Category: Cakes

French Vanilla Espresso Cake with Almond Mascarpone Frosting

Quite a few of my recipes as of late have used a boxed cake mix as their base. There are some bakers who would scoff at this and there are others who always turn to a boxed cake mix for their baking. It’s all a matter of preference. And in all honesty, it is possible to make a boxed cake mix taste homemade by switching out and adding in ingredients.

For today’s French Vanilla Espresso Cake with Almond Mascarpone Frosting, I used a French Vanilla boxed cake and instead of adding water to the mix I added in a cup of espresso which toned down the flavor of the French vanilla and gave it a hint of coffee flavor. While the cake is incredibly soft and moist the real stand-out is the frosting. It’s incredibly light and fluffy and the almond flavor is delish without being overpowering. While I opted to pipe stars on the two layers of the cake to decorate it you could also lightly frost it for a naked look.

French Vanilla Espresso Cake with Almond Mascarpone Frosting

For the cake:

1 15.25 French Vanilla box cake mix*

3 eggs

1 cup espresso (or strong coffee)

1/3 cup vegetable oil

For the frosting:

8oz. mascarpone cheese

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 tablespoons Amaretto**

1 cup heavy whipping cream

*I used Duncan Hines

**Optional

Directions:

For the Cake: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with baking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl combine the cake mix, eggs, coffee and vegetable oil and beat on medium speed until just combined. Divide the batter between the two pans and bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, or a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let the cakes cool in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting on a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Frosting: In a large bowl combine the mascarpone cheese, confectioners’ sugar, both extracts and Amaretto (if using). Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until just combined. Add in the heavy whipping cream and continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy. Be careful not to overbeat the frosting as this will cause it to curdle.

To Assemble: Torte the cake layers if necessary. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Place one of the cake layers on a cake board or cake stand and pipe the entire top of the cake with dropped stars. Place the second layer on top and pipe the top with stars as well.

Recipe first appeared on Bead Yarn & Spatula

Key Lime Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream

If you love citrus desserts, you are going to love today’s Key Lime Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream. It’s a nod to the classic key lime pie with key lime curd sandwiched between layers of key lime cake. All topped with a white chocolate buttercream that is the perfect complement to the lime flavor.

In an attempt to make a boxed white cake mix taste homemade I added homemade buttermilk (whole milk mixed with vinegar) along with key lime juice and lime zest to the batter. Well, I forgot the fundamentals of baking science and the result of all that acidity was two cake layers that were dense and barely rose. On my second attempt I decided to keep it simple and ended up with perfect cake layers.

While the cake layers themselves have just a hint of lime flavor the real star of the cake is the key lime curd. The flavor is spot on without being overpowering. As a heads up, the recipe for the curd will yield more than what’s needed for the cake. I ended up mixing my leftover curd with yogurt. You could do as I did, or top it on pancakes or waffles, or just enjoy it on its own since it’s so good! And to top it all off I made a white chocolate buttercream by beating melted white chocolate along with butter and a few other ingredients.

Two quick things to note regarding the key lime juice and white chocolate. For the key lime juice, I opted to use Nellie & Joe’s Key West Lime Juice. It’s become my go-to for whenever I make any key lime desserts. Now, if you are up to it and are able to find them you can squeeze fresh key limes to get the juice. Just keep in mind that key limes are smaller than regular limes and you will need a decent amount of them to get the amount of juice needed for the cake. As for the white chocolate, you may be tempted to use white chocolate chips as opposed to baking bars, but speaking from experience the bars are better as they melt smoothly. Which is important when making the buttercream. I used chips once to make white chocolate buttercream and the chips didn’t melt smoothly and my buttercream ended up with small chunks of white chocolate. The buttercream tasted good, but it was an unexpected texture. I used Ghirardelli white chocolate bars which can be found in the baking aisle, but you could also use Lindt white chocolate bars which can be found in the candy aisle.

Key Lime Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream

Ingredients:

For the Key Lime Curd:

1 cup sugar

Zest from 1 lime

6 egg yolks

1/2 cup key lime juice

1 stick unsalted butter, cubed

For the Key Lime Cake:

1 15.25oz. box white cake mix

3 eggs

1 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup key lime juice

Zest from 2 limes

For the White Chocolate Buttercream:

2 4oz. white chocolate baking bars, chopped*

2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Graham cracker crumbs to decorate, optional

*I used 2 4oz. Ghirardelli White Chocolate Baking Bars

Directions:

For the Key Lime Curd:

In a medium saucepan lightly whisk the egg yolks. Add the sugar and lime zest and continue whisking until well combined. Gradually whisk in the lime juice.

Heat over low heat and continue whisking the mixture until it begins to thicken and coats the back of a spoon.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the cubed butter. Continue whisking until the butter has melted.

Strain the curd through a fine mesh sieve into a food-storage container. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd (to prevent it from forming a skin) and allow to cool for a few minutes before covering and refrigerating for at least 8 hours. The curd will continue to thicken as it chills.

For the Key Lime Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray 2-8inch round cake pans with baking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl combine all the ingredients for the cake and beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until combined, careful not to overbeat. Divide the batter among the prepared pans – about 2 cups each – and bake in the preheated oven for 28-33 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. If you are not assembling the cake the same day as baking the cake rounds, wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the White Chocolate Buttercream:

Place the chopped white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir and then continue to heat for 15 second intervals, stirring between each, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Do not overheat as this will scorch the chocolate. Allow the chocolate to cool for 20 minutes.

In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add in the cooled chocolate and continue beating until smooth. With the mixer on medium-low speed gradually add in the confectioners’ sugar. Beat in the vanilla extract and salt until combined.

Add in the heavy whipping cream and beat for a few seconds until incorporated and then increase the speed to high for 30-60 seconds to fluff the frosting.

To assemble the cake:

If necessary, level the cakes. Place one of the cakes on a cake board or a cake stand. Transfer some of the frosting to a piping bag (or resealable bag) and pipe a thick dam around the edge of the cake. Fill with the lime curd and then place the second cake on top. Crumb coat the cake and place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Frost the cake with the remaining frosting. If desired pipe swirls on top of the cake. If using, press the graham cracker crumbs on top of the cake and on the sides.

Recipe first appeared on Bead Yarn & Spatula

Cranberry Orange Upside Down Bundt Cake

If you are still looking for a festive and delicious dessert to serve at your holiday gatherings but don’t want anything that requires too much fuss, then today’s Cranberry Orange Upside Down Bundt Cake may just be what you are looking for.

While the name may be a mouthful, this cake is super easy to make and comes together rather quickly thanks to using a yellow cake mix as the base for the cake. Simply add some orange zest and freshly squeezed orange juice to the batter and you end up with a nice orange flavored cake that is slightly sweet yet refreshing. And the addition of cardamom is a nice complement to the orange flavor. If you don’t have cardamom, you could use cinnamon instead. While the fresh cranberries on top of the cake adds a nice pop of color and a slight tartness to the cake. If you want your cranberries to be a bit sweeter add more brown sugar to the topping.

So, with little effort and in about an hour you have a beautiful and delicious cake to enjoy!

Cranberry Orange Upside Down Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

For the Cranberry Topping:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries

1/3 cup light brown sugar

For the Cake:

1 15.25 oz box yellow cake mix*

3 large eggs

1 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cardamom

Zest from 2 navel oranges

Juice from 1 navel orange

*I used Duncan Hines

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F and spray a Bundt pan with baking spray.

Pour the melted butter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly. Scatter the cranberries over the melted butter in an even layer and then sprinkle the brown sugar over the cranberries.

In a large bowl add all the ingredients for the cake – cake mix, eggs, water, vegetable oil, cardamom, orange zest and juice – and beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until combined.

Gently pour the batter into the Bundt pan and tap it down on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the cake comes out clean.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting onto a cake stand (or cake board) and let cool completely before slicing and enjoying.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Recipe first appeared on Bead Yarn & Spatula  

Peppermint Bark Molten Lava Cakes

Creating and making your own recipes is like conducting a science experiment. Until you take that first bite you wonder if you got the proportions of the ingredients correct, will the flavors work together and is it even edible. These thoughts and more swirled around my head while making today’s Peppermint Bark Molten Lava Cakes.  

I got the idea after having a package of Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark Squares left-over from last Christmas. I say left-over because I normally buy a few packages to enjoy around the holidays since they are a seasonal treat. I bought one too many though because I couldn’t bring myself to open the last package I had because I had my fill of the square by then. I figured there had to be something I could incorporate them into. At first, I thought cookies, but around the same time I was working on the recipe for these Raspberry Molten Lava Cakes and thought that maybe I could use them to make a peppermint lava cake that would be perfect for the holidays.

I made some tweaks to the Raspberry Molten Lava Cake recipe and ended up with a molten lava cake that was the perfect balance of peppermint and chocolate. And it’s finally time to share the recipe with the holidays just around the corner. To make the batter I melted the peppermint bark squares in the microwave along with butter and then incorporated that into a mixture of sugar and eggs and finally folded in flour. After dividing the batter among 4 ramekins…  

I baked them in a preheated oven for about 15 minutes and then let them cool for a few more…

Before inverting on a plate and dusting with confectioners’ sugar to enjoy.

So, this holiday season if you have an extra bag of peppermint bark or are looking for a fun twist on the traditional molten lava cake pick up a bag of peppermint bark and whip up a batch of these yummy cakes!

Peppermint Bark Molten Lava Cakes

Ingredients:

1 5.4 oz. package Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark Squares, broken into quarters

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1/4 cup flour

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Spray 4 6oz. ramekins with baking spray and place on a baking sheet.

In a microwave safe bowl combine the peppermint bark squares and butter and microwave for 30-second intervals until the butter melts. Once the butter has melted stir the mixture until the chocolate melts.

In a medium bowl beat together the sugar and eggs with a hand mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy.

Fold the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture until just combined. Add the flour and continued folding the mixture together until well combined.

Divide amongst the prepared ramekins, about 1/2 cup of batter in each.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15-16 minutes. Cool for 5-10 minutes before inverting. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and enjoy.

For leftovers, cover the ramekins tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. To heat, microwave for 30 seconds. Let sit for a minute then invert and enjoy.

Recipe first appeared on Bead Yarn & Spatula.

Tennessee Whiskey Cake

Happy Fall! So, I am switching things up this year. I normally welcome Fall with a pumpkin recipe, but I haven’t baked anything with pumpkin yet. I have one or two recipes that I want to make but just haven’t gotten to them yet. Instead, I am bringing you a cake that is just as equally perfect for the Fall, a Tennessee Whiskey Cake. (Although, I made it with bourbon, but you could use either.) There is also a decent amount of chopped pecans in the cake that I find reminiscent with Fall baking.

One thing I loved about this cake is that it only required one-bowl and came together rather quickly. I thought about foregoing toasting the pecans to save time, but I went ahead and did it. I can’t say for sure if it added another layer of flavor to the cake though. What I mainly tasted was hints of the bourbon, which wasn’t a bad thing. A slice of this cake is the perfect accompaniment to a nice hot cup of tea (or coffee if that’s your thing!). Perfect after a day of raking leaves, leaf peeping, apple picking or whatever Fall activity you may be doing.

Tennessee Whiskey Cake

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup pecan halves, plus additional for topping

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

5 large eggs, at room temperature

1/4 cup whiskey or bourbon*

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups flour

*I used Jim Beam’s Bourbon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F. Spread the 1 1/4 cups of pecans on a baking sheet and bake 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the pecans from sticking and/or burning, until toasted and lightly browned. Allow to cool and then chop the pecans.

Reduce the oven temperature to 325 F and spray a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan with baking spray.

In a large bowl beat the butter, both sugars and vanilla extract together with a hand mixer on high speed until light and fluffy.

With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, beating after each.

Next, beat in the whiskey/bourbon, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Reduce the mixer to low and stir in the chopped pecans and then the flour until just incorporated.

Spread the butter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top and then place pecan halves on top.

Bake in the preheated oven until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes to 1 hour.

Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Remove from the pan, place on the wire rack and cool completely. For best flavor store airtight for one day at room temperature before serving.

Recipe from Elizabeth Alston’s Best Baking

Sour Cream-Chocolate Chip Pound Cake (and a few other things!)

It’s been a bit quiet around here. Almost two months since my last post. Partly because this summer has been way too hot to turn my oven on to bake anything and because I was gone for about 10 days in late July / early August. I finally made it across the pond! I went to Barcelona for two days and then headed out on a Mediterranean cruise which made stops in Mallorca, Marseille, La Spezia (Florence), Civitavecchia (Rome) and Naples. Since I was on a cruise, I really didn’t get the opportunity to try a lot of the local food, but while in Marseille I did try a traditional cookie called a Navette (it wasn’t to my liking) and while in Lucca I enjoyed pizza and gelato (both were delish!).

And not food related whatsoever, but too beautiful not to share a few pics of the Mediterranean and a few sunrise and sunset pics from the ship. 

A few weeks after getting back I finally turned my oven on to bake something as I was planning to visit family and wanted to bring dessert. I opted to make a Sour Cream-Chocolate Chip Pound Cake that I had flagged in a cookbook quite some time ago but hadn’t gotten around to making. I really need to go through my cookbooks and see what else I have flagged that I haven’t made! Truthfully, I felt out of sorts while prepping the batter for the cake. It was almost like I was tripping over myself. Don’t get me wrong, I have been cooking for myself even though I wasn’t baking but I never realized that I had developed a rhythm of sorts while baking.

Thankfully, my out of sorts feeling didn’t translate into the cake… It turned out delicious! The recipe called for a cinnamon sugar topping which I thought to be a bit odd, but I went with it and am happy that I did. The cinnamon flavor really added to the flavor of the cake. You could taste it, but it wasn’t overpowering.

One thing to note, the flavor of this cake gets better with time. I suggest making it a day or two ahead of time and then wrapping it tightly to keep it fresh and let the flavors develop.

I think I am finally getting my baking legs back! I baked a Blueberry Crumb Cake that came out delish – although I did have to mix my dry ingredients twice. I flipped the measurements for salt & baking soda and added in more baking soda than the recipe called for and I didn’t want to end up with metallic soapy flavored cake. Maybe that isn’t a good example. I did bake up some treats (cookies and cheesecake brownie bites) last week along with a birthday cake that all came out perfect! I even decorated the cake… It’s been a while since I have done that. So, I guess I am getting back into the swing of things. Perfect timing to with Fall and the holidays just around the corner.

Sour Cream-Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup plus 4 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 3/4 stick (14 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 large eggs, at room temperature

3/4 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 cups flour

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Spray a 9x5x3- inch loaf pan with baking spray then line with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang, then spry with additional baking spray. Set aside.

Cinnamon Sugar Topping- In a small bowl mix 2 tablespoons of the sugar with 1/4 teaspoon of the cinnamon and set aside.

In a large bowl beat the butter, vanilla extract and the remaining sugar together with a hand mixer on high speed until pale and fluffy. Reduce the speed to medium and add the eggs one at a time, beating after each. Beat in the sour cream, baking powder, baking soda, salt and the remaining cinnamon. Scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low, add in the flour until almost combined. Finally add in the chocolate chips and continue mixing on low until the batter is well combined.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles and then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar topping on top of the cake.

Bake in the preheated oven until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 70 – 75 minutes.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Then using the overhang lift the cake out of the pan and place on the wire rack to cool completely. Remove the foil and serve or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and leave at room temperature until ready to serve. For best flavor, let the cake sit for 1 day before serving.

Recipe from Elizabeth Alston’s Best Baking

Chocolate Turtle Cake

Around the holidays I always do what I have termed as marathon baking. Usually on December 22nd or 23rd I bake a bunch of cookies that I give as Christmas gifts. I have tried and true recipes that I make every year that I know are crowd pleasers and then I try one or two new ones to add to the mix. Last year one of those cookies was a Chocolate Caramel Thumbprint, essentially a Turtle candy turned into a cookie. And just in case you are not familiar, Turtles are candies made with pecans and caramel dipped in chocolate. The cookies were so good that I ended up making them again for New Year’s Eve. Which then got me thinking of making a cake reminiscent of the flavors and ingredients. Hence, today’s Chocolate Turtle Cake.

So, how are all the flavors incorporated into the cake? Well, two chocolate cake layers are separated by a generous layer of caramel whipped cream and then the whole thing is covered in a delicious chocolate frosting. And finally, decorated with chopped pecans and drizzled with caramel sauce. YUM!

Chocolate Turtle Cake

For the Chocolate Cake:

1 15.25oz box of chocolate cake mix (I used Duncan Hines Devil’s Food)

3 large eggs

1 cup coffee, cooled

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Caramel Sauce / Caramel Whipped Cream:

14oz. package caramels*

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 cup heavy cream

For the Chocolate Frosting:

2 cups sugar

1 14 oz. can evaporated milk

8oz unsweetened chocolate melted and cooled

Pecan halves and/or chopped pecans, to decorate the cake

*I used Kraft caramels

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with baking spray and set aside.

For the chocolate cake: In a large bowl combine the eggs, coffee, vegetable oil, sour cream and vanilla extract. Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until well combined. Sift the cake mix over the mixture and beat the mixture on low speed until just combined. Divide among the prepared pans and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

For the caramel sauce / caramel whipped cream: In a small saucepan combine the unwrapped caramels and evaporated milk. Over medium heat, stir constantly until the caramels melt and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the maple syrup. Let cool.

Once the caramel sauce is cooled, add 1/4 cup of the sauce along with the heavy cream to a medium bowl and beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate the caramel whipped cream until ready to use. Set aside the remaining caramel sauce to drizzle on the cake.

For the chocolate frosting: Add the ingredients to a blender and blend on low speed for 1 minute and then switch to high speed and blend for another minute. The sound of the blender should change signaling that the frosting is done. Transfer the frosting to an airtight container and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour until thickened and spreadable.

To assemble: If necessary, level the cake layers. Place one of the layers on a cake stand or cake round. Transfer about 1 cup to 1 1/2 cups of frosting to a piping bag and pipe a dam around the bottom layer and then fill with the caramel whipped cream. You may have more whipped cream than you need. Place the second cake layer on top of the cake and crumb coat the entire cake. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes and then finish frosting the cake. With remaining frosting pipe decorate dollops on top of the cake. Drizzle some of the remaining caramel sauce on top of the cake as well and then decorate with chopped pecans along the sides of the cake.

Orange Pistachio Loaf Cake

I’ve posted quite a few loaf cakes this year. They are just so easy to make, and you get so much so flavor without having to do too much, i.e. decorate. And most of them are perfect for any time of the day… As a treat for breakfast, a snack in the middle of the day or for dessert in the evening. Today’s Orange Pistachio Loaf Cake is no exception to any of this. The citrus flavor of this loaf cake makes it perfect for the warmer months ahead when you want something sweet but not too heavy. And you don’t have to whip out your hand or stand mixer to make it. Simply whisk the dry ingredients together in one bowl, the wet ingredients in another and then whisk both together before folding in the pistachio nuts. That was a bit out a mouthful, but rest assured this cake is easy to make.

And once the cake is baked and cooled it’s time to make the glaze. Previously, I would skip adding glazes to my baked items. Whenever a recipe included it, I just assumed that it would add too much sweetness, but I have come around and realized that what it really does is enhance the flavor, well sometimes. For this cake I decided to add an orange glaze and top it with chopped pistachios to really kick up the overall flavor of the cake.

Orange Pistachio Loaf Cake

Ingredients:

For the loaf cake:

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (2-3 navel oranges)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup sour cream

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Zest of 1 orange

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup chopped pistachios

For the glaze:

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon orange zest

1 – 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice

2 – 3 tablespoons chopped pistachios

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9 x 5 – inch loaf pan with baking spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a different medium bowl whisk together the orange juice, vegetable oil, sour cream, eggs, vanilla extract and zest until combined and then whisk in the sugar until well combined. Add in the dry ingredient and whisk together until just combined. Finally fold in the chopped pistachios.

Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing and cooling completely on a wire rack.

Once the loaf is cool prep the glaze. In a small bowl whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, orange zest and orange juice. Start with a tablespoon of orange juice and add more as needed. The glaze should be pourable but thick. For an easier clean-up, line a rimmed baking sheet with wax paper and place the wire rack with the loaf cake on top of the wax paper. Drizzle the glaze on top of the cake then sprinkle the chopped pistachios on top. To set the glaze quickly, place the cake in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.

Slice and enjoy!

Store cake in an airtight container at room temperature.

Recipe first appeared on Bead Yarn & Spatula.

Cheesecake Marbled Carrot Loaf Cake

With Easter a few days away, you may be dusting off your recipe for Carrot Cake to bake for the holiday. I did a little research to figure out why carrots in general are popular this time of the year. And while I didn’t get a concrete answer it’s pretty much what I figured (and what I have possibly written before), it’s because of the Easter Bunny. Children would leave carrots out for the Easter Bunny to thank the bunny for their Easter Baskets usually filled with chocolate treats. Not a bad trade off if you ask me. And while I do like carrot cake itself – that wasn’t always the case, a few office birthdays turned by taste buds – I will admit the best part is the cream cheese frosting. So, when I came across a recipe for a carrot loaf cake that was layered with a cheesecake filling in the recent issue of Food Network Magazine, I knew I had to try it ASAP!

Now, normally when I make carrot cake, I grate the carrots using the shredding disc of my food processor. For this recipe it specifically stated that the carrots needed to be finely grated and I just didn’t feel like doing it by hand using a box grater (which the recipe suggested), so, I grated the carrots first using the shredding disc and then inserted the s-blade (the standard blade of most food processors) and pulsed the carrots a few times to get them finely grated. This saved me a lot of time and pain. One other extra step for this cake was toasting the pecans. If you like, you could swap the pecans for walnuts. I normally use walnuts when I make carrot cake, but I had some pecans in my refrigerator that I wanted to use before they expired.

Once the carrots were shredded and the pecans toasted, it was time to make the cake. I started by making the cheesecake filling. I whisked together cream cheese, an egg, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract and salt until smooth and refrigerated it until I was done making the batter. I made the batter by whisking together the dry ingredients in one bowl, the wet ingredients in another and then combining them and finally folding in the carrot and pecans. One thing I left out from the original recipe was crushed pineapple. I was concerned that leaving it out would result in my cake being a bit dry but that wasn’t the case at all. To get the marbled effect I alternated layers of the carrot cake batter and cream cheese filling in a 9 x 5 – inch loaf pan.

After baking and cooling the cake it I topped it with a cream cheese drizzle. And then it was time to enjoy a slice and it didn’t disappoint. It’s a quick and yummy alternative to your traditional carrot cake.

Looking for a more traditional carrot cake recipe, check these out:

Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake for Two

And a recipe for Carrot Cake with a Moroccan flair:

Spice Market Carrot Cake

Cheesecake Marbled Carrot Loaf Cake

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

3/4 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups finely grated peeled carrots

For the Filling:

1 8oz package cream cheese, at room temperature

1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

For the Icing:

2oz cream cheese, at room temperature

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a 9 x 5 – inch loaf pan with cooking/baking spray and then line with parchment paper leaving an overhang on all sides.

Spread the chopped pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes, until the pecans are a shade or two darker. Allow to cool completely.

For the Filling:

In a medium bowl whisk the cream cheese until fluffy. Add in the confectioners’ sugar, egg, vanilla and salt and continue whisking until the mixture is smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the Cake:

In a medium bowl whisk together the dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together both sugars, oil, eggs and vanilla until smooth.

Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and mix everything together with a rubber spatula until mostly combined. Add in the carrots and pecans and fold until just combined.

Spread a third of the cake batter (about 1 cup) into the prepared loaf pan. Dollop and spread half of the cream cheese filling over the batter stopping about a 1/2-inch from the edges. Repeat with another layer of the carrot cake batter and the remaining cream cheese filling and then top with the remaining carrot cake batter. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles and then bake in the preheated oven for 75 to 90 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Place the pan on a wire rack and let the cake cool for 1 hour inside of the pan and then use the parchment paper to remove the cake and place on the wire rack to cool completely.

For the Icing:

Whisk the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl until smooth and fluffy. Add in the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and salt and continue to whisk until the mixture is smooth. Transfer to a piping bag (or a resealable bag with a corner snipped) and pipe the icing on the cooled cake.

*The original recipe also called for an 8oz can of crushed pineapple (drained) added to the cake batter which I omitted.

Recipe from Food Network 

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Marble Loaf Cake

This cake is very similar to the Banana & Chocolate Marble Loaf Cake I recently posted about. The only difference, you guessed it, is that I swapped peanut butter for banana. I think we can all agree that peanut butter and chocolate go together perfectly, if not, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups would have been off the market years ago. That reminds me, my favorite Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are back in stores, the Easter Egg ones. I don’t know what it is about those, but they just taste better. Maybe it’s because they don’t have the ridges that typical peanut butter cups have due to the wrapper they are in. Who knows! Back to today’s cake…

Once again, I used a yellow cake mix as the base for this loaf cake. After prepping the batter I divided it in half and mixed cocoa powder in one half and creamy peanut butter in the other. I used a 1/4 cup of peanut butter, but if you want a stronger peanut butter flavor, I suggest using a 1/3 cup. I then spooned the batter into my prepared loaf pan to create the marble effect.

After baking it I let it cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. And then it was time to slice and enjoy!

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Marble Loaf Cake

Ingredients:

1 15.25 box yellow cake mix (I used Duncan Hines)

eggs, water & oil per directions on box

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter*

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

*If you want a stronger peanut butter flavor use 1/3 cup

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with baking spray and set aside.

Prepare the cake mix per the instructions on the box.

Divide the batter in half and stir the peanut butter in one half and the cocoa powder in the other.

Spoon the batters into the prepared one, alternating between each one. Use a butter knife to swirl the two batters together and tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles.

Bake 45-50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes before removing and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Recipe first appeared on Bead Yarn & Spatula