MAKES ONE 8 BY 12-INCH (20 BY 30CM) CAKE; SERVES 8 TO 12
Plush with fruit and tangy from yogurt, this is a cake for committing to memory. It’s a snack cake, which means you can eat it when you please, pack it up for lunch, and saw off slices when you pass it in the kitchen. Its pretty top—a mosaic of bright fruit and golden cake—makes it suitable to serve to guests (and perfect for Mother’s Day). If strawberries are not your favorite, substitute stone fruits such as apricots, plums, or nectarines. Simply pit and chop them into strawberry-sized pieces before using.
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (240ml) plain Greek yogurt, at room temperature
½ cup (120ml) milk, at room temperature
½ cup (110g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 eggs, at room temperature
1½ pounds (680g) strawberries, halved
2 tablespoons raw sugar, for sprinkling
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter an 8 by 12-inch (20 by 30cm) ceramic baking dish or a 9-inch (23cm) circular cake pan 2 inches (5cm) in height.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until thoroughly blended. In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt and milk together. Set both aside.
3. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until very pale in color, about 3 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and beat for 3 minutes longer, until almost white, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and oil and beat until well blended.
4. Turn the mixer down to medium-low speed and add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until well blended after each addition. Turn the mixer down to its lowest setting and add the yogurt mixture and flour mixture in several alternating additions, mixing just until blended after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
5. Pour the batter into the buttered baking dish and smooth the top. Place the strawberries on the top in a pretty pattern, cut side down. Sprinkle with the turbinado sugar.
6. Bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Cool completely in the pan. When ready to serve, invert the cake onto a plate or wire rack, then top with the serving plate and invert again so that the strawberries are visible when served.
MAKES ONE 9-INCH (23CM) ROUND CAKE; SERVES 8
We wouldn’t dare deny the timeless perfection of apple pie. But when we find ourselves in the midst of autumn and up to our eyes in pie, this cake is a worthy option. It’s perfect for post-Thanksgiving fatigue, when we’re still in the mood for dessert but not in the mood to roll out dough or peel lots of apples. And just like apple pie, it’s delicious with a spoonful of whipped cream, a dollop of crème fraîche, or a scoop of good vanilla ice cream. As a bonus, this light, chewy cake comes together so quickly that you could even make it in time for breakfast.
1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup (60g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (200g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 egg
2 cups (300g) diced apples
½ cup (60g) toasted pecans (optional), chopped
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter and flour a 9-inch (23cm) fluted tart pan with a removable bottom or a 9-inch (23cm) round cake pan with 1-inch (2.5cm) sides; if using a cake pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, as well.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. Using an electric mixer or creaming vigorously with a wooden spoon, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg until pale in color and fluffy. Add the egg and mix until smooth. Add the flour mixture and mix again until smooth; the batter will be thick. Stir in the apples and pecans. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread it evenly.
4. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is a nice golden color.
5. Let cool slightly. If you used a tart pan with a removable bottom, nudge the cake out carefully while it is still a bit warm. If you used a cake pan, let cool slightly, then run a thin knife around the edge of the pan; turn out onto a plate or wire rack, then invert onto a cake plate so the crispy top of the cake is facing up.
MAKES 1 TUBE CAKE; SERVES 10 TO 12
A perfect pound cake is a magical thing: a go-to cake for all occasions made with ingredients you probably keep on hand. This recipe comes to us from Food52er Muffinj, who got it from her grandmother. Like all great old-fashioned recipes, it once lived on a splotched and well-worn index card that has since been lost. We’re so thankful that the recipe lives on in a different form.
It produces a beautiful cake with a crunchy, caramelized exterior and a dense, creamy-textured interior. It’s great on its own, and even better when served with ice cream, macerated strawberries, or lemon curd. But don’t stop there: try toasting or griddling thick slices, or cut the cake into chunks and dip them into fondue. Perhaps this cake really is magical; Muffinj’s friends swear it cures whatever illness they have at the moment.
1 cup (225g) salted butter, cubed
½ cup (100g) solid shortening
3 cups (600g) sugar
5 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (240ml) reduced-fat milk, 2% or less
3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour
1. Butter and flour a tube or Bundt pan.
2. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter, shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and beat until incorporated.
3. Stir the vanilla into the milk, then pour ⅓ cup (80ml) of the milk into the sugar mixture. Add 1 cup (125g) of the flour and beat just until incorporated; don’t overmix. Repeat the process, adding the milk and flour in two more additions, beating just until incorporated each time.
4. Put the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl. Using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment or whisking vigorously by hand, whip until stiff peaks form (see this page). Gently fold the egg whites into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and put the pan in a cold oven.
5. Turn the oven on to 300°F (150°C) and bake the cake for 45 minutes. Raise the temperature to 325°F (165°C) and bake for 45 minutes longer, until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
6. Put the pan on a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edge and, if you used a tube pan, invert the cake onto the wire rack, and then invert it onto a serving plate; if you used a Bundt pan, simply invert it from the pan onto a serving plate.
MAKES ONE 9-INCH (23CM) ROUND CAKE; SERVES 6 TO 8
This cake uses precious pecans in two ways: first, cooked into a crunchy, sticky layer that becomes the topping of the cake, and second, pulverized into a flour that brings the entire dessert together. This impressive-looking cake could grace your dinner party table, but is simple enough that you can (and should) make it for no special reason, too. Save yourself a piece for breakfast the next day.
Topping
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup (60ml) honey
Generous pinch of salt
1 cup (100g) pecan halves
Cake
½ cup (50g) pecan halves
1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
3 eggs, separated
½ cup (110g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup (100g) sugar
¼ cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup (120ml) buttermilk
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9-inch (23cm) round cake pan, then line the bottom with parchment paper, making sure there are no gaps between the pan and the paper. Place it on a baking sheet.
2. To make the topping, combine the butter, honey, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring often, until the butter has melted. Pour into the prepared pan, then sprinkle on the pecans.
3. To make the cake, put the pecans in a food processor and pulse to make pecan flour (see this page). Transfer to a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and whisk to combine.
4. Put the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl. Using an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or whisking vigorously by hand, whip until stiff peaks form (see this page).
5. Using an electric mixer or creaming vigorously with a wooden spoon, beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks, then the honey, vanilla, and buttermilk. Add the flour mixture and stir to combine, then gently fold in the egg whites. Gently spoon the batter into the pan atop the pecan halves.
6. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Let cool for a few minutes, then flip onto a serving platter. You may think that your cake pan and baking sheet are completely destroyed by burnt honey. They aren’t. Just soak them a bit and they’ll clean right up! Trust us.
MAKES ONE 9 BY 13-INCH (23 BY 33CM) CAKE; SERVES 15 TO 20
Parsnips do more than stand in for carrots here; they actually transform this dessert into something lighter, airier, and more delicate than any carrot cake we’ve ever had. If you have difficulty tracking down quatre épices, don’t fret: simply mix together ¼ teaspoon each of ground pepper, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, and ground ginger.
Cake
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (55g) almond flour (see tip below)
½ cup (40g) unsweetened shredded dried coconut
2½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon quatre épices
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¾ cup (170g) superfine sugar
½ cup (110g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
½ cup (120ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
½ cup (120ml) maple syrup, preferably Grade B
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (150g) shredded parsnips (about 2 large parsnips)
Glaze
¼ cup (60ml) maple syrup, preferably Grade B
¼ cup (60g) unsalted butter
½ cup (120ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C) with a rack near the center. Butter a 9 by 13-inch (23 by 33cm) glass baking pan or mist with nonstick spray.
2. To make the cake, combine the flour, almond flour, coconut, baking powder, baking soda, salt, quatre épices, cinnamon, and ginger in a large bowl and whisk for 30 seconds to aerate the flour and mix the ingredients.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, butter, buttermilk, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla and whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the ingredients are well blended. Pour into the flour mixture and stir until just a few small pockets of flour remain. Fold in the parsnips. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly.
4. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the center springs back when pressed lightly or a toothpick inserted into the center come out clean.
5. Meanwhile, make the glaze. Combine the maple syrup and butter in a microwave-safe container and microwave in 30-second intervals until the maple syrup starts to boil and the butter is melted or close to it. Let cool for several minutes, then whisk in the buttermilk.
6. Put the cake, still in its pan, on a wire rack, pierce its surface with a fork (to allow the glaze to better seep in), and immediately pour the glaze over the top, trying not to let much drip between the cake and the sides of the pan. Allow the glaze to cool for several minutes before serving.
How to Make Nut Flour without Making Nut Butter
To guarantee that you end up with a light nut flour, not a dense nut butter, follow these two rules: make sure the food processor bowl and blade are completely dry, and make sure the nuts are at room temperature, not cold from the fridge.
MAKES ONE 9-INCH (23CM) TUBE CAKE; SERVES 10
Here’s a chocolate cake that won’t hit you over the head with its richness; rather, it will show off its slightly sweet, slightly bitter-chocolate flavor in a more subtle way. The frosting, a simple mix of melted chocolate chips and sour cream, is light and tangy and has a beautiful sheen. Amanda’s mother kept this cake in the fridge, and Amanda says, “It is sublime even when cold.”
Cake
2 cups (400g) sugar
4 ounces (115g) unsweetened chocolate
½ cup (110g) unsalted butter
1 cup (240ml) water
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup (240ml) milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting
1½ cups (255g) semisweet chocolate chips
1½ cups (355ml) sour cream, at room temperature
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven with another rack beneath it. Put a baking sheet on the lower rack to catch any drips as the cake bakes. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Butter and flour a 9-inch (23cm) tube pan.
2. To make the cake, combine the sugar, chocolate, butter, and water in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are melted. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
3. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, stir together the milk and the vinegar.
4. Once the chocolate has cooled slightly, whisk in the milk mixture, then the eggs. In several additions, and without overmixing, whisk in the flour mixture just until smooth. Add the vanilla and whisk once or twice to blend. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
5. Bake on the middle rack for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Put a circle of waxed paper on top of the cake, then invert the pan and transfer the cake and its waxed paper cover to a wire rack. Let cool completely.
7. Meanwhile, make the frosting. Melt the chocolate chips (see this page), then let cool to room temperature. It’s important that the chocolate and sour cream be at the same temperature, otherwise the frosting will be lumpy or grainy. Add in the sour cream, ¼ cup (60ml) at a time, stirring after each addition.
8. When the cake is cool, spread the frosting evenly over the top and sides. Leave the cake upside down, frosting the bottom of the cake so that you have a flat surface to work with. This cake is best eaten the day it’s made, but you can keep it covered in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Tomato Soup Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
MAKES ONE 8-INCH (20CM) LAYER CAKE; SERVES 10 TO 12
Don’t let the can of Campbell’s tomato soup in the ingredient list freak you out. Former editor Marian Bull’s late grandmother, Ruthie, dared to go there, and we’re glad she did. Despite the inclusion of an unusual ingredient—which apparently originated with Irish immigrants looking for cheap alternatives to bake with—the result is a rich and complex spice cake that wants for a soft cream cheese frosting. Serve it up and ask all of your guests to guess the secret ingredient.
Cake
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
1⅓ cups (265g) granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 (10¾-ounce/305g) can condensed tomato soup
½ cup unsalted butter (110g) or shortening (100g), melted
2 eggs
¼ cup (60ml) water
1 cup (145g) raisins
Cream Cheese Frosting
½ cup (110g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 ounces (225g) cream cheese, at room temperature
2 to 3 cups (250 to 375g) sifted confectioners’ sugar
Additional flavorings such as 1 teaspoon vanilla, ½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, or ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon or allspice (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter and flour two 8-inch (20cm) round cake pans, then shake out any excess flour.
2. To make the cake, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, and cloves. Add the soup, butter, eggs, and water and, using an electric mixer or whisking vigorously by hand, beat until smooth (and pink!). Fold in the raisins. Pour into the prepared pans.
3. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake springs back to the touch. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.
4. Meanwhile, make the frosting. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups (250g) of the confectioners’ sugar, then add the remaining confectioners’ sugar as needed to create the desired consistency. Mix in the additional flavoring ingredients to the frosting, if desired.
5. You can either frost just the top of each layer, leaving the sides of the cake unfrosted, or cover the entire cake in frosting, sides included (see for details on assembling and frosting a cake). To frost just the tops of the layers, use half of the frosting atop each one. To frost both the tops and the sides, put one layer of the cake on a serving plate and spread about one-third of the frosting evenly over the top. Set the other layer on top, bottom (flat) side up, and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
