Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

We can all thank my mom for this cake.

No, it isn't her recipe. It is just one good thing that has come out of her newly discovered food allergies. Long story short she is allergic to a plethora of things in the food area.

Soy, nuts, strawberries, yeast, oranges...yep, pretty much anything good.

A whole host of delicious food she can no longer eat. Do you have any idea what all soy is in? Almost everything it seems. As you can imagine she is not at all happy about it. I mean, really...who would be?



I immediately set out to find some great desserts that she could still eat. Not an easy task, but hey...I'm sweet like that. My first attempt was this lemon poppy seed cake, and it was so unbelieveably awesome.

The cake is just a pound cake of sorts with lemon zest and poppy seeds. While the cake is still warm you pour a glaze made from fresh lemon juice and sugar over top. It gives it such a fresh citrus flavor, and that is what puts it over the top.

It is for sure Mom's new favorite cake...and I think it is mine too!

Perfect for breakfast or dessert!!


Ingredients:

6 Tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 Tablespoon grated lemon peel
2 eggs
2 egg whites
2 1/2 cups cake flour
2 Tablespoons poppy seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup lemon juice

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar until crumbly, about 2 minutes. Add lemon peel; mix well. Add eggs and egg whites, one at ta time, beating well after each addition.

Combine the four, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture alternately with buttermilk.

Transfer to a 10 in tube pan heavily coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Cargefully run a knife around the edge of pan and center tube to loosen. Remove to a wire rack.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the lemon juice and remaining sugar. Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil; cook and stir 1-2 minutes longer or until sugar is dissolved.

Using a fork, poke holes in top of cake. Gradually pour hot syrup over cake. Cool completely.

Yield: 12 servings


Recipe slightly adapted from The Taste of Home Cookbook
Anyone else out there suffer with food allergies?



This recips is linked to Saturday Swap at Quit Eating Out

Chocolate and Almond Cake

Have I mentioned how much I love Julia Child?

It's true. I adore her and her French cooking. Looking through her cookbooks makes me want to go back to Europe...or even better...live there. I can see it now...little patisserie's on every corner full of freshly baked pain au chocolat's. I would eat one every.single.day. That's the good news...the bad is I would probably be to large to fit through my front door...

As you can see, I am completely smitten with her. Consequently, when I read that THIS very cake was her favorite dessert I knew I HAD to make it. As I ate it I jumped on the Julia bandwagon and proclaimed it MY favorite dessert ever.

It was awesome. Wonderful Chocolaty goodness.

Don't let the lengthy instructions keep you from trying it...it is really pretty simple to make.

Cake:
4 ounces or squares semi-sweet chocolate melted with 2 Tablespoons coffee
1 stick butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 egg yolks
3 egg whites
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/3 cup pulverized almonds
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
(I used vanilla because I despise almond extract)
1/2 cup cake flour

Chocolate Butter Icing:
2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1 Tablespoon coffee
5-6 Tablespoon unsalted butter

Cake Instructions:
Butter and flour an 8" cake pan. Set chocolate and coffee in a small pan, cover, and place (off heat) in a larger pan of almost simmering water; let melt while you proceed with the recipe. Measure out the rest of the ingredients.

Cream the butter and sugar together for several minutes until they form a pale yellow, fluffy mixture. Beat in egg yolks until well blended. Beat the egg whites and salt in a separate bowl until soft peaks are formed, sprinkle on sugar and beat until stiff peaks are formed.

With a rubber spatula, blend the chocolate into the butter and sugar mixture, then stir in the almonds, and almond extract (or vanilla). Immediately stir in one fourth of the beaten egg whites ti lighten the batter. Delicately fold in a third of the remaining whites and when partially blended, sift in one third of the flour and continue folding. Alternate rapidly with more egg whites and more flour until all egg whites and flour are incorporated.

Turn the batter into the cake pan, pushing the batter up to its rim with a spatula. Bake in middle of a preheated oven for about 25 minutes. Cake is done when it has puffed, and 2 1/2 to 3 inches around the circumference are set so that a toothpick comes out clean, the center should move slightly if the pan is shaken.

Allow cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and reverse cake on the rack. Allow it to cool for an hour or two before icing.

Icing Instructions:
Place the chocolate and coffee in a small pan, cover, and set in a larger pan of almost simmering water. Remove pans from heat and let chocolate melt for 5 minutes or so, until perfectly smooth. Meanwhile prepare a bowl of ice and water large enough to sit the chocolate pan in; set aside. Lift chocolate pan out of the hot water, and beat in the butter a tablespoon at a time. Then beat over the ice and water until chocolate mixture has cooled to spreading consistency. At once spread in over your cake.

Recipe Credit: Mastering the Art of French Cooking



This post is linked to:
Tasty Tuesday
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

Grilled Pineapple Upside Down Cake

I in our house, I take care of all of the indoor cooking and Daniel is responsible for the outdoor cooking. Last year Daniel purchased a new grill and I decided that a great birthday gift for him would be Weber's Way to Grill: The Step-by-Step Guide to Expert Grilling (Sunset Books)<. I know, I am the cookbook queen, but I feel like everyone needs at least a couple to call their own!

This is one of the recipes from the cookbook. I can't tell you how good this was...I think we ate the whole thing in one sitting...or close to it! No offense to all of you pineapple upside down lovers, but 9.5 times out of 10 I will pass on it...I just hate the canned pineapple taste! I kindly bought the ingredients even though I was highly sceptical of the recipe.

One bite and it changed my opinion of this old dessert! The fresh pineapple really did wonders for it. That and the brown sugar caramelizes in the cast iron skillet...this is really a must try!!!

Topping:
6 rings fresh pineapple, each 1/2" thick
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Batter:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar

Brush the pineapple rings with the melted butter. Grill them over direct medium heat, with the lid open, until nicely marked, 4-6 minutes, turning once. Remover from the grill and let cool. Leave one pineapple ring whole and cut the others into halves.

In a 12 inch cast iron skillet over direct medium heat, combine the brown sugar, cream, cinnamon, and any melted butter remaining from brushing the pineapple slices. Cook until the sugar has melted and liquid starts to bubble around the outer edge, about 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and pace on a sheet pan. Place the whole pineapple ring in the center of the skillet, and then arrange the pineapple halves around it. Set aside.

In a large bowl mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In a small bowl whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium high speed until light and fluffy, 2-4 minutes. With the mixer on low, add the buttermilk mixture and then gradually add the flour mixture. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. Using a rubber spatula, spread the batter evenly over the pineapple slices in the skillet.

Bake the cake over indirect medium heat, keeping the temperature of the grill as close to 350 degrees as possible, with the lid closed, until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted comes out clean, 40-50 minutes. Remove the cake from the grill and let cool for 10 minutes.

Before removing the cake from the skillet, run a paring knife around the edge to loosen. Place a serving platter over top of the skillet. Wearing insulated barbeque mitts, carefully invert the skillet and platter at the same time, and then slowly remove the skillet. Replace any pineapple that stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Let the cake cool briefly before slicing.