Apple-Cream Cheese Bundt Cake

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This cake is pretty much the essence of fall. A moist spice-flavored cake with chunks of apples throughout, and a ribbon of sweetened cream cheese filling in the middle. When Tracey posted it last month for Baked by Rachel’s “An Apple A Day” event, my jaw literally dropped. I knew I had to make it immediately. I only had a 10-cup capacity Bundt pan though, and the recipe called for a 14 cup. I tried to make it using the 10-cup, scaling back the amount of cake and filling – but it just wasn’t right. Turns out the larger pans are harder to find than I though, luckily my mom came across one though – and I made the cake again. Sheer perfection!

And the praline frosting? I was thinking I wouldn’t like it – that it would be gritty. Wrong, on all counts! It was smooth and thick, and complemented the cake perfectly. Not to mention the gorgeous presentation it lended. Will definitely be making this one at least a couple times more before apple season is out! Enjoy!

Apple-Cream Cheese Bundt Cake

For the cream cheese filling:
1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cake:
1 cup finely chopped pecans (plus extra for garnish, optional)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups peeled and finely chopped apples (Gala, Honeycrisp, Rome)

For the praline frosting:
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 350º.

To prepare the filling: Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended and smooth. Add egg, flour, and vanilla; beat just until blended. Set aside.

Toast the pecans in the 350º oven for about 8 minutes, until fragrant.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, both sugars, the cinnamon, salt, baking soda, nutmeg and allspice together. Add the eggs, oil, applesauce and vanilla and mix with a rubber spatula until just until combined. Fold in the toasted pecans and chopped apples until evenly distributed.

Spoon two-thirds of apple mixture into a greased and floured 14-cup Bundt pan. Spoon cream cheese filling over apple mixture, leaving a 1-inch border around edges of pan. Swirl filling through apple mixture using a paring knife. Spoon remaining apple mixture over the filling.

Bake at 350º for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack, and cool completely (about 2 hours).

To make the praline frosting, bring 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and 3 Tbsp. milk to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly; boil 1 minute, whisking constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Gradually whisk in powdered sugar until smooth; stir gently 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture begins to cool and thickens slightly. Pour immediately over cooled cake.

Source: Southern Living, September 2011 via Tracey’s Culinary Adventures

Blackberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake

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There are few things in this world that are better than a slice of cake for your breakfast. Especially one like this – a moist yellow cake,  studded with plump blackberries, and topped off with a delicious buttery crumble infused with lime zest? You had me at cake.

Coffee cakes are a great option for any gathering really, be it brunch or as a dessert after dinner. I love the fact that it only uses a couple of bowls, making for super easy cleanup. It’s been a busy week around here; cupcake orders to fill, doctors appointments, field trips – but I was craving something sweet.

Happened across some gorgeous blackberries at the store, and remembered a coffee cake that the lovely Annie had posted a while back. Modified it a little using the blackberries, and it turned out gorgeous! If you’re looking for something special for your breakfast table this weekend, look no further. Have a good weekend, everyone!

Blackberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake

For the crumb topping:
½ cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp lime zest
4 tbsp. (2 oz.) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/2 cup sliced almonds

For the cake:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups fresh blackberries

Preheat the oven to 350? F.  Lightly grease and flour and 10-inch springform pan.  To make the crumb topping, combine the flour, sugar and lime zest in a small bowl and mix to combine. Pour in the melted butter and mash with a fork until the mixture is crumbly. Set aside.

To make the cake, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.  In a 2-cup measuring cupl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream and vanilla until well blended. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the liquid ingredients.  Fold together gently until evenly combined and no streaks remain, being careful not to over mix.  Pour the  the batter into the prepared pan in an even layer.  Dot the top of the batter with the blackberries. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the berries. Sprinkle sliced almonds over the crumble.

Bake until the topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 38-42 minutes.  Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes.  Remove the sides of the springform pan.  Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges.

Source: adapted from Williams-Sonoma, via Annie’s Eats

Pomegranate Margaritas

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With Fall finally here, some might want to tuck that bottle of tequila away in the back of the liquor cabinet – never to be seen, or heard from again until warmer months next year. Not in this house! Sure, I might make beer my beverage of choice for the winter months – but, a girl still needs a fruity mixed drink every now and again. My girlfriend visited Cape Cod over the summer, and came home raving about a pomegranate margarita she’d had on vacation, and begged me to come up with a recipe for her. So, here it is Michelle – only 3 months after you asked me!

I love the addition of the pomegranate juice. It adds such beautiful color, and flavor, and enough sweetness that no simple syrup or agave is necessary. When I start to see those bright, fuchsia balls of color in the produce departments around this time of year – I can’t help but get excited for the months ahead. Fall and Halloween, Thanksgiving, and then – Christmas. It’s just so much fun, in the kitchen and otherwise, to look forward to. I’m hoping these festive and fruity drinks make the weeks pass by a little faster, so that treasured time with friends and family will be here all the quicker! Have a great weekend, everyone.

Pomegranate Margaritas

4 oz tequila
2 oz orange liqueur
2 oz pomegranate juice
3 oz homemade margarita mix
salt or sugar for rim, optional
lime slices, for garnish
ice

Prepare two margarita glasses by covering the rim with salt or sugar, then filling with ice. Set aside.

Combine tequila, orange liquer, pomegranate juice, margarita mix, and a few cubes of ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake to combine. Strain margarita into prepared glasses. Garnish with slice of lime, if desired.

Classic Apple Pie

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September. At long last. Andrew started preschool last week, which was – hard. He did great though, and is really enjoying being in a classroom environment. His little brother and I miss him in those morning hours, but we’ve been enjoying having some time as just the two of us too. We went apple picking this week, to the local orchard up the street, Vessey’s. They’ve had a rough year – in January they lost the matriarch of the family, Mrs. Nancy. The woman could talk your ear off about apples, or anything else for that matter for hours, and had peony bushes the size of small homes.  She was a gem, and is truly missed by many folks here in our community. Then, to make matters worse – it seemed like every crop took a nosedive. Flooding got to strawberries and then the dryness and intense heat in July fried the peaches. This week they mentioned that the pumpkins aren’t looking too hot either, so keep your fingers crossed!

But, I’m happy to report that the apples looked great. It was still a little early for picking, so I’ll probably go back in a couple of weeks to get a couple of bushels to make applesauce with. We settled for a peck, and promptly went home and make this pie. I’ve made it several times now, and it always comes out great. Which, speaks volumes considering pies have never been my strong suit. So many apple pies are so cloyingly sweet and cinnamon-ey, and I love this recipe because it isn’t. Hints of cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg – and just enough sugar to make it sweet.  With a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top? What a perfect way to welcome fall!

Apple Pie

For the crust:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling out the dough
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch pieces nd chilled
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces and chilled
6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

For the pie:
2 pounds (4 -5) McIntosh apples
1 1/2 pounds (3-4) Granny Smith apples
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 recipe Double-Crust Pie Dough , bottom crust fit into pie plate
1 egg white, lightly beaten

Process the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined. Scatter the shortening over the top and process until the mixture has the texture of coarse sand, about 10 seconds. Scatter the butter pieces over the top and, using short pulses, process the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses. Transfer to a bowl.

Sprinkle 6 tablespoons of the ice water over the mixture. Stir and press the dough together, using a stiff rubber spatula until the dough sticks together. If the dough does not come together, stir in the remaining water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it does. Divide dough in half, and flatten into two 4-inch disks, and wrap individually in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or up to 2 days.

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat rimmed baking sheet and oven to 500°F.

Remove one piece of dough from refrigerator (if refrigerated longer than 1 hour, let stand at room temperature until malleable). Roll dough on lightly floured work surface or between two large sheets of plastic wrap to 12-inch disk. Transfer dough to pie plate by rolling dough around rolling pin and unrolling over 9 -inch pie plate. Working around circumference of pie plate, ease dough into pan corners by gently lifting dough edges with one hand while pressing around pan bottom with other hand. Leave dough that overhangs lip of plate in place. Refrigerate dough-lined pie plate.

Peel, core and cut apples into 1/4-inch slices and toss with lemon juice and zest. In a medium bowl, mix 3/4 cup sugar, flour, salt and spices. Toss dry ingredients with apples. Turn fruit mixture, including juices, into chilled pie shell and mound slightly in center.

Roll out second piece of dough to 12-inch disk and place over filling. Trim top and bottom edges to 1/2-inch beyond pan lip. Tuck this rim of dough underneath itself so that folded edge is flush with pan lip. Flute edging or press with fork tines to seal. Cut four slits on dough top. Brush egg white onto top of crust and sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.

Place pie on baking sheet and lower oven temperature to 425°F. Bake until top crust is golden, about 25 minutes. Rotate pie and reduce oven temperature to 375°F; continue baking until juices bubble and crust is deep golden brown, 30-35 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let cool for at least 4 hours before serving.

Source: The New Best Recipe by America’s Test Kitchen