Category: dessert

Star Spangled Cake

We remember and honor the service of the many men and women of our military who gave their lives serving their country and their families. It is our honor to celebrate their service and to honor their memory.

American-flag-display-front-house

This Star Spangled Cake recipe is from Family Circle and Recipe.com.

One of my antique dealer associates bakes this cake each year and graciously shares it with us.

It is holiday appropriate, serves a large number(35 servings), and is a delicious dessert to kick off the summer season.

star spangled sheet cake

Recipe.com

Star-Spangled Cake

Ingredients

3  cups  sifted cake flour

4  teaspoons  baking powder

½   teaspoon  salt

5 eggs

2  cups  sugar

Grated rind of 2 lemons

¼  cup  lemon juice (2 lemons)

1  tablespoon  vanilla

2  cups  heavy cream

½  cup  raspberry jam 

Butter Cream Frosting

2  cups  sugar

2/3  cup  water

6    egg whites

¼  teaspoon  cream of tartar

1/8  teaspoon  salt

2 ½  cups  (5 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1  tablespoon  vanilla

2  cups  fresh raspberries

3/4  cup  fresh blueberries

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease two 15-1/2 x 10-1/2 x 1-inch jelly-roll pans. Line bottoms of pans with waxed paper; grease and flour paper. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in bowl.  Beat eggs in large bowl with electric mixer until thick and lemon-colored.

Gradually beat in sugar, lemon rind, lemon juice and vanilla.  Alternately stir in flour mixture and cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Divide mixture evenly into prepared pans; smooth tops.

Bake in 350 degree F oven for 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes.

Place wire cooling rack over each cake.  Carefully invert cakes and racks. Remove pans from cakes; then carefully remove waxed paper.  Handle cakes very carefully since they are thin layers.  Cool to room temperature.

Spread jam in thin layer over top of one cake.  Place another layer on top; place entire cake on tray.

Meanwhile, prepare frosting:

Combine sugar and water in small heavy saucepan.  Bring to boiling without stirring.  Cover and boil for 2 minutes or until no sugar crystals remain.

Uncover pan; continue boiling until syrup reaches soft-ball stage (syrup will form a rapidly flattening ball when dribbled into cold water; syrup will register 240 degrees F on candy thermometer.

While sugar syrup is cooking, beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt in medium-size bowl with mixer until stiff, but not dry, peaks form.  At moment syrup reaches 240 degrees F or soft-ball stage, pour syrup into egg whites in fine, thin stream, beating constantly with mixer.

When all the syrup has been added, continue to beat the egg whites at high speed until cool, for about 5 minutes.

In separate small bowl, beat butter with mixer until fluffy.  Beat butter into cooled egg white mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, until frosting is thick and creamy.  Beat in vanilla.

Use frosting immediately, or cover and store in cool place for 1 to 2 hours. (Do not refrigerate.)

If frosting is too soft and thin, stir briefly over bowl of ice water to stiffen.

Frost the top and sides of the cake, saving some frosting for decorating. Spoon the reserved frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip.

Pipe a design on the sides of the cake.  Pipe a fancy border around the top and bottom edges of the cake.

Makes 35 servings.

options-script

Flag Cake Memorial Day Dessert

Flag Cake Memorial Day dessert recipe (4th of July-sweet summer sweet, too) from Well Plated by Erin is another wonderful option for the holiday dessert table.

Patriotic Red, White and Blue Flag Cake

Patriotic Red, White and Blue Flag Cake

Red Velvet Ice-Cream Cake Recipe

Southern Living Magazine – Photography by Greg Dupree 

Hot holiday celebrations and cool desserts in red, white, and blue flavor files under it doesn’t get any sweeter than this.  Red Velvet Ice-Cream Cake recipe from Southern Living Test Kitchen

enjoy-graphic
 

 

 

 

 

Easy Peasy Kahlua Cake With Vodka Glaze

Kahlua?

Check.

Vodka?

Check.

Recipe for an easy dessert cake made from a yellow cake mix? Double check!

Check out this recipe for Easy Peasy Kahlua Cake With Vodka Glaze.

sideboard-bar-2

Saturday night we decided on the spur of the moment to have a fish fry, and with company coming over I needed a company worthy cake.  I had fifteen irons in the culinary fire, little time and frankly no desire to whip up something from scratch.  Working off memory from a recipe a friend gave me I created, baked and impressed the crowd with this easy to prepare cake born from a box.

Kahlua cake with vodka glazeEasy Peasy Kahlua Cake with Vodka Glaze

Ingredients

1 yellow cake mix

1 3.4 oz. chocolate instant pudding

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

3/4 cup Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa

½ cup Kahlua

¼ cup vodka

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine cake mix, instant pudding, cocoa, eggs, oil, Kahlua and vodka. Mix on medium high speed until well blended. Pour into a well-greased and floured Bundt pan.  I use dry cake mix to “flour” the pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until knife inserted into center comes out clean.  Let cool in pan for 10 minutes.  Invert cake onto plate and glaze.

Vodka Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

1 ½ Tablespoon vodka

Combine sugar and vodka together in small mixing bowl and whisk until smooth.

enjoy

 

 

 

Chocolate, Strawberries, Honey and Whipped Cream: Valentine’s Day Food Ideas

Valentine’s Day is a food lovers dream holiday, and these Valentine’s Day food ideas were developed with that in mind, appropriately revolving around the main ingredients found in Cupid’s recipe box of delicious delicacies.

Chocolate.

Russell Stover Assorted I Love You Milk and Dark Chocolates

Strawberries.

fresh-strawberries-farmers-market-pints

Honey.

goodbees-honey

♥♥♥!

Chocolate Strawberry Honey Nests and Spring Mix Spinach Salad with Strawberries, Creole Pecans and Honey Apple Cider Vinaigrette top the Places In The Home Valentine’s Day food ideas list for a delicious celebration on the day of love.

Chocolate-Strawberry-Honey Nests

Chocolate Strawberry Honey Nests

Ingredients

12 sheets phyllo dough

½ cup sugar

1 stick butter, melted

1 cup strawberries, cleaned and sliced

3 squares dark chocolate, shaved

½ cup milk chocolate chips

3 teaspoons honey  or to individual taste

whipped topping

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

For Phyllo Nests 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough on cookie sheet or counter work surface.

Using soft brush, brush over sheet with melted butter. Lightly sprinkle entire sheet with sugar.  Top with another sheet.  Butter, sprinkle and repeat until  6 sheets thick.  Repeat to create another 6 sheets stack.

Using a pizza cutter or large knife, make ten vertical slices and one horizontal slice down the middle of each stack.  Lightly spray a 12 cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Line each muffin cup with 1 of the phyllo pieces at a time, covering sides and bottom to form a cup.  Repeat making 12 cups.

Using a microplane, shave dark chocolate over each cup to dust.

Bake in a preheated oven for about 10 minutes or until light golden brown and crisp.

Remove from oven and immediately place desired amount of chocolate chips in each cup allowing to melt.

Top melted chocolate chips with strawberry slices, drizzled honey and whipped topping.

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Dust topping with cinnamon.

valentines-day-food-ideas

Up next is a delicious, light and easy salad perfect for  a Valentine’s Day lunch or a light supper starring none other than the official unofficial fruit of love, the strawberry.

strawberries-whole

Spring Mix Spinach Salad with Strawberries, Creole Pecans and Honey-Apple Cider Vinaigrette 

Ingredients

1  5.5 oz. container half & half salad mix~spring mix and baby spinach

1 ½ cups cleaned and sliced strawberries

1 cup toasted Creole pecan halves or pieces

½ medium red onion, peeled and sliced to desired thickness

Creole Pecans

1 cup pecan halves or pieces

4 Tablespoons butter, melted

½ teaspoon Creole seasoning

Honey-Apple Cider Vinaigrette

¼ cup vegetable oil

½ cup sugar

2  tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2  tablespoons corn syrup

2  tablespoons honey

½ teaspoon honey mustard

generous squeeze fresh lime juice

½ teaspoon celery seed

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon paprika

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spread pecan halves or pieces on ungreased baking sheet.  Melt butter in saucepan over medium low heat or in microwave in microwave safe bowl on high at 5 second intervals, or until melted. Drizzle melted butter over pecans.

Sprinkle Creole seasoning mix over buttered pecans, gently tossing with a spoon to incorporate seasoning. Bake 8 – 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

For Vinaigrette

Directions

In mixing bowl or glass jar with lid, combine vegetable oil, sugar, and apple cider vinegar.

Whisk or shake, blending all together.  Add remaining ingredients, stirring or shaking well.

Place salad greens in mixing bowl.

Top with sliced strawberries, onion slices and pecans.

Drizzle vinaigrette over mix in small amounts until you reach the desired amount.

Toss all together and serve.

Delicious!

enjoy

 

 

Southern Living Caramelized Banana Pudding

Words simply cannot describe how absolutely fabulous this dessert is, or was.  Southern Living once again introduces readers to a delicious dessert, Southern Living Caramelized Banana Pudding, spinning a classic recipe into a new traditional favorite.  Oh my goodness, this recipe is to delicious and beyond.

caramelized-banana-pudding

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Annette Joseph 

I prepared the Southern Living Caramelized Banana Pudding recipe late Saturday afternoon, served it for dessert, and the rave reviews and culinary praises can still be heard this morning.     

Southern Living Caramelized Banana Pudding

Ingredients  

½  cup firmly packed light brown sugar

¼  cup butter

¼  teaspoon ground cinnamon

4  large ripe bananas, sliced

1  cup granulated sugar, divided

1/3  cup all-purpose flour

2  large eggs

2  cups milk

4  large eggs, separated

2  teaspoons vanilla extract

48  vanilla wafers

Directions

Cook first 3 ingredients in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes or until bubbly.

Add bananas; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  Remove from heat.

Whisk together 3/4 cup granulated sugar, next 3 ingredients, and 4 egg yolks in a heavy saucepan.

Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, 8 to 10 minutes or until a pudding-like thickness. (Mixture will just begin to bubble and will hold soft peaks when whisk is lifted.)

Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.  Divide half of banana mixture, pudding, and wafers among 8 (1-cup) ramekins or ovenproof glass dishes. Layer with remaining banana mixture, pudding, and vanilla wafers.

Beat 4 egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy.  Add remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves (2 to 4 minutes).  Spread meringue over ramekins.  Place ramekins on a baking sheet.  Bake at 325° for 15 to 20 minutes or until meringue is golden.  Let cool on a wire rack 30 minutes.

My ramekins are not the appropriate size.  I used a 9 X 9 inch ovenproof glass baking dish and adjusted the vanilla wafer count.  The baking time did not change.

southern-living-caramelized-banana-pudding

 enjoy

                                                                                

Another Paula Deen Recipe For A Special Birthday Celebration: Grandma Hiers’ Carrot Cake

My mother’s birthday celebration calls for another Paula Deen recipe for a special birthday Grandma Hiers Carrot Cake to be prepared in the test kitchen here at Places In The Home.

another Paula Deen recipe for a special birthday Grandma Hiers Carrot Cake

Paula Deen

Mama loves, no, adores carrot cake except when she is all about a coconut cake.  We bounce back and forth between the two, but tradition and memories are hard to compete with.

mamaw-in-kitchen

Every birthday my maternal grandmother presented my mother with a carrot cake for her birthday.

Always.

carrot-cake-on-blue-cake-stand

As for her recipe for carrot cake?

grandmothers-pound-cake-with-nutmeg-recipe

Her pound cake recipe I’ve got, but only the good Lord and Lucille know her recipe for carrot cake.

Grandma-Hiers-Carrot-Cake (1)

Mamaw guarded that baby with her cake baking life.  She never shared the recipe with anyone (that we know of).  I always figured there are plenty of carrot cake recipes out there to be baked, so I did not give it a thought.

Fast forward to present carrot cake recipe times where I wish I had it her recipe, but find delicious solace in Paula Deen’s Grandma Hiers’ Carrot Cake recipe.

To simply say it is a mere substitution or simply just delicious does not do this carrot cake justice.

Grandma Hiers’ Carrot Cake

Ingredients

Butter, for pans

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

4 eggs

1 ½ cups vegetable oil

3 cups grated carrots

1 ½ cups chopped pecans, optional

Frosting:

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature

1 stick salted butter, room temperature

1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) round pans; Line bottom of the pans with parchment paper.

carrot-cake-batter

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add eggs and vegetable oil. Using a hand mixer, blend until combined. Add carrots and pecans, if using.  Pour into prepared pans.

Bake for approximately 40 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes.  Remove from pans, place on waxed paper and allow to cool completely before frosting.

baked-carrot-cake

For the frosting:

Add all ingredients, except nuts, into a medium bowl and beat until fluffy using a hand mixer.  Stir in the nuts.

carrot-cake-layers

Spread frosting on top of each cake layer.  Stack the cakes on a serving plate and serve.

enjoy