May I just start off by telling you how much I LOVE pink desserts?!  So when Paloma of The Coffee Shop, and leader of The Cake Slice bakers told us that The Pink Cake was up next, I was delighted. It most definitely is….a very pink perfection!  The book we are baking from is Vintage Cakes by Julie Richardson.  And this particular cake is an original of hers and one that is featured at her bakery, Baker & Spice.  Pink to me is such a shabby chic vintage color.  And so this recipe fits really well into this book of retro cakes.

This is a rich, moist but light chocolate cake surrounded by a silky Swiss buttercream.  How does the buttercream get it’s beautiful pink color?

Raspberries!  Raspberry juice is added to the buttercream at the end to give it a light sweet flavor and a pretty pink blush.  I first thought to add some whole, fresh raspberries to decorate the cake, but I didn’t want to detract from the simplicity of this lovely pink frosting.

There is a deep chocolate flavor to this cake, I think due to the blend of both chocolate and cocoa.  And it’s one that I will certainly go to time and again, even if I plan on using other frostings.  It’s that good!  And it may seem that there is a little extra work involved here, but it is well worth it.  Don’t let the buttercream intimidate you.  Just the way you might melt chocolate over a pan of simmering water; well you are just whisking egg whites and sugar in the same manner.

So let’s get baking. . . . .

Yields:  12 servings

Level of Difficulty:  intermediate

CHOCOLATE CAKE:

• 4 ounces of bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 of a cup of unsweetened, Dutch processed cocoa
• 3/4 of a cup of boiling water
• 3/4 of a cup of sour cream (full fat)
• 1 Tablespoon of pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups of all purpose flour
• 3/4 of a teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 4 ounces of unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup of firmly packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup of granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup of canola oil
• 3 egg yolks at room temperature
• 3 eggs at room temperature

Be sure your oven rack is in the center position and preheat your oven to 350°F.  Spray 3, 8 x 2 inch round cake pans with baking spray.  Line the bottoms with parchment paper circles and then spray the parchment.

Place the chopped chocolate and cocoa in a bowl and pour the boiling water over the top.  Allow it to just sit for a minute or so and then whisk it together to make sure the chocolate is melted and all is combined.  Then whisk in both the sour cream and the vanilla and set the bowl aside.

Next, we’ll prepare the dry ingredients.  Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.  Then whisk the ingredients together to make sure they are all combined.  And set the bowl aside.

So now, fit the paddle attachment onto your mixer.  With the mixer on medium high speed, cream the butter and both sugars until they are light in texture, about 3-4 minutes.  Be sure to stop the mixer from time to time to scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Turn your mixer down to a low speed and add the canola oil.  Then increase the speed to medium high and beat again until the mixture is fluffy; about another 3 minutes.  Blend in the eggs and the egg yolks one at a time, making sure each is incorporated before adding the next.  You’re almost done….just add the flour in 3 additions and the chocolate in 2, beginning and ending with the flour.  Do this with the mixer on low and don’t forget to scrape down the sides of the bowl!  Stop the mixer right after that last of the flour has been added.  Be sure not to overbeat the batter, or your cake won’t be as tender as it could. 

Now divide the batter evenly between the 3 pans.  I usually do this by measuring a half a cup at a time into each pan and repeat this evenly until all the batter is accounted for.  Smooth the tops with an offset spatula and tap each pan on the counter a couple of times to be sure there are no air bubbles trapped before you bake them.  Bake them for about 22-24 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched.   Cool the cakes on a wire rack for about 30 minutes.  Flip the cakes out of the pan but leave the parchment on until you are ready to frost.  I actually made these the night before I frosted them.  I wrapped them tightly in plastic wrap and left them on the counter.

I know this seems like a long process, which is why I put this together over two days.  But hang in there and envision a beautiful slice of chocolate cake when you are done!

RASPBERRY BUTTERCREAM:

• 6 egg whites
• 1 1/4 cups of granulated sugar
• 1/4 of a teaspoon of cream of tartar
• 4 sticks of unsalted butter at room temperature, cut into pieces
• 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 4 cups (10 ounces ) of raspberries, fresh or frozen

I started by getting my raspberry puree ready.  I also chose to use frozen raspberries which I thawed, because I felt like they would be easier to mash for the juice.  I simply put the raspberries into a bowl and used my potato masher to smash them down.  I put them into a strainer set over a bowl and continue to press them with a spoon until I felt I extracted all the juice I could and then set the bowl aside.  This will be the last thing you add to the buttercream.

You will be heating egg whites in a bowl over simmering water.  But the whole process will be easier if you can use the bowl of your mixer.  Start by whisking the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar by hand in your mixing bowl.  Set this over a pan of simmering water and continue to whisk gently until the mixture is not so thick and gloppy and it becomes more liquid.  You want also to feel that the sugar has dissolved and the mixture should come to register 130°F on a candy thermometer.

Now move the bowl back to your mixer and using the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites while on medium high speed until they have tripled in volume and hold stiff peaks like a meringue.  Look for a thick and glossy appearance as well.  You also want to cool down the contents before you begin to add the butter.  So once the egg whites are at your desired stage, turn the mixer down to low and continue to beat for another few minutes until the bowl is cool to the touch.   Kick the mixer back up to medium high and begin to add the butter one piece at a time.  Be sure the butter is combined before adding another.  At one point the mixture may look a bit curdled.  This is okay.  Just keep beating.  Once all of the butter is in, add a pinch of salt, the vanilla and the raspberry juice.  You will need to scrape down the bowl at this point, because the butter content may resist some of the juice of the raspberries.  Just continue to beat until it is completely blended.  If you are not going to frost the cake right away, chill the buttercream, covered, in your fridge.  You will have to beat it a little more before using it then.

Get ready to assemble, and then get ready to taste!

Place the first layer on your cake plate or stand.  I always place the bottom side up so there is a flatter surface to frost.  Place 3/4 of a cup of buttercream in the center and spread evenly out to the sides of the cake.  Place the second layer on top, again, another 3/4 of a cup of the buttercream, spreading evenly out to the sides.  Then place the final layer on top.  Spread a thin layer of buttercream on the top and on the sides of the cake.  This is the crumb coat, so keep it thin and don’t worry about it looking nice.  Refrigerate the cake for about 10-15 minutes for the crumb coat to set.  And then add the remaining frosting on the top and sides, decorating as you wish.

So I have some nice thrifty finds here as well.  There are two thrift stores in my neighborhood and each are good for certain things.  One has a nice book section and some small tables and linens.  The other is where I find my plates and baking things.  For some reason, each time I’ve hit that store recently, I’ve found a fabulous cake stand.  Here is the one I used for this cake.  It almost looks like someone made it by attaching the stand to a cake plate.  But I just loved it and it was only $4.79!

And of course, we need some plates!  These I found at the same store where I found the cake stand (on different days over time!) and I just love them.  These medium dessert size plates go for $1.25 each.  I love mixing and matching plates on a table setting for a vintage, eclectic look.

I get the clean plate award and another chance to show you a pretty fork I found for 25 cents and I loved these plates so much I bought the entire set of 4 that they had!

Again, I am comfortable sharing this recipe because it was already made public with the permission of the publisher on Epicurious.  The recipe can also be found there.

For more Vintage Cakes, please check out what I’ve made on the page called Baking by the Book.

Want more Chocolate Cake with creamy frostings? Try . . . . .

Chocolate Cake with Mint Buttercream @ Roxana’s Home Baking

Vanilla, White Chocolate Cake with Cherry Buttercream Frosting @ A Swoonful of Sugar

Sweet Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting @ The Joy of Caking

And visit the Cake Slice to see my fellow bakers looking pretty in pink!

It’s been a little while since I last participated in the Improv Cooking Challenge, founded by Kristen at The Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker.  But I’m glad to be back!  Every month Kristen challenges us with two ingredients that we can use in any way we wish.  What pieces came our way this month?  Cinnamon and sugar!  This is such a classic combination and of course Snickerdoodles came to mind.  There’s nothing better than that soft, sweet, vanilla sugar cookie rolled and covered in cinnamon.  Unless it’s cheesecake!

Baking, for me is always a constant practice in adapting your ideas.  Sometimes I’m thinking about a way to put my favorite candy bar flavors into a cupcake.  Or how about turning your favorite pie into a cookie?  And many times I take a classic recipe and simply try to put a new twist on it; adding an unexpected flavor element or preparing in an offbeat way.  In the case of a Snickerdoodle, well, I really love these flavors just the way they are.  So this time, it was just a matter of turning one of my favorite cookies into a cheesecake!  Sweet, creamy vanilla and cinnamon cheesecake is sprinkled with that same cinnamon sugar that the cookies are rolled in.

I mean, just look at the top of this cake.  Doesn’t it look like a Snickerdoodle cookie?

You may already have the ingredients in your fridge and pantry for this simple, no fuss cheesecake.  At the most, you may have to run out for cream cheese, sour cream and shortbread cookies.

Yields:  one 9 inch cheesecake

Level of  Difficulty:  easy

COOKIE CRUST:

• one 10 ounce package of shortbread cookies, finely crushed ( I used Lorna Doone’s)
• 1/2 a stick of salted butter, melted

Simply place the shortbread cookies in the bowl of your food processor and pulse until you have course crumbs like sand.  Tip these out into a bowl and add the melted butter.  Mix together with a fork until the crumbs now look like wet sand and will hold together when you pinch a clump between your fingers.  Line the bottom of a 9″ springform pan with the cookie crumb mix, patting it down evenly and pressing it up about 1 1/2″ along the side of the pan as well.  There is no need to butter the pan, since the crumb crust will be buttery enough.  Set this on a rimmed baking sheet and put it to the side while you prepare the cheese cake filling.

Make sure your oven rack is in the center position and preheat your oven to 350°F.

Get ready to make one of the easiest, sweetest, and creamiest cheesecake fillings imaginable.  Baking is always an exercise in patience for me.  And I can’t tell you how often I find myself pacing in front of the oven.  But when it’s all said and done, it will look something like this.

SNICKERDOODLE CHEESECAKE FILLING:

• 2 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese, at room temperature
• 8 ounces of sour cream
• 1 cup of sugar
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 Tablespoons of all purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon of pure vanilla extract
• 1 Tablespoon of granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, divided

Fit the paddle attachment onto your electric mixer.  Blend the cream cheese, sour cream and sugar together on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy and free of lumps. (That’s why it’s important that the cream cheese be soft!)  Add the flour, vanilla extract, and 1/2 a teaspoon of the ground cinnamon.  When all of these have been incorporated, add the beaten eggs and blend until the mixture is smooth and all of the ingredients have been combined.  Pour this mixture over the crust in your prepared pan and smooth the top.  In a small bowl, mix the Tablespoon of sugar and the remaining 1/2 a teaspoon of cinnamon.  Sprinkle this evenly over the top.  Bake this for about 45-50 minutes.  What you want to look for is that about a 2 inch area along the outside rim is set when you jiggle the pan slightly.  Let the cheesecake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes.  Then release the sides of the springform pan and let the cake cool for another 30 minutes.  Remove the ring from the pan, cover and chill for at least 4 hours before serving.  The cake will sink a bit in the middle and while it’s chilling in the fridge, some of the sugar and cinnamon mixture will naturally be absorbed.  So I sprinkled it with a bit of sparkling sugar before serving.

So I have to share my thrifty finds with you for the picture above.  The brown tablecloth is just 2 yards of fabric I bought at Joann’s.  And the white linen is from Pier 1 Imports.  But the two plates I got at the thrift store for 96 cents each.  The glass cake stand, which has some little flowers on it and looks kind of vintage, was $4.96.  But those 2 forks are two pieces of really pretty sterling silver.  When I was at the store, there were two women scouring the utensil bin.  And I just had to wait and pretend to look at other things until they were done.  My eye went right to them in the bin.  And I wanted them so badly!  One of the women picked them up and my heart sank.  But the other woman commanded her to put them back because they were so tarnished!  You can get a better look at them in the opening picture.  But I was victorious in my purchase because they were just 25 cents a piece! And a little silver polish had those babies shining in no time!  I swear I’m going to open an Etsy Store when I retire from blogging!

So I hope you will give this simple vanilla and cinnamon cheesecake a try.  And don’t forget to visit my fellow Improvers to see what everyone did with cinnamon and sugar this month!

So many people await the arrival of spring because it means the days are longer and there is so much more to do outside.  For some, it’s the constant sunshine that they enjoy.  And for others new growth brings with it a feeling of new hope.  For me, spring is like living in a world of aromatherapy.  There is nothing that instantly relaxes me like the scent of lilacs in my yard, freshly cut grass, or even wet dirt after a soaking spring rain.  And so it is with baking.  Anuradha of Baker Street and Lora of Cake Duchess challenged the Bundt a Month bakers to use berries this month.  While blueberries are not the most fragrant fruit, when you combine them with the warm sweet scent of vanilla and bright and cheery citrus notes, your kitchen is suddenly filled with promise.  And these sweet little blueberry orange mini bundt cakes promise to be delicious!

You know how I feel.  You feel the same way, too.  Having your own little cake, all to yourself, is the best thing in the whole wide world!

These little bundts are delicately sweet.  This light, moist cake is bursting with blueberries and is scented with orange and vanilla.  Drizzle them with a light orangey glaze or top them with a dab of orange buttercream.  A simple sprinkling of powdered sugar would be perfect, too. 

Yields:  36 mini bundt cakes

Level of Difficulty:  easy

BLUEBERRY ORANGE CAKE:

• 3 cups of all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 2/3 cup of sugar
• 1 Tablespoon of freshly grated orange zest
• the seeds of 1 vanilla bean
• 12 Tablespoons of butter, softened
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 2/3 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2/3 cup of buttermilk at room temperature

Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F, and with your oven rack in the center position.  Spray your bundt pans generously with baking spray (the non stick spray which contains flour).

In a separate bowl, prepare your dry ingredients by whisking together the flour, salt and baking soda.

Slip the paddle attachment onto your electric mixer and blend the sugar and orange zest together on low speed to release the oils from the orange.  Add the seeds from your vanilla bean and beat to blend this well.  Add your softened butter and continue to beat until the mixture is light.  Add each egg, one at a time, making sure that each egg has been well blended before adding the next.  Finally, you are going to mix in your orange juice.  DON’T PANIC!  AT THIS POINT THE MIXTURE WILL LOOK LIKE IT HAS CURDLED!  IT’S OKAY!  Remember, it’s the promise of spring and hope is in the air!

Add the flour mixture and then the buttermilk.  Blend until everything is just combined.  Fill each mini bundt about halfway full.  Bake for about 20-22 minutes.  The tops (which are really the bottoms) should be light golden, spring back to the touch.  And a toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean.  Let the pans cool for about 15 minutes and then turn them over a wire rack.  Let them sit for another 10 minutes and then gently shake the pan.  My bundts popped right out.  If any seem to stick, gently run a toothpick around the edges to loosen. 

One of my pans made a simple round ring bundt.  And I chose to glaze with a simple orange icing.  The other pan created a small indent on the top.  And for those, I decided to sprinkle with a bit of powdered sugar and top with a little dollop of simple orange buttercream.  The recipe for both follows.

ORANGE ICING:

• 1 cup of powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons of freshly squeezed orange juice

Simply mix these together in a bowl.  Let stand for about 5 minutes.  And then use a spoon to drizzle the icing over the tops and down the sides of your baby bundts.

SIMPLE ORANGE BUTTERCREAM:

• 1 stick of butter, softened
• 3 cups of powdered sugar
• 1 Tablespoon of grated orange zest
• 2 Tablespoons of freshly squeezed orange juice

Slip the paddle attachment onto your electric mixer.  Cream the butter until it is light and fluffy.  Add the powdered sugar, orange zest and orange juice.  Beat until the buttercream is combined.  If the mixture is too loose, add a bit more powdered sugar.  If it feels too thick, add a bit more orange juice.  Scoop the buttercream into a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip.  Swirl a little atop the bundt cakes and top with a blueberry if desired.

I hope you enjoy these as well as the rest of the berry bundts created by my bundt-a-month buddies:

• Blackberry Buttermilk Bundt by Sandra at Sweet Sensations
• Blueberry Banana Bundt by Veronica at My Catholic Kitchen
• Blueberry Buttermilk Cake by Lora at Cake Duchess
• Blueberry Coconut Bundt by Jennie at The Messy Baker Blog
• Blueberry Cream Cheese Bundt Cake by Anuradha atBaker Street
• Lemon Berry Bundt Cake by Heather at Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks
• Lemon Berry Bundt by Holly at A Baker’s House
• Lemon Raspberry Bundlets by Kate at Food Babbles
• Lemon Rhubarb Bundt Cake with Blueberries by Laura at The Spiced Life
• Lemon Blueberry Yogurt Bundt Cake by Karen at In the Kitchen With KP
• Orange Blueberry Yogurt Bundt Cake by Renee at Magnolia Days
• Raspberry Wine Chocolate Bundt Cake by Paula at Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Strawberry and Orange Bundt Cake by Alice at Hip Foodie Mom
• Strawberry Sweetheart by Kim at Ninja Baking
• Very Berry Streusel Bundt by Anita at Hungry Couple

We have a berrilicious theme this month for #bundt-a-month. 14 gorgeous cakes using berries in every form will be inspiration enough for you to bake with us this month.

Here ís how you can be a part of Bundt-a-Month:

•    Simple rule: Use your favorite berries or a combination of two and bake us a Bundt for May

•    Post it before May 31, 2013

•    Use the #BundtaMonth hashtag in your title. (For ex: title could read  #BundtaMonth: Berry Bundt)

•    Add your entry to the Linky tool below

•    Link back to our announcement posts

Even more bundt fun! Follow Bundt-a-Month on Facebook where we feature all our gorgeous bundt cakes. Or head over to our Pinterest board for inspiration and choose from hundreds of Bundt cake recipes.

It’s always great when a fussy dessert turns out really well.  But I am even happier when I am able to casually throw a few ingredients together and the result is just as satisfying.  This month, Roxana, of Roxana’s Home Baking and the fearless leader of The Chocolate Party challenged us to pair chocolate with strawberries!  It’s such a winning combination in my book.  Strawberries always remind me of spring and summer, and strawberry picking at my favorite farm.  And so I wanted to make a rustic dessert, and one that tastes like home.

This simple chocolate pie has a layer of strawberry jam spread on top of a light, buttery crust.  Toasted pecans add a little crunch to this creamy pie.  Top it off with some sliced, fresh strawberries, some creamy toasted pine nuts and a pinch of sea salt and the result is truly comforting.

This chocolate pie is also just a little bit deceiving.  As you look at the picture, you might expect that it is a fudgey brownie pie.  But actually, the chocolate filling is made with chocolate, sugar and egg whites!  So it is light and chewy like a meringue!

Yields:  10-12 servings

Level of Difficulty:  easy

You may use a store bought crust.  But it is really easy to make with this simple recipe.

EASY BUTTERY PIE CRUST:

• 1 cup of all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 7 Tablespoons of chilled butter
• 3 Tablespoons of ice water

Start by whisking the flour and salt together in a medium bowl.  Cut the butter into small cubes and sprinkle them over the flour.  Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour until it resembles course crumbs and the largest pieces are the size of peas.  Add the ice water and blend with a fork until the dough is just moist enough to hold together when pressed.  Gather the dough into a ball and knead it just enough to hold it together.  Pat the dough into a small oval shape and cover it with some plastic wrap and refrigerate for about a half an hour.

Place the rack in your oven to the lower third position in the oven and preheat it to 400°F.

When you are ready to make the pie, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until it measures roughly a 9 x 14 inch oval.  Carefully fold it in half.  You may have to use your bench scraper or palette knife to gently loosen the dough from your surface.  Place the dough on a baking pan lined with a piece of parchment paper.  Loosely fold and roll the edges to form a rimmed crust. 

Bake the crust for roughly 12 minutes, or until it is very lightly golden brown.  Remove it from the oven and immediately spread 1/4 of a cup of strawberry jam on top.  Cover the entire crust to the edges with the jam.

Again, you may use your favorite store bought jam.  But jam is easy to make and this is my go to recipe for strawberry jam.

At this point you will want to reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.

CHOCOLATE FILLING:

• 6 ounces of bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 egg whites at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar
• 1/4 cup of granulated sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup of pecans, chopped
• a handful of toasted pine nuts
• chocolate shavings for garnish if desired

Melt the chocolate in a small bowl of a pan of simmering water until it is melted and smooth.  Set aside to cool for a bit.  Slip the whisk attachment onto your electric mixer.  Whip the egg whites ,vanilla and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form.  Slowly add the granulated sugar and then the pinch of salt.  Continue to whip until the egg whites are stiff but not dry.  Fold in the chocolate and pecans and spread this over the strawberry jam layer on your crust. 

Continue to bake for another 10-12 minutes or until the chocolate seems dry and slightly cracked at the edges.

NOTE:  At the 10 minute point, you will not want to leave the oven.  I actually made this twice.  The first time, after 10 minutes I felt it could go for another minute or two.  I didn’t check it after 1 minute.  But after 2 minutes, the top was completely burnt!  I slapped myself on the head and said…..of course it burnt quickly…..it’s meringue!

You will want to let this set a good 45 minutes to 1 hour after you’ve removed it from the oven.  Top it with sliced, fresh strawberries and a handful of pine nuts.  Garnish it with shavings of chocolate.  Cut this into rough slices.  And by all means, serve this up with some freshly whipped cream. 

And please stop by to visit my chocolate loving friends, to see how they combined chocolate and strawberries this month!

There is a wonderful BAKE SALE happening at From Sugar Cookies to Peterbilts beginning today at noon through May 5th.  My very dear friend, Kris, is sponsoring this bake sale to raise money in support of her friend who has signed up to ride with Team in Training (Minnesota).  Stacy will be riding in America’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride around Lake Tahoe.  You can read more about Stacy’s involvement in the bike ride here.  All proceeds will benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

I have come to find that food bloggers, as a whole, are some of the most supportive people I have ever met.  And the next best thing to developing these friendships, for me, is the ability to bake for a greater good.  So in support of Kris, Stacy and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, I will be contributing my baked goods, too!  So many wonderful bloggers have signed on to help, and some great gifts will be raffled off as well.  So please head over to From Sugar Cookies to Peterbilts to bid on some amazing baked goods and enter the raffle for a chance to win some fabulous prizes.

Please lend your support.  Let’s all band together to help the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society find cures and better treatments for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma.  We can do this!  One sweet bite at a time!

Thank you, Kris, for allowing me to be a part of this wonderful event. 

And GO STACY GO!!!  WOO HOO!!!

Travel back to the 1930′s on the Zephyr, the Flying Yankee, or the Comet.  It was the golden age of train travel, when comfort and convenience replaced sensibility.  And you could travel from here to there in luxury and style. These streamlined, sleek, art deco styled trains offered sleeping compartments, observation cars, and sit down dining and buffet lounges.  If I close my eyes, I can put myself there.  Having finished my dinner,  I pat my short, crimped hair with my fingers and reapply my bright red lipstick.  My waiter interrupts to ask what I’ll have for dessert.  Dessert?  Why I think I’ll try a slice of that lovely almond lemon cake!

Julie Richardson, author of Vintage Cakes, discovered a recipe for a Lemon Stream Liner Cake in a 1967 issue of Baking Industry.  Though there was no explanation of the origin of the cake,  she believed that one possibility is that it was named after the streamlined trains of the early 20th century.  And my own imagination took me back in time as I made this really moist, almond buttermilk cake which is topped with a light, lemony custard.

I was so happy that The Cake Slice Bakers chose this Lemon & Almond Streamliner Cake this month!  (I voted for this cake!)  And it was really delicious.  I would not have thought to pair lemon and almond, truthfully.  But it worked!  I loved the custard and will definitely use it in other recipes.  This is a single layer, buttermilk cake.  And in addition to topping the cake with this bright, lemon custard, Ms. Richardson instructs us to put a light coating of the custard around the edges of the cake for a pretty sheen.

Thank you to Paloma of The Coffee Shop for leading and inspiring such a wonderful group of bakers.  If you are nostalgic and sentimental, and like me, love all things vintage; then you will love Vintage Cakes.  It’s a beautiful book full of classic and unique cakes.  And I think you really need to have this on your shelf!

For copyright reasons and to support the sale of this very special cake book, I don’t usually post the recipes we bake.  But this Lemon and Almond Streamliner Cake is different.  This recipe has already been made public online with the permission of the publisher here.

So here is how to keep the train rolling . . . . .

Yields:  8-10 servings

Level of Difficulty:  easy

I suggest making the custard a day ahead, so that it really has time to set.  But the author suggests that you let the custard chill in your refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

CUSTARD:

• Grated zest of 2 lemons
• 3/4 cup of whole milk
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 4 egg yolks (save the whites for macarons or angel food cake!)
• 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt
• 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch
• 1/2 cup of lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
• 4 Tablespoons of butter, cut into small cubes

The first thing you will want to do is combine the milk, 1/4 cup of sugar and the lemon zest in a medium saucepan.  Heat this over medium – low heat, stirring, until the mixture becomes hot and the sugar is dissolved.  Take this off of the heat and set it aside.  Then, in a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and the salt.  When these are well combined, you will next whisk in the cornstarch and then the lemon juice. 

To temper the egg mixture and to assure you don’t have a bowl of scrambled eggs, slowly add 1/3 of the milk mixture to the eggs, whisking constantly.  And finally, pour all of the egg mixture back into the saucepan with the milk and return the pan to the heat.  Again, keep it on medium – low and continue to whisk until the mixture begins to thicken and bubble.  This should take 2-5 minutes.  Resist the urge to crank up the heat because you don’t want the custard to scorch on the bottom of the pan.  (Yes…I’ve been burnt by my impatience before!)  You will next pass the custard through a fine sieve into a bowl to strain out any bits of egg or cornstarch.  Place a piece of plastic wrap over the bowl and be sure to press the plastic on top of the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming.  Refrigerate the custard for 2 hours, but preferably overnight.

Now for the yummy almond cake!

ALMOND CAKE:

• 1 1/4 cups of sifted cake flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
• 7 ounces of almond paste ( the original recipe called for 6 ounces, but the paste weighed 7 and so after a little nibble, I just added it all!)
• 10 Tablespoons of unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2/3 cup of sugar
• 3 Tablespoons of canola oil
• 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
• 3 eggs at room temperature
• 2/3 cup of buttermilk at room temperature

Preheat your oven to 350°F.  Grease a 9 x 2 inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.  I then, greased the top of the parchment paper, too.

I always begin by preparing my dry and wet ingredients, individually.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.  Then whisk the ingredients together to make sure they are well incorporated. 

Slip the paddle attachment onto your stand mixer and combine the almond paste, butter, sugar, canola oil and vanilla on low speed to start until it is blended.  Gradually increase the speed to high and cream the mixture until it is very light and fluffy.  Expect this to take you about 7 minutes.  You will also have to stop the mixer frequently to scrape down the beater and the bowl.  Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure the first one is incorporated before adding the next. 

Then, with the mixer on low,  alternate adding the flour mix in 3 additions, with the buttermilk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the flour.  After each addition, mix until barely blended, and stop to scrape down the bowl.  Stop the mixer before adding the last flour addition and add it and blend it by hand.  You just don’t want to over beat the batter. 

Pour the batter into your prepared pan, smoothing the top with an offset spatula.  Tap the pan on the counter to make sure there are no air bubbles and well….it just feels good to make some noise and relieve some stress!  Place the pan in the center of the oven and bake until the top is deeply golden brown, about 45 minutes.  A toothpick in the center should come out just barely clean. 

Cool the pan on a rack for about 30 minutes.  Remove the cake from the pan and cool on a rack.  Leave the parchment paper on until you are read to spoon the custard on.  When you are ready to assemble, remove the paper and set the cake on your plate.  Using a metal spatula, spread a thin layer of custard on the edges of the cake.  (You may have to whisk the custard a bit if it seems too thick.)  Put the rest of the custard on the top of the cake, spreading it barely to the edges.  Allow the cake to set, refrigerated, for about 30 minutes to set.  But bring it to room temperature again before serving.  (Though I’ve eaten it cold right from the fridge and it’s still good!)

This almond cake is sweet and moist.  And the lemon custard is tart and luscious.  And I will definitely use both recipes separately in other recipes.  They are both just good, solid recipes.  Combined, the flavors are very unique.  But I think you can do so much with the almond cake itself.

I’m thinking of whipped cream and berries.  Or a layer of nutella topped with strawberries.  How would you top this simple almond cake?

Please check out The Cake Slice Bakers to see how my nostalgia loving friends enjoyed this cake.

For more from Vintage Cakes, check out my Shoo Fly Cake, Red Velvet Cake or Honeybee Cake.

For more great almond and lemon dessert recipes, check out:

Almond Cookies @ Just One Cookbook

Meyer Lemon Parfaits @ Cravings of a Lunatic

Lemon Pudding Cake @ 6 in the Morningside

And don’t forget to pick up a copy of . . . . .

Well it is cherry blossom season here again in the nation’s capital!  And while the Cherry Blossom Festival is officially underway, it certainly doesn’t feel like spring here yet.  The highest temperature today is a breezy 53° and all I want to do is drink hot chocolate!  But this is my first time participating in Bundt a Month.  This group, founded by Anuradha of Baker Street and Lora of Cake Duchess, is made up of some amazing and creative bundt bakers.  And when it was announced that cherry would be the theme, I felt like I had to represent!

I chose to bake a coconut based cake studded with sweet Oregon cherries and semi sweet chocolate chips.  Top it off with a drizzle of chocolate cherry ganache and a sprinkling of coconut (tinted the color of cherry blossoms), and I feel like I am on a float in the middle of the parade!

I think I mention in so many of my posts, how much I love thrift store shopping.  I find the most eclectic pieces to use in my food styling and photography.  A couple of years ago, I happened to find a few odd pieces of china.  The pattern is called “cherry blossom”.  So I snagged the couple of plates and bowls they had.  In a blogging community thread, someone had asked if anyone actually uses the “props” they feature in their photography.  I do!  I love setting a table with mismatched pieces.  And eating my cheerios out of a pretty china bowl just sets my day off right!

Only 2 plates and 5 bowls.  But I don’t think I paid more than $5 bucks for the lot!

But back to the cake!  I find I am collecting bundt pans as shamelessly as I collect cupcake papers, cake stands and tea cups.  And don’t even get me started on cookbooks.  It’s an obsession, I tell ya!  But here is the cake, naked, right out of the pan.

Let’s get baking . . . . .

Yields: 1 bundt cake

Level of Difficulty:  Easy

COCONUT CHERRY CHIP BUNDT:

• 2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 1/2 sticks of butter, softened
• 1 3/4 cups of sugar
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of coconut extract
• 3/4 cup of coconut milk
• 1/2 cup of whole milk
• 1 cup of chopped cherries
• 1/2 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips

Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F.  Generously spray your bundt pan with baking spray (I used Pam for baking; otherwise grease and flour your pan, tapping out the excess flour).

Isn’t half the fun of making a bundt cake choosing what shape pan to use?!

I always start by combining my dry ingredients together.  So in a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set the bowl aside.  Now for the wet ingredients.  In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, whole milk, vanilla and coconut extracts; and set this bowl aside.

Slip the paddle attachment onto your electric mixer, and while on low, beat the butter until it is creamy.  Continue beating on low, while you slowly add the sugar.  Scrape down the bowl as needed.  Then add your room temperature eggs, one at a time, and continue to mix until the last egg has been incorporated. 

Now put everything together, beginning and ending with the flour.  In 3 additions, add 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by 1/2 of the milk mixture, then 1/3 of the flour mixture, the rest of the milk mixture and then the remainder of the flour.  Last of all, fold in the cherries and the chocolate chips.  Pour the batter into the bundt pan.  It should be about 3/4 full.  Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes.  Let the cake cool completely before inverting it onto your cake plate or stand.

The thing I love about bundt cakes is that they are usually pretty awesome all on their own.  But how about some fudgey ganache?

I generally follow King Arthur’s Flour’s guideline for determining the thickness of the GANACHE I want to make.  Here, I wanted a pretty thick ganache that would hold on to a few flakes of coconut that I tossed around in a bit of pink gel color.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY GANACHE:

• 1 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup of heavy cream
• 1 Tablespoon of Kirsch liqueur (or juice from the cherries for non alcoholic cherry flavor)
• 1 Tablespoon of butter
• a pinch of salt

Place your chocolate chips into a glass bowl.  In a small saucepan, bring the cream just to a boil.  Pour the cream over the chocolate chips and let it sit for about 5 minutes.  Then stir the cream and chocolate until it is smooth.  Add the Kirsch or cherry juice, the butter and a pinch of salt.  Stir this again until very smooth.  It will thicken as it sits and cools.  When it is at your desired consistency, pour over the top and sides of your cake.  Sprinkle the top with coconut. 

Slice and serve!

Wanting more cherry bundt love?  Here are more recipes from my fellow Bundt a Month bakers:

• Black Forest Mini Bundt Cakes by Kim at Cravings of a Lunatic

• Cherry Blueberry Cheesecake Bundt by Stacy at Food Lust People Love

• Cherry Bundt Cake by Kate at Diethood

• Chocolate Cherry Bundt Cake by Anuradha at Baker Street

• Cherry Filled Bundt Cake by Heather at Hezzi-D´s Book and Cooks

• Cherry Kirsch Bundt by Tara at Noshing With The Nolands

• Cherry Pecan Bundt Cake by Renee at Magnolia Days

• Chocolate Cherry Bundt Cake by Lora at Cake Duchess

• Chocolate Cherry Coke Cake by Jennie at The Messy Baker Blog

• Chocolate Cherry Dream by Kim at Ninja Baking

• Easy Cherry Cake by Veronica at My Catholic Kitchen

• Lemon Cherry Bundt Cake with Lemon Glaze by Anita at Hungry Couple

• Mahlab Vanilla Bundt Cake by Laura at The Spiced Life

• Spicy Cherry Yogurt Cake by Paula at Vintage Kitchen

• White Chocolate Cherry Bundt Cake by Karen at In the Kitchen With KP

Here’s how you can be a part of Bundt-a-Month:

Simple rule: Use cherries – and bake us a Bundt for March

Post it before April 30, 2013

Use the #BundtaMonth hashtag in your title. (For ex: title could read – #BundtaMonth: Cherry Bundt)

Add your entry to the Linky tool below

Link back to our announcement posts

Even more bundt fun!

Follow Bundt-a-Month on Bundt-A-Month Facebook Page where we feature all our gorgeous bundt cakes.

 Or head over to our Bundt-A-Month Pinterest Board for inspiration and choose from hundreds of Bundt cake recipes.

The only quarrel that will likely start over these pretty black and white Irish Cream cupcakes is who will get the last one!  Buttermilk is one of the key ingredients in these light and airy cupcakes.  In baking, buttermilk reacts with baking soda to give your product a light texture and also prevents your baked goods from browning too quickly.  A huge thank you to Roxana, of Roxana’s Home Baking; and the founder of The Chocolate Party for pairing chocolate with buttermilk this month!  And since I am a year round fan of Bailey’s Irish Cream, I knew that I would be making these buttermilk cupcakes.  They are soft and light in texture, with a mellow chocolate flavor; but the Irish Cream is everywhere in this recipe.

I am usually a fan of a more dense texture in cupcakes.  And these are really light and fluffy.  But they are so good in such a subtly sweet way, that I could eat these with no icing at all!

The Irish Cream is in both the white and chocolate batters.  It is added to the bottom layer of chocolate ganache and then mixed with a little powdered sugar for the center swirl of icing as well.  These were easy to make and easy to frost.  But I’ll give you a couple of helpful hints in the course of the recipe that I learned while making these Irish Cream cupcakes.

The first thing I wanted to address is the type of cupcake papers you use.  If you are a cupcake fanatic like me, I’m sure you collect all sorts of pretty liners.  And while I often mention products that I LOVE to use, such as King Arthur’s Flour and Sticky Fingers Lemon Curd; it’s rare that I mention a product I don’t like.

I am all for supporting the environment.  I support my local farmers.  I drink tap water.  I recycle.  I HATE these If You Care baking cups!

I thought they would be perfect to use since they have a plain and rustic look.  And actually, I intended to remove them so that the black and white cupcake itself, would be the star.  But they are waxy and flimsy and could not support the batter.  The papers caved before the batter could cook and you are left with gaps along the sides of your cupcakes that look like this.

This is the first brand of cupcake papers that I’ve ever used that did this.  I am not sure I would try them again.  If you want to be environmentally friendly, since you will be removing the papers anyway, I’d just spray the muffin tins with a baking spray, or grease and flour the tins.  So on to the recipe . . . . .

Yields: 2 dozen cupcakes

Level of Difficulty:  Easy

CHOCOLATE & IRISH CREAM CUPCAKES:

• 1 stick of butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups of all purpose flour
• 4 egg whites, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 3/4 cups of sugar
• 1/4 cup of Irish Cream liqueur
• 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups of buttermilk
• 3 ounces of semi sweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Preheat your oven to 350°F.  Prepare 2, 12 cup muffin pans (2 1/2 inch) by lining them with paper cups or by spraying them with baking spray.

In a microwave safe bowl, warm the 3 ounces of chocolate in the microwave in 30 second spurts.  Stir after each session.  This took me a minute and a half.  Set the bowl of melted chocolate aside to cool as you prepare your batter.

In the bowl of your electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the sugar until it is light in texture.  Scrape down your bowl as needed.  I start off slowly, and then crank my mixer to medium high speed.  Slowly add the sugar.  And then add the Irish cream and the vanilla extract.  Continue to beat this until all is combined.  Then add your egg whites one at a time.  (Oddly, when you crack 4 egg whites into a bowl, you have a bowl of egg whites.  But as you start to add them, they actually DO tumble out one at a time!)  Just be sure you beat the egg white into the mix before adding another.  And continue to scrape down the bowl as needed. 

Beginning and ending with the flour, add your flour to the mix in 3 additions, and your buttermilk in two.  I have my mixer on low and make sure that everything is well mixed before adding the next ingredient.  Transfer about half of the batter, or roughly 2 1/2 cups, to another bowl.  Stir in the cool, melted chocolate.

Here’s the next tip I wanted to share.  The chocolate batter is a little thicker than the plain Irish Cream batter.  But I found it easier to fill the muffin tins if you just refrigerate both batters for about 20 – 30 minutes.  Otherwise,  the batters run into one another while you are trying to spoon them onto separate sides of the muffin cups!  I’m sure you could just scoop equal amounts into each cup and swirl with a toothpick to get a pretty marbled effect, too.  But once the batter has chilled and is thicker, use a Tablespoon or soup spoon and place the chocolate batter on one side of the muffin cup; and the Irish Cream batter on the other.  Fill the muffin cups about 2/3 of the way.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tops are springy to the touch.  Cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

Now on to the luscious Chocolate and Irish Cream ganache.  I would recommend making this while the cupcakes are baking so it also has time to cool and thicken.  The Irish Cream ganache is particularly thick which is perfect to add contrast to the top of the cupcake.  You may have to stir it up a bit before you are ready to use it.

CHOCOLATE IRISH CREAM GANACHE:

• 1/2 cup of whipping cream
• 6 ounces of semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 Tablespoon of Irish Cream Liqueur
• 1 Tablespoon of butter
• a pinch of salt

In a small saucepan, bring the whipping cream just to a boil.  Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate chips.  Let this sit off the heat for about 5 minutes.  Add the butter and stir until all the chips are melted and the chocolate is smooth.  Add the pinch of salt, the vanilla extract and the Irish Cream and stir until it is combined and smooth.  Set aside to cool and thicken.

IRISH CREAM ICING:

• 1 cup of powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons of Irish Cream liqueur
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Combine all of these ingredients together in a small bowl until they are smooth.  This icing will be thicker than the chocolate ganache.  You may add just a splash of cream if you need to loosen it up before using.  Stirring helps, too!

TO ASSEMBLE:

Remove the cupcake from the paper lining if desired.  I think it looks pretty to display the black and white cupcakes on their own!  Spoon a little chocolate ganache on the top of the cupcake.  And then spoon a smaller amount of Irish Cream icing on top of the chocolate.  Use a toothpick to swirl the Irish Cream icing through the chocolate.

These icings are really perfect for me, since I prefer cupcakes that are more cupcake and less icing.  But I also left several plain.  They were just that good!

For more recipes with Irish Cream you may wish to try my Home Made Irish Cream or my Coconut Irish Cream Truffles!

And be sure to check out what my fellow chocoholics did with buttermilk and chocolate at The Chocolate Party this month!

Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens magazine.

I like milk and sugar in my tea; and butter and jam on my biscuits.  So I’ve never given much thought to honey in the past.  Those amber jars on the grocery store shelf?  They all looked the same to me!  But a couple of years ago, my son came home from his summer landscaping job one day, with a jar of honey in hand.  It seems that his boss was also a bee keeper.  Really?  Now I’m intrigued!  And with one little swoosh of my finger, I was hooked!  There is nothing more luscious than fresh, local honey.  And I was ready to taste more.

So this month, I was thrilled that The Cake Slice Bakers voted on this Honeybee Cake. 

First of all, a huge thank you to Paloma of The Coffee Shop for all she does as the “Queen Bee” of  The Cake Slice Bakers.  We are baking our way through Vintage Cakes by Julie Richardson.  And this recipe is just lovely.  This honey cake recipe is circa 1954 from the Proctor & Gamble Baking Research Department. 

I didn’t know Proctor & Gamble had a baking research department!  Did you?

What I am learning about honey is that it can vary so much in flavor depending on the type of bees and the floral source.  My first real taste of honey was wildflower.  What I’m really hoping to try one day are the blueberry, sage and honeysuckle varieties.  For this cake, I used Braswell’s Orange Blossom Honey.

I could slurp that stuff right out of the jar!

This cake has a dense crumb, much like that of a coffee cake.  But the floral notes from the honey give it a sweet, light taste.  One of the best parts of this honey cake was the crunchy top and sides. 

I guess it’s all that gooey honey dripping down as it bakes!

Of all the things I bake, I love to make cakes the most.  And honestly, I much prefer a sweet and simple, humble cake.  No need for multiple layers and fancy frostings.  Though I don’t think I’d trade this crunchy almond crown for anything in the world!

The only change I made to the original recipe was to add a little orange zest to my batter.  You could certainly switch up the nut topping.  And I’m now convinced your cake will taste distinctly different than mine, depending on what kind of honey you choose.

The book is wonderful, and one that I am so glad I have on my shelf.  You will find this recipe there.

And visit The Cake Slice to find out who else made a Vintage Honeybee Cake today!

Here & There:

Want more Vintage cakes?  Stay here and take a peek at my Shoo Fly Cake, Banana Cake with Coffee Walnut Buttercream & Red Velvet Cake.

Want more cakes with honey?  You’ll find it there:

Gourmantine’s Blog :  Honey Cake

Boulder Locavore:  Dark Honey Cake with Salted Caramel Sauce and Whipped Cream

From Sugar Cookies to Peterbilts:  Lemon Honey Cake

Enjoy!