The Pink Cake

Happy May cake to y'all!

The May choice for the Cake Slice Bakers is the Pink Cake from Vintage Cakes.   In case you don't know about Cake Slice Bakers... We are a group of bakers that are baking a cake each month out of a specific cookbook.  This year of baking is being done from  Vintage Cakes by Julie Richardson.  It is a great group of gals to bake with!  Be sure to check out all of their yummy blogs.

Well the Pink Cake isn't very pink, in fact it is brown... a nice chocolate brown.  But the luscious frosting that you pair with this chocolate cake is pink.  The combination is striking and makes for a great presentation.

I chose to make cupcakes because tonight is Meet & Greet for our Jeep club.  Yesterday the Hubster and I were hanging out with some Jeeperpeeps, enjoying the sunshine and a Jamba Juice.  I was telling them how I was behind in my baking for CSBs.  I try to time my baking so that I have somewhere for the goodies to go - I don't want them sitting around my house!  They were just looking at me.... what did I mean I need somewhere for the goodies to go.... "call us we will take them off of your hands"!!  They also reminded me that we were getting together tonight and they strongly suggested I make the cake for tonight.  Alrighty-then! I aim to please!  And this cake should definitely please them.

The recipe directions call for you to pour boiling water over cocoa and chopped unsweetened chocolate, allow to stand then whisk.  I would first measure out the dry ingredients*, whisk them and set aside.  Tap off the whisk and then use the same one for the chocolate... a small change but hey it saves me from having to wash one more item. ;)

Cream together the sugars and butter.  Separate your eggs and be sure to save your extra egg whites for the frosting.  Add in the oil and eggs.  

Whisk sour cream and vanilla into the chocolate mixture.  I licked the whisk.... you think chocolate and well it is but totally unsweetened and even unsweeter with the addition of the sour cream.  LOL!  I licked it and made a face and my son laughed at me!

Alternate adding the chocolate mixture and the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.

I was able to get 24 cupcakes and a mini loaf pan filled with this recipe.  I think next time I will fill the cups just a bit more so not to have left over.

Baked these little chocolate gems up in about 17 minutes.  While they were cooling I whipped up the frosting.  The recipe is a basic Swiss Buttercream with the addition of raspberry puree.  I chose to use a jar of my Very Berry Jam in place of the raspberry puree.

To make a SB put your egg white, sugar and cream of tartar in your mixer bowl.  Place the bowl over - not touching - simmering water.  Whisk constantly, not vigorously  until the mixture comes to 130 degrees.  And instant read or candy thermometer works great for this.

Take your bowl off the pan, wipe off the bottom, attach it to your mixer with the whisk attachment and beat at medium high for about 4 minutes until the mixture turns glossy white and holds a stiff peak.  Once it reaches stiff peaks turn the mixer down to medium slow and let it run for a couple more minutes until the bottom of the bowl is just about room temperature.

While the whites are whipping prepare your puree.  As I said before I used a jar of my jam.  Put it into the food processor and let it have at if for a minute.

Put the puree through the sieve to get rid of seeds and any larger pieces that may have escaped the blades o' choppage.  You will want to use one spatula for the top side and one for the bottom side... if you use the same one, most likely you will transfer way more seeds than you want.

Once your whites are cooled down it is time to add the butter.  Yes a full pound of butter added in a tablespoon at a time.  Most recipes call for you to start with the butter already cubed and all the mise en plas peeps say be ready with your butter.  But I will say don't have it cut up just at room temperature.  Because you should let each piece of butter incorporate before adding the next.  A lot of people will add the butter in too quickly and that can cause your frosting to break and well that is so not pretty.  

Instead take the time to cut each piece then add it, cut, add, cut, add.... You will get a good rhythm and your frosting will turn out nice and smooth.

Add in your salt, vanilla and the puree.  Ohhhhh... makes me think that Halloween is just a few months away hahaha!  Ok back to work!

This frosting comes out so tasty and smells wonderful!

Once the cupcakes are completely cooled it is time to frost them.

I chose to pipe them and just have some fun with designs.

This chocolate cake is keeper and I just know that my Jeeperpeeps will enjoy these tonight!

The Pink Cake recipe can be found in  Vintage Cakes by Julie Richardson or on Epicurious.  (I have no association with her or her cookbook sales.)

Visit the other Cake Slice Bakers here.

The CSBs are now on Facebook ~ check them out here and be sure to 'like' the page.

*The published recipe calls for 2 cups (10 ounces) all purpose flour.  This is incorrect.  If you measure by the spoon method use two cups but if you weigh out your flour it should be 8.5 ounces.   1 cup of all purpose flour = 4.25 ounces.

Enjoy!

:)

Coconut Pound Cake with Lime Glaze

I joined the baking group Behind the Curtain Dessert Challenge a couple of months ago.  Each month we are given two ingredients and then we share what we made with those ingredients.  This month we were given Lime & Coconut.  I decided to make the dessert for Mother's Day.  Great idea!  Too bad the challenge was set to go live on the 9th not the 14th as I had stuck in my brain.  Oh well I will catch up next month lol!

Mother's Day the men folk in our family take care of the cooking... some of the cleaning and the day on a whole.  We have had everything from Italian to Greek food served to us and all of it very tasty!  We are a very blessed family to have such great men that will jump in and do this for us.  This year has been quite a crazy one so it was decided that we would have roast beef, potatoes, brussel sprouts and then dessert.  My mother likes angel food cake with strawberries so that was automatically top of the list.  Then I decided to make my challenge dessert.  Hubster was very helpful as always in the kitchen and I even got a quick trip to Sur La Table for a new Fat Daddio tube pan...woohoo!

Pound cake is pretty simple.  Cream together your butter and sugar, add your liquids, mix in your coconut and add your dry ingredients .

It is a good idea to grease and flour your pan well.  Spoon your batter into the pan and smooth out the top a bit... no need to be too fussy about it.

Bake until a golden brown ~ about an hour but I would start checking for doneness at 45 minutes.  The internal temperature should be between 200°F - 210°F.

Mix up your glaze while the cake is cooling.  When making a glaze like this start with the least amount of liquid then add more until you get the consistency you like.  Once you have whisked it to be smooth and is at the consistency desired, add your zest and give it a few more whisks.

Allow to cool for a bit before turning out onto a rack to cool completely.  Turn back over onto the serving plate and drizzle with the glaze before serving.

Coconut Pound Cake with Lime Glaze

by My Sister's Table

adapted from Dramatic Pancake

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients for the cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1½ tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups sugar

5 eggs, at room temperature

1 cup coconut milk

3/4 tsp coconut extract

3½ oz Angel Flake or Bakers sweetened, shredded coconut

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and lightly flour a 9- or 10-inch tube pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

In a separate bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add in eggs, one at a time, and mix well. Mix in the milk, extract and shredded coconut. Finally, add the flour, baking powder and salt mixture, and stir until just combined. 

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake about 1 hour until golden brown.  The internal temperature should be between 200°F - 210°F.

Cool cake in pan for 5-10 minutes before removing. 

While the cake is cooling make the glaze.  Drizzle with the glaze before serving.

Ingredients for the glaze:

3-4 tablespoons lime juice

2 cups powdered (confectioner's) sugar, sifted

1 tablespoon lime zest

Whisk together three tablespoons lime juice and powdered sugar until smooth.  If you want it thinner add more juice.  Whisk in the lime zest and your glaze is ready to go on your cake.

Printable recipe here.

Dessert laid out for Mother's Day.

Enjoy!

: )