Lemon Buttermilk Sheet Cake

I'm not a big lemon person. 

That being said, I always try to have a bowl of citrus on my table. It's great for making drinks, squeezing fresh juice on anything, and it brings some great color into the kitchen. 

Last week, a coworker of mine brought me some lemons. What do you do when life a coworker hands you lemons?

You make cake. 

This cake is made with two of my favorite ingredients as of late: buttermilk and cake flour. The buttermilk keeps the cake moist, and the cake flour keeps the cake light and fluffy. 

I baked this cake in a cookie sheet so it would feed a large crowd, but you can cook it in a 9x13 if you want it to be thicker. 

Lemon Buttermilk Sheet Cake

Yields: 24-30 servings (fewer servings if you make it in a 9x13)

Cake

2 1/2 cups cake flour (or 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour + 5 tbsp cornstarch)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla

12 tbsp butter (1 1/2 sticks) 

1 1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs + 1 egg yolk

1 tbsp lemon zest

Glaze

3 cups powdered sugar

3 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp buttermilk

1/4 cup sugar

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit. Grease and flour a cookie sheet. 
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 
3. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine buttermilk, lemon juice, and vanilla. 
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and yolk one at a time, then add the lemon zest. 
5. Add the dry ingredients, alternating with the wet ingredients, to the butter mixture. Mix until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 15-22 minutes, until set. 
6. Mix together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and buttermilk to make the glaze (it will be thick). Pour on the hot cake and spread it on the cake. Immediately sprinkle the sugar on top of the glaze. Slice with a plastic spatula or knife and enjoy! 

Kentucky Butter Bundt

Is there anything more elegant than a bundt cake?

They're round, dense, and not overly sweet.

This bundt cake is my absolute favorite. It's a simple vanilla bundt cake soaked with a butter glaze throughout the entire cake. The glaze goes on while the cake is cooling in the pan, and it creates a moist soaked cake with a slightly sugar crisp on the outside of the cake.

Bundt cakes have frustrated me in the past, because parts always seem to stick in the pan. I can't stand that! For this recipe, the cake didn't stick at all. The secret?

You have to let the bundt cool all the way in the pan before inverting it. 

This cake is great, because it's even better on the second and third days. This means you can make it the night before, and it will be even more moist the next day! This cake will still be great if you can't resist it on the first day, but I recommend waiting if you can! 

Kentucky Butter Bundt

Yields: approximately 12 servings 

Cake

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 tbsp vanilla

3 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

Glaze

1/3 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

2 tbsp water

2 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit. Grease a bundt pan liberally with butter or shortening, getting into every nook and cranny. Lightly sprinkle with flour and tap out the excess.

2. Place all the cake ingredients in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a bowl with a hand mixer). Mix on low for 30 seconds, then up to medium (about a 4) for 3 minutes. 

3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 55-75 minutes (it totally depends on your oven and altitude), or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

4. Prepare the glaze by combining all of the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan over medium low. Stir until everything melts and dissolves together, but make sure you don't boil it. 

5. Right when the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes in it with a knife. Keep the cake in the pan! Slowly pour the glaze over the cake, letting it soak in as you go. 

6. Let the cake cool completely (I covered it and left it overnight) before inverting. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. 

Note: Cake is best if you make it the day before so it can cool in the pan overnight. 

Angel Food Cupcakes

I dream about food. Literally.

Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night after having a dream about a kind of food. I keep a note in my phone for dream foods.

Some of my late night thinking/dream foods have been my Raspberry White Chocolate Truffle Cupcakes and my Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Soft Pretzels.

These cupcakes were another one of my "dream foods." Angel food cupcakes filled with jam, topped with whipped cream and fresh berries. Yum.

Angel Food Cupcakes

Yields: 16 cupcakes

3/4 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup cake flour (or 1/2 cup AP flour + 1/2 tsp cornstarch)
1/4 tsp salt
6 egg whites, room temperature
2 1/2 tbsp warm water
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 tsp cream of tartar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin tins with paper liners.

2. Combine half the sugar with the flour and salt.

3. In a large bowl, combine the egg whites, water, vanilla, cream of tartar, and remaining sugar. Whip together with a whisk until medium peaks form.

4. Sift a small amount of the dry ingredients into the egg whites, then fold in with a spatula. Do this in at least 6 batches to ensure even folding.

5. Fill muffin cups all the way to the top with batter and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

6. Fill with jam, if desired. Top with sweetened whipped cream (add a small amount of vanilla for an awesome taste), then garnish with berries.

Eggnog Pound Cake

Eggnog Pound Cake

Yields: 1 loaf

Loaf:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup flour
pinch of salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup eggnog
1 tsp vanilla

Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp (or more for desired consistency) eggnog

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit. Grease an 8 x 4 loaf pan.

2. Cream the butter and sugar together for 3-4 minutes with a mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time.

3. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl.

4. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the eggnog to the creamed butter/sugar combo. Add vanilla, then mix until just combined.

5. Bake for 40-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

6. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove. Let it cool completely before adding the glaze.

Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes

Everyone needs a chocolate cupcake recipe, right?

These cupcakes are moist, rich, and chocolatey.

Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes

Yields: 12-14 cupcakes, depending on how much you fill them

2 tbsp veggie oil

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

3/4 cup + 3 tbsp flour

1/2 tsp baking soda 

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup cocoa powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs + 1 egg yolk, room temp

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup greek yogurt or sour cream (I used regular yogurt)

1/2 cup hot water

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Line a cupcake pan with liners.  

2. Put veggie oil, chocolate chips, and butter into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring every 30 seconds, until just melted.

3. Combine flour, baking soda and powder, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk until combined. 

4. In a large bowl, combine sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until combined. Add the melted chocolate mixture, then whisk until combined. 

5. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the yogurt to the sugar mixture. Mix until just combined (I didn't even use my stand mixer. I just used a whisk). Add in the hot water last, and mix until it's combined. 

6. Use a cookie scoop to divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners. I filled mine about 3/4 of the way full, but I would fill a little bit less next time. (High altitude messes everything up!!!)

7. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Ultimate Chocolate Frosting

Yields: enough for 1 dozen cupcakes

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, slightly softened

3 cups powdered sugar

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla

milk for thinning

Beat the butter on high with a mixer for about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder, slowly. Add the vanilla. Add milk as needed for desired consistency. Beat for about 3 minutes to make it fluffier. 

Pipe the frosting onto cupcakes using a closed star tip. Top with chocolate sprinkles.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bread

Yup. That's right. Pumpkin. Cheesecake. Bread. It has the best of all worlds.

I mixed this recipe up a little bit. This is my favorite pumpkin bread recipe. I love it! I found this recipe years ago. It's called "Pumpkin Pie Bread." This bread tastes like pumpkin pie, people. Pumpkin pie. In bread form.

Also, I'm kind of obsessed with cheesecake swirls, so I added one of those. Delish.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bread

Yields: 2 loaves (either 8x4 or 9x5-- I did one of each!)

Pumpkin Bread Batter

3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup veggie oil (or canola oil)
4 eggs
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin purée
1/2 cup water

Cheesecake Swirl

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp flour
2 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Grease two loaf pans (8x4 or 9x5 will work perfectly).

2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.

3. Beat together in a large bowl (a stand mixer works well) the sugar with the veggie oil. Add the eggs one at a time, beating between each egg. Add the pumpkin.

4. Add the dry ingredients slowly alternating with the water. Mix until combined.

5. Beat together the cheesecake swirl ingredients until smooth.

6. Pour a little more than half the batter between the two pans. Spread all of the cheesecake swirl batter in the two pans. Try to spread it out evenly, extending almost to the edges. Pour the remaining pumpkin batter on top and completely cover up the cheesecake swirl.

7. Bake for 55-70 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean.

8. Let the bread cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then remove them and let them finish cooling on a cooling rack. Store in plastic wrap.

Happy autumn! 

Interested in more pumpkin recipes? Click the pictures!

 

Chocolate Nutella Banana Bread

No one really cared about hazelnuts before Nutella was invented, right? They were just like any other average nut. They were as inconsequential as a cashew.

Nutella reinvented the hazelnut. Aren't we glad Nutella happened? I am. 

Chocolate Nutella Banana Bread

Yields: 1 8x4 loaf

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup veggie oil

2 eggs

3-4 mashed bananas (the browner the bananas the better)

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

4 tbsp Nutella 

1/4 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Grease a 8x4 loaf pan. 

2. Mix sugar, veggie oil, and eggs. Add bananas and vanilla. 

3. In a separate bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Add chocolate chips and mix in. 

4. Pour half the batter into the loaf pan. Melt Nutella in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Pour in on top of the batter and swirl in. Pour the other half on top and swirl a little more. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

5. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the baking pan. 

Bon appétit!

Chocolate Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Imagine for a second you live in a house made of chocolate. Barring the constant melting, that house would be SWEET (pun intended). You could eat anything you want, and the smell would be beyond your wildest dreams.

That, my dear friends, is how my house smells right now. My home is chocolate bliss right now.

I decided to send a package to my sister who lives in San Francisco. I wanted to include in the package something baked and delicious for her to eat. She's been doing some weird Keto diet, but she's promised to abandon her diet for a day if I send something homemade. 

I made a mini pound cake to go with the big one so my family here would have something to taste. I feel like it's pretty cruel to bake something so fragrant and chocolatey and then just ship it all off without anyone here getting to try it. This pound cake is so good! The chocolate flavor is just so rich and deep. I tweaked the recipe from Tutti Dolci. 

Chocolate Pound Cake

Cream Cheese Ribbon
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp sour cream
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract 
Batter
1 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp mini semisweet chocolate chips
2 tbsp pecan pieces (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F and spray an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. Combine cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla and beat until smooth.

Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla. Combine sour cream and buttermilk in a small bowl. Reduce speed to low and add half of flour mixture, beating just to combine. Add sour cream mixture, then finish with remaining flour mixture.

Pour half the batter into prepared pan; dollop with cream cheese mixture and swirl layers together with a knife or wooden skewer. Top with remaining batter and smooth with an offset spatula; sprinkle with chocolate chips and pecans, if desired. Bake for 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and cake springs back to the touch. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes; carefully remove cake from pan and cool completely on wire rack. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

There's the cream cheese ribbon! The tangy flavor of the cream cheese really balances the rich chocolate flavor of the cake.