I feel like a hypocrite posting this recipe only several days after demonizing sugar. Let’s get one thing straight: sugar isn’t evil. Only concentrated amounts of it on a regular basis can wreak havoc on your body. So when your parents turn fifty-something and it’s time to celebrate, have a slice of cake (and a scoop of the most luxurious salted caramel ice cream) and don’t feel bad about it. Just don’t eat the whole cake. Share with friends. Banish leftovers to the freezer. Whatever works. This cake is worthy of a special occasion. It’s aromatic and moist. The cinnamon makes the cream cheese frosting unforgettable. And that ice cream… well, you’ll have to wait to hear about it another day!
Spiced Applesauce Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
INGREDIENTS
Spiced Applesauce Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. cloves
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped (optional)
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:
5 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 8 or 9 inch square cake pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. In a separate large bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in applesauce. At low speed, mix in flour until just combined, then fold in walnuts.
3. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen, then invert onto a plate. Reinvert cake onto rack to cool completely.
4. To prepare the frosting, beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with an electric mixer at high speed until light and fluffy. Sift powdered sugar and cinnamon over top and beat at medium speed until incorporated. Spread frosting over cooled cake.
Over the weekend I helped host a baby shower brunch for one of my best friends and the occasion called for cinnamon rolls. I’m not super clever at crafts or good at decorating, but I can bake. And I’m always happy to. It’s probably my favorite way to spend a weekend morning. Forget the gym or running errands, I’d rather hide in my kitchen and create irresistible aromas and tastes.
I’ve shared this recipe before, but this time I made a few changes. The dough is the same. Still easy and wonderful. But now I’m giving you topping options- icing or cream cheese frosting. Take your pick. I loved the thicker cream cheese frosting. Dustin made it clear that he preferred the old icing. No big deal. This recipe comes in pans of two, so next go ’round I’ll just make one each way!
1/2/10: Christmas morning called for cinnamon rolls. I knew the minute I rolled up my sleeves on Christmas Eve and set about making the dough that would become these buns, Christmas was destined to be a day of indulgences. Sugary-sweet fluffy white rolls drowning in vanilla icing…what a perfect breakfast. Problem is, one bun is never enough. As long as the pan of rolls remains on the counter I’ll be eating them. All day long! Lucky I had Dustin’s family to share them with (this isn’t the type of treat you should enjoy on your own-that would be dangerous)!
As I mentioned, I made the dough the night before. I’d never done this before. I hoped that if I used active dry yeast instead of instant, and stored the dough in the refrigerator overnight (during the first rise), it would be ready to roll out in the morning. The dough was already overflowing its bowl by bedtime so I gently punched it down, re-covered it, and wished for the best. I woke up bright and early Christmas morning (much before the rest of the house- I’m like a little kid when it comes to Christmas- I can’t sleep a wink!), tiptoed past the piles of presents, and into the kitchen to begin my work. I was slightly frightened to discover that the dough hadn’t risen at all since I’d slapped it the night before. Had I killed it? Wait. Don’t panic. I’ve got time- maybe it’ll warm up and rise. And I was right. Two or three hours later (after presents- it’s a long process in Dustin’s home) the rolls had risen to the top of the pan and were ready to be baked!
They turned out wonderful: browned on the tips, soft and chewy in the middle! As you might guess, they didn’t last long. Best enjoyed warm, with a large glass of milk, and a friend to share them with.
10/9/09: What is one of my absolute favorite foods ever? These are. They are the cinnamon buns my mom made us as kids. I love them. Because I am a breadaholic and because they are that good. Leave off the raisins, and Dustin loves them too. We all do! They’re light and fluffy on the inside and sweet and sticky in between the layers. I try to under cook them a little so they stay soft and gooey, and then smother them in a rich glaze. Please, eat them warm, right out of the pan. It’s an experience you can’t live without.
In the rare chance that you have leftovers (OK, this recipe does make 2 pan-fulls), freeze or refrigerate and then warm them up in the microwave. They’ll only keep for a day or two at room temperature. Someday I plan on making the frosting with cream cheese. Cinnabon uses cream cheese in their icing so I imagine it will be divine! When I do, I’ll let you know how it goes.
Cinnamon Rolls
INGREDIENTS
6-8 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. instant yeast
2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 eggs, whisked
2 1/4 cups warm milk
Filling:
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
ground cinnamon
raisins (optional)
pecans, chopped (optional)
Icing:*
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
*I don’t actually have a specific recipe I follow when I make this icing. The basics are always the same: butter, sugar, and milk. It is supposed to be much thinner than the cream cheese frosting. It should be able to be poured on (rather than spread). Feel free to make more or less and adjust to your desired consistency.
OR Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
6-8 Tbsp. milk
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
pinch salt
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl combine 3 cups flour, yeast, salt, and sugar. Whisk to combine. Pour in wet ingredients (butter, eggs, and milk). Stir until it is a thick paste. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until it comes together into a ball.
2. Lightly flour a flat surface, and knead the dough, adding more flour to prevent sticking, 8-10 minutes, until smooth. Spray the inside of a bowl with cooking spray, place the dough inside, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
3. Punch down the dough and divide in half. Roll out each half into a large rectangle. Brush melted butter over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, raisins (optional), and pecans (optional). Roll up lengthwise. Cut each log into 12 evenly sized pinwheels. Place into lightly greased 9×13 baking pans. Cover each pan and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake rolls in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until golden on top. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.
5. While the rolls are baking, prepare the icing/frosting. For the icing, whisk to combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Adjust milk and sugar until you reach the desired consistency. For the frosting, beat butter and cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy. Slowly add the milk, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat until smooth. If the frosting is too thick, add more milk.
6. Pour icing/frosting over the hot rolls, dividing it among the two pans. Serve warm.
Fills 2 9×13 pans, about 24 rolls.
(Rolls from my mom, Cream Cheese Frosting adapted from All Recipes)
This year I baked my own birthday cake. I have to admit, I didn’t mind one bit! I knew exactly what I wanted. I’d been dreaming about this cake that I’d spotted on Pioneer Woman some time ago, but never justified making, because it contained coconut. Lots and lots of it- in the batter, in the frosting, and even more on top! And Dustin despises coconut. And usually, I try to please him. But this was my birthday. The one day a year I could make whatever dessert I wanted and not feel guilty for not thinking of him. So I made this beautiful coconuty cake for my family who was coming to celebrate, and mostly for me!
I give him credit, because even when he claims to dislike an ingredient, Dustin is usually willing to try at least one bite of anything. Well the silly thing is, Dustin turns out to not only like this cake, but to absolutely love it! As do the rest of us, but that was more expected. He even said it was one of the best cakes I’d ever made! That from a coconut hater.
We all agreed that this cake is incredible. Soft and moist in the middle, with three layers separated by coconut and pecan studded cream cheese frosting (that is sweetened with a generous portion of powdered sugar), and topped with golden toasted coconut. It was one of my best birthday cakes ever. (A close competitor with last year’s German Chocolate Cake– another one of my favorites!)
Coconut Cream Cake
INGREDIENTS
For the Cake:
1 stick salted butter, room temperature (I used unsalted and added 1/2 tsp. salt)
1 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
5 whole egg, separated
1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup buttermilk
For the Frosting:
2 packages (8 oz.) cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick salted butter, at room temperature (you can add a pinch of salt if you use unsalted butter)
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
6 cups powdered sugar
1 cup chopped pecans (could be toasted for extra flavor)
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
several squeezes fresh lemon juice (about half a lemon, optional but highly recommended)
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted (for topping the cake, optional)
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter and flour 3, 9-in. round cake pans.
2. In a medium bowl, beat egg whites until stiff and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream butter, oil, and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in egg yolks, vanilla, and coconut.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt (if using).
5. Alternate adding the buttermilk and dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Fold in the egg whites.
6. Pour evenly into the three prepared pans. Sprinkle the top of each with 1 Tbsp. sugar.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 16-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before removing from the pan to cool completely.
8. To make the frosting, in a large bowl cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and lemon juice. Add the powdered sugar slowly, beating until smooth and creamy. Stir in the pecans and coconut. Store in the refrigerator until the cake has cooled completely and is ready to frost. Sprinkle the top of the frosted cake with toasted coconut (optional) and serve.
Kristin at The Kitchen Sink put her own twist on classic sheet cake and now I’m sharing it with you. She made it truly Texas with the addition of earthy cinnamon and spicy chipotle powder. I chickened out at the last minute and left out the chipotle. I love the idea of chocolate + chili, but I was serving this to guests and wanted to play it safe. But now I know how delish this cake is minus the kick, I won’t hesitate to throw it in next time!
Per her instructions I baked it in a 9×13 pan, but I think I’d prefer it thinner (such as in a sheet pan). It is, after all, called Texas sheet cake. I hypothesize that increasing the cake-making-contact-with-frosting ratio would improve upon the irresistible gooeyness. But either way it’s a moist, rich, chocolaty cake.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch chipotle chili powder (optional)
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Frosting:
6 Tbsp. butter
1/3 cup milk
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch of chipotle powder (optional)
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional)
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking pan or sheet pan.
2. In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and chili powder (optional) and stir together with a whisk. In a small saucepan, combine water, butter, and cocoa and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Pour into flour mixture. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add buttermilk, vanilla, and eggs. Beat well. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes (it will bake even faster if you are using a sheet pan), until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack.
3. To make the frosting, combine the butter, milk, cocoa, and chili powder (optional) in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and powdered sugar. Spread over warm cake. Sprinkle with pecans (optional). Cool completely.
Makes a 9×13 or sheet pan cake.
(Adapted from The Kitchen Sink who adapted it from Cooking Light)
8/15/09: Ah, what can I say, strawberry cupcakes? We have an ambivalent relationship. Should I tell them how much I long for you, how when you are not around I desire your moist center and fluffy frosting. And then once I have you I cannot stop myself from consuming all of you, at once. I am uninhibited in your presence. So much so that our encounters always leave me feeling regret. Regret that I couldn’t stop after just one taste. And sick, overwhelmed by your sweetness and the fact that I licked up every last crumb and you are gone. I will miss you. Until I once again succumb to temptation and invite you back into my life. It’s inevitable. And I’d say, worth it!
2/23/09: The vibrant pink color and subtle strawberry flavor of these cupcakes both come form using real, fresh strawberries! I was so excited that I found this recipe and couldn’t wait to try it out! They not only turned out stunning, but just as anticipated, they tasted divine! I totally agree with Dustin’s comment that they “actually tasted even better than they looked!” And in my opinion, when it comes to cake, that’s rare. I’m betting you could make them using frozen berries in the off-season. If you have a bunch of fresh strawberries and you are making the sauce, why not make extra and freeze it? It could be thawed out for cupcakes on the spot!
INGREDIENTS
For the Cupcakes:
1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup strawberry sauce
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
For the Strawberry Sauce:
2 cups fresh strawberries, stem removed
sugar, to taste
For the Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
3 1/2- 4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup strawberry sauce
DIRECTIONS
1. For the Strawberry Sauce, macerate strawberries with about 1-2 Tbsp. sugar for 15 minutes. Put strawberries in a small saucepan and heat under medium heat with lid on. Cook strawberries for approximately 15 minutes till strawberries cook down and become soft and saucy. Adjust sweetness with sugar until you get the desired sweetness. Using a hand blender (or a food processor), puree until you get the desired smoothness or chunkiness. Cool before using in recipe.
2. For the cupcakes, preheat oven to 350 F. Grab a large bowl and beat the butter and the sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Measure out milk and strawberry sauce together.
3. Add about a fourth of the flour to the butter mixture and beat to combine. Add about one third the milk mixture and beat until combined. Repeat, alternating flour and milk and ending with the flour mixture. Scoop into cupcake papers about 3/4 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes.
4. For Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting, bring cheese and butter to room temperature. Sift powdered sugar into a bowl. Beat butter and cheese at medium speed until creamy. Add half of the sugar, beat until combined. Add strawberry sauce until you achieve the right color and flavor but making sure not to add too much or the frosting will be too soft. Gradually add any remaining sugar until you get to the consistency and sweetness you like.
5. Remove the cupcakes from the oven when they are done (a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.) Cool them on a wire rack completely before frosting.
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