But I'm back! Alive and kicking, I'm afraid. Although, and don't hate me for this.... I made Weeva's Apple Pie Blondies , another set of Apple Pie Macarons and Oatmeal-Coconut-Corn Syrup cookies, and I don't have pictures!
I'm sorry, really I am.... But I do have three other recipes, so you'll forgive me, right? =)
However, first things first - 1. I got a job at Nestle! But, I don't begin till August, so I'll have plenty of time to bake and such between now and then. 2. I'm going to Cancun! For 5 days this summer. Oh boy! Expect pictures from that. 3. I quit my other job! So now I have extra time for baking. And finding apartments, and moving, and all that jazz.
But, back to the baking!
A couple weeks ago, Blackberries were on sale, and I bought Tartlette pans (mini tart pans) - the finished product of magnificent.
Pretty pretty, no?
Aaannndd.... This past Sunday night, I made Cherry Pie Bars...
Not as good as I wanted them to be, but still okay.
And, last night, I made a Cherry Cake. This, was fairly magnificent, as far as cakes go. It was my last day at work - and I figured I'd go out with a bang (something to be remembered by!).
It's absolutely amazing what you can do when you mix the creativity of two Bakeresses. (Weeva and I were brainstorming!)
So, being me, I only have the recipe for the last one (the Cherry Cake), because the first one is just a Vinegar pie crust with a Cream cheese/Heavy Cream/lemon juice filling, and the second I don't remember, and I'd like to modify the recipe before I give it to anyone else.
The Cherry Cake is comprised of three Parts: Cake, Filling, and Frosting.
The Frosting is the hands down best frosting I've ever made in my entire life. The filling is good - Next time, I'd add a little marsala or kiersh to give it a little more flavor. The cake could be better- Next time, I'm going to use real cake flour, and substitute milk for Buttermilk or Yogurt.
Cake: - Taken from Allrecipes.com
2 3/4 cups sifted cake flour 4 teaspoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 4 egg whites 1 1/2 cups white sugar 3/4 cup butter 1 cup milk (Use buttermilk/yogurt instead!) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon almond extract (I used 3/4)
Measure sifted flour, baking powder, and salt; sift together three times. In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add 1/2 cup sugar gradually, and continue beating only until meringue will hold up in soft peaks. Cream butter or margarine. Gradually add remaining 1 cup sugar, and cream together until light and fluffy. Add sifted ingredients alternately with milk a small amount at a time, beating after each addition until smooth. Mix in flavorings. Add meringue, and beat thoroughly into batter. Spread batter into two 9 inch round pans which have been lined on the bottom with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes, then remove from pan and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Please note - I do not have links for the Filling and Frosting because they are my recipes. I know, strange as it may sound, I actually came up with them myself. =P
2 3/4 cups sifted cake flour 4 teaspoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 4 egg whites 1 1/2 cups white sugar 3/4 cup butter 1 cup milk (Use buttermilk/yogurt instead!) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon almond extract (I used 3/4)
Measure sifted flour, baking powder, and salt; sift together three times. In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add 1/2 cup sugar gradually, and continue beating only until meringue will hold up in soft peaks. Cream butter or margarine. Gradually add remaining 1 cup sugar, and cream together until light and fluffy. Add sifted ingredients alternately with milk a small amount at a time, beating after each addition until smooth. Mix in flavorings. Add meringue, and beat thoroughly into batter. Spread batter into two 9 inch round pans which have been lined on the bottom with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes, then remove from pan and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Filling:
2 lbs cherries (Or as many or few as you'd like)
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp Vanilla
1 tblsp Corn Starch
2 tblsp Water
Pit cherries, and cut into fourths (I did - however, the fourths aren't mandatory). Put into a pan, and mix with ~2/3 cup sugar. Put on high heat until cherries have begun to release their juices - till almost boiling. Taste, and add remaining sugar if desired. Cook until juices start to thicken and almost cover cherries - 10-15 minutes. While these are cooking, in a small bowl mix Corn Starch and Water until smoothe. Pour 1 tsp at a time into the cherry mixture - this is to thicken the juice. Add Vanilla. Cook until a little thicker, ~5 minutes. Take off heat, and let cool.
Frosting:
3/4 Cup Butter
3/4 Cup Shortening
4.5 cups Powdered Sugar
1 tblsp Full fat Milk, Half and Half, or Heavy Cream (whatever is on hand with full fat)
Beat Shortening and Butter untill fluffy. Mix in Sugar. Add the milk/cream, and beat until smoothe and fluffy. Frost the cake!
Beat Shortening and Butter untill fluffy. Mix in Sugar. Add the milk/cream, and beat until smoothe and fluffy. Frost the cake!
Assembling:
Level cakes if desired. Place one cake on the serving platter. Take frosting, and put a thin layer of frosting on top and sides. Make a "Sand bank" of frosting for the filling - so it doesn't seep through; about 1/4 inch high. Add about a cup of the filling, or as much as desired (and doesn't overflow). Put the second layer on, and lightly frost top and sides, to reduce crumbs in the main frosting. Frost the cake. Decorate as desired - I put most of the leftover cherry filling on the top, fairly-well insulated by frosting.
Voila!
Voila!
Please note - I do not have links for the Filling and Frosting because they are my recipes. I know, strange as it may sound, I actually came up with them myself. =P
