Pina Colada Upside Down Cake

Was feeling inspired by my last post and decided to tackle a full on upside down cake, but with a TCC twist.  May I just say, "Mwah, delicious!"

Pina Colada Upside Down Cake

topping
6 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
6 pineapple rings (fresh or canned)
5-6 maraschino cherries
1 tbsp. Myers dark rum or rum flavoring

cake
1-1/2 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup coconut flakes
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. coconut liqueur or extract
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup pecan bits (optional)

For the topping, melt butter over medium high heat in a small saucepan.  Add in the brown sugar and rum.  Continue heating until sugar melts.

Pour the sugared concoction in the bottom of a 9" cake pan (square or round, your choice).  Next place the pineapple slices in the bottom of the pan.  Add the maraschino cherries.  Set aside.

I chose a variation on the classic pineapple layout for my plan, but feel free to let your inner culinary artist run free and come up with your own pineapple design.

In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and coconut flakes.  Set aside.

Cream the softened butter, takes about a minute.  Gradually beat in the sugar.  Then add the eggs one at a time, incorporating each well.  Add in the vanilla.

Starting with the flour, alternate adding flour and coconut milk, blending well and making sure to scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl.

Carefully spread the batter in the pan over the topping mixture.

Sprinkle the pecans on the top of the batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.  I would recommend placing the cake pan on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper or foil to catch any spillovers (because there will more than likely be spillovers).  Bake until cake is golden or springs back to the touch when gently poked.

Remove cake from oven.  Run a knife along the inside edges of the pan.  Take your serving plate and put it upside down over the pan.

Using a thick towel or oven mitts, grab the edges and flip the pan and plate over and carefully lift the pan off the cake.  If any of the topping sticks to the pan, scoop it out and plop it on top.

Let the cake cool for about 15 minutes (so that you don't burn your face on the hot sugar topping).

Espresso Chocolate Cheesecake Bites

Here's a little bite-sized chocolate treat.  Goes great with coffee or tea or just whatever you happen to be drinking.

Espresso Chocolate Cheesecake Bites

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2 tbsp. flour
3 tsp. instant espresso
1 tsp. hot water
1/2 cup honey graham cracker crumbs
2 tbsp. butter, melted

Beat cream cheese until light and fluffy.

Add in eggs, sugar, and vanilla.  Blend until smooth (or mostly smooth) and creamy.

In a small bowl, blend together cocoa powder and flour.  Add to the cream cheese mixture a bit at a time until well blended.

Dissolve the instant espresso in the hot water and add to the batter.  Blend together.

In another bowl, pour the melted butter into the graham cracker crumbs and mix until the crumbs are moistened through.

Line mini muffin tins with mini muffin cups and press about 1 tsp. of crumb batter into the bottom of each.

Fill each cup to with the espresso-cream cheese mixture.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until batter is set.

Remove from oven and transfer cheesecake bites to a cooling rack.

Once the bites are at room temp, move to a lidded container and refrigerate until cooled through.

NOTES

1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs = 2-1/2 full graham crackers

Makes about 2-1/2 dozen bites.

Plum Spice Cake

 

The holidays may be over, but that doesn't mean we can still eat like they're here...with some moderation, of course.  As promised, here is the recipe for the tasty plum spice cake that Sofia's mother and sister made for our Christmas feast. 

The cake is moist and makes the perfect date for a cup of hot tea (or coffee).  Plus with plums being a super food, how can you go wrong indulging in a piece or two.

Plum Spice Cake

1/2 lb. (8 oz.) dried plums (aka prunes)
1 cup water
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup sugar
1/2 lb. (8 oz.) butter
2 eggs
1-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. allspice
powdered sugar, for decorating

In a pot over medium heat, cook the plums, water, and baking soda for 5 minutes.

Mash the cooked plums together create a thin paste and set aside.

In a mixer, cream the sugar and butter until smooth.  Add in the eggs.

In a small bowl, mix together the flour and spices.  Add the spiced flour to the wet ingredients and mix together well.  Add in the cooked plums.

Pour the batter into a prepared pan and bake at 350° for 4-50 minutes, or until cooked through.  I used a spring form pan for easier removal after the cake is done.  Keeps the sides looking nice too since this is not an iced cake.

Remove finished cake from oven and remove from pan.  Allow to cool to room temperature.

Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Almond Cornmeal Sponge Cake with Honeyed Almond Topping

 

I'm a genius.  Yes, every now and then my modesty kicks in, but not today.  Here's a little concoction I came up with to make use of the almond flour I bought this weekend.  This cake is SO moist, it's ridiculous.  Works both as a coffee cake or dessert. Either way you want to slice it up, it's a winner.

Almond Cornmeal Sponge Cake with Honeyed Almond Topping

sponge cake
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup skim milk
1 tsp. almond extract
1-1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup white cornmeal
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

honeyed almond topping
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup honey
2 tsp. water

Cream butter and sugar until smooth.  Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next.  Mix in the milk and almond extract.

In a small bowl, mix together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt.

Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and blend together until well mixed.  The batter will be grainy and not smooth.

Prepare a 9x13" pan (grease sides and line with parchment paper).  Pour batter and spread evenly in pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and let sit for a minute.  Loosen the sides of the cake from the pan and then flip out onto a lined cookie sheet and allow to cool.

 

While the cake is cooking, toast the sliced almonds.  I did mine on the stovetop with a dry (unprepared) skillet.

 

Takes about 8-10 minutes over medium heat.  Stir constantly to keep from burning.  When they start to brown, remove skillet from heat and transfer toasted almonds to a small bowl.

Toss the almonds with the cinnamon while they are still warm.

Stir in the honey and water and set aside until ready to use.

NOTES

Almond flour is very moist and crumby.  Unless you are using it as the base for a crust, for which it is perfectly suited, almond flour needs a baking companion in the form of a more powdery flour to handle moisture absorption. Trust me, I learned this the hard way.

Also found out that almond flour is VERY expensive (I paid $17 for a one-pound bag).  So even though I believe every day can be considered a special occasion, I would not use this for everyday baking but recommend saving it for a super duper fancy occasion (like having a hard day and you deserve a treat). 

Blackberry Marbled Pound Cake

 

The past couple of weekends I've been religiously making the early morning sojourn to the Farmer's Market to get first dibs on the blackberry stash.  Learned very early on that they go fast and furious and with a short season, need to get them while I can.

Outside of my normal blackberry addiction, I've been hoarding them because it's cordial-making time in the K2 kitchen.  After the requisite batches, I found myself with some extra berries and thought I'd try something new so here you go.

Blackberry Marbled Pound Cake

3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup blackberry puree (approx. 1-1/2 cups full berries)

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth.  Add in vanilla and mix until blended.

Add in the eggs, one at a time, until well incorporated.

 

In a separate small dish, combine your dry ingredients and then stir into the creamed mixture until smooth.

In a blender or food process, puree the whole blackberries (only takes about 30 seconds).

Messy mix the pureed blackberries into the batter.  By "messy mix" I mean very loosely fold without fully blending the puree in so that it will have that marbled look.

Light grease the bottom of a loaf and carefully pour the batter into it.  Carefully as to retain the marbled effect while baking.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Set pan on a rack to cool.  Let sit in pan about 5-7 minutes, then loosen the sides and turn out of the pan to finish cooling.

NOTES

The blackberry puree will be as sweet as your berries are when you puree them.  If you need to sweeten them up a bit, just add a mere sprinkle of sugar to it. 

If you're not a huge blackberry fan (which is ridiculous, of course), you could always substitute another fruit puree.  Raspberries or even fresh peaches (which are currently in season) would work really well with this recipe too.

You can serve this will ice cream and top with fresh berries.  According to the Guinea Pig Parents, it also toasts up really well and, with a nice light smear of butter, is quite tasty.

Chocolate Cherry Cake

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Here is what I made for one of my favorite foodie guinea pigs tonight.  Something new and fun to eat.

You can make it all from scratch or use pre-made mix or pre-made icing depending on your time.  I went cake mix this time, but promise that the next time I'll share my famous made-from-scratch chocolate cake. Enjoy! 

Chocolate Cherry Cake

cake
favorite chocolate cake recipe or mix
3/4 cup chopped fresh cherries

filling (makes enough for two cakes)
1-3/4 cups powder sugar
1 cup Philadelphia whipped cream cheese
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2 tsp. Kirsch or cherry liqueur
1/2 cup fresh cherries, pureed

icing & finishing
chocolate fudge icing
whipped cream
fresh cherries

Mix up your favorite chocolate cake mix/recipe.  Mix in 3/4 cup of chopped fresh cherries into the batter and bake up according to directions in two (2) 8" round pans.

Rough chopped the pre-pitted cherries.

In a small mixing bowl, blend together powder sugar, whipped cream cheese, softened butter and Kirsch until smooth and creamy.

 

Fold in cherry puree and mix until well blended. Set aside in the fridge until ready to use.

When the cake is done baking, let cool completely.

to assemble

Put the bottom layer on a plate. If you want, using a pastry brush pat the cake down with a layer of Kirsch and then slather on a layer of filling.

I made a ring of icing along the edge first to keep the filling from spilling over.

Top with the second layer. Brush with more Kirsch (if you want).  Cover with icing.

Dollop around the edges with whipped cream.  Cover each dollop with a cherry...or really cute tool candles...and present to dear ole dad.

NOTES

To de-stone the cherries, I cut a circle around the outside, twisted them apart and then dug out the stone with my fingertip.  It took very little time.

The filling is really good by itself, FYI, would be tasty on some pound cake or a toasted bagel.

You can make this Kirsch-free.  Substitute water for the kirsch in the filling.

I used Cool Whip in lieu of real whipped cream because it holds it's shape longer.