Sunday, June 22, 2014

Ricotta Lemon Bundt Cake


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Lemon Ricotta Bundt Cake
Regular sized Bundt cake pan
Ingredients:
  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (6 Ounces)
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 15 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 ts lemon extract
  • 1/2 ts vanilla extract
  • zest of 1  organic lemon (save juice for glaze)
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2  ts baking powder
  • 1/2 ts baking soda
  • 1/2 ts salt

For The Lemon Glaze:
  • 1.5 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 TB fresh squeezed lemon juice
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a regular sized bundt or ring pan.
  2. In a large mixer bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the ricotta cheese and blend well. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each. Add the extracts and lemon zest and mix until fully combined.
  3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt.
  4. Add the dry ingredients in several smaller parts, mixing just until incorporated.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spoon as needed.
  6. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until the cake tester comes out clean.
  7. Let cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
    Cool completely.
  8. Whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth and thick.
  9. Drizzle the lemon glaze over the top of the cake.
  10. Let the glaze set for 30 minutes and then cut into wedges and serve.
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Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Baby Shower Cake


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Pink Swirl Cake
Cake:
  • 2 sticks of unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 2 cups of sugar
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon rum extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup 1% milk
  • 1/2 cups sugar, divided
  • 2/3 cups Nesquik strawberry milk mix
  • 6 tablespoons water
  • 2 TB strawberry jam
Glaze:
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup Nesquik strawberry milk mix
  • 1/4 cup 1% milk
Instructions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a bundt cake pan.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside.
  3. In a separate medium bowl combine 1/2 cup sugar, strawberry milk powder, and water, whisking until everything is combined and smooth.
  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, pour the melted butter and sugar in, and beat on medium high speed for a minute until butter and sugar are well blended. Add in vanilla, rum and almond extract and beat until combined. Then add the eggs in one at a time, mix well after each addition. Once all eggs are added beat mixture until batter is pale yellow.
  5. Turn the mixer to low and add the flour in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions and mixing just until blended.
  6. Scoop out 2 cups of the batter and add it to the strawberry milk mixture, whisking until the batter is pink and everything is combined.
  7. Using a large spoon, pour several scoops of the white cake batter in the the bundt pan. Then scoop one layer of of strawberry batter on top of the white batter. Keep going this way until all the batter is in the pan.
  8. Bake the cake for 65 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
  9. Cool cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert cake on to wire rack and cool completely.
  10. Stir all the ingredients of the glaze and drizzle over the cake.

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Hiking Peaked Mountain

We finally have a nice stretch of weather, all bets are off and summery things are done. With a spectacular view from Peaked Mountain (aka wrongly Chick Hill).