Yellow Sheet Cake with Chocolate Frosting

 

September is my birthday month (along with seven other friends/family!) so I thought I'd make the quintessential cake to celebrate us Virgos.  When I was a kid my mom normally made us a yellow cake with chocolate frosting.   As a busy mother raising six children she used a boxed cake mix and pre-made frosting and we adored it!  Those memories are part of the reason why I think I still love cake mixes to this day.   There's no shame in getting a little help from Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines, but when I saw that Cook's Illustrated's Sep/Oct 2020 issue featured a recipe for Yellow Sheet Cake with Chocolate Frosting I had to try the "from scratch" version of the birthday classic.

Granted, there are more ingredients required than the standard eggs, oil and water you would use with a boxed mix, but I think you'll find it's worth it.   There are quite a few eggs (4 whole + 2 yolks!) along with buttermilk in the batter which yields a rich and moist cake.  The batter is made using the reverse creaming method where the cake flour, leaveners and sugar are mixed first, then the fats (butter and oil) are added and finally the liquid and eggs are mixed in.  This technique minimizes gluten development which results in a super tender crumb.  

 

After having a slice I have to say this is probably one of the best homemade cake recipes I've ever tasted.  There's absolutely no pretense with this cake and that's what I love about it.  Makes me so nostalgic for my childhood; those were the days!

Sending a September birthday shout out to Len, Will, Satya, Nicholas, Maria, Brian and Cheri!

Homemade Nutter Butters

Oreos may be the store-bought cookie of choice for many in the world but I'm proud to be in the minority with my preference for Nutter Butters, the delicious peanut butter sandwich cookies.  I'm a huge peanut butter fan so these cookies are right up my alley.  When I saw that Stella Parks had included a recipe for a homemade version of Nutter Butters in her fantastic cookbook, BraveTart: Iconic American Desserts, I bookmarked the pages for a future baking project.  No better time than the present, especially when we're still under shelter in place orders for the next few months, at least!

The cookie is a thin and crispy peanut flavored shortbread, but in my opinion the real star is the whipped peanut butter creme filling.  Made with butter, peanut butter, honey, vanilla, salt and powdered sugar, the creme is a peanut lover's dream!  I could seriously just eat the creme on its own and it would also be amazing as a frosting for cake or cupcakes.

The sandwiched cookies are pretty darn close to the original from Nabisco, if I do say so myself.  In all honesty I won't be making homemade Nutter Butters frequently because it's much easier to just buy a small pack at the store, but it was a fun project!

Strawberry Cupcakes 2.0

I've featured strawberry cupcakes on this blog before but I found a new recipe that takes it up another level, hence the post title "2.0".   I have no shame in admitting that I love supermarket/bakery cupcakes and frosting.   People are normally surprised by this because of my passion for baking, but it's the texture that really draws me in - nothing beats a moist and tender crumb - and it's hard to replicate at home.  Until now!

A few years ago I stumbled upon a great blog for Woodland Bakery in New Jersey, which at the time was owned by pastry chef Gretchen Price.   Gretchen was one of the first people I've seen that actually posted recipes from her bakery on the web AND for free.   Professional quality results at home?  Sign me up!  Recently she sold the bakery and started her own blog called what else, Gretchen's Bakery.   Check it out because she has excellent recipes and instructional YouTube videos.

These strawberry cupcakes are a variation of her Moist Fluffy White Cake and Buttercream recipes.  For the cupcakes I just replaced about 1/3 cup of the milk with strawberry puree (also found on her blog).   With the frosting you just add some strawberry puree at the end, to taste.   Finally...supermarket/bakery treats from my kitchen! 

Cookies & Cream Cupcakes

I've had these Cookies & Cream cupcakes on my mind for quite a while and now that budget planning is over at work I finally found some time to make them. Let's just say they've definitely lived up to my expectations. They're quintessentially American and so delicious.

Every component of the cupcake is bursting with cookies and cream flavor.  For the cake I simply used Rose Levy Beranbaum's Cream Cheese Butter Cake recipe and added crushed Oreo bits.   I did the same for the frosting and added more cookie bits to a whipped vanilla buttercream.  

Strawberry Cupcakes

We Californians are definitely spoiled, from the beautiful weather to the overabundance of delicious fruit and veg.   I grew up in the central region of the state, specifically the San Joaquin Valley, and my parents continue to make their home there.   On my last two visits I made it a point to stop by the local stand near the house where miles and miles of strawberry fields thrive under the sun.  The strawberries are some of the most amazing that I've ever had, as sweet as candy.  They're picked daily so you know you're getting the fruit at the height of its deliciousness.

With all this luscious fruit I was looking for a recipe to showcase their wonderful flavor.  I remembered seeing a recipe for Strawberry Dream Cake in Cook's Country that would foot the bill.  But since I didn't feel like making a layer cake I converted them to cupcakes.  I used a different recipe for the frosting than the one included in the cake recipe.  I had fantastic results with the Easy Vanilla Frosting in the past so I tweaked it slightly by adding strawberries.  AMAZING!  It tasted exactly like strawberry ice cream.    

Gluten-Free Funfetti Vanilla Cupcakes

I'm making my way through ATK's amazing newest publication,  The How Can It Be Gluten Free Cookbook,  and this weekend I decided to give their birthday cupcakes a go.  It's a basic vanilla cupcake with vanilla frosting, but I funfetti-d them by adding rainbow sprinkles to the cake batter.  

If you have children who are gluten intolerant you MUST make these cupcakes for their next birthday party.  The cake itself was moist and delicious and their easy vanilla frosting tasted just like whipped vanilla ice cream.   

So far I'm batting 1000 with every recipe I've tried so far.  I can't sing it's praises enough.  Run, don't walk, to buy it!  Check out this site for a few of the recipes including buttermilk waffles, light and fluffy biscuits and chocolate chip cookies.

Coffee Chiffon Cake

A very Happy Happy Birthday to one of my best friends, Gracie, who is celebrating her birthday today! 

As is my tradition I made her a birthday cake to celebrate the special day, normally red velvet or chocolate.  Imagine my surprise this year when she requested something new - a coffee cake - and not the breakfast variety I initially thought, but a cake that was coffee flavored.  Hmmmm...now there's one I haven't really made before.

I knew I wanted to make something that wasn't too heavy or sweet.  Maybe this was the perfect occasion to attempt a chiffon cake.  I don't have much experience making them and have been hankering to try Cook's Illustrated's version for a while now.  

Those unfamiliar with this type of foam cake will find that it's very much like a combination of angel food cake and butter cake.  The secret to the light and airy texture is the use of vegetable oil and lots of eggs (yolks and whipped whites.)  To finish off the cake I frosted it with coffee swiss meringue buttercream.

Based on the yummy crumbs I sampled I predict Gracie will be very happy with this year's cake.

Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies

I've spoken before of my particular penchant for store-bought treats, especially the ones sold in the supermarket bakeries.  I know, I know - as a devout home baker that's tantamount to blasphemy, but what can I say I can't help it!  

Lofthouse is famous for their soft frosted sugar cookies and when I saw a homemade on Annie's Eats I knew I wanted to make them.  Now it was a question of waiting for the right occasion.  My niece's tenth birthday party seemed especially appropriate.  

I warn you that these cookies are sweet so extreme moderation is almost a requirement, but boy are they good!  The fun frosting colors and sprinkles entice the kid, or kid-at-heart, in all of us. 

Game, Set, Match Cupcakes

Tennis is one of my all-time favorite sports and I've been fortunate enough to attend three of the four Grand Slams.  (The last one, the Australian Open, is on my bucket list.) Of the three, Wimbledon is definitely my absolute hands-down favorite.  

I love everything about it: the tradition, the beautiful grounds of the All-England Club, the public queue for tickets, Henman Hill, strawberries and cream...I could go on and on.   If you're ever in London at the end of June I highly recommend you make the trip to SW19 - you won't regret it.

In honor of today's Mens Singles Championship between Andy Murray and Roger Federer I made these tennis ball cupcakes.  I got the idea from Martha Stewart.  You'd be surprised at how easy they are to make.  Just use your favorite cupcake and frosting recipes.  The decoration is as simple as dipping the frosted cupcakes in yellow dots or sprinkles then piping the "seams."

Game, Set, Match...these cupcakes are a winner! 

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Congratulations to Jordan and Robyn who are the giveaway winners of the two-month enrollment to America's Test Kitchen's Cooking School!

Jordan's entry:

I'd like to win the cooking school enrollment so I can stop drooling on my computer screen and learn to cook that delicious-looking chicken noodle soup!

Robyn's entry:

We eat through the best of times, we eat through the worst of times, and unless I want to turn the former into the latter, I need to cook all those celebratory or comfort-providing foods with an understanding of solid ATK-supplied culinary foundations. 

You'll receive an email directly from ATK with more information about your prize.   Go forth and cook!!!

Yellow Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Frosting

My parents and I are driving down to Southern California later this week to visit relatives and also go to The Price is Right game show...lol, it's on my dad's bucket list!   While we're there my cousin is having a party to celebrate her twin boys' first birthday.  I offered to help with the baking so I've been testing out new cupcake recipes.  

Since we'll be making a lot I needed something that would come together quickly and please the palates of both kids and adults alike.  Think I found it in this yellow cupcake recipe from Cook's Illustrated.  No messing with the creaming of butter and sugar, etc.  All the ingredients for these cupcakes are dumped in the bowl and mixed together in one go..easy peasy!

Chocolate ganache  is probably the easiest frosting you can make and is comprised of only two ingredients: heavy cream and chocolate.  Once whipped it tastes so much like chocolate mousse you wouldn't believe it.  Next time I might forgo the cupcakes altogether and just eat the ganache with some whipped cream.  For these cupcakes I used dark chocolate, but to appeal to the little ones I would suggest the  milk or semisweet variety instead.

Ad Hoc White Cupcakes

I bought Thomas Keller's cookbook, Ad Hoc At Home, a few years ago with every intention of recreating their famous buttermilk fried chicken.  Well, I never got around to making it.  The thought of deep frying in my small kitchen was a bit too daunting (and messy!) for me.   Fortunately there are plenty of other delicious recipes in the cookbook to try.  

My goddaughter's christening is this spring and, just as I did for her mother's baby shower, I'm going to assemble a dessert table for the party.  The color theme is white - so clean and crisp and  perfect for such a special occasion.  

One treat I definitely want to serve are white cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting.  I've found some great recipes for homemade chocolate cupcakes but I haven't had much luck with white ones.  Unfortunately my favorite high ratio yellow butter cake doesn't translate well to cupcakes....I've tried a few times without any success.

So I turned to Ad Hoc At Home for inspiration.  White cupcakes are one of three cupcake recipes found in the cookbook; the other two are devil's food and carrot cake.  Anything from Thomas Keller has to be good and these cupcakes don't disappoint.   The cake is moist and delicious and they hold their shape really well.  I actually prefer them unfrosted but I dare not omit the buttercream for fear of a riot.

Miracle Frosting

Can't believe that Christmas is less than three weeks away.  I'm one of those overzealous people who likes to extract as much holiday spirit out of the season as possible.  Where was I the morning of Black Friday?  Not in line at the mall, that's for sure.  I got up super early and headed to Home Depot to get my Christmas tree of course!

Christmas is also the busiest time of year for me and my kitchen.  So far I've made about 25 pounds of cashew toffee and that's only half of what I need.  My poor fridge is busting at the seams with it.  Thank goodness I stopped eating the stuff a long time ago. 

I needed a break from candy making and wanted to bring a treat in to the office for my boss's birthday.  He likes anything chocolate so I went with cupcakes since they're easy to serve.  Instead of frosting them with my usual swiss meringue buttercream I ended up trying something new.