Pineapple Upside Down Cake Revisited

Tradition.  I don't have a lot of traditions but having Pineapple Upside Down Cake for my birthday is one of them.  Here is my next attempt at finding the perfect recipe.  It is moist and is insanely easy to make.  This is the best contender today and is a beautiful looking cake.

Adapted from http://www.averiecooks.com/2014/03/the-best-pineapple-upside-down-cake.html/print

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

one 20-ounce can pineapple slices

about 12 maraschino cherries

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch salt, optional and to taste

1 large egg

1/2 cup buttermilk 

1/3 cup cherry noosa yogurt

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/4 teaspoon cherry extract

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350F. In a small,  microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.Pour the butter into a 9-inch cake pan Use your finger to run a bit of butter around the side of the pan so it's well-greased.Evenly sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter.Add 1 whole pineapple slice to the center of the pan.Halve the remaining slices vertically. Stagger them in a fan-like fashion going around the cake. I used 12 slices. Place the remaining slices around the sides of the cake pan with the curved side pointing down toward the bottom of the pan (see photos for reference). There will likely be bare side patches with no pineapple coverage, that's okay.Place 1 cherry in the center of the whole pineapple slice in the middle of the pan. Place 1 cherry in the center cutout of all the fanned pineapple slices; set pan aside.In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, optional salt; set aside.In a separate small bowl, whisk together the remaining wet ingredients (through extracts). Add the wet mixture to the dry, mixing lightly with a spoon or folding with a spatula until just combined. Small lumps will be present, don't overmix or try to stir them smooth.Gently turn batter out into prepared pan, being careful to not disturb the pineapple slices on the sides or bottom. Fill pan only to about 3/4-full. If you have a little extra batter, discard it rather than overfilling your pan.Place pan on a cookie sheet (to catch anything that does overflow) and bake for about 40 minutes, or until center is set and not jiggly, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Only go down about 1-inch with the toothpick, not all the way to the bottom where you'll hit gooey pineapple juice.Place pan on a wire rack and allow cake to cool for at least 30 minutes before inverting, slicing, and serving. I allowed cake to cool overnight, covered with a sheet of foil, before inverting. Cake will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Eggnog Cookies

It is the holiday season and that means it is time for baking.  I love baking and trying new recipes each year.  I have been on an eggnog kick and these seemed like a great way to use up some of the extra nog sitting in my fridge.  These cookies are soft little pillows and remind me of snuggling next to a fire while it is snowing outside.

Adapted from Chef in Training

Cookie Ingredients
3/4 cup butter softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 egg yolks room temperature
1/2 cup eggnog room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon salt

Frosting Ingredients

1/2 cup butter softened
3 cups powdered sugar
5 Tablespoons eggnog
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cardamom

Cookie Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease cookies sheet or put a silpat on cookie sheet
3. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until combined and fluffy
4. Add room temperature eggs, eggnog, and vanilla and mix until fully combined.
5. Slowly add remaining dry cookie ingredients and mix until combined
6.  Use a cookie scoop and roll into balls.  Place on cookie sheet.  These do not spread out.  I pressed down on the cookies to make them look more like hockey pucks.
7.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  These cookies do not brown.  Pull them out anyways.

Frosting Instructions
1.  Cream butter with a mixer until smooth.
2. Add powdered sugar until combined.
3.  Add remaining ingredients and beat until smooth.
4.  Once cookies are cooled, frost cookies. You can also sprinkle nutmeg or cinnamon on top of the frosting for decoration.

*Note: Don't stack these cookies as the frosting doesn't set hard. 

Holiday Fudge

Every year I make baked goods for the holiday season.  I love that this is an easy recipe that you can make for parties and to give neighbors.  I really like that this recipe can easily be changed up by using different types of chips.  I especially like using cinnamon chips or butterscotch.  You could easily make a peanut butter fudge or mint fudge.  The possibilities are endless.

1 can Sweetened Condensed milk (14 ounces)
2 cups (1 12 ounce bag) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions


Butter a square pan and line with parchment paper for easy removal of set fudge. Set aside.
In a microwave safe 2 quart bowl, heat chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk, on high for 1 minute. Remove from microwave. Let sit for 1 minute, then stir to combine. If needed, heat an additional 30 seconds. Stir until chips are completely melted and chocolate is smooth.
Stir in vanilla extract. Pour fudge into prepared pan. Let fudge cool completely before cutting into 1 inch squares. (you can place in the refrigerator for 1 hour to speed up the process.)
Store in an airtight container. Fudge does not need to be kept refrigerated.

recipe from http://chocolatechocolateandmore.com/3-minute-fudge/

Peanut Butter Cup Cake

I made this cake for Matt's 30 Birthday.  It was moist and insanely rich.  If you have someone in your life that likes peanut butter this is one to make.

YIELD: MAKES TWO 9-INCH LAYERS OR THREE 8-INCH LAYERS


CAKE INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (13 ounces, 368 grams)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 2 1/4 cups cake flour, lightly measured (9 ounces, 255 grams), see note for high altitude adjustments
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (see note)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk (1% or above), room temperature
• 1/2 cup sour cream (light or regular), room temperature
DIRECTIONS
1. To prep, whisk together the milk and sour cream together in a liquid measure and let come to room temperature.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and make sure an oven rack is placed in the middle of the oven.
3. In a large bowl of an electric stand mixer or with a handheld electric mixer, whip the butter on medium speed for 1-2 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and beat for 4-5 minutes on medium speed. Mix in the vanilla.
4. One at a time, add the eggs and egg yolks, mixing just until combined in between additions. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
5. Combine the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Sift them together through a fine mesh strainer.
6. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix just until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add 1/2 of the milk/sour cream mixture and mix. Add another 1/3 of the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Add the last 1/2 of the milk/sour cream mixture and beat until just combined. Add the final 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix just until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Give the batter one good, final stir with the rubber spatula.
7. Grease the cake pans and line the bottoms with a parchment round. Grease the parchment and sides of the pan again very well. I use regular cooking spray but you can also use butter or cooking spray with flour. If your cake pans tend to cause sticking, consider also flouring the pans.
8. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Drop each pan from about 3-inches onto the counter to minimize air bubbles while baking.
9. Bake for 25-28 minutes (high altitude: 28-30 minutes) until lightly golden around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs. Resist the urge to open and close the oven to check on the cake - this can cause the center of the cake to fall and never recover. And as with all cakes, don't overbake or the cake will be dry.
10. Let the cakes rest in the pans for 5-10 minutes before gently turning them onto a cooling rack to cool completely.


Peanut Butter Frosting
2 c powdered sugar
2 c creamy peanut butter
10 tblsp unsalt butter at room temp
1 ½ tsp vanilla
½ tsp kosher salt
2/3 c heavy cream
Place powerded sugar, pb, butter, vanilla and salt in mixer with baddle attachment.  Mix on med to low until creamy.  Add heavy cream and beat on high until light and smooth

Chocolate Ganaches
9 ox semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
¾ c heavy cream

Place chocolate in 4 c measuring cup and set aside.  Place cream in saucepan over meadium heat and warm  until it just comes to a boil.  Pour cream over the chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes.  Begin whisking the mix in the center and work outward until it is completely smooth.  Set aside to cool, whisking occasionally until it has thinkened  and pourable.

Assembly
Bake cake, cool cake, frost with peanut butter frosting, drizzle ganash, put peanut butter cups on top, put in fridge, take out 20 minutes before serving

30 mini peanut butter cups

http://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/brown-eyed-baker-a-food-cooking-blog-741220?blog=741220&post=2552316885&viewer=true
http://www.melskitchencafe.com/perfected-yellow-cake/

CARAMEL APPLE SHEET CAKE

This sheet cake is an amazing and gooey.  I really  enjoyed eating this cake.  It is a cake to make for a large group as the cake is so moist that it doesn't last long.

recipe adapted from chef-in-training.com

INGREDIENTS
2 cups flour plus 2 Tablespoons flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup butter
1 cup water
½ cup shortening
½ cup buttermilk
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1/4 cup apple sauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups peeled and chopped green apples

Frosting
½ cup butter
6 Tablespoons milk
3½ cups powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
⅛ cup caramel sauce (I use caramel ice cream topping)

INSTRUCTIONS
In a large mixing bowl, measure flour, sugar and cinnamon and stir to combine. Set aside.
In medium sauce pan combine butter, water, and shorting. Bring to a boil. After mixture reaches a boil add it to the flour mixture and stir to combine. Add buttermilk, then baking soda, egg, apple sause, then vanilla in that order, mixing in between each addition. Stir in apples.
Pour into a inch greased jelly roll pan.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes. Let cool for about 10-15 minutes.
While cake is cooling, make frosting by combining butter, and milk in a medium mixing bowl. Microwave until butter is melted. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and caramel sauce and stir until smooth. Pour frosting evenly over cooled cake.