An Easy Lazy Day Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I have a split personality when it comes to cooking. Unlike a true foodie, I don't believe every morsel that I make for my family and friends has to take hours prepare or be made with only the finest and freshest of ingredients. I love to cook for those I love, and while I often spend hours in the kitchen, I don't feel that exhaustion is a measure of my affection for the folks who gather at my table. I guess that's how it happens that a kitchen that produces Veal Prince Orloff and has pressed a duck or two is also known for its Chili Mac. The recipe I'm featuring tonight is for a simple, old-fashioned snack cake that's topped with a coconut glaze. It is not meant for foodies. It's a lovely little cake that is inexpensive and almost effortless to make, but I must warn those of you who favor barely sweet desserts, that this one will send you into sugar shock. It really is meant for those who have a sweet tooth, a really sweet tooth. The are no tricks to making this cake, but I do want to remind you that this type of topping can burn in an instant, so please keep your eye on the cake when you put it under the broiler. I'm told that the cake is a good keeper, but I can;t speak to that as I've never had leftovers to deal with. I do hope that those of you who like sweet desserts you'll give this recipe a try. Here is how the cake is made. 

Pumpkin-Gingerbread Cake with Streusel Topping

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Hints of fall are just starting to appear here. While the leaves have yet to drop, they are beginning to fade as the once emerald landscape moves towards shades of khaki and olive green. This morning, the mist which normally hovers over the ridgeline refused to lift and we spent most of the day under a cloud cover that never did burn off. Squash and wild mushrooms have edged out berries and tomatoes in our markets and while corn is still available, the fields still standing will soon be cut and sculpted for  mazes that are a sure sign that  Halloween is just around the bend.  I love the kitchen at this time of year. There is something wonderfully comforting about the aromas that come from the fall kitchen and the smell of cinnamon dusted apples could put  Proust's madeleines to shame. The early apples are not great for baking, so the first of the desserts to come from my kitchen at this time of year  are usually made with pumpkin. This simple cake is one of my favorites. It is mildly spiced and made wonderfully moist by the pumpkin that is added to the cake batter. When I make this for my family, I like to serve it warm with a drizzle of butterscotch or caramel syrup. I have found, however, that this is also a wonderful cake to tote to meetings and church suppers where a sprinkling of powdered sugar is all that is needed to make it a standout. I know those of you who try this cake will be delighted. Here is how it is made.

Pumpkin-Gingerbread Cake with Streusel Topping...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Land O' Lakes Recipes

Ingredients:
Streusel
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
2 tablespoons cold butter Butter
Cake
1-1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup full flavor (dark) molasses
2 eggs
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Topping
1 cup caramel ice cream topping, heated

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
2) Combine all streusel ingredients except butter in small bowl; cut in 2 tablespoons butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
3) Combine sugar and 1/2 cup butter in large bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add all remaining cake ingredients. Beat until well mixed.
4) Pour cake batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle evenly with streusel. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
5) Serve cake warm or cool with ice cream topping. Yield: 16 servings.

If you have enjoyed your visit here, I hope you'll take a minute to...

      

One Year Ago Today: Pumpkin Pancakes with Cinnamon Brown Butter

Two Years Ago Today: Uppakra - Swedish Potato Cookies

Three Years Ago Today: Green Tomato Mincemeat

Four Years Ago Today: Balsamic Onion Marmalade

Sour Cherry Crumb Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Fruits and berries that are grown in our area are late to market this year. Local strawberries began to appear in farm stands and green markets about 2 weeks ago, but they are still not prime. Each year, I play my own version of Russian roulette, and, to insure the most intense flavor, I postpone buying flats of them for as long as I possibly can. A few years back, I outsmarted myself and we ended up with no berries at all for the freezer or canning kettle. I must be a gambler at heart, because I've postponed going long in berries again this year. The upside to all of this is, that while I'm waiting for strawberries, I've been working on recipes that use sweet or sour cherries. Now, in keeping with my policy of complete disclosure, I must tell you these are not Oregon cherries. They are imported from Washington state to fill market shelves, and, while they are immigrants, they are especially delicious this year. The simple snack cake that I'm featuring today comes from a recipe I've adapted from Martha Stewart's website. The cake is really easy to make and the cherries give it a unique flavor. While I serve this for brunch, it would be a great cake for morning meetings where you would like to serve something new. The cake can be made with fresh or frozen berries. If you use frozen berries, they must be defrosted and drained before they are added to the cake batter. This is a great dessert for those who like their treats barely sweet. Here's the recipe.

Sour Cherry Crumb Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
Topping
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for dish
1/3 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dish
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cake
1 -1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 cups (1 pound) fresh sour cherries, pitted

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square baking dish, and dust with flour, tapping out excess.
2) To make topping: Stir together butter, flour, sugars, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
3) To make cakes: Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. With a mixer, cream butter and granulated sugar in another bowl until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla and almond extract. Working in alternating batches, add flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat until just combined. Pour into prepared pan, and smooth with an offset spatula. Dot top with cherries, and sprinkle with crumb topping. Bake until golden and a tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool before cutting. Yield: 9 servings.

Cook's Note: Frozen cherries, thawed and drained, may be substituted for fresh cherries.









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Strawberry Coffee Cake - Shih's Cooking
Raspberry Buckle - The Farmer's Wife