ½ Cups Unbleached Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
½ Teaspoon Baking Powder
Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease two 9×5 inch loaf pans. In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, oil and eggs. Beat until smooth. Add water and beat until well blended. Stir in pumpkin, ginger, allspice, cinnamon and cloves. In a medium bowl, combine flour, soda, salt and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and blend just until all ingredients are mixed. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven for about an hour or until done. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack. Super yummy and super comforting.
Flourless Chocolate Cake
INGREDIENTS
12 Ounces Chopped Bittersweet Chocolate
1 ½ Sticks Butter
¼ Teaspoon Salt
6 Large Eggs at Room Temperature
1 ½ Cups Sugar
Powdered Sugar for Dusting
Preheat oven to 325° F. Grease and flour 9 x 2 inch cake pan.
Put chocolate, butter and salt in a large bowl. Melt in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir and microwave again until completely melted for about 2 minutes more. Now, beat the eggs and sugar in a separate bowl. Fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped eggs until evenly combined. Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for about 1 hour and 25 minutes or until done. Remove cake from the oven and cool on a rack. When ready to serve dust cake with powdered sugar.
