Cakes I Bake and More

Apple Caramel Crunch Cake

2011-03-14T22:58:00.005-04:00

Every Sunday we have family breakfast, which is really more like brunch. A busy week of schedules, homework and cake decorating means that we often don't get a chance to just sit down and enjoy each other until Sunday. Okay, I'm not sure how much my daughter enjoys her younger brother right now, but they both seem to love 'Sunday Breakfast'. As for myself, I look for recipes that are simple and can be made just before the more traditional breakfast.

I am the primary cook for this weekly do and I try to include one thing that each of six very different people can enjoy. Things we can all agree on are bacon, toast, and something sweet involving cinnamon. So this Sunday, we had Apple Cake again, but with a twist. The original recipe did not have cinnamon or vanilla in the cake batter which it really needed, nor did it even suggest sprinkling it on the deserving apples. Oh well ... it does now. It did have an awesome crumble topping without a hint of health conscious oatmeal in it. So in that spirit I decided to add a huge drizzle of dulce de leche (caramel) on top since I had some left over from a client's cake. All I can say is 'Wow!' It was a spark of inspiration.

When I had to come up with an easy to bake, but delicious, recipe for one of my regular clients this cake came to mind. In the photo I baked two cakes and pretty much glued them together with more dulce de leche. Twice as good? I guess so. They emailed to say they loved it.

Ingredients:

4 to 5 medium or small apples - about 4 cups worth of cut up apple, but you can do it with a bit more or less

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup whole milk

1 large egg, beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

1/3 cup melted butter, or a combination of melted butter or safflower or canola oil

For the crumble mixture:

3/4 cup of raw cane sugar, muscovado sugar, or regular light brown sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 Tbs. butter

1 tsp. cinnamon (optional)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180° C / 350° F.

Grease a standard square 8" x 8" x 2"cake pan with butter.

Sift the flour, cinnamon and baking powder together, and mix in the granulated sugar. Add the milk, beaten egg and vanilla mix together just until there are no huge lumps. Gently stir in melted butter. Spread into the pan.

To make the crumble mixture melt the butter in a pan, add the flour, sugar and cinnamon, and mix well until it become crumble.

Peel, core and cut up the apples, and toss with a teaspoon of cinnamon. Put on to of the cake batter. Sprinkle the top with the crumble mixture.

Bake for about 40 minutes. The crumble mixture should have melted on top a bit. Serve warm - plain or with whipped cream. Also nice at room temperature, such as in a lunch box.

The Perfect Baked Cheesecake

2011-02-04T00:07:00.000-05:00

The perfect baked cheesecake is well ... any cheesecake, right? All joking aside, it should be dense, creamy and without cracks. With these tips make any cheesecake perfect so that any topping is there to add flavour and not cover defects. It's as easy as 1-2-3.

1. START WITH ROOM TEMPERATURE INGREDIENTS

Take your ingredients out of the fridge and leave them on the counter for at least a half hour to soften up. This means all chilled ingredients.
If you are in a hurry place your eggs in a bowl of very warm tap water for a few minutes and soften the cream cheese in the microwave after unwrapping.for 10-15 seconds per 8 oz. bar

2. DO NOT OVERMIX

The main reason you want your ingredients room temperature is that it makes them easier to blend. This means less stirring.
Unlike cakes you want your batter to have as little air in it as possible. Air bubbles in your batter will cause your cheesecake to crack when you bake it.
Don't forget to tap that pan many times very firmly to get out any air bubbles. You will see them collecting on the top.

3. DO NOT OVERBAKE

Your cheesecake will be done when you still have a wet looking spot about an inch in diameter in the center. If it has gone beyond this take it out immediately and get started on a complimentary topping.
A way to prevent your cheesecake from drying out is to place a pan of water in a separate pan on the rack below it. This will keep your over moist inside.
Alternatively, you can use the Water Bath method to gently bake your cheesecake. Double wrap your springform pan in aluminum foil about halfway up the sides. Place it in a pan with sides and fill halfway up the springform pan with hot water from the kettle. Remember when you remove your cheesecake from the oven remove the foil right away too as moisture will settle into the foil and make your crust soggy.

OTHER STUFF

Your cheesecake will continue to cook once you remove it from the oven, so let it cool slowly. Leave it to cool in the pan for an hour before releasing the pan.
Chill your cheesecake thoroughly in the refrigerator. 3-4 hours is sufficient but overnight is best.
Run a sharp knife around the edge before unlocking and removing your pan. Smooth the sides with a knife heated in hot water for a truly professional look.

Key Lime Cheesecake

2009-05-14T11:00:00.001-04:00

Key lime desserts have got to be my favourite of all time. The first time, I tasted key lime pie was in a 1950s American style diner that was so popular back in the day (or decade, which I will not say). It was love at first bite. I found this recipe at epicurean.com and it has quickly become even more favoured than key lime pie. Come on! Cheesecake and Key Lime together - this is a little slice of heaven for your mouth.

I have since tried different crusts with it too. Oreo cookie crust with chocolate decorations, almond graham cracker crust or Mmmm... ginger snap crust. They have all worked out so wonderfully, but I may be biased.

Ingredients

Crust
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted

Filling
1 cup lime juice
1/4 cup water
2 (1/4 ounce) envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 cups sugar
5 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon grated lime peel
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 (8 ounce)packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup whipping cream

Directions:

In medium bowl stir together all crust ingredients. Press on bottom of 9 inch springform pan, set aside.

In 2-quart saucepan combine lime juice and water, sprinkle with gelatin. Let stand 5 minutes to soften. Add sugar, eggs and lime peel. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture just comes to a boil (7 to 8 minutes). Do not boil. You will have a thick custard that should coat the back of a wooden spoon. Set aside.

In large mixer bowl combine butter and cream cheese. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed (1 to 2 minutes), gradually adding hot mixture, until well mixed (1 to 2 minutes). Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until cool (about 45 minutes).

In chilled small mixer bowl beat chilled whipping cream at high speed, scraping bowl often, until stiff peaks form (3 to 4 minutes). Fold into lime mixture. Pour into prepared crust. Cover, refrigerate until firm (3 to 4 hours). Loosen side of cheesecake from pan by running knife around inside of the pan. Cool completely. Garnish top of cheesecake with whipped cream and lime slices.

12 servings.

Best Ever Chocolate Layer Cake

2009-05-12T20:19:00.000-04:00

This cake is delicious, light, moist and reliable. It rises quite well so you can torte it into several layers if you are using a 3-inch high pan. I found it a while ago in a Canadian Living magazine, but I have seen it under a few names on their website. I guess it is a favourite workhorse of a cake for them as it has been for me. It is a versatile cake that you can use as a chocolate base cake for other flavours like mocha. To see a video on how to layer a cake, click on the title above. It actually uses this cake as the example.

Enjoy!!

Chocolate Cake:

Chocolate Icing:

Preparation:

Chocolate Cake: Grease two 8-inch (2L) springform pans or grease two 8-inch (1.2 L) round metal cake pans and line bottoms with parchment or waxed paper. Set aside.

In large bowl, beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time; beat in vanilla. In separate bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With wooden spoon, stir into butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, making 3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of buttermilk. Spoon into prepared pans, smoothing tops.

Bake in centre of 350°F (180°C) oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Let cool on racks for 20 minutes. Remove from pans; let cool completely on racks. (Make-ahead: Wrap layers separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day or overwrap with heavy-duty foil and freeze for up to 2 weeks.)

Cut each cake horizontally into 2 layers.

Chocolate Icing: In bowl, beat butter until fluffy; gradually beat in cream. Beat in vanilla. Beat in icing sugar, 1 cup (250 mL) at a time. Beat in melted chocolate until fluffy and smooth.

Place 1 layer, cut side up, on cake plate. Slide strips of waxed paper between cake and plate. Spread cut side with about 3/4 cup (175 mL) of the icing; cover with remaining half, cut side down. Spread top with another 3/4 cup (75 mL) of the icing. Repeat with remaining layers, spreading remaining icing over side and top. Remove paper strips. (Make ahead: Cover loosely and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Let come to room temperature before serving.)

Greasing The Pan

2009-04-23T17:19:00.000-04:00

Preparing the Pan

To Grease or Not to Grease

For most cookies you do not have to grease your cookie sheet. READ YOUR RECIPE!

For Cakes you do need to grease the pan unless you plan on chunking it out an eating it. Thought not. SO ... if you want your cake to come out of the pan you must grease it, and line at least the bottom of the pan. For stickier cakes like Chocolate you will need to flour the pan and liner too.

Also if you are using an intricately designed pan with lots of nooks and crannies then you will definitely need to grease and flour, especially since you can't line it. That being said ...

HERE'S THE SKINNY ON THE FATS OF GREASE:

Butter - melted or softened, you can apply this to your pan with a brush. It will give your cake a browned crispy crust. Plus it tastes delicious. I love crusty cake, especially chocolate.

Clarified Butter - will not give you the taste of butter but will not burn as easily either.

Vegetable Oil Spray - has no taste and leaves a light golden crust. It also has less calories than butter, to be sure.

Shortening - prefered by most bakers. It leaves no taste and has a higher burning temperature so it won't burn.

FOR SPECIALTY PANS THAT CAN'T BE LINED

There are specialty products for these types of pans as well as the regular pans. Wilton makeS 'Bake Easy' which claims to have no calories. Perhaps, but I like cheap and on-hand. You can make your own Baker's Grease easily.

EQUAL PARTS SHORTENING, VEGETABLE OIL, FLOUR BEATEN UNTIL SMOOTH.

That's it. Apply with a pastry brush into all crevices of the pan and don't go too crazy. I am sure that it won't have a lot of calories since you are not putting an inch of the stuff on.

Natalie @ Cakes I Bake

Preparing the Pan 2

Add a little magic dust to your pan too.

Flouring the pan is simple you add a little flour after you grease the pan and run it around until your pan is coated with flour. Tap out any extra flour so that you only have a light coating. Really easy.

FOR CHOCOLATE CAKE:

Instead of using flour you can use cocoa powder or a mix of flour and cocoa. This will get rid of the whiteness around your cake.

FOR VERY INTRICATE PANS:

Use Breadcrumbs instead of flour on those intricate bundt pans. Don't worry you won't notice it in your cake. And if it still doesn't come out put it back in your oven for a couple of minutes, line your sink with a fluffy towel and pour boiling water on top. Put your reheated cake pan into the centre of the towel for about a minute, then unmold your cake. Easy!

Hope that helps.

Covering Your Cake

2009-04-23T16:44:00.000-04:00

The Different Cake Coverings

There are many choices for cake covering that affect overall look, taste and stability. Naturally we want the best of all the above, so factors like when and where your reception will be play into the type of cake you can have. Not all wedding cake decor is made equally. That being said, the most popular choices in cake decor are:

Fondant Wedding Cake Decor
Buttercream Wedding Cake
Chocolate Ganache Wedding Cake
Marzipan Wedding Cake Decor

Fondant Wedding Cake Design

Fondant gives wedding cakes a silky smooth look. It forms a thin shell on the outside but is easily cut through. These cakes seem to be the favourites in bridal magazines or online. Wedding cakes can easily be decorated with hand-crafted exotic flowers, fauna and wild shapes in any colour. If you've seen cakes decorated with such extravagances, they were most likely created with fondant.

Fondant is versatile. You can cover your wedding cake with flowers, lace, swirly shapes, butterflies, the sky is the limit. Fondant is rather sweet and some people prefer the rich taste of buttercream, but fondant can stand up to warmer temperatures without melting. This makes it ideal to be used on wedding cakes for outdoor or summertime weddings.

There is a catch though. You cannot refrigerate fondant as condensation will cause it to sweat and discolour with the radical temperature change. If you plan on making your cakes ahead of time you must have a filling that can sit on your counter for a day or two. If you are planning on having a perishable filling that needs to be inside the refrigerator, such as berries or whipped cream, your cake will need to be covered and decorated on your wedding day.

Buttercream Wedding Cake

This classic icing, buttercream, gives cakes a soft creamy look. It is usually made of creamed butter and sugar, although it can also be made in the classic European tradition with butter, meringue and a hot sugar syrup.

Many North American buttercreams use a combination of shortening and butter, or just shortening alone. Most people have tried these buttercreams on cakes purchased at the grocery stores like Costco. Buttercream can be sweet to very sweet, depending on the recipe. The amount of sugar is variable and I personally use half the sugar called for in the traditional recipe.

European buttercream is smoother because it uses whipped eggs, hot sugar syrup and butter. It is the outright melting of the sugar as compared to just adding powdered sugar that makes it so. Generally, the recipes for this type of buttercream are not too sweet as they do use less sugar.

Buttercreams are less expensive than other types of wedding cake decoration, and it is easy to color and work with. But summertime brides beware, it can easily melt in warm temperatures. The addition of shortening raises the melting temperature a bit, but if your wedding cake is displayed outside on a hot summer day you can look forward to puddle of decorations. If you are having your reception in a climate controlled hall, buttercream can be used all year round.

Chocolate Ganache Wedding Cake

Chocolate ganache is made from a mixture of heavy cream and chocolate. It is the richest wedding cake covering option. Imagine a melted chocolate bar covering your cake and you get the idea.

The look of a cake drenched in a dark chocolate ganache is spectacular. It maintains a shiny gloss and makes a wedding cakes sleek. Also, it is a good start if you want a black coloured cake. Tres chic and tasty as a fashion statement for you wedding table.

The melting tendency of chocolate ganache, much like buttercream, as well as its rich flavor make it best suited for fall and winter weddings.

Marzipan Wedding Cake

Marzipan is made from sugar and ground almonds. It is often used for covering fruit cakes, but is also found in fine food shops as the filling inside gourmet chocolates or as brightly colored fruit confections generally seen around Christmastime.

As it is very malleable, marzipan can be formed into realistic shapes just like fondant and can be used to decorate your wedding cake with fruit or flower shapes like pears, berries, apples, oranges, small blossoms and roses. Just remember that is starts out a bit yellow in colour and this affects the range of colours you can achieve.

Hope that helps.

Good Intentions

2009-04-23T15:46:00.000-04:00

I have a really basic idea. I would like to share what I know with anyone who shares my interest and in return learn from them. I bake special event cakes for the public. I have had no formal training, except from my mother, but have learned much over my many years on this earth.

Searching through other blogs and websites for answers and techniques, has made me realize there can be more than one way to do things. Sometimes the answers are clearer on one site versus another. Sometimes another way of doing things can save you a lot of time. All I can do is translate, what works best for me as I understand it, from my own trials and a bunch of crazy errors. Furthermore, I know there are many others out there who have found ways that work best for them too. Always willing to learn, I would love to hear from you too.

These are my good intentions.