YOU’LL NEED
A 10-inch tube pan
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup shortening
One 16-ounce box brown sugar (light or dark, about 2¼ cups)
½ cup sugar
5 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
Cream Cheese Frosting (optional, facing page)
1. Remember our creaming instructions? At least 1 hour BEFORE you’re ready to mix, set out your butter and eggs.
2. Position a rack so the cake will sit in the middle of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of your tube pan with parchment paper and spray the sides and bottom with baking spray. (You can also prepare the pan later, while you’re patiently creaming the butter.)
3. Cut up your butter into pats and drop into the bowl of your mixer. Cut your shortening up into 4 parts and add to the bowl.
4. Start your engines and cream the butter and shortening together on medium speed.
5. Combine your sugars together in a separate bowl, then add them, ½ cup at a time, to the creamed mixture, beating 1 to 2 minutes between additions.
6. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating 1 to 2 minutes between additions.
(See? You learned so well the first time, I don’t have to write as much.)
7. While you’re creaming or mixing, in your own sweet time, dry whisk your flour and baking powder together in a separate bowl.
8. Once you’ve added the eggs, slow the mixer down to low speed and add your flour mixture and milk to the batter, alternating between the two. Remember our previous ratio? Add 1 cup of dry ingredients for every ⅓ cup of wet. Beat after each addition. Shift the mixer to medium-high speed and beat for 1 minute more.
9. Slow that mixer slightly and add the vanilla extract. After 1 minute, slow the mixer as low as you can go and add the pecans.
10. Pour the batter into the prepared tube pan and center it in the oven. Bake for 70 minutes or until a toothpick or thin knife inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
11. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan using our plate-over-pan method and flip it onto a cake rack (see page 28). Continue cooling the cake.
12. If you like, cover with Cream Cheese Frosting.
I like the Brown Sugar Pound Cake just the way it is, but if you like frosting, or say you bake it a little too long and you know it might be too dry, use this recipe. Just frost the top and let a little drip down the sides. You can get it to drip by just adding extra frosting to the edges and using your spatula to lightly pat down the frosting there.
YOU’LL NEED
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
One 16-ounce box confectioners’ sugar (about 3 ¾cups)
1. Using a mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese exactly the way you creamed the butter and shortening for the cake.
2. Add the vanilla extract and beat.
3. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, the same way you added the regular sugar to the batter, ½ cup at a time. Beat until smooth.
4. Now, if your frosting isn’t stiff enough, add a little more confectioners’ sugar. If it’s too stiff, gradually add a tablespoon of butter or as much as you need to reach the desired consistency. Some people like it stiff, some like it soft. Nobody’s right, and it’s your cake.
OK, you’re learning so well that I’m going to shorthand some of the recipes from here on. Use what you know about creaming, beating, and cooling unless otherwise directed.
YOU’LL NEED
A shallow baking pan
A potato masher
A 10-inch tube pan
FOR THE CAKE
About 4 medium sweet potatoes
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
4 large eggs
3½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon maple flavoring
½ cup peeled and diced Granny Smith apples
FOR THE TOPPING
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pats
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
¾ cup chopped pecans
ABOUT 2 HOURS BEFORE MIXING THE CAKE
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Bake your sweet potatoes for at least 45 minutes. Use a knife or a fork to test for doneness—the potato should be very mushy inside its shriveled skin. Remove from oven and cool for 1 hour. Slit each skin lengthwise and remove, leaving the soft, orange center. Mash with a potato masher and measure out 2 cups for this recipe. Cool to room temperature before mixing the cake. If the mashed sweet potatoes are too warm, they will melt the butterfat and the batter won’t get as nice and thick as it should.
TO MAKE THE CAKE
2. Position a rack so the cake will sit in the middle of the oven, and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line the bottom of your tube pan with parchment paper, and spray the sides and bottom with baking spray.
3. Cream the butter with a mixer on medium speed.
4. Combine the sugars in a separate bowl. Gradually add to the creamed butter, ¼ cup at a time, beating at medium to high speed after each addition.
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating at medium to high speed for 1 minute after adding each one.
6. Reduce the mixer to low speed and add the mashed potatoes, ½ cup at a time.
7. In a separate bowl, dry whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.
8. In another separate bowl, combine the milk, vanilla, and maple flavoring.
9. With the mixer still on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk mixture, beating after each addition. Start with a third of the flour mixture, beat, then add half of the milk mixture, beat again, and repeat until the last of the flour mixture has been added and beaten in.
10. Turn off the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, and then mix the batter on medium to high speed for 2 minutes.
11. Slow the mixer down to the lowest speed and add the apples, mixing until just incorporated.
12. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and use the back of a spoon to even out and smooth the batter.
TO MAKE THE TOPPING
13. In a separate bowl (I know—it’s like the bowls have Balkanized here), combine the cold butter, brown sugar, and chopped pecans. Mix with a wooden spoon and do not fret because the mixture is crumbly. That’s just the way you want it.
14. Sprinkle the topping all over the surface of the batter.
Bake in the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes before testing for doneness. Then use a sharp knife to test the cake, and poke it around in a couple of places to determine whether it’s finished. This cake can fool ya.
15. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Then, using the plate-over-pan method, unmold the cake and flip it onto a cake rack, topping side up (see page 28).
YOU’LL NEED
An 8-inch square or round cake pan, about 2 inches deep (if doubling, two 8-inch cake pans or one 10-inch tube pan)
A grater
FOR THE CAKE
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup heavy whipping cream
1 Key lime
FOR THE GLAZE
½ cup fresh Key lime juice (about 4 limes)
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus about 1 tablespoon for dusting
TO MAKE THE CAKE
1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of your pan with parchment paper and spray the sides and bottom with baking spray.
2. Cream the butter with a mixer on medium speed and gradually add the sugar, beating well after each addition.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat after each addition.
4. In a separate bowl, dry whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
5. Slow down your mixer and add half of the flour mixture to the batter. Beat, then add 1/3 cup of heavy whipping cream. Beat, then add the rest of the flour mixture. Beat, then add the rest of the cream. Beat on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes.
6. Grate the rind of 1 Key lime. Squeeze out about 1 tablespoon of the juice. Add the zest and juice to the batter and beat for 2 minutes.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes.
8. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for another 20 minutes. This prevents the top of the cake from browning and burning.
9. Once the cake is done (you know when—the toothpick, skewer, or thin knife comes out clean when inserted in the middle), cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Remove the cake from the pan using our plate-over-pan method and flip it onto a cake rack (see page 28). Put a plate under the cake rack to catch the drips from the glaze. Take a skewer or a toothpick and poke small holes through the top of the cake.
10. You can prepare this while the cake is baking. It doesn’t take long at all. Mix the Key lime juice and confectioners’ sugar together in a bowl until smooth (I use a hand whisk, but you can do this in the mixer if you so desire).
11. While cake is still warm, spoon the glaze over the cake, allowing time for the cake to soak up the liquid. After you’re done, you can reuse the juice pooling under the cake on the plate below the rack to further drench your cake.
12. After the cake has cooled, dust with a little confectioners’ sugar and serve.
YOU’LL NEED
A 10-inch tube pan
A small saucepan
A kitchen lighter or match
2 cups dried cherries
¾ cup dark rum
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
4 large eggs
5 or 6 ripe or very ripe bananas
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts
1. Position a rack so the cake will sit in the middle of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of your tube pan with parchment paper, and spray the sides and bottom with baking spray.
2. In a saucepan on medium-high heat, plump the dried cherries in the rum and flame them.
3. Cream the butter with a mixer on medium speed. Combine the sugars in a separate bowl and gradually add the sugars, beating well after each addition.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating just enough to incorporate after each addition.
5. In a separate bowl, mash the bananas. Then drain off the slightly thickened water and rum mixture from saucepan into the mashed bananas and stir. Add the bananas to the creamed mixture and beat on medium speed until well blended. FYI: The mixture will not look smooth and creamy. It will look like melted Chunky Monkey ice cream.
6. In still another bowl, dry whisk the flours, salt, and baking soda together. Add to the batter with the mixer on low speed. Add the vanilla extract and mix well on medium speed.
7. Using a spatula or a wooden spoon, stir in plumped cherries and walnuts.
8. Pour batter into the pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
9. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick or thin knife inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
10. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan using our plate-over-pan method and flip it onto a cake rack (see page 28). Continue cooling the cake on the wire rack.
NEW TECHNIQUE
PLUMPING DRIED FRUIT WITH RUM (IT WORKS WITH BRANDY, TOO!)
Put 2 cups of dried fruit (cherries in this case) in a small saucepan and pour in just enough water to submerge half the fruit, about ¾ cup. Bring to a boil and continue boiling until most of the water has boiled away. Add ¾ cup of rum and leave on the heat for 30 seconds, just enough to warm the rum. Turn off the heat completely. Then, using a kitchen lighter (a lighter with a long nozzle that kind of looks like a gun) or a long match, LIGHT the rum. POOF! You’ll have pretty blue flames dancing around the tops of your plumped fruit. Let the flames die (about 2 minutes), then set aside.
YOU’LL NEED
A 10-inch tube pan
FOR THE CAKE
1½ sticks (¾ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups sugar
3 extra-large eggs
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1¼ cups sour cream
½ cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
FOR THE STREUSEL
¼ cup light brown sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
¾ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
FOR THE GLAZE
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons real maple syrup
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.
2. Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes, until light.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Finish stirring with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.
Melissa’s Note: Don’t worry about sifting—dry whisking will work fine.
5. For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl and pinch together with your fingers until it forms crumbs. Mix in the walnuts, if desired.
Melissa’s Note: You can also use a wooden spoon if you don’t want to use your fingers.
6. Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it out with a knife. Sprinkle with ¾ cup streusel. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, spread it out, and scatter the remaining streusel on top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
7. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the cake, streusel side up, to a serving plate.
8. For the glaze, whisk the confectioners’ sugar and maple syrup together, adding a few drops of water if necessary, to make the glaze runny. Drizzle as much as you like over the cake with a fork or spoon.
YOU’LL NEED
A saucepan
A 10-inch tube pan
FOR THE STEWED FRUIT
¾ cup sugar
½ cup water
½ cup blueberries
1 large apple (Granny Smith if you like bitter, Gala if you like sweet, but NOT Red Delicious!) cored, peeled, and chopped
FOR THE STREUSEL
½ cup all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pats
¾ cup light brown sugar
¾ cup chopped walnuts
FOR THE CAKE
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1. We start with the stewed fruit, which will be ready by the time you’re done with the batter and the streusel, in about 20 minutes. Put the sugar and water in saucepan on medium heat. Stir until sugar is submerged, then add the blueberries and apple. Cook for 5 minutes, and reduce the heat to simmer.
2. Continue cooking, keeping a constant eye on the mixture to make sure it doesn’t burn, and stirring every 2 to 3 minutes. You want the blueberries to break down in the liquid and the apple to become tender. Once the mixture has become thick, like syrup, turn off the heat and set aside.
TO MAKE THE STREUSEL
3. Dry whisk the flour, cinnamon, and salt together in a bowl. Add the cold butter and brown sugar. Using your fingers or a wooden spoon, combine the ingredients. Knead and crumble until the mixture has an uneven, oatmeal-like texture. Add the walnuts. Make sure the mixture is moist throughout, but crumbly. Set aside.
TO MAKE THE CAKE
4. Position a rack so the cake will sit in the middle of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of your tube pan with parchment paper, and spray the sides and bottom with baking spray.
5. Cream butter with a mixer on medium speed and gradually add the sugar, beating well after each addition. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition.
6. In a separate bowl, dry whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
7. With the mixer on low speed, add 1 cup of the dry ingredients, followed by ½ cup of the flour mixture, beat, then add ½ cup of the yogurt and beat again. Repeat once more, beating after each addition. Then beat for 2 more minutes.
8. Pour half the batter into the prepared tube pan. Using a spatula, spread out the batter evenly. Using a wooden spoon, spoon out the stewed blueberries and apple syrup. Then scatter about three-quarters of your streusel on top. Pour the remaining batter into the pan and smooth it out with a spatula.
9. Move the spatula through the batter in 4 or 5 spots, angling it down, then bringing it up. This will spread the blueberry and apple syrup through to the bottom of the coffee cake.
10. Sprinkle the remaining streusel on top of the batter. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick or thin knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
11. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes. You’ll notice the cake will start falling in. That’s OK; that’s what it does. Unmold the cake using our plate-over-pan method and flip it onto a serving plate (see page 28). Be careful, as the streusel topping can become loose and go all over creation.
12. Cut thick slices and serve warm.
YOU’LL NEED
An 8-inch square baking pan
FOR THE STREUSEL
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons Saigon cinnamon
1 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
FOR THE CAKE
¼ cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1½ cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
½ cup vanilla yogurt
1 teaspoon almond extract
TO MAKE THE STREUSEL
1. In a microwavable dish, melt the butter on high power, about 1 minute. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, almonds, and flour. Add the melted butter and stir.
TO MAKE THE CAKE
3. Position a rack so the cake will sit in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. When preparing the pan, skip the parchment paper for this one—you may want to serve the cake out of the pan. Do spray the sides and bottom with baking spray.
4. Cream the shortening with a mixer on medium speed and gradually add the sugar, beating well after each addition.
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
6. In a separate bowl, dry whisk the flour and baking powder together.
7. Add a third of the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, beat, then add ¼ cup of the yogurt and beat again. Repeat once more, add the remaining flour mixture, and beat again.
8. Add the almond extract and beat well.
9. Using your spatula, guide about half of your batter into the prepared pan and smooth it out. Sprinkle a third of your streusel over the batter. Layer the rest of your batter over the streusel and smooth again. Sprinkle the remaining streusel over the batter.
10. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick or thin knife inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan and serve it straight out of the pan. OR cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully unmold onto a serving plate (see page 28). Remember to cover the top with parchment paper before flipping it over—you don’t want the streusel going all over your nice, clean kitchen floors or your nice, clean tootsies.
YOU’LL NEED
A round 8- or 9-inch cake pan
A small, shallow baking pan or a pie pan
A cookie sheet
½ cup sliced almonds
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar, plus 1 teaspoon for sprinkling
Grated zest of 1 lemon (see Tip)
2 large eggs
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
Tip: The zest is the sweet outer rind of the lemon—the yellow part, not the white pith. You can also buy dried grated lemon peel in the spice section of some markets, along with dried orange peel. Consider stocking them in your spice collection.
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the sides and bottom of the pan with baking spray.
2. Toast the nuts.
NEW TECHNIQUE
TOASTING NUTS
Spread out the nuts, in this case ½ cup of almonds, in a baking pan or pie pan. Put in the oven, preheated to 350 degrees F, for 3 minutes. Using an oven mitt, shake the pan like you would a popcorn bag, and return to the oven for about 3 more minutes. Be very careful not to let them burn!
3. Melt the butter on the stove top or in the microwave on high power and set aside to cool.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cup of sugar and the lemon zest. Blend them, using your fingers (Dorie really likes working with her fingers) or a wooden spoon, until the sugar is moist and smells lemony.
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking after each addition.
6. Whisk in the salt and extracts.
7. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the flour.
8. Fold in the melted butter.
NEW TECHNIQUE
FOLDING
Folding is fun, once you learn how to do it properly. This is not stirring, NO NO NO. You’ll need to master this for future recipes, using melted butter or egg whites. I learned how to do this from reading Carole Walter’s book Great Cakes.
Why fold? When you’re combining two things that have different densities (creamed batter and egg whites, for instance), folding ensures that you’re blending them together without deflating the egg whites.
Huh, what?
Just like beating your batter, whisking your egg whites introduces air into your recipe. When folding, we’re trying to combine the heavier batter with the lighter egg whites and avoid losing that air. Folding is also handy when you want to avoid overmixing: you may want to use it when adding chocolate, nuts, dried fruit, or in this case, melted butter to the aerated batter.
Here’s how Carole Walter teaches you to fold: Start with a small amount of what you’re adding to the batter, say ¼ or ⅓ a cup. Then hold a rubber spatula with the curved edge away from you and cut down through the center of the batter. Move the spatula toward you under the batter, running it along the bottom of the bowl, then up the side of the bowl until the spatula is out of the batter.
Flip the spatula back into its starting position: center of the bowl, curved edge away. With your other hand, rotate the bowl, yes, the bowl, slowly, as you continue to repeat the folding motion with the spatula. Run the spatula around the sides of the bowl every so often.
After one or two full rotations, add the rest of the melted butter, the egg whites, or whatever you’re folding in, and repeat. It may take several more full rotations before the folding is done. You’ll know, because the batter will be evenly mixed and your arm will be very tired.
9. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top with the spatula.
10. Scatter the toasted almonds over the batter and sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon of sugar.
11. Center the cake pan on the oven rack and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick or thin knife inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
12. Cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the cake. You can serve it in the warm pan, or unmold (see page 28) and serve on a plate.
YOU’LL NEED
Two 8 ½-inch loaf pans
A cookie sheet
A sturdy hand whisk
A basting brush (It’s like a paint brush, but for cooking.)
FOR THE CAKE
1 stick plus 7 tablespoons (15 tablespoons) unsalted butter
2⅔ cups all-purpose flour
2½ teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
2¼ cups sugar
6 large eggs
1½ tablespoons vanilla extract
⅔ cup heavy whipping cream
2½ tablespoons dark rum
FOR THE SYRUP
⅓ cup water
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup dark rum
TO MAKE THE CAKE
1. Center a rack and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of your pans with parchment paper, and spray the sides and bottoms with baking spray.
2. Melt your butter, either on the stove top or in the microwave on high power. Set aside and let it cool. In the meantime, take out your eggs and bring them to room temperature (about 30 minutes).
3. In a separate bowl, dry whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, measure out the sugar and then add the eggs, one at a time, whisking after each addition until thoroughly blended with the sugar.
5. Whisk in the vanilla extract, then the cream, then the rum.
6. Using a rubber spatula, gently add a third of the flour mixture, stirring until just blended before adding the next third. Repeat until all of the flour mixture has been blended in. The batter should be smooth and thick.
7. Fold in half of the melted butter. When incorporated, fold in the rest.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the tops with the spatula.
9. Place the pans on a cookie or baking sheet and bake. After 30 minutes, check the cakes for color. If they are browning too quickly, take a sheet of aluminum foil and lightly cover them.
10. Bake for an additional 25 or 30 minutes, until a toothpick or thin knife inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean.
TO MAKE THE SYRUP
11. You start by making what’s called a simple syrup: Stir the water and sugar together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. After the sugar dissolves, bring the mixture to a medium boil. (Medium, because a full boil will burn the sugar and you do not want that, believe you me). Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rum. Pour the syrup into a heat-proof bowl to cool.
TO FINISH THE CAKE
12. When the cakes are done, cool for 5 minutes in the pans before unmolding them and transferring them to cake racks. (Remember our technique from the first recipe on page 28? Well, you’ll want to flip the loaf pans like you would the tube pan, so the cakes end up with their browned tops facing up, unless you’re using decorative molds.)
13. Place the cake racks over a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper to catch the drips. Using a thin knife, a long toothpick, or a cake tester (a thin wire you can buy in a specialty cooking store), poke holes through the cake.
14. Slowly brush the cakes with syrup, allowing time for the cakes to absorb the syrup. Leave the cakes on the racks to cool to room temperature before serving.
YOU’LL NEED
An 8-inch square or 9-inch round pan
½ cup shortening
½ cup sugar
1 large egg
½ cup molasses (I use dark, or “robust”)
1½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup boiling water (see Tip)
Tip: OK, you should be able to figure this out, but some rookies don’t: You boil MORE than ½ cup of water. When the water reaches the boiling stage, THEN you measure it out.
1. Center a rack and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the sides and bottom of the pan with baking spray.
2. Cream the shortening on medium speed and add the sugar gradually, beating thoroughly after each addition.
3. Add the egg and beat until incorporated. Add the molasses and beat until incorporated.
4. In a separate bowl, dry whisk the flour, salt, baking soda, ginger, and cinnamon together.
5. Add half of the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, beat at medium speed until blended, and then add the boiling water. Beat again, then add the remaining flour mixture and beat until smooth.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick or thin knife inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
7. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan using our plate-over-pan method and flip it onto a cake rack (see page 28). Continue cooling the cake.
8. Serve and make 8 to 10 of your friends very friendly indeed, or curl up in your La-Z-Boy and eat alone with your cat.
YOU’LL NEED
An 8-inch square or 9-inch round baking pan
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup molasses
1 cup dark beer (see Tip)
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash of salt
½ cup crystallized ginger, broken into small chunks (see Wallet Warning)
Gingery Cream Cheese Frosting (optional, page 73)
Tip: That’s roughly two-thirds of a bottle from a six-pack. Measure out the 1 cup and drink the rest of the bottle, not the rest of the six-pack. Remember: friends don’t let friends bake drunk.
Wallet Warning: Crystallized ginger is expensive. I think ½ cup ran me something like $5 at the local Safeway. But the cake was worth the expense. Especially since I had 5 bottles of dark beer left over
1. Center a rack and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the sides and bottom of pan with baking spray.
2. Cream the butter with the mixer on medium speed, add the brown sugar, and beat well.
3. Still at medium speed, add the egg, molasses, and dark beer all together. Beat well for 1 to 2 minutes.
4. In a separate bowl, dry whisk the flour, baking soda, ground cloves, ground cinnamon, and salt together. Add to the batter in thirds, beating well after each addition.
5. Using a spatula, fold in the crystallized ginger (remember our folding lesson with the Swedish Visiting Cake on page 62).
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick or thin knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan using our plate-over-pan method and flip it onto a cake rack (see page 28). Continue cooling the cake. You can also serve the cake right in the pan, if you so desire.
8. If you decided to go for the frosting, spread it over the cake. Or serve as is. Like with our other gingerbread recipe (page 69), you can make your friends friendlier, or curl up in your La-Z-Boy and eat alone with your cat.
This is where using your colleagues as guinea pigs comes in handy. One week, I decided to double the ATF Gingerbread recipe, but instead of doubling the all-purpose flour, I stuck with the original amount and added an equal amount of whole wheat. Reporter Ari Shapiro, who loves to cook and bake, weighed in:
From: Ari Shapiro
To: Melissa Gray
Subject: RE: Today’s cake
This is a really awesome cake.
I love that it’s hardly sweet,
and that gingery bite!
From: Melissa Gray
To: Ari Shapiro
Subject: RE: Today’s cake
Yeah, that bite would have been
a little MORE gingery if I’d had
another 1/2 cup of crystallized
ginger! Ouch! The flour mix is half
white/half wheat. Can you tell
the wheat’s in there?
From: Ari Shapiro
To: Melissa Gray
Subject: RE: Today’s cake
Yeah, the cake feels rustic in a
good way. I think it’s a combination
of several things–the wheat
flour, the beer, the amount of
sugar …
From: Melissa Gray
To: Ari Shapiro
Subject: RE: Today’s cake
I’ll file this one under “rustic”
then! Thanks for the feedback!
From: Ari Shapiro
To: Melissa Gray
Subject: RE: Today’s cake
Thanks for the cake!
Now, as you might suspect, ATF Gingerbread is a more aromatic and less sweet gingerbread than what you’re used to. If you’re one of those who needs the sweet and doesn’t mind just a little more kick, I recommend this frosting, which I found in Sharing Our Best, a community cookbook project sponsored by the Gideon Sunday School Class of Providence Baptist Church, in Gloucester, Virginia.
The recipe makes enough to heavily frost one 8- or 9-inch layer, or the top of a cake baked in a 10-inch tube pan.
YOU’LL NEED
3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
½ stick (¼ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
½ teaspoon ground ginger
Cream the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla at medium speed. Add the confectioners’ sugar gradually, add the ginger, and beat until smooth.
YOU’LL NEED
A 10-inch tube pan
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup shortening
1¼ cups milk
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 large eggs
1. Position a rack so the cake will sit in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line the bottom of your pan with parchment paper and spray the sides and bottom with baking spray.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, dry whisk the flour, sugar, and cocoa together.
3. Gradually add the butter, shortening, and milk and beat on medium speed until smooth.
4. Add the baking powder and salt, and beat until incorporated.
5. Still on medium speed, add the vanilla extract and then add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1½ hours, or until a toothpick or thin knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan using our rack-over-pan method and flip it onto a plate (see page 28). Continue cooling the cake.
Wait, wait, wait Melissa! In the first part of this book we spent God knows how many brain cells going over how to properly cream butter and sugar and add the dry ingredients, and this recipe doesn’t follow that standard mixing technique! What gives?
It may have something to do with baker’s preference. This recipe will give you a moist, dense cake if you follow the directions as written. I suspect since the baking powder is added later, it has less time to react to the liquid and there is also less beating here (less beating = less air in batter). When I tried the recipe with the standard mixing procedure, I got a lighter, fluffier, and much taller cake, which rose about an inch above the cake pan. A different texture, but the same taste. I prefer it denser, so I go with the original mixing instructions.
If you collect recipes, you’re going to come across a lot that don’t conform to that standard mixing technique. Always follow directions as intended, then experiment with your technique when you’ve muscled up your skills.
YOU’LL NEED
A 9-inch square or round baking pan
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon white vinegar
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup cold water
Seven-Minute Frosting (recipe follows)
1. Center a rack and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the sides and bottom of the pan with baking spray.
2. In a large mixing bowl, dry whisk the flour, sugar, salt, cocoa, and baking soda together.
3. Make 3 holes, or “wells”, in the dry ingredients. Pour the vanilla extract into one well, the vinegar into a second one, and the oil into the third.
4. Pour the cold water over the mixture, and stir until no longer lumpy. Feel free to use a hand mixer or a pair of Popeye arms (you have been eating your spinach, haven’t you?), which you will need soon for the frosting.
5. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick or thin knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan using our plate-over-pan method and flip it onto a cake rack (see page 28). Continue cooling the cake and frost it. Or simply frost the top of the cake and serve in the pan for even less fuss.
This makes enough frosting to heavily ice a 9-inch cake, or the top of a cake baked in a 10-inch tube pan.
YOU’LL NEED
A double boiler, real or improvised (see step 2)
A hand-held electric mixer OR somebody with Popeye arms
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1½ cups sugar
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
⅓ cup cold water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Separate the eggs.
2. Mix the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and cold water in the top part of a double boiler, OR in the top of an improvised double boiler: Use a heat-proof bowl that will fit over a pan with about 2 inches of water in it, or a small saucepan that will sit inside of a larger one containing water. Using a hand mixer or Popeye arms, beat the mixture for about 1 minute.
3. Place the top over the bottom half of the double boiler (or place the heat-proof bowl into the pan of water). Bring the water to a gentle boil, and beat the mixture on high speed for 7 minutes, or until you have soft peaks (see page 106).
4. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Beat for 1 or 2 minutes more.
5. Cool slightly, then frost away!
SEPARATING EGGS
Oh, there are fancy gadgets out there for separating eggs, and not-so-fancy gadgets, and then there’s the method where you carefully crack your shell in half and use the bottom part to catch the yolk. I use the most stripped-down method of all: my clean, dry, bare hands. It’s amazing how well this works, though it grosses out a competent seven-year-old. It also grosses out some adults. It’s a good party trick to have in your repertoire, trust me.
Have 3 bowls ready: one bowl to catch the individual egg white, one to hold your collection of egg whites, and one for the yolks. Crack an egg against the edge of a bowl, then dump the egg into a cupped hand, catching the yolk and letting the white slip through your fingers into the empty bowl. Then gently slide the egg yolk into the yolk bowl. Next, transfer the egg white into the third bowl: the egg white collection bowl.
Why use a designated bowl for the egg you’re separating? Because it’s crucial NOT to get any yolk mixed in with the egg whites. Suppose you use only two bowls and you’ve separated eight eggs and are about to separate the ninth, only to realize you’ve broken the yolk and it’s now seeping into the collection of egg whites—ACK! You are so screwed. Unless you like really big omelets. But this book is about cakes, not omelets. And egg whites with yolk in them are not going to whip into soft or stiff peaks, and one of those is the stage you need to get them to.
Hmmm. But what to do with all those yolks? Well, there are cakes that are yolk-heavy (Lord Baltimore, page 189), and there are frostings that are also yolk heavy (Lane Cake Filling and Frosting, page 193). Rather than toss my yolks, I freeze them for later use in cakes and frostings. I sprinkle a bit of water over them, and add either a dash of salt or sugar as a preservative. Since I bake on Sundays, I’ll move my frozen yolks to the refrigerator to thaw Friday night, then leave them out for 1 or 2 hours before using them on Sunday.
So many yolks, so few punch lines.
YOU’LL NEED
An 8-inch square or 9-inch round baking pan
FOR THE COCOA BREAD
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
1 cup boiling water
½ cup molasses
½ cup sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups self-rising flour (see Tip)
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
FOR THE STEWED PEACHES
6 cups sliced peeled peaches (see Tip)
¾ cup sugar
½ cup water
Tips: Do NOT use all-purpose flour without compensating for the substitution—remember your briefing at the beginning of this book (page 34)! If you don’t have self-rising, add 3 teaspoons of baking powder and 1 teaspoon of salt to 2 cups of all-purpose flour, and you should be fine.
If you don’t have fresh peaches, frozen are best. Use two 16-ounce bags. But you can also use canned peaches, so long as you drain the syrup off.
TO MAKE THE COCOA BREAD
1. Center a rack and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the sides and bottom of your pan with baking spray.
2. On the stove top or in the microwave, melt the butter and set aside to cool.
3. Boil some water and measure out 1 cup.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the boiling water, melted butter, molasses, and sugar. Let cool, then whisk in the eggs.
5. In a separate bowl, dry whisk the flour, baking soda, unsweetened cocoa, and cinnamon together.
6. Add a third of the flour mixture to the molasses mixture and whisk until smooth. Repeat until all of the flour mixture is blended in.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick or thin knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. While the cake is baking, stew the peaches.
8. Bring the peaches, sugar, and water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring gently until the sugar dissolves.
9. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
TO SERVE
10. Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes, then unmold onto a serving plate and serve warm with the stewed peaches. This can be tricky in the office. I usually wrap the bread in parchment paper and aluminum foil. At work I remove the foil, wrap the cake with dampened paper towels, and microwave at low power to warm it up. If you can’t do that, don’t worry: it’s good cool, too. You can serve the peaches hot, cold, or at room temperature, depending on your fancy (I like them a little cooler than the cake, but they’re good hot, too).
