Polish Apple Raisin Cake

3 sticks butter (2 for the cake; one for the topping)
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 cups flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
3 cups apples, grated (2-3 apples, depending on size)
1-1/2 cups raisins (half for the cake and half for the topping)
1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts (half for the cake and half for the topping – and I like them toasted)
1/2 cup brown sugar (all for the topping—none in the cake)
For the cake

Grease and flour a large spring form pan.

Cream 2 sticks butter with 2 cups sugar, until light and pale.

Add the eggs, one at a time and mix until incorporated.

Add flour, cinnamon and baking soda and beat for about 3 minutes.

Fold in 2 cups apples, 3/4 cup raisins and 3/4 cup walnuts.

Bake in prepared springform pan at 350F for 1 to 1 hour and 15 minutes (toothpick should come out clean).

Cool cake completely before doing topping.
For the topping

Melt remaining stick of butter with 1/2 cup brown sugar.

Bring to a boil and then add the remaining raisins, 1 cup grated apple and remaining walnuts.

Turn down the heat and cook slowly until the raisins plump and the sauce begins to thicken.

With a wooden skewer, wooden knitting needle or the tines of a large fork, pierce the cake and then pour the sauce over the cake.

Allow to cool completely. As the sauce cools it begins to set up.

Serve with whipped cream (whipping cream, sugar to taste, and about 1 tsp. vanilla).

This is an amazing cake – it makes easily enough for a dozen servings!  The first time I made this cake I accidentally put all the grated apples into the batter and had to grate more apples for the topping – did not matter, amazing cake!  The second time I made this cake I added about half a bag of these Kraft caramel bits – OMG!!!! – so good, but have not been able to find these at my local markets again!

Don’t have time or it’s too hot to bake?  Check out the pies and cakes and cookies at Walter Knoll Florist!

Turtle Pecan Cheesecake anyone?

Angel Food Cake Recipe adapted from www.epicurious.com

1-1/2 cups egg whites (11 to 12 large eggs) room temperature (save 1 yolk for glaze)

1-1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar

1 cup sifted cake flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

a 10-inch tube pan (about 4 inches deep) with a removable bottom

Macerated Strawberries and Glaze

4 cups thinly sliced ripe strawberries

½ cup granulated sugar

Combine above strawberries and sugar and refrigerate overnight.

1 egg yolk

½ cup powdered sugar

For the Cake

Set oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.

Sift together powdered sugar, flour, and salt onto a sheet of wax paper.  Beat whites in mixer until frothy.

Add cream of tartar and beat at medium speed until they form soft peaks.  Add granulated sugar gradually, beating, and continue beating just until whites are thickened and form soft, droopy peaks. Beat in vanilla.

Sprinkle one fourth of sifted dry ingredients over whites and fold in with a rubber spatula gently but thoroughly. Fold in remaining dry ingredients, one third at a time. Gently pour batter evenly into ungreased tube pan and bake until top is light golden, cake retracts a bit from pan and springs back when touched lightly, and a tester comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.

Invert pan and cool cake completely. Place cake small end up on an over-sized plate.

Divide cake into 3 even-ish layers with serrated knife.   Arrange 1/3 of the macerated strawberries on the two inside layers of the cake. Sprinkle a bit of the juice on as well.

For the Glaze

Strain the remaining strawberries and mash with a fork or wooden spoon –

Beat the egg yolk with about 2 tablespoons of the strawberry juice and stir gently into the mashed berries – try not to make a lot of bubbles. Gradually and gently stir in sifted powdered sugar until consistency of lumpy gravy. Drizzle over cake. Top with any remaining strawberries.

I think I went a bit heavy on the drizzle and the glaze will probably not harden up – perhaps 2 tbl of the strawberry juice is too much also.  It’s delicious whether it hardens or not!

¾ c shortening
2-1/4 c granulated sugar
3 eggs
1-1/2 oz red food coloring
1-1/2 t vanilla
2 t cocoa
½ 2 salt
1-1/2 cup buttermilk
1-1/2 t baking soda
1-1/2 T vinegar
3-1/2 cups cake flour (sifted)

Grease two 9” cake pans, line bottoms with greased parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350F.

Sift together the flour and salt on a piece of waxed paper.

Make a loose paste of the food coloring, vanilla and cocoa.

In standing mixer, cream shortening and sugar until fluffy, add eggs all at once, beating to combine.
Add cocoa mixture. Alternately add buttermilk and sifted flour mixture (1/3 of the milk, then a 1/3 of the flour and so on, ending with flour)
Add baking soda to vinegar in separate bowl (it will foam up). Gently stir into cake batter.

Divide batter evenly into the two prepared pans.
Bake at 350 for approx 30 minutes (rotating pans at 15 minutes) or until toothpick comes out clean – be careful not to overbake – check at 25 minutes.

Allow to cool in pans on rack. Make cooked part of frosting while cakes are baking and set aside to cool or refrigerate)

FROSTING
4-1/2 T all purpose flour
1-1/2 c milk
1-1/2 c granulated sugar
1-1/2 c whipped butter (not stick butter) at room temp.
1-1/2 t vanilla

Cook flour and milk until thick, whisking constantly. This will only take a minute.

It will be the consistency of that gravy you get with biscuits. Remove to bowl and set aside to cool and then refrigerate.

Press plastic wrap on top of flour/milk mixture to avoid a skin on it.
Cream butter and sugar until very fluffy and sugar has dissolved – about 5 minutes.
Add vanilla and blend well.

Add cold cooked mixture and beat again until the icing is the consistency of whipped cream.

Toothpic trick to put layers back together evenly

As worth the calories as this cake is, I just had to give half to the neighbors!

I think next time I make this cake I’ll cut off the mounds on top for even layers – those mounds will be good snacking!
Happy Birthday Robin!

Want to send a zero calorie birthday cake? Walter Knoll Florist has just the cake for you!

The espresso powder adds a nice kick (if you know what I mean).

Cocoa Chiffon Cake

2/3 cup cocoa

1 tsp instant espresso powder (optional)

3/4 cup boiling water

7 eggs-separated

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1/4 cup sugar

1-1/2 cups un-sifted cake flour

1-1/2 cups sugar

1-1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Stir together cocoa and optional espresso and boiling water until smooth and set aside. Beat egg whites and cream of tarter until foamy, Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. In separate bowl combine flour, 1-1/2 cups sugar, baking soda and salt. Blend in oil, egg yolks, vanilla and reserved cocoa mixture until thoroughly blended. Gently fold in remaining egg whites. Pour batter into an un-greased 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 325 for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Invert until cool.

Place cake right side up on serving plate and spread with glaze while glaze is still warm.

Bittersweet Chocolate Glaze

4 oz best quality bittersweet chocolate

4 tbl unsalted butter

2 tbl corn syrup

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Melt chocolate with butter and whisk until smooth. Add corn syrup and vanilla and mix until smooth and shiny. Glaze cake with warm glaze, reheat if necessary to prolong fluidity.

If you like, you can double the glaze recipe and split the cake in 3 and add the chocolate glaze to the top of the bottom and middle layer and then glaze over the top after re-stacking.