Monday, March 21, 2011
Something happened last year. As The Fiance’s birthday was approaching in early March, I kept asking him what he wanted me to make him for his birthday. He firmly insisted that all he wanted was a batch of White Chocoloate Macadamia Nut Blondies. So, that’s what he got. And if I’m not mistaken, he ate practically the entire batch all by himself, and was quite content.
He wasn’t content too long, because later in the month he saw me make this for a friend’s birthday. Yes it’s the rich tasting, incredibly impressive looking, surprise-to-be-discovered inside, Red Velvet Cake with a layer of Cheesecake in the middle topped with Cream Cheese Frosting. That post has went on to be the most popular post on my blog to date, with 100 comments and counting. And it’s well deserved, as it is both delicious & beautiful. So, I think he was feeling a bit unloved, seeing as I didn’t make him a cake like that. Mind you, not because I don’t love him, but because HE DIDN’T WANT CAKE.
So, an entire year rolled around and he never forgot that. I’m pretty sure it was back in the fall he decided he wanted his own version of that cake, but wanted it to include chocolate & peanut butter. My first thought was to do a peanut butter cheesecake. But he firmly insisted he wanted REGULAR cheesecake. (And he thinks I’m the difficult one!)
I worried over how well the chocolate & peanut butter flavors would mesh with the tang of cheesecake. But in the end, with some specific selections & adaptions when it came to the frosting & cake recipes, as well as adapting the cheesecake layer to elimate the lemon zest & juice, the end result tasted FANTASTIC. I really wasn’t sure if it would reach the epic “OMG THIS IS SO FREAKING AMAZING” taste of the red velvet version, but it did! Oh man, it did. I think using a peanut butter frosting recipe that had cream cheese in it, really helped to mend the flavors together. It added just the teeniest touch of tang, and really complimented the cake & cheesecake.
I think this cake can appeal to a lot of people (especially if you’re a fan of chocolate + peanut butter!) And again, like I said in the Red Velvet post, this cake is not difficult, just a bit time consuming. But the steps in the process make it easy to spread out over a weekend or longer.
Now for some notes on the structure and assembly of this gorgeous cake. The assembly process is pretty much the same as in the red velvet version, but with a few minor changes. As before, I knew when I baked the cheesecake I wouldn’t be making a crust, so I lined the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Once baked, I let the cheesecake cool completely, then stored it in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning I removed the outer ring of the cheesecake pan, but left the bottom circle of the pan, and wrapped it in two layers of plastic wrap and two layers of aluminum foil and placed it in the freezer. When baking the cake layers, I used these Bake Even strips to help achieve a level, even cake. When I made the red velvet cake, I also used a cake leveler to level it perfectly once it had cooled, but found with this chocolate one, it wasn’t needed. So, when it came time to put the cheesecake in the middle, I took it out of the freezer, unwapped it from the foil and plastic. The metal bottom of the pan was easy to remove. Then I simply peeled off the parchment paper layer. It literally could not have been easier. The cheesecake never seemed like it would break, and was quite sturdy. I used the plastic wrap I had removed as a buffer between my hand and the cheesecake when transferring it, to keep the cheesecake from sticking to my warm hands. Depending on what size pans you used (8in vs 9in) the cheesecake may be too wide for the cake. If this is the case, just let it sit and soften for about 5-10 minutes, then cut the edges off with a knife.
Once the cheesecake layer is atop the chocolate layer, apply a thin layer of peanut butter frosting if you’d like. I decided to do this to help bring in the peanut butter flavor. An important tip, if you’re going to frost the cheesecake layer, you MUST do it while the cheesecake is still frozen! Otherwise it’ll smoosh around. Next up, layer the second chocolate cake layer, and apply the crumb coat. (A crumb coat is a thin layer of frosting you apply first to help keep the crumbs in. Then you set the cake in the refrigerator to chill before applying the cleaner, thicker second layer. A crumb coat is necessary when you have such a dark cake under paler frosting.) I found with the peanut butter frosting, it was a bit thicker than the cream cheese frosting from the red velvet version, and not as easy to spread. Because of this, it’s best to frost this cake while the cheesecake layer is in a semi-frozen state, because as the cheesecake softens, you’ll have to be careful to not “smoosh” it too much as you frost the edges. After some time in the fridge, apply the second, thicker layer of frosting.
If I’d had some chocolate bars to shave chocolate on top I would have, but all I had were chocolate chips. So I lined them up around the edges. This cake wasn’t frosted quite as pretty as the red velvet version, probably because the cream cheese frosting is easier to spread than this peanut butter frosting. Also, my original adaption of the peanut butter frosting didn’t quite produce enough frosting to be as generous as I would have liked, leading to a thinner frosted cake. I’ve adjusted the amounts in the frosting recipe, so you won’t run into the same problem.
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Cake
Ingredients:
CHEESECAKE:
1 1/4 pounds bar cream cheese (20 oz), room temperature
3/4 cups sugar
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
CAKE:
Butter, for greasing the pans
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups good cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large or large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
FROSTING:
8 ounces cream cheese
3 cups confectioners' sugar (more or less, depending on consistency, your preference)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter (not natural)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup heavy cream (more or less, depending on consistency, your preference)
Directions:
CHEESECAKE:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Set a kettle of water to boil. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium until fluffy, scraping down side of bowl. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in vanilla extract and salt. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down side of bowl after each addition. Beat in sour cream.
Cut parchment paper in a circle and line the bottom of the cheesecake pan. Wrap bottom half of pan in foil. Pour in filling; place in a roasting pan. Pour in boiling water to come halfway up side of springform. Bake until just set in center, about 45 minutes. Remove pan from water; let cool 20 minutes. Run a paring knife around edge; let cool completely. Cover; chill overnight, then wrap in plastic wrap and freeze.
CAKE:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 (9-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.
Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
FROSTING:
Beat cream cheese and peanut butter with a mixer on medium speed. Add salt, then vanilla. Alternating, add confectioners' sugar and heavy cream until desired consistency is reached.
Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate until needed.
ASSEMBLY:
Place one layer of cake on cake stand. If desired, frost top with peanut butter frosting. Remove cheesecake from freezer, unwrap, and remove from metal bottom of the pan, then peel off parchment paper. Place cheesecake layer on top of the cake. If the cheesecake is wider than the cake, and it is necessary to to trim it, wait approximately 10 minutes for the cheesecake to soften, then trim it with a knife. Place top layer of cake on top of the cheesecake, and coat with a layer of the peanut butter frosting to act as the crumb coat. Be careful not to get any crumbs in the bowl of frosting! Refrigerate approximately 30 minutes, then frost with as much of the remaining frosting as necessary. Top with shaved chocolate, chocolate chips, or decoration of your choosing. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
To be perfectly honest, I’ve never really celebrated St. Patrick’s Day. Don’t get me wrong, I usually wear green that day, but that’s about it. So… you’re probably wondering, why in the heck am I posting a treat for a holiday I do minimal participation in? That is because, I baked these on February 14th. Valentine’s Day.
You see, I remembered how much The Fiance loved the previous time I made whoopie pies, and how much he had requested I make them again. And… I knew my friend Jessica had a recipe for red velvet whoopie pies, and they would be the perfect Valentine’s-y treat. So, come Valentine’s Day, I went to the neighborhood Kroger to get some red food coloring. They were out of the bottle of red. I asked the stock boy to check the back, still out. So I drove to Walmart, they were out. Drove to another Kroger, out. Tried Aldi, no food coloring; tried Dollar General (freaking love that store), nope; Family Dollar, nope; Rite Aid, nada. Everyone kept suggesting to buy the multipack and just use red. Except, I would need to buy 3 multipacks to have enough red. And I already had 2 multipacks at home, unused, except for the red. (I blame this cake.)
Then I had a stroke of genius. I am NOT the type of blogger that prepares treats in advance to post ahead of holidays. That’s just not my style. I blog things I make, period. And I make things when I have an occasion, or a craving, because that’s all I have time for! I realized, just like my other friend Erin showed “[insert color] Velvet Cake” doesn’t necessarily have to be red. And there was an upcoming holiday that focused on the color green! **cue angel chorus trumpeting my triumph**
So here ya go! Make these handheld little treats for a fun, festive way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day! Or, just make them to use up whatever color food coloring you seem to have a surplus of. 🙂
And now a little verdict on taste. These were quite yummy, but a bit drier than the Pumpkin Whoopie Pies. Seeing as the pumpkin version is the only other whoopie pie I’ve had, I don’t have much to compare it to, and the pumpkin likely added quite a bit of moisture. But another reason these seemed dry could have been because I might have baked them a touch too long. Their dark color made it hard to tell when they were done! We still gobbled every last one of them up. And while these do need to be stored in the fridge, be SURE and let them sit at room temp for 15-20 min or so before consuming, because they taste MUCH better than when they are cold.
PS. Right now I am really wishing I could share the photo from my 5 year old dance recital when we had white tutus decorated with 4 leaf clovers. Because that would make this post even better. You better believe next time I visit my parents that photo will be scanned and share with the world.
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[Insert color] Velvet Whoopie Pies
Ingredients:
CAKE:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1-oz. bottle red food coloring (2 Tbsp.) **Erin Tip: If you choose to make these green, 1 to 1 1/2 Tbsp will be plenty, no need for 2 Tbsp.**
FILLING:
3 cups powdered sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
Directions:
CAKE:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment; set aside. In medium bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In large mixing bowl beat butter on medium to high 30 seconds. Beat in brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk, beating after each addition just until combined. Stir in food coloring.
Spoon batter in 1- or 2-inch diameter rounds, about 1/2-inch high on prepared baking sheets, allowing 1 inch between each round.
Bake 7 to 9 minutes for 1-inch cookies or 9 to 11 minutes for 2-inch cookies, or until tops are set. Cool completely on baking sheets on rack. Remove cooled cookies from baking sheets and frost with favorite filling.
FILLING:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth with no visible lumps. Add the cream cheese and beat until combined. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth. Be careful no to overbeat the filling, or it will lose structure.
Pipe filling in between onto bottom of one whoopie pie and sandwich between another whoopie pie. Store whoopie pies in fridge until ready to serve, then allow whoopie pies to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
These muffins are the result of another cafe copycat. Yes, I like to frequent as many (non-Starbucks) coffee shop/cafes in Nashville as I can, in case you haven’t noticed! Back in the fall, I met my good friend Tony at a local Nashville favorite, Fido, to sip coffee & catch up. As we were in line to order, my original plan was to just get my favorite drink (Milkbone latte, nonfat, no whip, made as a cappuccino instead, and yes I am that difficult). But in the pastry case a certain muffin flavor caught my eye. Nestled between the typical banana nut muffin, bran muffin, and chocolate muffin was a blueberry goat cheese muffin. My curiosity was instantly piqued, and I knew I had to get it. I was sure it would be good, as every cake/muffin/cookie/etc I’ve had from Fido in my numerous visits has been delicious, not to mention their made-to-order menu is pretty amazingly delicious too! Not long after my first bite I knew instantly I would be baking a version of these in my own kitchen. These were so good, I kept stopping what I was saying in conversation with Tony, to proclaim, “This is really good! Really really good!”
Now, I don’t want anyone wary of goat cheese to run from this recipe. The goat cheese flavor is only a mere essence. Honestly, if you weren’t told it was in there, you wouldn’t know. Besides, how often is sour cream used in baked goods? No one ever says anything baked with sour cream tastes like sour cream. The goat cheese is mainly used to moisten the muffin. If you know to look for the goat cheese, depending on how advanced your palate is, you could probably sense it. I’m really glad I finally got around to making the copycat version of the muffin I had at Fido. These were delicious!!
One last Nashville plug before the recipe, as you know I love local establishments and local products. So, when recreating the muffin I ate at Fido, my only choice for the goat cheese was a local company I already adore, Noble Springs. I’ve been turned onto their cheeses for a couple years now, and I’ve already raved about them in my Goat Cheese Stuffed Fig post in 2009. Every cheese I’ve bought from Noble Springs has been exceptionally delicious, and Dustin or whomever happens to be selling at the market, is always super nice, and excited about their cheeses.
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Blueberry Goat Cheese Muffins
Ingredients:
2 cups flour (I always use 1/2 all purpose and 1/2 white whole wheat)
2 cups blueberries
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup soft goat cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup blueberry puree
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, at room temperature
optional: demerara sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. Grease or line 12 wells in a muffin tin. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix together butter, goat cheese, puree, egg and vanilla until blended. Add the dry ingredients. Mix the batter thoroughly (batter will be very thick) then fold in blueberries. Fill each well about 3/4 of the way and sprinkle with demerara sugar if using. Bake 15-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean or with just a few dry crumbs. Remove to rack and let cool at least 2 minutes before serving.
Nutritional Info per muffin (if yield is 20 muffins) Calories: 122; Fat: 4g; Sodium: 172mg; Carbohydrates: 19.4g; Dietary Fiber: 1.4g; Sugar: 9.5g; Protein: 3g
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Sometimes your plans don’t always work out. I am the kind of person who, when there’s a plan, I tend to psych myself up about it. Then, if said plan does not end up working out, I get really disappointed. And mad. That’s why I hate it when people say they’re going to do something, or go somewhere, and then don’t. I just hate getting my hopes up!
In quite a round-about-way this soup is the result of plans that didn’t end up, and hopes that were dashed. You see, a certain new food truck in Nashville, one whose food I love, (and don’t want to speak badly of so I won’t name them) tweeted they would be in a certain area of town the next day selling their food at lunchtime. I got REALLY excited! They were coming to OUR part of town; they’d never been within walking distance from our work! I know my coworkers and I get tired of the same selection of lunching establishments, whether we eat out often or not. Most of us don’t have the ability to drive to another part of town just to grab lunch, we have to go places within walking distance. So, I emailed a long list of coworkers first thing the following morning, to let them know about the deliciousness coming our way. I raved about this food truck. I then tried to find out the exact location the food truck would be parked. After some digging (much more difficult than it should have been), I discovered, the actual location was in fact nowhere NEAR our area of town. I.WAS.MAD. Mad that I couldn’t eat the yumminess, and mad I looked like a fool for telling everyone it was coming here!
You see, I almost always bring my lunch to work. It’s healthier, and cheaper than eating out. Because of the “special occasion” of the food truck coming, I didn’t pack a lunch that day. That just ADDED to my annoyance! So, come lunch time I went on foot in search of where I would eat. I ended up stopping in an adorable little cafe, Provence, I sometimes forget is there. They have a couple locations throughout town, I tend to frequent a different location. They rotate soup selections, and as soon as I saw Curried Cauliflower Soup, I instantly knew what I was eating for lunch! Paired alongside a half sized brie, ham, & green apple panini, I had QUITE an incredible lunch! It was so delicious, my anger at the food truck melted away. I wrapped up my lunch quickly, so I would have some extra free time to search for a copycat recipe!
What I’ve learned from this experiences is… when God shuts the door he opens the window. Or… there’s a silver-lining? I’m not quite sure! What I do know is I need to take silly little let-downs like failed lunch plans a little easier, and just let them roll off of me. Besides, if I HADN’T planned on eating the food truck that day, I would have brought my lunch, like normal, and never had the opportunity to discover this delicious soup.
I found a version of this soup on Martha Stewart’s website, and after making it following the instructions, it wasn’t a close enough version to what I had at Provence. So I upped the cauliflower, and downgraded the onion, and tweaked it about more. What I ended up with was a delicious soup I’ve ate over & over. When paired with naan (or crackers) & hummus, it makes quite a filling & healthy lunch! The pureeing of half of the cauliflower really thickens the soup up. This soup is pretty light on the curry. If you’re new to exotic spices, this seems like the perfect introduction to curry. If you’re a curry-flavor lover, then you could up the ante even more.
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Curried Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients:
2 heads cauliflower, cut into florets (about 8 cups)
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt
1 tablespoon chopped butter
1 onion, sliced 1 inch thick (note, I prefer to remove as much onion before purreeing, so I like to slice them really thick)
2 teaspoons (or more) curry powder
4 cups water
2 cups reduced-sodium canned chicken or vegetable broth
salt & pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a baking sheet, toss cauliflower with vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Spread out, and roast until the florets turn brown, about 25 minutes.
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions, and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in curry powder, cauliflower, water, and broth; cover, and bring to a boil. Uncover, lower heat, and simmer 5 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer 4 cups cauliflower to a bowl, and set aside. Put remaining florets into a blender or food processor, add 1 teaspoon salt, and process until smooth. At this point I also chose to remove the onions. (You can keep them in if you like, it's just a texture thing to me.) Stir puree into broth in pan, and reheat if necessary. Ladle soup into bowls, and top with reserved florets and parsley.
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