Lots of cakes

I know its been forever since I last blogged about my cakes.  It just kind of took a back seat to some health related issues for a while.   So now that things are getting better I can refocus and write again.  You know the brain and body and can only do so much at once.  And some times you gotta just take life down a notch or two and do only what is absolutely necessary.  I found I could bake a cake but had nothing extra to give to be able to write.  Silly I know but just the way things are sometimes. 

But I still love making cake.  I love eating cake.  I love sharing cake.  They're so pretty and joyful.  They just add a bit of sunshine to a kitchen when sitting so nicely on their little cake plate.  It kind of reminds me of going into a mom and pop cafe and seeing little donuts and treats and pies so sweetly arranged on the counter top in glass cake plates with covers.  It just warms my heart and makes me think of simpler times.  I think I could have truly loved growing up in the 50's.  What a  great era.  I know I am probably a bit idealistic about that but I still like to imagine it all pure and innocent.  I like to imagine happy people eating healthy, whole, real food in their homes and making cakes and cookies were apart of everyday life.  I would have been a happy homemaker in the 50's.  I'm thinking this was also the time packaged food became so popular so we will just skip that note and pretend every one cooked from scratch and ate real food.  I would also live in a small town like Mayberry and wear a dress everyday.  I do like dresses.  In fact I think I might just skip shorts altogether this summer and wear dresses and skirts.  I know that was a random side note but it applied. :)  Pretty dresses do make me happy and feel so feminine and free.  And you know, they cover up all the lumps and bumps so nicely.  I have a bit of an extra bump lately.  Too much cake and not enough sit ups.  Actually I have been pretty good on my cake intake.  And I have also been getting better at my exercising.  Yay for me.  And I have also been eating way more vegees and fruits.  Which makes me want to tell you about my healthy food home group I'm in.  It's so very exciting.  It seems kind of ironic that I would be in a such group but really I am quite a food snob.  I love whole, real food.  But a cake made with good quality ingredients can still be in the mix of life as long as you balance it with lots of good home made food and lots of raw vegees and fruits.  Not to mention a ton of other important things but you can read Katie's blog for all that info. :)  She's amazing.  And I learn something new every time I'm with her.  Like for instance, the last time she was over the house she pointed out that I have a grape vine growing in my backyard and some rosemary.  Who new?  Not I that's for sure. 

Ok now time to tell you about at least 5 or 6 cakes.  And sorry I am not going to post all the recipes but if you want any of them just let me know and I will send it to you.

Cake # 14 was called Cardamom Coffee Cake.  It's from the Moosewood Cookbook.  It was tasty but I undercooked it and it totally fell apart when I was trying to take it out of the bundt pan.  And I had to take it to RTL. that next morning.  I was bummed.  I managed to salvage some of it but I did not take any pictures.
Sorry.  It was really sad looking.  :(  Also just in case you make this cake,  I did not have any cardamom but used other yummy spices instead.  It was pretty much just a coffee cake. 

Cake # 15 was another bundt cake of some sort.  And now for the life of me I can't remember what it was.  I have a picture of it but seriously can't remember what it is.  I think it was good.  I will post its pic. 
My son thinks I only make bundt cakes lately.  At first I said I do not.  But now I'm thinking I have made quite a few.  O-well.  Sometimes you just get on a kick of some sort and you gotta go with it.  

It looks so familiar.  I'm sure I liked it. :)


Cake # 16 Lemon Cake.  This is one of my favorite cakes.  It is so simple and delicious.  And very pretty too when baked in my cutest ever daisy cake pan from Williams Sanoma.  This pan was a gift from a friend and I just love it.  You really should make this moist scrumptious cake soon and have some friends over to share it.  If you want the recipe let me know.   You may be able to find it on a Williams Sanoma website.  It is quite a few year ago though so I don't know.  It was the recipe that came with the pan.  Man alive it is good.  

Oh my cuteness



Yummy

Cake # 17 Short cakes.  I know these are pretty basic but I saw a recipe in my Country Living magazine (April edition)  for Easter time and thought I would give them a try for our Easter dessert.  They were yummy.  I made them the night before and I think they would have been better fresh out of the oven.  Also, before I baked them I did not brush the top with heavy cream and turbinado sugar.  Just trying to cut out some sugar. 
But their official name was Turbinado Shortcakes with Strawberries and Whipped Cream. 
I love strawberry shortcake.  It just has that summer time is finally here feeling.  We eat it often in the summer
and it is such a crowd pleaser.  I never saw someone turn them away.  I mean who would do that?  A crazy person maybe.  I don't know people like that. 


Happy little shortcake

Cake # 18.  Vanilla cupcakes and Carrot Cupcakes.  The first one was a vanilla cupcake from the Gluten-free Almond flour cookbook.  I don't know what I did wrong but I took one bite and then proceeded to throw them in the trash.  It was sad.  Such a waste.  ugh.   So then I went to try another recipe from Country Living.  March issue. They were called Carrot Cupcakes.  And let me tell ya,  they were so so good.  Its always nice to have a success after a flop. I didn't even put frosting on them and they were just amazing.  Moist, fluffy, smooth, spicy, sweet, textured, and somewhat healthyish.  I mean after all, they do have raisins, nuts and carrots in them. :)

They were so moist and tasty. Pretty much carrot cake in
cupcake form.



great texture

Cake # 19 was also a success and quite yummy.  It was from the Moosewood cookbook again.  I like her cookbook a lot.  Fun and different food with quite a lot of healthy stuff.  Yes the cake had a pound of butter in it and two cups of sugar but other then that it was good for you.  Ha. ;)  I know it wasn't good for you but can we just pretend.  At least it is home made and has only quality ingredients with no preservatives.  And it was organic spelt instead of white flour and organic free range eggs from my chickens and organic sugar.  So thats gotta count for something.  I'm bringing it to my health food home group tonight.  Along with a plate of sliced red peppers and hummus.  Balance is the key.  lol.  By the way,  I reduced the sugar to two cups instead of three and it was still quite sweet and tasty.  I almost always cut my sugar in recipes and they seem to be fine.  Also, this was made in a bundt pan too. :)  I guess I do make them a lot. 


Cooks for over and hour till quite golden brownish but
surprisingly moist and perfectly done.




We ate it with fresh berries and creme fraiche.
Oh so good.




I know I'm a terrible photographer


If you like interesting, different, healthy food and want to try some new things you should get the Moosewood Cookbook.  You will like it. :)

I think this gets me up to date minus one cake for this week.  The pound cake was actually counting for last week.  I can do that.  I'm in charge.  If you want any recipes let me know.  You can obviously find a couple of them in the Moosewood and one in April and one in March editions of Country Living.  As for the mystery bundt cake, I don't know what to tell you.  Make a bundt cake. :)

Hope you are all happy and healthy and eating cake.

Yummy cheese cake (#13)

Two weeks behind again but such is life.  If something fun becomes a chore well then its just not fun anymore.  So forgive me in advance but I think this may be an ongoing problem for the rest of the year.  Baking the cake is the fun easy part and I have made at least 3 since I last wrote.  The first of them being an amazing cheese cake.  Charis got me thinking about them so I just had to bake one.  I will for sure make this one again and again.  It was perfect and actually quite easy.  My computer is still down and I'm still on my friends little guy so I can't download the pictures and show you how pretty it was.  But I will in about a week.  My handy man dad is coming for a visit and is going to fix our sad computer.  I love my daddy.  He's the best.  He can do it all.  When I was in high school I wrote a paper called the Handy Man.  It was about my amazing father.  I got an At on it. 
My dear husband is not super handy when it comes to fixing things.  But it is so funny every time he fixes something around here he says he "Tedded it."  My dads name is Ted. 

I have been having some health issues lately and feeling like I am going to have to make some pretty significant changes in our eating around here so I don't know how this cake thing is going to turn out.  I really want to keep it up so what may have to happen is that I will have to get really creative and experiment with making healthy cake.  Not sure there is really such a thing as that on a weekly basis but I just have to try.  I mean I know there is yummy healthy cakes but I can't imagine I could find enough recipes to make it through a year.   I may just have to give a lot cake away.  I just love baking and love baking cake.  They make me happy.  They celebrate life.  They look pretty.  They taste oh so good. :)
So I will see what becomes of this all.  I don't think I'm supposed to stop making my cakes.   That makes me feel sad.
So give it up for this glorious cheesecake. 
Marble Cheesecake:
crust-
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 Tbl melted butter
mix this all together and press down in the bottom of
a 9" spring form pan.

4 packages (8oz. each) cream cheese softened
2 tsp. vanilla
1&1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
2 squares melted chocolate.  unsweet

In your kitchenAid mix all the above ingredients minus the chocolate.
After it is mixed, take out about half of it and place in a separate bowl.
Add the melted chocolate to one of the bowls of cheesecake mixture.
Then alternately drop spoonfuls of each into the pan. 

This really turned out great.  It was not too sweet at all.  It was a perfect consistency and texture.
I just loved it.  It didn't look as pretty as the one in the book but it was great. :)  I will post pics next week.  Promise. 
And if you don't have chocolate, like I didn't, I used a bit of regular dark chocolate and then a bit of cocoa powder and butter.  I just melted a couple of tablespoons of butter in a pan, added some cocoa powder and a square of dark chocolate and it worked perfect.  I just improvise when I need to. 

I forgot to tell you to bake it at 325 for about one 1 hour and 30 minutes.  I think mine took a bit less but not much.  It got pretty golden brownish on top too.  And the sides kind of puffed up and it looked a little funny.  It looked home made.  I seriously don't know how they get them all flat and perfect looking. 

#12 Yellow cupcakes with butter cream frosting

This past week  I was supposed to make the winner of the cake drawing their favorite cake.  Well that was super easy since Suzanne won and her favorite was chocolate cake with chocolate frosting.   So I made her my favorite which is Pioneer womans chocolate sheet cake.  I hope you liked it Suzanne. :)
And I'm obviously not going to give you all that recipe since I have already told you about that cake before.
It also took me all week to get it to her.  This past week just felt crazy.  I have seemed to have a lot of crazy weeks lately.  I always start out with mellow expectations but some how seem to pile on the chaos and before I know it I barely have time to breathe.  Does anybody else have this problem.  Seriously I don't quite know how to juggle it all.  Maybe I just need to realize that this is just life with a husband and four kids, a home to care for and clean, laundry to wash to fold, (and sometimes put away,) home school 3 kids, care for animals, go to mom's group, drive to ballet, soccer, play practice, and cook 3 meals a day.  And those are just to name a few.  I love it all, don't get me wrong.  It's just a lot some times.  And that's not factoring in the things that really matter.  That would be relationship with one another and friendship.  These are my favorite things.  People are my favorite I should say.  I could ditch all of it and just do people things.  I love playing with my kids and going places together.  I love quality time with my husband.  I love being with girl friends and talking about life and cooking together.  These are the things that fill my love bucket.  I wish cobwebs didn't form on my ceiling or dust on my furniture.  Then I would have more time for all the stuff that makes life rich.  Cob-webs are not my friend. 
So speaking of friends, a couple weeks ago I made cupcakes to take over to my dear friends house along with another friend and we had a great meal together, let the kids run and play and then let them decorate
yummy cupcakes with frosting and a plethora of sprinkles.  It was happy.
Here is the recipe.
350 degree oven for about 20 minutes. 
Honestly just test them with a tooth pick to make sure.
I can't remember how long they took.  It was  a cake recipe I made
into cupcakes instead.

2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs

Frosting:  I always kind of wing it with this frosting.  I'm a wing it kind of baker.
I know this is bad but I just do it anyway.  :)  It's one of my flaws. Other than that I'm almost
perfect.  Ha.
One stick of butter melted
1 to 2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups of powdered sugar
2 or 3 Tbs. milk
Just fiddle with it till you get what you like.  Hows that for perfection.

Banana cake with Strawberries and chocolate (#11)

Oh my goodness,  I am two weeks behind in my blogging.  I'm sure you've all just been dying for the latest cake recipe.  Now I have to catch up while Juby is sleeping.  Let me tell you this is not my fault.  My computer has crashed.  It is full of demonic viruses.  Seriously,  I am not kidding you.  One time I turned it on and it growled at me.  It was kind of crazy.  And before it crashed I couldn't even get this blog spot to work.  I'm now thinking it was because of the viruses.  Computers drive me a bit nutty.  I love and hate them at the same time.  So now I am on my friends tiny little lap top and I keep messing up because I'm not used to typing on it. :)  But oh so thankful for her letting us use it until she gets back from a far off land.  Thanks AmyBeth. 
Well just so you know I am not giving up on my 52 weeks of cake making.  I bake at least two cakes a week.  And believe me my middle is starting show it.  Summer is coming and I really better start to do something about it.  So tomorrow I will start. :)  Actually a friend is going to come over and we are going to exercise.  Woohoo! 
Suzanne won the cake drawing from a couple of weeks ago and I finally got her a chocolate cake this weekend.  I loved making a cake for someone else.  I really needed to not eat a cake this past week also.   I think I might keep doing this for the sake of my belly and my dear husbands belly.  But also it was just fun to make something for someone else.  So you may just randomly receive a cake from me. 
Now for the last cake recipe.  Goodness which one was it?  I'm pretty sure it was the Banana cake with strawberries and chocolate.  I loved it.  Oh it was really yummy.  Here is the recipe. 

2 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbs. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3 bananas
2/3 cup milk
Bake at 350 in two round cake pans (greased) for about 30 minutes.
Let cool and then layer strawberries in the middle of them and on top.
Drizzle warm chocolate frosting in middle and on top.
I used spelt and whole wheat and regular flour
I used organic sugar and raw sugar and organic brown sugar
I used coconut oil instead of butter.  I think you can pretty much do what you want.

Warm chocolate frosting to drizzle or to pour heavily upon it. :)
1 1/2 sticks of butter heated in sauce pan
3 to 4 heaping Tbs. of cocoa powder
4 Tbs. of milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 of a pound of powdered sugar (approximately)
This will be thickish but very pourable still and warm.  You can
fiddle with the sugar to get the consistency you want.
Sorry I don't have pictures for the past few cakes.  This again is the computers fault. 
As soon as I get it working I will go back and post pics.  You'll want to see this one for sure. 

Orange Apricot Chiffon Cake (#10)

I just can't seem to keep up on this blog.  I don't fear making a cake every week for the rest of the year but sitting down to tell you about it may just prove to be a whole other story.
I have decided that home-schooling and having a toddler is quite the challenge.  There is always, always something to be done around here and there is almost always some one needing something from me.  At the moment two little people are outside, one is playing down stairs and the littlest of them all is asleep.  I am not going to look behind me at the mountain of laundry for the next little while so I can escape for a few minutes to cake land.  Oh that would be a happy place indeed. 

 Last week I asked you on Facebook to choose between two cakes and I went with the Orange Apricot Chiffon.  It was super yummy.  It once again came out a lot more like the texture of a banana nut bread. Or something of the sort.  It was dense and hearty.  I have determined that trying to bake healthier cake with whole wheat flour is just going to have that effect.  But it was still really good and super moist.  It has a bazillion eggs in it.
I even had to send Mark to the store half way though the process to get more eggs.  This cake has a wonderful citrus flavor and topped with a little chocolate sauce made it more dessertish.  I really like chocolate and orange/apricot flavor together.  Oh yum.  But I also loved the cake just plain. 

This week I am going to give a cake away to one of you.  Just answer this question in the comment area and I will randomly select a winner and bring you a cake.  So sorry for those of you out of town.  I just can't drive that far.  
Tell me what is your favorite cake? 

Recipe for Chiffon cake: preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in a tube pan.
This cake is kind of a doozy to make so don't just try to whip it up if you don't have time.
2 medium size oranges
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 &1/4 cup flour
1 tbs. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup finely chopped dried apricots
4 lg. egg yolks
8 xtr. lg. egg whites
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 cup brown sugar

1. Prepare tube pan by cutting out a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan.
2. Grate off the orange peel with a zester or fine grater. Place in a bowl and set aside.
3. Squeeze the juice from the oranges into a small sauce pan and simmer on low to reduce the juice to
    two tablespoons. 
4. In a mixing bowl, combine the water, oil, vanilla, orange peel and two tbs. juice.
5. Sift together the flour and baking powder in large mixer.
6. Add salt, and the first two sugars.  Not the last 1/4 cup. yet.
7. Add the water mixture and dried apricots and egg yolks to flour and blend with a spatula.
8. Place egg whites in a separate mixer and beat on high till frothy.
    Add the cream of tartar and beat.  Slowly add the 1/4 cup brown sugar.
9. Beat till glossy and firm but not stiff peaks.
10. Transfer to prepared tube pan and bake for about an hour.  Or until tooth pick comes out clean.
11. When you take it out of the oven you should invert it over a bottle or some how put it upside down so that the cake does not turn in on itself.  My cake was plenty firm and did not do this and I actually removed it from the pan right away.  My tube pan is in two separate pieces so it makes it easier to do. 

Well, there you go.  Orange Apricot Chiffon Cake. I told you it was a doozy.  I also said I was going to bake the mocha angel food cake this week and I ended up making some thing different.  I will tell you about it later.  It was really good though.  :)  Happy cake baking. 

Coffee cake kind of morning (9)

I did make a cake this week I promise.  I actually made two but I'll just tell you about one.   I woke up Wednesday morning thinking I better make my cake today the week is going fast.  Here it is already Sunday and I'm just now getting to blog.  I really need to work on priorities in my life.  After all, cake should be high up on the list don't you think? I did work on resting better this week.  I challenged two friends to do the same.  Last Sunday I asked them to purposely try to rest each day.  Sometimes we moms are not so good at taking care of ourselves.  So Monday I shopped in a cute store all by myself for a whole 45 minutes.  This is considered rest because it was fun, happy and made me feel alive.  I know that must sound terribly shallow.  But we said we would consider it restful if it was anything like that or anything that brings life to you some how.  Well shopping alone in a clothing store does the trick for me.  I think on Tuesday I failed at resting all together at any point in the day.  It's kind of all a blur now.  I pretty much live one day at time and when the next one comes I forget about the one before.  Is that bad?  I think I did have a couple more restful moments in the week but they were brief and obviously not too memorable.  This week I will try to do better.  I may just shut myself in a closet now and then.  Or I can do like Wednesday and not get dressed all day.  Please tell me some of you have those days too.  Actually I know you do because I know who reads this. :) That is why you're my friend.  Karen came over Wednesday and  I hadn't even brushed my teeth.  And she stayed and we even cooked and baked. 
So if your anything like a typical wife, mother or woman, you need to take better care of yourself and rest.  It will look different for all of us.  For some of you it's eating lots and lots of chocolate fondue.  But I won't mention who does that.  Or for others of us it might be watching a total tree hugging, life/health/food sort of movie all by your self.  But again, I won't tell who does that.  For me it was 45 minutes of blissful shopping alone.
I'm done with my tangent, now back to coffee cake.  Did I tell you already how happy it was.  Well it was.  And it wasn't even terribly bad for you.  I used only good ingredients.  Good as in organic coconut oil, organic spelt, and organic raw sugar and rapadura. 
So here it is.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil an 8x11 inch pan

3/4 cup organic coconut oil (very soft/melted)
1&1/2 cup sugar (organic, unrefined, unbleached, whole cane)
3 cups organic spelt flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1&1/4 cup milk
1 apple diced very small (I used a food chopper and went to town) Or you could shred or grate them.
The apple adds extra flavor and moisture. 
3 egg whites,  beaten until stiff.  Add these after all the above are mixed.
I literally dump it all in my kitchen aid, mix it up a bit and then add the egg whites.
I really think the egg whites make a big difference in this cake. 
Topping:
1 stick butter melted (yes, I used butter)
1/2 cup flour (I used spelt)
1 cup organic brown sugar
1 Tbs. cinnamon
1 cup pecans or walnuts
A dash of nutmeg and allspice
Drop little spoonfuls all over the top until spread out evenly
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.  Voila. Delicious!

Yumminess in a cup (#8)

I just heard Jubilee fuss in bed.  Why is it that the minute I finally sit down to write in a quiet house my baby decides to wake up early from her nap?  Seriously, I don't get it.  Mark took the other three to gymnastics  and to a movie.  He thought I could have some nice alone time.  I can see how that is already working out.  So I will type fast and may have to pause to go get her.
This weeks cake was truly divine.  I know I say that about a lot of the cakes but this one really and truly was and is one of my favorites.  I think I'm on a wintery spicy kick.  Because this week I made pumpkin spice cake in individual ramekin's.  Did I spell that right?  Anyway,  they were so happy to eat.   I have made them a few times this winter and plan to keep making them.  Everyone loves them and gobbles them up.  They are  great for breakfast or anytime of the day.  One ramekin is quite filling so I end up eating it half at a time.  Unless I'm being a piggy.  Which has been done before.   Now pausing to get Juby.........
Alrighty, one poopy diaper changed and said pooper is now attacking sleeping cat by the fire place.  I don't have much time.  Must work faster..

Recipe:
3/4 cups butter
3/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup pureed pumpkin (real pumpkin) not pie filling
blend above together
1 &1/3cup spelt or any flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
mix together and then add to wet ingredients
Spray dishes with olive oil or whatever you have on hand
Fill ramekins and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or so.
This recipe makes 6 individual desserts.  But you can easily share one.
I almost forgot the glaze frosting.  Now you could skip this I suppose but I don't think
you would want to do that. 
Glaze recipe:
2 Tbs. real maple syrup
1 Tbs. melted butter
1 Tbs. milk
2 cups powdered sugar.  Add more or less to get desired consistency.
Pour over warm cakes and proceed to eat warm goodness.

Cake batter

finished cakes

glazed: more like frosted. It came out a bit thick

Eating the yumminess

Random picture of the kids in the snow last week.

Just because!

Happy Valentines Cake (#7)

This past Monday was Valentines day.  I hope you all had a squishy, lovey day.  It was happy in the Peterson home.  I had thought about making a special heart shaped cake or something particularly valentinish, but I couldn't really think of anything and besides, I woke up thinking of my honey and what he would appreciate most, so Prune cake it was.  It's his favorite and I must say I love it too.
So for breakfast we had prune cake and eggs and fresh squeezed orange juice.  It was the perfect way to start the day.
Sorry I didn't post this sooner.  It has been a bit of a nutty week.  I guess that's just life with
four kids and homeschooling.  Even now, Juby is sitting on my lap eating dried fruit and playing with some little cups.   Mark took the other three to a movie.  So it's kind of quiet in the house. 
This is going to be a short blog.  My neck and back have not been nice to me this week and I don't want to sit here long at the computer.  But I didn't want to keep you waiting a minute longer for this delicious cake recipe.  I have to tell you it's another Pioneer woman cake.  She just rocks, what can I say.  I love her book, I love her food.  It makes me happy.  It's a pretty easy cake to make but there are a few steps and honestly I just can't sit here any longer so please go to her website and bake this cake asap.  It is glorious and if you didn't make your honey something yummy this valentines day it's not too late for some tonight.  Just be prepared for some singing and dancing as he takes a bite.  And then you might want to prepare for something else too. :)  
p.s.  Only married woman should read this post and make this cake for their honey.  I'm sorry if it's too late and you already read it.  Save it for the future.  Or make it if you want a marriage proposal from that special someone who's dragging his feet.  I can almost gaurantee he will start chasing you around the house begging for your hand in marriage.  Because he will never want to live without this cake.  And of course you too.

#6 Joy's birthday cake

Well I know I just blogged a few hours ago about last weeks cake but so that doesn't happen to me again I'm going to tell you about this weeks cake that I made today in honor of my dear Joy that turned eight.
Juby and Joy are both in bed and the boys are quietly playing legos down stairs so I really should take this opportunity while I have it.  I am tempted to go watch another episode of Pantry Raid but I will refrain.  This is my latest show by the way.  I just finished watching two seasons of Cake Boss and now I'm on to this show.  Did I tell you about my little addiction to the Cake Boss.  It got a little cheesy and dramatic but I just loved watching the cakes they would create.  And now when I go to New York this summer I must go over to Jersey and try some of the yummy looking pastries and cakes.  I'm totally serious.  It's on the list of to do's for our summer RV trip.  Two months in an RV with the whole family, travelling, sight seeing, lots of monuments, cooking on a little stove and small oven, glorified camping basically,  You can start praying for me now.  I'm already thinking about what kind of cakes I'll turn out then.  Oh goodness me.  I know it can be done.  Dear Katie did it for almost a year.  I can surely do it for two months.

Ok, back to todays birthday cake.  I have to tell you this cake has become our family birthday cake traditon.  It is such a yummy cake and super easy.  Also one of the main traditions that all the kids love to do is to decorate their own cake.  I'm a bit of a junky when it comes to sprinkles and sparkles so I have a lot of them.  So every year we just go crazy on the cake with them.  And at the end of it all it's not only covered in chocolate frosting but covered thick with colorful sprinkles.  Did I tell you already how amazing this cake is?
The first time I had this cake friends had brought it over for dessert.  It just looked like an ordinary chocolate cake with chocolate frosting.  After eating it I told her how delicious it was and then she told me these three words.  Chocolate Mayonaise Cake.  What the heck?  Are you kidding me?  Gross!  But no, she was completely serious.  I had to have the recipe.  We've been making it since.  It's just stinken good.  And the beauty about this cake is that it is so easy and fast to make.  And if you don't have eggs or butter or oil in the pantry, no problem.  There are no eggs or oil or butter in this cake.  Believe me when I tell you, you do not taste even a hint of mayo in this thing.  It is just moist, yummy chocolatey goodness.  I probably should not leave a fork on the tray.  No cake in any amount will be going in the trash this week.  Sit ups and long brisk walks are on the list.  Along with dentist appointments, mom's group, ballet, play practice, awanas, homeschooling, cooking, cleaning, Ya know, everything....  But I'm not complaining.  Just saying.

Here is the recipe:  350 for 25 minutes.  I used and 8x11 rectangular cake pan lightly spayed with oil

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
3 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa
mix altogether then add
1 cup mayo
1 cup water

That's it, Can you believe that.  So easy.  Takes like 5 minutes.
Bake it and then let sit for a few minutes before dumping it on a cookie sheet
or cutting board.  Let cool for about an hour and frost with this chocolate frosting
or frosting of your choice
 
1 stick butter melted
2/3 cup cocoa (unsweet)
1/3 cup milk
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

If you bake any of the cakes I've made so far,  you really, really should make this one asap.  Just so you can
see that I'm not lying.  Who knew mayonaise could do such wonders.

No more issues over the scooter.  Joy has her very

own now.  Yes!

Spinkles were done quickly today. She was going to

be late for ballet and wanted to quick have a piece.

Can you see the moist goodness coming forth?

How does this happen to me.  I feel like I do dishes all day.

# 5-Red Velvet Cake

I don't know how the whole week went by and I didn't get a chance to blog about last weeks cake.  Oh I know,  Joy was sick all week, and life just felt insanely nutty.  Even as I type I am thinking I really could use a break from life right now.  And now my window to blog just closed.  Juby just woke up.  But I'm going to try anyway, even though she is now sitting on my lap and wanting to nurse.  Well there a was a short pause just now.  Not that you would know it. :)  But I had to nurse.  I'm thinking it's time to wean her.  She is becoming quite violent in her asking to nurse.  We had friends over the other night and we both had a good laugh as Jubilee about ripped my shirt off.  She will be 18 months next week and I don't know how that happened so fast.   Well enough about nursing babies.  But I'm sure most of you can relate and have all been there at one time or another.

My yummy cake last week was Red Velvet Cake.  A friend made one and I thought I should do the same.
I ended up making it quite late in the day again and frosted it at 9:00pm and found my self eating a piece at 9:30 at night.  I told the kids they could have it for breakfast.  They had already eaten a donut for dessert.  Yes, there is that good mothering once again.  The donuts were Mark's fault.  I actually think thats what started Joy's puking.  But I can't prove it.  I just really hope it was though because I do not want what she had.  Ok, back to the cake.  Sorry I'm so distracted.  The phone is ringing but I'm going to ignore it. 

I should also let you know that I have been exercising.  Yes it is true.  It's not been terribly strenuous but none the less it has been exercise.  Just walking for now but it sure feels good.  I can't say it's been all the cake baking or the good weather we are having.  But I'll take it any way it comes and say that my plan is working. 
Another side note is I have purchased four new cake pans.  Two round and two square.  After making last weeks cake in a rectangular pan and then cutting in half to stack it, I thought this is lame.  I must go and buy some cake pans.  So I did.  I also bought a cheap glass cake stand with the nice dome lid that goes over top.  I was getting tired of trying to wrap foil around my cakes without it sticking to all the frosting.  Terribly bothersome.  And I also don't want to have the same old cake stand in every picture for the rest of the year.  I may have to keep buying little cake stands or cute plates to show case my work. :)  Robin has an amazing cake stand collection.  I may have to come over and have another looksy.  Maybe she wouldn't notice if one or two went missing.  This would be totally by accident of course.     

So now on to the recipe.  I compared two recipes from different books I have and they were almost the same. 
1 cup butter (called for shortening) but I don't have this item in my home.
1&1/2 cups sugar
cream together

2&1/2 cups flour
1&1/4 tsp. salt
sift together

2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1&1/2 tsp. vinegar
mix together

1 ounce red food coloring
1&1/2 tsp. cocoa powder
mix together

Add them altogether in mixer.  Adding the food coloring mixture last.
Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.  It says to use two round 10" pans.  You can use any pan.
I used a rectangular pan that would have been about the size of two rounds. 

I frosted it with a cream cheese frosting.  It was yummy.  We ate it for about 3 days and then it had to go
in the trash.  Cake just doesn't keep well after a few days with foil loosly wrapped around it.  Not to mention I'm just not walking enough yet to eat that much cake.

Oh my cakes!

I don't know why I gave that title but it's what came out of my head and hands just now as I sit here
to tell you of my cake making feats of the week.  Not only have I baked my cake but I have made
three cakes in the past few days.  That is if you count the panCAKES I made this morning.  And I am going
to count them because they were so darn delicious and so amazingly good and healthy for you,  And they were experimental.  So those are all things that fit into my cake making adventure. 
But even though I made three cakes I will narrow it down and give just one recipe as my official cake of the week.  Now to choose the winner......drum roll please......
I have to go with Cake aLa Karen.  I'm saying that with my most fancy italian accent.  Just cuz I like it.
But I did not make an italin cake, although that sounds fun, but I made a cake/bread in honor of my dear friend who can not have gluten or dairy and is also avoiding sugar.  So that makes things a little tricky in the cake baking process. 
I searched the internet for healthy recipes, but not for long because it was annoying me. So I found a recipe in my Moosewood cookbook and then modified it a bit.  I have to confess we gobbled down half that cake and then I took Karen the rest.  I couldn't just give her an experimental cake without trying it first.  That would just be wrong.  What if it were horrid?  So happy to say she loved it even though I told her it could have to do with the fact that she hasn't eaten any sort of bread like carbs for quite some time.  But I even liked it and so did Mark and the kids so it must have been good.  This is what it really was called and here is the recipe.
Apricot Almond Bread     I know this is technically a bread but what ever, It was in the dessert section.  And it's my blog so I can do what I want.  Ha.  This is the perfect snack or breakfast cake.  It really was muffin like in ways.  But more thick and hearty.  You could even try it in muffin tins.  I'm going to have to get better at my descriptive words.  What are those adjectives?  And Yes, I am a home school mom.

1& 1/2 cups diced up dried apricots
1& 1/2 cups water
2& 1/2 cups gluten free organic oat flour  (grind/blend oats into flour in a food processor or blender)
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. soft butter
1/2 cup real maple syrup or honey or agave  (I used pure maple syrup)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. orange rind
1 cup finely chopped almonds

350' oven for about 40 minutes give or take a few.  Butter a loaf pan

Place Apricots in a medium sized sauce pan with the water and simmer for 10 minutes
Transfer it to a bowl and let it cool down a bit.  Add the syrup, vanilla, & butter.
Place all dry ingredients and orange rind and almonds in kitchen aid.
Turn it on and slowly add the hot mixture to it.  Let it blend a bit to release some more heat
and then toss in the egg. Make sure its not too hot so you don't accidently cook the egg.  Icky.
Keep it mixing all together.  It will be quite warm. 
Poor into prepared pan and bake till you start to smell it.  Because it is oat flour and it was already so warm, it cooked fast.  It was kind of like baking a bowl of oatmeal.  The original recipe said to bake for an hour and a half.  Well I smelled my cake and thought dang that smells done and it had only been about 35 to 45 minutes.  I can't remember how much time was left on the timer. 
Well I sliced it open right away because I was anxious to try it and it smelled really good.  And it was so moist and yummy.  It was not like done, done all the way in the middle but it was just pefect I thought. 
So there you have it.  If you too are plagued with the gluten monster now you can have some thing yummy.
Or if you are just wanting a healthy delicious snack.  I know I do so I am going to make some more tomorrow.  Happy me. :)

This is a picture of a chocolate chip pound cake I

made this week too.  It was good. 

Been grinding my flour fresh. Oh man it truly makes a

difference in taste and you get full fast because you

are getting so much more nutrients.

The yummy pancakes I made. 

Cake # 3 Carrot cake

It's nearly 9:00 pm so my brain is already starting to shut down for the night.  Just warning you so that
if this post ends up really random that could be why.   I have just completed cake 3.  I cleaned and cleaned all the live long day and got to the end of it and knew that a cake must be made.  I had been looking through
my cook book through out the week and took a few votes here and there but no member of my family could agree on anything so I made an executive decision and went with carrot cake.  It sounded like a healthier sort of choice after the past week of cake feasting.  Amanda had suggested it also and I liked the idea.  And you know I have to say it was not a super duper make you sick kind of sweet cake like some can be.
The texture was moist but kind of bread like and a  little bit dense but very nice.  I put the cream cheese frosting on it but honestly it would have been really good with out it as well.  You could even eat it for breakfast and not feel bad.
In some ways it was a lot like the apple spice cake but with carrots instead of apples.
This was  a recipe I had not ever made before and I would make it again.  And of course the kids gobbled it down even though it was 8:30 at night and a good mother should probably not let her children eat cake right before bed time but they had been eagerly waiting all day long for this cake so what was I to do.  And I needed a tasting panel to tell me if it was any good.  So cut me some slack.  Geesh!

Here is the recipe.   350* oven. Bake for 1hr & 10 minutes  Do not over cook.
grease and flour a 9" spring form pan  (you could just use any pan I'm sure)

5 eggs
2 sticks butter softened    
2 tsp vanilla
cream the above together
then add the rest of the ingredients                      
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 1/2 cups finely grated carrots
1 cup walnuts   Half for the batter and half for garnish
I forgot the nuts on accident and it was good.  But I did add them to the top later.

Cream cheese frosting
1  8oz. package of cream cheese
1 stick of butter softened
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups powder sugar

So that's that.  Cake #3 completed.  Look at me go.  I tell ya this year is just going to fly by.  Before I know it I will be at cake 52 and setting up Christmas decorations again.  Or taking them down.  So being that time really does go so fast don't forget to stop and bake a cake and then take a moment or two to sit down and enjoy it for goodness sake.  And let the kids eat it too.  Even if it is late at night.  You only live once.

Cake # 2

Some times you just have to make a cake when you feel that cake baking urge come on you.  If you resist the urge it may leave you and then you would be left cakeless.  And that is just sad and un-American.
So this morning when that great and wonderful feeling came upon me I listened to its cry and baked a most delicious and moist cake for breakfast.  We all waited with great anticipation and rumbling tummys for over an hour to eat this yummy creation.  And let me tell you, it was worth it.  Also, being that I was technically a cake behind, I am all caught up now.

happy children exchanging kisses after eating cake

I have to thank my dear friend Katie for this recipe.  And instead of posting the recipe here you can find it on her blog.  riddlelove    It is called Apple spice cake.  I have to admit I slightly defiled her healthier version.  So sorry Katie. But not by choice but by what was in the cupboard.  And having had her cake and mine I can say there was not much difference.  Just some health benefits missing from mine.  But that's ok. :)  It was still mostly organic and somewhat healthy.  For example, the recipe calls for 1&1/2 cups coconut oil and I did not have any.  So I used one cup olive oil and half a cup butter.  I did not have rapadura so I used organic sugar.  I did not have any spelt flour left so I used regular flour.  And in the glaze topping I used brown sugar instead of turbinado sugar.  That's the beauty of baking and cooking.  If you do it often enough you kind of figure out what will work and not work.  Usually in baking you need to be pretty spot on but in this case my substitutions worked great and I only have a bit of cake left to prove it.   I baked my cake in a bundt cake pan or jelly roll pan.  Oven was 325 and it took about and hour and 10 minutes.  I just kept checking it in the end there to make sure it was done but not over done.  It was perfect.  I waited a few minutes only and then carefully removed it from the pan and placed it on a cake stand.  I then put on some of the nuts  and glaze and went back and forth ending it with the last of the glaze.  This made the nuts stay on and also covered them nicely in the warm glaze.  I served it immediately.  There is nothing quite like hot apple spice cake for breakfast.  Glory!  My taste buds sang out.  My children asked for more and what can I say, we all ate more.  

Sit ups are definitely on the to do list today.  Maybe even a trip or two down and up the stairs.  But all in all this really is a pretty healthy cake to bake.  Especially if you stick to Katie's original recipe.  It is a guilt free indulgence.   And who really cares anyway,  It is just so good. 

My first cake

So here's the plan.  I will make my cakes either on Sunday or Monday depending on life.  I will then post pictures and recipes asap to keep you all updated. 
My first week of the year I was sick.  So I am already a cake behind unless I count the brownies I made.
Which I may do.  But I have made this weeks cake just yesterday.  It is my favorite of all.  Chocolate sheet cake.  It's just mouth watering good.  I can't claim the recipe for my own.  I have to give credit where credit is due.  So thank you Pioneer woman for this amazing recipe.  You rock. 
I have had at least three pieces of cake since yesterday.  I have not exercised.  Not unless you count going down the stairs twice.  Wait, did I actually go all the way down the stairs today?  I'm not sure.  I may go do some sit ups in a minute and then all cake eating guilt will subside.  Uhh, I already feel better.   Some times just thinking about exercise makes you feel like you did it.  It's amazing. 

Here's another self-disclosure.  I leave a fork in the cake pan for an occasional passing by nibble.  Is that bad?

52 weeks of cake

This is my first official blog.  I know it's a crazy world of bloggers and I really shouldn't add one more to the chaos but I can't resist the call of the wild.  And I must share my New Years resolution.  It's fabulous if I do say so myself.  It's a perfectly yummy and delicious plan to get myself fit once again.  Jubilee is almost a year and a half old and I have absolutely no excuse for my current state of flab any longer.  So here it is.  I have decided to bake a cake a week for the entire year.  That's 52 cakes my friends.  And I plan on enjoying those cakes tremendously.  These cakes will then be my only hope to actually start some type of regular work out plan.  I will be forced to eat said delicious cake and then forced to exercise.  It's genius. 
And you know the truth must be said.  I just love cake.  Truly love it.  And even if I fail at the whole work out plan, I'm ok with it.  I really just wanted to make cake all year and be happy.  I just thought the exercise might be an added bonus.  And I really am tired of all those endless self improving New year resolutions that leave you at the end of the year feeling like you failed once again.  But I know I won't fail at the baking cake part.  It's just too stinken good.