Category: sweets

Sticky Apple-Pecan Cake

What do the people think of this cake?  Well, there wasn’t much left over for them to take home, so I’d say it was a hit.  It’s moist and a little sticky from the sauce… so good!  Yes, there’s lots of sugar and fat in this one – it’s a cake, and a Paula Deen recipe at that!  If you’re looking for a healthy recipe, check out one of the salads or something. You might not love coconut, but you can’t really tell it’s in there – it really adds something to the cake, though.

If you’re a little scared of making cakes, this one is for you.  There’s not much you can do wrong if you add all the ingredients.  You pretty much pile everything into a bowl and mix, then pour the sauce over top when it’s out of the oven.

What you need for the cake:

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 & 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1/4 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 cups peeled and chopped apples (I used Macintosh)

1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

1 cups chopped pecans

What you need for the sauce:

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

What you do:

1.  Mix flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.

2.  Add the eggs, sugar, oil, orange juice and vanilla and mix it up with a wooden spoon until it is combined.

3.  Add the coconut, apples and nuts and mix it.  The batter will be quite thick.

4.  Pour the batter into parchment-lined pans(wax paper will do).  I used two 4 by 12 pans, but that’s an odd size… so you can use two bread pans or, if you have it, one 10-inch tube pan.  What ever you do, bake it for about an hour at 325 F, then test it with a toothpick.  If it needs a little more time, add 10 minutes, check again, adding more time if needed.

5.  Before it has finished baking, prepare the sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan, then adding the sugar, buttermilk and baking soda.  Bring it to a rolling boil, stirring constantly for one minute.

6.  After the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes in it with the back end of a wooden spoon.  Pour the sauce over the top.

7.  Let the cake cool for about an hour before taking it out of the pan to cool the rest of the way – or just get started on it while it’s still warm!

You could reheat it and serve with a little vanilla ice cream, if you’re looking for true decadence.

Coconut Mango Cookies

These cookies have just the right  crispy-chewyness to please a whole lot of people at one time.  This recipe makes quite a few cookies, so you can either bake them all up at once, or put some of the rolls of dough in the freezer.

You can substitute apricots for the dried mango, and hazelnuts, brazil or macadamia for the almonds.

You do need to plan ahead a bit, as the dough needs to be refrigerated for about an hour before baking.  The toasted almonds also need to cool before you can add them to the batter.

What you need:

3/4 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

2 cups flour

1 & 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups shredded sweetened coconut

1/2 cup dried mango or apricot

1/2 cup toasted almonds

What you do:

1.  Toast almonds and allow to cool, then chop them.

2.  Beat room temperature butter with sugar until fluffy and light in colour.  Beat in egg.

3.  Add flour, baking powder and salt, then mix with a wooden spoon, being careful not to over-mix.

4.  Stir in nuts, chopped fruit and coconut.

5.  Form into 4 logs, about 3 cm in diameter, and wrap in plastic wrap.  Place in the fridge for about an hour.  If you are going to freeze for later use, add another layer of protection by putting them into a plastic bag.

6.  Let the logs sit for about 15 minutes, then carefully cut into slices just less than 1 cm thick, with a serrated knife.  It can be a little tricky to make this work neatly, but it helps if you use a sawing motion.  When I ruined a few, I just hand-formed them and made them into “tasters.”  Everybody likes to taste your baking!

7.  Place on ungreased cookie sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 F or until lightly browned, a little longer if you prefer crispier cookies.  For added decadence, you can sprinkle a tiny bit of sugar onto the top of each cookie before baking.  I used vanilla sugar and the result was amazing!

8.  Store in an airtight container.  They keep well for about a week.

Rhubarb Walnut Cake

Mmmm,  just in time for spring.  You’ve got all that rhubarb coming up in your garden (or the grocery store!), and here’s the perfect recipe to utilize it.  So moist, and the tangy rhubarb contrasts well with the sweet sugary-nutty topping.  Either the people I work with are really really nice, or this cake is amazing – I think it’s both!  Thanks guys!

What you need:

1/2 cup butter

1 & 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 egg

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup plain yogurt (not no-fat)

1 &1/2 cups rhubarb, cut into 1 cm chunks

for the topping:

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

What you do:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F.

2.  Cream butter and brown sugar, then blend in egg.

3.  Sift together flour, baking soda and salt.

4.  Mix one-third of the flour mixture into the butter mixture by hand.

5.  Add half the yogurt and mix until just incorporated.

6.  Mix in one-third more of the flour, then the rest of the yogurt, then the rest of the flour.  Mix until just combined or it will make a tough cake!

7.  Add rhubarb, then pour into a buttered 9 x 13 inch pan, smoothing the top a little.

8.  For the topping: melt the butter, then stir in white sugar, cinnamon, cardamom and walnuts.  Spread this mixture over the top of the cake.

9.  Bake for around 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

10.  Enjoy!

rhubarb block print

Vanilla-Rum Cake

Everybody who has tried this moist vanilla-rum cake has loved it.  I keep meaning to freeze one loaf for later, but I like to give the people what they want, and more of this cake is what they want!

What you need:

For the cake:

  • 1 cup butter
  • 2 & 2/3 cups flour
  • 2 & 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 & 1/3 cups sugar
  • 6 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 & 1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup whipping cream
  • 2 & 1/2 tablespoons dark rum

For the syrup:

  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup dark rum

What you do:

1.  Melt the butter and let it cool.

2.  Preheat the oven to 350F, then line the bottoms of two loaf pans with parchment paper. (wax paper works in a pinch)

3.  In one bowl stir together the flour, baking powder and salt.

4.  In another larger bowl measure the sugar.  Mix eggs in one at a time with a whisk.  Mix in vanilla extract, cream and rum.

5.  Add half the flour mixture and stir until just blended, then mix in half of the cooled (but still liquid) butter. Mix in the other half of the flour, then the butter just until it comes together with no lumps and no runny areas.

7.  Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pans, then place the pans on a baking sheet.

8.  Bake for 50 minutes, then have a look to make sure there’s no wobble to the cake. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the centre; it should come out clean. If it is not done, bake for another 5 minutes and check again.

9.  Cool for 5 minutes, then run a sharp knife around the edge to loosen the cakes.  Invert the pans, but then place the cakes so their tops are facing up.

10.  While the cakes are cooling stir the water and sugar in a pot and bring to a boil.  Take off the heat and stir in the rum.

11.  Poke holes through the cakes while it is still warm, with a sharp knife or skewer.  Brush the cakes with the rum syrup until all the syrup has been absorbed.

12.  When the cake has cooled, slice and enjoy!

Yes, this cake has lots of butter and sugar in it – but it’s cake!  I see recipes for whole wheat brownies and prune-based cakes, and maybe they taste great.  But if figure: If you want a diet dessert, eat some fruit.  Or just eat a piece of cake, savour it, and make sure you’re eating a balanced diet.

My Best Biscotti – even Oma loves them

This is one of my alltime most popular recipes, and I am honoured that even my Oma adores them, as I have adored so much of her baking.

These biscotti don’t need to be dunked, as they are crispy and easy to bite on their own.  You can dunk them if you want to, or enjoy the flavour on it’s own.

You need:

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon anise liquor OR 1 teaspoon anise extract

2 cups + 2 tablespoons white flour

1  1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate

1 tablespoon anise seeds, toasted

What to do:

1. Toast anise seeds in a frying pan, then crush with a mortar and pestle.  If you choose not to do this, then add ground anise or fennel seeds.

2. Toast almond slivers in a frying pan until slightly browned and allow to cool.  They are easy to burn, so watch carefully – I usually keep them on low while I start making the cookie dough.

3. Cream the butter, then add sugar, then eggs one at a time and beat until fluffy.  Beat in vanilla and anise liquor.

4. Combine dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until just incorporated.  Add chocolate and nuts and stir until just combined.

5. Divide the dough into two pieces.  With floured hands form into two logs on a baking sheet.  Bake at 325F for 25-30 minutes.

6. Slice the baked rolls diagonally and place on a baking sheet.  Lower the oven to 300F and bake for 10-15 minutes, until slightly browned.  Turn over and bake for another 10-15, until that side is also slightly browned.

7. Place on cooling racks, then package and give to people you love or are trying to impress.   They keep for quite a long time – which is why they were invented in the first place.  Of course, they are the best right off the cooing rack, so don’t forget to enjoy one.  Or two.