Allspice Chronicles

Marbled Blackberry Pound Cake

by Danica Waters

Having grown up under the influence of heavy-duty Southern Sensibilities and then steeped in the sweet civility of British living once or twice, I must admit that I have come to truly appreciate the merits of a good pound cake.  While most folks shudder at the thought of what a pound cake can do to a diet, I personally feel better if I’ve got three or four of them tucked away in my freezer for gift giving and emergencies.  And tea.

My Nana was famous for handing out pound cakes to visitors.  It was just what she did.  The mailman came with packages during the summer and received pound cake and lemonade to go.  Mothers would come to pick up their kids after a play date, and they, too, received some version of a delectable pound cake.   A cake walk or a bake sale at the school?  Yep.  Pound cake.  She always spoke to the fact that a good pound cake went with everything, was admired by everyone,  remained virtually indestructible during transport, and always showed up looking good at a party.  While that sounds more like a great travel garment than something you’d eat, go figure; I now find myself collecting great pound cake recipes, baking them in wee tiny pans and putting them away for gift giving, emergencies, and yes, afternoon tea.

This is a lighter version of a pound cake I found on Martha Stewart’s website.  It could easily be made with any type of jam, but is completely smashing with a  fresh blackberry swirl.  As a footnote, I chose to leave my blackberries crushed but not pureed, and the result was fantastic.  Super easy to make ahead and freeze, this is a great way to get a head-start on the holiday season.

Enjoy!

Marbled Blackberry Pound Cake

(Martha Stewart)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

6 ounces blackberries (1 1/3 cups)

1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 5-by-9-inch loaf pan and line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides; butter parchment. In a food processor, puree blackberries with 2 tablespoons sugar. (Or, for a more rustic texture, simply crush blackberries and combine with sugar.)  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar until light and fluffy, 5 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat to combine, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Transfer half the batter to pan and dot with 1/2 cup blackberry puree. Repeat with remaining batter and puree. With a skewer or thin-bladed knife, swirl batter and puree together. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 1 1/4 hours. Let cool in pan on a wire rack, 30 minutes. Lift cake out of pan and place on a serving plate; let cool completely before slicing.

Creamy Chocolate Cupcakes

by Danica Waters / nature photos courtesy of www.nps.gov/romo/index.htm

I first discovered this recipe about ten years ago, in the back of an issue of Taste of Home magazine.  It was October, the aspen were ablaze in the Colorado high country and I was excitedly planning an annual autumn picnic for a large group of friends and family.  Although our family made frequent pilgrimages to the mountains throughout the year, our October excursion was special in a spiritual sort of way.

In the lush valleys of Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park, October heralds the return of the giant elk as they descend from higher elevations to mate and prepare for the onset of winter.  It is a humbling, transfixing ritual to observe, as old as time and as beautifully executed as a waltz in a king’s court.

On this particular October excursion, we arrived with enough time to spend the day hiking, and, of course, daring each other to dip our toes in the ice-cold burbling streams.   Finally, as the late afternoon chill set in, we returned to the small parking lot on the far side of the meadows. Wet, shivering children got tucked into clean, dry socks and loads of blankets; hearty picnic dinner offerings were devoured and steaming cups of hot cocoa were passed around as we, and the many other nature-lovers around us, waited for the elk to appear.

Venus twinkled over Long’s Peak, shining like a  diamond in the deepening periwinkle sky; then, as if by magic, the soft sounds of laughter and conversation suddenly gave way to reverent silence with the first sighting of a bull elk. He appeared from the shadowy depths of the forest and walked slowly and deliberately into the meadow, completely aware of and unfazed by our presence; we were mere courtiers in the presence of a King.

He assumed his position center stage in the tall grasses and stood magnificently still, waiting.  Then, on an impulse, he thrust his head back and let out a haunting, lonely cry that reverberated all the way through the valley.  The ensuing silence was nothing short of deafening; it was as though every molecule of every being in the entire valley had been suspended in time.

Ever-so-slowly, from the forest shadows appeared the does.  With almost-choreographed precision, they made their way, one by one, in front of the group of onlookers and then past the King, only to disappear back into the trees on the opposite side of the meadow.  After the last doe had made her appearance, the King turned and followed them, swallowed by the shadows of nightfall.

The whole experience was like a dream; we had to sit a minute to digest what we’d just seen.  Kids being kids, they decided this was the perfect opportunity to remind me that we hadn’t yet served dessert.  I absentmindedly broke out these little cupcakes, and suddenly realized I was experiencing another kind of dream, because that same sudden, magical hush fell over everyone in our group as they took their first bite.  Even the kids were quiet.  No joke.

Need some magic?  Try these.   Creamy Chocolate Cupcakes are the best cupcakes in the WORLD.  They have no frosting.  Instead, they have chunks of chocolate and walnuts baked into a peek-a-boo cream cheese center. Not too sweet, modestly decadent, easily transportable, and visually stunning; this is the perfect cupcake to make for every occasion.

Enjoy!

Creamy Chocolate Cupcakes

Taste of Home August/September 1994

1-1/2 C all-purpose flour

1 C sugar

¼ C baking cocoa

½ tsp salt

2 eggs lightly beaten

¾ C water

1/3 C vegetable oil

1 Tbsp vinegar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Filling:

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/3 C sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/8 tsp salt

1 C semisweet chocolate chips

1 C chopped walnuts

In large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients.  Add the eggs, water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla; mix well.  Pour into 18 greased or paper lined muffin cups.  For filling, beat cream cheese and sugar in another mixing bowl.  Add egg and salt; mix well.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Drop by tablespoonfuls into center of each cupcake.  Sprinkle with nuts.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  Makes 1-1/2 dozen.

Gigi’s Apple Cake

by Danica Waters

Several years ago, I found myself in the waiting room of a doctor’s office… waiting.  And waiting.  And waiting some more.  Thankfully, the waiting room was stocked with lots and lots of great magazines, most of which contained great recipes.

One of the magazines contained a wonderful, heartfelt story about a Jewish grandmother fondly referred to as “Gigi”, who would make an incredible apple cake just like clockwork as soon as the long summer days gave way to the shorter, chillier days of autumn.   It seems the recipe had been handed down through the family for generations; I was happy I had a pen and an old grocery list buried in my purse.

I don’t remember the name of the publication, nor can I recall the name of the author who shared such a beautiful living memory of her dearly departed grandmother.  I can tell you that this is the best apple cake I have ever made or tasted; it is truly an autumn heirloom your family will treasure for generations.

Enjoy!

Gigi’s Apple Cake

1 C canola oil, plus more for greasing

2-1/2 C all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2 tsp baking powder

3 tsp ground cinnamon

6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

2-1/4 C granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1/3 C orange juice

2 tsp orange zest

2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350?.  Grease and flour a 12c Bundt or tube pan.  In a medium bowl, combine the 2-1/2 cups of flour with the baking powder and 2 teaspoons of the cinnamon.  Ina large bowl, toss the apples with ¼ cup of sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and set aside.

In a standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the 1 cup of oil with the eggs, orange juice, vanilla, and the remaining 2 cups of sugar on medium speed for 1 minute.  Add the flour mixture in three batches, mixing until just combined.  Add the apples and stir to combine.  Transfer to the pan, leaving about an inch at the top, and bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 1-1/2 hours.  Let the cake cool in the pan for about 30 minutes before unmolding it onto a rack to cool completely.

Camille Glenn’s Golden Cointreau Cake

by Danica Waters

This is one of the most fantastic and truly unusual cakes I’ve ever made.  Having contemplated this recipe again and again over the last five years or so, I finally decided that an occasion such as my daughter’s 23^rd birthday would warrant the labor involved.  Honestly, the cake turned out to be surprisingly easy to make; it was just very different from anything I’d done before.

The recipe was created by the late Camille Glenn (Queen of Southern Cuisine) when she catered debutante parties and weddings in Louisville.  The passage that hooked me can be found in her cookbook The Heritage of Southern Cooking, where she writes:

“This cake holds a secret all to itself – a magical formula that will fool you.  The texture is unusually moist, tender, and diaphanous.  This delicacy in contrast to the elusive, rich frosting sets the cake apart.  It is a gala occasion cake.  In fact, if the occasion is not gala, the cake will make it so.  You’ll see.”

She was right.  It’s almost like an ethereal combination of an angel food cake and a pound cake; it’s light as a feather but incredibly moist like a sponge cake.

With this recipe, Camille provides two options for frosting the cake; one is a bit heavier on the Cointreau, and the other is more a classic buttercream.  I chose the first option and it was wonderful.  I must advise, however, that the frosting is very strong, and is actually better when allowed to rest overnight in the refrigerator.  The resting time not only allowed the sharpness of the Cointreau to mellow a bit,  it also seemed to enhance the overall texture of the cake.

Enjoy!

Camille Glenn’s Golden Cointreau Cake

(from the Heritage of Southern Cooking)

8 large eggs

1-1/2 C sugar

1/3 C fresh orange juice

1 C all purpose flour

1-1/2 tsp Cointreau

½ tsp vanilla extract

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp cream of tartar

Cointreau Frosting or Classic Buttercream with Cointreau (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Separate the eggs.  Put the yolks in one large mixing bowl and the whites in another large mixing bowl.

Beat the egg yolks with an electric mixer until they have thickened and are smooth.  Beat in the sugar slowly, then continue beating until the mixture turns a lighter shade of yellow and is smooth.  Add the orange juice and blend thoroughly.

Measure the flour, then sift it twice.  Sprinkle the sifted flour over the egg yolk mixture and gently fold it in by hand with a whisk or a rubber spatula, or with the electric mixer on a very low speed.  Fold in the Cointreau and vanilla.

Add the salt to the egg whites and beat until they begin to turn white and foamy.  Add the cream of tartar, and continue to beat until the egg whites hold a stiff peak but are not dry and grainy, about 4 minutes more.

Fold a few spoonfuls of the egg whites into the batter to lighten it.  Then add the remaining egg whites to the batter, gently folding them in.

Spoon the batter into a 10 x 4-1/2 inch angel food cake pan (a tube pan with a removable bottom)  The pan should be no more than three quarters full.

Place the cake pan on the middle shelf of the oven and bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, or until the cake springs back at once when lightly touched, about 1-1/4 hours.

Remove the cake from the oven, turn it upside down on the tube pan legs, and allow it to rest overnight before frosting.

Loosen the cake with a thin sharp knife, and unmold it.  Put the cake on a plate or on a flat surface covered with wax paper or foil.  Spread the frosting over the cake.

Cointreau Frosting  (*** I used this frosting***)

8 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2-3/4 C confectioner’s sugar sifted

1/8 tsp salt

1 large egg yolk

6-8 Tbsp Cointreau or more as needed

Put the butter in a large mixing bowl.  Add the confectioners’ sugar and salt.  Beat well with an electric mixer.  Add the egg yolk, then slowly add 6 Tbsp of the Cointreau.  Continue to beat the frosting until it is smooth, thick, and pliable, 3 minutes.  Add more Cointreau as needed; it usually takes 8 Tbsp.  This frosting must be thick.

Frost the cake generously in a swirl design.  Allow the frosting to firm for 30 minutes, then lift the cake to a serving platter.  Keep cake refrigerated.

Classic Buttercream with Cointreau

1 C (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

5 large egg yolks

2/3 C sugar

¼ tsp cream of tartar

1/8 tsp salt, or to taste

5 Tbsp cold water

3 Tbsp Cointreau

Cream the butter until it is light and smooth; set aside.

Beat the egg yolks with an electric mixer until they have doubled in bulk, 3 minutes.

Combine the sugar, cream of tartar, salt, and water ini a heavy saucepan, bring to a boil, and cook over medium heat until the syrup spins a thread when it falls from a wooden spoon or until a candy thermometer registers 235-236 degrees F.  (If the syrup is not cooked to this point, the frosting will never firm up.)

Immediately pour the hot syrup in a steady stream into the egg yolks, beating constantly.  Continue to beat until the mixture has cooled, 15 – 20 minutes.

Add the butter to the yolk mixture a tablespoonful at a time.  If the frosting should look curdled while you are adding the butter, place the frosting over hot (not boiling) water and beat vigorously until it is smooth again.  Add the Cointreau and mix thoroughly.  If necessary, chill the frosting until it has a good spreading consistency, 35-45 minutes.

Frost the cake generously in a beautiful swirling design, and then keep the cake refrigerated.

Icebox Banana Cake With Chocolate Cream

by Danica Waters

My youngest daughter has loved to be in the kitchen since she was, well, born.  She never wanted to be far from me; her favorite place as a little baby was in her bouncy-chair on the kitchen counter, and she always reminded me of a little alien because of how intently she would watch and listen while I told her about everything I did.

She learned about fractions by using our measuring cups.

She learned about spices by tasting each and every one individually (cardamoms were complex and fascinating, cayenne pepper, not so much).

And by her early teens, she knew how to pick out a great recipe simply by eyeing the list of ingredients.

Now she’s 18 (sniff!) and this cake happens to be her most recent culinary success.  While the original recipe called for a whipped-cream frosting, she modified it to a cream-cheese base.  Not too sweet but just enough, this cake looks impressive, freezes beautifully and is terrific to serve on a hot summer evening.

Enjoy!

Icebox Banana Cake with Chocolate Cream

(adapted from Land O Lakes Treasury of Country Recipes)

Cake

1 C sugar

2/3 C butter, softened

2 tsp vanilla (Madagascar bourbon vanilla is best)

2 eggs

1 C mashed ripe banana

¼ C dairy sour cream

1-1/2 C all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

Chocolate Cream

¾ C heavy whipping cream

8 oz cream cheese, softened

3 Tbsp powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

½ C chocolate chips, melted

2 bananas

2 Tbsp chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts are delicious)

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  In large mixer bowl combine sugar, butter and vanilla.  Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until light and fluffy (1 to 2 minutes).  Continue beating, adding eggs one at a time, until creamy (1 to 2 minutes).  By hand, stir in 1 C mashed bananas and sour cream.  Fold in flour and baking soda.  Pour into two greased and floured 8” round cake pans.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely.

In chilled small mixer bowl, beat chilled whipping cream at high speed, scraping bowl often, until soft peaks form.  Gradually add sugar and vanilla, continue beating until stiff peaks form (1 to 2 minutes).  Add softened cream cheese and melted chocolate; continue beating until well-mixed (about a minute – do not overbeat).

On a serving plate, place 1 cake layer.  Spread with half the chocolate cream.  Slice 1 banana and lay slices on top of chocolate cream.  Top with remaining cake layer, and frost with remaining chocolate cream.

If serving that same day: 

Place frosted cake in refrigerator for two hours.  Just prior to serving, slice remaining banana and arrange slices on top of cake.  Sprinkle with chopped nuts.

If planning to freeze:

Slice remaining banana, arrange slices on top of cake, and sprinkle with chopped nuts.  Freeze immediately to prevent banana slices from turning brown.

Enjoy!

Classic New York Cheesecake

by Danica Waters

Oh, gosh.  Yes, I’m going THERE.  Just in time for bikini season.  You can be mad at me later.  There was really no other finishing flourish that would truly compliment the recipes I’ve posted lately, like Reza’s Lasagna or Tuscan Tomato Soup. Cheesecake is, in my opinion, the ULTIMATE “little black dress” of desserts.  I don’t make it frequently, but when I do, it’s worth every calorie…   So what if  I literally have to “work my butt off” afterwards? That’s what the Tracy Anderson Method is there for.  I remain fixed and determined upon my mission to eat whatever I want, whenever the occasion calls for it.  I just have to compensate for it.

Speaking of compensation, here’s a little secret:  You can scale this (and any) recipe way, way down just by using smaller pans.    Let’s face it:  Cheesecake is so rich, you don’t need a lot of it to make you feel like you’ve tasted a slice of heaven.  Beyond that, when you serve a really pretty, tall, thick slice of cheesecake (no matter if the slice is really only about 2.5” long and not even as wide) to guests, they think they’ve gone to heaven, too.  And you, my dear,  develop a bit of a reputation for delivering dependable  decadence.  Of course, if your guests are worried about their waistlines like we all are, you can state with confidence (and a conspirator’s air of indulgence) that all you’re giving them is a taste.  Who can refuse?  And I’m sorry.  Life is not truly life without dessert.

I’ve tested dozens – and I mean DOZENS – of cheesecake recipes.  Believe it or not, my fave happened to come off the back of a Keebler Graham Cracker box.  Wish I was kidding.  But somewhere in the mists of my memory, I recall my Nana telling me to always test the recipes on product boxes.  She has never let me down – heaven knows I’ve got plenty more tried and true recipes where this came from…  This recipe has an extremely unique lightness about the texture – and absolutely perfect presentation, to boot.

Instead of using a 9” springform pan, which is (again) what I’ll use only if I’m serving the whole block, I use two 5” springform pans.  Yep, it’s a wee bit more work, but cheesecakes are super-easy to make in the first place and they freeze like a charm.   Because this recipe is a classic, basic flavor, glazes and toppings can vary at your whim: Strawberry?  Raspberry? Kiwi?  Mango?  Pineapple?  Orange?  Caramel?  Chocolate?  Praline? Anything goes on top of this little gem.  And don’t fret:  when you think about it, it only comes out onto the table once in a blue moon.  (Ooooh… I simply love blue moons… )

NOTE:  if you’re freezing one of these to use later, leave off any of the toppings.  This will not only give you flexibility based on future menus, but it will also keep your cake from going “soggy”.  Be sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap AND foil to prevent freezer burn.

Indulge, my darlings! ( And then go work your butt off…)

New York Cheesecake

(from the back of a Keebler graham cracker box)

2 C Graham cracker crumbs

½ C margarine or butter, melted

2 Tbsp sugar

4 pkgs cream cheese, softened

1-1/2 C sugar

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 Tbsp vanilla

3 eggs

1 C sour cream

In a small bowl toss together graham crumbs, margarine or butter, and 2 Tbsp sugar.  Reserve 2 Tbsp of crumb mixture for garnish.  Press remaining crumb mixture onto bottom and 2-1/4 inches up sides of a 9-inch springform pan.  Chill in freezer while preparing filling.

In large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese on medium speed of electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add 1-1/3 C sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla.  Beat until combined.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined after each addition.  Stir in sour cream.

Pour into crust.  Bake at 325 degrees F about 1-1/4 hours or until center is almost set.  Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes.  Loosen sides of pan.  Continue cooling on wire rack for 45 minutes more.  Sprinkle top with reserved crumbs.  Refrigerate at least 3 hours.  Store in refrigerator.

Marilyn’s Chocolate Sheet Cake

by Danica Waters

This cake has been a family standard for as long as I can remember.  The recipe came from an old friend of my mother’s.  I vividly recall conversations my sisters and I would have in the car en route to various church potlucks, all hoping beyond hope that Marilyn would bring her glorious sheet cake.  It’s super-easy to make, feeds a crowd, and somehow manages to wow everybody because it isn’t too sweet – the cinnamon overtones balance it out to where it’s just enough.  As an added bonus, it freezes and carries exceptionally well for camping and picnics, and it’s usually one of the first things to sell out at bake sales – especially if you put a nice glacee cherry on top of each piece.

This is the first cake my daughter learned to bake all by herself.  So, in honor of Mother’s Day, kids, bake sales, and Marilyn, here’s the recipe!

Marilyn’s Chocolate Sheet Cake

Grease and flour a large jelly roll pan, and preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix together in a large bowl and set aside:

2 C flour

2 C sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1.4 tsp salt

1 tsp soda

In a separate bowl, mix together and set aside:

½ C buttermilk (or ½ C milk + 1 Tbsp white vinegar)

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

In a medium (2 quart) saucepan, bring the following ingredients to a boil, and then remove from heat:

1 stick butter

½ C shortening

1 C cold water

4 Tbsp cocoa

Add the buttermilk mixture and the hot cocoa mixture to the dry ingredients in the large bowl, mix well.

Bake in a 350? F oven for 20 minutes.

While the cake is baking, make your frosting:

In a large (4 quart) saucepan, bring to a boil:

1 stick butter

4 Tbsp cocoa

5 Tbsp milk

Remove from heat, and add:

1 tsp vanilla

1 box powdered sugar

1 C chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, peanuts, etc. OR, if you’re worried about folks having allergies to nuts, omit this!)

When cake is done, spread warm frosting gently over the top of the cake.  Even though as a rule it is better to frost cakes when they’re cool, this cake works best when all the ingredients are warm – the warm frosting soaks into the cake a bit better, and creates an absolutely awesome texture.

Needless to say, this cake makes a stellar base for a very decadent sundae – especially with some caramel sauce, Kahlua, or Grand Mariner over vanilla ice cream.  Careful, though!  It will be rich.  Serve in a small dessert dish or even a martini glass and your dinner guests will think they’ve died and gone to heaven.

And if you need a bit of picnic pizzazz, try sprinkling the top of the cake with M&M’s… cut into individual pieces and freeze.  Again, the cake carries extremely well, thaws quickly, and makes a perfect picnic / camping dessert in about half-an-hour’s time!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Mom’s Carrot Cake

by Danica Waters

This is the cake you bake if you want something completely delicious. And easy. And fast. And impressive. It fills the house with an absolutely delicious smell, works in any of the four seasons, freezes beautifully, and it can be converted into just about any shape you can think of: classic bundt, loaf, regular layer cake, cupcake, you name it. You simply throw the carrots and “wet” ingredients in a blender, push the ‘on’ button, and blend until everything looks emulsified (i.e. – no big carrot chunks). Throw all your ‘dry’ ingredients into a separate bowl, sift ‘em together (or use a whisk and mix them together well), add the ‘wet’ ingredients to the ‘dry’ ingredients, mix it all together, and pour into a prepared pan! Voila! Queen Anne Cake! Here’s the details:

Mom’s Carrot Cake

Prepare your preferred baking pan with shortening and flour, or if you’re making cupcakes, simply prepare your tins with the appropriate paper muffin cups. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Get your ingredients together:

The ‘Wet’ Ingredients:
6 medium carrots, washed/peeled and cut into 1” chunks
3 eggs
½ C canola oil
2 tsp vanilla
1 C orange juice

Combine all in blender until all large carrot chunks are pureed and everything is blended well.

The ‘Dry’ Ingredients:
2-1/2 C all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt
2 C sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cloves

Combine all dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.

To assemble:
Pour ‘wet’ ingredients into ‘dry’ ingredients, mix well.
Add 1 C chopped nuts or coconut, if desired.

For large bundt pan, bake for 60 minutes. Cupcakes will need to be checked after 20 minutes.

Cake can be dusted with confectioners’ sugar (place in small wire sieve and gently shake over the cake to get that superfine “dusted” look), or frosted with your choice of frostings. The classic frosting for this recipe is a Cream Cheese frosting, as follows:

Cream Cheese Frosting:
Combine 8 oz cream cheese (at room temperature) with confectioner’s sugar, beating well with an electric mixer on low speed until desired consistency is reached. Add 1 tsp vanilla, mix well.

In the picture, I used toasted coconut to garnish the cupcakes:

Toasted Coconut Garnish:
Spread shredded coconut in a thin layer across a clean, dry baking sheet (unprepared). Place in 350 degree F oven until coconut starts to turn golden brown. “Turn” coconut with a spatula to ensure even browning. When a rich golden color is achieved, remove from oven immediately and transfer to a cool plate (coconut will continue to cook on pan if not transferred!). When it’s cool, sprinkle generously over your frosted cake(s).

Delish!