wacky wedding cake

Good friends of mine eloped a few weeks back. No one knew, no one, not even their parents...so when they came home and told everyone, it was quite the surprise. Needless to say we wanted to have a small celebration for them. So it was dinner out, a little prosecco and a cake, add the newly weds and it was a great time with friends. The cake below was super easy to make - maybe a little too easy for a wedding cake. It is a chocolate vegan cake, with cherry brandy sprinkled on the layers, cherry pie filling between the layers and then iced with swiss meringue (from last month's Daring Baking Challenge)

This cake recipe was from my mom, she always called it Wacky Cake, it must have been called that because there was no egg or milk in it. Anyhow the great thing about this cake is that at almost any time you have all of these ingredients on hand. The recipe below is enough to make a 2 6" cakes plus 2 ramikens of cake.

Cake Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cocoa (unsweetened)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon vinegar
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup cold water

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt

2. Make three wells in the flour mixture. Put the vanilla in one, in another the vinegar, and in the third the oil. Pour the cold water over the mixture and stir until moistened.

3. Evenly distribute the batter into 2- 6 inch round cake pans (I had a nice small spring form pan that I used) and into 2 small greased ramikens.

4. Bake at 350°F. oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until it springs back when touched lightly.
   
   
5. Once all the cakes have baked and are out of the oven, allow to cool for about 15 minutes and then turn onto colling racks.
   
   
6. Once completely cooled slice the two larger cakes horizontally so that you now have 4 layers plus the two ramikens. Trim any mounds on the cake to be sure that it is level.
   
   
7. Drizzle cherry brandy on all the layers
   
   
8. Begin stacking the cake, adding some filling to one side of the layer, and some of the swiss meringue butter cream to the bottom of the next layer, continue for all the large layers. For the small ramiken layers I cut a "cork" out, added some filling, trimmed the cork and then topped off the mini cake with it.
   
   
9. I took the larger set of cakes and the smaller set and treated them like two separate cakes until right at the end.
   
   
10. Crumb coat both cakes. Refrigerate until the base layer of icing is set.
    
    
11. Ice a final top layer.
    
    
12. Optional --> Take ribbon of your choice and add to bottom of each cake. Hold in place with pins at the back of the cake.
    
    
13. Stack cakes and adorn as you choose.

yam fries + chipotle mayo

These make a great snack, appy or side. I think they are best to make when your other mealtime tasks are minimal. I know that deep frying is so bad for you, but everyone once in a while right? All good things in moderation!

Ingredients
2-3 small yams
3 cups vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
2 tsp Cajun seasoning
6 cups water

3/4 cup mayo
2 cloves roasted garlic
juice from one lemon
2-4 chipotle peppers

Directions:

1. Bring water a boil
2. Heat oil to about 375 degree F
3. Peal, wash and slice up yams
4. Boil yams for about 1-2 minutes
5. Strain yams, do not rinse, and lay out on towel to absorb extra moisture
   
6. Carefully fry a handful of yams for about 2 minutes, remove and let drain on paper towel
7. Fry remainder of yams
8. Fry up yams in similar fashion a second time, this time let batches fry for about 4-5 min until golden brown
9. Drain yams on a paper towel
10. In a bowl, add yams and toss with salt and Cajun spice.

To make the chipotle mayo, in a food processor combine mayo, roasted garlic, lemon juice and chipotle (to taste).

Enjoy!

white button walnut brownies

Who doesn't love a rich delicious brownie? Everything is good in moderation, and you really only need one of these, but don't forget a nice cold class of milk on the side! I have posted two pictures below. The first is the two-bite brownie, the second is made more traditionally in a square pan. I think I was more impressed with the pan method, and if I was to make them again (and I plan on it) I would place the white chocolate buttons on the top the same way I did with the two bite brownies. In the pan, I chopped up the white chocolate, so it just melted in...your choice!

Ingredients
*adapted by Alton Brown's Cocoa Brownies*
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar, sifted
1 cup brown sugar, sifted
8 ounces melted butter
11/4 cups cocoa, sifted
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup walnut pieces
16 white chocolate rounds/wafers

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F
2. Butter and flour an 9-inch square pan or a mini cup cake pan
3. In a bowl beat the eggs at medium speed with a hand mixer until fluffy and light yellow
4. Add both sugars
5. Add all the remaining ingredients excpet for the white chocolate, and mix to combine
6. Pour the batter into a greased and floured 9-inch square pan or the mini cupcake pan
7. Place the white chocolate evenly on top of the pan, in a 4x4 pattern or one on top of each mini cupcake
8. Bake for 45 minutes. Check for doneness with the tried-and-true toothpick method: a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan should come out clean. When it's done, remove to a rack to cool. Resist the temptation to cut into it until it's mostly cool. I would even say that these are better the next day - if you can wait!

thai lettuce wraps

I have been so delinquent at posting - yet, I have been taking lots of pictures and scribbling down food combos (I am not sure I could call them recipes!) These are a favourite on a night we wanting take out - but a homemade version. I love that this dish is so versatile, really you could put any veggies or ground meat/tofu into it.

Ingredients:
1/2 small onion
3 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp sesame oil
1/2 to 1 lb ground meat (this is beef, but chicken, turkey and pork have all been good)
2 carrots
2 celery stocks
1 red/yellow or green pepper
2-3 button mushrooms
1 handful chopped spinach
1-2 Tbsp sambal/chili sauce
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp hoison sauce
1-2 tsp honey *to taste*
2Tbsp Peanut Satay sauce (optional)

Half a bag of steam fried noodles
One head lettuce

Directions:
1. Wash and finely dice all veggies
2. In a wok or large fry pan heat up sesame oil over medium-high heat
3. Add onions and garlic, do not burn
4. Add meat and brown
5. Add all veggies, except for spinach and stir
6. Add sambal, soy, hoison, peanut satay sauces and honey
7. Allow veggies to cook for about 3-4 minutes
8. Add spinach and cook for another 30 seconds
9. Wash head lettuce and smack the base on the counter, this helps loosen all the leaves
10. Place a layer of the steamed noodles in your serving bowl, top with the hot meat/veggie combo.
11. Serve and Enjoy.

*in the past I have added small cubed firm tofu, it absorbs the sauce nicely*

spicy szcheuan green beans

I love anything spicy. And these are one of my favourites! I also love green beans (especially in a caesar!). Anyhow, these are an easy side for chicken and rice, or aside steak and garlic mashed potatoes. The only thing that takes any time is boiling the water to blanch the beans.

This recipe is all about "dashes" because I never seem to actually measure anything, most of it is to taste...so you can personalize all you want, but all the ingredients go so well together, that I imagine you couldn't go wrong.

If you aren't a green bean fan, but love edamame, it makes a great snack! (I will post a pic of those one night when we have a late night craving).

Ingredients
2 handfuls of tipped green beans
pinch of salt
6 cups boiling water

2 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1-2 Tbsp hot sambal sauce (hot chili Asian sauce)
2 Tbsp hoision sauce
3-4 dashes soy sauce
2 dashes terriyaki sauce
1-2 tsp honey
2 tsp sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Boil water in pot over high heat
2. Add pinch of salt and beans - remove after 3 minutes
3. At this point you should add the strained green beans to an ice bath to stop the cooking, however I never am that organized and just plop them in a strainer and run the cold water through them, turning them over with my hands for a few minutes until cool.
4. In a large frying pan, or a wok, heat sesame oil
5. Add garlic, alow to soften, do not brown it!
6. Add strained green beans - allow to "fry" for about 20 seconds, stirring once or twice.
7. Add sambal, hoision, terryaki and soy sauces. Allow to cook for about 2 minutes, the sauces will thicken and coat the beans
8. Remove from heat and sprinkle [toasted] sesame seeds over top.

ENJOY!

daring baker's challenge: dorie's perfect party cake

My first daring baker's challenge completed! Since this is my first challenge, I should explain the process. This is a group of bloggers, and non bloggers who "knead to bake!". At the beginning of each month the host selects a recipe, posts it and sets out the guidelines for what can and what cannot be changed/personalized and also indicated what day everyone will post their final results.

Thank you Morven for hosting this month's challenge. I was excited to make this cake because I love anything lemon. I made it a few weeks ago for a friend's engagement party. For the most part it turned out well. Throughout the month on the Daring Baker's blog some folks were noting that the cake did not rise properly. Morven noted a few changes in the recipe before I baked my cake, but alas mine still did not rise the way I would have liked! I did use cake flour, a different brand than she had suggested, but it was what they had at our local store. As a result I ended up making a second batch of batter after the first had been baked. In the end I had 4 cakes, used 3, and didn't end up slicing them in half as per the recipe.

A few other things. I left out the raspberry preserves, but used both a lemon and lime curd (recipe's below - love these!) And I also made a quick lemon syrup that i brushed on each cake before layering the curd.

One final note about the cake - I loved the marshmallowy icing (Swiss Meringue Buttercream)! I think it was beautiful to make and it was much simpler than I thought it would be...so if I walk away with one thing, it would definately be that!

**I wish I had taken a picture of the slices, the alternate between the yellow and the green lime curd was actually very lovely against the white of the cake and the crisp white of the buttercream**

For the Cake

2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups buttermilk (the recipe suggested whole milk as an alternate)
4 large egg whites
1 ½ cups sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 stick (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ teaspoon pure lemon extract

For the Buttercream
1 cup sugar
4 large egg whites
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 large lemons)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


For the Lemon & Lime Curd
*I made one batch of Lemon & one of Lime*

3 large eggs
1/3 cup fresh lemon or lime juice
1 tablespoon citrus zest
¾ cup granulates sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

Directions:
Move oven rack to centre, heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

To Make the Cake

1. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
2. Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.
3. Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant. (I loved this part!)
4. Add the butter and working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light.
5. Beat in the extract, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed.
6. Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated.
7. Add the rest of the milk and eggs beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients.
8. Finally, give the batter a good 2- minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated.
9. Divide the batter between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.
10. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the touch – a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean
11. Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unfold them and peel off the paper liners.
12. Invert and cool to room temperature, right side up (the cooled cake layers can be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to two months).
    

To Make the Buttercream

1. Put the sugar and egg whites in a mixer bowl or another large heatproof bowl, fit the bowl over a plan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes.
2. The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like shiny marshmallow cream.
3. Remove the bowl from the heat.
4. Working with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the meringue on medium speed until it is cool, about 5 minutes.
5. Switch to the paddle attachment if you have one, and add the butter a stick at a time, beating until smooth.
6. Once all the butter is in, beat in the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, 6-10 minutes.
7. During this time the buttercream may curdle or separate – just keep beating and it will come together again.
8. On medium speed, gradually beat in the lemon juice, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding more, and then the vanilla.
9. You should have a shiny smooth, velvety, pristine white buttercream. Press a piece of plastic against the surface of the buttercream and set aside briefly.
   

To Make the Lemon or Lime Curd

1. In a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk together the eggs, sugar and lemon juice until blended.
   
2. Cook, stirring constantly (to prevent from curdling), until the mixture becomes thick (like sour cream or hollandaise sauce). This will take approximately 10 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and immediately pour though a fine strainer to remove any lumps.
   
4. Cut the butter into cubes and whisk into the mixture until completely melted. Add the lemon zest and let cool.
   
5. The lemon curd will continue to thicken as it cools.
   
6. Cover immediately (so skin doesn’t form) and refrigerate for up to two weeks.

Makes 1 ½ cups.

To Assemble the Cake

1. Using a sharp serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion, slice each layer horizontally in half. (I didn't do this part as my cake didn't rise enough)
2. Put one layer cut side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper.
3. Spread it with one third of the preserves.Top with another layer, spread with preserves and buttercream and then do the same with a third layer (you’ll have used all the jam and have buttercream leftover).
4. Place the last layer cut side down on top of the cake and use the remaining buttercream to frost the sides and top.
5. Press the coconut into the frosting, patting it gently all over the sides.
   

easter cake

** So I didn't make this cake as part of a challenge, but I recently stumbled across an Easter Cake Competition over at A Slice of Cherry Pie - it looked fun, so I thought I would submit my cake, though when looking at the posts from last years, it is all in fun (I am not nearly as talented as the others bakers!)**

At family gatherings, I am the one who prefers to bring the dessert. Pies are my preference - but it was time for a cake...this one, Martha inspired *gasp* - to check out the original, it is in the March 08 Martha Stewart Living.

Ingredients for Cake Layers
3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut
1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee (I used Swiss Chocolate coffee - even more chocolate flavour!)
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Ingredients for Peanut Butter Icing
1 cup good quality creamy/smooth peanut butter
1 stick butter (half a cup)
2 cups icing sugar
2-3 Tbsp milk or cream

Ingredients for Chocolate Icing
1oz cocoa
5 Tbs boiling water
6oz butter or soft margarine
9-12oz icing sugar, sifted

For the Cake Layers: *or cupcakes - those turned out great as well*

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. and grease pans. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper.
2. Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
3. Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
4. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer).
5. Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well.
6. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well.
7. Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Adjust time accordingly for cupcakes - mini's took about 15 minutes.
8. Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks.
9. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely.
10. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.

For the Peanut Butter Icing:

1. In a large bowl, beat butter and peanut butter until light and fluffy.
2. Slowly beat in 1/2 of the confectioner's sugar.
3. Mix in 1/2 of the milk/cream.
4. Beat in the remaining confectioners' sugar.
5. If necessary, add a little more cream or milk until the frosting reaches a good spreading consistency.
6. I used this for in between the layers of chocolate cake

For the Chocolate Icing:

1. Dissolve the cocoa in the boiling water, making a paste.
2. Cream the fat to soften it, then add the icing sugar and beat really well until the mixture becomes pale in colour and light in texture. (An electric mixer is helpful).
3. Mix in the cooled cocoa.
4. Additional flavouring of vanilla or peppermint essence, dissolved instant coffee or the finely grated rind of half an orange may be added.
5. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator or freezer.

Cake Assembly:

1. Cut off the "humps" of the cakes - put excess cake aside
2. Spread peanut butter frosting between cake layers
3. Spread the chocolate frosting over the sides and top of cake.
4. Take remainder of cake humps and crumble with your hands to make "dirt"
5. Curl chocolate with a veggie peeler and carefully place on sides of cakes
6. If you want to make the nest, this was out of regular filo pastry, shredded with a tablepsoon of butter mixed in and then nestled in a muffin tin - bake at 350 until golden
7. Mushrooms are made from fondant and then dusted with cocoa
8. Flowers are made with tissue paper, floral wire and floral tape - you could buy something similar at Michael's
9. Place Cadbury mini eggs in nest
10. Once everything is in place, dust cake carefully with icing sugar.

**WARNING** this cake is incredibly rich, especially with the peanut butter icing- but good!