Archives for category: cake

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake…

August 14, 2012 //
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Ok… weddin’ and honeymoon are over, so back to business!!! It is a weird feeling that I have time to actually think about something other than dresses, decor, menus, signature cocktails, music, etc. Its time to start focusing on something else and get our life back to normal. Being back in the kitchen is just what I need. We also received so many amazing kitchen related wedding gifts from our generous friends and family that I just can’t wait to use it all and serve you all up cute things!!!

My bestest friend out here is moving to another country in a few weeks for love. While I am so very happy that he has found the man of his dreams (he is just so wonderful), Mike, Luna, and I are very sad. Not only are Mike and I losing our best bud, Luna is also losing hers as he will be taking his pup Yuma with him. Luna grew up with Yuma and I just know she will be lost without her best girl. Not only are we gonna miss our pal, he also helped us out so much with the wedding that I wanted to do something extra special for him so we rewarded his tummy. Generally he requests cake, but this time I thought I would change things up and surprise him with this Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake. It has been so hot here lately, that something tart and summery seemed perfect. I had never made a cheesecake before, well, unless you count Jello Cheesecake, and I was surprised I hadn’t as it was so easy and turned out great! You will definitely need to play with how long you bake it as I am sure it is different for every oven, but just ensure the top is a light brown color and you should be all good.

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake...

Crust:

  • 2 cups finely ground graham crackers (I think this would also be amazing with shortbread or vanilla wafers!)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

  • 1 pound cream cheese, 2 (8-ounce) blocks, softened
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 pint sour cream
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • 1 dash vanilla

Topping:

  • 1 pint blueberries
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • fresh mint and extra lemon zest for garnish

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

To make the crust, combine the ingredients in a mixing bowl with a fork until evenly moistened. Lightly coat the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the crumbs into the pan and, using the bottom of a measuring cup or your hands, evenly press the crumbs down into the bottom of the pan and 1-inch up the sides. Refrigerate for 5 minutes.

For the filling, beat the cream cheese on low speed for 1 minute until smooth and free of any lumps. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and continue to beat slowly until combined. Gradually add sugar and beat until creamy, for 1 to 2 minutes. Add sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Periodically scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters. The batter should be well-mixed but not over beaten. Pour the filling into the crust-lined pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

Set the cheesecake pan on a large piece of aluminum foil and fold up the sides around it. Place the cake pan in a large roasting pan. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until the water is about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan; the foil will keep the water from seeping into the cheesecake. This is important to make it bake evenly and for the cheesecake not to crack. Bake anywhere from 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. The cheesecake should be lightly browned on top but still jiggle. Don’t worry, it will firm up after chilling, so be careful not to overcook.

Turn of heat and let cool in pan in oven for around 30 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for at least 4 hours. Loosen the cheesecake from the sides of the pan by running a thin metal spatula or butter knife around the inside rim. Unmold and transfer to a cake plate.

To make the topping, in a small saucepan add all the ingredients and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes or so until the fruit begins to break down slightly. Leave to cool before spreading on cheesecake. I actually put it in a jar in the fridge until a couple of hours before I served the cheesecake which was nice as it thickened up as it sat. Spread topping evenly on cake and garnish with fresh lemon zest and a sprig of mint. Slice the cheesecake with a thin, non-serrated knife that has been dipped in hot water. It can get messy, so wipe dry after each cut. Yummmmmmm-yyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!

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Categories baked goods, cake, cheese, dessert, eggs, food and recipes, fruit, vegetarian

Creamy Roquefort Cheesecake with Peach Preserves and Pecans…

December 24, 2011 //
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Happy Christmas Eve, everyone!!! This weekend I am pretty bummed as it is my first Christmas not in the midwest with my family. I am missing them so much today. Christmas Eve has always been a tradition in my family and we have always went to my Grandma’s house to eat lots of food, drink, play games, and open gifts. I am definitely breaking tradition this year, but am happy to not be in the cold and excited about tomorrow being 78 degrees in LA! I am certain tonight will be fun. We are spending it with friends and drinking, eating lots of yummy appies, and hot tubbing. You heard me, hot tubbing!!! I made this appetizer, amongst a few others for this evening and cannot wait to get this party started. Hope you are all celebrating your traditions happily tonight or creating new ones like we are!!! Merry Christmas!

Roquefort Cheesecake with Peach Jam and Pecans:

  • 1/2 cup pecan or walnut halves
  • 2 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1 (8-oz.) package Roquefort cheese, chopped
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tsp. freshly cracked pepper
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 (11.5-oz.) jar peach preserves
  • Crackers, seedless red grapes, and assorted vegetables

Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.

Beat cream cheese, chopped Roquefort, sour cream, parsley, pepper, and chives at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended.

Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears after each addition; fold in flour. Spoon cheese mixture into a lightly greased 7-inch pan (could use a spring form pan if you have it, but I did not).

Bake at 325° for 1 hour or until set. Run a knife around outer edge of cheesecake to loosen from sides of pan. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 30 minutes. Cover and chill 8 hours.

If using a spring form pan, remove sides of it and transfer cheesecake to a platter, or you can leave in a pretty baking dish like I did.

Spoon jam over top (we used this peach rosemary jam that my friend Matty made for us, but any peach, pear, or even fig preserves will do); sprinkle with pecans. Serve with crackers, red grapes, and assorted vegetables.

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Categories appetizer, baked goods, cake, cheese, dinner, food and recipes, fruit, side dish, vegetarian

Crazy Good Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting…

December 9, 2011 //
4

Its a good friend of mine’s birthday today so I am in charge of making the cake for her get together this evening. She is a super- special old soul, so thought a good old fashioned carrot cake would be appropriate and is generally a crowd pleaser. I have never really made one before, so did some research and stumbled upon this cake recipe from Southern Living and spiced up Martha’s basic cream cheese icing recipe with some orange zest and juice. There are many steps to this, so feel free to omit the glaze and simplify the garnish. This is also a super fattening recipe, so I am sure you could substitute in some apple sauce for some of the oil, and use low fat or fat free cream cheese for the icing to help with calories. You know my motto, if you are gonna do it, do it up! I have personally never understood things like low-fat desserts, diet soda, or fat free cookies. Isn’t the point of “dieting” to make better choices? I would rather not eat those things regularly and splurge on something like this! But, what do I know? All I know is that I am really looking forward to sinking my teeth into this tonight! I hope the birthday girl is surprised!!! And I thought I couldn’t bake…Pssssht!

Crazy Good Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups grated carrot
  • 1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained
  • 3 1/2 oz. flaked coconut
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 and prep 3 (9-inch) round cake pans by lightly greasing and flouring or spraying with non-stick cooking spray . Set pans aside.

In a bowl, stir together flour. baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

Beat eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, buttermilk, and vanilla at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended.

Fold in carrot, pineapple, coconut, and walnuts. Pour batter into prepared cakepans.

Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Make buttermilk glaze.

 Buttermilk Glaze:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Bring sugar, baking soda, buttermilk, butter, corn syrup, and vanilla to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring often, 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.

Drizzle Buttermilk Glaze evenly over layers; cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

Make cream cheese frosting.

Orangey Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (2 blocks)
  • 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
  • 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • zest of 1 large orange
  • orange juice to taste (ensure you don’t add too much as it will thin out the frosting)

Place cream cheese in mixer. Gradually add butter, and continue beating until smooth and well blended. Sift in confectioners’ sugar, and continue beating until smooth. Add vanilla,orange zest, and juice. Stir to combine.

Line serving platter or cake plate with wax paper to keep it clean. Place first cake layer on it clean side down. Spread cream cheese frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Ensure when you place the top layer of the cake that it is clean side up as the side you poured the glaze on is super sticky and will make it difficult to frost the top cleanly.

Make candied carrot shavings.

Candied Carrot Shavings:

  • 1 large carrot (preferably fat) or 2 medium
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup sugar

Peel layers from carrot lengthwise on one side with peeler until you begin to get wide slices. Peel wide strips until you get about 15 (there will be a few extra).

Bring water and sugar to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Add wide carrot strips and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes. Strain through a sieve into a bowl, discarding syrup. Let stand 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 225°F with rack in middle.

Line a large baking sheet with nonstick liner, then arrange candied carrot slices flat in 1 layer on sheet. Bake until dry but still flexible, about 30 minutes. (Leave oven on.) Wind carrot strips, 1 at a time, around end of handle of a wooden spoon in a loose spiral, then slip off each curl and return, seam sides down, to lined baking sheet.

Return curls to oven to dry until crisp, 30 to 45 minutes more. Cool completely on baking sheet. Toss carrot curls in a bowl with a bit of fresh orange juice and granulated sugar.

Garnish cake with toasted walnuts and candied carrot shavings.

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Categories baked goods, cake, dessert, food and recipes, fruit, vegetarian
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