Strawberry Mirror Cake

The first time I ever heard of the group Daring Bakers was the month that they made this cake.  I remember looking through blog after blog with gorgeous pictures of this complicated cake and thinking I would never be able to make such a thing.  However, after a year of food blogging I have gained much more confidence in my culinary capabilities and felt it was time for me to give this cake a try.  My good friend Chelle and I decided to tackle this recipe together.  It was nice to have her support throughout this complex process.

Believe it or not (I couldn’t believe it myself), I made the entire cake without a single problem.  With so many steps and an elaborate assembly, I was just sure something would go wrong.  Especially after reading stories from several Daring Bakers who did have problems with this cake.  But it was a huge success and after a year of anticipation, this cake was everything I had hoped it would be.  It is a visually impressive, light and summery dessert.  The Bavarian cream is (obviously) the best part.  I was thrilled that there was quite a bit left after assembling the cake :-)  Ben and I both agreed that the flavor reminded us of melted strawberry ice cream  - yum!  I brought this to my family as a belated birthday cake for my dad and it was a hit all around.  My only regret is being unable to photograph the cut cake in my own house.  The lighting and dishes at my dad’s leave much to be desired.

Because of the many parts to this recipe, there is no very clear way to write it.  I have reformatted it in a way that I think makes the most sense to me.  I list the instructions for assembly first so that readers will know exactly when they will need each part of the recipe.  All in all I was thrilled with my result and I cannot wait to make this again.  I had a lot of fun making something so involved.  I may also try playing around with other flavors in the future, as there are many delicious possibilities!

Strawberry Mirror Cake

For the cake:

3 eggs

3 egg yolks

¾ cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 egg whites

1/8 tsp. cream of tartar

2 tbsp. sugar

2/3 cup cake flour, sifted

 

For the soaking syrup:

½ cup water

1/3 cup sugar

2 tbsp. kirsch or strawberry liqueur

 

For the strawberry Bavarian cream:

2 ½ tbsp. unflavored gelatin

1 ½ cups strained strawberry puree

5 egg yolks

2/3 cup sugar

1 ½ cups milk

1 tbsp. lemon juice

several drops of red food coloring

1 ¾ cups whipping cream

 

For the strawberry juice:

1 ½ pints strawberries (18 oz.)

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup water

 

For the strawberry mirror:

1 ½ cups strawberry juice

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. kirsch

1 tbsp. water

1 tbsp. unflavored gelatin

a few drops of red food coloring

 

Directions:

To assemble the cake, brush the sides of a 10-inch springform pan lightly with flavorless salad oil or almond oil.  Cut out a cardboard circle that is the exact same size as the bottom side of the pan; cover cardboard in aluminum foil and fit into bottom of pan. 

 

Center one layer of cake in the bottom of the pan.  Brush the cake with some of the soaking syrup to just moisten the cake.  Immediately after preparing the Bavarian cream, pour about half of it over the first layer of cake in the pan.  Set the next layer of cake on top of the cream.  Brush with soaking syrup to just moisten as before.  Pour remaining Bavarian cream over the cake and smooth the top with a spatula.  Refrigerate until the cream sets (1 to 2 hours). 

 

After preparing the mirror mixture, pour a 1/16-inch layer over the top of the cake.  Refrigerate until set.

 

To serve, wrap a hot towel around the outside of the springform pan for a few minutes.  Run a small sharp knife tip around the edge of the strawberry mirror to separate it from the sides of the pan.  The mirror will tear when the sides are unlatched if it is stuck at any point.  Slowly unlatch the pan and slide it off the cake.  Slice cake in wedges and serve in upright slices. 

 

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To make the cake, preheat oven to 450°.  Butter and flour the sides of an 11×17-inch sheet pan (rimmed baking sheet).  Line the bottom of the pan with a sheet of parchment paper cut to fit exactly.

 

Beat eggs, egg yolks and ¾ cup sugar together in a medium bowl until thick and light.  Beat in the vanilla.  Set aside.  In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy.  Add the cream of tartar and beat until the whites begin to form soft peaks.  Add the 2 tablespoons of sugar and beat until the whites hold stiff glossy peaks (do not overbeat).  Sift the flour over the egg yolk mixture and fold in.  Stir in one fourth of the whites.  Then carefully fold in the remaining whites.

 

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.  Bake until light brown and springy to touch, 7-10 minutes.  Cool in pan 5 minutes.  Run a knife along the edge to loosen.  Cut out two 8 ¼-inch circles of cake.  Wrap the cake layers, separated with wax paper, and set aside.  (Cake may be frozen at this point.)

 

To make the soaking syrup, combine the water and sugar in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil to dissolve sugar.  Cool to room temperature; flavor with liqueur.  Set aside or refrigerate in an air-tight container until ready to use. 

 

To make the strawberry Bavarian cream, sprinkle the gelatin over the strawberry puree in a small bowl and set aside until spongy.  Combine the egg yolks and the sugar in a bowl and beat until light.  Bring the milk to a boil in a saucepan.  Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly.  Return this mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until your finger leaves a clear trail in the sauce when drawn across the back of a spoon.  Do not allow the mixture to boil!  Immediately remove from heat and stir in the gelatin mixture.  Pour into a stainless steel bowl placed over a bowl of ice water.  Stir in the lemon juice and a few drops of red food coloring.  Cool over ice water, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens to the consistency of softly whipped cream. 

 

While the gelatin mixture is cooling, whip the whipping cream until it holds soft peaks.  When the gelatin mixture resembles softly whipped cream, fold the whipped cream into the gelatin mixture.

 

To make the strawberry juice, wash and hull strawberries; coarsely chop.  Place strawberries in a saucepan; crush to start juices flowing.  Place over low heat; add sugar and water; simmer slowly for 10 minutes.  Pour juice and pulp into a fine-mesh sieve placed over a bowl.  Allow to drain for 15 minutes.  Do not press down on fruit.

 

To make the strawberry mirror, place lemon juice, water and kirsch in a small bowl.  Sprinkle gelatin over this mixture; set aside until spongy and soft.

 

Measure 1 ½ cups strawberry juice into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Pour over gelatin mixture and stir to dissolve gelatin.  Tint to desired color with red food coloring.  Place bowl over a bowl of ice water and stir occasionally until the mixture is syrupy and just begins to thicken (do not let jell).  Remove from the ice water.  When the mixture is syrupy, pour a 1/16-inch layer over the top of the assembled cake.  Refrigerate until set.

Source: originally from Cakes and Pastries At the Academy by California Culinary Academy, 1993.  Adapted from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody.

Country Peach Ice Cream

Recently Ben and I decided to explore a farmer’s market in our area.  I have been wanting to go for ages, but this particular market is on Friday evenings and up until now, I have almost always had something else planned.  We finally went and much to my disappointment, it was a major bust.  There were literally only two stands!!!  There were several more set up but they were vacant - maybe they normally have a better turnout?  Even though it was disappointing in that regard, I did get some wonderful produce.  I bought blueberries, corn on the cob, and these gorgeous peaches.  All of them were much better than anything I could find in the grocery store.  I decided the peaches would be perfect for my next ice cream endeavor, and they really were!  Ben and I both agreed that this is much better than any store-bought peach ice cream we have had.

The ice cream itself has a very mild peach flavor.  Most of the ”peachiness” of this ice cream is in the actual fruit chunks.  You could easily increase the peach flavor by adding the juices from the reserved peaches to the custard mixture before churning.  However, I thought this mild peach flavor was perfect - just like peaches and cream. 

Country Peach Ice Cream

Ingredients:

4 large, ripe peaches, peeled, halved, pitted and chopped into small chunks

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

½ cup sugar, plus 2 tbsp.

1 ½ cups whole milk

1 ½ cups heavy cream

4 large egg yolks

pinch of salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

 

Directions:

Put half of the peaches in a bowl and mash slightly with a fork.  Sprinkle with the lemon juice and the 2 tablespoons sugar and toss to combine.  Cover and refrigerate.

 

In a heavy 2-qt. saucepan, combine the milk, 1 cup of the cream, and the remaining peaches.  Cook over medium heat until slightly thickened, 4-5 minutes.  Do not let boil.  Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on the peaches with the back of a spoon.  Discard the solids.

 

Meanwhile, combine the egg yolks, ½ cup sugar, salt, and remaining ½ cup cream in a bowl.  Whisk until the mixture is smooth and the sugar begins to dissolve.

 

Gradually whisk about ½ cup of the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture until smooth.  Pour the egg and milk mixtures into the saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and keeping the custard at a low simmer, until it is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and leaves a clear trail when a finger is drawn through it, 4-6 minutes.  Do not let the custard boil.  Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.  Add the vanilla and stir to combine. 

 

Place the bowl in a larger bowl partially filled with ice cubes and water.  Stir occasionally until cool.  Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming.  Refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.

 

Pour the custard into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  When the ice cream is frozen to the consistency of soft serve, transfer to an air-tight container and fold in the reserved peaches.  Cover and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours or up to 3 days before serving.

Source: adapted from Williams Sonoma Ice Cream by Mary Goodbody, Free Press, 2003.

Thai Chicken with Cashews

About a year ago I tried a recipe for cashew chicken from the dreaded Rachael Ray.  Ben enjoyed it but I pretty much hated it.  The flavors were weird and the spiciness was overpowering.  Ben has asked for it a couple of times since but I wasn’t about to make that recipe again, so when I saw this recipe I knew it would be the answer.  It was fantastic!  It was easy, fairly quick and tasted wonderful.  Now that we have found a winner, I cannot wait to have it again!

Thai Chicken with Cashews

Ingredients:

1 bunch scallions

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

3 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 red bell pepper, chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 ½ tbsp. finely chopped peeled fresh ginger (or 1 ½ tsp. dried)

¼ tsp. roasted red pepper flakes

¾ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 ½ tbsp. soy sauce

1 ½ tsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. sugar

½ cup salted roasted whole cashews

cooked white or brown rice for serving

 

Directions:

Chop scallions, separating white and green parts.  Pat chicken dry, then cut into ¾ -inch pieces and toss with salt and pepper.  Heat a wok or 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over moderately high heat until a drop of water evaporates immediately.  Add oil, swirling to coat, then stir-fry chicken until golden in places and just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes.  Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon.  Add bell pepper, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes and scallion whites to wok and stir-fry until peppers are just tender, 5 to 6 minutes.

 

Stir together broth, soy sauce, cornstarch and sugar, then stir the mixture into the vegetables in the wok.  Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.  Stir in cashews, scallion greens and chicken along with any juices accumulated on plate.  Serve with rice.

Source: Liz’s Cooking Blog

American Sandwich Bread

I have a fair amount of experience making bread now, but my success with any recipe involving yeast never fails to amaze me.  I think it is just so cool to make dough, see it rise, etc.  I’ve made a lot of great bread recipes but had only made one white bread recipe and was just not crazy about it.  When I saw that my good friend Chelle had made this fantastic white bread recipe, and that she recommended it over the other two she has tried, I was sold.  I must say, this bread really delivered.  It really is a wonderful homemade sandwich bread.  One of my major gripes about other loaves I have made in the past is that, while delicious, they do not have the height that I am looking for in a sandwich bread.  However, this loaf has great height.  The dough was just beautiful to work with and it rose easily.  I also appreciate how quick the whole process was.  I started in the morning and before lunch we had fresh bread for sandwiches.  Fabulous!

American Sandwich Bread

Ingredients:

3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. salt

1 cup warm whole milk (about 110°)

1/3 cup warm water (about 110°)

2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

3 tbsp. honey

1 envelope (about 2 ¼ tsp.) instant yeast

 

Directions:

Adjust an oven rack to the lowest position and heat the oven to 200°.  Once the oven temperature reaches 200°, maintain the heat for 10 minutes, then turn off the oven.

 

Mix 3 ½ cups of the flour and the salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.  Mix the milk, water, butter, honey and yeast in a 4-cup liquid measuring cup.  Turn the machine to low and slowly add the liquid.  When the dough comes together, increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough is smooth and satiny, stopping the machine two or three times to scrape dough from the hook, if necessary, about 10 minutes.  (After 5 minutes of kneading, if the dough is still sticking to the sides of the bowl, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time and up to ¼ cup total, until the dough is no longer sticky.)  Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface; knead to form a smooth, round ball, about 15 seconds.

 

Place the dough in a very lightly oiled large bowl, rubbing the dough around the bowl to coat lightly.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the warmed oven until the dough has doubled in size, about 40-50 minutes. 

 

On a floured work surface, gently press the dough into a rectangle 1 inch thick and no longer than 9 inches.  With a long side facing you, roll the dough firmly into a cylinder, pressing with your fingers to make sure the dough sticks to itself.  Turn the dough seam-side up and pinch it closed.  Place the dough seam-side down in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan and press it gently so it touches all four sides of the pan.  Cover with plastic wrap; set aside in a warm spot until the dough almost doubles in size, 20-30 minutes. 

 

Keep one oven rack at the lowest position and place the other at the middle position and heat the oven to 350°.  Place an empty baking pan on the bottom rack.  Bring two cups of water to boil in a small saucepan.  Pour the boiling water into the empty pan on the bottom rack and set the loaf onto the middle rack.  Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted at an angle from the short end just above the pan rim into the center of the loaf reads 195°, 40-50 minutes.  Remove the bread from the pan, transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.  Slice and serve.

Source: Brown Eyed Baker, originally from Baking Illustrated

Reese’s Cup Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

This past weekend we attended a dinner party celebrating two of my good friends’ birthdays.  My friend Allie cooked a fabulous dinner and I provided dessert.  I remembered that her husband (and the birthday boy) loves the peanut butter and chocolate combination, so the moment I saw this cake I knew it would be perfect.  This was definitely a huge hit with everyone at the party!  I think this is actually the best chocolate cake I have ever made.  It was incredibly fluffy and moist.  And combined with the wonderful peanut butter frosting, it was to die for.  Definitely make this cake - but make sure you have tall glasses of milk to serve alongside, you will need them!

Reese’s Cup Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
Ingredients:
For the cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ½ cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled (optional)

For decorating:
1 ½ - 2 batches peanut butter frosting
miniature Reese’s cups, halved and/or chopped

Directions:
For the cake, center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°.  Butter two 9×2” round cake pans, dust the insides with flour, tap out the excess and line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper.  Place the pans on a baking sheet.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy.  Add the sugar and beat for about 2 minutes, until thoroughly blended into the butter.  Add the eggs and yolks one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Beat in the vanilla.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk; add the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the buttermilk in 2 (beginning and ending with the dry ingredients).  Mix each addition only until it is blended into the batter.  Scrape down the bowl and add the melted chocolate, if using, folding it in with a spatula.  Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans.

Bake for 26-30 minutes or until the cakes feel springy to the touch and start to pull away from the sides of the pans.  Transfer to wire racks to cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them and peel off the paper liners.  Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.

To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on a cardboard circle covered in foil.  Spread peanut butter frosting on top of the cake layer.  (If desired, sprinkle with chopped Reese’s cups.)  Place the second cake layer on top of the frosting.  Frost the top and outside of the cake with remaining peanut butter frosting.  Decorate with halved and chopped Reese’s cups as desired.

Source: inspiration from Smells Like Home, cake from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, frosting from Ina Garten

Shrimp Lasagna Rolls

This was a great dinner - fun to make and very tasty!  The flavors reminded me a lot of the fantastic Penne a la Betsy (shrimp, basil, creamy tomato sauce).  I’ve never done lasagna rolls before but I am definitely a big fan.  They are a great meal like lasagna, but without all the fuss.  Assembly took very little time.  I think they would be great for company as well since they are already individual portions for easy serving.   I will definitely make them again.

Shrimp Lasagna Rolls

Ingredients:

6 lasagna noodles

1 ½ tbsp. olive oil

¾ lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined

salt and pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

15 oz. ricotta cheese

¼ cup Parmesan cheese

1 egg, lightly beaten

2-3 tbsp. chopped fresh basil

pinch of nutmeg

1 ¾ cups marinara sauce, divided

shredded mozzarella cheese, for topping

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°.

 

Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat.  Add the lasagna noodles and cook until partially tender, about 8 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

 

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the shrimp to the skillet; season with salt and pepper.  Add the garlic to the pan as well and sauté until shrimp are cooked, about 4 minutes, stirring often.  Remove from heat and let cool.  Coarsely chop the cooled shrimp and place in a bowl with 1 cup of ricotta cheese, the Parmesan, egg, basil, salt and pepper to taste, and the nutmeg.  Stir to combine.

 

In another bowl, combine 1 ½ cups of marinara sauce with remaining ricotta, to taste.  Stir until smooth.

 

In an 8×8” baking dish, spread the remaining ¼ cup of marinara sauce so it covers the bottom.  Lay lasagna noodles out on a work surface.  Divide the shrimp mixture evenly between the noodles and spread over the full length of each.  Roll up and place seam-side down in the baking dish.  Spoon the creamy marinara sauce over the top.  Top with shredded mozzarella.

 

Bake until lasagna rolls are heated through and cheese begins to brown, about 25 minutes.

Source: adapted from …And a Cookie for Dessert, originally from Everyday Pasta by Giada De Laurentiis

Phyllo Wrapped Salmon with Goat Cheese

Here is yet another dinner success from this past week.  I would actually call this a huge success because it had Ben (the former self-proclaimed seafood hater) singing its praises all evening.  I knew this would be good.  I mean, layers of delicate buttered dough with salmon and goat cheese - what’s not to love?  This is a brilliant creation.  I did find this to be incredibly filling and I barely finished mine, so serve it with some light sides.  If you happen to only have plain goat cheese on hand, just chop up some garlic and herbs and sprinkle them on top of the cheese for the same effect.

This is my entry for the July installment of Tasty Tools hosted by Joelen, featuring the pastry brush.  Using a pastry or basting brush to brush butter onto phyllo is one of my favorite uses for this kitchen tool, though I use mine for many things.  I must admit I prefer a brush with regular bristles when working with phyllo, but this silicone one made for a prettier picture :-) 

Phyllo Wrapped Salmon with Goat Cheese

Ingredients:

2 salmon fillets

1-2 oz. herbed goat cheese

12 sheets phyllo dough

4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

salt and pepper

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°. 

 

On a work surface, lay down one piece of phyllo dough.  Brush lightly with melted butter.  Repeat until 6 sheets of phyllo are layered on top of each other.  Place one salmon fillet at an angle near a corner of the phyllo stack.  Season with salt and pepper.  Spread half of the goat cheese on top of the salmon.  Fold corner and then sides of the phyllo stack over the salmon, and then roll up, burrito-style, keeping all sides of phyllo folded in.  Trim off any excess.  Place seam side down on a baking sheet and brush top with more melted butter.  Repeat the process with the second salmon fillet.  Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.

 

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until phyllo is golden brown. 

Source: Bella Lately

Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli in White Wine Cheddar Sauce

This past week of being back in the kitchen full-time has been a lots of fun for me, and very successful.  I have gotten to try lots of new recipes and make a few old ones as well.  This particular recipe has been bookmarked in my computer for a very long time, but because of the wine in the sauce, I held off making it during my pregnancy.  I made it a couple of nights ago and it was fantastic!  I think the white cheddar and the wine combine to create a nice unique flavor making this a little more special than your average pasta dish.  I halved the original recipe to make about 4 servings.  I had the leftovers the next day for lunch and they were just as good as the night before.  I’ll be making this again and again!

Ziti with Chicken and Broccoli in White Wine Cheddar Sauce
Ingredients:
8 oz. ziti or other tube pasta
1 ½ tbsp. butter
¼ cup roasted garlic paste (see directions below)
1 ½ tbsp. flour
¼ cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups fresh broccoli florets, blanched or steamed until tender
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, grilled and cut into bite-sized pieces
¾ cup shredded white cheddar cheese
salt and pepper

Directions:
To make the garlic paste, roast 2-3 heads of garlic.  When cool, squeeze the cloves out of the skin into a bowl.  Mash with a fork.

Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook pasta until al dente.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  When just starting to foam, add the garlic paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add the flour to the skillet and cook until beginning to turn golden, about 2 minutes.  Add the wine and cook until evaporated, about 1 minute.  Stir the broth into the pan and simmer the sauce until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.  Add the cheddar and stir constantly while returning to a boil.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Fold in the pasta, chicken and broccoli and stir until the sauce covers uniformly.  Plate and top with shaved Parmesan, if desired.

Source: adapted from Amber’s Delectable Delights, originally from Good Things Catered

Vanilla Cupcakes

Today is July 18, which means that my son is one month old.  This seems nearly impossible to me - I cannot believe he has been with us for a whole month now!  I decided to make some cupcakes to celebrate this special day (and also, just because I wanted cupcakes  ) even though he will only get to enjoy them in the form of breastmilk. 

Speaking of which, I am submitting this as my entry to Got Milk?, a food blogging event hosted by Linda at Make LIfe Sweeter!   This event coincides with World Breastfeeding Week which is the first week of August.  Entries simply have to be something sweet that has milk as an ingredient.  Breastfeeding is known to be the best form of nutrition for a child and has many proven benefits.  I was prepared for many of the challenges of new mommyhood, but I had no idea how difficult breastfeeding would be.  Even though we didn’t have any actual problems, it is a huge and painful adjustment.  It is the one thing I wish I had understood better before having my baby.  At first it was incredibly difficult and suddenly I completely understood how so many moms give up quickly - it’s really hard!  We stuck with it and at two weeks, it was easier.  At three weeks - much easier.  It continues to get better everyday and I am happy I can do this for my son.  It is pretty cool to see how much he has grown in one month and know that I am the one responsible for that.  Now I am very glad that I am breastfeeding, so I think this is a great event.  Thanks, Linda, for hosting!

Anyway, on to the cupcakes!  These are a wonderful classic vanilla cupcake topped with my favorite (and super easy) vanilla buttercream.  The cake is perfectly moist and tender, and they bake up with little domed tops which I prefer for decorating.  I omitted the lemon zest from the recipe.  I’m sure it would be delicious, but I wanted a simple vanilla flavor.  The recipe yields 12 cupcakes.  I made half a batch of the frosting and was short one cupcake.  So, if you are like me and use a lot of frosting in your decoration, you might want to make more than half a batch.  If you just spread a layer on top, half a batch would be plenty.  Enjoy!

A pic of the “birthday” boy  - couldn’t resist!

Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients:

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

zest of 1 lemon (optional)

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

¼ cup milk

1-1 ½ recipes easy vanilla buttercream frosting

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Line a muffin tin with 12 paper liners.  Set pan aside.

 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides and beating well after each addition.  Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest, if using.

 

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.  With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

 

Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter and bake for about 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool in pan 5 minutes.  Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

 

Prepare frosting.  Decorate cooled cupcakes as desired.

Source: cupcakes adapted from Joy of Baking, frosting from Annie’s Eats

Blueberry Ice Cream

Even though math and science have always been my strong suits, I am horrible at estimating.  You would think that the more I cook and bake the better I might be at it - not true.  When I bought the blueberries to make blueberry pie, I knew I needed 4 cups.  However, I had no idea how many cups are in a pint (2, for anyone else who is clueless).  So, thanks to my inability to visually size things up, I ended up buying 4 pints - two times the amount of berries I actually needed.  Thank goodness they were on sale!  It wasn’t hard to decide what to do with the extras.  One pint went directly into my mouth and the other was used to make this ice cream.  This is a really nice, light ice cream.  The flavor of the blueberries really shines through, accompanied by a creamy undertone.  And the gorgeous purple color - that alone is reason enough to make this ice cream!  (An added bonus - it turns your tongue that color too )

Blueberry Ice Cream

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh blueberries

¾ cup water

1 cup sugar

1 cup half and half

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 tsp. vodka (optional)

 

Directions:

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the blueberries, water and sugar.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to help dissolve the sugar.  Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 1 minute.  Remove from the heat and let sit for 30 minutes to steep.

 

Transfer the blueberry mixture to a food processor or blender and process until smooth, about 1 minute.  Strain through a fine mesh sieve (if desired) and into a bowl.  Stir in the vodka.  Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.

 

Add the cream and lemon juice to the blueberry puree and stir to combine.  Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.  Transfer to an airtight container, cover and freeze until firm.  Makes about 1 quart.

Source: adapted from Half Baked