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.