Peach and Plum Upside-Down Cake

I found myself baking much more often lately. Even though it is summer and it is hot enough without the oven on, there is nothing better than the smell of baking in my kitchen. The house filled with warm aromas of cookies, cakes and pies just makes me happy. And there is always the first bite, the moment of truth. Is it as good as you expected? Would I change anything in the recipe, maybe add less sugar or few drops of almond extract...

After purchasing couple great baking books and subscribing to few great "baking blogs" - my "want to make folder" is growing rapidly. Fall is my favorite baking season, and I know, I will be sad to say goodbye to the summer, but there is something great about the harvest season, its cool evenings, the cinnamon and cloves and cider, and the endless possibilities of baking with apples...


But anyway - today is about plums, and plum upside down cake. Actually my cake has mixed plums and peaches to make it more summery. I research for a perfect recipe, there are quite of few available online. I made the cake batter with cinnamon and milk, and the topping with butter and brown sugar. Another recipe I found - had sour cream added to the batter and regular sugar in topping. Both looked equally great, and my next upside down cake will be experimenting with the other recipe. Maybe it will be apple upside down ...



This cake is tender and moist, the brown sugar-butter topping is juicy and melts in your mouth. Perfect combination of plums and peaches makes it a great dessert. This recipe is a keeper.

For Topping:
3/4 stick of butter (6 TBS)
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 TBS honey
6 large plums, pitted and cut in wedges (I used 4 white plums and 2 large peaches)

For Cake:
3/4 stick of butter (6 TBS) - I used margarine, it works well for baking, and it has fewer calories
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. almond extract (goes really well with stone fruit, like plums, peaches)
1/2 cup of milk
2 TBS buttermilk
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

Topping: Place butter, brown sugar and honey in a saucepan and melt together on low heat, whisk to combine. Pour into 9 or 10 inch round cake pan with at last 2 inch sides. (Do not use spring pan form, it will leak) Arrange sliced plums evenly over the butter-brown sugar mixture.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (180 C). In a medium bowl mix in all the dry ingredients - flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Melt the butter in a microwave. In a bowl with electric mixer pour melted butter, add sugar and beat for couple of minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and almond extract, beat until light and fluffy. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk and buttermilk, mixing until well blended. Spoon batter evenly over plums.

Bake for 50 minutes to an hour, until golden and tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to rack and cool for 30 minutes. Using a knife, cut around the sides of pan to loosen the cake. Place serving platter on top of the cake pan and invert cake. Lift the pan, and serve the cake.

Plums can be substituted for peaches, apples, pineapples, blueberries, or other combinations of fruit.



That little someone couldn't wait to get a bite of this amazing upside-down cake. It only took a second and he was on the top of table getting started with my slice! :)

My Red Velvet Cake

About two months ago I had the best red velvet cupcake in the entire world. It was one of my co-worker's birthday and we had ordered cupcakes from Fox & Obel in Chicago. Those were so delicious, I could eat a whole dozen!
I knew there was something different in the flavor, it was not just a regular red velvet cake. I tasted them again, and realized that it was almond extract. And it was not just added to the cake, it was also in the cream cheese frosting. The frosting was not too sweet, just perfectly complementing the flavor of the cake. I tried to find a recipe that would incorporate almond extract - but I had no luck.




So last Saturday, I decided to make my own red velvet cake with a twist! It was a "test kitchen" experience, the cake turned out delicious - I have to say that, I almost recreated that flavor. And the only reason why I say almost is because I no longer remember the exact taste of those cupcakes. My brother and his girlfriend came over, we had some wine, and I was baking. Yes, it was late and we really wanted something sweet. I mean REALLY!



I baked the cake and let it cool down, but I was so curious to try how it taste that I cut into it about 2 minutes after I finished frosting. It was still little warm inside. ;) That explains why my pictures are so bad. I will be making that cake for Christmas again, so I will let it completely cool down, and let the frosting set.

Red Velvet Cake

• 2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 TBS cocoa powder (unsweetened)
• 1 oz. red food coloring
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract
  
• 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or three 8-inch round cake pans. Into a medium bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix food coloring and cocoa powder to form a paste, set aside.
In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in vanilla, almond extract and cocoa paste. Add one third of the flour mixture, beat well, then beat in half of the buttermilk. Beat in another third of flour mixture, then second half of buttermilk. Finally beat in the last third of the flour mixture, making sure to scrape down the bowl with a spatula.
In a small bowl, mix vinegar and baking soda, it will fizz. Add it to the cake batter and stir well to combine. Divide batter evenly between the cake pans and place them in a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. To remove the cakes from the pan, place a wire rack on top of the cake pan and invert, then gently lift the pan. Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
(double the recipe for this cake)

• 1 - 8oz cream cheese, room temperature (I use Philadelphia)
• 3/4 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature
  
• 3/4 cup of powder sugar
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Beat cream cheese with butter until fluffy, add vanilla, almond extract and lemon juice, add powdered sugar in 3 batches, beat few more minutes to get desire consistency. Frost the cake.

My brother had 3 large pieces of this wonderful cake that night! I can't wait to make it again in form of cupcakes! Delicious!

Yogurt - Cranberry Coffeecake

This is a great recipe for a festive holiday coffeecake. Looks amazing, and tastes great. Wonderful for holiday brunch. This recipe makes one 9 x 13 baking pan. You could divide into smaller pieces, wrap in in cellophane and voila!... nice gift for Christmas morning ...




Topping:
5 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
big pinch of salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup + 2 tablespoons King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (I think any all purpose flour will do)

Batter:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup + 2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup (8 ounces) plain or flavored yogurt
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

Filling:
1 can of whole-berry cranberry sauce

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch pan.

To make the topping: In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla. Add the flour, beating until even crumbs form. Scoop the mixture into a smaller bowl, and set it aside.

To make the batter: In the bowl cream together the butter and brown sugar, beating until smooth. Beat in the eggs, scraping the bowl and again beating until smooth. Beat in the yogurt, extracts, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and flour. The mixture will be fairly stiff. If too stiff add more yogurt. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan. Dollop the cranberry sauce on top, breaking it up with a fork first, if necessary. Make swirls with knife. Sprinkle the topping over the top.

To bake the coffeecake: Bake coffeecake for 40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove it from oven, and cool for 30 minutes before serving (or serve it hot from the oven, if you don't mind it crumbling a bit!) Yield: 2 dozen 2-inch squares.

{Recipe courtesy of King Arthur Flour Website}