A Kitchen Keeper Original - Cran-Apple Cream Cheese Pound Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...While we have another warm spell ahead of us, fall is here. Its first signs appeared in late August when the angle of the sun changed and we no longer had direct sunlight on our deck. Summer's passing caused a momentary sadness, but my nesting instinct kicked right in, and rather than mope, I headed out to stock fresh supplies of cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, cloves and allspice. I've been so busy that we missed the cranberry harvest in Bandon, but thanks to the u-pick orchards outside of town, I have apples and pears and sugar pumpkins in a quantity that would feed a small third world country. The cake I'm featuring tonight is a personal favorite and it will be made several more times before our rains begin in earnest. It is a pound-type cake, but it has a richness that eludes most cakes of its type. It is a moist, fragrant cake that has a fine crumb and texture that is velvety on the tongue. Save for the chopping, it has the added virtue of being simple to make. I do have one caution to share with you. Pan size is important here. Whatever pan you use, fill it no more than 2/3 full. You have been warned. I used a bundt pan tonight, but my preference is to use a long pullman loaf pan when I bake the cake. Unfortunately, my favorite pan is on loan this weekend and I had to make do with a 12 cup bundt pan and a small bread pan to hold overflow batter. The choice and my preference is aesthetic and has nothing to do with the taste of the finished cake. I prefer neat slices of equal size because I think it makes for a prettier presentation at the table. You may prefer to use a bundt pan. I do hope you'll make this one. It is drop dead delicious and will have your socks going up and down. Really! Here is how it's made.

Pumpkin Pudding

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've been known to joke that my house is always ready for company, except when it's not. A while back the phone rang at one of my most "not" moments and left me with about three hours to sanitize, beautify and cook for folks whose company we enjoy, but don't see often. In the midst of the ensuing chaos, a plan for an easy but festive meal came together. I fell back on my three fall P's of pork, potatoes and pumpkin. Years ago, I made an icebox cake that was always well received. While I had no time to make or set the cake portion of the dessert, I could make the filling and serve it as a creamy, almost mousse-like, pudding. I think you'll really like this one. It is a novel way to serve pumpkin, but it still is in keeping with the spirit of the season. I've used whole milk and heavy cream to make the dessert, but low-fat and non-dairy products can also be used. I love to serve this with my favorite Swedish gingersnaps. A crackling fire, great coffee and a brandy are also wonderful accompaniments. Here's the recipe.

Picks from the Pumpkin Patch

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I have a boatload of recipes for desserts and breads that are made with pumpkin. I thought this would be a great time to winnow them down and share some of my favorites with you. I'm sure you'll find something in the collection that will appeal to you. I partial to the pumpkin panna cotta and the pumpkin freezer cake. I hope you'll try them. They would be a wonderful addition to your Thanksgiving table.



















     Pumpkin and Ginger Waffles                                                                Pumpkin Muffins
                                                  

     Turkish-Style Pumpkin Hummus                                                      Pumpkin Freezer Cake


















     Pumpkin Cake with Caramel Sauce                                                     Pumpkin Yeast Rolls

















Spiced Pumpkin Fudge                                                        Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Cream





Pumpkin Scones with Orange Butter                                                     Pumpkin Cheesecake

















   Pumpkin Panna Cotta                                                                Pumpkin Cheesecake Squares

      

Fresh Apple Bread with Caramel Glaze

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've been working my way through the last of the apples we picked a couple of weeks ago. It's become a near mission-like endeavor, as  the apples are starting to soften because I didn't have time to store them properly. Do you remember Buba Gump's summary of shrimp dishes? I swear I could do that with the apple creations that have come from my kitchen recently. Unfortunately, I'd be just as boring but less humorous, so I won't subject you to that. I do, however, want to share the recipe for this flavor-packed  apple bread with you. The recipe is simple and this seasonal treat is delicious, but you will find the bread at its most flavorful  the day after it is baked. If you enjoy moist spice breads, I think you'll love this one. Here is how it is made.

Fresh Apple Bread with Caramel Glaze...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Betty Crocker

Ingredients:
Bread
2 medium-sized apples, peeled and cored
1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Caramel Glaze
2 tablespoons dulce de leche or caramel sauce
1 tablespoons leftover apple liquid
1/3 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 4 x 3-inchloaf pan with baking spray and set aside.
2) With a food processor fitted with a shredding attachment, grate apples. They may also be grated using the large holes of a box grater. Place a colander or mesh sieve over a bowl and dump shredded apples into colander or sieve. Press down hard to squeeze out as much juice as possible. Reserve juice for glaze.
3) Whisk brown sugar, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and apples together until well-combined. Mix in dry ingredients, stirring just until combined.
4) Scrape batter into pan and bake until a toothpick comes out dry, 50-60 minutes. Let sit in pan for 15 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.
5) Meanwhile, whisk together caramel sauce, apple liquid, and powdered sugar until smooth. Drizzle over bread. Yield: 1 loaf (8 to 10 slices)

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

      

One Year Ago Today: Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Two Years Ago Today: Soul Cakes

Three Years Ago Today: Chocolate Peanut Crinkles

Four Years Ago Today: Bread of the Dead

Seasonally Simple - Pecan and Fresh Apple Quick Bread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...While I'm still working my way through the stash of apples we collected last weekend, our local farm markets have begun the annual push toward Halloween, their big holiday of the year. In anticipation of the big day, minor events are held on the weekends that precede the holiday. One of them is called the Apple Daze, and this is a time for family's to gather in the pumpkin patches and local orchards to collect produce and fruit samples for their own fall kitchens. We had near perfect weather for the weekend, so activity in the those pumpkin patches and orchards, while normally pastoral, displayed elements of Armageddon this year. The wait for parking and a shortage of pickin' buckets didn't bring out the best in some of the pluckers, so the Silver Fox and I headed to the Loraine Valley for the relative calm of the grape harvest and a glass of wine on the terrace of the King Estate. Once home, I decided to give this apple bread a try. It came together quickly and had a wonderful aroma as it baked, but I must admit it debuted to mixed reviews. One bite nearly sent me into sugar shock, but the Silver fox loved the nutty sweetness of the loaf and actually continues snack on it. I suspect those of you who have an intense sweet tooth will also love this bread. It is a moist loaf and while apples are used, the dominant flavor in the loaf is that of the pecans. For best flavor, toast them before folding them into the bread batter. I hope those of you who enjoy really sweet desserts will give this bread a try. Here is how it is made.

Pecan and Fresh Apple Quick Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Just A Pinch

Ingredients:
Apple Bread
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sour cream
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cup peeled and finely diced granny smith apples
1 cup chopped pecans
Drizzle
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom and sides of a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf loaf pan.
2) Peel and chop apples. Cover and set aside.
3) Combine brown sugar with sour cream, eggs, and vanilla in large mixing bowl. Beat on low speed until well blended.
4) Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat on low until all ingredients are mixed evenly.
5) Fold apples and half of pecans into dough.
6) Scrape dough into prepared pan, patting top down evenly. Sprinkle top of batter with remaining pecans and press them slightly into batter.
7) Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
8) Remove from oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes before removing from loaf pan. Place on a wire rack to finish cooling
9) To make drizzle: Combine brown sugar and butter in a small saucepan. Over medium heat, bring mixture to a boil. Once it is boiling, turn heat to low and let sauce simmer for about one minute until it thickens, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and drizzle over top of the bread. Yield: 1 loaf - 8 to 10 servings.

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

      

One Year Ago Today: Grape Harvest Cake

Two Years Ago Today: Blueberry Yogurt Coffecake

Three Years Ago Today: Georgia-Style Brunswick Stew

Four Years Ago Today: Pumpkin Roll

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This, quite simply said, is a wonderful family dessert. The bread cubes used to make the pudding project above the pumpkin custard, so the finished dessert has a rough cobbled appearance that might be off-putting to some. I hope you'll close your eyes and give this strange looking treat a try. It really would be a shame to miss this wonderfully flavorful fall dessert. Those projecting bread cubes are like soft spicy pillows and once you've tasted them it will be hard to leave them be. I found myself picking off one or two cubes each time I passed the finished pudding. Fortunately, dinner was served before I denuded our dessert. The recipe originally appeared in Gourmet magazine and, while the pudding  lacks eye appeal, it is delicious and will appeal to young and old alike. It is best served warm and begs to be topped with a small scoop of ice cream. I hope you'll give this homely gem a try. Here's how the pudding is made.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Gourmet magazine

Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream (light cream or whole milk may be substituted)
3/4 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs plus 1 yolk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of ground cloves
5 cups cubed (1-inch) day-old baguette or crusty bread
3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted

Directions:
1) Place rack in middle of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2) Whisk together cream, pumpkin, milk, sugar, eggs, yolk, salt, and spices in a bowl.
3) Toss bread cubes with butter in another bowl, then add pumpkin mixture and toss to coat. Transfer to an ungreased 8-inch square baking dish and bake until custard is set, 25 to 30 minutes. Yield: 6 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Soul Cakes for All Hollow's Eve

Two Years Ago Today: Chocolate-Peanut Crinkles

Three Years Ago Today: Bread of the Dead - Pan de Muerto

Effortless Ham and White Bean Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...When our fall rains begin, the sun moves behind banks of clouds and hibernates until prevailing spring winds blow away its cover. While it rarely gets truly cold here, the pervasive Pacific damp still chills the bones, and whets appetites that now need more substantial fare to satisfy them. Slow cookers come off the shelves, and soups and stews fill gaps left by the abandoned grills and salads of summer. The tempo of the kitchen and the aromas emanating from it change with the season. I have bread baking in my oven as we speak and I've just finished the first of my winter soups. You can't imagine how good my kitchen smells right now. I made an almost effortless bean soup that I found in Family Circle magazine. I've just had my first taste of it and I like it well enough to share with you. My version is not as thick as some. If you prefer a thicker soup, mash a portion of the beans until it reaches the consistency you like. While the beans for this soup soak overnight, the soup can be made in 15 minutes and the slow cooker does the rest of the work. This soup ages wonderfully well and, like almost all soups and stews, its flavor improves with time. If you are looking for a bean soup, I hope you'll give this one a try. Here's the recipe.

Ham and White Bean Soup - Slow Cooker...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Family Circle magazine

Ingredients:
1 pound dry cannellini beans
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can (14 1/2 ounces)stewed tomatoes
1-1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
8 ounces low-sodium ham, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Crusty bread (optional)
Fresh parsley (optional)

Directions:
1) Place beans in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to boiling, cover and turn off heat. Allow to soak overnight.
2) Coat slow cooker bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Drain beans and add to bowl. Add 4 cups water, onion, carrots, garlic, tomatoes, Italian seasoning and ham. Stir to combine, breaking up tomatoes with a wooden spoon.
3) Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 hours.
4) Season with salt and pepper; mash beans slightly to thicken soup. Serve with crusty bread and garnish with parsley, if desired. Yield: 6 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Cranberry Almond Coffee Cake

Two Years Ago Today: Baked Stuffed Tomatoes

Three Years Ago Today: Berry Patch Cake

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins + Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a wonderfully portable fall treat that you're sure to enjoy. The muffins are less sweet than most, but they're so nicely spiced that you'll never miss the extra sugar. They are perfect for breakfast or brunch and they make a really nice afternoon snack. You've probably noticed that I've been using pumpkin pie spice a lot this fall. I first started to use it when I was actively participating in recipe contests. It cut down on the number of ingredients that had to be listed in the recipe and the judges of the contests usually appreciated brevity. These days I use it because I appreciate brevity. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with the commercial version of pumpkin pie spice, I make a big batch of my own at the start of the fall baking season. It saves some pennies, but, more importantly, it allows me to control the amount and type of spice I use without having to round up specific jars of spices every time I bake. My spice mix recipe appears in the Cook's Notes at the end of this post. These muffins keep well, and because they are not frosted, they also travel well. If you enjoy breads and pastries that are not too sweet, I hope you'll give this recipe a try. You won't be disappointed. Here's how the muffins are made.

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite custbelow today's featured ourtesy of Food.com

Ingredients:
Streusel
1/3 cup flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
2 tablespoons cold butter
Muffins
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons light molasses
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease or line two standard muffin tins with paper liners.
2) To make streusel topping: Mix flour, brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice together in a small bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until it resembles coarse meal.
3) To make muffins: cream butter and both sugar together in a large bowl. Add pumpkin, buttermilk, eggs, molasses and orange zest and stir to mix well. Place flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt to a separate bowl and whisk to combine. Gradually add dry ingredients to creamed mixture and stir just until combined. Fill prepared muffin cups two-thirds full with batter. Sprinkle streusel evenly over batter in each cup. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Yield: 12 to 16 cupcakes.

Cook's Notes: Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix - Mix together 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon ground mace (optional), 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon allspice, or cloves, or cardamom. Store in an airtight container.

One Year Ago Today: Pumpkin Cake with Caramel Sauce

Two Years Ago Today: Pickled Pepper Relish

Three Years Ago Today: Colcannon - An Irish Halloween Tradition

Spiced Applesauce Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...When the scent of apples and spice start wafting through my kitchen, I'm reminded of just how alluring I find this time of year to be. The other seasons have their charms, to be sure, but for those of us who love to cook, the promise of fall bounty lures us to the fields and orchards and ultimately back into kitchens that have been on hiatus for the summer. My favorite apples are now ripe and ready for the picking, so we spent some time today picking apples and plotting what to do with them once we had them home. I have a real weakness for apple desserts and this applesauce cake came to mind. It is pleasing to both the eye and the palate and it is not difficult to make. I'll go on record as saying this is my all-time favorite applesauce cake, at least for tonight. The cake was developed Andrea Albin for Gourmet magazine and it is a fantastic fall creation. The cake is moist, spicy and topped with a layer of a cream cheese icing so good that it's been known to make grown men weep. This is the kind of cake that, once tried, you'll make over and over again. It really will be love at first bite. The cake is easy to make and, on the odd chance you have leftovers, you'll be happy to know it is a great keeper. Do make sure the spices you are using are still at the peak of flavor. While spices can't go bad, they can lose their oomph and fall is a great time to replace them. I really hope you'll give this recipe a try. Here's how this cake and its icing are made.

Spiced Applesauce Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Andrea Albin and Gourmet

Ingredients:
Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1-1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup walnuts (optional), toasted (see Tips), cooled, and chopped
Frosting
5-oz. cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
1) Move rack to center of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 or 9-inch square cake pan.
2) To make cake: Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Beat butter, brown sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in applesauce. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until just combined, then stir in walnuts (if using). Spread batter evenly in pan and bake until golden-brown and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake to loosen, then invert onto a plate. Reinvert cake onto a rack to cool completely.
3) To make frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with an electric mixer at high speed until fluffy. Sift confectioners sugar and cinnamon over cream cheese mixture, then beat at medium speed until incorporated.
4) Spread frosting over top of cooled cake. Yield: 6 to 9 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Chicken Thighs with Garlic and Lime

Two Years Ago Today: Clam Chowder

Three Years Ago Today: Kobe Kiwi Wings with Japanese Relish

Gale Gand's Applesauce Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I made a huge batch of applesauce this weekend. I processed most of it, but held back a few pints for fall baking. I used tart early apples for my sauce and made it a point to use little, if any, extra sweetener in its preparation. I mention that because I think this lovely, old-fashioned cake would be cloyingly sweet if it were made with a sweetened applesauce. The cake comes from the family of Gale Gand and it was featured by Gale on one of her early television programs. The recipe is straight forward, quite easy to make and the finished cake is a fall delight. It's been on my radar for a while now, and I thought this would be a perfect time to test it and use some of my unprocessed applesauce as well. Unfrosted, the cake would be a perfect addition to a box or brown bag lunch. It's also a great addition to a morning coffee or afternoon tea. It is important to sift the flour used in the cake before it is measured. I use the old-fashioned sift, spoon and level technique to keep the flour from weighing down the cake batter. It also helps to know that the creamed mixture will look curdled when the applesauce is added to it. Not to worry! Somehow, it all miraculously comes together and the finished caked will have a moist, lovely crumb and no trace of curdling will be evident. Be sure to coat the pans well. This cake is loath to leave the comfort of its pan and you may have to wrestle with it to get it to release. The next time I make this, I plan to line the bottom of my pans with parchment paper, so this won't be a concern. This cake ages well and its flavors improve if it is allowed to sit and ripen. I know those of you try this recipe will enjoy the cake. It delivers lots of flavor for a small amount of work. Here's how it is made.


Gale Gand's Applesauce Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Gale Gand

Ingredients:
2-1/4 cups all purpose flour, measured after sifting
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar (I used golden brown)
2 large eggs, (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup raisins (light or dark)
1 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted
Powdered sugar, optional

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease and flour a bundt pan or two 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 2-1/2 inch loaf pans.
2) Sift flour then spoon into measuring cups and level with the back of a knife. Mix measured flour with baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and sift again.
3) Beat butter until creamy. Add brown sugar and continue mixing. Add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla, then mix until well blended and fluffy.
4) Add applesauce to creamed mixture and stir well. The mixture will appear curdled. Not to worry. Gently stir in flour mixture being sure to scrape sides of bowl and bottom of bowl to assure it is incorporated. Fold in raisins and walnuts. Pour batter into prepared pan/pans and bake for 45 minutes or until cake tests done.
5) Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn on to a wire rack to finish cooling. Yield: 1 bundt or 2 loaf cakes.

One Year Ago Today: Cornmeal Burger Buns

Two Years Ago Today: Plum Tart with Streusel Topping

Three Years Ago Today: Margarita Shrimp Salad