Italian Cream Cake, and Buttered Pecans w/Recipe!!

My sister-in-law recently had her birthday.  She really wanted an Italian (Wedding) Cream Cake, but her friends couldn't find one for her.  They ended up getting her chocolate, which she said was very good.  So, when she came to town to visit, I surprised her with her long awaited Italian Cream Cake!  

I found this recipe in an old local cookbook I've had forever.  I love little finds like this.  I've made this cake several times over the years, and it always comes out perfect.  I love to top this cake with buttered pecans, it's the perfect compliment.  I've included all the recipes below with a few minor adjustments.

Austin Heritage Cookbook 

Italian Cream Cake

2 sticks of butter

2 cups sugar

1 tsp. salt

6 eggs, separated

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups cake flour, sifted with 

1 tsp. soda

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups coconut

1 cup pecan pieces

1/2 tsp. cream of tarter

Cream butter, shortening, sugar, and salt.  Add egg yolks and vanilla.  Add flour alternately with buttermilk.  Stir in nuts and coconut.  In a clean bowl combine egg whites and cream of tarter, beat egg whites until stiff.  Fold in gently.  Pour into a 9x13 inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until done.  You can also use three 8" round pans and cook for about 30 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 lb. cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter, softened

1 lb box of powered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Combine all ingredients an spread over cake

Rachel's Buttered Pecans

1 cup pecans

1 tbs. butter

Sauté pecans and butter in a skillet (I like to use my cast iron).  Cook about 10-15 minutes on med high heat.  Once pecans are fragrant and slightly darker they are ready to remove from heat.  Cool on paper towel and they should be slightly crisp once cool.  You might want to make a little extra to make sure you have enough.  I know I do, because my husband always likes to taste them before I can use them.  :)

Red Velvet Cake, With Chocolate Filling and Cream Cheese Frosting (with recipe)

My first Red Velvet Cake.  I used an 8" square pan for the three layer Red Velvet Cake, between each layer was a luscious chocolate filling with mini chocolate chips, and topped with a cream cheese frosting.

After searching the web and my friend's trial with the recipe from Southern Living's Red Velvet Cake being too dry, I found these wonderful recipes for Red Velvet Cake and Cream Cheese Frosting in Nancie McDermott's cookbook Southern Cakes.  This is a wonderful book!  The filling recipe was found in Tish Boyle's The Cake Book.  I love the drizzled chocolate look with the mini chocolate chips.  

This cake came out moist and a beautiful dark red.

Here are the cake and frosting recipes below.  I already found the Red Velvet Cake recipe posted on the web, so I don't feel too guilty posting these recipes here.  This is an excellent cake cookbook.  I have tried several of her recipes and they all are delicious! 

From Nancie McDermott's book Southern Cakes (pg. 103):

Nobody knows for sure where this cake comes from, but lost of people agree with me that it is one magnificent cake.  It's signature carmine coloration is dazzling, and I adore it's tangy little grace not of flavor, created by the unusual combination of vinegar, buttermilk, and cocoa in the batter.  Red food coloring is the not-so-secret ingredient responsible for it's sassy color.  Try gel paste food coloring  if you'd like to experiment with another route to red.

Red Velvet Cake

Cake

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk*

2 tablespoons cocoa

One 1-oz bottle (2 tablespoons) red food coloring

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 tablespoon cider vinegar or white vinegar

TO MAKE THE CAKE, heat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease two 9-inch round cake pans generously, and line them with waxed paper or kitchen parchment.   Grease the paper and flour the pans.

PREPARE THREE SEPARATE MIXTURES for the batter:  Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl and use a fork to mix them together well.  Stir the vanilla into the buttermilk.  Combine the cocoa and the red food coloring in a small bowl, mashing and stirring them together to make a thick, smooth paste.

IN A LARGE BOWL, beat the butter with a mixer at low speed for 1 minute, until creamy and soft.  Add the sugar, and then beat well for 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape down the bowl now and then.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each one, until the mixture is creamy, fluffy, and smooth.  Scrape the cocoa-food coloring paste into the batter and beat to mix it in evenly.

ADD ABOUT A THIRD of the flour mixture, and then about half of the milk, beating the batter with a mixer at low speed, and mixing only enough to make the flour or liquid disappear into the batter.  Mix in another third of the flour, the rest of the milk, and then the last of the flour in the same way.

IN A SMALL BOWL, combine the baking soda and vinegar and stir well.  Use a wooden spoon or spatula to quickly mix this last mixture into the read batter, folding it in gently by hand.  Scrape the batter into the prepared pans.

BAKE at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, until the layers spring back when touched lightly in the center and are just beginning to pull away from the sides of the pans.

COOL THE CAKES in the pans on wire racks or folded kitchen towels for 15 minutes.  Then turn them out on the racks or on plates, remove the paper, and turn top side up to cool completely.

*NOTE: If you don't have buttermilk, stir 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice into 1 cup of milk and let stand for 10 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting (pg. 148)

Makes enough for one 3-layer cake, one 13-by-9 inch cake or 24 cupcakes.

One 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened (1 cup)

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

One 1-pound box (3 2/3 cups) confectioners' sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

IN A MEDIUM BOWL, combine the cream cheese and butter and beat with a mixer on medium speed to mix well.  Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla and beat at hight speed until the frosting is fluffy and smooth, stopping once or twice to scrape down the bowl and mix everything well.  Spread the frosting on a cooled cake, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.  

Happy Birthday Payton!

Coconut Tea Cake

A well-mannered tea cake.  This cake is delicious and easy to make.  Dorie Greenspan calls it's purity and flavor well mannered.  I just love that.  Who knew a tea cake could be so well-mannered?  Well, I'm certainly inviting it over for tea.    

I have to share a funny story about this well-mannered cake.  It calls for rum.  I don't actually drink rum or any flavor of alcohol.  I used to, but I've changed my wicked ways.  :)  Oh, so much for the better believe me, but that's a different story entirely.  So here I am, with no rum, and my well-mannered cake to make.  After helping with a marriage ministry last Saturday, we zipped over to our local "drive in" burger joint (yes, you know the one) to feed some little hungry mouths.  (I know you are appalled!  Fast food?!, Wait!  It gets better...) As my husband began ordering food, I hopped out of the car and walked next door to the local liqueur store.  I asked for a small bottle of the Meyers Rum behind the counter, and inquired if there was an even smaller bottle?  The man behind the counter tried to convince me I would get a better deal with a bigger bottle.  No need!   So, here I come with my little bottle in a brown paper bag, getting into my mini van with my sweet little family.  Oh, my husband was having a good time watching me!  He teased me all the way back to the house.  

This cake was so delicious!  It had a nice soft tender crumb and a slightly chewy crust that was divine!  The coconut flavor was not overpowering but just right.  I had no problem getting it out of my pan.  As usual, I used palm oil and I dusted it with all purpose flour.  It worked like a charm.  Anyone like to join me for a cuppa?

Carmen picked out our delicious Coconut Tea Cake, you can find the recipe on her blog Carmen Cooks or on pages 194 and 195 of  

Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan.  If you want to see other versions of this well-mannered tea cake, visit the other bloggers on the TWD Blogroll!

Blessings, Rachel

Old Fashioned Lemon Poppy Seed Cake- Recipe!!

Ok, ok, I did not make this recently, but I did make it and since I'm participating in a 21 day fast with my church, I'm not making cake for just a little while longer.   So, I thought I'd share some oldies and goodies with you!

I have a love of things old.  Hence my old house, my old antique stove- among the many!  So, I found this wonderful cookbook by the Brass Sisters, Heirloom Baking.  It is composed of recipes from days past.  The recipes have been collected from scraps of papers, journals, family cookbooks, and their own recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation.

Here is my flour, no they don't give the measurements for weighed amounts, but to insure a successful cake, I do measure each dry ingredient.  :)

My ingredients ready for mixing!

The batter looks yummy!  I am scraping the sides down after using my mixer.

All ready for the oven.

My finished cake.  I made a lemon sugar glaze for the top.  The crumb was perfect and the lemon taste was just the right amount.

Anyone want a slice?  mmmmmmm....

The cake was quite scrumptious, although a little on the sweet side.

Thank you to all the cooks that have come before me!

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

from Heirloom Baking with the Brass Sisters

For Cake

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup poppy seeds

3 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

For Lemon Glaze

1 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

pinch of salt

1.  Set the oven rack in the middle position.  Preheat the oven to 350degrees.  Coat an 8-cup Bundt pan or an 8-cup tube pan with vegetable spray or butter and dust with flour.

2.  To make the cake:  Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.

3.  Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  With mixer running, add eggs, on at a time, and sour cream.  Add poppy seeds.  Fold in sifted dry ingredients in thrids.  Add lemon juice and lemon zest and mix well.

4.  Pour batter into pan.  bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until cake pulls away from sides of pan and tester inserted into cake comes out clean.  Cake may crack on top.  Place pan on a rack and cool about 20 minutes.  Run a butter knife around the edges.  Turn out cake onto a rack and allow to cool completely.

5.  To make the lemon glaze:  Mix together confectioners' sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl.  Slip a sheet of wax paper under rack to catch drips.  Use a teaspoon or fork to drizzle glaze over the top of cake.  After the glaze has set, store loosely covered with wax paper at room temperature.  Cake can be frozen and reheated.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!

Blessings, Rachel

Pumpkin Roll

I made this very easy Pumpkin Roll for MOPS. I've always wanted to try a jelly roll cake but I've been too intimidated. No more! I am expanding my baking skills and I'm not afraid! I'm so glad I did, because it was actually very easy!!

I ended up making two of them. On the second one I changed up the spices, I wanted a little less clove, and a little more pumpkin pie taste. So I put in 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon allspice, 1/4 teaspoon cloves, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. It was very tasty!!

I found the recipe on a can of Libby Pumpkin. Just pull off the label and there it is! If you want it w/out the pumpkin here is a link to the recipe or read below. I've even included a link to a video below the recipe, it's very helpful!!

http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/detail.aspx?ID=32372

Ingredients
CAKE
1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

FILLING
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Powdered sugar (optional for decoration)

Directions
FOR CAKE:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar.

COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.

BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. (If using a dark-colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes.) Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Not longer or less, the cake will crack.


FOR FILLING:
BEAT cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

COOKING TIP:
Be sure to put enough powdered sugar on the towel when rolling up the cake so it will not stick.


There is even a video if you want to see how it's done!
http://www.verybestbaking.com/advice/baking101/standalone/pumpkin_roll.aspx

Happy Baking!!

Persian Love Cake Recipe

Persian Love Cake
(One of 10 Favorite Cakes from Epicurious.com)

This delicious cake starts with candied rose petals. I used a pastry brush to brush on foamy egg whites. Next I sprinkled both sides with sugar and left them to dry overnight. Here in humid TX, it did take all night and most of the next day to completely dry. The petals with loads of sugar came out the best. I used a cake cooling rack to dry them on. Below are my dry petals!

The cake itself was so easy to mix. I used several more eggs, than the original recipe, to make the cake more light and airy.

Here is the saffron whipped frosting. It came out a beautiful soft yellow.

I cut each cake layer in half, applied the sugar syrup, and saffron frosting.

Once the cake was frosted, I placed the candied rose petals and roses on the top.

I made a little extra cake batter to make a few cupcakes for the family. 

We love you GG and Gpa!!

My finished cake. What a fun and unique flavor combination! I brought the cake to our Retrouvaille CORE and Discernment Saturday night. Everyone felt the Love. :)

The original recipe is at: http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/howtocook/dishes/cakerecipespersianlove

Or my slightly altered recipe below:

Ingredients:

Candied rose petals
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
Petals from 2 organic roses

Cake
1 cup (100g) cake flour
14 tablespoons baker's sugar or superfine sugar, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
6 large eggs, separated
1 tablespoon cream of tarter per 1 cup egg whites
6 tablespoons water
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon whole cardamom seeds (removed from about 5 green cardamom pods) ground in a pestle and mortar

Frosting
3 cups chilled heavy whipping cream, divided
Lg pinch of saffron threads
2/3 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons rose water
2 tablespoons natural unsalted pistachios

Sugar Syrup
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 Earl Gray tea bag

Preparation:

Candied rose petals: Whisk egg whites in small bowl until foamy. Using pastry brush, brush rose petals on both sides with egg whites; sprinkle on both sides with sugar.  Dry on nonstick rack at least 6 hours or overnight.

Cake: Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter two 8-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line pan bottoms with parchment paper; butter parchment. I used two square 8x8 inch pans with 2 inch high sides.

Sift flour, 7 tablespoons baker's sugar, baking powder, and salt into large bowl. Whisk yolks and next 4 ingredients in small bowl until smooth. Add yolk mixture to dry ingredients; whisk until smooth. Beat egg whites and cream of tarter, in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 7 tablespoons baker's sugar; beat until whites resemble thick marshmallow fluff. Fold whites into batter in 3 additions. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake until cakes are golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn out onto racks, peel off parchment, and cool completely. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap and store at room temperature.) Before frosting and cutting the cake layers, chill for 45 minutes.

*Sugar Syrup: Bring water to boil in a small saucepan, add sugar and stir to dissolve. Place tea bag in sugar/water mixture and steep for 15 minutes. Remove tea bag and allow to cool to room temperature.

Frosting: Combine 1/2 cup cream and saffron in small saucepan. Bring to simmer. Remove from heat; let steep 20 minutes. Chill until cold. Beat remaining 2 1/2 cups cream, powdered sugar, and rose water in large bowl until soft peaks form; strain in saffron cream. Beat until peaks form.

Remove cake from the refrigerator, and cut cake layers in half horizontally. Place first half of cake layer on platter cut side up. Using a pastry brush, brush sugar syrup all over the top of the layer. Next, spread about 1/2 cup frosting on layer.  Repeat with 3 of the cut layers. With the final (4th) cake layer, place flat side up. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Chill at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours. Garnish cake with rose petals and pistachios.

*Sugar Syrup is from The Cake Book by Tish Boyle