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Come Party With Me: Pumpkin Carving - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:15:04 -0700

Along with a hearty Fall meal, at my annual pumpkin carving party, I like to serve a pumpkin themed dessert.

In the past I've done ice cream sandwiches and pumpkin bars, but this year I've been all about cakes, so I'll be whipping up a relatively easy pumpkin cake.

The batter is seasoned with orange zest and the frosting is a decadent blend of caramel and cream cheese.

The resulting cake is festive and seasonal and can be made several days before the party. To take a look at the recipe I plan on using, keep reading.

Cupcakes So Good They'll Make You Hum

partysugar — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 10:30:10 -0700

Last week my sister hosted a Summer cocktail party that doubled as a birthday celebration for two friends. Since I've been known to make birthday cakes in the past, she asked me if I could do two cakes for the party. Immediately I began to worry: baking and assembling two cakes requires a lot of time. Just as I was starting to panic, I remembered the ingenious invention that is the cupcake! Each birthday girl could get her own minicake topped with a candle. Inspired by our slideshow of unconventional cupcake recipes, I decided to make hummingbird cupcakes. A native to the South, hummingbird cake is a cream cheese-frosted white cake with crushed pineapple, coconut, mashed bananas, and walnuts mixed into the batter. It's sweet, moist, fruity, crunchy, creamy, and divine - quite simply, it's everything you want in a cupcake. Although the pineapple topping is extra work, it's worth it. The cupcakes wouldn't be the same without the feathery juicy dried pineapple. To take a look at the recipe I used, read more.

Hummingbird Cupcakes
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 large)
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup coconut flakes
Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe below
Dried Pineapple Flowers, recipe below

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in center. Line cupcake pan with paper liners; set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, vanilla, and sugar until combined, about 2 minutes.
Add eggs one at a time, incorporating each before adding the next. Beat at medium speed until mixture is pale yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
In a medium bowl, stir together banana, pineapple, walnuts, and coconut. Add to egg mixture, mixing until combined. Stir in flour mixture.
Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about 2/3 full. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 28 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cupcakes have cooled, use a small offset spatula to frost tops of each cupcake. Decorate with dried pineapple flowers, if desired. Serve at room temperature.

Makes 24 cupcakes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and vanilla until light and creamy, about 2 minutes.
With mixer on medium speed, gradually add butter, beating until incorporated.
Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add sugar, beating until incorporated. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before using.

Makes 3 cups.

Dried Pineapple Flowers

2 large or 4 small pineapples, peeled

Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Line two baking sheets with nonstick baking mats or parchment paper.
Using a small melon baller, remove and discard all pineapple skin.
Using a sharp knife, cut pineapple crosswise into very thin slices. Transfer slices to baking sheets.
Bake until tops look dried, about 30 minutes. Flip slices; bake until completely dried, 25 to 30 minutes more. Pinch center of each pineapple slice to shape into a cone, and let cool in a clean egg carton to form flowers. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days.

Makes about 2 dozen.

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Coconut Cake Is a Spectacular Finish to Any Meal

partysugar — Sat, 16 May 2009 08:00:57 -0700

I love coconut cake. With its moist pudding-like cake layers, thick fruity filling, smooth cream cheese frosting, and crunchy toasted coconut flakes, it's a wildly scrumptious dessert. A cake like this doesn't magically appear; it takes time to make, but the final result, a sublimely fluffy, crowd-pleasing confection, is worth the effort. While there are many variations, this one with a guava curd filling is my current favorite - I've made it twice within the past month! First for a birthday party and then for a barbecue, but on both occasions, the cake was quickly devoured. To impress your friends with this marvelous coconut cake, check out the recipe and read more.

Coconut Cake
Modified from Food and Wine and Martha Stewart

Ingredients

For the cake
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups unsweetened coconut milk
3/4 cup water
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
6 egg whites
For the filling
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup passion fruit or guava nectar or puree*
4 egg yolks
vanilla bean-split, seeds scraped
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
For the topping
2 cups large, unsweetened dried coconut flakes
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 pound (4 cups) confectioners' sugar, sifted
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°. Line the bottom of three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt at low speed.
Mix in the butter, coconut milk, water and vanilla until combined. Scrape down the bowl and beat at high speed until very smooth, 2 minutes.
In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, 2 minutes. Fold half of the egg whites into the batter until incorporated, then fold in the remaining whites until no streaks remain.
Divide the batter among the cake pans. Bake for about 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans on a rack for 15 minutes, then invert them and let cool completely, about 2 hours.
Meanwhile, make the filling: In a saucepan, whisk the sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in the passion fruit nectar, egg yolks and vanilla seeds and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until thick, 6 minutes. Remove from the heat; whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until incorporated. Scrape the filling into a glass bowl, press a sheet of plastic wrap on the surface and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.
Set one layer on a cake plate. Spread with 1/2 of the filling. Top with another cake layer and the remaining filling. Cover with the third and final layer of cake. Refrigerate until firm, 1 hour.
Meanwhile, make the topping: Spread the coconut on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes, stirring once, until lightly toasted. Let cool.
Beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, and then vanilla; mix until smooth.
Frost the top and side of the cake and coat with the coconut. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

Serves 8-12.

*The original recipe in Food & Wine calls for passion fruit nectar, but I could not find it anywhere so I substituted guava nectar.

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Name That Dish!

YumSugar — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 16:15:40 -0800

This Southern dessert, with its red interior, is perfect for Valentine's Day. Do you know what it's called?

Reader Recipe: Hummingbird Cake

YumSugar — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 15:00:39 -0800

Since a few of my friends have birthdays in February, I've been browsing all over the web in search of a birthday cake that fits my mood. I found it, of course, right underneath my nose in the Kitchen Goddess group. TeamSugar regular celebrity_soup took a hiatus from posting recipes, but has been back and on a cake-making frenzy, as demonstrated by her delectable desserts. Case in point: This opulent hummingbird cake, which I've definitely added to my birthday cake list. To see the recipe, read more.

Submitted by TeamSugar member celebrity_soup.

Hummingbird Cake
Paula Deen

Hey everybody!
It's been a while since I've been active on the Sugar network.
Time just passed fast and things got busy in my life, school being the main thing.
I'm really looking forward to being that nerdy cook I was and to share my recipes with you guys.
I'll be starting out slow, every week an old recipe I haven't posted and from there, new things and more cooking!
I made this cake for my friends birthday back in May. Everyone was blown away by how good it was, it finished in minutes!

Ingredients

For the cake:

Nonstick vegetable spray
All-purpose flour, for pans
3 cups self-rising flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
2 very ripe large bananas, mashed
1 (8-ounce) crushed pineapple, with juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 large eggs, beaten

For the frosting:
1 pound (1 box) confectioners' sugar
1 (8-ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk, or more if needed
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray and flour three 8-by-2-inch round cake pans, tapping out excess flour; set aside.
Prepare the cake; in a large bowl, stir to combine self-rising flour, sugar, oil, pecans, bananas, pineapple, vanilla, cinnamon, and eggs.
Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, smoothing with an offset spatula. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until the tops spring back when gently pressed with your fingertips, 26 to 28 minutes.
Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto wire rack. Reinvert cakes and let them cool completely, top sides up.
Prepare the frosting; in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine sugar, cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon milk on medium speed until frosting is smooth. If needed, add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, to achieve the proper spreading consistency.
Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes to make level. Place four strips of parchment paper around perimeter of a serving plate or lazy Susan. Place the first layer on the cake plate. Spread the top of the first layer with 1/4 of the frosting. Place the second layer on top and repeat process with another 1/4 of the frosting. Place the remaining layer on top of the second layer bottom side up. Spread entire cake with remaining frosting. Sprinkle the top with pecans. Remove parchment paper strips; refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Have Your Cake and Beet It Too

YumSugar — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:00:06 -0700

While looking through Gorgeous Cakes over the weekend, I found the perfect Fall cake recipe that included one of my favorite root vegetables, beets. I love roasted beets in a salads, so why not experiment with them in baking?The uncooked batter has a stunning magenta color that's unfortunately lost once baked. However, it turns to a lovely, golden-colored cake with delicious red speckles throughout.

The combination of beets and roasted hazelnuts results in a hearty cake with a delightfully light and airy texture. For extra zip, I added ruby red grapefruit zest to the luscious cream cheese frosting. To see the spectacular color of the batter and start baking your own cupcakes with this vegetable, read more.

Beet Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting
Adapted from Gorgeous Cakes by Annie Bell

Ingredients

For the Cake
5 ounces raw beet, peeled and shredded (wear gloves and apron while shredding)
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 medium eggs, separated
3 tablespoons 1 percent milk
1 cup roasted hazelnuts, chopped
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
For the Frosting
2 teaspoon beets, shredded
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cup powdered sugar, sifted
2 cups lowfat cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ruby red grapefruit zest

Directions

Preheat the oven 350°F. Place the hazelnuts on a cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. Be sure to check the hazelnuts frequently to ensure they do not burn. Once roasted place nuts on a kitchen towel. Cover the nuts with half of the kitchen towel and gently roll back and forth to remove the skins. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Beat oil and sugar in large bowl, then beat in egg yolks and milk.
Fold in beets and hazelnuts. Sift flour and baking powder together and stir into the batter. Add spices.
Using a clean bowl and beater beat the egg whites until they are stiff and fold them into the batter in three stages.
Fill cupcake liners and bake for 18-22 minutes or until an inserted knife or skewer comes out clean.
For the frosting, cream butter, and powdered sugar using a hand mixer. Blend in the cream cheese, vanilla, and grapefruit zest until smooth.
Place the 2 teaspoons of shredded beets in a cup with 2 teaspoons of boiling water. Let sit for a couple of minutes. The red liquid can be added to the frosting to make pink frosting without the aid of food coloring.
Frost the cupcakes once cooled completely and enjoy.

Makes 18 cupcakes.

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Come Party With Me: Hoedown - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:00:59 -0700

After a heavy meal of hearty cowboy fare, treat guests at a hoedown to something sweet, seasonal, and bite sized. Pumpkin whoopie pies are the perfect no-mess, nostalgic dessert. These soft, chewy pies are filled with a thick layer of smooth cream cheese frosting. They can be made in advance and require no serving utensils making them ideal for a large party. Pumpkin whoopie pies are also delicious at a bake sale or as a Fall-themed snack. Learn how to make them and read more.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
From Everyday With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, 1 stick melted, 1/2 stick softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup canned pure pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon plus 2 pinches salt
1 2/3 cups flour
4 ounces cream cheese, chilled
1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth.
Whisk in the eggs, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon vanilla, the baking powder, the baking soda and 3/4 teaspoon salt.
Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour.
Using an ice cream scoop or tablespoon, drop 12 generous mounds of batter, spaced evenly, onto each baking sheet.
Bake until springy to the touch, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter with the cream cheese. Add the confectioners' sugar and the remaining 2 pinches salt and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; mix on low speed until blended, then beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Spread the flat side of 12 cakes with the cream cheese frosting. Top each with another cake.

Makes 12 whoopie pies.

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Dark Chocolate and Red Velvet Make a Scrumptious Sandwich

YumSugar — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:15:02 -0700

I celebrated the season premiere of True Blood this weekend with a southern classic: red velvet cake. Rather than make a layered cake, I opted to try a cookie variation. Traditionally the cake is iced with a vanilla cream cheese frosting; however, I was in the mood for something more decadent and concocted a dark chocolate cream cheese frosting. In addition to the sinful filling, to add a little crunch I sprinkled each cookie sandwich with roasted hazelnuts. The cookies are simple to make, but take into account that they spread, so avoid overcrowding the baking sheet. Don't feel limited to cream cheese frosting filling; a variety of ice creams would be a delectable Summer treat. I definitely want to make these again to celebrate the Fourth of July - the color is perfect! Whether you make them now or later, you'll need the recipe. Get it when you read more.

Red Velvet Cookies With Dark Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting and Roasted Hazelnuts
Adapted from Paula Deen

Ingredients

Cookies
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons buttermilk
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon red food coloring
Dark Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups roughly chopped dark chocolate (72% cocoa)
2 squares of baking chocolate
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup roasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.
Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time.
Then beat in the buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla and red food coloring.
Once combined, add the dry ingredients to wet. Mix until thoroughly combined.
Onto a parchment lined sheet tray, drop batter using an ice cream scoop, forming 2-inch round circles.
Bake for 10 minutes, until baked through. Cookies should be cake-like and light. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the dark chocolate cream cheese frosting: Melt all of the chocolate in the microwave roughly 2-3 minutes stirring occasionally.
Let chocolate cool. Add cream cheese, vanilla and powdered sugar and beat on medium low until well combined.
Spread frosting evenly on a cookie. Top with hazelnuts and another cookie.

Makes 12-15 cookies.

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Come Party With Me: All Hallow's Eve - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:15:05 -0700

So you've just decided to host a Halloween party and you've got no time to plan. No matter. On Saturday afternoon, before you put on your costume, you can throw together some festive yet uncomplicated snacks and make these cupcakes. Shhh, don't tell anyone: the recipe uses a boxed yellow cake mix, meaning these mini cakes will be ready to bake in minutes. The addition of pumpkin pie spice and canned pumpkin puree, in combination with the smooth cream cheese frosting, will fool your guests into thinking you slaved for hours on these cupcakes. Garnish with a single piece of candy corn and get ready to celebrate! To check out the easy recipe, read more.

Pumpkin Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting
From Real Simple

Ingredients

1 18.5-ounce box yellow cake mix (plus the ingredients called for in the package directions)
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
2 8-ounce bars cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
24 pieces candy corn

Directions

Heat oven to 350° F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.
Prepare the cake mix as directed but with the following change: Add the pumpkin pie spice and substitute the can of pumpkin puree for the water called for in the package directions.
Divide the batter among the prepared muffin tins and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes. Let cool.
Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Spread on the cupcakes and top each with a piece of candy corn.

Makes 24 cupcakes.

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This Thanksgiving, Make Triple-Chocolate Pumpkin Pie!

partysugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:00:33 -0800

Although I can't deny the deliciousness of a slice of classic, cinnamon-laced pumpkin pie, in recent years, I've expanded my horizons to somewhat non-traditional Thanksgiving desserts. Pecan pie? Surprisingly easy, yet wildly delicious. Pumpkin meringue pie? An unexpected crowd-pleaser. Pumpkin cake with pecan brittle and whipped cream cheese frosting? Devoured in seconds. Triple chocolate pumpkin pie? Sign me up! When I came across this recipe, while browsing Martha Stewart's Thanksgiving central, I knew I had to try it. If you've made pumpkin pie in the past, you can master this. It's actually easier because the crust is made from graham crackers instead of a standard pastry dough. The resulting pie is dense and rich. Each bite is an experience of flavors: first you taste chocolate, then pumpkin, and finally the sweet crust. To take a look at the recipe, read more.

Triple-Chocolate Pumpkin Pie
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

For the graham cracker crust
2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs (about 16 crackers)
3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate (preferably 61 percent cacao), finely chopped
For the filling:
6 ounces semisweet chocolate (preferably 55 percent cacao), chopped
2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Ground cloves
1 ounce milk chocolate, melted

Directions

Make the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugars, salt, and cinnamon in bowl. Firmly press mixture into bottom and up sides of a deep, 9 1/2-inch pie dish. Bake until firm, 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove from oven, and sprinkle bittersweet chocolate over bottom of crust. Return to oven to melt chocolate, about 1 minute. Spread chocolate in a thin layer on bottom and up sides.
Let cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
Make the filling: In a large heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt semisweet chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat.
Mix pumpkin, milk, brown sugar, eggs, cornstarch, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and a pinch of cloves in a medium bowl. Whisk 1/3 pumpkin mixture into chocolate mixture. Whisk in remaining pumpkin mixture until completely incorporated.
Transfer pie dish to a rimmed baking sheet, and pour pumpkin mixture into crust. Bake until center is set but still a bit wobbly, 55 to 60 minutes. Let cool in pie dish on a wire rack.
Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 8 hours (preferably overnight). Before serving, drizzle melted milk chocolate on top. Serve immediately.

Serves 12.

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