Orange Cardamom Cake

A beautiful flavor combination, orange and cardamom. I like to bake with cardamom when I can, it reminds me of my grandmother. I have great memories of being in her kitchen on a summer morning eating sourdough pancakes and aebleskivers.

3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1½ tsp salt
1½ tsp cardamom
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup milk
1 cup butter, room temp
1½ cups sugar
1 Tbl orange zest
4 eggs, room temp
1 Tbl vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°. Liberally spray a bundt pan with non-stick spray and dust with flour. In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cardamom, set aside. In measuring cup, stir together orange juice and milk, set aside.

In large bowl of mixer, cream butter, sugar, and orange zest. Mix in eggs, one at a time, add vanilla and mix until all is well incorporated. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with the orange juice & milk. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated.

Pour cake batter into prepared bundt pan, spread evenly. Bake 40-45 minutes, until pick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pan on cooling rack for 15 minutes. Invert and cool completely on cooling rack. Drizzle with orange glaze (recipe below).

1½ cups powdered sugar
3-4 Tbl orange juice
Whisk together to desired consistency and drizzle over cake.

Mtn Dew Bread

For fun, and in honor of my brother Tyler’s birthday, Mtn Dew Bread! In our Fam we love Diet Dew and Diet Coke, so, the breads you see pictured below are made with Diet Dew on the right and Diet Coke on the left. The Dew Bread is our favorite!

3 cups flour
4½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 Tbl sugar
3 Tbl butter, melted & slightly cooled
1 (12 oz) Mtn Dew Soda (I use Diet)

Preheat oven to 350º. Spray a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan with non-stick spray. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add butter and Mtn Dew; stir just until combined. Pour into prepared loaf pan, sprinkle with sugar, if desired. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown on top and pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Buttery Parker House Rolls

I wanted to eat the whole pan of these buttery, tender rolls!

3 cups all-purpose flour
2½ tsp yeast
3 Tbl sugar
1½ tsp salt
1/4 cup potato flour or 3/4 cup dried potato flakes
3 Tbl butter, softened
1 cup milk
1 large egg
3 1/2 to 4 Tbl butter, melted; for brushing on rolls

In large mixing bowl, or in bowl of electric mixer, combine all ingredients (except the 3 1/2 to 4 Tbl melted butter at the end), mixing to form a shaggy dough. Note: to speed rising process, whisk together milk and egg, and heat gently just enough to remove refrigerator chill; then add to remaining ingredients. Knead dough, by hand (10 minutes) or by machine (7 to 8 minutes) until it’s smooth.

Place dough in lightly greased bowl, let rise for 90 minutes; it’ll become quite puffy, though it probably won’t double in bulk. Transfer dough to a lightly greased work surface, divide it in half. Working with one half at a time, roll or pat the dough into an 8″ x 12″ rectangle. Brush dough with light coating of melted butter. You’ll have butter left over; you’ll need it for the other half of the dough, as well as for brushing on top of the baked rolls.

Cut dough in half lengthwise, to make two 4″ x 12″ rectangles. Working with one rectangle at a time, fold lengthwise. You’ll now have a rectangle that’s about 2 1/4″ x 12″. Repeat with other piece of dough. Cut each rectangle crosswise into four 3″ pieces, making total of 8 folded rolls, each about 2 1/4″ x 3″. Flip rolls over (so that their smooth side is facing up), and place them in lightly greased 9″ x 13″ pan. Repeat with remaining piece of dough, making 16 rolls in all. Arrange 4 rows of 4 in the pan, with the longer side of rolls going down longer side of pan. Gently flatten rolls to pretty much cover bottom of pan.

Cover pan, and let rolls rise about 45 minutes to 1 hour, until they’re puffy but definitely not doubled. Towards end of rising time, preheat oven to 350°. Bake rolls for 20 to 25 minutes, until they’re golden brown and feel set. Remove from oven and brush with remaining melted butter. Pull apart to serve. Recipe found at kingarthurflour.com.

More Rolls!

   

Cinnamon Banana Muffins

More ripe bananas sitting on the counter? Not such a bad thing, make muffins!

Cinnamon Banana Muffins:
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup mashed banana, about 3 bananas
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
2 Tbl butter, melted
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 heaping tsp cinnamon
pinch nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375°. Spray 10-12 muffin cups with cooking spray (I made 10 large muffins, can make 12 small muffins), or you can line with papers.

Whisk together sugar, oil, eggs. Add mashed banana and vanilla; whisk well. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add to banana mixture and whisk all together until combined.

Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. About 2/3 full or 3/4 full, depending on how big and how many muffins you like. Bake 17 to 21 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and tops of muffins are set. Remove muffins from pan to a cooling rack.

For cinnamon sugar topping, combine sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in small bowl. Put melted butter in another small bowl. Dip muffin tops into melted butter and then into cinnamon sugar mixture.

Fudge Frosted Peanut Butter Blondies

Perfect balance of intense peanut butter and fudgy chocolate flavors in a chewy blondie with little peanut crunch here and there. Tom and I had these for dinner tonight…where are our parents when we need them?

 

Blondie:
2/3 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1¾ cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup milk
1 cup peanut butter chips, divided
3/4 cup peanuts, divided

Frosting:
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup cocoa
2 Tbl milk (maybe a bit more)
1 Tbl light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1½ cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325°. In large bowl, cream butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Stir in most of the peanut butter chips and peanuts, reserving about 1/4 cup of the peanut butter chips and about 2 Tbl peanuts to sprinkle over top of frosting.

Spread into a greased 13×9 baking pan. Bake 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (do not overbake). Cool completely.

For frosting, in small bowl, combine butter, cocoa, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar; beat until smooth. Add a little more milk, if needed, to achieve desired frosting consistency. Frost blondies. Sprinkle with reserved peanut butter chips and peanuts.

Glazed Old fashioned Donut Cake

I was so mad at my Bundt pan! Refused to use it again, definitely close to buying a new one. OK, it was probably my fault, I did spray it but should have also dusted with flour. I made a banana bread recipe that you bake in a Bundt pan. When I turned it over, half of the cake came out and the top half we ate out of the pan…delicious but ugly. Today I decided to give the Bundt another chance. I love love love donuts, so why not a giant donut. I also love nutmeg and nutmeg is the dominant flavor, besides the tender vanilla cake and drizzled glaze. Everything came out to my satisfaction, so the Bundt pan was lovingly washed and put in it’s place in the cupboard. All is well.

Cake:
1 cup butter, softened
1½ cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3½ cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk

Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 12- to 15-cup Bundt pan with baking spray and dust with flour. Beat butter and sugar in stand mixer using paddle attachment until fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Add vanilla. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating until just combined after each addition. Spoon batter into prepared pan; gently tap on counter 3 to 5 times to release air bubbles.

Bake about 50 minutes, until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes. Invert cake out of pan onto a cutting board or platter, then gently flip cake back over so rough side is facing up. Let cool on wire rack completely, about 1 hour. Whisk together powdered sugar and water in a medium bowl until smooth. Brush over cooled cake. Recipe from southernliving.com

Apple Cinnamon Snack Cake

We just needed some cinnamon comfort food tonight.

Cake Batter:
2½ cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1¼ cups sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tsp vanilla
2 medium granny smith apples, peeled, cut into small pieces

Cinnamon Filling:
2 Tbl sugar
2 Tbl brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbl butter, melted
2 Tbl milk
1/2 tsp vanilla

Heat oven to 350°. Spray 13”x9” pan with non-stick spray. In small bowl, combine ingredients for cinnamon filling, set aside. In another small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt, set aside. In large bowl, cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar with electric mixer. Add eggs, sour cream, and vanilla, mix until combined. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture and mix just until combined.

Spoon 2/3 of batter into pan, spread evenly. Sprinkle chopped apple pieces evenly all over the batter. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar filling evenly over apples. Drop tablespoon size amounts of remaining batter evenly over cinnamon filling.

Bake 35 to 45 minutes until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely. In small bowl, stir glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over cake.

Sour Cream Chocolate Cookies

This is fudgy chocolaty goodness, just in case you need a little something.

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1¾ cups flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup vanilla or white chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, sour cream and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in chips. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake for 11-12 minutes or until set. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Makes approx. two dozen. Recipe from tasteofhome.com.

More Fudgy Goodness:

Fast Honey Buttermilk Bread

This bread takes about 1½ hours to make and it is DELICIOUS! One of my favorite things is a fat end slice of homemade bread hot from the oven slathered with butter. It reminds me of my childhood, coming home from school and mom would have bread right from the oven with butter and homemade jam for an after school snack. Thanks Mom!

5¼ cups flour
2 pkt (4½ tsp) dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (about 110°)
3 Tbl honey
1/3 cup oil
1½ tsp salt
1½ cups warm buttermilk

In bowl of mixer, add flour and yeast. Pour in warm water over yeast. Add honey, oil, salt and warm buttermilk (heat buttermilk in microwave on 50% until warm, careful not to curdle). Mix for 5 minutes. Spray counter and 2 bread pans with non-stick spray. Shape loaves, place in pans and cover. Let rise 45-60 minutes. Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes (tent with foil during baking if necessary so loaves don’t get too brown).

One Dozen White Cupcakes

This recipe makes 12 tender, fluffy white cupcakes, just the right size batch for the Fam while in quarantine! There are so many things to be grateful for, make cupcakes to celebrate! Also, it’s our 35th Wedding Anniversary!

Cupcake Batter:
1½ cups flour
1 cup sugar
1½ tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4  cup milk (can use water)
1 Tbl oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream
1 egg

Vanilla Buttercream:
1/2 cup butter, softened
2½ cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1½-3 Tbl whole milk or cream

Preheat oven to 350°. Put 12 cupcake papers in a 12 cup pan. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another smaller bowl, whisk together milk, oil, vanilla, sour cream, and egg. Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients and mix together with electric mixer until well incorporated. Scoop mixture into prepared cupcake pan. Bake for 16-20 minutes, watch them and take them out just as cupcakes start to get a little golden and the top of the cupcakes are set. Transfer cupcakes to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

To make buttercream, whip butter with electric mixer until light in color. Mix in powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1½ Tbl milk and whip together. Add more milk to achieve desired piping consistency. Pipe or spread frosting on completely cooled cupcakes and sprinkle!

More Cupcakes: