Peach and Blueberry Cream Cake

The Cake Slice Baker's crew had a tie.  Fresh Strawberry Cake with White Chocolate Chips along with Lime Chiffon Cake were the June cake winners. 
I chose the Strawberry Cake to bake and this is what happened...
...a good outcome indeed!  A fresh, moist and fluffy cake. I think this could easily be adjusted to fit any in-season fruit you desire to use. 

Peach and Blueberry Cream Cake
Print recipe here
2 large eggs
½ C sour cream
1 lemon, zested
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp pure almond extract
1½ C whole wheat pastry flour, divided
1½ tsp aluminum free baking powder
¾ tsp aluminum free baking soda
¼ tsp celtic sea salt
¼ C (4TB or half a stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 C whole cane sugar (aka sucanat or rapadura)
½ C peaches, diced
½ C blueberries

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease an 8 inch square glass baking dish and set aside.

2. Whisk together the eggs, sour cream, lemon zest, vanilla and almond extracts in small bowl, set aside.

3.  Measure out the fruit and place into a small bowl.  Add ¼ cup of the flour and stir to coat, set aside.

4. Combine 1¼ cups of flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl, set aside.

5. Whip the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer for 3 minutes, until fluffy. Pour and mix the egg mixture into the bowl in a slow stream until fully incorporated.

6. Add ½ of the flour mixture and mix, add the last ½ of flour mixture and mix until the dough is completely wet throughout with no traces of dry flour.  Fold in the fruit with a spatula, then scrape down into the glass baking dish.

7. Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with a few crumbs remaining.  Let the cake cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, you can then invert onto a serving platter and cut to serve.

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Banana Cupcakes with Candied Hazelnuts

Birthday Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting and Candied Hazelnuts sprinkled with Nutmeg.  Official recipe name but much too long.  It sounds complicated and intimidating.  In reality it is so easy, comes together quickly and helps you use up those spotted bananas in the corner of the fruit bowl. Plus so yummy.
Win. Win. Win. Win.
This is a recipe that has a "dress to impress" kind of look but is a basic banana quick bread that everyone knows how to make.   Don't forget to save a step and a dirty dish using my Kitchen Technique #8 with the mashed bananas.

Banana Cupcakes with Candied Hazelnuts
Print recipe here
½ C unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ C raw cane sugar
2 large eggs
1 C full fat, plain greek yogurt (or sour cream)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 C whole wheat pastry flour
1 ½ tsp aluminum free baking soda
¼ tsp celtic sea salt
3 spotted bananas, mashed (KT#8)

1. Grease or line with paper liners a 12 cup muffin tray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, whip the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in one egg at a time. Stir in the yogurt and vanilla.

3. Mix the flour, baking soda and salt into the wet batter. Stir in the mashed banana thoroughly. (Kitchen Technique #8)

4. With a spoon or cookie scooper, fill the cupcakes until ⅔ full.

5.  Bake for 14-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only crumbs remaining. Let cool 5 minutes, remove from tray and finish cooling on a wire rack before frosting with Cream Cheese Frosting and topping with Candied Hazelnuts, lightly sprinkle with a bit of nutmeg over top of cupcakes.

Cream Cheese Frosting
Print recipe here
1- 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
¼ C unsalted butter, softened
1 C organic powdered sugar
½ tsp pure vanilla extract

1. With a mixer, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.
Note:  This is a small batch recipe intended for 12 cupcakes.  If you are frosting a cake, double the ingredients listed.

Candied Hazelnuts
Print recipe here
2 TB sucanat or brown sugar
½ tsp raw cane sugar
1 TB unsalted butter
1/2 C whole hazelnuts
pinch of celtic sea salt
pinch of ground nutmeg

1. Over medium heat, melt together the sugar, butter, salt and nutmeg in a small pan stirring frequently.

2. Keep stirring until it bubbles, add nuts and stir until coated.

3. Continue cooking for 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly until nuts turn golden brown in color and smell toasted. Transfer to waxed paper or plate to cool. Break apart and store in a cool dry place.

Happy Birthday Grandma~!!!

Today's recipes where brought to you by, inspired or adapted from:  Mels Kitchen Cafe,  AllRecipes and Saved by the Egg Timer

Cream Cheese Cupcakes with Fresh Berry Syrup

Today is April's Cake Slice Baker's cake post day.  This month the winning recipe was Cold Oven Cream Cheese Pound Cake from Cake Keeper Cakes by Laurra Chattman.  It makes a huge bundt cake that I was not needing.  Reconfigured my tastes and needs, 'Wa-lah!' into a Spring-y cupcake topped with Fresh Berry Syrup and whipped cream for a lush dessert.  Think of a combination between pound cake, cupcake, strawberry shortcake and cheesecake?  But. All. Good.

Cream Cheese Cupcakes
Print recipe here

1 ½ C whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp aluminum free baking powder
½ tsp celtic sea salt
¼ C (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 ¼ C organic cane sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp pure almond extract
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
1 medium/ large lemon or 2 small lemons, zest only

1. DO NOT PREHEAT OVEN! This is a cold oven recipe. In a small bowl measure your sugar, zest the lemon and mix into the sugar with a fork. Inhale the wonderful smell and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. 

3. Prepare your muffin tin lining with paper cupcake liners or greasing with a little butter or oil spray.

4. In a large bowl, mix the butter, cream cheese and zested sugar with an electric mixer on a higher speed for 3 minutes until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add in the extracts.

5. Add the flour mixture and mix into the batter in 3 separate increments on a lower speed. Once all is added, mix an additional 30 seconds.

6. Pour the batter into the cupcake cups until ¾ full. Place the pans on the lowest oven rack. Shut oven door and turn your oven onto 325 degrees F. Bake for 30-35 minutes, remove once golden on the top. Let cool in muffin tin for 15 minutes. Place the cupcake on a cooling rack until completely cooled.

7. Serve with Fresh Berry Syrup and a dollop of fresh whipped cream.  Makes 18 cupcakes.

Fresh Berry Syrup
Print recipe here
3 C fresh berries- any variety you desire
½ C raw cane sugar
½ tsp lemon zest (optional)

1. Mix all ingredients in a medium size bowl. Let sit until the juices of the berries come out and make a syrup.  Minimum of 1 hour.
Serve over pancakes, waffles, cupcakes, cakes, ice cream. Add to smoothies, lemonade, seltzers, teas and cocktails.   

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Toffee Coffee Cake

It's another edition of the Cake Slice Baker's.  Today is the 20th of the month and I am glad to be back in with these bakers.  The original recipe for Laura Chattman's Coffee Heath Bar Crunch Cake is here. 

Some things I changed to the original recipe: I eliminated the instant coffee granules because I did not have any on hand.  I am not the type of person to go to the store for one thing, partly because I will walk out with much more than one item, and also because I would never use instant coffee again and would be a waste.  There is always a solution, in this case a very good solution.  Brew some strong coffee.  I like real food, to me real coffee is real good and real food.

My favorite part of baking this cake, it smells like State Fair Mini Donuts! 

Toffee Coffee Cake
Print recipe here
1½ C white whole wheat flour, unbromated and unbleached
1½ tsp aluminum free baking powder
½ tsp celtic sea salt
½ C (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened + 1 TB for greasing pan
1 C raw cane sugar, turbinado or brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ C organic heavy cream
½ C strong brewed coffee
½ C Heath baking bits or 2 Heath bars, chopped

For the Streusel
1 C Heath baking bits or 4 Heath bars, chopped
4 TB raw cane sugar, turbinado or brown sugar
4 TB white whole wheat flour, unbromated and unbleached
2 TB unsalted butter, softened
⅛ tsp celtic sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Melt 1 TB butter and pour into a 9 inch springform pan. Swirl butter around the pan until coated on bottom and all the way up the sides. Set aside.

2. Brew your coffee, measure out ½ cup amount and set aside to let cool until it is time for the coffee to make it’s entrance. Take the leftover brewed coffee, add a little Homemade Creamer and sip happily.

3. Prepare the topping by placing sugar, flour, butter and salt in a small bowl and smash with a fork until it forms little pebble size crumbs. Add the Heath bits and mix through. Set aside.

4. In a large bowl beat the butter and sugar for 3 minutes until creamy and fluffy. Mix in the egg and vanilla.

5. Add in the flour, baking powder and salt, mix in just until combined. Pour coffee and cream over batter and mix on low until batter is same texture throughout. Spoon in the Heath bits and stir in.

6. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Top with streusel, bake 55-60 minutes. Test with toothpick, when it is done you will pull out a clean toothpick with just a few crumbs. Let cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from springform pan and slice to serve.

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Cranberry Struesel Cake

Happy Cake Slice Baker's post day!  It is the 20th day of the month which means today's post will be about baking with The Cake Slice Baker's ladies (and gentleman if there are any...I haven't checked...).  The cake for the month of December is Cranberry Cake, how appropriate.  I have been super in love with cranberries this year so I was happy to see this be the winner.  This is the most wonderful batter I think I have ever tasted!  The cake and toasty topping is a winner too.  A must try if you need to impress your family. 

Cranberry Struesel Cake
Print recipe here

1 ½ C sliced almonds
3 TB unsalted butter, melted
3 TB raw cane sugar
dash celtic sea salt
2 C whole wheat pastry flour, unbromated and unbleached
1 tsp aluminum free baking powder
¼ tsp celtic sea salt
3 organic eggs
2 C raw cane sugar
¾ C (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 bag (12 ounces) fresh organic cranberries


1. Heat the oven to 300 degrees F. Grease a 10inch round springform pan.

2. Stir to coat the butter, almonds and raw cane sugar in a small bowl, set aside.

3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. 

4.  Combine the eggs and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium high speed until the mixture is lightened and increased in volume, about 5 minutes.

5.  With the mixer on low speed, add the melted butter in a slow stream. Turn the mixer to medium speed and beat for another 2 minutes. Add in the vanilla and mix through.

6.  Gently, yet thoroughly fold in the flour mixture, half a cup at a time. Stir in the cranberries.

7.  Scrape the cake batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the streusel over the batter. Bake and check the cake at 60 minutes up to 90 minutes until it is golden and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. (Mine needed the full 90 minutes.)

8.  Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Release the sides of the pan and use a large spatula to slide the cake from the pan bottom onto the wire rack.

9.  Let cool completely before cutting into wedges and serving.  Store uneaten cake in a cake keeper or wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 5 days.



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