Fall Themed Cake Challenge

Hi Everyone.  A couple weeks ago I was asked if I was interested in participating in a 2012 Fall Themed Cake Challenge, where a group of food bloggers would join together and post some nifty seasonal sweet treats.  How could I say no?  My entry is a fairly simple solution for those who want to make an autumnal cake, but aren't comfortable doing elaborate cake decorating techniques.  I've used a maple leaf template here, but other templates would work for other occasions.  A snowflake would be perfect for a winter buffet.  Recipes for the cake are at the bottom of this post.  Also, there's a list of the participating bloggers listed below - I hope you check them out.

1- Cup of hot cocoa cake-Munchkin Munchies

2- Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese frosting-D & P Celebrations

3- Caramel Apple Cake-The Baked Equation

4- Maple Leaf Chocolate Cake-ButterYum

5- Boo Shoe SugarTopper-Trilogy Edibles

6- Goodbye Fall-Pink Little Cake

7- Turning Leaves-Simply Sweet by Honeybee

8- Fall Teddy Bears-Karma's Cakes

9- Thanksgiving Head Dress-Sweetology

10- Fall Flower Pot Cupcakes-Butter Hearts Sugar

11- End of Fall Cupcakes-Not your momma's Cookie

12- Thanksgiving in a Cupcake-Savor the Baking

13- Turkey Cake-The Baking Sheet

14- Picking Leaves-Sweet Things

Chocolate Domingo Cake with Decorative Stencil

Printable Recipe

serves 10-12

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons (42g) Dutch processed cocoa powder

• 2/3 (160g) cup sour cream

• 2 large (100g) eggs

• 1 1/2 teaspoons (6g) pure vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon (156g) sifted cake flour

• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

• 3/4 teaspoon (4g) baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon (1.5g) baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon (3.5g) salt

• 14 tablespoons (200g) unsalted butter, softened

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper on the bottom, then spray the parchment paper and sides of the pan with a flour/oil baking spray (hold the parchment paper in place with a dab of butter or shortening).

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the remaining dry ingredients.

3. Add the butter and cocoa mixture; mix on low for 30 seconds, then increase the speed to medium and continue mixing for about 2 minutes.

4. Spread the batter into a smooth layer in the prepared pan.

5. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the center of the cake clean (one or two crumbs are okay). Cool cake completely.

To decorate as shown:  

1. Lay a template in the center of the completely cool cake.

2. Sprinkle an even layer of powdered sugar over the entire surface of the cake and carefully removed the template.

3. Pipe a buttercream border around the edges and sprinkle with shaved chocolate.

Chocolate Egg White Buttercream

Printable Recipe

makes about 2 cups (double to frost an entire 9-inch cake)

Ingredients

• 5 ounces (142g) bittersweet chocolate

• 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened

• 2 large (60g) egg whites

• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar

Directions

1. Gently melt chocolate in microwave on high, stirring every 10-15 seconds until almost completely melted. Rely on the residual heat to finish melting the chocolate as you continue to stir; set aside to cool.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form; slowly add sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.

3. Gradually add the room temperature butter, a tablespoon at a time, until it's fully incorporated.

4. Add the cooled melted chocolate and whip until fully combined.

Note

• Use pasteurized egg whites if you have any concerns about using fresh egg whites.

adapted from The Cake Bible

The Wooden Spoon Adventure: Virginia Apple Pudding (Cake)

Last week I was contacted by Jenn from the blog Knitty Baker (US) to see if I was interested in participating in The Wooden Spoon Adventure, a fun blog opportunity to celebrate the 5th blog Anniversary of the blog A Merrier World by Kate (UK).  Kate began a few weeks ago by posting a recipe that was made with a very special wooden spoon, then the spoon was sent to another blogger who followed suite, and then it was sent to another blogger, and so on.  Bloggers who participate are honorary "Spoonees".  The goal is for the spoon to travel from one spoonee to another, across the globe, cooking local ingredients or recipes along the way.  Then the spoonees share what they made on their blogs, including photos of the special wooden spoon being used to make the recipe.  Such a fun idea.  So, let me say Happy Blogiversary to Kate at A Merrier World.  I'm thrilled to be part of this very cool celebration, and when I’m done I’ll be sending the spoon to my friend Jamie from Jamie Cooks it Up.

So agreeing to participate was an easy choice, but next I needed to decide whether to feature a local ingredient or recipe.  In the end, I decided to feature a little of both.  It happens to be the peak of apple season in my apple orchard-filled town - and as a nod to our British heritage, I chose to make a kind of cake called a pudding (common in the UK, but not so common here in the US).  Everyone in the family loves this sweet, tender, moist cake which is packed full of fresh apple flavor.  My youngest even asked me to make it for her birthday.  Enjoy!

The Wooden Spoon arrived complete with a lovely note from Jenn, the Spoonee who picked me to carry on the tradition, as well as the original note Kate wrote when she started this nifty adventure.

Alrighty, let's get started - this cake starts with a bowl of diced apples.  Choose an apple variety that holds it shape well when baked and doesn't give off too much juice or turn mushy.  Galas, Honeycrisp, or Golden Delicious are good choices.  

Add ground cinnamon.

Stir well to combine.

Precook the apples in the microwave for 3-5 minutes or until they begin to soften.  

Here you can see the apples have shrunken down a bit. 

Oh how I wish you could smell my kitchen right about now!

In a separate bowl, stir together the dry ingredients.

Add the melted butter, milk, and pure vanilla extract; stir until smooth.

Pour the batter into a deep 9-inch pie plate or and 8x8x2 square baking dish.

Sprinkle the precooked apples evenly over the batter.  Bake in the lower half of a preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

And here's how it looks when it's done (we fight over those yummy brown edges).  I hope you'll give this recipe a try, and be sure to visit past Spoonees to see what recipes they shared during this adventure - A Merrier World, Melinda's Kitchen Diary, Evil Cake Lady, Knitty Baker, ButterYum. And keep an eye open for Jamie’s future post on Jamie Cooks it Up.

Enjoy!

Virginia Apple Pudding (Cake)

makes 8 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups peeled and diced (Galas, Honeycrisp, or Golden Delicious work well)

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon fine table salt

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• 1 cup whole milk

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (use the good stuff)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375F and place oven rack in lower third position.

2. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine apples and cinnamon; cook in microwave for 3-5 minutes until the apples begin to soften.

3. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

4. Add the melted butter, milk, and pure vanilla extract; stir until smooth.

5. Pour batter into a deep 9-inch pie plate or 8x8x2-inch square baking dish; sprinkle precooked apples evenly over the batter.

6. Bake in the lower third of a preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

7. Cool completely before serving directly from the baking dish.

Notes

• Recipe can be doubled and baked in a 9x13 casserole dish.

• Use apples that hold their shape well and don't exude too much moisture during baking, such as Galas, Honeycrisp, or Golden Delicious.

• This cake is best eaten within 24 hours because the high sugar content will absorb moisture from the apples and the atmosphere, causing the cake to get soggy over time.

• For a rustic presentation, bake in a cast iron skillet.

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