Another tribute to our forums friends--Michael'sRECSpice cake w/White Chocolat Cream Cheese Frosting

C

charlie

Well-known member
Spice Cake with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour -- plus

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour -- for flouring pans

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup unsalted butter -- (2 sticks) softened

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs -- room temperature

1 cup milk -- room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting -- (See Recipe)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease with shortening and flour 2 9-inch round cake pans.

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and spices.

Cream butter in bowl of mixer. Add sugar and beat, scraping sides, until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Scrape down bowl as needed.

Combine milk and vanilla. Add 1/3 of sifted dry ingredients to mixer set on low. Add 1/2 of milk mixture and continue to beat. Alternate adding rest of dry ingredients by thirds with milk, finishing with dry ingredients. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.

Divide batter evenly between the two floured pans. Smooth surface with spatula, moving batter evenly to the sides of the pans.

Bake until firm in center and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, or with a crumb or two, 30 to 35 minutes.

Cool cakes in pans, on racks, for 5 minutes. Loosen sides with knife, and invert onto greased racks. Flip back over onto greased racks to cool completely, right side up, about one hour.

Source:

"Gail's"

S(Forum Member):

"Michael in Phœnix"

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

3/4 stick unsalted butter -- (6 tbsp) room temperature

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese -- room temperature

1 11-ounce bag white chocolate chips -- or equivalent

1 cup powdered sugar -- approx., to taste

Melt white chocolate in microwave, or in double boiler. Let cool to almost room temperature.

Cream butter and cream cheese on high speed of electric mixer using beater paddle (not the whisk).

Add melted white chocolate and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Blend on low speed to mix in sugar, then on high speed for one minute. Taste. Add more sugar if frosting is not sweet enough for your taste. Once you have adjusted the taste, beat at high speed until fluffy.

 
Nancy Silverton's REC: Ginger Scones thanks to Marilyn

Ginger Scones

Recipe By :Nancy Silverton
Serving Size : 8

2 1/4 cups pastry flour -- unbleached or unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon finely chopped lemon Zest -- (about 1/2 lemon)
1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter -- (10 Tbl or 6 ounces) cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen
4 1/2 ounces candied ginger root -- finely chopped into 1/4-inch pieces to equal 2/3 cup
3/4 cup heavy cream -- plus extra for brushing the tops of the scones

3-inch round biscuit cutter

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, and baking powder, and pulse or mix on low to incorporate. Add the lemon zest and butter and pulse on and off, or mix on low, until the mixture is pale yellow and the consistency of a fine meal.

Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the ginger. Make a well in the center and pour in the cream. Using one hand, draw in the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.

Wash and dry your hands and dust them with flour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently knead a few times to gather it into a ball. Roll or pat the dough into a circle about 3/4 inch thick. Cut out the circles, cutting as closely together as possible and keeping the trimmings intact.

Gather the scraps, pat and press the pieces back together, and cut out the remaining dough. Place the scones 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Brush the tops with the remaining cream.

Bake for 12 to 16 minutes, until the surface cracks and they are slightly browned.

 
Thanks to Cheeze--REC: Better Than Starbuck's Cranberry Bliss Bars...

"Better Than" Starbuck's Cranberry Bliss Bars

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats -- uncooked
3/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar -- plus
1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar -- divided
1 cup butter -- softened
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 16-ounce can cranberry sauce -- whole berry

Preheat oven 350°F degrees. Lightly grease a 13 x 9 baking pan.

In large bowl combine flour, oats 3/4 cup sugar and butter, mix until crumbly. Reserve 1 1/2 cups crumb mixture for topping - press the rest into the greased pan. Bake 15 minutes. Cool completely.

In large bowl beat cream cheese until fluffy, gradually mix in condensed milk, lemon juice, and vanilla until smooth. Pour evenly over crust.

In small bowl combine remaining sugar, cornstarch and cranberry sauce. Spoon over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle reserve crumb mixture over top.

Bake 40 minutes. Cool at room temperature, refrigerate before cutting. Store in refrigerator.

 
Nigella Lawson's REC: Chocolate Fruit Cake--posted by EvaN

Chocolate fruit cake

Recipe By :Nigella Lawson

12 1/4 ounces dried prunes -- (350 grams) soft, chopped
8 3/4 ounces raisins -- (250 grams)
4 1/2 ounces currants -- (125 grams)
6 1/4 ounces unsalted butter -- (175 grams) softened
6 1/4 dark muscovado sugar -- (175 grams)
6 1/4 fluid ounces honey -- (175 ml)
4 1/2 fluid ounces coffee liqueur -- (125 ml)
2 oranges -- zested and juiced
1 teaspoon mixed spice
2 tablespoons cocoa
3 eggs -- beaten
5 1/4 ounces all purpose flour -- (150 grams)
2 1/2 ounces ground almonds -- (75 grams)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
For decoration:
1 ounce dark chocolate-covered coffee beans -- (25 grams)
Edible glitter
Gold mini balls
About 10 edible gold stars


Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).

Line the sides and bottom of an 8 by 3 1/2-inch deep, round loose-bottomed cake tin with a layer of reusable silicon baking parchment. When lining the tin with the parchment, cut the material into strips that are twice as high as the tin itself (it is easier to use two shorter strips of parchment, than one long strip); the height of the strips protects the cake from catching on the outside of the cake tin.

Place the fruit, butter, sugar, honey, coffee liqueur, orange zest and juice, mixed spice and cocoa into a large wide saucepan. Heat the mixture until it reaches a gentle boil, stirring the mixture as the butter melts. Let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and leave to stand for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, the mixture will have cooled a little. Add the eggs, flour, ground almonds, baking powder and baking soda, and mix well with a wooden spoon or spatula until the ingredients have combined.

Carefully pour the fruitcake mixture into the lined cake tin. Transfer the cake tin to the oven and bake for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, or until the top of the cake is firm but will has a shiny and sticky look. At this point, if you insert a sharp knife into the middle of the cake, the cake should still be a little uncooked in the middle.

Place the cake on a cooling rack. Once the cake has cooled, remove it from the tin.

To decorate, place the chocolate-covered coffee beans in the centre of the cake and arrange the gold stars around the perimeter of the top of the cake. Then sprinkle some gold mini-balls over the whole cake and sprinkle the top with edible glitter.

 
Luisa's REC: Israelia Couscous with Roasted Butternut Squash & Preserved Lemon...

ISRAELI COUSCOUS WITH ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND PRESERVED LEMON

Serving Size : 6

1 preserved lemon
1 1/2 pounds butternut squash -- peeled and seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion -- chopped
1 3/4 cups Israeli couscous -- about 1 pound (or acini di pep -timy peppercorn shaped pasta)
1 cinnamon stick -- (3-inch)
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup pine nuts -- toasted
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 475°F.
Halve lemons and scoop out flesh, keeping both flesh and peel. Cut enough peel into 1/4-inch dice to measure 1/4 cup. Put lemon flesh in a sieve set over a bowl and press with back of a spoon to extract juice.

Toss squash with 1 tablespoon oil and salt to taste in a large shallow baking pan and spread in 1 layer. Roast in upper third of oven 15 minutes, or until squash is just tender, and transfer to a large bowl.

Cook onion in 1 tablespoon oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to turn golden. Add to squash.

Cook couscous with cinnamon stick in a large pot of boiling salted water 10 minutes, or until just tender, and drain in a colander (do not rinse). Add couscous to vegetables and toss with 2 tablespoon oil to coat.

Add lemon peel and juice, parsley, nuts, raisins, ground cinnamon, and salt to taste. Toss to mix well.

 
from Elaine--REC: Spiced Dates with Mascarpone Cheese...

Spiced Dates with Mascarpone Cheese

Recipe By :Amanda Hesser

1 bottle red wine -- light bodied, like Beaujolais
8 dates -- (Medjool)
16 whole almonds -- skin on, litely toasted
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon cloves
1 tablespoon grated orange zest -- dry or fresh
4 whole allspice berries
1 bay leaf -- dry
2 2-inch cinnamon sticks

mascarpone cheese -- at room temperature
coarse sea salt -- for serving

1. In medijum saucepan,bring wine to a simmer.Add dates and poach until skins blister. With slotted spoon lift out the dates and while still warm, remove and discard the skins. Cut open dates on one long side, remove pits and place 2 almonds in the center of each date.Fold closed
2. To the wine, add honey,peppercorns, cloves, orange zest, allspice, cinnamon sticks and bay leaf. Continue simmering untilwine is reduced by half, about 20 minutes.Strain wine into a clean saucepan. Add dates to the wine and heat gently over med. low heat, until warmed but not hot, remove from heat.
3. To serve, place a dollop of marscapone in the center of each of 4 plates. Spoon 2 dates and a little wine sauce on each plate,sprinkle litely with sea salt and serve.

 
Chocolate-of course- from Meryl-REC: Mocha Truffle Cookies...

MOCHA TRUFFLE COOKIES

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate -- in pieces ( I use 3 ounces of semisweet chocolate, chopped)
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules -- ( I use 1 1/2 Tablespoons of instant espresso)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar -- ( I use dark brown)
2 eggs -- beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder -- ( I use Dutch processed)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate -- in pieces ( I use Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350 F (325 F for dark pans). Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets.

In a large saucepan, (I use a double boiler), melt butter and the 1/2 cup chocolate pieces over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in coffee crystals; cool 5 minutes. Stir in sugars, eggs, and vanilla.

In a medium mixing bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Stir into chocolate/coffee mixture. Fold in the 1 cup chocolate pieces. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto cookie sheets.

Bake about 10 minutes. (Do not overbake. Cookies should remain very soft, almost raw to the touch in the centers; the edges will become crunchy when cooled).

Let cool 1 minute before removing from sheets to a wire rack to cool completely.

NOTES : "These double-chocolate cookies have a soft trufflelike center, a crispy outside, and a delectable coffee flavor."

 
almost forgot-MariaD's Spiced Pumpkin Sour Cream Upside Down Cake/Caramelized Cranberry Hazelnut Top

Spiced Pumpkin Sour Cream Upside-Down Cake with Caramelized Cranberry Hazelnut Topping and Orange Cream


Serving Size : 12
Cranberry Hazelnut Topping:
1 cup unsalted butter -- melted
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 cups fresh cranberries -- whole (if frozen, thaw)
1 cup hazelnuts -- toasted, skinned, and coarsely chopped
Pumpkin Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour -- unbleached
5 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
5 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
5 1/2 teaspoons allspice
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 large orange -- finely grated zest of
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter -- cool room temperature
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs -- cool room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup pumpkin puree -- (1/2 15-ounce can)
5 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Accompaniments
Spiced Apple Cider Caramel Sauce -- (See Recipe)
Orange Cream -- (See Recipe)
1 orange -- coarsely grated zest of

Butter and lightly flour (or spray with an oil plus flour baking spray) a 10-inch diameter, 3-inch deep, 10- to 12-cup capacity, nonstick, plain (no decorative shaping) coffee cake pan.

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat oven to 350°.

To make the topping, in a medium mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, cranberries and hazelnuts. Spoon into the bottom of the coffee cake pan and use a flexible spatula to distribute evenly.

To make the cake, in a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and salt. Whisk thoroughly for at least 30 seconds to completely distribute the leaveners. Stir in the orange zest and grated fresh ginger. Reserve.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the sour cream and milk until smooth. Reserve.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter and sugars together at medium speed until creamy and pale, scraping the sides of the bowl several times, about 5 minutes. Add the beaten eggs a little at a time, incorporating well after each addition.

Add the pumpkin, a spoonful at a time, mixing briefly between additions, just to incorporate. The batter will break at this point and look curdled. Don’t worry, in this batter, it is not a problem.

Add the dry ingredients in 3 batches, alternating with the sour cream and milk mixture, adding the final third of the flour last. Mix for a few seconds longer to ensure that all ingredients are incorporated. Remove the paddle attachment and finish the batter by folding it several times with a large flexible spatula. The batter should now look creamy and stable.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and level the top with a flexible spatula.

Bake in the lower third of a 350º oven for about 50 minutes, until the top springs back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean but moist. If the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan, pull the cake quickly out of the oven. Ideally, you want to pull the cake before this occurs. Over baking will cause the cake to be dry. The center temperature of the cake should read close to 210º on an instant-read thermometer and no higher.

Remove the cake from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes only.

While the cake is still warm, turn it upside-down onto a serving platter. If some bits of cranberry and nuts cling to the pan, simply scoop them out with a flexible spatula and add them back to the top of the cake.

Serve while still warm with Apple Cider Caramel Sauce, Orange Cream, and a sprinkle of orange zest.

Yield:
"1 10-inch coffee cake"

NOTES : A wonderfully moist, tender, open-textured coffee cake with a baked-in topping of caramelized cranberries and hazelnuts. The entire cake is redolent with warm spices, fresh ginger, and orange. This cake stays moist for days if covered tightly with plastic wrap.

 
and Dawn_MO's REC: Chocolate Mint Cookies..

Chocolate Mint Cookies

Recipe By : Kelly Douglas

3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
70 Andes Creme de Menthe Thins

Melt butter, sugar, water in saucepan on low until melted. Add chocolate chips and stir until melted. Remove from heat. Allow to cool about 10 minutes. Beat in eggs.

Stir in combined flour, soda and salt; beat just until blended. chill one hour.

Take teaspoons of dough and roll into balls. Place on foil lined cookie sheets (parchment paper) and bake at 350 degrees for 9 minutes. Immediately place one mint candy over cookie, allow it to melt and spread over top of cookie.

Remove to cooling rack.

NOTES : Poster used only 1/2 mint thin per cookie

 
and Randi's REC: Hard Boiled Eggs with Piquant Sauce...

Hard boiled eggs with piquant sauce

Recipe By :Marcella Haza/The Classic Italian Cook Book

Serving Size : 6

6 large eggs -- hard boiled
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 tablespoon chopped capers
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard -- or other strong mustard
1 pinch salt
12 small strips pimiento

Cut eggs in half lengthwise. carefully remove the yolks without damaging the whites.

Combine the yolks and the remaining ingredients except the pimento and reserved whites. using a fork, mash to a creamy, uniform consistency. spoon mixture into reserved egg whites. garnish each with a strip of pimento.

NOTES : These can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated, but serve at room temperature.

 
and bar_b's REC: Chicken Curry with Cashews...

Chicken Curry with Cashews

Recipe By :Charmaine Solomon's Complete Asian Cookbook
Serving Size : 4

1/2 stick unsalted butter -- (1/4 cup)
2 medium onions -- finely chopped (2 cups)
2 large garlic cloves -- finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh ginger -- peeled, finely chopped
3 tablespoons curry powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 4-pound chicken -- cut into 10 serving pieces
1 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3/4 cup cashews -- (1/4 pound)
3/4 cup whole-milk yogurt -- plain
Accompaniment:
cooked basmati or jasmine rice
Garnish:
chopped fresh cilantro

Heat butter in a 5- to 6-quart wide heavy pot over moderately low heat until foam subsides, then cook onions, garlic, and ginger, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add curry powder, salt, cumin, and cayenne and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add chicken and cook, stirring to coat, 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, including juice, and cilantro and bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 40 minutes. (If making ahead, see cooks' note, below.)

Just before serving:
Pulse cashews in a food processor or electric coffee/spice grinder until very finely ground, then add to curry along with yogurt and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring, until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.

NOTES : Curry, without yogurt and cashews, can be made 5 days ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Reheat over low heat before stirring in yogurt and ground cashews.

In this recipe ground cashews thicken the curry and give it a rich, nutty flavor. Both roasted and raw cashews work well, so use whichever you prefer.

 
and Pat's Cosmopolitan Champagne Cocktail!!!

after our Canadian Thanksgiving dinner - everyone of my six brothers and sisters asked for the recipe!

I'm serving it for Christmas for my husbands' side of the family.

Love it!
Betty

 
Unreal is right Meryl! Mar gave me a jar of this wonderful sauce after our Cypress Gardens

meet-up. It's indescribably delicious!

 
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