Another successful veganization

Yippee! It worked! I was craving something sweet, and since the only sweet goodies in the house aren't vegan, I decided to whip something up that I could eat. This Oatmeal Cake with Broiled Frosting is one of my all-time favorite desserts. My mom used to make it when I was little, and it just brings back so many memories of childhood, and all the yummy things my mom used to cook.



This recipe was super easy to veganize. I just substituted vegan margarine for the butter, 1 mashed banana and 2 teaspoons of baking powder for the egg (to cover my bases in both binding and leavening), and rice milk instead of evaporated milk in the topping. Easy peasy! I'm so thrilled that one of my favorite recipes was such a cinch to veganize, and without any compromise on taste!

If you've never made this cake before, it's a little unusual. You bake the cake, then take it out of the oven, immediately spread the frosting on top, then stick it under the broiler for a few minutes, until it's all bubbly and gorgeous. Yum! I love how the frosting gets crispy in places. It's such a great contrast to the moistness of the cake.



And it's vegan! All vegan! Hooray!

Almond...Cake? Pie? Tart?

I'm not really sure what to call this, if it's a cake, a pie, a tart, or something else. So I'll just call it GOOD. I love almond. I mean, I'm just crazy about it. I have almond lotion, soap, lip balm, incense, candles and air freshener. I love it! Oddly enough, though, I've not cooked many almond treats. I picked up a tube of almond paste at the store last week, figuring I could find some use for it, and this is it.



This cake kicks ass. The crust is delicate and crumbly, and the filling is wonderfully almondy, and just barely sweet. Perfect for enjoying with a cup of tea. Yum!

Next time I make this, I think I'm going to try spreading a layer of raspberry jam over the crust before pouring in the filling. Oh, baby!



Almond Cake

Crust:
1 stick butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp sugar
2 egg yolks
1 1/3 cups flour

Filling:
1 stick butter, softened
7 oz. almond paste
2 eggs
zest of 1 small lemon
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 tsp flour
1/2 cup sliced almonds

For crust:
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, combining thoroughly, then mix in flour. Gather into a ball, and place on a piece of plastic wrap. Flatten into a disk about 6 inches across. Wrap and chill 30 minutes.

For filling:
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter. Crumble almond paste in a little at a time, combining thoroughly. Add eggs, lemon zest, almond extract and flour (reserve almonds for topping). Set aside.

To assemble:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan with cooking spray. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 10- to 11-inch circle. Ease into pan, fitting over the bottom and about 2 inches up the sides. If the dough falls apart, lightly press it into place with your fingers. Spread the filling evenly into the crust. Sprinkle with sliced almonds.

Bake 45 minutes. Allow to cool 10 minutes before removing springform collar. Serve at room temperature.

Lemon Loaf Cake

As soon as I saw this recipe for Lemon Yogurt Cake on a whisk and a spoon, I knew I had to make it. Click over and check out her pictures. Doesn't it look glorious?

Alas, I didn't have any plain yogurt on hand, and the only lemon in my fridge had already been zested for this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe (coming tomorrow! Be sure to check back!). So I fiddled with the recipe a little, and made it work with what was already in my fridge. Instead of plain yogurt, I used a mixture of sour cream and mayonnaise. I know, I know, sour cream and mayo are far, far different from yogurt, but I've used them both in baked goods before, and they've worked well, so I went with it. And since my lemon had already been zested, I subbed a little lemon extract instead. I was also lacking marmalade for the glaze, so instead I just made a simple glaze of powdered sugar, lemon extract and soy milk. I really wish I had some marmalade, but it's just not something I normally have on hand, and I was determined to make this cake without going to the store.

The result? It's sooooo good! Moist and sweet and tart and delicious. I'd like to try the original recipe next time, just to see how it differs, but it's nice to know that I was able to cobble together something so delicious just with what I had on hand.



Lemon Loaf Cake
adapted from a whisk and a spoon's Lemon Yogurt Cake

For the cake:
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 c sugar
3 large eggs
1/3 c vegetable oil
1/2 tsp lemon extract
juice of half a lemon

For the glaze:
1/2 tsp lemon extract
1 Tbsp soy milk
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 t water

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Generously butter 8-inch loaf pan.

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl.

Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, sugar, eggs, oil, lemon extract and lemon juice in large bowl; whisk until well blended. Gradually whisk in dry ingredients.

Transfer batter to prepared loaf pan. Place cake on baking sheet in oven and bake until cake begins to pull away from sides of pan and tester inserted into center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes.

Cool cake in pan on rack 5 minutes. Cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Turn cake out onto rack. Turn cake upright on rack and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap and store at room temperature.)

Whisk together the glaze ingredients, until smooth. Spoon over the cake, allowing the glaze to drip down the sides. Let glaze cool and set before slicing and serving.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Peanut Butter Torte

So. Not the most exciting Tuesdays with Dorie recipe for me this week. Elizabeth of Ugg Smell Food chose the Peanut Butter Torte. Brad hates peanut butter, and I'm reluctant to spend time and money making something that it's fairly certain he won't enjoy. Beyond that, I've had peanut butter pie once before, and as excited as I was about it, I didn't really care for it. I should probably add, though, that my one experience with peanut butter pie was about 24 years ago, when I was 8 years old and we had gone to Magic Mountain for the day, and stopped at Marie Calendar's on the way home. I was so stoked to try some peanut butter pie, but it was just.....eh. When I tried the peanut butter filling of this torte, it tasted much like that peanut butter pie I had nearly a quarter of a decade ago, so I was less than thrilled.



The torte was surprisingly easy to make. I'm not typically a fan of multi-part recipes, but in spite of that, this was really simple to put together. I halved the recipe and made it in a 6-inch springform pan, which it fit nicely. It wasn't a towering, majestic torte like the one pictured in the book, but it was still attractive and impressive. I think that if someone saw it in a dessert case, they'd definitely buy it, so I give the torte points for that!

I felt that the crust could have used more Oreos. I didn't even attempt to bring my crust very high up the edges, but even so, the bottom was patchy in spots. I didn't stress about it, however, because it was going to be covered with the peanut butter filling anyway, so no big deal.



I made the torte, minus the ganache topping, on Saturday night, and added the ganache Sunday afternoon. Shortly after that it was time for taste testing. And. Well. Brad didn't like it, and neither did the kids. I wasn't expecting Brad to like it, so no big surprise there, but I really thought the kids would love it. They each tried one bite, then said "no, thank you", and pushed their plates away. Bummer.

As for me? Well, I thought it was ok. I'm a big lover of most things peanut butter and chocolate, but this just didn't do it for me. It was good, don't get me wrong, but it wasn't as great as I've come to expect from Dorie's recipes. I didn't care for the cinnamon in the filling. Even though it was just a tiny bit, I didn't like how it tasted. I had been afraid, upon trying a taste of the filling, that the torte would be too salty, but it was balanced out by the crust and ganache, so that wasn't a problem. I honestly can't really put my finger on why I didn't like it. I just didn't. :sigh:

They can't all be winners, right? And maybe I could take it to my Anthropology final tomorrow and sell it by the slice. ; )

Oh, and seriously? 6 to 8 servings for the whole recipe? Are you kidding me? I made a half batch, and it would easily make 8 generous servings. I honestly can't imagine eating 1/6 of the whole recipes. Whoa.



Peanut Butter Torte

1 ¼ c. finely chopped salted peanuts (for the filling, crunch and topping)
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon instant espresso powder (or finely ground instant coffee)
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
½ c. mini chocolate chips (or finely chopped semi sweet chocolate)
24 Oreo cookies, finely crumbed or ground in a food processor or blender
½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Small pinch of salt
2 ½ c. heavy cream
1 ¼ c confectioners’ sugar, sifted
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 ½ c salted peanut butter – crunchy or smooth (not natural; I use Skippy)
2 tablespoons whole milk
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate finely chopped

Getting ready: center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch Springform pan and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

Toss ½ cup of the chopped peanuts, the sugar, espresso powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and chocolate chops together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Put the Oreo crumbs, melted butter and salt in another small bowl and stir with a fork just until crumbs are moistened. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the spring form pan (they should go up about 2 inches on the sides). Freeze the crust for 10 minutes.

Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a rack and let it cool completely before filling.

Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, whip 2 cups of the cream until it holds medium peaks. Beat in ¼ cup of the confectioners’ sugar and whip until the cream holds medium-firm peaks. Crape the cream into a bowl and refrigerate until needed.

Wipe out (do not wash) the bowl, fit the stand mixer with the paddle attachment if you have one, or continue with the hand mixer, and beat the cream cheese with the remaining 1 cup confectioners’ sugar on medium speed until the cream cheese is satiny smooth. Beat in the peanut butter, ¼ cup of the chopped peanuts and the milk.

Using a large rubber spatula, gently stir in about one quarter of the whipped cream, just to lighten the mousse. Still working with the spatula, stir in the crunchy peanut mixture, then gingerly fold in the remaining whipped cream.

Scrape the mouse into the crust, mounding and smoothing the top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight; cover with plastic wrap as soon as the mousse firms.

To Finish The Torte: put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Leave the bowl over the water just until the chocolate softens and starts to melt, about 3 minutes; remove the bowl from the saucepan.

Bring the remaining ½ cup cream to a full boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and , working with a a rubber spatula, very gently stir together until the ganache is completely blended and glossy.

Pour the ganache over the torte, smoothing it with a metal icing spatula. Scatter the remaining ½ cup peanuts over the top and chill to set the topping, about 20 minutes.

When the ganache is firm, remove the sides of the Springform pan; it’s easiest to warm the pan with a hairdryer, and then remove the sides, but you can also wrap a kitchen towel damped with hot water around the pan and leave it there for 10 seconds. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Tuesdays with Dorie - Fluted Polenta and Ricotta Cake

I have to admit, I wasn't very excited about this week's TWD. The recipe was chosen by Caitlin of Engineer Baker. It didn't sound appetizing or even intriguing, so it was hard to get excited about it. I finally got down to business and made it on Monday.

I modified the recipe fairly heavily. I didn't read it very closely before going to the store, so I neglected to pick up a lemon. I had an orange in the fridge, however, so I used it instead. I don't like figs at all, so I subbed some chunks of fresh purple plums instead -- something I've been wanting to cook with for awhile. When it came time to mix up the cake, I also realized that I was short on honey, so I used a half cup of honey and about a quarter cup of blue agave nectar. The batter tasted just fabulous, and I happily licked the spatula after I popped the cake into the oven.



Ok. This? This is the reason I joined Tuesdays with Dorie. This cake is amazing! It's been out of the oven for 15 minutes, and I'm already on my second piece! It's so soft, moist and velvety, but with a little crunch here and there. The orange zest is incredibly fragrant. The chunks of plum are tart and fresh. The fluted edges are lightly browned and crispy. I love this cake. And I never would have made it if I hadn't joined TWD. I would have continued to scrunch my nose and flip past this page in the cookbook, and never would have known what I was missing. Hooray for Tuesdays with Dorie! And thank you, Caitlin, for such a great choice!



Fluted Polenta and Ricotta Cake

About 16 moist, plump dried Mission or Kadota figs, stemmed [I used 3 fresh red plums, cut in eighths)
1 c. medium-grain polenta or yellow cornmeal
½ c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 c. ricotta
1/3 c. tepid water
¾ c. sugar [I reduced this to 1/2 cup]
¾ c. honey (if you’re a real honey lover, use a full-flavored honey such as chestnut, pine, or buckwheat) [I used 1/3 cup honey and a scant 1/4 cup blue agave nectar]
Grated zest of 1 lemon [I used the zest of 1 orange]
2 large eggs

Getting Ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 10 ½-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and put it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

Check that the figs are, indeed, moist and plump. If they are the least bit hard, toss them into a small pan of boiling water and steep for a minute, then drain and pat dry. If the figs are large (bigger than a bite), snip them in half.

Whisk the polenta, flour, baking powder, and salt together.

Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the ricotta and water together on low speed until very smooth. With the mixer at medium speed, add the sugar, honey, and lemon zest and beat until light. Beat in the melted butter, then add the eggs one at a time, beating until the mixture is smooth. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are fully incorporated. You’ll have a sleek, smooth, pourable batter.

Pour about one third of the batter into the pan and scatter over the figs. Pour in the rest of the batter, smooth the top with a rubber spatula, if necessary, and dot the batter evenly with the chilled bits of butter.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The cake should be honey brown and pulling away just a little from the sides of the panm, and the butter will have left light-colored circles in the top. Transfer the cake to a rack and remove the sides of the pan after about 5 minutes. Cool to warm, or cool completely.

TWD - Bill's Big Carrot Cake

This was my first time ever making a carrot cake. I've wanted to for a long time, but all that work of peeling the carrots and shredding them up just seemed like more than I wanted to deal with. Yes, I'm lazy. ; ) So I was really excited when I saw that Amanda of Slow Like Honey had chosen carrot cake as this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe! It was just the little nudge I needed to get my butt in gear and make a freaking carrot cake.

We had Brad's family over for dinner on Friday, so it was the perfect opportunity to make the cake and share it with others. I love to bake, as you've probably figured out by now, but I hate having a whole batch of sweets for just the four of us. Dangerous!

I didn't take any pictures of the carrot cake prep, just because I had a lot to do with getting ready for dinner, and didn't have a lot of time for stopping and shooting. I was a little nervous putting the cakes in the oven, as the batter seemed much more carroty than I had expected. Never having made carrot cake before, though, I had no frame of reference. I wasn't sure if the 3 cups of carrots the recipe called for meant 3 cups firmly packed, or 3 cups lightly spooned in, or what, so I ended up going for somewhere in between the two, and just hoped it was right.

I had nothing to worry about, though. This cake turned out beautifully! I mean, it was really, really fantastic, and so much easier than I had anticipated. The cakes baked quickly, and tipped right out of the pan with no trouble at all. They were nicely flat and level, so they stacked up neatly for frosting. I saw that a lot of people had trouble with their cakes sinking, but mine were really nice and flat. I guess I got lucky!



And oooooh, the frosting! The lemon flavoring made all the difference in the world, and elevated cream cheese frosting (which I dare say is near perfect already) into something even more fabulous. My only complaint about the frosting was that it wasn't quite enough to fill and frost the whole cake. It would have been more than enough for just filling between the layers and frosting on top, but I had to spread it pretty thin to cover the whole cake. I actually preferred the thinner layer of frosting when eating, as I hate it when frosting overpowers a cake, but it just didn't look as pretty with the cake showing through in spots. Ah, the dilemma. ; )

I toasted up some coconut and piled it on top of the cake. So pretty! I'll definitely make this cake again!



Bill's Big Carrot Cake
Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan
Yields 10 servings

Ingredients:

For the cake:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon salt
3 cups grated carrots (about 9 carrots, you can grate them in food processor fitted w/ a shredding a blade or use a box grater)
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
½ cup moist, plump raisins (dark or golden) or dried cranberries
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
4 large eggs

For the frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick ( 8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 pound or 3 and ¾ cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or ½ teaspoon pure lemon extract
½ cup shredded coconut (optional)
Finely chopped toasted nuts and/or toasted shredded coconut (optional)

Getting ready:
Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter three 9-x-2-inch round cake pans, flour the insides, and tap out the excess. Put the two pans on one baking sheet and one on another.

To make the cake:
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, stir together the carrots, chopped nuts, coconut, and raisins.
Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the sugar and oil together on a medium speed until smooth. Add the eggs one by one and continue to beat until the batter is even smoother. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing only until the dry ingredients disappear. Gently mix the chunky ingredients. Divide the batter among the baking pans.
Bake for 40-50 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point, until a thin knife inserted into the centers comes out clean. The cakes will have just started to come away from the sides of the pans. Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes and unmold them. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.
The cakes can be wrapped airtight and kept at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to 2 months.

To make the frosting:
Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until the frosting is velvety smooth. Beat in the lemon juice or extract.
If you'd like coconut in the filling, scoop about half of the frosting and stir the coconut into this position.

To assemble the cake:
Put one layer top side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper. If you added the coconut to the frosting, use half of the coconut frosting to generously cover the first layer (or generously cover with plain frosting). Use an offset spatula or a spoon to smooth the frosting all the way to the edges of the layer. Top with the second layer, this time placing the cake stop side down, and frost with the remainder of the coconut frosting or plain frosting. Top with the last layer, right side up, and frost the top- and the sides- of the cake. Finish the top with swirls of frosting. If you want to top the cake with toasted nuts or coconut, sprinkle them on now while the frosting is soft.
Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes, just to set the frosting before serving.

Serving:
This cake can be served as soon as the frosting is set. It can also wait, at room temperature and covered with a cake keeper overnight. The cake is best served in thick slices at room temperature and while it's good plain, it's even better with vanilla ice cream or some lemon curd.

Storing:
The cake will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. It can also be frozen. Freeze it uncovered, then when it's firm, wrap airtight and freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost, still wrapped, overnight in the refrigerator.

Tuesdays with Dorie - Gooey Chocolate Cakes

This week is my first Tuesdays with Dorie recipe, Gooey Chocolate Cakes, chosen by Leigh of Lemon Tartlet! I joined the group last week, and have been so excited to take part in the fun!



The cakes were fairly simple, and very quick to mix up, but I did have a few small complications with the recipe. First, the only muffin pan I have is a stoneware piece, which typically requires the baking time to be extended by 4 or 5 minutes. These cakes cook so quickly, though, and are supposed to be gooey inside, so it was hard to know how long to bake them. I ended up extending the cooking time by 3 minutes, which turned out to be a little too long. The cakes were somewhat gooey inside, but I was hoping for a more molten texture.

The other issue I had was in regards to greasing and flouring the muffin cups. My stoneware is pretty well seasoned, such that most muffins and cupcakes just pop right out, and I should have just stuck with that. But I hated the thought that they might not turn out neatly after baking, so I greased and floured them as directed. Yeah. When I turned the cakes out of the pan, they were all white from the flour! Who wants that??? Grrrr. I dusted them with a powdered sugar-cocoa powder mixture to make them more attractive, so it wasn't a disaster or anything. Next time I will probably forego the greasing and flouring, and just trust my stoneware to let go of the cakes when it's time.

I'm wondering what others' experiences were with the flouring. I just barely sprayed mine with cooking spray, and then floured them lightly. Did I do something wrong?

Anyway, they tasted fabulous, and were enjoyed by all. The kids, who were already in bed, came creeping out saying "something smells like dessert." Hee hee hee! We let them have a little bite, then sent them back to re-brush their teeth before returning to bed, and then today they're having the leftovers for an after school snack. I figured they'd be way too rich for little girls (5 and 9), but they loved them!

All in all, the recipe was a success, and I will definitely make them again!

Gooey Chocolate Cakes

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon salt
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate -- 4 ounces coarsely chopped and 1 ounce very finely chopped
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
6 tablespoons of sugar

Getting ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. butter (or spray – it’s easier) 6 cups of a regular-size muffin pan, preferably a disposable aluminum foil pan, dust the insides with flour and tap out the excess. Put the muffin pan on a baking sheet.

Sift the flour, cocoa and salt together.

Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, put the coarsely chopped chocolate and the butter in the bowl and stir occasionally over the simmering water just until they are melted – you don’t want them to get so hot that the butter separates. Remove the bowl from the pan of water.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and yolk until homogenous. Add the sugar and whisk until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add the dry ingredients and, still using the whisk, stir (don’t beat) them into the eggs. Little by little, and using a light hand, stir in the melted chocolate and butter. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups and sprinkle the finely chopped chocolate over the batter.

Bake the cakes for 13 minutes. Transfer them, still on the baking sheet, to a rack to cool for 3 minutes. (There is no way to test that these cakes are properly baked, because the inside remains liquid.)

Line a cutting board with a silicone baking mat or parchment or wax paper, and, after the 3-minute rest, unmold the cakes onto the board. Use a wide metal spatula to lift the cakes onto dessert plates.

Red Velvet Cake

This recipe makes a 3-layer cake, or about 40 cupcakes. You can frost it with a cream cheese frosting, or buttercream frosting.



Red Velvet Cake

3 eggs
3/4 cup butter
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
2-1/4 cups sugar
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1-oz. bottle red food coloring (2 Tbsp.)
1-1/2 cups buttermilk
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1-1/2 tsp. vinegar

Let eggs and butter stand 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three 8 x 1 1/2-inch round baking pans; set aside.

In medium bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, and 3/4 tsp. salt; set aside. In large mixing bowl beat butter on medium-high 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until combined. One at a time, add eggs; beat on medium after each. Beat in food coloring on low.

Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to egg mixture; beat on low-medium after each just until combined. Stir together baking soda and vinegar. Add to batter; beat just until combined.

Spread in prepared pans. Bake 25-30 minutes or until pick inserted near centers comes out clean (cakes may appear marbled). Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool.

To frost, place one layer flat side up on plate. Spread top with 3/4 cup frosting. Stack layer, flat side up; spread top with 3/4 cup frosting. Stack final layer, flat side down; spread remaining frosting on top and sides.

Chocolate Guinness Cake

Chocolate Guinness Cake
(from epicurious.com)

2 cups stout (such as Guinness)
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
4 cups all purpose flour
4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups sour cream

Preheat oven to 350. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line with parchment paper. Butter paper. If you don't have parchment paper, grease and flour the cake plans.

Bring 2 cups stout and 2 cups butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined.

Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer cakes to rack; cool 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack and cool completely.

For a layer cake, stack layers with frosting of your choice between each one. Chocolate, vanilla, or cream cheese frosting would all taste great. Or serve one layer at a time (freeze the others for later) and either frost or sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Guatemalan Cheesecake

Meg saw this recipe prepared on Noggin today, and it looked so good that I had to make it. I made mine in my food processor rather than a mixer, and it came together in a snap. The original recipe didn't call for vanilla, but I felt that it could benefit from it, so in it went.

The cake was good, and had a surprisingly light flavor considering all that cheese, cream and eggs.  On Noggin the cake was spread with whipped cream and decorated with sliced strawberries, but I think it's good just by itself.  It would be fabulous with a big glass of cold milk, or a cup of tea.  It kind of reminds me of the little Japanese cheese mushi cakes I used to buy at the commissary.

Oh, and in case you haven't noticed, this is most definitely not a vegan recipe.  In fact, it's about as non-vegan as a recipe could get without containing meat.  Brad said I might as well just throw in some veal while I'm at it.  But I don't think that would go well with the vanilla...

Guatemalan Cheesecake

8 oz cream cheese
8 oz ricotta cheese
8 oz heavy cream
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp vanllla

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 9 x 13 pan.
Process cream cheese and ricotta in a food processor, until smooth. Add cream, and process until smooth, scraping down sides.  Add eggs and vanilla, and process until smooth.  Add sugar and flour, and process until smooth.  Scrape down sides, and process once more.

Pour into prepared pan, spreading evenly.  Bake at 350 for 35 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to brown.  Top and/or decorate as desired.

Mary Afton-Tarr's Grandma's Fruitcake

1 1/2 c shelled whole brazil nuts
1 1/2 c walnut halves
1 pkg pitted dates (7 1/4 oz)
2/3 c chopped mixed dried fruit
1/2 c red maraschino cherries, drained
1/2 c green maraschino cherries, drained
1/2 c seedless raisins

Grease bottom and sides of loaf pan. Preheat oven to 300.

Place above ingredients in large bowl. Measure and mix together the following, then sift over bowl of nuts and fruit:

3/4 c flour
3/4 c white sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Beat 3 eggs until light and fluffy in small bowl, add 1tsp vanilla; blend into nut mixture. Batter will be stiff. Bake at 300F for 1 3/4 hours. Cool 10 minutes.

Pumpkin Cake

1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups white sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350. Grease one 10-inch bundt or tube pan.

Cream oil, beaten eggs, pumpkin and vanilla together.

Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, ground nutmeg, ground allspice, ground cinnamon, ground cloves and salt together. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and mix until just combined. If desired, stir in some chopped nuts. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cake cool in pan for 5 minutes then turn out onto a plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Oatmeal Cake with Broiled Frosting

Mix together, then cool for 20 minutes:
3/4 c oatmeal
1/4 c butter
1 1/4 c boiling water

Add:
2 beaten eggs
1 c brown sugar
1 c white sugar
1 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon

Mix together oatmeal, butter and boiling water; cool for 20 minutes. Add eggs, sugars, flour, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg and cinnamon. Pour into a 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

Broiled frosting:
6 Tbsp butter
1/4 c evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 c brown sugar
1 c coconut
1 c chopped walnuts

Mix together. Spread on hot cake. Place under broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, until bubbly.

Pumpkin Roll

¾ c flour
1 c sugar
3 eggs
2/3 c pumpkin
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp butter, softened
¾ tsp vanilla
1 c powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix flour, sugar, eggs, pumpkin, baking soda and cinnamon, by hand. Spray a jelly roll pan (with ½-inch lip) with cooking spray. Line with wax paper and spray again with cooking spray. Bake 12 to 15 minutes.

Generously dust a clean dish towel with confectioners' sugar. As soon as cake is removed from oven, turn the cake out onto the towel, and peel off the parchment paper. Gently roll up the cake using the towel, starting with short side, and let cool for about 10 minutes.

While bread is cooling, prepare filling. Mix cream cheese, butter, vanilla and powdered sugar until creamy.

Unroll the cake and spread the filling on it. Roll bread and filling. Wrap in foil and chill for 1 to 2 hours. When chilled enough to hold its shape, cut into ½-inch slices.

Tiramisu

8 ounces mascarpone cheese
½ c powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla
¾ c heavy cream
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
2 Tbsp powdered sugar
1 ¼ c double-strength coffee, cooled
3 Tbsp dark rum
2 dozen ladyfingers
chocolate shavings, optional

Put mascarpone, sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl with about half the cream. Beat a minute or two until creamy, then add the rest of the cream; whip until the mixture stiffens but is still creamy (it will go firmer when chilled).

Sift the cocoa and powdered sugar together. Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving enough overhang to cover the dessert.
Pour the coffee and rum in a shallow container and quickly dip 8 of the ladyfingers, one at a time (they soak fast!), placing each in the loaf pan. Sift 1/3 of the cocoa mixture over them, and spread with half the mascarpone. Top with 8 more dipped ladyfingers, another 1/3 of the cocoa, and the remaining mascarpone. Cover with remaining dipped ladyfingers and dust with more cocoa, saving a little to dust the top of the dessert at serving time.

Wrap the overhanging plastic over the top of the pan, and chill for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight. To serve, unwrap and put serving plate over pan; invert and peel away the plastic wrap. Dust with remaining cocoa, and chocolate shavings, if desired.

Dark Fruitcake

Cream together until fluffy:
1 c shortening
2 c brown sugar

Beat in:
6 eggs

Sift together:
3 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp mace
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp soda

Stir flour mixture into creamed mixture alternately with:
3/4 c strong coffee, warm (mix with jelly ahead of time and let it set to melt jelly)
1/2 c tart jelly (blackberry, raspberry)
1/2 c molasses

Blend in:
1 lb raisins
1/2 lb currants
1/2 lb chopped dates
1 lb mixed candied fruits
1/2 lb walnuts, chopped
grated rind and juice of 1 orange and 1 lemon
(can toss fruits with a little flour to prevent sticking and

Grease two 9" loaf pans or 1 tube pan, line with paper (butcher paper, parchment paper), and grease again. Pour batter into pans and bake at 300 degrees, for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until a toothpick comes out clean. For last hour, you can put more parchment paper on top to prevent over-browning.

Harvey Wallbanger Cake

Cake
1 pkg 2-layer size orange cake mix
1 pkg (3 ¾ oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
½ c cooking oil
½ c orange juice
½ c Galliano
2 Tbsp Vodka

Glaze
1 c powdered sugar
1 Tbsp orange juice
1 Tbsp Galliano
1 Tbsp Vodka

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan. In large mixer bowl, combine cake mix and pudding mix. Add the eggs, oil, orange juice, Galliano and Vodka. Beat on low speed of electric mixer for ½ minute; beat on medium speed for 5 minutes, scraping bowl frequently.

Pour into greased and floured bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix together glaze ingredients, stirring well; set aside.

Cool cake in pan 10 minutes. Remove to rack, and pierce all over the top with a fork or toothpick. Pour on glaze while cake is still warm.

Mexican Chocolate Cake

Cake:
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 c sugar
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 c cold water
1/4 c vegetable oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Glaze:
1 c powdered sugar
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
5 Tbsp water
10 small fresh strawberries

Heat oven to 350. Lightly coat an 8 inch round cake pan with Pam. Combine all the cake ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until smooth. Pour into the pan and bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.

When the cake has cooled, whisk together the glaze ingredients (not including the strawberries). If glaze is too thick, you may add an additional Tbsp of water. Dip each strawberry into the glaze and set aside. Pour the remaining glaze over the cake and arrange the strawberries on top. Set aside to dry, about 30 minutes.

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cakes

Cake:
1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the cake: Combine all of the ingredients and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan. Prepare filling.

To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.

Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Hot Fudge Sundae Cake

1 c flour
¾ c sugar
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ c milk
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 c packed brown sugar
¼ c cocoa powder
1 ¾ c very hot water
Ice cream, if desired

Heat oven to 350

Mix flour, sugar, 2 Tbsp cocoa, the baking powder and salt in ungreased square pan, 9 x 9. Mix in milk, oil and vanilla with a fork until smooth. Spread in pan.

Sprinkle brown sugar and ¼ c cocoa over batter. Pour water over batter. Do not mix.

Bake 40 minutes or until top is dry.

Spoon warm cake into bowls. Top with ice cream, and spoon sauce from pan onto each serving.