Hummingbird Coffee Cake

Hadn't baked a cake in a long time!!  When friends invite me over, I usually bake some cupcakes, but this time, was in the mood for cake!



So glad I tried this recipe!! This is one delicious cake!! Thanks to the amazing recipe from Annie's Eats!! Everyone loved it!

Didn't get a chance to take a photo of a slice - will do for sure next time!!
The glaze is soooo tasty!!
Hummingbird Coffee Cake
from www.annies-eats.com
Yield: about 16 servings

Ingredients

For the cake:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
8 tbsp. (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
1 cup sugar (used a little more than 3/4 cup)
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. coconut extract (optional)
1 cup low-fat plain greek yogurt
2 mashed bananas (about a scant 1 cup)
2/3 cup shredded coconut
1 cup finely chopped pineapple
For the glaze:
2 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp. milk
½ tsp. vanilla extract
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more as needed
To finish:
1/3 cup shredded coconut
1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, macadamia nuts, or pecans (didn't use)

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Thoroughly grease a bundt pan with butter. Coat the inside with flour, tapping out the excess. In a small bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk to blend; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla and coconut extracts. Beat in the yogurt until well incorporated. With the mixer on low speed, beat in half of the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated. Beat in the mashed bananas and then the remaining dry ingredients, again mixing just until incorporated. With a silicone spatula, gently fold in the coconut and chopped pineapple.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared bundt pan and smooth into an even layer. Bake, rotating halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean, about 50-55 minutes. Let cool 20-30 minutes in the pan placed on a wire rack. Gently loosen the cake from the sides of the pan with a knife, and carefully turn out onto the cooling rack. Allow to cool completely.
• To make the glaze, whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl. If the glaze is too thin, whisk in more confectioners’ sugar. If the glaze is too thick, whisk in additional milk 1 teaspoon at a time. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cooled cake. Sprinkle with shredded coconut and chopped nuts for garnish. Let glaze set before slicing and serving.

 

Cake, cat and dog!

A couple of weekends ago, prepared a cake for my step-mom's 75th birthday. Didn't quite turn out as I wished - but still was delicious!



Two of the guests of the party - LOL!

Easter Cakes

I had made this cake for my brother's 50th birthday party and was asked to make it again for Easter! I changed the decoration a bit but used the same chocolate cake as a base.
It makes for a very impressive cake! Ben helped out by cutting the cookies the right size as they were a bit too long!










I also made a carrot cake which was amazing. The recipe can be found here:.the-girl-who-ate-everything.

Moist Chocolate Cake

My parents came over last weekend for coffee. Of course, I had to bake something!!



For a change, I decided to bake a cake instead of cupcakes.


This cake is good but was a bit too sweet for us! Will use less sugar next time!


Moist Chocolate Cake
from Taste of Home Baking Classics
12 servings

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar (used 1 1/2 cups and would lower it to 1 cup next ime)
3/4 cup baking cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup canola oil
1 cup brewed coffee, room temperature
1 cup milk (used low fat)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Buttercream frosting
1 cup butter softened (used 3/4 cup)
8 cups confectioners' sugar (used 6 cups)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 to 3/4 cup milk (used low fat)

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the oil, coffee and milk; beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla; beat 2 minutes longer.

Pour into greased and floured 9-inch round baking pans. Bake at 325F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

For frosting, in a bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffly. Beat in vanilla. Add enough milk to achieve desired spreading consistency. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake.

Christmas Carrot Cake

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! We did - we spent it with family and had a great time!

Too bad my dear brother and his girlfriend were sick - they missed a great party on the 24th! My step-sister had asked for a carrot cake - so that's what she got!! Decided to add some m&ms to decorate!

This is one amazing carrot cake - DELICIOUS!!!

Carrot Cake
food.com
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 3/4 cups white sugar (used 1 1/2 cups)

1 cup vegetable oil (used Canola oil)

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups shredded carrots

1 cup flaked coconut

1 cup chopped walnuts (didn't use in case of allergies)

1 (8 ounce) cans crushed pineapple, drained

FROSTING

1 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened (used 1/2 cup)

2 cups icing sugar (used 3 cups)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.

2.Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; make a well in the center and add sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla. Mix with wooden spoon until smooth.

3. Stir in carrots, coconut, walnuts and pineapple. Pour into 9x13 inch pan and bake for about 45 minutes. Don't panic, the centre will sink a little.

4.Allow to cool; when cool, ice the cake. You can certainly use your favourite cream cheese frosting to ice this cake, but the one I've included is highly recommended (I usually leave the cake in the 13x9 pan and just ice the top).

5. To make the frosting: Cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth; add the icing sugar and beat until creamy.

Special Cake for a Special Guy

Last Saturday we surprised my brother with a party for his 50th birthday. Well, we didn't really surprise him as he knew he was having a party, but the surprise was who would be there!


There was family and lots of friends. I am so jealous because he has kept most of his friends since childhood!!


Since he is my favorite brother (and my only one!!), I decided to make him a special cake!


I started with a basic chocolate cake with chocolate icing


Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake

Hershey Website

2 cups sugar (used 1 1/2 cups)

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup Cocoa

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk (used lowfat)

1/2 cup vegetable oil (used Canola)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING (recipe follows)

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.   

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.   

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings. 

PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency.
Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

***********

I had seen on pinterest, this cake made with Kitkat (here's one and another and this is the one that inspired me!)

I had bought a few KitKats, but we saw these cookies (Pirouline) at Costco last Saturday morning and Ben suggested we try decorating with them instead!

They were a bit too long, so Ben cut them a bit and I decorated with some smarties.

Brought the cake to the restaurant and it was a big hit!! Only problem was there wasn't enough cake for everyone :( - I didn't get to taste it - so I guess I will have to make it again!

Marie-Helene's Apple Cake

Fall is here. It rained all weekend. It is grey and cool. Perfect weather to bake though!!
We went apple picking last week (photos to come soon) and as soon as I got back, I knew I wanted to bake something with apples. Went looking and found this easy and delicious recipe!

Marie-Helene's Apple Cake
twopeasandtheirpod

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
4 large apples
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar (used a little more than 1/2 cup)
3 tablespoons dark rum
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and center a rack in the oven. Butter an 8 inch springform pan. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and put the springform pan on it. Set aside.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl.
3. Peel the apples, cut them in half, and remove the cores. Cut the apples into 1 to 2 inch chunks.
4. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk until foamy. Pour in the sugar and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the rum and vanilla. Whisk in half of the flour mixture, when it's incorporated, add half of the melted butter, followed by the remaining flour mixture and butter. Mix in between additions so you have a smooth, thick batter.
5. Fold in the apples with a rubber spatula. Pour batter into prepared pan. Spread with spatula so the batter is somewhat even.
6. Slide the pan in the oven and bake 50-60 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool for five minutes.
7. Run a knife around the edges of the cake and remove from the pan. Cool cake until slightly warm or at room temperature. If you want to remove the cake from the pan, wait until the cake is completely cooled. Slide a long spatula between the cake and pan, cover the top of the cake with a piece of parchment or wax paper, and invert it onto a rack. Carefully remove the bottom of the pan and turn the cake over onto a serving platter.
Recipe from Dorie Greenspan (Around My French Table)

Ricardo's Easter Chocolate Cake

Baked this wonderful cake to bring to my cousin for an Easter brunch. Ricardo has so many delicious looking cakes - it was hard to choose one - but decided on this chocolate cake...





Ricardo's Chocolate Cake
ricardocuisine
2  cups flour
3/4 cups cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
Dash of salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar (used 1 1/4 cups)
3 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups milk (used low fat)

Preheat the oven to 350 °F). Butter and flour 2 8 inch round pans.

In a bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa and baking soda.

In another bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the butter a few seconds and add slowly the sugar. Beat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time while mixing, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla.

On slow speed, add the dry ingredients, alternating with the milk.

Pour into the pans. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes.

Let the cakes cool and unmould.

Chocolate Icing
ricardocuisine
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 1/4 cups icing sugar
1/3 cup sifted cocoa powder
2 tablespoons 35% cream (used low fat milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a bowl, beat the butter, sugar, cream and vanilla with an electric mixer until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Add food colouring if desired.

Banana Cake with Crunchy Top

Already Sunday night. Weekends go by so fast! I would vote for a 3-day weekend!!

Went back to the gym this morning to try to run another 5k.  Did it again!! Ran it in 31 minutes, which is faster than what I did last week (I did it in 33).  I didn't find it any easier - my heart was really pumping. But I was so happy when I finished!! My goal was to try to do it in 30 minutes - but that will be for next time!! :)  Still did it 2 minutes faster than last time!! Yeah me!!



This afternoon, we went for a short walk - wanted to walk longer, but it was so cold near the water, we managed only 30 minutes.


We came back, and since I needed to use up some bananas, went back to an old recipe I did for the first time 6-7 years ago. It is still as good today (I am having a piece as I type!!).
 


I had saved it here - banana-cake-with-crunchy-top - recipezaar which is now food.com.

Banana Cake with Crunchy Top

2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (used 1 1/4 and would use less than 1 next time as the topping is very sweet!)
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup buttermilk or 1/4 cup soured milk (used low-fat milk and lemon)
1 cup mashed ripe banana (3 to 4)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup buttermilk or 1/4 cup soured milk (used low-fat milk and lemon)

Topping

1/3 cup butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons light cream (10%) (used low-fat milk)
1 cup flaked coconut
3/4 cup chopped nuts (didn't use)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease a 13x9 inch cake pan.

Cake: combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl.

Add sugar, butter, 1/4 cup buttermilk and bananas. Beat for 2 minutes with wooden spoon (or electric mixer).

Add eggs, vanilla and 1/4 cup buttermilk. Beat for 1 minute.

Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until tootpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Topping: while cake is baking, prepare topping. Melt butter in small saucepan (or microwave). Stir in remaining ingredients thoroughly.

Remove cake from oven and immediately spread toping evenly over cake.

Broil 6 inches below element for 2 to 3 minutes or until bubbly and golden.

Easy Apple Cake

Didn't get a chance yet to go apple picking - hope too soon if it's not too late! Meanwhile, got a big bag of delicious apples at the market.  Love the smell of apple baking so went looking for an easy recipe to use some of the apples I bought.





When a recipe says "easy" in the title - I love it even better!! and the recipe taken from achowlife was!!

Apple Walnut Cake

2 cups diced peeled Jonagold apples (used McIntosh)
1 cup sugar (used a little less)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (didn't have but will add for sure next time)
1/2 cup dark raisins

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter and flour 8x8x2-inch baking pan. Mix diced apples, sugar, butter and egg in large bowl to blend. Sift flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt over. Add chopped walnuts, raisins; mix thoroughly. Transfer mixture to prepared pan.

Bake until cake is brown and crusty on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack.





This cake is delicious and I can't wait to bake it again!!